Chapter 7: 006 Sense of Propriety

"Madam Shizi," Madam Shen interrupted her cordially, "it is merely a squabble between children. They are neighbors, after all; they may quarrel today but will be playing together again tomorrow. Let it be. It is not worth damaging the harmony between our two houses over such a trivial matter. Now that the overall situation has just stabilized, the imperial court relies on the civil and military officials to work together for the benefit of the world. It is not appropriate for you and me to remain entangled in such affairs."

"When you have time, Madam, do come over for tea. The gates of the Shen residence are always open to you."

So, she is welcome for tea, but not for discussing matters of principle?

Madam Qi was so furious she could feel smoke rising from her seven orifices. Gu Song tugged at her sleeve to pull her away, but she shook him off violently. Lifting her chin, she smiled at Madam Shen, "Many thanks for the invitation, Madam! However, the threshold of the Shen residence is too high for me to step over easily. When Madam Lu visits another day, please convey my regards. We of the Rongguo Duke’s mansion have soft necks; I hope the masters of your two houses will show mercy!"

With that, she let out a cold snort, took Gu Song by the hand, and led her maids and matrons out in a grand, sweeping procession.

Silence reigned inside and outside the hall for a long while.

Madam Shen stared at the doorway for a moment before finally turning her gaze toward Shen Yan, who stood before her.

Although Shen Yan felt those eyes piercing her like blades of ice, she still looked up and met her gaze. She bowed to her brilliantly and said, "Many thanks to Grandmother for cherishing Yan'er, and for not hesitating to offend the powerful to stand up for Mother and me. When Father returns, Yan'er will certainly tell him all about it."

Who didn't hesitate to offend the powerful to uphold justice? Who stood up for them? If anything, it was because she had been forced into it!

Madam Shen looked at Shen Yan, whose skin was as thick as a city wall, and upon hearing that final sentence, she took a deep breath. She squinted at the apricot blossoms outside the door, suppressing the urge to call someone to beat her with a paddle.

Shen Mi, who had been sensible and affectionate since childhood, was the son she cherished most in her heart. Back then, because of the Hua woman, Shen Mi had nearly become a monk. Over the years, through her own forbearance, their relationship had finally improved. Shen Yan would inevitably tell Shen Mi about this incident. Regardless of whether she would truly speak well of her, if she really had her beaten, wouldn't Shen Mi come back to make a scene?

Thinking of this, she took a deep breath. What kind of son had she given birth to? He was nothing but a bane!

"You may go!"

She stroked her teacup, her phoenix eyes lowered as she looked at the young Shen Yan.

Ever since the second branch returned to the capital, she hadn't seen the Hua woman and her daughter many times. Of the three unfilial acts, having no descendants is the greatest. People said she disliked the Hua woman because she hadn't borne Shen Mi a son, but only she knew that what made her feel even more embarrassed and humiliated as a mother was that Shen Mi had nearly become her enemy just to marry her. What could be more detestable than a woman who turns a mother and son against each other?

Therefore, even though the Hua woman was impeccable in character and appearance, she could never win her favor.

Even Shen Yan, who looked very much like her mother, was not held in high regard.

In any case, both mother and daughter were the same—lacking in decorum.

Shen Yan loudly acknowledged the order and stepped back over the threshold.

Madam Hua had come prepared to risk everything to seek justice for her daughter, which was why she hadn't shown any weakness before Madam Qi. Now that Madam Qi was gone, she had been bracing herself for Madam Shen to settle scores with them, wondering how to respond. She hadn't expected that they would be allowed to leave. Thinking she had misheard, she saw the others sitting in the hall rise one after another, and Shen Yan walking out nonchalantly, before she finally bowed to the head of the table and turned to leave.

Madam Chen walked at the very end, hesitating, unsure whether to stay or go.

Madam Shen frowned and said in a deep voice, "Where are Ming-ge and Shen-ge?"

Shen Ming and Shen Shen paused, immediately turning back from the veranda.

Madam Shen said, "The ancients say: do not look at what is improper, do not listen to what is improper. You are descendants of the Shen family. People have bullied your ancestors, yet you dared not utter a sound. Where have all your studies of the sages gone? Each of you shall receive ten strokes of the cane, then kneel before the ancestral tablets to recite the family precepts and reflect on where you went wrong!"

Shen Ming and Shen Shen hurriedly agreed.

Madam Chen gritted her teeth, looking at her sons' palms, which were beaten red, and lowered her head, biting her lip.

When Madam Hua’s party returned to their rooms, the atmosphere in Xiyue Hall remained stagnant.

Although Madam Qi had been sent away by Madam Shen, the insults she had hurled at Madam Hua regarding her background still left her fuming.

"It’s enough to make an eighty-year-old grandmother laugh her teeth out! My Hua family girls are at least literate. She, coming from a family of bodyguards, doesn't know a single character, yet she dares to act so arrogant in front of me? Saying the Shen family didn't know how to judge people and married a merchant's daughter—truly, nothing good comes out of a dog's mouth. Who insults someone right to their face like that? I think the people of the Rongguo Duke’s mansion are the ones who are truly vulgar and ignorant!"

Madam Hua sat on the cool mat, fanning herself violently, her pretty face flushed with rage.

Nanny Huang stepped forward to rub her back, Fushang hurriedly brewed chrysanthemum tea, and Ziying handed her a handkerchief. The room was a flurry of activity, yet Shen Yan stood by the curtains, as still as a painting.

She remembered that in her previous life, she would have had to be very careful at this time, because whenever someone provoked Madam Hua, she would inevitably be dragged out as a scapegoat. Based on experience, everything from the time she spent lazing in bed in the morning to her embroidery, or the accounts she calculated, could be used as ammunition to criticize her lack of progress.

Madam Hua was her mother. After witnessing many cases of "the mother teaching the son," she felt that being scolded a few times as a daughter was nothing. The problem was that it was annoying when it happened constantly. So, starting from the age of seven, she had consciously avoided such situations and developed a keen sense for crises, to the point where she hadn't suffered much in the last two years.

After Madam Hua died in her previous life, her ability to make quick judgments and adapt to her environment was largely due to this experience.

Now, more than a decade later, she hadn't expected to see Madam Hua so full of life again. Shen Yan didn't feel annoyed at all; on the contrary, she felt deeply moved. "The child wishes to provide for the parents, but they are no longer there." Now that her "parent" was still here, she was truly lucky. Speaking of which, should she thank Song Jiang for that push? If she hadn't been knocked unconscious, how would she have had the chance to turn back time?

"What are you standing there for?"

Madam Hua had been fanning herself for a while, and her anger had subsided somewhat. Seeing her standing by the curtains, lost in thought, she snapped. After speaking, she remembered that she hadn't had a doctor look at her since she returned, so she gave an order to Nanny Huang, then walked over with her fan and poked her forehead. "It’s all your fault! Always causing trouble for me every few days."

For the first time, Shen Yan didn't mutter a complaint after being scolded. She touched her forehead, lifted her face, and nuzzled into Madam Hua’s chest. "Mother is brilliant and invincible; how could the young Madam Qi be your match? She is uneducated and lacks substance. In terms of looks and character, Mother could leave her a thousand miles behind. Otherwise, why would Father have married you instead of her? That is the difference. We shouldn't lower ourselves to her level."

Seeing her like this, so unlike her usual defiant self, Madam Hua felt a sudden lump in her throat. Her daughter was usually a bit mischievous, but she had never caused any real trouble. Today, when Madam Qi insulted her so lightly, whether she replied or not would have been a loss of face, but the difference was that after replying, she would have to face Madam Shen's reprimand.

She hadn't expected little Shen Yan to stand up at that moment, not only leaving Madam Qi speechless but also cornering Madam Shen. She didn't know that beneath her seemingly simple and innocent exterior, such courage and wisdom were hidden. Under such circumstances, how could she still feel any real anger over the slights she had received?

Shen Yan saw that she wasn't speaking and continued to hug her waist, swaying.

Madam Hua felt a warmth in her heart, though she wasn't quite used to her daughter's uncharacteristic clinginess. She feigned anger, turned her head, and pushed her away. "Stop being so shameless with me. After Dr. Liao comes to see you later, go back to your room. You are grounded for three days starting today, and you must finish the pillowcase I gave you yesterday!"

Although her words were merciless, her tone was as soft as glutinous rice candy, with no hint of harshness left.

Shen Yan lifted her face and followed her into the room with a grin.

Madam Hua sat in her chair, frowning slightly as she looked at the floor. "Although we didn't let Madam Qi get the better of us today, I wonder if this will lead to any future trouble?"

She was speaking to Nanny Huang.

Although Madam Shen had stepped up today under the pressure of Shen Yan's words, her attitude had been truly firm. Even though the Shen family was in the right, the other party was not an ordinary family. Given their current situation in the mansion, causing such a rift because of Shen Yan might not be a good thing.

Shen Yan was fiddling with a water lily on the flower stand by the curtains.

Nanny Huang pondered, "This servant thinks that even if we lack discretion, Grandmother always has it. If there were any real trouble, Grandmother certainly wouldn't have shown that attitude."

Madam Hua nodded, but her willow-leaf brows remained furrowed.

Shen Yan looked at her own reflection in the flowerpot and curled her lips slightly.

The Hua family had long maintained close ties with the imperial court, and Madam Hua was familiar with these prominent families in the capital, but she was, after all, a woman of the inner chambers with limited knowledge. However, after Shen Yan's mother died in her previous life and her relationship with Shen Mi collapsed, she had to face the world alone and inevitably paid attention to the broader environment. Later, when she married Qin Shou, an assistant commander of the Central Military Camp, she became involved in even more political affairs.

The Rongguo Duke’s mansion was powerful, it was true, but in recent years the Emperor had frequently purged meritorious officials. Thus, no one could grasp the Emperor's mind. The nobles, including the Gu family, were outwardly imposing but inwardly worried about their family's future. Even the Prince of Chen, who had helped Emperor Gaozu conquer the empire, had been taken down without a blink. Who knew who would be next?

The Rongguo Duke’s mansion was surely imposing on the outside but anxious on the inside.

The Shen family was different. Even if they were officials from the previous dynasty, they were civil officials without military power, and the Shen family held a special appeal among the literati. To ensure the peace and long-term stability of his reign, the Emperor would not only refrain from killing the Shen family now but would also not easily convict them.