Jinyang Marquis's Residence, Joy and Longevity Court.
Hearing that the old madam was ill, her sister-in-law from her natal family, Madam Zhang, brought two grandsons to visit.
The Shi Family was large, with nine male descendants alone. Fifth Young Master Shi was Shi Fan's legitimate grandson, eighteen this year, while Seventh Young Master Shi was born of a concubine and was fifteen. Both had reached marriageable age.
After Jian Ruonan frightened her, the old madam had slept poorly that night and had heavy dark circles under her eyes.
Madam Zhang asked with concern, "Why do you look so haggard, Sister?"
The old madam sighed. "Alas, what a misfortune for our family. I'm not even dead yet, and my eldest is already dealing his second brother a deadly blow. Once I die, what will become of my second and third sons?"
Sitting beside her, Jian Chuyun hurriedly handed the old madam a handkerchief. The old madam accepted it and dabbed at her tears.
"Pah, pah! Don't talk about dying," Madam Zhang comforted her. "You're going to live to a hundred, Sister. Besides visiting you, I also came specifically to deliver an invitation."
Her personal maid presented a gold-embossed invitation decorated with beautiful orchids and carrying a pleasant fragrance.
Seeing that it was for the Eldest Princess's flower-viewing banquet, Jian Chuyun was delighted. "Thank you, Great-Aunt."
Not just anyone could attend the Eldest Princess's flower-viewing banquet.
Madam Zhang smiled. "Good girl. Make sure you prepare well. I hear many princes will be attending this time. Perhaps a wonderful opportunity awaits you."
Even if she could not marry a prince, there would be plenty of noble young gentlemen from prominent families.
Jian Chuyun happily thanked her again and had someone put the invitation away carefully.
After exchanging pleasantries, Madam Zhang explained the purpose of her visit.
As the two families were related by marriage, the Minister’s Residence and Jinyang Marquis's Residence often hosted gatherings, and their members frequently met. Fifth Young Master Shi Li secretly admired Jian Xilu and had even fallen seriously ill upon learning of her engagement.
Now that Jian Xilu's marriage had fallen through, Shi Li had immediately begged his grandmother to visit Jinyang Marquis's Residence again and plead his case.
Though only eighteen, the fifth young master had already passed the provincial examination. He would sit the Spring Examination next year and might well achieve an excellent ranking.
Madam Zhang had originally intended to wait until after his Spring Examination to arrange his marriage, but his persistent pleading, combined with Jian Xilu's outstanding qualities, had persuaded her to reluctantly agree.
The old madam, however, was somewhat unwilling. Her elder brother was a serving minister and a senior figure in the Grand Secretariat. Marrying into his family would mean Jian Xilu was marrying up.
"Think about it, Sister," Madam Zhang urged. "Once the eldest girl marries into our household, won't she be clay in our hands?"
There were countless ways to control someone in the inner household. Making a daughter-in-law stand in attendance to learn the rules was trivial; childbirth was the true gateway to hell. A tiny trick could make life worse than death.
Once she married into their household, would she not have to dance to the Shi Family's tune?
For his daughter's sake, Jian Zhang would not dare openly break with them. They might even use this to keep him in check.
After considering it, the old madam decided it truly was an excellent idea and immediately agreed with both hands and feet raised.
While the old madam and Madam Zhang discussed how to make Min agree to marry off her daughter in Joy and Longevity Court, over in Westglow Garden, Min was walking with her two daughters and one son, enjoying the gossip as they went.
Jian Ruonan came across a piece of gossip, and even her inner voice grew excited-
What?!! None of Shi Fan's five legitimate sons were actually his?!!
Th-this is absolutely explosive?!!
Was that really true?
Min and Jian Xilu were utterly stunned.
Not one of his five legitimate sons was his own? That was far too outrageous!
Something like this could happen in the Minister of Rites' household?!
Jian Ruonan's eyes widened, and the more she read, the more excited she became.
Wait, Shi Fan is the Minister of Rites! Who had the nerve to put so many green cuckold's hats on his head?!
And all five hats are different.
Min: !!!!!!!
Teng nodded in agreement.
Who could be so bold?
Quick, walk faster! Let me see what kind of seductive hussy this Madam Zhang is, putting five green hats on Minister Shi's head without him knowing!!
Min and Jian Xilu exchanged a glance. They wanted to hurry too, but they still had to observe proper decorum.
Teng wished he could hoist his fifth sister onto his shoulder and run with her, but he was still young and had the shortest legs.
The little boy's eyes darted as he looked at Min. "Mother, could you have the matrons carry me and Fifth Sister? Teng thinks Fifth Sister looks a little unwell."
Teng blinked his big eyes and tugged at Min, wheedling.
"I think you're the one who wants to be carried. You're already six, yet you're still so lazy." After considering it, Min nevertheless had two matrons pick up the children.
Jian Ruonan thought her little brother was so considerate. She happened to have no desire to walk.
The matrons ran swiftly while carrying them. The one carrying Jian Ruonan, in particular, practically flew. Jian Ruonan asked the matron's name, intending to request her for her own staff.
A sturdy matron like this could take on two opponents at once in the inner household.
When they arrived at Joy and Longevity Court, they discovered everyone was already there. Even Jian Chuxue, who was confined to her quarters, had come.
Jian Chuxue's gaze darkened when she saw Min holding Jian Ruonan's hand.
Min noticed none of these details. Her attention was entirely devoted to the gossip.
After paying her respects, Jian Ruonan kept her gaze fixed on Madam Zhang.
Madam Zhang was fifty-eight this year and slightly plump, with a face as large as a basin. The flesh on her face and body sagged somewhat, giving her a distinctly aged appearance. She did not look like a seductive woman who went around dallying with men.
She had absolutely none of the qualities needed to seduce strapping young fellows.
Could Madam Zhang possess some special skill?
Jian Ruonan stared at Madam Zhang for a while before asking, System, did you get something wrong? How could an old woman like this do such a thing?
The system replied, Nannan, please don't question my professionalism. At least finish reading the gossip!
The gossip was so explosive that Jian Ruonan had become excited halfway through. Now she calmed down and continued reading. Aaaah, so that's what happened!!
Min, Jian Xilu, and Teng all pricked up their ears.
Quick, tell us-
Minister Shi has asthenozoospermia. He can't father sons.
Min: ?? Nannan really is a miracle doctor! I've never even heard a technical term like asthenozoospermia.
For several years after his marriage, neither his concubines nor his wife became pregnant. He didn't want to adopt an heir, so he found someone to impersonate him and sleep with his wife...
Madam Zhang knew nothing about it.
??
Crash, crash-
Jian Xilu heard the sound of her entire worldview shattering.
Min frowned and rubbed her brow. Remembering that Teng was still little and should not hear such things, she covered his ears.
Only after covering them did she remember that it was useless. This was an inner voice.
Had she known, she would not have let Teng come along.
Teng's mouth formed a perfect circle, and his gaze toward Madam Zhang filled with pity.
Is... is this really something a Minister of Rites would do?!
Teng nodded his round little head. His sister was right. No normal person would do this, much less the Minister of Rites.
The Ministry of Rites oversaw the five rites, and its minister was its highest official. Yet he had done something so corrupt and immoral!!
Shi Fan really has thrown every moral bond aside. No, wait-he's raising someone else's sons and grandsons. What on earth is he thinking??!!!
Teng cupped his cheeks and pouted, unable to make sense of it no matter how hard he thought. This was even harder to understand than the contemporary essays his tutor taught.
Oh, oh, the man he found was an older male cousin from his clan, so they still carry the Shi Family's blood.
Madam Zhang is the most pitiful one. She knows nothing. No wonder legitimate and concubine-born sons are treated equally in the Shi Family. None of them are Minister Shi's offspring anyway, so they're all pretty much the same.
Jian Ruonan looked at Madam Zhang with a sigh.
On the surface, she was a minister's wife surrounded by boundless glory, treated as an honored guest wherever she went. Even princesses and imperial consorts showed Madam Zhang every courtesy. Who would have imagined that, behind closed doors, she did not even know who had fathered her children?
It's best to keep our distance from a household like the Shi Family. The old madam is Shi Fan's own younger sister. No wonder she could do something like lick a groom's feet.
Teng: !!
The old madam had licked a groom's feet?!
Could anything be so absurd?!
He looked at his mother and fourth sister. Neither showed much reaction, so they must have known already.
Who knew how much gossip he had missed while attending school?
Could he become a day student instead?!
"Eldest daughter-in-law, what do you think?" The old madam lay on the Arhat Bed, rolling a string of prayer beads back and forth in her hand.
"Huh?" Min looked rather blank. She had been so absorbed in the gossip that she had not heard anything the old madam said.
Assuming Min was deliberately playing dumb, the old madam snapped, "The Shi Family's fifth boy is more than good enough for the eldest girl."
Min: !!
Xilu absolutely could not marry that fifth young master, who did not even know who his real grandfather was!
She feared the old madam might take it upon herself to settle the matter.
But who would believe her if she told them about the Shi Family?!
Min was as frantic as an ant on a hot pan.
What was she supposed to do?
Had she known, she would have held off on breaking the engagement.
Teng hugged his mother and said in his sweet little voice, "Mother, why don't we let Grandfather decide?"
Clever and quick-witted, Teng had long since discovered that only direct relatives could hear his fifth sister's thoughts. That meant Grandfather certainly could too.
In that case, all they had to do was let Grandfather hear his fifth sister's thoughts.
Grandfather probably still did not know about Grandmother licking that groom's stinking feet.
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