Cui Yunchu truly never asked about Shen Zilan and Chen Miaohe’s marriage again. Dowager Shen handled everything herself.
After spending several days shut away in her room, Dowager Shen suddenly became busy, and surprisingly, her spirits seemed much better.
As far as the Chen family was concerned, the Shen family’s repeated teasing and reversals were deeply unpleasant. But with the court situation so tense, and Dowager Shen personally paying them a visit, neither side dared say no.
Nevertheless, since the Shen family was in the wrong, Cui Yunchu still instructed Shen Xiabai to show both families a little more courtesy at court, treating it as an apology on behalf of the Shen family.
Ever since leaving that day, Shen Zilan had not returned to the Shen residence. Whenever Cui Yunchu sent someone to summon him, he made one excuse after another, claiming that he was quite comfortable staying at the Ministry of Personnel.
On the surface, everything seemed calm, but beneath it, certain things were quietly changing.
Dowager Shen devoted herself to arranging Shen Zilan’s marriage and never brought up leaving the capital again.
The court also appeared peaceful enough. However, with Prince An stirring things up, the Crown Prince’s influence had grown increasingly weak. He no longer possessed the strength to compete with Prince An, and the officials at court were experts at reading the wind. Quite a few had already stopped taking the Eastern Palace seriously.
Cui Yunchu would occasionally inquire about Tang Qingwan. Once she learned that Tang Qingwan was doing well, she would put the matter out of her mind and ignore it completely.
The day originally set for Chen Miaohe’s wedding became Shen Zilan’s engagement banquet instead, once again drawing countless curious glances and whispers throughout the capital.
People said all sorts of things. Envy and mockery fell upon the Chen family—mockery for using their daughter to seek profit and climb the social ladder time and again, and envy because, at a moment like this, they had managed to secure the support of the Shen family, that towering tree.
No matter what the Chen family truly thought, they could only swallow their pride, puff out their cheeks, and nod along with cheerful smiles.
“What? Zilan is going to serve outside the capital?” Madam Chen shot to her feet, her face full of disbelief.
How dangerous it would be to leave the capital at a time like this!
“Madam Chen, there is actually something I have not yet been completely honest about. I—”
“He simply wants to gain some experience on his own,” Cui Yunchu cut in. “This child has had ambitions ever since he was young. He doesn’t want to remain forever under his uncle’s protection, so he wants to go out and make his way through his own abilities.”
With that, she kicked Shen Xiabai beside her.
“My wife is right,” he said.
By now, he had repeated that sentence countless times that day.
Shen Zilan glanced sideways at the perfectly coordinated couple and was rendered speechless.
His little aunt spoke with such gravity that, if one ignored her face, one might think she was eight or ten years older than him.
And she kept saying “ever since he was young,” as though she had known him when he was a child.
“Madam Chen, please rest assured. He is only going out to gain some experience. He’ll be back in a few years at most,” Shen Xiabai said. “Zilan is the foremost among the younger generation of the Shen family. We would never let the two of them suffer.”
Madam Chen nodded and sat down, wanting to say something but stopping herself.
She was still rather unwilling, but since they had put it that way, there was nothing she could say. Though Shen Zilan was her son-in-law, he was ultimately a member of the Shen family. She had no room to interfere in another family’s decision.
“Madam Chen, don’t worry. Within three years at most, my husband will definitely have Zilan transferred back to the capital.”
“Little Auntie—”
“Shut up.”
Cui Yunchu shot him a glare, and Shen Zilan could only close his mouth.
“All right, all right. Young people should indeed gain some experience. Growth is important. Lord Shen has thought this through carefully,” Minister Chen said.
Just as Shen Xiabai had said, Shen Zilan was the only one of his generation in the Shen family. He had been doted on from childhood, and the Shen family would never abandon him. There was no need for the Chen family to worry. Perhaps this arrangement was precisely to keep him out of the court’s struggles. By the time he returned, he might be able to rise straight to prominence.
Madam Chen could only remain silent.
Several times during the discussion, Shen Zilan tried to speak, but Cui Yunchu cut him off every time. He did not manage to say a single complete sentence before they left the Chen residence.
Neither Cui Yunchu nor Dowager Shen was the type to dawdle. They set the wedding date directly during the engagement banquet, arranging it for ten days later.
It was rather rushed, and Madam Chen was not very willing, but Minister Chen agreed without the slightest hesitation.
He was afraid that Shen Zilan might cause another scene and make them the laughingstock of the capital. The sooner the wedding took place, the better. He almost wished he could send Chen Miaohe straight to the Shen residence.
After all, if Shen Zilan said he was unwilling, there was nothing he could do to stop him. But if Shen Zilan changed his mind after sleeping on it, Minister Chen would have no way to refuse him either.
It was better to act quickly before anything unexpected happened.
Chen Jiuhe was dissatisfied with the marriage, but there was nothing he could do to change his father’s decision. In the end, he could only choose to avoid seeing or thinking about it.
The moment they left the Chen residence and boarded the carriage, Cui Yunchu’s expression darkened. She slapped Shen Zilan on the back of the head.
“What kind of nonsense were you about to spout? What’s wrong with you?”
The blow caught Shen Zilan completely off guard. His image of Sister Peach Blossom shattered into pieces.
“What are you looking at? Are you missing part of your brain? Do you think this is the place for a child like you to babble whatever he wants?”
A child?
His little aunt was only a few years older than him.
Shen Xiabai sat to one side, watching from the corner of his eye without saying a word.
Cui Yunchu continued smacking Shen Zilan several more times, showing not the slightest mercy.
“Uncle.” Shen Zilan turned to Shen Xiabai for help.
Shen Xiabai had still been watching just moments before, but now he immediately shifted his gaze away, pretending not to see anything.
The corner of Shen Zilan’s mouth twitched.
These two really did work together seamlessly.
The carriage stopped in front of the Shen residence. Shen Zilan said, “Uncle, Little Auntie, there’s still work to be done at the Ministry of Personnel, so I’ll go back there first.”
“Get down,” Cui Yunchu suddenly shouted as she turned around.
Shen Zilan flinched and instinctively recoiled.
“Get down.”
Cui Yunchu’s tone brooked no argument.
Shen Zilan glanced at his uncle, who had remained behind Cui Yunchu the entire time with his mouth tightly shut, looking as though he were mute. He lowered his head dejectedly and obediently climbed out of the carriage.
Cui Yunchu marched at the front like a bandit chieftain. The two men, the maids, and the servants followed behind her in a long, imposing procession as they returned to the residence.
In the reception hall, Shen Zilan tried again.
“Little Auntie, this matter is no small thing. I think we should explain everything to the Chen family beforehand. Otherwise, what difference is there between this and marriage fraud?”
This time, he did not even bother looking at Shen Xiabai. He addressed Cui Yunchu directly as “Little Auntie.”
After all, his uncle was completely useless.
“What do you mean, marriage fraud?” Cui Yunchu glared at him. “Did anyone ask you? Why do you have so much to say? Who asked for your opinion?”
Shen Zilan wanted to argue, but when he saw his little aunt’s fierce, tigress-like expression, he could not get a single word out.
After all, even if he managed to talk back to her, he would probably be met with a joint beating from both her and his uncle.
“What exactly are you trying to say?” Cui Yunchu asked.
“The truth about my identity.”
“Wow.” Cui Yunchu covered her mouth in exaggerated surprise. “Could it be that you’re some celestial deity hidden from the world? Or perhaps a prince or imperial grandson living among commoners? You have a secret identity?”
“...”
There was not a trace of pity or sympathy in Cui Yunchu’s eyes—only sarcasm and ridicule.
It made Shen Zilan feel that no matter what he said now, it would become a joke.
Cui Yunchu continued, “What’s the matter? Have your wings hardened? Do you think you can fly on your own now? Don’t you need the Shen family anymore? Are you planning to sever ties with us completely?”
“Little Auntie...” Mist gathered in Shen Zilan’s eyes.
No one knew what he had been going through these past few days.
Cui Yunchu said sarcastically, “If we’re talking about deception, nothing compares to the sweet promises you’re making to Miss Chen now. That’s what I’d call tricking someone into marriage.”
As she spoke, she shot a glance at Shen Xiabai beside her and let out a cold snort.
Clearly, she had a bone to pick with Shen Xiabai.
Shen Zilan: “…”
“Everything I’ve promised her, I’ll fulfill.”
Cui Yunchu nodded, then continued her biting sarcasm. “Hear that? Your nephew says he’ll never be a rotten excuse for a man like you—a damned fraud who tricks people into marriage.”
With that, she rose and walked away.
