Father Wen was far more astonished than Madam Shen by his daughter Wen Ye's final choice.
That evening, he stayed in the main courtyard.
Speaking to Madam Shen, he said, "I thought Ye'er would choose the Wu Family."
The Shen Family’s situation was complex and not suitable for marriage, while the Xu Family’s status was too high. Entering such a household would likely require living cautiously every day.
Father Wen had carefully observed the Wu Family’s son, who was talented, mild-tempered, and filial.
Apart from her initial surprise, Madam Shen had gradually come to understand Wen Ye’s thoughts.
This stepdaughter of hers had always been different from others. What others feared or avoided, such as the title of a second wife or stepchildren, were actually advantageous to her.
Even if Wen Ye were to treat her stepson with the same sincerity as her own child, the people of the Duke’s household might not fully believe it. This, however, suited Wen Ye perfectly—she could delay having children as long as possible, or better yet, never have any at all.
Madam Shen glanced at Father Wen and said, "Although the Wu Family’s son is good, the Xu Family is still the better choice."
The decision between a scholar from a humble background and the second master of the Duke’s household was obvious.
What Madam Shen didn’t mention was that his cousin, who had lived in their home for over a decade, was still a potential problem.
A cousin was different from an ordinary concubine.
If Wen Ye were to marry into the Xu Family, this one issue alone would require significant attention.
As for why she didn’t discuss this with Father Wen, it was simple—men of the world wouldn’t understand. In their eyes, taking in a cousin from a declining family as a concubine was entirely normal.
Throughout Sheng Jing, Madam Shen knew of at least three or four such cases.
Men only needed to enjoy the beauty and obedience of their concubines; the rest was left to the mistress of the household to manage. If anything went wrong, it was the mistress’s fault.
Madam Shen glanced again at Father Wen, who was deep in thought.
Compared to other men who indulged in romantic affairs, Father Wen was already a cut above. Yet, Madam Shen knew that in this regard, he was no different from other men.
Fortunately, during her youth, she had a brother who was fickle and obsessed with women. Years of exposure to this had left Madam Shen with no expectations of romantic love.
The night before her wedding, her mother had taught her to be respectful to her in-laws, gentle to her husband, and kind to any stepchildren. She had followed these instructions faithfully.
Decades had passed, and now she was faced with Wen Ye, a soft thorn in her side.
No matter how shocked, angry, or annoyed she had been at first, it all eventually settled into quiet acceptance.
Madam Shen’s eyes darkened. At its core, perhaps there had been a fleeting moment of longing in her heart...
Father Wen recalled Duke Xu, who had deliberately "bumped into" him after work. Even without any intention to curry favor, the thought of becoming in-laws with the Duke’s household stirred a sense of excitement in Father Wen.
He no longer had ambitions for advancement, but he still had two sons serving in the court.
Having such an extraordinary brother-in-law would surely make their paths in the officialdom smoother.
Thus, Father Wen nodded and said, "Then it’s settled. Let’s prepare a more generous dowry for Ye'er, considering she’s marrying into the Duke’s household."
The Duke’s household was illustrious. The two brothers were close, and even though the old Duke and his wife had passed away years ago, Duke Xu had never considered separating from his younger brother.
This was one of the reasons many noble families were willing to marry their daughters to Xu Yuejia as a second wife.
Madam Shen said, "When Second Miss and Third Miss married, their dowries were prepared according to the standard for stepdaughters. For Wen Ye, let’s double it."
However, even doubled, it wouldn’t surpass the dowry of a legitimate daughter, as that would disrupt the rules and invite ridicule.
Father Wen had no objections and simply said, "You handle it, Madam."
*
After the Wen and Xu families privately reached an understanding about the marriage, Madam Lu of the Duke’s household arranged for a "chance encounter" at Puqing Temple during a trip to offer incense. She brought her daughter-in-law and stepdaughter along, while Madam Shen brought Wen Ye.
The result was, of course, that the two women "hit it off." Soon after returning from Puqing Temple, news of the Wen and Xu families discussing a marriage alliance began to spread.
This news stunned many noblewomen in Sheng Jing.
What were the Duke and his wife thinking? Xu Yuejia’s first wife, Lady Qi, was already of relatively low birth, said to be the daughter of an old general who had been raised in the Xu Family for a few years and shared a childhood bond with Xu Yuejia.
After marrying into the Xu Family, Lady Qi rarely went out, claiming poor health. Indeed, she passed away within a year, leaving behind a son.
Those who had once envied her now secretly gloated. In the eyes of some women who admired Xu Yuejia, Lady Qi’s fate was simply a lack of good fortune.
Had they been the ones to marry him, they would not have let things turn out this way, giving another woman the chance to become a stepmother to their son.
Others, who resented the harmony of the Duke’s household, speculated darkly that perhaps Madam Lu didn’t want her sister-in-law to surpass her. The first time, she had used childhood ties to have her brother-in-law marry a low-born general’s daughter. This time, although she chose the daughter of the Minister of Ceremonies, Wen Ye, she was still a stepdaughter.
Only the Countess of Yongcheng, upon hearing the news, wore a knowing expression. She was only slightly surprised that Madam Lu had chosen her daughter-in-law’s stepsister from the Wen Family but quickly understood.
She trusted Madam Lu’s character. As the eldest daughter of the Marquis of Established Peace, her heart was not so narrow. Choosing a stepdaughter from the Wen Family was likely for the sake of her nephew, Xu Yuxuan, who was not yet two years old. She feared that if the second wife were of too high a status, she might not treat Xu Yuxuan, the legitimate son from the first marriage, well once she had her own children.
Regardless of the outside gossip, the marriage between the Wen and Xu families was finalized before the end of the hot summer.
Considering Wen Ye’s age, the wedding date was set for late autumn and early winter, less than three months away.
Fortunately, Madam Shen had already prepared Wen Ye’s dowry when her other two stepdaughters married. Now, it was just a matter of adding or adjusting a few items.
The dowry for Second Miss and Third Miss included 3,000 taels of silver. For Wen Ye, Madam Shen doubled it to 6,000 taels, and the rest of the dowry followed suit.
When Wen Ye received the 6,000 taels, it felt somewhat unreal.
In both her lifetimes, she had never seen so much money. Here, an ordinary family’s annual expenses amounted to only two or three taels.
How long would it take an ordinary family to earn 6,000 taels?
Wen Ye quickly calculated and suddenly felt fortunate to have been born into the Wen Family, where she would never have to worry about food, clothing, or shelter.
With the 6,000 taels from Madam Shen, Wen Ye returned the 300 taels she had borrowed from Concubine Chang and her younger sister Wen Ran before the wedding.
Concubine Chang was reluctant to accept it, but Wen Ye persuaded her, saying, "Mother, if you only think of me, what about Ran'er? She’s a good student and often needs to buy books from the bookstore. You know how expensive those books are. Besides, Madam has already given me so much. It’s more than enough."
What she didn’t say was that once she married into the Duke’s household, her monthly allowance would surely be higher than it was now, so she wouldn’t have to worry about money.
Seeing Wen Ye’s determination, Concubine Chang couldn’t argue further. "But you’re about to marry. Apart from this money, I have nothing valuable to add to your dowry."
As she spoke, her eyes reddened.
Wen Ye looked steadily at the woman before her. This was her birth mother, who had loved her sincerely for twenty years. To say she felt no emotion would be a lie.
Precisely because of this, she couldn’t take that money.
In this lifetime, Wen Ye was a spendthrift, using up her monthly allowance by the end of each month. The money Concubine Chang and Wen Ran had saved came from their own allowances and the rewards Wen Ran received for her excellent studies.
Wen Ye had never learned to genuinely sacrifice for others in either of her lifetimes, but she also wouldn’t take what rightfully belonged to others—even if they were her mother and sister.
She was willing to accept and occasionally reciprocate the care and love Concubine Chang and Wen Ran showed her, but this kind of self-sacrificial kindness was something she couldn’t bear.
Call her heartless if you will, but carrying too much emotional burden for others would exhaust her.
Since Wen Ye had decided to live a carefree life in this lifetime, she had to ensure that half of her heart always belonged to herself, completely and solely.
Faced with Concubine Chang’s "tearful weapon," Wen Ye thought for a moment and had an idea.
She said, "How about you make me a winter outfit? The ones in Madam’s dowry were all made by professional embroiderers. I’d like one made by you."
With two months to make a winter outfit, it wouldn’t be too taxing.
Concubine Chang’s heart warmed at the suggestion, and the redness in her eyes faded. "If that’s what you want, I’ll definitely make it for you."
After settling matters with Concubine Chang, Wen Ye continued, "As for my younger sister, I’ll prepare a book list later and use her reward money to buy them. Consider it as part of my dowry."
The books on the list provided by the schoolteacher for Wen Ran were quite expensive, with each costing at least several taels of silver. In contrast, the novels she loved to read were much cheaper—one tael could buy three or four of them. Spending five taels would be enough to keep her entertained for quite some time.
Concubine Chang thought Wen Ye was referring to the classics like the Four Books and Five Classics, so she readily agreed.
The tense atmosphere of wedding preparations in Hengwu Courtyard didn’t last long, as Wen Hui, the second daughter of the Wen family who had married into a prominent family in Xian Prefecture, finally returned to the capital with her husband, who had been promoted.
Of course, it was Concubine Chang and the maids who were feeling the pressure. Wen Ye, apart from adding a few stitches to her wedding dress, continued her daily life as usual, simply waiting for the two months to pass before her marriage.
Although Wen Hui was a concubine-born daughter, she hadn’t returned to her maternal home in six years since her marriage.
When she sent word to the Wen family, Madam Shen didn’t hesitate for long before agreeing to her request to visit the next day. She also sent letters to the Earl of Yongcheng’s residence and the family of Concubine Gui’s daughter, inviting them to come as well.
Upon hearing that her daughter could return home, the usually reserved Concubine Gui was overcome with joy. Since her daughter’s marriage, they had had very few opportunities to see each other.
However, Wen Ye, who always avoided trouble, was in a rather indifferent mood, even somewhat displeased.
Concubine Bai, Wen Hui’s birth mother, had passed away less than a year after her marriage. Recalling her past "rivalry" with Wen Hui, Wen Ye believed that Wen Hui’s return was likely to stir up trouble for her.
Holding this thought, the day soon arrived.
All the married daughters of the Wen family returned to their maternal home, gathering under the pretext of welcoming Wen Hui and her family.
Wen Yuwan, of course, brought her twin children along, leaving the two younger ones at home under the care of trusted nannies.
Madam Shen had chosen the youngest son of the Wang family, a junior official in the Ministry of Works, as Wen Lan’s husband. The Wang family had five sons, all legitimate. Although the youngest son wasn’t as academically gifted as his older brothers, he was well-loved by his family and had a steady personality, ensuring a comfortable life ahead.
Wen Lan’s temperament was similar to Concubine Gui’s—timid and unsuited for handling complex households. A simple and harmonious family was the best fit for her.
Time had proven that Madam Shen’s choice for Wen Lan was a good one. After her marriage, her husband was considerate, and she got along well with her sisters-in-law. As the youngest daughter-in-law, she only needed to focus on her own small family, with her four sisters-in-law taking care of the larger responsibilities.
After five years of marriage, she had a son and a daughter. Her husband had only taken a concubine during her pregnancies, and for Wen Lan, such a married life was already extremely fortunate.
Therefore, Concubine Gui often reminded Wen Lan to be filial to Madam Shen, her stepmother. If she had been born into a family that mistreated concubine-born children, she wouldn’t have such a good life now.
Wen Ye had a decent relationship with Wen Lan and was genuinely happy for her.
Wen Lan had gained some weight since her maiden days, but her timid nature remained unchanged, and she spoke softly.
After greeting Concubine Gui, Wen Lan approached Wen Ye and whispered, "Fourth Sister, congratulations."
She was naturally congratulating her on her upcoming marriage into the Xu family.
For sincere blessings, Wen Ye always accepted them graciously. She replied, "Thank you."
"Hmph!" A sharp voice suddenly interrupted the two. "What’s there to congratulate? She’s just marrying into the Xu family to become a stepmother!"
Wen Ye lazily shifted her gaze to see a familiar face—beautiful but with a haughty demeanor, resembling a rooster that had won a fight.
The other woman glared at her. "What are you looking at?"
Wen Ye’s eyebrow twitched. After six years, she still hadn’t grown a brain.
Wen Ye couldn’t be bothered to argue with Wen Hui and casually retorted, "Of course, I can’t compare to you. You, Wen Hui, are the most impressive."
After her marriage, Wen Hui had given birth to three sons in six years, which gave her a great deal of confidence. With her husband’s respect and his promising career, her temper had only worsened since leaving the capital.
In a fit of anger, she blurted out without thinking, "If it weren’t for you back then, I would have—"
Wen Ye cut her off sharply. "If it weren’t for me back then, you’d probably be in the underworld by now."
Then, glancing at the two boys beside her and the baby in the nanny’s arms, she added with a sly smile, "Perhaps, if you were lucky, you could have charmed a handsome ghost, had a ghostly wedding, and even given birth to a few little ghosts."
Wen Lan, who had always been afraid of ghosts, shivered.
She thought to herself, Fourth Sister’s tongue is as sharp as ever.
Wen Hui, who had never been able to outtalk Wen Ye since childhood, was left speechless.
