Ch 151: Is There Really Such a Good Thing? [QT]

When Shen Zhong hobbled back to his room, he had no idea what he had done wrong. The servant who shared his quarters kindly reminded him, “I heard your cousin got married. You didn’t go back to offer congratulations?”

“Married? To whom? When?” Shen Zhong was stunned. How had Shen Yunxuan gotten married in just a few days? Who gets married that fast? He was still considering whether to push her into becoming a concubine in the Li family.

The servant was curious. “You really don’t know? She got married in a ‘warding-off-bad-luck’ ceremony to the Wu family’s grandson—apparently, he went off to war and hasn’t been heard from since.”

“So the master beat me because of her?” Shen Zhong was even more bewildered. They had only met once, and Li Yaosheng had only asked about her once—was he really this invested in Shen Yunxuan? Could it be love? Was that why Li’s wife couldn’t bear a child in their past life, while Shen Yunxuan gave birth to the first son and later became the respected matriarch?

Suddenly, Shen Zhong understood the difference between himself and Shen Yunxuan. He hated that he hadn’t been born a girl. No wonder he could never earn Li Yaosheng’s favor no matter what he did, while Shen Yunxuan could easily climb her way to the top.

Even if he was jealous of her, he had to admit that after living a life of luxury in their past life, Shen Yunxuan had grown into a beautiful woman. In the village, she didn’t stand out because she was too thin, dark-skinned, and rarely smiled. But if Li Yaosheng could fall for her even in her current state, then no matter how much he envied her, he had to accept it.

Thinking about how he had been beaten because of Shen Yunxuan, Shen Zhong was filled with resentment—but at the same time, he breathed a sigh of relief. At the end of the day, he was still a little afraid of her. After all, she had once been a woman of supreme power, someone entirely out of his reach.

Now, however, Shen Yunxuan had married into a warding-off-bad-luck marriage. Once news of Wu’s grandson’s death arrived, and if Old Madam Wu couldn’t bear the blow and passed away, Shen Yunxuan would be labeled as a curse—doomed as a widow and a jinx to her own family. She would never rise again. And this time, she was a widow from the start—there would be no promising son to raise her status to matriarch.

Shen Yunxuan’s fate had been completely changed by him!

A secret joy welled up inside Shen Zhong. So easily, I have rewritten Shen Yunxuan’s life. In their past life, she had been high and mighty, ignoring him completely. But now? Without the powerful Li family backing her, she was nothing.

As he laughed to himself, his movement tugged at his injuries, making him grimace in pain. He then remembered Li Yaosheng’s displeasure with him—his future was now uncertain. How could he regain favor? Shen Zhong began carefully considering his next steps.

The servant watching him was dumbfounded. First angry, then laughing—what kind of reaction was this? Shouldn’t he be figuring out how to help his master get that woman back? Or at least try to make amends with Li Yaosheng? How could he still be smiling after a beating? Unbelievable.

After thinking for a long time, Shen Zhong requested leave from the steward and arranged for someone to take him back to the village. Not wanting others to see that he had been beaten, he even hired a sedan chair to carry him there.

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Everyone in the Shen family was at home. It was the first time in their lives that a sedan chair had entered their courtyard, so they all gathered around, both curious and anxious.

Shen Zhong said impatiently, “Move aside. I need to head back before nightfall.”

The Shen family didn’t understand why he wouldn’t get out of the chair, but they obediently stepped back. The bearers carried the sedan all the way to the doorway before Shen Zhong slowly hobbled inside.

“My son—!” Zhou Shi screamed in shock, her face turning pale.

Shen Zhong turned abruptly and snapped, “Shut up! Do you want the whole village to know? Idiot!”

It was as if Zhou Shi had been strangled—she immediately clamped her mouth shut, her face turning red from anger and shame. How could her son speak to her like this? What happened to filial piety?

Old Master Shen, however, had a bad feeling. His face darkened as he strode forward and grabbed Shen Zhong’s arm, asking anxiously, “Did the Li family kick you out? What happened?”

Shen Zhong shoved him away and sat down. I knew it. This family wasn’t reliable at all. The first thing they worried about wasn’t whether he was hurt, but whether his dismissal would harm their interests.

All that talk about working hard to support his education? It was all a lie. They only did it because he was the only one in the family with talent, their tool for future glory.

Shen Zhong had already seen through them in his past life. He had no patience for their nonsense. Once everyone had entered the room and shut the doors and windows, he finally said, “Third Young Master Li found out about Shen Yunxuan’s marriage and was furious. He had me beaten with ten strikes of the plank.”

“What?! That little fox! When did she seduce Third Young Master Li? She’s got him thinking about her this much? Enough to beat you? No way, I’m going to settle the score with her!” Zhou Shi rolled up her sleeves and prepared to rush out.

Shen Zhong frowned. “Since you know Li Yaosheng is obsessed with her, you should also know that she’s not someone you can mess with anymore. And the same goes for all of you—when you see her, be respectful. Stay far away. If you provoke her, it won’t just be ten strikes of the plank—our whole family could be ruined.”

Shen Zhong’s voice grew louder and more severe, making the others fall silent. They exchanged uneasy glances. Even Old Madam Shen muttered in confusion, “Is it really that serious? That’s… that’s unreasonable…”

Shen Zhong rolled his eyes. “Rich and powerful people don’t play fair. If they want to kill you, you won’t even have a place to file a complaint. And stop blaming me for scolding you! What else do you all do besides yell and drag me down?

Enough! Just remember this—we can never afford to provoke Shen Yunxuan or her family again.”

Old Master Shen had been holding back his frustration, but he finally snapped. “That bastard Shen Fu dared to swing a knife at me! And you’re telling me to just take it? To let them bully us?”

“He swung a knife at you? Seriously?” Shen Zhong scrutinized Old Man Shen from head to toe, as if trying to spot an injury through his clothes. He couldn’t believe that the usually meek Third Uncle would actually do such a thing.

After Old Man Shen explained what had happened, Shen Zhong waved his hand dismissively. “It’s already in the past, so don’t dwell on it. Besides, you don’t need to be angry—they won’t be doing well for much longer.”

This immediately lifted the spirits of the Shen family. Liu Shi curiously asked, “What do you mean? Are they in trouble? Could it be that Third Young Master Li, unable to have what he wants, is planning to deal with them?”

Shen Zhong waved his hand again. “You don’t need to know the details. Just understand that they’re like locusts after autumn—they won’t be able to hold their heads up in society for long. They’ll be despised soon enough, so they’re not worth worrying about.”

The Shen family members were thrilled at this idea. Shen Cai and Liu Shi exchanged glances before cautiously asking, “So, what you’re saying is… they’ll be ruined because of this?”

Ignoring their excitement, Shen Zhong turned serious. “I came back today for something more important, but you all interrupted me with nonsense. Cousin Yunlian bears a slight resemblance to Shen Yunxuan—about five parts alike. I intend to introduce her to Third Young Master Li. Uncle, Aunt, would you be willing to let her work at the Li residence?”

The family was taken aback. Shen Cai and Liu Shi exchanged glances before carefully asking, “Are you suggesting… that she become his concubine?”

Shen Zhong glanced at Shen Yunlian, who had lowered her head in embarrassment. She did have some resemblance, but she was too rustic and plain. He couldn’t guarantee that Third Young Master Li would take a liking to her, so he quickly said, “I’m only introducing her as a servant. Whether she becomes a concubine or not will be up to her.”

“To be honest, becoming Third Young Master Li’s concubine would be a thousand times better than the marriage she was originally set for. Once she enters his household, she’ll enjoy a life of luxury. And if she bears his first son—perhaps even his only son—then she’ll live in wealth and honor for the rest of her life. If her son proves capable, she could even become a matriarch in the capital one day.

Even if she doesn’t want to be a concubine, working at the Li residence is still a great opportunity. The starting salary is half a tael of silver a month, and if she does well, it could increase. It’s certainly much better than staying in the village.”

Shen Zhong painted an enticing picture—one that was too grand to ignore for people who had never seen the outside world. To the simple-minded Shen family, this was a huge temptation. Shen Zhong was the most educated person in the household—if he said it was a good opportunity, then it must be!

Everyone’s gaze shifted to Shen Yunlian, waiting for her decision. Blushing deeply, she turned and ran outside, leaving only one sentence behind: “I’ll do whatever my parents decide!”

That was as good as saying she agreed.

Liu Shi hesitated before suggesting, “Why not let her start as a maid first? If… if the young master truly takes a liking to her, then we can call off her engagement. If he doesn’t, at least she’ll still have a job at the Li residence, and she can marry with more dignity later on…”

“No! If she goes, she must immediately break off her engagement and go with a respectable reason. She cannot be indecisive! Do you think the young master wouldn’t see through such a little trick? If you try to be too clever, you’ll end up with nothing and ruin her reputation in the process.”

Shen Zhong spoke sternly. “Let me be clear—there are plenty of women around Third Young Master Li. He doesn’t need her. If she wants to rise in status, she’ll have to be thoughtful, devoted, and perform better than the rest.”

Old Man Shen slammed his hand on the table. “Stop hesitating. Let’s do it!”

Shen Zhong felt satisfied. See? When I assert myself, this family follows my lead. He waved his hand. “Start packing her things. I’ll take her back to the Li residence today. Don’t delay—opportunities like this don’t wait. The young master is never short of options.”

The family suddenly felt a sense of urgency and scattered to make preparations. Old Man Shen and Old Lady Shen went to call off the engagement, determined to come up with an acceptable excuse to convince the other family.

Shen Cai and Liu Shi rushed to pack Shen Yunlian’s belongings, while Zhou Shi went out to find and bring her back. Shen Dong went to the backyard to slaughter a chicken—his son had finally returned home and had even suffered a beating. He needed to be properly nourished.

The Shen household buzzed with excitement, and soon, the entire village caught wind of the news. When asked about it, Zhou Shi beamed and declared, “Yunlian is going to work at the Li residence too! And she won’t even have to sign a servant’s contract. What great fortune!”

Everyone knew that Shen Yunxuan was also from the Shen family—she had only recently been adopted out, and she had just married in a warding-off-bad-luck ceremony.

No matter how good it sounded, a warding-off marriage always carried some misfortune. If something went wrong, she could end up a widow. Meanwhile, the Shen family was now boasting about how fortunate their children were, how their children were heading to the Li family, as if they had completely cut ties with Shen Yunxuan.

The villagers gossiped among themselves. Eventually, Shen Yunlian reminded Zhou Shi to watch her words and avoid offending Shen Yunxuan, prompting her to quiet down. But from the way she held her head high, it was clear she felt triumphant.

Shen Yunlian, however, felt a twinge of jealousy. Shen Yunxuan was her cousin—they had grown up together. What made her so special? What had she done to make a wealthy young master so obsessed with her?

But it didn’t matter. Shen Yunlian didn’t believe she was inferior to Shen Yunxuan. Once she got to the Li residence, she would be the one catching the young master’s attention.

As the Shen household bustled with excitement, it didn’t take long for the entire village to hear the news.

Old Madam Wu hurried home and told Shen Yunxuan what was happening. Shen Yunxuan was taken aback. “What about her original engagement?”

“Old Man Shen is handling that,” Old Madam Wu said with a sigh. “Not sure what he’s saying, but he’ll definitely succeed.”

She sighed again. “The young man from that family is actually quite decent. When Shen Cai and Liu Shi arranged the engagement, they were very selective.

The only issue is that the poor boy had a rough life—his parents fell ill shortly after the engagement. He’s spent years using all his money to care for them and has been the only one supporting the family. Shen Cai and Liu Shi didn’t break the engagement before because they figured the parents wouldn’t have many years left. They saw that the young man was kind and hardworking, so they chose to wait.”

Shen Yunxuan hadn’t really remembered at first, but after hearing Old Madam Wu mention it, she recalled that in her previous life, Shen Yunlian’s in-laws had actually lived for a long time. They had continued spending money on medical treatments, and Shen Yunlian had even returned home crying over it. However, after cutting off all ties with the Shen family, Shen Yunxuan had stopped paying attention and didn’t know what had happened after that.

She and Old Madam Wu casually chatted about it, not really concerned since it was the Shen family’s business. But while working in the kitchen, Shen Yunxuan couldn’t help but smile—so the Shen family was fully tying themselves to Li Yaosheng now, even trying to have Shen Yunlian replace her. That was great. She hoped Li Yaosheng would value them and keep them busy so they wouldn’t have time to cause her trouble.

Having lived with her cousin for many years, Shen Yunxuan knew that Shen Yunlian was somewhat scheming. She was quite optimistic about her going to the Li family, and the best part was that, thanks to Shen Zhong’s warning, they no longer mocked or took jabs at her. Since that was the case, she sincerely wished them success.

Later, Shen Fu and Wang Xinghua returned from selling flower rolls and headed straight for the kitchen. “Xuanxuan, do we still have any wild berries? Chunxing said that Old Madam Lin shared the last jar with some of her old friends, and they all loved it. Now they want more.”

“Yes, I preserved five more jars. Tomorrow, I’ll go with you to deliver them,” Shen Yunxuan replied without looking up as she continued working.

Shen Fu took a sharp breath. “Five jars? That’s over four taels of silver in one go!”

He had never dreamed that money could be made so easily.

Shen Yunxuan chuckled. “They’re just interested in it for now; they won’t keep buying it regularly. Besides, wild berriesi goes out of season quickly. Even if I preserve it in advance, it won’t last too long. This is just a short-term profit.”

That was more than enough. In the next month or two, they could probably make over ten taels of silver. Even if they only worked for a couple of months a year, that was plenty—most farming families would consider earning two taels in a whole year a huge success.

Wang Xinghua noticed the newly made food on the table—it was square and dry-looking, completely unappetizing. She picked up a piece, finding it surprisingly hard. “What kind of food is this? It looks so strange.”

“It’s compressed bread. Father, try a piece and see how it feels,” Shen Yunxuan said.

Shen Fu never questioned his daughter. Hearing her say so, he took the piece from Wang Xinghua and ate it in a few bites. Soon after, he went looking for water, then said in surprise, “This little piece looked small, but it’s really filling. I feel fuller than if I had eaten two whole flatbreads.”

Shen Yunxuan grinned. “Now, pay attention to how long it keeps you full.”

“Alright,” Shen Fu nodded, praising, “This is great! You can put a couple in your pouch, and they won’t take up space. They’re perfect for long trips. Back in the day…”

Shen Fu almost mentioned how the Shen family had once discussed sending Shen Jiayao (Shen Zhong) to the capital for the imperial exams. At that time, they had planned what food to pack—several white steamed buns, some flatbreads, a bit of minced meat, and pickled vegetables. They wanted to bring as much as possible but worried about spoilage. This compressed bread would have been the ideal travel food.

Shen Yunxuan and Wang Xinghua both understood what he had left unsaid but didn’t bring it up. Instead, they discussed whether wrapping the compressed bread in oiled paper would be suitable. Shen Fu and Wang Xinghua didn’t overthink it, assuming it was meant for bodyguards and traveling merchants. They continued praising Shen Yunxuan for her ability to come up with such things.

“It was mentioned briefly in a book I read,” Shen Yunxuan quickly explained. “It said that in the south, there’s a snack called guangbing that’s somewhat similar. I wasn’t sure exactly how they made it, so I experimented on my own. I hope it turns out well.”

In reality, it was a makeshift version of modern compressed biscuits, adjusted for the available ancient ingredients and tools.

Shen Yunxuan had always been eager to learn new things. In her past life, she had climbed from an ordinary village girl to a woman of status not just because of her resilience but because she continuously studied useful skills.

So when she realized she retained the knowledge from the book of memories, she was ecstatic. Every night before bed, she made sure to learn something new. This compressed bread was something she had picked up from the world of “Era Shen Yunxuan,” where another version of her had lived. Given her current situation, the experiences from that life were proving to be the most useful.

Both versions of her had left a small village and built a future in a big city. Both had severed ties with their families. Both had started with a small food business. The difference was that the other world had human rights and was more progressive, while this one was filled with restrictions and had far less purchasing power. She couldn’t directly copy the modern strategies, but it was still enough. Learning to make compressed bread was a bold attempt, and she was excited to see how it would work out.

At dinner that evening, Shen Fu barely ate half a bowl of food before stopping. “That compressed bread was really too filling—I’m not even hungry.”

That proved that the bread had been a success. The family went to bed early, eager for the next day’s trip to the county to make a fortune.

Before sleeping, Shen Yunxuan opened the “Memory Book of Wealthy Shen Yunxuan” and studied business strategies and negotiation tactics. In her past life, she had slowly built up her enterprises, but with many servants managing things, she had never personally handled business negotiations. Now that she had to do it herself, she needed to study more.

Meanwhile, Shen Zhong was at the Shen household enjoying a grand meal. More than half of the stewed chicken had gone into his stomach alone. Taking Shen Yunlian to the Li family was like a statement—it signaled that he had the ability to promote his family members. Because of this, no one questioned his recent changes in behavior. Instead, they treated him with a newfound reverence, making him thoroughly enjoy the feeling.

When it was time to leave, Shen Zhong sat comfortably in a sedan chair, while Shen Yunlian had to walk beside it. Watching the swaying sedan curtain, she felt a mix of envy and pride—This is my cousin, the hope of the Shen family, leading us to prosperity.

She firmly believed that one day she would be like Shen Zhong—traveling in a sedan chair, rising above others, and becoming someone of importance.

As Shen Zhong stepped out of the sedan, he could still feel Shen Yunlian’s admiring gaze on him, which he enjoyed. However, the moment he took a step, his back hunched involuntarily—it hurt too much!

Limping towards the side gate, he caught Shen Yunlian frowning at the sedan carriers. “Why are they so clueless…”

“Shut up!” Shen Zhong snapped, immediately forcing a smile at the men. “Thank you, brothers, for your trouble today. I’ll treat you to a drink another time.”

The men nodded and left, though they gave Shen Yunlian a strange look before they did. Shen Yunlian was surprised. “They’re not Li family servants?”

“No, I hired them. When they saw I was a scholar, they even gave me a discount. If you offend them, where will I find such honest workers next time?” Shen Zhong scolded her impatiently. “Speak less, do more, watch and learn. Don’t be like Grandfather, stuck in the village his whole life, thinking everything is so simple. Living among the wealthy requires constant caution.”

Shen Yunlian felt a little intimidated. Why hadn’t he said this before?

Once they entered the side gate, she finally understood what Shen Zhong meant. The Li family had strict rules—every servant had to walk on specific paths, maintain precise postures, bow at a particular angle, and control their volume when speaking. Everything had regulations.

The moment Shen Yunlian entered the residence, she suddenly felt like she didn’t know how to walk properly or when it was appropriate to speak. Passing by the main kitchen, she overheard a cook refusing to serve a maid food simply because she had stopped to rest for a moment due to stomach pain and arrived slightly late.

The maid looked pale—clearly, her pain was real. Was it really such a big deal? Couldn’t the cook just be flexible and serve her food? She even tried to slip the cook some copper coins, but he refused to take them. Shen Yunlian couldn’t understand it at all. In the village, someone like this cook would be shunned as heartless—what was wrong with helping someone in need?

Shen Zhong scoffed at her confusion. “That’s why you need to see the world and learn more. This place doesn’t care about kindness. If you try to argue about morality, they’ll only laugh at your stupidity.

Here, the only things that matter are rules and benefits. If you break a rule, you’d better have enough benefits to compensate for it. Take that maid just now—if she had offered half a silver tael, the cook would have made an exception. But she only had ten copper coins. Do you really think the cook would care?

Or, if you have powerful backing, that works too. Like me—I was personally brought in by the old madam and serve as Third Young Master’s study attendant. Because of that, no one dares to make trouble for me. That’s how you survive here—by following rules and knowing how to leverage influence.”

Shen Yunlian only half understood, but she listened carefully. She wasn’t sure if she should admit her ignorance or lament how cold and ruthless the wealthy were.

Shen Zhong then took her to see Li Yaosheng. Initially, Li Yaosheng didn’t want to entertain him, but upon hearing that he had pushed through his injuries just to bring his cousin back, he became intrigued and allowed them in.

As they approached the door, Shen Zhong whispered to Shen Yunlian, “Just imitate Shen Yunxuan.”

Shen Yunlian froze, her face darkening. But the heavy atmosphere in the room kept her from speaking out. She followed Shen Zhong inside and bowed.

Li Yaosheng scrutinized her with a critical gaze, then seemed somewhat disappointed. Shen Yunlian’s heart clenched. Instinctively, she recalled Shen Yunxuan’s demeanor—standing straight, composed, and appearing indifferent yet poised.

Surprisingly, she really did resemble Shen Yunxuan a little! Li Yaosheng raised an eyebrow—of course, he saw through the siblings’ little scheme. But since he was bored, he decided to play along. He wanted to see what tricks these two could pull.

And just like that, Shen Yunlian smoothly became Li Yaosheng’s maid. Meanwhile, Shen Zhong felt completely at ease, convinced that he had made the right move. Victory was just around the corner. That widow-in-waiting Shen Yunxuan could just sit back and cry!

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Shen Yunxuan had a restful sleep. When Old Madam Wu saw her in the morning, she smiled warmly. “Xuanxuan, your complexion is getting better and better! Your skin is fairer, and you’ve put on some weight. You need to keep eating well—we’re going to fatten you up.”

“Alright! Grandma and I will eat well together,” Shen Yunxuan responded with a laugh. After breakfast, she and her family each carried a basket and headed to the county.

Shen Fu and Wang Xinghua assumed she was planning to sell the compressed bread in the streets. However, when they arrived at Chunxing’s place to deliver the wild berries, Shen Yunxuan suddenly said:

“I have something that could be useful for the military. Would Lord Lin be willing to meet me?”

🌸˚˖𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒✧🩷˚⋆