Chapter 106
**Chapter 106: Sister Shen Qiang**
The next morning, the Yan Wang left the Liuli Pavilion feeling refreshed, heading to court for the morning assembly, followed by assisting the Crown Prince with state affairs.
In the Inspection Bureau, the Yan Wang and his trusted ministers discussed the military situation at the borders. As he perused the battle reports from the front lines, a smile spread across his face. “General Shen Xiuxing has achieved remarkable feats, defeating countless enemies, and his character is exemplary—he truly possesses the demeanor of a great general.”
The ministers echoed his sentiments, showering praises upon the general. Suddenly, an idea struck the Yan Wang. Grasping a brush, he swiftly wrote the character “德” (de), meaning virtue, on a piece of rice paper.
Virtue, with its connotation of excellent moral character. If Shen Wei were to give birth to a boy in the future, he could be named “Li Chengde.”
The Yan Wang silently noted this name, feeling quite pleased with his naming ability. With a smile on his face, he continued discussing matters with his ministers.
...
Meanwhile, after the Yan Wang left, Shen Wei lazily got out of bed, unwavering in her commitment to her morning exercise routine, and then sat down for breakfast.
Last night, Shen Wei had deliberately “played the fool,” giving her unborn child an unappealing name to ensure the Yan Wang would be determined to name the child himself. This was a strategy to strengthen the bond between the Yan Wang and their child.
However, it could only be used once. When Shen Wei became pregnant again, she could no longer “play the fool” with the name; she would need to showcase her true talent for naming.
At eighteen or nineteen, Shen Wei’s naïveté in choosing a silly name would endear her to the Yan Wang, who would find her innocent and charming. But if she remained foolish and ignorant in her thirties, the now-mature Yan Wang would see her as truly foolish, leading to his growing disdain.
At the breakfast table, Shen Wei took a sip of hot porridge, temporarily setting aside the matter of naming the child.
She instructed Mama Rong, “Mama Rong, I need you to work a bit harder these days. Go to the Wen Temple to investigate Shen Qiang, look into her character, and find out why she left Shu.”
Aside from managing the Yan Wang, Shen Wei was also concerned about her shop. The land she had contracted in Nanshan was producing a large quantity of fruits and vegetables, which needed to be entrusted to a reliable manager.
Shen Qiang was her sister, skilled in agricultural techniques, and a talent worth utilizing. But before employing her, Shen Wei needed to assess whether Shen Qiang could be entrusted with significant responsibilities.
“Rest assured, my lady, I will find out everything as soon as possible,” Mama Rong replied eagerly, accepting the task.
In the days that followed, Shen Wei indulged in food and drink, reviewed the accounts sent from her shop, and attended to the Yan Wang. Most of the time, the Yan Wang stayed at her place, occasionally visiting Liu Ruyan and the Wang Fei, and even spending a night at Fangfei Garden with Xiang’er.
Li Yao, that young girl, began visiting the Liuli Pavilion more frequently. At first, she was quite reserved, maintaining a polite distance from Shen Wei, leaving after a brief half-hour visit.
But as they grew more familiar, Li Yao would bring the account books to the Liuli Pavilion, swinging on the swing for a while, snacking, and then returning to the accounts, often staying the entire afternoon.
The relationship between Li Yao and Shen Wei blossomed.
One afternoon, Shen Wei sat in a pavilion by the water, surrounded by a collection of bottles and jars. Small containers held talcum powder, glycerin, soap powder, vegetable oil, and paraffin—ingredients for making foundation. Shen Wei’s dessert shop had begun to turn a profit, and she was considering branching into other ventures.
For instance, a rouge shop.
In ancient times, women didn’t use foundation as we know it today; they typically relied on a whitening powder. This powder was either made from crushed rice, creating a sticky white rice flour, or it contained white lead powder.
Rice flour foundation had poor adhesion and would easily wear off, while white lead powder contained heavy metals that could lead to poisoning and yellowing of the skin over time.
Thus, Shen Wei decided to use modern techniques to create an ancient version of foundation. Her formula would provide good coverage, resist fading, and be less toxic.
If the product could hit the market, it would surely sweep through the entire city of Yanjing and even the whole country.
As Shen Wei was busy mixing the ingredients for the foundation, Mama Rong stepped into the pavilion, illuminated by the bright sunlight.
“My lady, as you instructed, I have thoroughly investigated Shen Qiang’s background,” Mama Rong announced.
Shen Wei paused her work, intrigued. “Go on.”
Mama Rong began to recount.
Shen Qiang, Shen Wei’s sister, had also led a hard life. After her brother died at the borders, Shen Qiang, not wanting to burden her family, willingly married a wealthy merchant in Shu.
The merchant’s family was affluent, owning several acres of fertile land. He spent most of his time away on business, leaving Shen Qiang to manage the household. Skilled in agriculture, she could predict seasonal changes based on temperature, ensuring the right planting times, which led to bountiful harvests year after year.
She never raised the rent for the farmers, managing hundreds of tenants with care.
However, years of hard work transformed her from a beautiful young woman into a sun-baked village matron, much to her husband’s disdain. Each year, he returned home with several beautiful women. Shen Qiang’s mother-in-law was particularly harsh, often suspecting Shen Qiang of infidelity when she went out to check on the crops.
Last year, a severe drought hit Shu, leading to poor harvests. The mother-in-law wanted to raise the tenants’ rents, but Shen Qiang opposed it, resulting in her being locked in the ancestral hall and beaten. When her husband returned, he scolded her for disrespecting her elders, blaming her for not bearing children after five years of marriage.
After years of toil without a child, Shen Qiang was cruelly labeled a “hen that doesn’t lay eggs” by her mother-in-law, who eventually gave her a divorce and cast her out. With nowhere to turn, Shen Qiang had to beg her way back home, only to find her mother and brother missing. Upon inquiring, she learned that her sister Shen Wei had sold herself into servitude, while their mother and brother had gone to Yanjing to search for her.
After enduring countless hardships, Shen Qiang finally reunited with her family in Yanjing. A diligent woman, she couldn’t sit idle and began planting vegetables and trees near the Wen Temple to help support her family.
Mama Rong concluded, “My lady, Shen Qiang has decent character. I sent someone to buy vegetables from her, and she never shortchanged them. I even had a young girl pretend to faint, and Shen Qiang carried her to the clinic, covering her medical expenses.”
Shen Wei tapped the table, gaining a deeper understanding of her sister.
“I have nothing to do this afternoon. Mama Rong, I want to visit my family. Please have Cai Lian accompany me, and send a message to Ye Qiushuang to wait for me at the Wang Shu Inn.”
She wanted to meet Shen Qiang in person.
Mama Rong nodded eagerly, “I’ll arrange it right away.”
When visiting family, one mustn’t dress too ostentatiously. Shen Wei deliberately changed into a modest long dress, removing her gold and silver hairpins, leaving only a simple peach wood pin.
Leaving the back courtyard, she passed through the garden of the Wang residence. As she walked, she suddenly heard a bright voice calling, “Sister Shen, where are you off to?”
Turning around, she saw Xiang’er in the pavilion.
Xiang’er was leisurely enjoying the shade with two maidservants. On this sweltering summer day, she wore a striking pink gauze dress, adorned with five or six hairpins, her face painted with makeup.
Her demeanor was haughty, exuding a sense of pride.
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