The noble girl is beautiful.

Shen Yourong mentioned her impending marriage, and Shen Shuo was visibly surprised by her words.

Dressed in a green long-sleeved robe, she sat under the porch, gazing at the greenery in the courtyard under the night sky. Lanterns hung along the porch, casting a warm glow on her face, enhancing her fair complexion.

Standing, Shen Shuo asked, “Have you met Prince Duan?”

She nodded, holding a jade dish filled with cherries and loquats she had picked herself.

“Do you not like him?” He asked, observing her expression. Initially, aligning with Prince Duan had been a calculated decision, considering various factors. However, after getting to know him and realizing the vast and discreet power he wielded, he couldn’t help but admire him. He was an exceptional man in every aspect—skills, tactics, and temperament. The more he followed him, the more convinced he was that he could achieve great things. Thus, if Shen Yourong could marry him, he thought it would be a good match.

Shen Yourong, eating cherries, replied, “If I were to wait for him to marry me, how long would I have to wait? Moreover, with the Emperor watching, I can’t support him, so it’s better for me to keep my distance and not hold him back.”

Her polite words made it clear to Shen Shuo that she truly did not want to have any further involvement with Ji Zhuo.

“Very well, since you’ve made up your mind, I’ll respect your decision,” he said.

Shen Yourong smiled and said, “Cousin Zhou is still staying at our residence. I’ve spent some time with him, and he’s quite a gentleman. Brother, could you go and see him for me?”

After a moment’s thought, Shen Shuo said, “Zhou Lanzhang is indeed good. During the imperial examination this year, the Emperor personally named him as the third place, and you even sent him a gift. Now he serves in the Hanlin Academy, making him a respected scholar. I’ll visit him for you tomorrow.”

Shen Yourong nodded, handing the dish to him, “Have some cherries, brother.”

He looked at her, sighed deeply, and said, “Sister, I know you have your thoughts, but I hope you won’t worry too much and do what makes you happy.”

He was subtly advising her. Sometimes he didn’t understand why, despite knowing what she liked, she would settle for not having it. This simple wisdom, understood even by children, seemed elusive to her. Whether this was good or bad, he couldn’t decide.

“Oh, by the way,” Shen Yourong said, “this estate belongs to Prince Duan, doesn’t it? I shouldn’t stay here for long.”

“No worries,” he replied. “Prince Duan gave this estate to me, and it’s now under my name. You can stay as long as you like. You just arrived today, and it would be a shame to leave before enjoying yourself.”

She smiled happily, “While this place is lovely, it’s a bit lonely by myself. Let’s invite Qinghan and Qingyan to join me tomorrow.”

Shen Shuo, preoccupied with other matters, simply said, “As you wish.”

Shen Yourong sent a letter, but no one came. Shen Qingyan’s reply explained that they were both busy learning etiquette with their mother, Lady Yang. Lady and Lady Wu had been having frequent conflicts, leaving Shen Qinghan and Shen Qingyan in awkward situations.

Shen Qingyan asked Shen Yourong to think of a solution, and she had to tell Shen Shuo. He brought them out and sent them to the estate to keep her company.

Shen Yourong woke up early, anticipating their arrival. She wore a light green long-sleeved robe, with no makeup or adornments. Seeing this, Du Juan smiled and said, “They won’t arrive for a while. Let me do your hair first.”

Shen Yourong had her dressing table moved under the porch, facing the garden. The early summer morning was cool, with a gentle breeze. She sat in a chair as Hua Mei stood behind her, combing her hair. Not being in the main residence, She didn’t bother with elaborate attire, wearing only a green jade pendant on her forehead and a simple silver-threaded silk ribbon tying her hair, with two jade ornaments hanging down her waist-length hair.

In the distance, laughter could be heard. She looked up to see a group of finely dressed young women at the gate, led by Shen Qingyan and Shen Qinghan.

“Eldest Sister always finds the best places to relax!” Shen Qingyan called out as she entered the courtyard. “Wow, this scenery is unique—going for a desolate and dilapidated vibe?”

Shen Yourong couldn’t help but laugh at her words, “What desolation? This is a place with a unique charm.”

“Eldest Sister is always right,” Shen Qingyan said as she walked up the steps, stretching her arms. “So comfortable!”

Shen Qinghan covered her mouth with a handkerchief and smiled, “Sister doesn’t know how bored she was at the residence these past few days.”

Du Juan quickly brought out chairs, inviting them to sit.

Shen Qinghan dusted off her handkerchief and sat down gracefully, “Some nanny from the palace came to teach the third sister etiquette. We have to balance bowls of water on our heads while walking. If we spill water or break a bowl, we don’t get beaten, but we also don’t get to eat. The nanny’s been here for three days, and Yan has missed more than nine meals!”

“Enough!” Shen Qingyan scolded, “You didn’t get punished? You missed two meals yourself. If Eldest Sister were there, she might not have escaped punishment either. That nanny is too strict.”

Shen Yourong frowned slightly, “You two already have good manners; what more could you learn?”

“Classical etiquette,” Shen Qinghan sighed. “That nanny insists we learn ancient rituals, from grand ceremonies to daily interactions. Even mother doesn’t dare to say anything.”

“Ridiculous!” Shen Yourong exclaimed. “You two are daughters of a duke’s family, and Mother is a noble lady. How can a few nannies dictate your lives? Even if they are from the palace, they shouldn’t be treating people like this. Doesn’t Grandmother say anything?”

Shen Qinghan said, “Grandmother hasn’t been taking much interest in matters lately; she even excused us from morning and evening greetings.”

“Enough about that,” Shen Qingyan said. “Let’s not talk about it.”

She wanted to learn properly, so she wouldn’t embarrass herself when she was with the Fourth Prince in the future. She didn’t complain to the nanny because of this desire. Besides, she had a strong will, thinking that if Shen Yourong was known for her good manners, she could learn just as well.

Seeing that she didn’t want to dwell on the topic, Shen Yourong changed the subject, mentioning that the cherries in the orchard were ripe and suggesting they change clothes and go pick cherries.

They spent the whole day playing in the orchard, picking and eating cherries. By the time they returned in the evening, they had filled several baskets with cherries. That night, they gathered under the porch to make cherry jam.

Du Juan had prepared everything: a large table, several embroidered stools, various condiments, fruits, vegetables, and the washed baskets of bright red cherries. They also had a stove with water boiling on it, and more lanterns were hung at the porch, lighting up the area.

The girls rolled up their sleeves, some washing cherries, some pitting them, and others mashing them into pulp. Shen Yourong lazily sat in a chair, washing cherries and eating them, filling a dish with pits.

“Third Sister, do you even know what you’re doing?” Shen Qinghan asked. “Why does it look so bad?”

“Trust me,” Shen Qingyan said confidently. “I asked Lady Yang in the kitchen. She’s great at making cherries—cherry preserves, cherry jam, and even cherry wine. Second Sister, you should learn well; this could be your specialty dish when you’re married.”

Shen Qinghan glared at her, “Look at this person, already engaged and now constantly talking about marriage. Now she’s even rushing me!”

Shen Yourong laughed, and Shen Qingyan huffed, “I’m just thinking of you. It’s getting harder for women to get engaged in the capital.”

Shen Yourong didn’t understand, “What do you mean?”

Shen Qinghan explained, “Eldest Sister doesn’t know? At the flower viewing banquet hosted by the Princess Royal, Prince Duan was also present. Somehow the topic of cousin marriages came up, and Prince Duan said that cousin marriages should not happen because they can affect offspring.”

She looked at Shen Yourong and continued, “You know, in noble families like ours, cousin marriages are common—keeping it within the family. But after Prince Duan’s comment, many arranged marriages have fallen through. Offspring issues are serious, and no one wants to take risks. Some who are already married are even considering divorce. His words have turned the capital upside down. We don’t know if it’s true or not.”

“Of course, it’s true!” Shen Qingyan interjected. “It’s been known since ancient times that close relatives shouldn’t marry. Even though cousins don’t share the same last name, their parents or grandparents come from the same lineage. The family connection is too close, so naturally, they shouldn’t marry.”

As she packed the cherries into jars, she said, “Our teacher isn’t ordinary.

He revealed this issue and prevented many future tragedies.”

Shen Yourong listened quietly, slowly placing a cherry into her mouth, her thoughts unclear.
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