Chapter 41: Chapter Forty‑One

In the blink of an eye another year passed, Xie Junling performed excellently in the Hanlin imperial examination, and was then summoned by the Emperor, staying overnight in the inner court. Perhaps because their conversation was pleasant, the Emperor, knowing Xie Junling came from a humble background, saw that he was not flattering or ingratiating, and when asked about floods and droughts he answered with genuine insight, putting the people's livelihood first, and was overjoyed. The Emperor was extremely annoyed by some officials who, to praise his diligent governance, described the hellish conditions of the people outside Jingdu as if they were harmonious.

He used the exam results as a pretext, promoting Xie Junling to a fifth‑rank Hanlin Academy Reader Scholar, whose duty was to teach the Emperor and princes the classics and history; publicly this was announced, but privately he was a close minister of the Emperor who could appear before the Emperor from time to time—this was a grant and also showed that the Emperor had been watching Xie Junling for a full two years, finally putting him to use.

Xie Junling's promotion is a "Red Hanlin", while those like Shen Yun who ranked lower in the exam are called "Black Hanlin". This time he missed the chance and must wait for the next. He was already depressed, seeing colleagues all surrounding Xie Junling to congratulate, he sighed, and after the Hanlin Academy dismissed, he returned home.

In the Jingdu officials' wives circle, no rumor can be hidden; the Hanlin Academy examination being a major event naturally spread throughout the city. Li Jiao also knows Shen Yun didn't do well this time; that official position is like stuck on a stool, unmoving.

Cui Shi is a fool; when she heard that her own son was so talented—back then he was a second‑place scholar, only one rank away from the top scholar—how after two years he has become a Reader Scholar while Shen Yun has no news? It must be that Li Jiao the witch, always clinging to her husband, delayed Shen Yun's studies! If she were fertile it would be fine, but her offspring are difficult; they've been together for two years and still no sign in her womb, why isn't Cui Shi anxious?!

Cui Shi thought her maternal family has a niece waiting in the boudoir; if her family is willing, bring her into the household so that Shen Yun can have offspring. Both sides are her maternal relatives, the blood ties are close.

At noon, after finishing her meal, Cui Shi called Li Jiao to her side and, with a half‑smile, said: "Ah Jiao, you've been married into the household for two years, right?"

"Yes." Li Jiao nodded obediently, thinking that Cui Shi was certainly displeased about Shen Yun's exam mishap and wanted to vent on her.

"I see the youngest daughter‑in‑law of the Wang family, who married in at the end of last year, already has good news at the beginning of this year. You've been two years, why no pregnancy? Has the matriarch been taking care of your health? Brother Yun is most sentimental; in the first two years of marriage he stayed in your room every night, why aren't you more fruitful?"

Li Jiao did not expect Cui Shi to, in front of a servant, command her about bearing children, making her feel embarrassed and wishing she could slip into a crack in the ground. She is the lady of the house; how could she let Cui Shi embarrass her before a servant?

It's just that Shen Yun's official career is not smooth; if she defies Cui Shi again she'll be called unfilial and can only endure it.

Li Jiao was extremely aggrieved and could only swallow her anger and say: "Mother says it's all the daughter‑in‑law's fault for not being fruitful."

Seeing her meek compliance, Cui Shi was satisfied. She took a sip of tea and said: "Mother doesn't blame you, it's just that this offspring is a major matter for the family. I suppose Brother Yun is also worried, which affects his studies. As his wife, you should share his worries, shouldn't you?"

"Can you go from being childless to the matter of Shen Yun's promotion? That's a huge sin; Li Jiao really doesn't dare admit it."

Seeing her anxious, Cui Shi's purpose was achieved; she bluntly said: "Since I am the mother, I want to bring a good‑family concubine for Brother Yun—a niece from my maternal side, timid, gentle, not jealous. I'll first bring her into the household; once she becomes pregnant we'll elevate her to a secondary wife. How does that sound?"

This talk seems to consider Li Jiao, but Li Jiao knows it's the old pious woman who knows that in the first three years of marriage, if the main wife has no legitimate children she cannot take a concubine; she dares not openly bring someone into the household, so she uses this indirect method.

Li Jiao naturally would not let her have her way; she pretended to be conflicted: "If I can relieve my husband's worries, the daughter‑in‑law would gladly accept. But in the first three years we cannot bring a newcomer into the household to serve the husband; that's the rule in every family, so we probably can't act as Mother suggests."

Cui Shi's greatest hatred is Li Jiao's delicate demeanor, as if she were a sensible official's lady, while she is actually an uncouth rural old woman. Old grudges rose, and Cui Shi couldn't help scolding: "You can't bear a son, making our Shen family extinct; is this the rule you learned from the Gu family?!"

Li Jiao was startled by the scolding; she didn't expect Cui Shi, who always acted as a refined Jingdu official lady, to suddenly become a boorish country shrew shouting. No matter how unreasonable Cui Shi is, Li Jiao can only endure, because she is the mother‑in‑law.

Cui Shi's purpose in bringing that woman into the Shen family was to bear children; if a secondary son is born before the legitimate son, would they abort the child or not? If that happens, she would become a joke in the Jingdu circle.

It's a fact she can't bear children; digging deeper is useless and only earns Cui Shi's dislike. She obediently stepped back, and at night told Shen Yun about this.

Shen Yun, depressed, returned home hoping for warmth and tenderness; seeing Li Jiao babbling complaints about Cui Shi, his expression changed, no longer soothing her as usual: "At least she's your mother, how can you speak like that? Doesn't every elder want grandchildren? It's not that she's deliberately harsh to you, why such petty behavior."

Shen Yun wouldn't dare utter harsh words outside; he is a bit jealous of Xie Junling, who still calls him "Brother Xie" repeatedly, never letting him show any sign. So he can only assert his masculinity in front of Li Jiao. This is the downside of a distant marriage; if Li Jiao's parents were in Jingdu, perhaps Shen Yun's gentle attentions could last a few more years, but now he has no one to support him, even Lord Gu seems to have forgotten her, offering no help to his career, which makes him even more resentful.

In fact Shen Yun is unproductive; if he had performed better in the exam, Lord Gu would have had the confidence to push him, but he didn't, so how could he help him? He must first seize the opportunity himself.

Being scolded like that, Li Jiao panicked. Her freshly painted peony‑red nails dug into her palm, and she thought of Lu Bao'er. She has been married many years without offspring, why doesn't she see the Xie family in chaos? Meanwhile Xie Junling is so successful, rising quickly, making them feel they can't reach him. Is it because the Xie family has no elders, so they can live so carefree? Li Jiao envies Lu Bao'er more.

Actually, if Xie Junling were a romantic type, with no elders restraining him, the lady's life would be the worst. It's thanks to Xie Junling's infatuation that Lu Bao'er is so happy.

Cui Shi was anxious, couldn't stand a half month, so she brought her niece Cui Yuan into the household. Shen Yun and Li Jiao were in a bad mood; he was irritated, so he entered Cui Yuan's courtyard. Cui Yuan is a glutton; she came to the Shen household actually just for its wealth, can't do without good food.

As soon as Shen Yun entered the room, he smelled a spicy scent. Seeing Cui Yuan adding chilies to the bone‑broth noodle soup, he couldn't help laughing: "Do you like spicy food?"

Cui Yuan, facing such a dashing husband, blushed and nodded: "The chilies in the mansion are delicious."

Shen Yun mused: "Then you eat, I'll watch from the side."

"You… aren't you going to eat?"

"You, you, you, really have no manners."

Shen Yun startled her, and Cui Yuan immediately lowered her head.

Timid girls always attract pity; for Cui Yuan, a man like Shen Yun is a dragon among people, no better.

Which man doesn't like being admired? Shen Yun, having fun with Cui Yuan, stayed nightly in her courtyard, leaving Li Jiao's chamber cold for several days.

Li Jiao could no longer hold back; she feared Shen Yun was bewitched by Cui Yuan. The old matriarch beside her worried: "Look at that courtyard's imp, probably hard to deal with! If we let her fulfill her wish and bear a secondary son, the old lady will keep mother and child."

"I naturally know that!" Li Jiao clenched her handkerchief, "But what can I do?"

"The old servant has a saying, not sure if I should say it: since you are the lady of the house, the matters of the back courtyard are yours to decide. If you're afraid the child won't be legitimate or long‑lived, causing chaos, why not pour a bowl of safflower into her to hurt her? Or we could pick a few good‑looking ones from our house and send them to the master, what do you think?"

Li Jiao naturally knows Shen Yun treats Cui Yuan specially, as if he has his mind on her; she isn't afraid of his promiscuity, but fears his devotion. If a devoted man has no child, that's fine; if he has a child, Li Jiao will have no place in the Shen household.

Thinking so, she seized the moment when the old matriarch and Shen Yun were away from the house, and with great force brought a group to give Cui Yuan a bowl of safflower! She used a harsh dosage, wounding Cui Yuan but not killing her.

When Cui Shi arrived, she only mildly scolded Li Jiao a few vicious words, then let go of the thought. She wanted a grandson; now Cui Yuan cannot bear, so she's of no use, even the concubine matter is dropped.

Only Shen Yun had witnessed this, like a bolt of lightning on a clear day; he stood dumbfounded, never expecting the usually gentle Li Jiao to be like this!

Shen Yun could tell which was the main wife and which a plaything. He respected Li Jiao; going to Cui Yuan was just to relax for a few days. Li Jiao would hurt Cui Yuan out of jealousy, can't bear children herself but lets others, that's a jealous wife!

Shen Yun was extremely heart‑broken; he went to see Cui Yuan. Cui Yuan, sweating from pain, still weakly said: "Master, don't blame the wife, it's all my delusional longing. I only wanted to stay by your side, never coveted anything else."

Shen Yun felt great pity, that night he went to find Cui Shi, determined to make Cui Yuan a concubine. He thought it a win‑win, honoring his loyalty, and since Cui Yuan could no longer bear, Li Jiao would have nothing to say. Shen Yun considered it a perfect solution, angering Li Jiao but striking Cui Yuan's heart.

Cui Yuan knew that even if she had a child, it would be a secondary son; she wanted Shen Yun's love, his deep affection, so she could secure a place in the Shen family's rear quarters, and Li Jiao would no longer be able to control her, unless Li Jiao intended to completely lose her husband's heart.

&&&

The Shen family fell into chaos, while the Xie family remained as peacefully close as usual.

Upon learning of Xie Junling's promotion, Lu Bao'er hurriedly asked the kitchen women to add several more dishes. She wasn't happy for Xie Junling's promotion per se; she benefited from his glow, but simply was genuinely glad for his smooth career.

Xie Junling had just stepped down from the sedan chair when he saw Lu Bao'er running toward him with a lantern. He feared she might slip and fall, and scolded: "Why so hasty?"

Clearly already… still so childish, doesn't know whether the old matriarch ever taught her manners.

Lu Bao'er saw Xie Junling's brows slightly furrowed, somewhat dissatisfied: "I am happy to see my husband, so I bring a lantern to greet you; aren't you pleased? If I were lounging in the main hall, crossing my legs and cracking sunflower seeds, and ignored you, would you be happy?"

Xie Junling heard this, curled the corner of his mouth: "You still want to cross your legs and crack seeds in the main hall? Speaking so smoothly, you must have done it often."

"There's none; I don't crack seeds normally." Lu Bao'er touched her nose tip, gave a sly smile, "I crack pine nuts."

"……" Xie Junling let out a light sigh. Is there a big difference between the two?

He took Lu Bao'er's hand into the house, and after they sat, the maids presented a copper basin filled with warm clear water for Xie Junling to wash his hands and face.

At the meal, Lu Bao'er attentively offered Xie Junling a chicken leg: "Husband, eat this."

Xie Junling couldn't help laughing: "What? I just got promoted, and you so virtuous present the most beloved chicken leg to your husband? If later I receive more favor and rise further, how will you reward me then?"

Lu Bao'er thought seriously and said: "If you later achieve great destiny, whatever you want, I will give it to you."

"Oh? Not sure if you can afford to say that, daring to speak so boldly."

"What is there that I can't afford to give?"

"This remark actually stumped Xie Junling; he pondered for a long time but couldn't think of an answer. Mainly because Lu Bao'er is too impoverished, relying entirely on his careful support— it seems she has nothing of her own to give, and no matter how much she gives, wouldn't it still be Xie Junling's belongings?"

"But he wasn't willing to just be rebuffed by Lu Bao'er like that. Seeing no one around, Xie Junling cleared his throat lightly, felt a mischievous urge, and said slowly: 'If you want to give something, why not give me some favors within your ability, my lady?'"

"For example?"

"'If my lady cannot restrain her feelings, I, as her husband, am also willing to allow you to offer a kiss.' Xie Junling said this with a thick-skinned face; his voice was soft, carrying a hint of flirtatiousness."

"Lu Bao'er stood frozen like a wooden chicken—was she supposed to kiss him?"

"Ah, she had previously thought that Xie Junling's reluctance to get close meant he wasn't capable, but could it be that she misunderstood? Xie Junling, is he actually capable?"

"———- Off-topic ———-"

"Recently the comment section has been a bit discordant, making me feel a little upset… This book earns less than ten dollars a day, so Deng Deng has been writing very hard."

"Moreover, although it's marked as a fictional setting, some people still argue that this era cannot be such and such, not knowing which era it is, and yet they claim to know what it cannot be."

"Everyone, don't be stingy with your monthly votes and recommendation votes—give your full support to Deng Deng! QAQ"