Chapter 1: The Woman Who Blocked the Marriage

  Because of her cleverness and understanding, Mr. Shen used to take Shen Guiyan with him when he went to other officials' homes, so Shen Guiyan knew many ladies from various families. Among them, the wife of the Minister of Rites, Wu Shi, was particularly fond of her, and had even visited Qin Niang twice, which made them somewhat acquainted.

  Now that Qin Yiniang has passed away, Shen Guiyan went to Gao Shilang's house and sent a white letter to inform him, which is also reasonable and there is nothing to pick on.

  It's just that Madame Wu is different from the mistresses of other families, she has a straightforward temperament and can't stand injustice, so it's only natural to invite her on this occasion.

  "Good girl, everyone says you're a lucky one, how come this time there are so many twists and turns?"

  Wu wore a plain white long dress, with a dark-colored coat and white buttons, no gold or silver on her head, only a jade hairpin wrapped around her bun. She came up and grabbed Shen Guiyan's hand: "I said I'd prepare gifts to send to the Prime Minister's mansion, but didn't expect the bride had changed, and something happened to Ruo Shui too."

  Shen Guiyan's eyes were slightly red, and she felt the warmth of Wu's palm. Her voice was choked with emotion: "Qin Niang went so suddenly, and Shen Guiyan didn't know what to do either. In a few more days, she would be marrying the fourth young master of the Chengxiang Fu, but now this happy occasion had been ruined by this sad event. She didn't know if Qin Niang would blame her from beneath the earth."

  "How could she blame you." Madame Wu sighed: "Usually, she was the one who doted on you the most. This year, they met twice, and each time, it was with the expectation of your marriage. Now that you can't marry Master Gu, although it's a pity, I also can't interfere too much in your marital affairs."

  "Returning Swallow understands, madam's arrival is already a sign of affection." Shen Returning Swallow smiled and led her to the front hall: "Since madam has arrived, let's meet mother, she's been preparing Returning Swallow's dowry these days."

  Wu nodded, but in her heart she was somewhat displeased. She and Madame Shen had never gotten along well, so it was best to just exchange greetings and leave.

  In the front hall, Mrs. Shen was having someone take stock of Shen Guiyan's dowry. The gift list was full of items, but when packed into boxes, there was hardly any weight to them. Fifteen large trunks, each one rattling when shaken.

  Wu entered and saw an open trunk, with a red silk lining at the bottom, inside which were placed three large plates from the official kiln, not too light or too heavy, just enough to fill a trunk.

  "Oh dear, I've come at a bad time?" Mrs. Wu hastily withdrew her foot and looked at the scene in the house, smiling at the person on the main seat: "I was thinking of coming to ask after your well-being, didn't expect Madame Shen to be busy."

  Madam Shen frowned, glanced at the person outside, and still with a courteous smile on her face, stood up: "It's Madam Gao, how come you're here without anyone reporting?"

  She waved her hand and let the servants move the things to one side, then looked at Shen Guiyan and said with a false smile: "Madam Gao, please come in and sit down."

  Wu didn't stand on ceremony and came in to sit down. She took a glance at the dowry that had been piled into the corner of the wall, raised an eyebrow and said: "Is this Third Miss's stuff?"

  "Yes, it's really time to get married." Madame Shen sat down beside her, wearing a white long gown with a red camellia flower patterned jacket, which made Wu's simple and elegant outfit look dull in comparison. As she spoke, she couldn't help but raise her chin slightly.

  "Wu hummed softly, took the tea and said: 'Last month my family's fourth daughter also got married, the second house's daughter, I didn't like it, but the dowry was also twenty big boxes, full to the brim. Ah, it's not that I'm meddling in your family affairs, as the mistress of the house, one has to be magnanimous, otherwise people will laugh and you'll lose face.'"

  Mrs. Shen's face sank slightly, and she said displeased: "The etiquette of each family is naturally different..."

  "Yes, the etiquette of each family naturally reflects their social status." Wu Shi smiled twice and counted the boxes piled up: "These things... I suppose this year's salary for Old Master Shen won't be enough to use, so they've become frugal like this."

  The various madams have always been used to comparing with each other, whether it's jewelry and clothes or their daughters' marriages, their husbands' official positions, everything will be compared. As soon as Madam Shen heard this, her face naturally couldn't hold up, she pursed her lips and said: "My husband's salary is not worth your concern."

  "Yes, it's not my turn to worry about it." Wu drank a sip of tea and said with a smile: "It's just that the day has come, I must invite Mrs. Xia Shilang to take a look. Last year she married off her daughter and only gave 18 boxes, people laughed at her for a whole year. This year it's someone else's turn."

  Mrs. Shen opened her mouth, but didn't know what to say, and could only glare fiercely at Shen Guiyan.

  Shen Guiyan raised an eyebrow and stepped forward to bow: "Guiyan thinks this dowry is enough, madam doesn't need to worry, Guiyan won't ask for more."

  "You're a sensible person." Madame Shen said with a fake smile: "If you're so sensible, then why bother inviting Madame Gao?"

  "Goodness gracious, look at what you're saying." Madam Gao was displeased and stood up to face her, saying: "Third Miss invited me to come and offer incense to Qin Niangniang, but it's not excessive, is it? Who knew you were messing with these things? You're being miserly on your own accord, yet you don't want to listen to others?"

  Mrs. Shen also stood up, looking like she was about to lose her temper.

  Shen Guiyan felt the situation was unfavorable, and hastily stepped forward to pull Wu Shi along, saying: "Madam Gao should first go offer incense to Qin Niangniang. Today we came here not to discuss these matters."

  "Offering incense? Qin's family is already restless in the underworld, seeing their daughter so humiliated. No amount of incense can calm them down!" Wu snorted and said: "It's just that I happened to see it today, if not, others would say that you, Bao Shi, are a virtuous and broad-minded mistress. I won't interfere with your family matters, we'll come to watch the excitement on Third Miss's wedding day."

  After finishing speaking, he waved his sleeve and left first. Shen Guiyan hurriedly let Bao Shan go see him off, and she herself stayed in the hall with a stiff upper lip.

  At this time, if she followed Wu's lead, it would be like bringing in reinforcements to suppress her in the eyes of Madame Shen. Although that was indeed the case, she couldn't let her see through it.

  "What a tall and arrogant thing!" Mrs. Shen angrily said: "What's wrong with you, letting her come over? And now she's even interfering in the affairs of the Shen family. Isn't the courtyard of the High Manor big enough for her?"

  "Milady, please calm down. Madame Gao is indeed that kind of person, and you're not unfamiliar with her nature. Today I truly came to burn incense for Lady Qin, but I didn't know you were tidying up in the front hall, so..."

  Madam Shen snorted coldly and sat down in her seat, seething for a while before waving her hand and saying, "You can go down first."

  "Yes." Shen Guiyan responded, cleverly retreating from the front hall and hurrying to catch up with Wu Shi.

  Wu stood at the front gate waiting for her, with no trace of anger on his face. As she approached, he sighed and said: "You clever girl, you must have some trouble, that's why you called me here."

  Shen Guiyan's face turned slightly red, and she knelt down to give her a bow: "Thank you, madam."

  "Alright, I'm willing to help you anyway. You're right to ask me for this favor. If it were someone else, even the wife of the prime minister, they probably wouldn't be able to do anything about it." Wu Shi smiled and said in a low voice: "Bao Shilan is really proud. Today she was scolded by me, she definitely won't dare to shortchange your dowry again. If not, at our next gathering, we'll all laugh at her, and she won't be able to bear it."

  Guiyan nodded and said in a low voice: "I don't ask for a lot of dowry, as long as I don't lose my dignity. Thank you, madam, for your help."

  "You child..." Mrs. Wu patted her hand: "When you have time, also go find Jin'er to chat with her, she's idle in the boudoir too."

  "Good." Shen Guiyan nodded and watched as Wu Shi got on the car and left.

  After Wu's appearance, Madame Shen was angry for half a day and quietly instructed the housekeeper to go and purchase some more things, which were then brought back and added to the others, making a total of twenty trunks.

  It was her fault for not thinking it through, losing to Shen Guiyan was nothing, but losing face was a big deal. A few more boxes were just a few more, Shen Guiyan would still be under Yaer's command after marrying over, wouldn't she?

  The matter of dowry was settled, and Shen Guiyan could finally prepare for her wedding with a clear mind. After wearing mourning clothes for fifteen days, she would then wear her wedding dress.

  As a result, less than five days after the incident at that law firm, someone was hanging outside her window again.

  "Swallow, I've been thinking about it for a long time, and I just can't accept it." Gu Zhaodong stood outside her window, his face serious as he said: "The clothes and hair that day were messed up by you yourself. When you opened the window to respond to me, everything was fine. You and Fourth Brother, nothing actually happened between you two, right?"

  Shen Guiyan looked calmly at the person outside the window and said, "Gu Da Gongzi, what needed to be said was already said last time. Since you have willingly married Fifth Sister, you shouldn't come again to entangle with me. The matters between me and Fourth Gongzi also shouldn't be inquired about by Da Gongzi."

  They're all married, and yet he's still sneaking around her window at midnight, pretending to be a bat. If Shen Guiya knew, what would she feel?

  Gu Zhaodong's face lit up with joy, completely ignoring what she had just said, and continued on his own: "I thought so, you're still a virgin. In that case, why not just give in to me? At worst, I'll go to my father and take the blame, even if I get spanked, I want to be with you."

  "Bang." Shen Guiyan expressionlessly closed the window.

  She still had high hopes for this man, didn't her eyes used to be discerning? She actually thought that a refined gentleman like Gu Zhaodong, who was knowledgeable and reasonable, would make a good husband.

  She was brought up with strict rules, and since it was her parents' orders and the matchmaker's words, she had always considered Gu Zhaodong as her husband, so she had a lot of emotional investment. As a result, this person not only betrayed her but also expected her to compromise with him?

  Don't you have any shame left?

  For the first time, Shen Guiyan felt that Gu Zhaodong's face was so annoying. She turned around and took a half-cooled teapot from the table, reopening the window again.

  "Swallow, listen to me..."

  A pot of tea spilled out, Shen Guiyan still handed the teapot to Gu Zhaodong's hand: "People value knowing shame. I won't see you off, young master."