Chapter 10: Seizing Power, Family Rules

Cuiyu's cheers quickly drew the attention of those nearby.

Fortunately, Shen Yunyao was wearing a veil hat with light gauze covering her face, so no one could discern her identity.

"Cuiyu!"

Shen Yunyao gave a light shout.

Cuiyu only then realized her faux pas.

She hurriedly stood respectfully beside him, daring not to make any noise.

"Thank you, sir, for clearing my doubts!"

Shen Yunyao signaled that Cuiyu should pay, then hurried away.

This lot was clearly a marriage lot.

But she truly hadn't intended to calculate marriage fate just now.

It was that chance‑meeting youth, could it be that coincidental?

Shen Yunyao shook her head; she felt she might be under a demonic affliction.

Love at first sight is something only a lovesick fool would do.

Obviously, she was not a lovesick fool.

Returning to Sanqing Temple, Shen Yunyao went to the main hall, prayed briefly before the Statue of the Three Pure Ones, and made a new wish.

If she cannot obtain a good spouse in this life, a pair for a lifetime, then she will grow old alone.

Leaving the Sanqing Temple, Shen Yunyao felt an inexplicable heaviness in her heart.

She had originally gone to fulfill a vow and relax, but a single bamboo skewer stirred her tranquil heart.

"This is wrong!"

"When did I become such a pretentious person?"

Shen Yunyao quickly realized something was abnormal.

She, could she be such a person who is so anxious and insecure?

Sure enough, it's a simpleton troubling herself!

Or rather, I am still unwilling!

Being inexplicably thrust into a novel, her life now has many more rules and constraints, less fun, and who can avoid a few emotional ups and downs?

Returning to Liu Cheng, Shen Yunyao once again became a genteel lady who never left the main gate nor the side gate.

Although this wasn't the life she wanted, there was no choice!

In the city, the topic of the top scholar breaking off his marriage with a Shen Family lady was still spreading hotly.

Some say the Shen Family once lifted some and stepped on others, and now the top scholar is taking revenge.

Others claim the top scholar rose to a high position and looks down on Shen Family women.

Still others say Shen Family women have thin blessings and may not live long.

All sorts of rumors swirled noisily.

Through the gossip, Shen Yunyao had become a person whose fate was as thin as paper, unlucky.

A lady like that, even as the legitimate daughter of the Shen Family Third Branch, still worries about marriage.

Yet, under these circumstances, Shen Yunyao's father, the third elder of the Shen Family, still never came to see his daughter, still loitered in brothels, famed for his debauchery, living a drunken, dreamlike existence.

Shen Shen once had someone bring this third brother back to the Shen Family, but when matriarch Li Shi intervened, the third elder of the Shen Family was free again.

"Mother, by spoiling the third brother like this, he'll be completely useless for life!"

Shen Shen didn't understand why his own mother indulged this third brother so much.

There is an old saying: a pampered child is like a killed child.

He didn't believe his mother didn't understand this principle.

"Does the Shen Family really cannot support a useless person?"

Li Shi gave her eldest son a disapproving glance.

Shen Shen fell silent.

If they can support him, then they certainly can.

But why?

Once, this third brother was also full of vigor, discussing ancient and modern topics, debating world affairs, dreaming of entering official service, pondering how to realize his ambitions.

But since when did it start?

This brother has changed.

He no longer delved into studies, but relied on a little talent, mingling with a group of frustrated scholars, loitering in brothels, living a drunken, dreamlike life.

"You don't need to worry about the third brother's affairs!"

"Just take care of your own matters!"

"Watch over Seventh Maid's marriage affairs; if possible, find anyone and marry her off far away!"

"With that kind of face and a broken engagement, her reputation won't sound good."

"Don't let her affect the reputation of Shen Family's ladies."

Li Shi's words made Shen Shen's heart feel like falling into an ice cellar.

He couldn't understand.

The other son of the mother, why is the third brother like this?

The other granddaughter, why is that maid Yunyao so poorly treated?

When they wanted to break off the marriage, his mother disagreed.

Earlier, Zheng Wangshi wanted Shen Yunyao's fate, and his mother readily agreed.

Now, his mother shows no concealment in her disgust for that little girl Shen Yunyao.

"My words—did you hear them?"

Seeing that her son gave no reply, Li Shi lightly tapped the table.

Shen Shen inhaled deeply, then slowly spoke: "Mother, you are advanced in years; from now on, just enjoy your remaining days in peace!"

"The matters of the Shen Family, you should no longer trouble yourself with them!"

Shen Shen did not know why all this was happening.

But he knew this was wrong.

When his father was alive, he always told him that brothers must be friendly, that every member of the clan should be cherished, and that one must not favor some over others.

He has been doing so all these years.

The reason for calling off the marriage was not merely to elevate oneself while stepping on others; rather, Zheng Wangshi was no pushover, and he could not stand by and watch his niece leap into a fire pit.

However, because of Shen Yunyao's appearance, some people thought he intended to marry off this niece to a prestigious family, using her to climb the social ladder.

If the pitiful Shen Shen were to have even a trace of that intention, may heaven strike him down and may he meet a miserable death.

"Eldest, are you going to keep mother under house arrest?"

"You, unfilial!"

Li Shi caught the deeper meaning in her eldest son's words and immediately roared.

"I will depose you as the head of the family!"

"You, an unfilial thing."

Li Shi did not expect that this son would develop a rebellious streak.

Ignoring his mother's anger, Shen Shen bowed slightly and slowly said: "Mother, if father were still alive, he would not have forgiven you so lightly!"

"From now on, you should continue to cultivate yourself at Wenxi Hall and nurture your remaining years!"

Shen Shen finished speaking, turned and walked outward.

When he reached the doorway, he stopped, and in a cold voice said: "The old lady's health is ailing and she needs rest; the affairs of the mansion need not be reported to the old lady any longer!"

"If I find out that the short‑sighted one disturbed the old lady's peace, I will kill them on the spot!"

Anyone serving in the Shen Family is either a born household member or someone who has signed a contract of servitude.

Their lives and deaths rest on a single thought of the master family.

According to Dayong's laws, when the master family punishes a disobedient household slave—even if it results in death—paying a fine suffices to absolve the crime.

"Unfilial son, unfilial son!"

Li Shi smashed a teacup again.

However, it was of no help.

Shen Shen is filial, yet not foolishly so.

In his view, Li Shi's approach is cutting off the Shen Family's foundation, which cannot be tolerated.

After leaving Wenxi Hall, Shen Shen immediately sent men to capture the newly freed Third Lord Shen and bring him back.

"Third, over these years, mother has let you run wild!"

"I, as the elder brother, have also done nothing; that is a dereliction of duty."

"Today, I will set things right!"

"According to Shen Family law, the wayward son Shen Zhen, who has abandoned his studies and lost his ambition to indulgence, shall be flogged thirty times!"

"Elder brother Shen Shen, for failing to advise, bears joint responsibility and shall be flogged twenty times!"

"Execute!"

"Strike as recorded!"

After finishing his speech, Shen Shen turned his gaze toward Shen Gui, the steward in charge of punishments in the household.

"Ah Gui, don't disappoint me!"

(End of chapter)