Volume One, Chapter 11: Naturally, a Concubine
Starlight Courtyard.
Madam Shen had already assumed her haughty demeanor, waiting for Jiang Jinshu to come and apologize.
But instead, her daughter burst in wearing only her undergarments, crying, with the maids and older female servants trailing behind her, all bearing injuries on their faces.
Madam Shen’s face instantly turned deathly pale. Furious beyond measure, she rose from her chair.
“Nanyue, what happened to you? How did you come back looking like this?”
Shen Nanyue sobbed uncontrollably, gasping for breath between words.
“Mother, you have to stand up for me. I have no face left to live with. It’s all that venomous woman Jiang Jinshu. She… she not only beat me but tore my clothes off. Mother, so many maids and older servants saw it all. I… I’m utterly disgraced today…”
Madam Shen’s eyes filled with shock and fury. Jiang Jinshu dared to be so arrogant and domineering.
“That wicked woman! How dare she! She clearly doesn’t respect the Shen family at all!”
Shen Nanyue continued to weep and plead.
“Mother, you must make Xing’er divorce her. I cannot allow her to remain in the Shen household; otherwise, how could I ever dare return to my natal family?”
Madam Shen glared fiercely at the battered maids and older servants and demanded,
“What happened to you all? So many of you, yet you couldn’t subdue just one Jiang Jinshu?”
One of the older servants spoke timidly.
“Madam, the young mistress… she’s very formidable, and her maids and servants also fought back. We… we…”
Madam Shen trembled with anger upon hearing this. Looking at these cowering women, she cursed them harshly.
“A bunch of useless wretches. The Shen family has truly wasted raising you.”
The maids and older servants hastily knelt down.
“Madam, we beg your forgiveness.”
Seeing their pitiful state, Madam Shen felt as if she had been insulted right in the eyes.
“Everyone, leave at once.”
Relieved as if granted amnesty, the servants all bowed and took their leave.
Shen Nanyue continued to sob without ceasing.
“Mother, you absolutely cannot let Jiang Jinshu off lightly. A venomous woman like her will only grow bolder and think the Shen family is easy to bully.”
Madam Shen gently patted her back, consoling her.
“Nanyue, rest assured, I will not spare that wicked woman. I will make sure Xing’er divorces her and casts her out!”
“Mother Qiu, bring some people for me. I, madam, will personally see if this little vixen thinks she can reach the heavens.”
Suddenly, a young maid rushed in from outside.
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“Madam, eldest miss, young master, the young madam has arrived.”
Upon hearing this, Madam Shen’s eyes sharpened as she sat down, then let out a cold sneer.
“She’s delivering herself right to our door. Let’s see what tricks she’s hiding!”
Jiang Jinshu entered, her gaze sweeping over Madam Shen and the others.
“Everyone’s gathered so neatly? All the usual faces are here.”
Seeing that she did not even bow, and that they had been waiting to force her into it, Madam Shen’s eyes blazed with fury.
“Jiang Jinshu, look at you now. Can’t you show even the slightest respect to your elders?”
“You show no respect to your mother-in-law and have even laid hands on your eldest sister-in-law. Are you trying to turn the world upside down?”
Jiang Jinshu smiled faintly and replied,
“Mother-in-law, you wrong me. Eldest sister-in-law barged into my courtyard with a crowd, insulting my parents. If I didn’t teach her a lesson, that would have been unfilial.”
“My parents also died in the war. As the legitimate daughter of the Shen family, eldest sister-in-law doesn’t even understand that the dead deserve respect. Clearly, your upbringing of her has failed miserably.”
“You’re lying!” Shen Nanyue shouted in anger. “You were the one who first hit me and tore my clothes off!”
Jiang Jinshu gave her a half-smile, half-smirk.
“Shen Nanyue, such nonsense might fool others, but are you really trying to fool yourself?”
Then she turned to Madam Shen.
“Mother, just now, eldest sister-in-law ransacked my courtyard, beating and smashing things. She insisted on making Su Yunyan a secondary wife and said she wanted to divorce me and throw me out of the Shen family. I have supported your Shen family for so many years, but since the Shens want to divorce me, I need no longer do such thankless tasks.”
She glanced at Caiping.
“Caiping.”
Caiping carried the ledger and keys over to Su Yunyan.
Jiang Jinshu continued.
“If eldest sister-in-law favors Su Yunyan as the younger sister-in-law so much, then so be it. I’ll leave the management of this household to Su Yunyan!”
Madam Shen’s face darkened. There was hardly any silver in the household. If Jiang Jinshu gave up managing it, who would take care of the household expenses?
Shen Nanyue, no longer caring about her tears, was stunned. The authority to manage the household was a woman’s dignity. How could Jiang Jinshu be willing to give it up? Was she not afraid of losing her standing in the Shen family entirely?
Su Yunyan felt as if silver coins had fallen from the sky and struck her head, leaving her dizzy with joy. She couldn’t suppress the smile on her face and reached out for the keys.
“Is... this really being given to me?”
Shen Nanxing spoke up.
“You’re sensible after all. Stay quietly in your own courtyard, and the Shen family might still have a place for you…”
But Madam Shen spoke sternly.
“Yunyan, put the keys down.”
Su Yunyan looked at Madam Shen, puzzled.
“Mother?”
Madam Shen’s voice rose a few tones.
“The management of the Shen family’s inner affairs is the young madam’s responsibility. You should focus on taking good care of the child in your belly. You have no need to worry about this.”
Su Yunyan’s eyes filled with grievance.
“Mother, what wrong have I done?”
Shen Nanxing also spoke.
“Mother, since Jiang has willingly handed over the household management, let Yunyan take charge. She has been by your side for years and is more than capable of managing the household affairs.”
Madam Shen frowned, casting a glance at Shen Nanxing.
“You have been away for a long time; how could you understand these inner household matters? Managing a household well is no simple task. Even Jiang Jinshu only barely managed the Shen family under my guidance for a while. Yunyan is still quite young.”
Ha! What a fine excuse. She’s afraid if she doesn’t manage the household, there will be no money left for the Shen family, Jiang Jinshu sneered inwardly.
“Yunyan has been by mother-in-law’s side for many years. She surely has learned the household management long ago. Besides, eldest sister-in-law just came into my courtyard flaunting her power, loudly declaring she wants to divorce me and throw me out of the Shen family. How could I have any right to manage the family affairs?”
Shen Nanyue panicked briefly but soon composed herself. She cared deeply about Xing’er; she would never truly leave the Shen family. This must be a bluff.
“Jiang Jinshu, once you’ve handed over the management rights, you won’t be able to take them back…”
Jiang Jinshu’s gaze disdainfully landed on Shen Nanyue.
“Wasn’t eldest sister-in-law just shouting she wants to divorce me?”
Remembering she had just been beaten and stripped, Shen Nanyue’s anger flared anew.
“Jiang Jinshu, don’t think the Shen family can’t do without you. When Xing’er writes the divorce papers…”
Madam Shen quickly raised her hand and pulled Shen Nanyue back, stopping her from continuing.
“All right, we are family. Can’t we speak civilly? What kind of manners is this uproar?”
Her gaze then fell upon Jiang Jinshu.
“Jinshu, you’ve been growing more willful these past few days. How could a mere quarrel with Nanyue escalate to the point of handing over household management?”
“You’ve managed the Shen family these past few years, and I’m happy to leave it to you. Continue to work hard managing the household. As Xing’er’s lawful wife, it is your duty to oversee the inner affairs.”
The old hag certainly knew how to measure and judge. Jiang Jinshu looked at Madam Shen and said,
“But isn’t General Shen going to marry a secondary wife? Doesn’t the Shen family want my child to be born a concubine’s? A secondary wife is still a wife. I’ve managed the household for so many years and grown tired. Let sister Ruyan take on the hard work.”
Shen Yunchuan’s gaze quickly settled on Su Yunyan. After weighing the pros and cons, he spoke.
“The Shen family is a noble military household; there can be no secondary wives. Although Yunyan is pregnant, the Shen family will not let her surpass you. She will be a concubine, but as the head of the household, you must still take good care of her and the child. After all, the child will call you mother.”
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