Ch 155: Is There Really Such a Good Thing? [QT]

When trouble struck at home, Shen Zhong naturally went straight to discuss it with Shen Yunlian. He was extremely anxious, “How are things for you in the master’s household? Can you speak up for us? Hurry and plead with the master! You’re inside the household, which carries far more weight than I do as an outsider.”

Shen Yunlian lowered her head. What did he mean by “inside” and “outside”? That was such an unpleasant way to put it. She was merely a third-class maid responsible for cleaning. Still, she was just as worried. “Cousin, I haven’t even spoken to the master yet. You should go beg instead. We can’t let Father, Mother, and Grandfather all be convicted.”

Shen Zhong was dumbfounded. She had been in the manor for so many days, yet she hadn’t even become a concubine—fine, he could accept that. But she hadn’t even managed to speak to Li Yaosheng? Was there anyone more useless than her?!

Seeing that she was of no help, Shen Zhong didn’t bother saying more. He only left her with one sentence: “I’ll go beg the master and the old madam. If you can get out, go plead with Shen Yunxuan.”

Shen Yunlian watched Shen Zhong leave in a hurry. After some thought, she requested leave and returned to the village. Over the past few days, she had realized that Shen Zhong was no longer valued in the manor. Before, he could at least wait outside to be summoned; now, he was reduced to running errands, rarely even seeing Li Yaosheng. Counting on Shen Zhong to plead their case was pointless—it would be better to try asking Shen Yunxuan. At the very least, their branch of the family had never been on bad terms with her.

Shen Yunxuan was at home drafting the menu for the shop when she heard a noise at the gate. Stepping out, she saw Shen Yunlian standing there with an uneasy expression. As soon as their eyes met, Shen Yunlian took a deep breath, lowered her head, and blurted out, “Erya, I know they shouldn’t have caused trouble, but we are still blood relatives. Even if you refuse to acknowledge us, please, I beg you, don’t let our entire family go to prison.

You know how it is—Grandfather makes all the decisions, and Grandmother follows whatever he says. My parents had no choice; they couldn’t resist. They didn’t mean any harm. Our family has never mistreated yours. Just take it as a plea from your elder sister—please let them go…”

Shen Yunxuan suddenly asked, “Why won’t you look at me when you speak?”

Shen Yunlian was startled and slowly lifted her gaze, failing to fully conceal her emotions—humiliation and resentment. Deep down, she simply did not want to lower herself before this younger cousin.

Shen Yunxuan continued, “You just said it yourself—your family never mistreated ours, and you and I have no grudges. So why do you harbor resentment toward me now?”

Shen Yunlian was stunned again. Why? Because despite being sisters, Shen Yunxuan was respected by the entire village, loved by her family, and had grown more and more beautiful, resembling a proper young lady of a wealthy household.

Meanwhile, she herself was like a servant girl at the side of a noble lady—plain and unremarkable. Her parents weren’t particularly fond of her, and no one in the village paid much attention to her. Even when she entered the Li household, it was only because she bore a slight resemblance to Shen Yunxuan.

Li Yaosheng had taken the initiative to offer Shen Yunxuan a job, even hinting at taking her as a concubine, yet Shen Yunxuan had rejected it. And her? She had relied on her cousin, borrowed her cousin’s light, and cautiously sought an opportunity to be taken in. Yet even so, she had only been assigned the role of a lowly cleaning maid, never even seeing Li Yaosheng in person.

Everything she longed for was something Shen Yunxuan had discarded like old rags. How could she possibly be content with that?

Shen Yunxuan could see it clearly. Considering how difficult life was for women in this world, she decided to offer some advice. “You never harmed me, and neither did your parents, so I’ll give you a few words of counsel. The Li family is not a good place to be. You have no background, no exceptional skills—why should a wealthy young master remember you? And if you are not remembered, life in the depths of that grand residence will only be filled with suffering.

If you fall ill, there will be no medicine; if you are cold, there will be no firewood; if you are hungry, you’ll eat cold leftovers. Even your silver allowance will be siphoned away by the stewards and servants. You will have nowhere to turn for help. You would be far better off marrying into an ordinary household—at least there, you’d have peace and freedom. Marriage is like a second birth; once chosen, you cannot go back. You must consider carefully.”

Shen Yunlian bristled like a porcupine, her voice sharp, “It’s easy for you to say that now that your life is going well. But what about me? What else can I do? Should I just marry according to my previous engagement and spend my days exhausting myself to care for sick in-laws? A life with no end in sight, where even the roof might collapse in a storm?

At least in the Li family, I have a sturdy house to live in and a bit of dignity. And what if I get lucky? What if I bear the young master a son? Then who would dare to mistreat me?”

Shen Yunxuan sighed, “That’s what Shen Zhong told you, right? Have you investigated it for yourself? In the Li household, the legitimate wife has been married for years without bearing children—only then was it permitted for concubines to give birth. But first, you have to survive long enough for the young master to even remember you.”

She continued, “Even if you do conceive, you’ll have to guard against others trying to harm you. On the day you give birth, you’ll have to worry about whether you’ll survive labor. And after the child is born, you’ll have to raise them to be knowledgeable and sensible enough to win the favor of the masters. Every step is a challenge. Are you confident you can overcome them all?”

Shen Yunlian’s face turned pale. “How do you know all of this?”

Shen Yunxuan’s expression remained calm. “Old Man Shen originally intended to send me to the Li family, so of course, I did my research. And what I found was a bottomless pit.”

The words “bottomless pit” made Shen Yunlian’s head spin, her vision flashing with stars. Was that why Shen Yunxuan had fought so hard, even hitting her head and causing an uproar—just to avoid going to the Li family? Yet everyone had thought it was Shen Zhong who had stolen Shen Yunxuan’s opportunity and compensated her for it. Even Shen Zhong himself had been smug about it.

If everything had been part of Shen Yunxuan’s plan from the beginning, then it was terrifying—she had fooled them all!

Shen Yunxuan saw that Shen Yunlian was speechless, knowing that her mind was in turmoil. She pressed on, “If you insist on going down this path, my advice is to learn as much as you can. Study how to survive in a grand estate, find powerful allies, observe what the masters like, and learn to read and write. Train yourself as if you were a wealthy young lady. Only then will you have something truly of your own.”

“Don’t let Shen Zhong manipulate you anymore—he’s clearly just painting grand illusions to use you. And don’t hold any expectations for him; he’s unfilial to his own parents and grandparents, let alone your family. The only person you can rely on is yourself. You need to make sound judgments and choose your future carefully—don’t let yourself become someone else’s stepping stone.

As for your parents, you don’t need to worry. They haven’t actually committed a crime, so at most, they’ll be detained for a few days as punishment, but they won’t be sent to prison. If you had taken the time to look up the laws, you wouldn’t have needed to come to me.”

Shen Yunlian’s face burned with shame, and she turned and ran. It wasn’t until she was far away that she realized there were tear streaks on her face—when had she even started crying?

She felt utterly ignorant, foolish in every way. No wonder no one took her seriously. She and Shen Yunxuan had grown up together, and she was even three years older, yet how did Shen Yunxuan know all of these things? Had she secretly been studying all this time? Was that why she had always been smarter?

Her mind was in chaos when she spotted her former fiancé, Yang Bin, in the distance. She hurriedly wiped her tears and tidied her hair and clothes. But to her surprise, Yang Bin didn’t even notice her. Instead, he walked over to the roadside where Xiao Yue and her sister were.

Shen Yunlian watched as Yang Bin helped them pick up their fallen bundle of firewood and even offered to carry it home for them. Cuier, Xiao Yues sister, politely refused, and only then did they part ways. Xiao Yue and Cuier headed in her direction, making Shen Yunlian panic and hide behind a tree.

She overheard Xiao Yue teasing in a low voice, “Sister, Brother Yang is such a good man—righteous, hardworking, and kind. Doesn’t he meet all the qualities you mentioned yesterday for a future husband?”

Cuier immediately rebuked, “Don’t talk nonsense! When you see a good person, your first thought shouldn’t be about marriage. You should recognize him as a respectable and reliable person, not make jokes behind his back. I work at Shen Yunxuan’s place, and you’re her student—you should be learning from her example. When has she ever relied on a man? When has she ever been concerned about getting married?

My future should depend on my own abilities. Otherwise, no matter who I marry, it would all be wasted. Besides, after seeing Shen Yunxuan receive an imperial commendation, I also want to accomplish something for myself. There’s no rush to get married—I can take my time. Our parents are willing to let me stay a few more years.”

Xiao Yue quickly apologized, “That was my mistake; I shouldn’t have joked about it. But, Sister, you’re already seventeen. If you wait too long, all the good men of marrying age will be gone!”

“The world is vast—there will always be options. Worst case, I can loosen my standards or even take a husband into my household,” Cuier laughed. “Alright, enough of your nonsense. Remember, we are people first, before being men or women, young or old. In the future, when you see men, don’t immediately think of romance.”

“I got it, Sister! Let’s go deliver this firewood to Master. Studying and making money with her is much more interesting. Maybe one day, we can be as capable as she is!”

“I’d be happy if I could be just a tenth as skilled as Shen Yunxuan.”

Their voices faded into the distance, leaving Shen Yunlian standing dumbfounded behind the tree. Cuier was the same age as her, yet while Shen Yunlian was desperately trying to secure a position as a concubine, clinging to the idea of having a child to gain a foothold, Cuier had no regard for such matters. She only wanted to earn money and learn skills under Shen Yunxuan’s guidance. She even dared to consider taking a husband into her own household and managing everything herself.

A strange unease gripped Shen Yunlian’s heart. Had Shen Yunxuan given this kind of advice to all the village girls? What would they choose? Wasn’t a woman’s most important goal in life to marry well? No matter how capable she was, if she ended up with a husband like her grandfather, father, or uncles, what could a woman possibly do?

Even Shen Yunxuan had only flourished after escaping the Shen family. Back when she was still with them, Old Man Shen had nearly sold her off!

Lowering her head, Shen Yunlian hurried back to the Li household. That night, she tossed and turned, struggling with her thoughts. But by dawn, she had made up her mind.

She knew herself—after experiencing the luxury of the Li household, she could never go back to a peasant’s life. Yang Bin had good character, was hardworking, and could possibly move to the county in the future. But his parents were a burden, and she couldn’t afford to take that risk or wait for such an uncertain future.

With her status, there was no chance of marrying up. If she returned to the village to discuss marriage, she’d end up with an ordinary farmer, and there was no guarantee her husband would be as decent as Yang Bin. Becoming Li Yaosheng’s concubine was still the easiest path to wealth.

But she also took Shen Yunxuan’s warnings to heart. She understood that she currently lacked any skills or influence—so she would learn. If others could do it, she had no reason to fail. She had been ignorant before, but now she had been enlightened. If learning some skills was the price of securing a wealthy life, it was well worth it.

Had she known earlier that reading and writing could lead to success like Shen Yunxuan’s, she would have secretly studied as well. Fortunately, it wasn’t too late. She was already inside the Li household—she had opportunities. She could make this work!

With a clear goal in mind, Shen Yunlian carried herself with newfound composure. When Shen Zhong asked her about her visit to Shen Yunxuan, she wiped her eyes and tearfully said that she had begged, but it was no use. Shen Zhong cursed in frustration before declaring he would go plead with the young master. Only then did she realize—Shen Zhong had never actually begged for help before; he had just been waiting to see if she would succeed first.

Her wariness toward Shen Zhong deepened. This cousin of hers was cold-hearted and deceitful. Not a single word from his mouth could be trusted. From now on, she would have to rely entirely on herself in the Li household. And most importantly, she needed to keep her distance from Shen Zhong—if he made a mistake, she couldn’t afford to be dragged down with him.

At the same time, for the first time, Shen Yunlian felt a sense of ridicule and disdain toward Shen Zhong. For all his supposed scholarly knowledge, he was running around like an ant on a hot pan. Had he even asked about the details of the situation? Had he checked the relevant laws? The Shen family members weren’t even going to be imprisoned—how could Shen Zhong not know something so basic?

And he kept claiming he wanted to take the imperial exam? Thinking back carefully, she realized that since entering the Li household, she had never actually seen Shen Zhong study. On the contrary, Shen Yunxuan, back in the village, read books every single day. If this continued, it wouldn’t be surprising if, one day, Shen Zhong’s knowledge was inferior to Shen Yunxuan’s!

Shen Yunlian had once been deeply influenced by Old Man Shen, believing that Shen Zhong was the family’s greatest hope and her greatest reliance. But now that she had been enlightened by Shen Yunxuan, she saw Shen Zhong for what he really was—far inferior to Shen Yunxuan, and even to herself. He was nothing but a useless burden.

Now that she had freed herself from her rigid thinking about gender roles, her mind had broadened significantly. When she returned to cleaning the house, she worked diligently, ensuring every corner was spotless while also paying attention to how things were arranged, hoping to infer Li Yaosheng’s preferences.

Meanwhile, Shen Zhong truly had no clear understanding of what had happened. He had panicked, assuming that Old Man Shen was certainly capable of robbery and that Shen Yunxuan, with her temperament, was absolutely capable of throwing the entire family into prison. He hadn’t stopped to ask questions—he had simply rushed, full of desperation, to plead before Li Yaosheng.

Li Yaosheng raised an eyebrow. “You say your family went to cause trouble somewhere? At the Wu house? Shen Yunxuan’s home?”

Shen Zhong hadn’t expected Li Yaosheng to still remember Shen Yunxuan. Lowering his voice, he pleaded, “Yes. The villagers are ignorant and often quarrel. Since we are blood relatives, they lost control. I beg you, Master, to help them. I serve by your side—my family must not be burdened with criminal charges.”

Li Yaosheng let out a cold chuckle. “And if they are? I can simply cast you out. Frankly, your family is ridiculous. Your grandmother happened to help my grandmother once, and because she was kind-hearted, she remembered the favor. But your family, like snakes slithering up a pole, tried to force Shen Yunxuan into my household.

Even that might have been acceptable, but after the arrangement was set, you went back on it. You stole the position meant for Shen Yunxuan, forcing her entire family to sever ties with you. Even then, had everyone gone their separate ways peacefully, it would have been fine. But your family still had the audacity to barge into her home and try to rob her? If that’s not pure greed, then what is?”

Shen Zhong’s face burned with shame—he wished he could disappear into the ground. Li Yaosheng cast him a dismissive glance and said indifferently, “The Li family will not interfere in this matter. Leave.”

Hearing the impatience in Li Yaosheng’s tone, Shen Zhong dared not press further. He retreated, pacing anxiously before rushing to beg Old Madam Li. Unlike Li Yaosheng, she cared about the family’s reputation, so she ordered someone to look into the matter.

Meanwhile, Li Yaosheng suddenly recalled that Shen Yunxuan’s cousin, Shen Yunlian, was also in his household as a maid. Amused, he remarked, “That family is truly something. The one I wanted wouldn’t come no matter what, and the ones I had no interest in both ended up here instead. Bring that girl, Xiao Lian, to me.”

Shen Yunlian had just been contemplating how to position herself as a concubine when she was unexpectedly summoned, leaving her both nervous and excited. This was a rare opportunity. She made sure her posture was impeccable, presenting herself in the most dignified manner possible.

Li Yaosheng observed her with some satisfaction and asked, “Your cousin has been honored by an imperial decree. Are you aware of this?”

Shen Yunlian smiled modestly. “I found out yesterday and even returned to the village to congratulate her. Yunxuan has always been intelligent—though she is younger than me, she has often guided me. I never expected she would receive such fortune. I am truly happy for her.”

“Oh?” Li Yaosheng was intrigued. “You know she just had your entire family thrown into the county jail, don’t you? And you’re still happy for her? You’re not concerned?”

Shen Yunlian sighed. “Master, one thing has nothing to do with the other. I have no personal grievances with my cousin—in fact, I admire her greatly. Her success is a source of joy for me.

As for my family, to be honest, my grandparents have always favored men over women. They made the entire family support Shen Zhong’s studies, and our first and third branches could do nothing but comply, enduring hardship and exhaustion.

My cousin severing ties was her way of escaping that misery. I, too, left for the Li household to escape. Only my parents remained trapped because, as the eldest son, my father couldn’t leave. They had no choice but to follow orders, which led to their current predicament.

But in some ways, this may be a good thing. If it finally teaches my grandparents some fear and prevents them from bullying others, then the whole family will be better off. I also asked my cousin about the situation—nothing was actually stolen, and no one was seriously hurt. At most, they will be detained for a few days before being released. So, no, I am not worried.”

Listening to her words, Li Yaosheng could almost picture what Shen Yunxuan’s life in that farming village must have been like. He found it strange—why was he thinking about her so much?

But then again, not just in this county, but even in the provincial capital, there was no other woman quite like her. She had single-handedly orchestrated her family’s legal severance, turned her self-taught knowledge into a private school, mastered cooking to an extraordinary degree, invented the compressed rations that won imperial praise, and remained remarkably clear-headed throughout.

He had never met a woman like her before—how could he not be curious? How could he not think about her? And yet, she had rejected him. Just when he had been considering using forceful means to bring her under his roof, she had gone and gotten married, cutting off all possibility.

Could such an extraordinary woman really have come from a poor countryside family? He was incredibly curious.

His gaze shifted back to Shen Yunlian, who bore a slight resemblance to Shen Yunxuan. After a moment of thought, he said, “From now on, you will serve tea by my side.”

“Yes! Thank you, Master!” Shen Yunlian was overjoyed and immediately bowed in gratitude.

With just one sentence, she had been promoted to a first-rank maid! It had been easier than she ever imagined.

Li Yaosheng suddenly recalled something and asked, “Has Shen Zhong come to see you these past two days? Did you not tell him what you just told me? Why is he still begging people to save his family?”

Shen Yunlian’s heart tightened, but she quickly explained, “He did come to me, asking me to beg you and our cousin. When he heard that our cousin refused to forgive the family, he ran off, all flustered. That’s just how he is—spoiled by the family. He’s always had conflicts with our cousin and can’t see eye to eye with her. He probably suspected that she would use this opportunity to harm the family. I hope, Master, that you won’t blame him.”

Shen Yunlian wore an expression of helplessness, making it clear that she and Shen Zhong had different views and approaches to handling matters, drawing a distinct line between them.

Hearing this, Li Yaosheng suddenly understood—so Shen Zhong and Shen Yunxuan were deeply at odds. In that case, when he had hinted for Shen Zhong to act in the past, perhaps Shen Zhong had deliberately messed things up. Otherwise, why would he have let Shen Yunxuan get married and instead brought over Shen Yunlian? Most likely, when he realized he couldn’t use Shen Yunxuan, he decided to bring in a more controllable cousin.

But it seemed Shen Zhong had miscalculated—this Shen Yunlian only saw him as an immature younger brother, not someone she could be manipulated by.

Li Yaosheng found their little family rather amusing, full of drama. In a good mood, he rewarded Shen Yunlian with the untouched dishes from the meal.

For a servant, this was a great honor. Seeing that Shen Yunlian had not only been promoted to a first-rank maid but had also received a reward, the attitudes of those around her shifted dramatically. Many lower-ranking maids began to fawn over her, and even the two senior maids who originally served Li Yaosheng started treating her with respect.

Shen Yunlian felt both pride and a touch of irony—this only confirmed what Shen Yunxuan had told her. The inner workings of a wealthy household were indeed deep and treacherous. If there was already this much scheming among the servants, then the struggles among concubines would undoubtedly be even fiercer. She realized she needed to start gaining the loyalty of the senior maids now if she wanted useful allies in the future.

For the first time, Shen Yunlian no longer felt jealousy toward Shen Yunxuan. It was Shen Yunxuan who had opened her eyes. If it weren’t for her cousin’s insight, she wouldn’t have recognized the reality of her situation. In fact, it was only because she had mentioned Shen Yunxuan to Li Yaosheng that he had started paying attention to her. She actually felt grateful.

In the future, they would no longer cross paths. She would work hard to become a concubine, to bear a son for the master, and to climb her way up to a life of luxury. Meanwhile, Shen Yunxuan would likely open a shop, happily running a business with her family, living in peace and joy. That was fine—they had made their own choices, carved out their own lives, and as long as neither had regrets, it was enough.

Meanwhile, the people Old Madam Li had sent out had gathered all the necessary information. Realizing that the situation wasn’t as severe as Shen Zhong had made it seem, she dismissed him with a reprimand, telling him to stop causing unnecessary panic and to conduct himself properly.

Shen Zhong, scolded and humiliated, returned to his duties, feeling deeply resentful. If it weren’t for Old Man Shen wailing so miserably, if it weren’t for Shen Yunxuan being so adamant about punishing them, would he have been so frantic? And in the end, it was all just a farce.

For any other family, this kind of petty dispute wouldn’t have even warranted the constables’ attention. The only reason the authorities had acted was because Shen Yunxuan had just received an imperial commendation, and the county magistrate wanted to show her favor!

The more he thought about it, the more furious he became. None of this had happened in the previous life. What the hell was a “compressed ration biscuit”? He had never even heard of it! Shen Yunxuan had spent her last life in a well-off situation in the Li household and never invented such a thing—how had she managed to create it while stuck in a village?

If he had known, he would never have joined the Li household. He would have simply demanded a sum of money from them, opened a shop, and had Shen Yunxuan work in the kitchen. With the old man forcing her to obey, she would have had no choice but to comply. Then, he could have taken credit for the compressed rations himself!

A woman being honored by the emperor—what use was that? This was a man’s world. A woman’s greatest virtue was to be a good wife and mother. So what if she was praised? She couldn’t hold office, she couldn’t gain military rank! But if he had been the one to present the compressed rations, he could have secured an official position!

The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. If he could be reborn again, he would know exactly what to do. Anything would be better than being stuck in the Li household as an errand boy. He called himself a “study companion,” but in reality, he was no different from a mere servant!

He still didn’t know that Shen Yunlian had already drawn a clear line between them in front of Li Yaosheng. Hearing that she had been promoted to a first-rank maid, he was both shocked and thrilled. He quickly went to find her and instructed, “You must dress well and captivate the master’s heart. Otherwise, we’ll both be thrown out sooner or later. Also, when the master is in a good mood, encourage him to read more—that will please the old madam, and she’ll reward you.

And don’t forget to mention me to the master. I’m your true supporter. Once I’m in a position of influence, you’ll finally have a solid foothold in this household. Do you understand?”

Shen Yunlian, playing the part of an inexperienced girl, nodded obediently. “I’ll do everything you say.”

Satisfied, Shen Zhong left, confident that once Shen Yunlian gained favor, she would put in a good word for him. In his mind, climbing the social ladder was far easier for women than for men. After all, in the last life, Shen Yunxuan had effortlessly become a concubine, and now, in this life, Shen Yunlian had so quickly risen to a first-rank maid, while he remained struggling. It only proved that wealthy young masters favored women.

For now, he would wait for his cousin to pave the way for him.

What he didn’t see was the look of mockery in Shen Yunlian’s eyes as he left. If she ever truly gained the master’s ear, the first thing she would do was kick Shen Zhong out of the household!

🌸˚˖𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒✧🩷˚⋆

Sandy: Pw chapter ahead. Pw is ilovehololo