Chapter 30: Everyone Says Qin Lang Doesn’t Like Her

On the day of the grand wedding, Mu Yunwei and Pei Jing were absent. Mu Yunyi was also nowhere to be found.

The Hou residence was in chaos, and outsiders might not have noticed the eldest young master of the Hou family. Yet Shen Ruo Jin knew that Mu Yunyi’s absence meant he was desperately searching for Mu Yunwei.

The eldest son of the Mu family had his own sense of closeness and distance; one was a half-sister, the other a cousin. Even though he had learned before others that the two had run off to avoid marriage, he never bothered to inform Shen Ruo Jin. Now he pretended to be a good brother—what was the meaning of that?

Mu Yunyi forced a smile. “That day the Hou residence was in turmoil. I was in a rush to find Yunwei and Lord Pei... In my haste, I didn’t care for my second sister. I hope she won’t blame me?”

“Of course not,” Shen Ruo Jin said deliberately, pausing before adding, “She won’t.”

Most of Shen Ruo Jin’s memories of this cousin only went back to when she was about seven. After her mother died, Madame Mu believed the words of a master who claimed that Shen Ruo Jin’s fate was harsh, bringing misfortune to her family elders. Whenever Madame Mu had a headache or slight illness, she blamed Shen Ruo Jin and forced her to kneel at the ancestral hall.

A motherless child receives no one’s affection.

Mu Gaoyuan had intervened twice between his daughter and her birth mother, but his mind was set on climbing higher in status, and he rarely concerned himself with family matters. In the vast Hou residence, it was only Madame Mu who tormented the little granddaughter.

When Mu Yunyi was young, he would secretly bring food to his sister at the ancestral hall after school. When Madame Mu made Shen Ruo Jin copy Buddhist scriptures repeatedly as punishment, he would mimic her handwriting to help her.

At that time, the Shen sons were all stationed at the border, and none had seen Shen Ruo Jin. Mu Yunyi, the cousin, was the kindest person to her in the entire Linyang Hou residence.

Everything changed when the Shen family came to take Shen Ruo Jin away, and the main branch’s concubine brought Mu Yunwei back to the Hou residence.

Mu Yunyi now had his own full sister, born to the concubine, sharing half his blood.

Shen Ruo Jin lived with the Shen family, blessed with the best nine brothers in the world.

The capital and the border were a thousand miles apart. At first, the cousins kept in touch through letters, but as time passed, their relationship gradually faded.

Last year, when Shen Ruo Jin was sent back to the capital by her maternal grandfather, the courtyard she lived in had become Mu Yunwei’s. Her belongings were thrown away. Even her favorite peach blossom tree was cut down because Mu Yunwei found it too gaudy and preferred a more refined elegance.

Mu Yunyi, as her brother, tried to mediate but told her, “Yunwei grew up away from home, weak and timid. As her older sister, you should be more accommodating.”

At that time, Shen Ruo Jin was still drowning in grief over the sudden loss of her entire family in battle and didn’t care about anything, much less argue.

Looking back, she found it utterly ridiculous.

She understood then, and understood now, that she would never see Mu Yunyi as a brother, and naturally would not blame him for favoring Mu Yunwei.

***

Mu Yunyi clearly didn’t know what Shen Ruo Jin was thinking. Hearing her say “won’t,” he breathed a sigh of relief and smiled, “It’s good that second sister doesn’t blame me.”

Shen Ruo Jin remained silent.

Mu Yunyi then began to talk, “A few days ago, grandmother sent Madam Li to the Zhenbei Prince’s mansion to ask you to return. You remember that, right? Actually, it’s nothing serious. After you married the young prince Qin, Yunwei and Lord Pei were criticized. This couldn’t continue, so grandmother and uncle decided to match them. On your wedding day, the second and third daughters of the Mu family married simultaneously. Today is their joint return visit…”

He continued, “The Hou residence cleared the rumors about Pei Jing and Mu Yunwei, proving they didn’t elope. By saving Pei’s foster mother and sister, making them marry was the best way to restore the Hou family’s reputation. I know this might be unfair to you, second sister, but... there was really no other way then.”

Shen Ruo Jin calmly replied, “So?”

Mu Yunyi was still unaware, “So... when you see grandmother later, no matter what she says, can you endure it? She’s old now, just let it go for her sake.”

Shen Ruo Jin laughed bitterly. “According to you, cousin, Mu Yunwei is my sister, so as her elder sister I must yield. Grandmother is old, so I must yield too. So your education taught you to respect the elderly and love the young, but you no longer know right from wrong?”

Mu Yunyi was stunned, then after a long while spoke again, “Ruo Jin, why do you talk to me like this?”

Shen Ruo Jin had been back at the Hou residence almost a year, rarely leaving the courtyard and seldom speaking to anyone, as if nothing in the world was worth her care. All her emotions had faded into silence.

This gave the people of the Hou residence the illusion that she was aloof and indifferent, never angry or quarrelsome.

“What else?” Shen Ruo Jin raised her eyes to him. “What do you want me to say? You did this, and you want me to praise you?”

Mu Yunyi was speechless.

He truly thought they had handled things well. The two sisters swapping husbands was far better than the Hou family’s young lady running off with her brother-in-law, wasn’t it?

Mu Yunyi had planned to walk alongside Shen Ruo Jin to the main hall and, in front of the entire family, show filial respect and obedience to Madame Mu, acting as if he would comply with any request to maintain family harmony. That would naturally dispel any rumors of discord among the Hou sisters.

So the matter would be over.

But after Shen Ruo Jin married into the Zhenbei Prince’s mansion, her temper grew even fiercer, showing no respect even to her brother.

Soon they arrived at the main hall.

A maid lifted the curtain and announced, “Reporting to Madame Mu and the Hou Lord, the second and third young ladies and the third young master have returned.”

Shen Ruo Jin entered alone, showing no trace of hesitation, greeting Madame Mu and the Linyang Hou with composure, “Grandmother, I wish you good health. Father and eldest aunt, I hope you are well.”

“Yunwei, with her husband, sends greetings to grandmother, uncle, mother, and aunt!” Mu Yunwei and Pei Jing followed.

The third young lady’s voice was clear and playful, and Madame Mu was delighted at once. “Yunwei is back! Come to grandmother quickly.”

The Linyang Hou said to Pei Jing, “We are one family. Dear son-in-law, no need for formalities. Please sit.”

From the outside, they appeared to be a happy family.

Only Shen Ruo Jin stood still, deliberately ignored.

She, always calm and poised, was about to find a seat when Madam He came forward first, moving a chair for her with firm authority. “Young Madam, please sit.”

The seating, originally arranged with clear hierarchy, became awkward with Madam He’s gesture.

Shen Ruo Jin’s expression remained unchanged as she sat down with deliberate grace.

The scene resembled a courtroom trial rather than a bride’s homecoming. She faced many alone, not only matching their spirit but dominating the room.

Madame Mu called Mu Yunwei to her side but barely spoke before Shen Ruo Jin’s presence angered her deeply. “How dare you sit there?”

Madame Mu scowled, “In all my years, I’ve never seen a bride return home without her husband.”

Shen Ruo Jin replied calmly, “You’ve never seen it before, but today you have.”

Mu Gaoyuan looked troubled, caught between mother and daughter. Clearing his throat twice, he said, “The Zhenbei Prince is a busy man. There must be a reason he didn’t accompany Ruo Jin.”

Madame Mu interrupted with displeasure, “What reason could there be? It’s simply that the prince does not like her!”

Matters between man and woman.

When liked, one is treated like a treasure; when not, discarded like worn-out shoes.

If the Zhenbei Prince had even a shred of affection for Shen Ruo Jin, would he have let her return alone on such an important day?

Madame Mu, convinced she understood the truth, scolded Shen Ruo Jin ever more harshly:

“On that day, I had her pretend to be Yunwei and marry in her place, to get through the immediate crisis. She refused. Now look, you want to marry the Zhenbei Prince yourself but can’t even win his favor. You make a laughingstock of yourself every day outside. If you’re not ashamed, I am too embarrassed to show my face!”

Shen Ruo Jin replied indifferently, “Grandmother, don’t be too ashamed to show your face. Rumors outside are countless. It’s best to hear them all; hearing only half is dull.”