Chapter 4, Madam Shen

The general, who can only return to the capital once a year, upon his return, is faced with the shameless joke of his own daughter running away to marry, even going so far as to threaten death to force a marriage. How could he possibly feel joyful?

Shuangjiang shook her head, as if that could dispel the absurd thoughts in her heart. She smiled and looked at Shen Miao, asking, "What are you looking at, young lady?"

"I was just wondering, do these wild geese fly from the northern lands to the southern country, and do they also pass through the deserts of the northwest?" Shen Miao said softly

Shen Miao stepped into Rongjing Hall

Shen Miao smiled faintly, tightened her cloak, and said: "Let's go"

It seemed that no one noticed Shen Miao's arrival until Shen Yue smiled and said, "Why did Fifth Sister come only now? Seventh Brother is about to finish the steamed sugar pastry."

Shen Miao smiled faintly, her lips carrying a hint of bitterness

The young girl has her long, jet-black hair styled into a delicate deer bun, adorned with an exquisite coral hairpin. She is dressed in a deep red outfit featuring intricate silk embroidery, which accentuates her graceful and slender figure

"Is your body feeling any better?" A hoarse and stern voice sounded, carrying a hint of barely perceptible impatience

The young lady must be missing the master and the madam, " said Shuangjiang with a smile, " When the year-end comes, the master will return, and by then, he will see that the young lady has grown taller, and I wonder how delighted he will be.

The courtyard of my home, though simple, is not shabby; it reflects a broad-minded spirit in every corner. How can it compare to those grotesque figures in the eastern courtyard, which are merely gilded on the outside but rotten within

Shen Miao came to her senses and saw Gu Yu jogging over, saying: "Miss, the people from Rongjing Hall have come to urge us."

In fact, the western courtyard is more secluded compared to the eastern courtyard, resulting in insufficient sunlight, receiving less than half of what the eastern courtyard gets, and there is truly nothing commendable about it. Only Shen Xin, who is cheerful all day long, feels that he has struck a great bargain by acquiring that piece of vacant land. Both Shen Xin and Madam Shen come from a family of military officials, and their tastes are equally simple, characterized by white walls and black tiles, extremely plain. It cannot be compared to the exquisite and graceful renovations of the eastern courtyard.

Shen Miao shook her head

In the next moment, a loud voice from above commanded, "Unfilial daughter, why aren't you kneeling down!"

Shen Miao closed her eyes

Miss, Miss? Bai Lu noticed that the young master had an unusual expression, her fingertips gripping the cloak turned pale, and she couldn't help but softly call out.

The people in the Rongjing Hall fell silent for a moment

After a moment, Ren Wanyun smiled and said, "I see that Xiao Wu is indeed weak in health. The doctor has been called twice in the past few days, but fortunately, it seems that there is no issue now."

After having breakfast, Shen Miao stood in the yard, lost in thought as she gazed at the sky

The young girl had a fair complexion, appearing delicate and petite. Now, there was not a trace of a smile on her face; it could not be described as indifference, nor as foolishness, but rather a certain aloofness, as she gazed at the sky with a hint of nostalgia. She stood as she always had, yet there was an air of dignity about her, as if overnight she had acquired a unique grace from an unknown source, exuding a sense of elegance and grandeur.

After passing through the long corridor and the exquisitely trimmed garden, one finally arrives at the entrance of Rongjing Hall

General Shen's original wife, Shen Xin's mother, was born into a prestigious family, a true lady of high society, but unfortunately passed away in middle age. Later, while General Shen was marching through a certain area, he rescued a singer from the hands of local ruffians. The singer, with nowhere to go, earnestly requested to become his concubine, and she bore him Shen Gui and Shen Wan, and was later elevated to the status of a legitimate wife.

She is still small in stature, not as tall and slender as Shen Yue and Shen Qing. Her face is round, and coupled with her timid personality, she appears to be a few years younger than her actual age, resembling a child of around eleven or twelve years old

She is a woman who is extremely particular about her appearance. In her previous life, during the time of Shen Miaoguige, she always believed that Old Madam Shen was the most noble woman, and the kind of elegance and beauty that persisted into old age captivated her. However, looking back now, she finds it somewhat laughable

"Fifth Miss has arrived," said Xi'er, who was beside Old Madam Shen

In the Rongjing Hall, a scene of harmony and joy unfolds, with nearly all the guests present. Madam Ren Wanyun, the second wife of the Shen family, and Madam Chen Ruoqiu, the third wife, stand beside the matriarch. Shen Qing sits next to the matriarch with a plate of pastries, while on the other side sits Shen Yuanbai, the younger brother from the second branch of the Shen family. At only five years old, Shen Yuanbai clumsily grabs the pastries and attempts to feed them to the matriarch, causing her to laugh heartily.

Madam Shen's smile had faded, and she slightly raised her head with an air of arrogance. Despite being in her seventies, she wore a narrow, thin peach-red dress with a Panjin knot, adorned with green jade turquoise buttons at the collar, and a headband embroidered with white orchids. Her silver hair was styled into a cloud-like bun, embellished with several jade beads.

When General Shen was alive, he often practiced swordsmanship and martial arts in a vacant courtyard in the western yard. After General Shen passed away, Shen Gui and Shen Wan both pursued scholarly paths, leaving only Shen Xin to inherit the old general's legacy. That vacant courtyard, along with the western yard, was given to Shen Xin. The eastern yard was spacious and housed the families of the first and second branches, as well as the old lady Shen.

In early autumn, the wild geese in the northern regions fly in a line, traversing the vast sky and heading towards the warm southern lands. The lush branches and leaves of summer in the courtyard have begun to wither, and the colorful fish in the pond appear a bit colder than usual.

The Northwest desert, that is the place guarded by Shen Xin, where Madam Shen and Young Master Shen reside. In the family letter sent last month, it was mentioned that while the capital has just begun to feel the chill, the Northwest has already seen the withering of all vegetation, and light snow has begun to fall.

She looked at the woman in front of her. Old Lady Shen had been beautiful in her youth, with a pointed face and large, sparkling eyes. In her old age, however, her face resembled a dry, triangular drum, with two eyes protruding awkwardly on top. Yet she refused to accept her fate and insisted on applying bright-colored lipstick.

Shen Miao was once very dissatisfied with the west courtyard she occupied, envying the elegance and charm of the east courtyard where others lived, and secretly resented Shen Xin for it. Looking back now, she can only scoff at her own ignorance

Shen Miao nodded: "My body is probably not fully recovered yet; I feel a bit dizzy after walking a few steps. I rested for a while on the way, which is why I arrived late"

Shen Miao looked up at Old Madam Shen

Bailu gently draped the embroidered cloak over Shen Miao and said, "Miss, your illness has not yet fully recovered, so be careful not to catch a chill."

The decor of Rongjing Hall is exceptionally elegant, aimed at highlighting the atmosphere of literary refinement. A plaque with a bamboo motif hangs at the entrance, and the bronze handles shaped like pine and crane are exquisitely crafted and lively

Shen Yue wanted to say that she had come late due to her arrogance, and she was not afraid to point out that the old lady Shen was being overbearing, disregarding her granddaughter's health and insisting that someone come to pay their respects.

The singer eventually rose to prominence, becoming Madam Shen, and later, Old Madam Shen. Although her reputation and status changed, her inherent petty demeanor, rooted in the common folk, remained unchanged. Shen Miao still remembers in her past life, Old Madam Shen forced her to marry the lame Prince of Yuzhou, merely to pave the way for Shen Qing.

Rongjing Hall, the residence of Madam Shen, early in the morning the old lady sent her maid to check on Shen Miao. Upon seeing that Shen Miao was unharmed, she merely stated that once her health improved, she could go to pay her respects to the old lady. In truth, whether it was a visit of respect or a summons for accountability, both parties were well aware of the underlying intentions.

However, today is somewhat different

Moreover, the one she longs to marry is merely a petty person who seeks to exploit the military power of the Shen family to seize the throne. The struggle for succession is fraught with both noble and base characters, and the Shen family originally did not wish to get involved. Yet, she was dragged into it by her blind love, ultimately leading to a tragic end with the complete destruction of her family

In the Shen residence, the eastern courtyard and the western courtyard are distinctly separated.

Frost's descent was observed from one side, stirring some unusual feelings within her heart

Indeed, it is... very unbecoming. Shen Miao, with the nonchalant perspective of someone who had been an empress in a past life, evaluated in her heart and humbly said: "I have taken the medicine, and I am much better now. Thank you for your concern, Grandmother."

However, in just a short span of six months, too many events have transpired. Since her coming of age, her marriage has become a leverage that the Eastern Courtyard can manipulate at any time. It seems that starting from this year of her coming of age, the Eastern Courtyard has shed its disguise as a malevolent beast, gradually cornering her into a dead end, from which there is no turning back