Chapter 1

In the fourth year of Jing Yuan era, during the season when peach and plum blossoms competed in beauty, a joyous atmosphere permeated the Wen Family residence in the capital city of Sheng Jing.

Today was the wedding day of the Wen Family's second son, and the bride had just been welcomed into the household.

The main hall was bustling with activity, with guests crowding both sides to witness the ceremony.

Seated in the place of honor, Madam Shen gazed at her jubilant younger son, her brow relaxing slightly as the last stone weighing on her heart finally lifted...

As the call to "escort the couple to the bridal chamber" rang out, Madam Shen's lips curved upward as she watched her son and daughter-in-law depart. With the view now unobstructed, her eyes fell upon a young lady with a small, round, fair face, who was chatting and laughing with a little girl barely reaching her waist.

One of her cheeks was moving slightly, likely from some snack she had secretly popped into her mouth.

Seeing this, Madam Shen was reminded of Concubine Chang's tearful complaints in her chambers a few days prior, and the joy in her expression dimmed somewhat.

She had almost forgotten about this other half of the stone...

The Wen Family hailed from a great clan in Jiangnan, with many high-ranking officials among their ancestors. Father Wen currently held the third-rank position of Chamberlain for Ceremonials, and his two legitimate sons were also promising. One had passed the imperial examinations the year the new emperor ascended the throne and now worked in the Ministry of Rites. The other had recently joined the Military Affairs Bureau and, though his position was not high, he was well-regarded by his superiors.

Madam Shen, as the current mistress of the Wen household, was not known for her gentle nature, but rather for her strictness. However, whether legitimate or born of concubines, all children in the family received education starting at age eight for boys and five for girls, with none being neglected.

The master of the Wen Family had only two sons, both born to his legal wife Madam Shen, but quite a few daughters. Besides the eldest legitimate daughter born to Madam Shen, the other four were born to concubines.

The young lady Madam Shen had spotted in the hall was the fourth daughter, Wen Ye, born to Concubine Chang.

The day after a bride enters the family, she must pay respects to the main courtyard at the first light of dawn. As the new bride's sister-in-law born to a concubine, Wen Ye, who was accustomed to sleeping until mid-morning, had to drag herself out of her soft bed more than two hours earlier than usual.

Her maid Tao Zhi entered the room promptly to help Wen Ye wash up, saying, "The mistress has asked after you several times already."

Wen Ye, still looking half-asleep, opened her round almond eyes slightly, caught a glimpse of her plump, delicate face in the bronze mirror, and asked with a small yawn, "When did mother get up?"

Tao Zhi, helping Wen Ye clean her face, replied, "At the hour of the 5 am."

"Mother is truly impressive," Wen Ye sighed, "I could never manage that."

Hearing this, Tao Zhi laughed softly and said, "Actually, miss, you're the last one up. The other courtyards have been bustling for a while now."

Her personality was more lively than Yun Zhi's, and she always spoke her mind in front of Wen Ye.

After rinsing her mouth, Wen Ye sat back down on the wooden stool with its soft cushion, facing the bronze mirror. She thought to herself, no wonder people in ancient times had such short lifespans. Getting up before dawn every day, it would be strange if they lived long.

As a modern office worker who had died in a traffic accident due to mistaking a red light for green after working overtime to the point of exhaustion, Wen Ye particularly cherished life in this second chance.

Wen Ye had transmigrated as a fetus, and while in Concubine Chang's womb, she had gleaned important information from the daily conversations of those around her.

She had been reborn into ancient times, with her birth mother being a concubine in the household. She had three legitimate older siblings and two half-sisters born to concubines above her, making her the fourth daughter.

The Wen Family, while not at the absolute pinnacle of power in the bustling capital of Sheng Jing, had deep roots stretching back centuries. As a daughter born to a concubine, with her birth mother Concubine Chang having maintained a low profile for years, Wen Ye had led a relatively peaceful and comfortable life.

Seeing that Tao Zhi had finished arranging her hair, Wen Ye stood up and headed out, asking, "What's for breakfast today?"

Tao Zhi followed her out of the inner room and replied, "Miss, didn't you say yesterday that you liked the golden dumplings from the banquet? Yun Zhi instructed the kitchen to prepare some earlier, along with chicken silk porridge."

Just then, Yun Zhi entered the room carrying a wooden tray, reminding Wen Ye, "Miss, please have a couple of golden dumplings to tide you over. We'll be having breakfast in the main courtyard shortly."

Today being the second day after the Wen Family welcomed their new daughter-in-law, the whole family was expected to pay their respects in the main courtyard before sharing breakfast.

Wen Ye stared at the golden dumplings on the table, picked up three with her chopsticks, and began to eat.

Halfway through, she suddenly remembered something and looked up to ask, "Where are mother and little sister?"

Though the three of them didn't usually eat together, mainly because Wen Ye woke up late, her mother and younger sister would typically come by after she got up.

Yun Zhi looked at her sleepy-faced miss and hesitated for a moment before saying, "The fifth miss is doing her lessons, with the mistress keeping her company."

"Little sister is truly diligent, not resting for a single day," Wen Ye said with utmost sincerity, knowing she could never maintain such a rigorous schedule herself.

Seeing Wen Ye's lighthearted expression, Yun Zhi felt relieved. Though she was a few years younger than Wen Ye, as her personal maid, she often thought more deeply about things.

The fifth miss was only six years old and had only been studying for a year, yet she already showed signs of being a prodigy. In comparison, their miss had been rather unremarkable at a similar age.

Fortunately, their miss was easygoing and had never shown any jealousy, maintaining a close relationship with her younger sister.

The prudent Yun Zhi removed the tray just as Wen Ye was about to reach for a fourth golden dumpling.

Wen Ye: "......"

A short while later, Concubine Chang arrived with her younger daughter, and the three of them set off for the main courtyard together.

Less than a quarter of an hour after they arrived at the main courtyard, the second young master of the Wen Family arrived with his new bride to offer tea.

Father Wen, typically a man of few words, gave a brief word of advice before ceding the floor to Madam Shen.

As this was her daughter-in-law's first time offering tea, Madam Shen did not maintain her usual stern demeanor. Her expression softened slightly as she accepted the tea, drank it, and then handed a red envelope she had prepared earlier to the couple.

She also offered a few words of praise.

After paying respects to the two elders, it was time to greet the eldest brother and sister-in-law, as well as the younger sisters and nephews born to concubines.

The eldest sister-in-law, Madam Yang, was a gentle and proper person. She presented a set of gold and red pomegranate-themed hair ornaments, which were both grand and festive, perfect for a young bride like Madam Liu.

Madam Liu was naturally delighted and hurried to bring out the gifts she had prepared for her two nephews.

Madam Yang had been married into the Wen Family for six years and had given birth to two sons. The elder, Wen Cheng, was five years old.

The younger, Wen Che, was just over a year old and had recently learned to walk. He was currently being held by his wet nurse, standing to the side.

A fine inkstone was naturally for Cheng, who had already begun his education, while Che received several exquisite toys and small clothes and shoes that Madam Liu had sewn herself.

The gifts showed both intimacy and proper etiquette.

Having given birth to two sons in succession, Madam Yang's status in the family was evident. However, her gentle nature meant she never flaunted this fact, and in the six years she had assisted Madam Shen in managing household affairs, she had never once overstepped her bounds, earning Madam Shen's favor.

Madam Yang smiled as she accepted the gifts for her two sons from their second aunt, saying, "My sister-in-law is so skilled. I could never make such delicate clothes."

Madam Liu replied, "Sister-in-law is too modest." Then, turning to her mother-in-law Madam Shen in the seat of honor, she put on the shy face expected of a new bride and said, "I often heard my mother speak of how mother-in-law had gained such a capable daughter-in-law. She was quite envious."

Madam Liu's mother had been close friends with Madam Shen since their youth, and their relationship had remained good over the decades.

With this short sentence, she had managed to compliment both Madam Shen and Madam Yang while also bringing herself closer to both of them.

Wen Ye observed this quietly, thinking to herself that her second sister-in-law was indeed quite emotionally intelligent.

Hearing this, Madam Shen's usually stern expression softened into a smile. "Alright, alright, you're all good," she said.

Next, Wen Ye received a jade bracelet, while her younger sister Wen Ran got a beautiful new outfit.

Although the Wen Family was not among the absolute top echelons of Sheng Jing's elite, their centuries of accumulated wealth meant they owned numerous estates and businesses. This was reflected in their breakfast spread, which consisted of sixteen exquisite dishes.

The main table seated Father Wen, Madam Shen, and their immediate family, while those born to concubines, including Wen Ye, sat at the secondary table. Wen Ye was seated between her birth mother Concubine Chang and her younger sister Wen Ran, with Concubine Gui next to Concubine Chang.

Concubine Gui had a daughter who was a year older than Wen Ye, but she had been married off several years ago.

Father Wen had one wife and three concubines in his rear courtyard, which was considered restrained compared to other noble households of the time.

Concubine Gui and Concubine Bai, who had passed away years ago due to illness, had both been maidservants who came with Madam Shen when she married into the Wen Family. They were given status as concubines when Madam Shen was pregnant with her first child, but were only allowed to share Father Wen's bed after Madam Shen had given birth to her second son.

They had subsequently given birth to two daughters, who were Wen Ye's older half-sisters who had been married off years ago.

Concubine Chang, Wen Ye's birth mother, was chosen by Madam Shen from among the Wen Family's servants. Her looks weren't particularly outstanding, but compared to the seductive Concubine Bai and the timid, incompetent Concubine Gui, at least Chang appeared refreshingly neat.

Madam Shen was quite pleased with this.

On ordinary days, Concubine Chang and Concubine Gui rarely came to the main courtyard, and Madam Shen couldn't be bothered to summon them for service. However, today a new member had been added to the family, so they needed to be called over for introductions.

The Wen Family adhered to the principle of 'no talking while eating or sleeping'. Today was slightly different, but it was merely Madam Shen exchanging a few more words with her two daughters-in-law. Wen Ye listened to their intermittent conversation while never stopping her eating.

She first had a bowl of mutton soup, then sampled a bit of each of the dozen or so other dishes.

It must be said that the breakfast in the main courtyard was indeed better than that from the small kitchen in her own courtyard, even though she had improved the meals from her small kitchen many times.

Concubine Chang couldn't bear to watch and secretly tugged at Wen Ye several times to no avail. The mother and daughter looked strikingly similar, with round, fair faces like jade plates.

The difference was that Concubine Chang's eyes hadn't changed much since her youth, still radiating a sense of purity and simplicity.

Compared to her mother, Wen Ye was more plump and fair from head to toe. Apart from the occasional glint of cleverness and cunning in her eyes, she appeared quite similar to her mother.

Realizing she was full, Wen Ye abruptly stopped eating. Yun Zhi quickly offered a damp cloth, and Wen Ye wiped the corners of her mouth. Only then did she have time to meet her mother's gaze, her eyes lazy and seemingly asking: Why were you tugging at me earlier?

Concubine Chang: "......"

The mealtime quickly passed. Father Wen called his two sons to the study, Madam Yang took Madam Liu away to cultivate sisterly affection, and Concubine Gui had left early.

Only Concubine Chang lingered in the main courtyard for a long time, unable to be pulled away by Wen Ye no matter how hard she tried.

Wen Ye asked Yun Zhi to take her little sister back first, while she stayed behind.

"Mother, it's been several days, haven't you gotten over it yet?" There were only a few cleaning maids in the courtyard. Wen Ye glanced at them inconspicuously, not lowering her voice too much.

After all, no matter how quietly they spoke, it would always reach Madam Shen's ears.

Hearing these words, Concubine Chang's eyes welled up with tears of grievance: "You, you always upset me like this."

Wen Ye: "......"

Between them, who was really the "daughter"?

Chapter 2

If one were to speak of Wen Ye's smooth-sailing life in her second reincarnation, the only thing that could be marginally considered an 'obstacle' was her birth mother, Concubine Chang.

And even to call it an obstacle would be an exaggeration.

It was just that ever since Wen Ye's fourteenth birthday, Concubine Chang had begun to worry about her future daily.

At first, she feared Wen Ye would marry into an unsatisfactory family. Now, she feared Wen Ye wouldn't marry at all.

In the main room, as a maid served tea, Madam Shen raised her eyes slightly, her gaze subtly sweeping outside the room. She asked, "Has Concubine Chang not left yet?"

Nanny Han, who was waiting at her side, replied, "The Fourth Miss is also there, seemingly trying to persuade Concubine Chang to return."

Madam Shen raised her hand to rub her forehead, which seemed to be starting to ache again. Even the joy brought by her youngest son's successful marriage couldn't offset this.

Madam Shen understood Concubine Chang well enough. Only that Wen Ye, the fourth daughter, had the ability to make her so reckless and inconsiderate.

Looking at the entire Sheng Jing City, Madam Shen had never seen any young lady whose marriage was as difficult to arrange as Wen Ye's.

After a long pause, Madam Shen finally spoke, "Go call the Fourth Miss in."

Her words couldn't help but contain a hint of resentment.

Nanny Han responded, "Yes."

In the courtyard, Concubine Chang seemed determined this time, unmoved no matter how Wen Ye tried to persuade her.

Wen Ye thought for a moment and finally said, "How about this, Aunt, you go back first, and I'll go see Mother."

Concubine Chang didn't say much, just stared at Wen Ye with her round, honest eyes. "You brushed me off like this last time too."

Wen Ye: "......"

Just as she was thinking of what else she could say to temporarily deceive the person in front of her, she caught sight of Nanny Han, Madam Shen's attendant, approaching them.

Nanny Han came before the mother and daughter, her gaze falling on Wen Ye as she said formally, "Fourth Miss, the Madam requests your presence."

Before Wen Ye could react, Concubine Chang's eyes suddenly lit up. She hurriedly pushed Wen Ye forward, "Go quickly, I'll leave right away."

After saying this, she nodded to Nanny Han and immediately turned to leave the main courtyard without looking back.

Wen Ye watched Concubine Chang's retreating figure, which showed no lingering attachment, and slightly pursed her lips.

The attitude of the lady of the house was indeed much more effective than her own words as a daughter.

Nanny Han suppressed a smile at the corner of her mouth, slightly turned her body, and said to Wen Ye, "Fourth Miss, please."

Wen Ye silently sighed, had no choice but to quickly tidy herself up, straighten her posture, and step into the room.

Nanny Han followed closely behind, raising her eyes to look at Wen Ye a few times as they walked.

She was Madam Shen's personal maid who had been with the Wen family for over twenty years. She believed she understood the young ladies of the household quite well. The eldest miss was dignified and self-disciplined, personally cultivated by Madam Shen, with every move befitting a young lady from a noble family.

The other concubine-born daughters, though lacking somewhat in appearance and temperament compared to the eldest miss, had generally not made any mistakes.

Only the one in front of her now - Nanny Han had only belatedly realized in recent years that the Fourth Miss of the household seemed to have two different personas in public and in private.

In front of others, she appeared to be a well-mannered young lady, but once back in her own territory, away from others' gazes, she would suddenly become as if boneless - if she could lie down she wouldn't sit, if she could sit she wouldn't stand.

Now, entering the hall, Nanny Han looked up to see the Fourth Miss curtsying to Madam Shen. As soon as Madam Shen said "Sit down," the Fourth Miss's bottom was already glued to the chair.

Nanny Han, long accustomed to this: "......"

This Fourth Miss always managed to make herself as comfortable as possible within the bounds of proper etiquette. Yet every time she took these shortcuts to laziness, she never gave anyone grounds to find fault. She grasped the boundaries more precisely than anyone.

Madam Shen's motion to pick up her teacup paused, her gaze flicking to the person sitting properly on her right. After a moment of silence, she said, "You should know why I've called you here."

Wen Ye inwardly heaved a long sigh. Of course she knew, but her face remained as docile as when she had arrived, and her brow showed a timely trace of remorse: "My marriage has caused Mother to worry."

Madam Shen used the action of lowering her head to sip tea to conceal her slightly twitching lips. When she raised her head again, she had resumed her usual stern and solemn image, and spoke directly: "If you weren't the only unmarried young lady of marriageable age in the household, I'm afraid the Wen family would have long been the subject of gossip in other households."

"If not for yourself, you should think of your younger sister," Madam Shen's expression grew more severe as she spoke, heavily placing her teacup on the table. "Do you really intend to drag this out until Wen Five comes of age?"

"I wouldn't dare," Wen Ye lowered her head.

At this moment, her honest appearance looked extremely similar to her aunt.

It was almost unbearable to look at.

Madam Shen averted her eyes for a moment: "...Your aunt came to me a few days ago, hoping I would quickly arrange a marriage for you."

Wen Ye suddenly raised her eyes, meeting Madam Shen's gaze.

That look seemed to ask: Why aren't you pretending anymore?

Although she knew that her stepmother had long seen through her true nature, being suddenly exposed like this was still a bit embarrassing.

However, over the years, she had developed quite a thick skin.

After a few breaths, Wen Ye returned to normal and said, "I understand. I will certainly advise my aunt when I return."

Madam Shen's eyebrows moved, seemingly unclear: "Advise her about what?"

Wen Ye faced Madam Shen's gaze with a calm and composed face, replying, "Mother has to manage various affairs of the household daily. It's wrong of my aunt to frequently come and disturb you."

"......"

She certainly knows how to shift blame onto others.

In the more than twenty years since Madam Shen had married into the Wen family, everything had gone smoothly. She had never been stymied by anyone. But ever since she had seen through Wen Ye's true nature years ago, whenever she faced her, she often found herself with words of rebuttal on the tip of her tongue, yet unable to voice them.

This concubine-born daughter, she didn't know how Concubine Chang had given birth to such an oddity.

"Your aunt might not understand, but I see clearly," Madam Shen said heavily after a long silence. "It's because you don't want to marry and become someone's wife."

Wen Ye's face showed surprise, and she was about to argue: "Mother, I—"

"You don't need to explain." Madam Shen slightly raised her hand to interrupt her. "Five years ago, you passed up the third son of a perfectly good family of an official from the Ministry of Rites, insisting instead on choosing Qin Silang, whose mother had been ill for a long time. As a result, just two months after the engagement was set, Qin Silang's mother passed away. He had to observe a three-year mourning period for his mother, and your marriage had to be called off."

Seemingly having her old secrets exposed, Wen Ye's downcast eyes flickered, and she chose to remain silent.

Madam Shen glanced at her and continued, "Later, when Young Master Zhang came to propose, you agreed. The wedding was just waiting for the national mourning period to end. But less than half a year after the engagement, you fell seriously ill three times, each time taking more than a month to recover. It scared Concubine Chang so much that she came to me, begging me to help you break off the engagement with the Zhang family."

Wen Ye rubbed her fingers.

"Not long after, the Liu family expressed interest in a marriage. Who would have thought that when the six etiquette gifts were almost complete, news spread throughout Sheng Jing City that Young Master Liu had impregnated a servant girl during the national mourning period."

Madam Shen paused here for a moment, slowly looking at Wen Ye, who was now 'channeling Concubine Chang', and asked, "Do you have anything else you want to say?"

Wen Ye thought to herself, as expected of the mistress of a household. Most of those previous incidents were the result of her own machinations, with her barely lifting a finger, yet Madam Shen had still managed to uncover some clues.

However, she probably didn't have any concrete evidence, otherwise Madam Shen would have presented it in front of her already.

Without evidence, Wen Ye would not admit to anything. She maintained an attitude of complete ignorance as she looked up and asked, "What does Mother mean by saying all this?"

"Hah." Madam Shen let out a cold laugh. "At a time like this, you still want to play dumb with me?"

Hearing the tone was off, Wen Ye immediately became submissive, her words filled with sincerity: "This time, I'll listen to whatever Mother says."

A rebellious nature, yet able to be both unyielding and flexible.

How did Concubine Chang raise her?

Wen Ye's sudden compliance left Madam Shen with nowhere to vent the anger that had been building in her heart.

This Wen Ye always knew how to be the most infuriating.

Wen Ye had never thought about not marrying in this life. If she absolutely refused to marry, she would be left with only two options:

One, to die from illness.

The real kind.

Two, to become a nun, eating vegetarian meals daily and praying for blessings for the family, never able to leave the nunnery for the rest of her life.

In this life, she had already become accustomed to being a homebody in ancient times, unable to go anywhere, which she could barely accept. But if she wasn't allowed to eat meat to her heart's content, sorry, she couldn't accept that.

Neither of the above choices was what she wanted.

Wen Ye was also quite self-aware. Although being reborn with memories from a past life was a rare and extraordinary experience, she never thought of herself as the first person to travel through time and change the course of history.

Nor did she believe that her beauty in this life would earn her a soulmate who would love only her for a lifetime.

Men who loved only one woman for life and never strayed were rare even in modern society, let alone in ancient times where the law and customs allowed men to have three wives and four concubines.

Her initial reluctance to marry was simply because she was too young at the time. She couldn't bring herself to marry and bear children at just fifteen or sixteen years old.

However, given the choice between "If it's inevitable, might as well accept it" and "Avoid it for as long as possible," she would definitely choose the latter.

Wen Ye's eyes darted as she thought. Since she had broken off three engagements in just a few short years, rumors had spread that this fourth daughter of the Wen family had a fate that brought misfortune to potential husbands.

Adding to that, she was now getting 'old' by their standards, making her marriage prospects increasingly difficult. Considering this, Wen Ye said with apparent thoughtfulness, "If Mother finds it troublesome, why don't I try to persuade the concubine?" As she spoke, she made to stand up.

"Did I say you could leave?" Madam Shen spoke, her eyes stern.

The bottom that had just left the chair settled back down. Wen Ye sat up straight, her eyes conveying confusion and bewilderment right on cue.

But Madam Shen knew that Wen Ye's current demeanor was entirely an act.

Outwardly obedient and compliant, but inwardly full of rebellious spirit.

Therefore, she said, "Though I'm reluctant to manage your affairs, for the sake of the future Wen family daughters, your marriage must be settled within three months."

She didn't want her future granddaughters to face difficulties in their marriages because of Wen Ye, this concubine-born aunt.

Seeing that Madam Shen had made up her mind, Wen Ye knew she couldn't avoid it this time, so she said, "I'll leave everything to Mother's discretion."

Madam Shen stared at her for a long while, knowing that this time she wasn't pretending. Her expression softened a bit, and she continued, "Don't worry, although your situation is a bit difficult, I won't carelessly choose a husband for you. When the time comes and we have candidates, you can choose one from among them."

Wen Ye blinked. She actually had a choice?

Chapter 3

Returning from the main courtyard to Hengwu Courtyard, Yun Zhi was already waiting at the door. Seeing Wen Ye, she asked, "Miss, would you like to rest for a while?"

It was already past Chen hour, the time she usually woke up. Wen Ye stepped into the room, half-closed her eyes, and let out a silent yawn before nodding, "Yes, I'm still a bit sleepy."

Yun Zhi helped Wen Ye remove her outer robe and then asked, "Did Madam punish you?"

Wen Ye lifted her eyelids and replied, "I haven’t done anything wrong. Why would Mother punish me?"

She sat back at the dressing table, letting Yun Zhi help her remove her hairpins and loosen her hair. As she did so, she added, "Mother just asked about my marriage plans."

Yun Zhi paused for a moment, a hint of worry in her voice, "Which family has Madam chosen this time?"

Wen Ye’s past affairs were mostly known to Tao Zhi, while Yun Zhi was aware of only a small part. For instance, the incident where Wen Ye sabotaged the marriage proposal with the Liu family, whose son had impregnated a concubine during the national mourning period, had not been hidden from the serious-minded Yun Zhi.

Yun Zhi was now worried that Wen Ye might encounter another Liu family.

Wen Ye lowered her gaze to her reflection in the mirror—a round, delicate, and youthful face. What a waste, she thought, to enter the tomb of marriage at such a young age.

"Nothing’s been decided yet," she sighed. "Mother said she’ll draw up a list of candidates and let me choose one."

Tao Zhi entered the room with a tray of tea, just in time to hear Wen Ye’s words, and immediately laughed. "Miss, choosing a husband sounds like the Emperor selecting his concubines!"

Wen Ye shot her a glance, subtly relaxing her stiff shoulders, and joked, "Indeed. When the time comes, you, my dear Tao Gonggong, will have to help me scrutinize them carefully\~"

Tao Zhi put down the tray, flustered, "Miss, you’re teasing me again!"

Yun Zhi also smiled, turning to Tao Zhi, "Who told you to speak without thinking?"

In this courtyard, no one could outwit their lady. After all these years, Tao Zhi still hadn’t learned her lesson.

Tao Zhi huffed and poured a cup of tea for Wen Ye, handing it to her. "But Miss, it seems Madam is determined to find you a husband this time."

Having been subtly influenced by Wen Ye’s views over the years, Tao Zhi no longer believed that women must marry.

Wen Ye took a few sips of the sweet tea. She had eaten quite a few refreshing side dishes in the morning and was now feeling thirsty.

After finishing the tea, she said leisurely, "Yes, so the time has come."

Tao Zhi didn’t understand, "What time has come?"

As soon as she finished speaking, hurried footsteps could be heard outside.

Wen Ye was just about to lie down for a nap when a figure appeared at the door.

Without a doubt, it was Concubine Chang.

The Wen family residence had been expanded from three courtyards, making it more spacious than many official residences in the capital. Moreover, the young ladies of the family were each given their own small courtyard after the age of ten.

Of course, the legitimate children were an exception. Their future courtyards were usually decided before their first birthday.

Before the age of ten, Wen Ye had lived with Concubine Chang in Xicui Courtyard.

Now, she had lived in Hengwu Courtyard for ten years.

Wen Ye sighed and gestured for Yun Zhi and Tao Zhi to leave.

Yun Zhi moved a soft stool to the bedside for Concubine Chang before closing the door and leaving.

Concubine Chang hurried forward, not even sitting down before anxiously asking, "What did Madam say?"

Her bright eyes were fixed on Wen Ye, leaving no room for evasion.

"It’s exactly as you wished," Wen Ye replied, truly feeling sleepy now. She covered her yawn with her hand. "Mother said she’ll select a few candidates for me to choose from in the coming days."

Concubine Chang’s eyes immediately welled up with tears, and she repeated "Good" several times. She gently stroked Wen Ye’s soft hair, "In the blink of an eye, you’ve grown so much."

Wen Ye responded calmly, "Yes, thank you for your hard work all these years."

She wasn’t being cold; it was just that Concubine Chang had said this three to five times every month since Wen Ye’s three failed marriage proposals.

Wen Ye had grown numb to it and couldn’t muster any extra reaction.

Concubine Chang wiped her tears and smiled happily, "You’re my daughter. It’s my duty to take care of you. It’s not hard at all."

Having her nap interrupted, Wen Ye sighed inwardly. Her eyes, which had been nearly closed, now opened wide, looking watery and innocent at first glance.

Wen Ye looked at Concubine Chang, who was so happy for her, and a hint of clarity returned to her drowsy eyes. She suddenly asked, "If I marry, when you come to Hengwu Courtyard in the future, you’ll only have the flowers and plants to talk to. Will you be able to bear it?"

Concubine Chang’s eyes widened for a moment, showing nothing but honesty as she replied, "There’s still your little sister. Besides, Madam has always been kind to us. When you return after your wedding, we’ll be able to meet. In the future, with births and weddings in both families, there will be visits. As long as you’re happy in your husband’s home, I’ll be fine."

Looking at Concubine Chang, who appeared to be only twenty-eight or twenty-nine years old, Wen Ye had to admit that there was some truth to the saying, "Ignorance is bliss."

Wen Ye recalled the time before Concubine Chang gave birth to Wen Ran, when her second brother, Wen Congan, was growing up but still ranked at the bottom of his class, causing Father Wen and Madam Shen much distress.

Father Wen’s generation had suffered from having few brothers—only one legitimate younger brother, who didn’t care for studying and now lived in the ancestral home in Suzhou, managing the family’s properties and maintaining relations with the Wen family’s branch relatives.

Therefore, when it came to his own sons, Father Wen hoped that the two brothers could support each other in their official careers. Who would have thought that the second son would turn out to be so unruly?

After several attempts to discipline him, Father Wen realized that his second son was hopeless and discussed with Madam Shen the idea of having another son, whether legitimate or not.

At the time, Madam Shen was also frustrated with the second son and agreed to Father Wen’s suggestion, though she was already busy arranging a marriage for their eldest son and didn’t have the energy to raise another child.

As for Father Wen, Madam Shen might not have had deep feelings for him, but if she were to marry again, Wen Ye guessed she would still choose him.

Compared to other families, at least Father Wen respected Madam Shen’s opinions and wasn’t the type to dote on concubines at the expense of his wife or lose his senses over beauty.

In fact, he even disliked concubines who competed for his favor.

He might have some of the common flaws of men in this era, but within those limitations, Wen Ye thought her father could rank in the top five in Sheng Jing City.

Back then, when Madam Shen didn’t want to have another child, she suggested taking in another concubine for Father Wen. To her surprise, Father Wen refused.

At the time, another concubine, Concubine Bai, was still alive. With her as a cautionary example, Father Wen didn’t want any more turmoil in the household, so he chose between the two existing concubines.

Not long after, Concubine Chang became pregnant and, after ten months, gave birth to their fifth child.

Initially, Father Wen was disappointed, but shortly after the birth of his youngest daughter, Wen Congan suddenly became motivated. Though his focus shifted from the imperial exams to martial arts, he at least stopped being so unruly.

The ancients were superstitious, and since the youngest daughter resembled Father Wen and excelled in her studies, she was soon compared favorably to the eldest son, Wen Congan, who had been the most promising.

As her teacher said, it was a pity she had been born a girl.

Madam Shen somewhat believed that her second son’s sudden change of heart was due to Wen Ran’s influence. Additionally, Concubine Chang had only grown older over the years, but her mind remained as simple and gullible as it had been in her teens.

For a dutiful concubine, Madam Shen was quite tolerant.

Perhaps the only stumbling block was Wen Ye herself.

Reflecting on this, Wen Ye realized that she had enjoyed too much freedom these past few years, and Madam Shen’s leniency was likely due in part to her younger sister and Concubine Chang.

Ah well, she’d just have to steal fewer pastries from her sister’s room and tease Concubine Chang less often in the future.

After all, they were family.

Wen Ye sighed again and looked up.

Concubine Chang was now talking about saving any fine fabrics Madam Shen might give her in the future to make clothes and shoes for her future grandchildren.

Wen Ye shivered slightly. She couldn’t let Concubine Chang continue like this, or she’d be facing not just pressure to marry, but also to have children.

"Concubine Chang, has my sister gone to school?" Wen Ye quickly interrupted Concubine Chang’s fantasies, steering the conversation toward her younger sister.

Concubine Chang finally stopped and said, "Today is your sister’s day off. Have you forgotten? But her teacher assigned some difficult homework, so I didn’t let her come over."

The family school had been running for many years, and now only Cheng, Wen Ran, and the eldest and second grandsons of Madam Shen’s brother attended.

It took more than two quarters of an hour to walk from Xicui Courtyard, where Concubine Chang lived, to the school. When Wen Ye was young and lived in Xicui Courtyard, she had to get up at Mao hour every day, a memory she never wanted to revisit.

Fortunately, from the very beginning, she was considered "slow-witted." While the other two young ladies in the household could complete the same lessons in an hour, it took her three days. Gradually... Father Wen stopped having any expectations of her, and as long as she behaved properly as a daughter of the Wen family, Madam Shen didn’t bother with her either. It was only then that her life began to improve.

At this moment, Wen Ye blinked, pondering whether she should tell the truth.

Concubine Chang, seeing her expression, tapped her forehead helplessly and said, "If only you were half as composed as your younger sister, I wouldn’t be so worried."

Sometimes, Concubine Chang wondered why, despite being sisters, they were polar opposites.

One had inherited her looks and her aversion to books—just the thought of reading gave her a headache.

The other, except for being her daughter, was so accomplished that there was hardly any resemblance to her.

Wen Ye casually remarked, "I stayed up half the night reading yesterday."

Concubine Chang was stunned, hardly believing her ears. "Really?"

Wen Ye looked sincere. "Of course. If you don’t believe me, ask Yun Zhi."

She had indeed stayed up half the night reading.

Concubine Chang was almost convinced. If Wen Ye had told her to ask Tao Zhi, she might have suspected that the two had conspired beforehand.

But Yun Zhi, that girl, never lied about such things.

Feeling sorry for her daughter, who had stayed up reading and then risen so early in the morning, Concubine Chang didn’t linger long in Wen Ye’s room.

For the first time, she didn’t object to Wen Ye’s "sleeping in," something she had always disapproved of. Instead, she even happily took over Tao Zhi’s task and personally drew the bed curtains for Wen Ye.

Wen Ye snuggled contentedly into the soft bedding, her eyes closing in satisfaction. Finally, she could catch up on some sleep.

After instructing Tao Zhi to take good care of Wen Ye, Concubine Chang left the bedroom. As she passed the small kitchen in the courtyard, she noticed Yun Zhi inside, directing the preparations.

After a moment’s thought, she went in.

Hengwu Courtyard, aside from the two personal maids Yun Zhi and Tao Zhi, also had a cook and three serving maids. This was the standard arrangement for the Wen family’s daughters.

Yuan Zhi, seeing Concubine Chang, asked, "Is there something you need, Madam?"

Concubine Chang smiled warmly. "Your young lady stayed up half the night reading. Add a pigeon soup to today’s lunch. The cost will be covered from Xicui Courtyard."

As a concubine, Concubine Chang received ten taels of silver each month, which she usually spent on her two daughters. Whatever was left, she saved for their future dowries.

Yun Zhi, understanding Concubine Chang’s intentions, suddenly looked uneasy.

"Madam, you approve of the Fourth Young Lady reading those books until late at night?"

Concubine Chang didn’t catch the odd tone in Yun Zhi’s voice, too pleased that Wen Ye was finally showing some diligence.

Though it was late, at least there was a hint of her father’s studiousness in her.

Concubine Chang said, "Yun Zhi, you should keep an eye on your young lady. Reading is good, but she shouldn’t stay up all night."

Yun Zhi fell silent.

She thought of the bookshelf in her young lady’s room, filled with "Four Books" and "Five Classics" with their covers replaced, then looked at Concubine Chang’s proud yet concerned expression.

All she wanted to say was: Madam, you’ve been fooled again.