RWNEFE -Chapter 365 Imperial Marriage Granted, Shen Yuanxin Recorded Under Zhou Xinrou’s Name

Wei Dongzhu pressed his lips tightly to show his displeasure, but didn’t say anything further.

“Strange, really. The poison in your body is from our Wandu Sect, but this type of poison should have long been extinct,” Ban Sicao remarked. The longer he stayed in the capital, the more he noticed traces of the Wandu Sect everywhere.

Finally, Wei Dongzhu found a point to counter Ban Sicao.

“Why is it your Wandu Sect again? How does your sect have so many chaotic, improper poisons?”

Ban Sicao exploded like a firecracker that had been lit.

“What do you mean ‘again our Wandu Sect’? I’m the young sect master! Poison I don’t even have, others have—don’t you see how chaotic that is?”

Wei Dongzhu looked at Ban Sicao stomping and jumping and couldn’t even feel annoyed.

“You just said the poison was from your Wandu Sect, and now you say you don’t have it? You’re really an incompetent young sect master.”

Ban Sicao glared. “Blame the sins of the previous generation, not me! I’m also an uninformed victim, okay?”

With Wandu Sect’s traces appearing repeatedly, Shen Lanxi deliberately planned for Ban Sicao to return and fetch reinforcements—though she wasn’t sure he would agree.

After all, their two-year agreement had long expired.

She still prompted him a little.

“No need for you to say it—I was already thinking of going back to summon people,” Ban Sicao decisively said.

Shen Lanxi: “Go ahead. Take a messenger hawk with you. Next time something happens, you won’t need to run back and forth.”

Ban Sicao had a small scheme in mind, but it wasn’t something he could openly voice—he feared being mocked as shortsighted. Yet keeping it bottled up made him uncomfortable.

“I have something to tell you—alone!”

Wei Dongzhu’s face darkened again.

“All right,” Shen Lanxi said candidly.

Wei Dongzhu exhaled and left.

“Speak! Within reason, I’ll agree.”

Ban Sicao hesitated a moment, then grit his teeth: “I’m a straightforward person—I never beat around the bush.”

Shen Lanxi: “I know.”

“Can you give me a chance to like you?” Ban Sicao blurted out.

Shen Lanxi was surprised but not entirely so. She thought it remarkable that he had held it in for so long before speaking.

“You’ve seen my current situation. Liking me will get you nowhere.”

Ban Sicao: “Is that a rejection?”

Shen Lanxi: “How about taking you as a sworn younger brother?”

Ban Sicao twitched at the corner of his mouth. “Are you teasing me?”

Shen Lanxi: “I have many sworn sons and daughters, but few sworn younger brothers. Among those by my side, you’re the only one!”

Ban Sicao looked like he was seriously thinking, then after a moment said: “You’re still rejecting me.”

Shen Lanxi calmly replied: “I never give people unrealistic fantasies. I won’t dangle hope in front of you.”

Ban Sicao: “I need to think about it.”

Shen Lanxi smiled: “Take your time, no rush.”

Wei Dongzhu returned.

“Dinner is ready. Shall we eat?”

Ban Sicao: “Eat!”

…

That night, the imperial temple caught fire. Fortunately, no one was injured—only a few subsidiary halls were burned.

Zhou Xinrou, who had initially planned to go to the temple for blessings after leaving the palace, returned to the Shen estate instead.

Shen Congwen, upon returning home, had Shen Yuanxin taken to the ancestral hall, beaten with twenty large rods, and made to kneel there all night.

The next day, Emperor Renxiao’s imperial edict arrived: the tenth princess, Yun Sui, was married into the Shen family, Shen Yuanxin was recorded under Zhou Xinrou’s name, and the main branch gained a legitimate son.

At the same time, Shen Lanxi received news that Zhou Yunlang and Zhou Yunjia were under house arrest. Emperor Renxiao ordered the Empress to arrange marriages for them, either far away or as political matches.

Shen Lanxi tossed the note into the incense burner and rose to pay her respects to Zhou Xinrou.

“Mother, I heard from Grandmother that you were frightened last night. These are pills bestowed by His Majesty, to calm and nourish the mind. I specially brought them for you,” Chunxue said, handing the box to the attendant beside Zhou Xinrou.

“You’re thoughtful,” Zhou Xinrou said weakly, reclining.

“If Mother still feels unwell, we can send a message to the palace to request the imperial physician.”

Zhou Xinrou: “No need. I’m just unsettled, unwilling to see people, and don’t want to speak much.”

Shen Lanxi lowered her gaze, speaking softly: “Then I won’t disturb you. Grandmother sent for me to go over briefly.”

Zhou Xinrou: “Go ahead.”

As she stepped out, she ran into Shen Congwen, bringing Shen Yuanhe and Shen Yuanrui.

“Pay respects to our elder sister!”

Shen Lanxi acknowledged with a nod and continued on without stopping.

…

“Grandmother.” Today, the main hall was lively. Remaining members of the main branch were present, as well as the other three branches.

Old Madam Shen’s complexion was much better than yesterday, likely because the Shen household had good news to greet visitors, and a smile remained on her face.

“Lanxi is here!”

Shen Lanxi: “Grandmother, why did you summon me?”

Madam Liu quickly mentioned the imperial edict regarding the marriage grant and then spoke of recording the illegitimate sons.

“Lanxi, I’ve discussed with your father. Yuanxin, Yuanhe, and Yuanrui share the same mother; their concubine mother is no longer alive. It’s better to record them all under your mother’s name, so others won’t question why Yuanxin has two illegitimate sisters.”

Shen Lanxi: “As long as Mother agrees, that’s fine.”

Old Madam Shen was unsure of Shen Lanxi’s intentions. When a family discusses matters, there’s no need to be overly precise.

“Lanxi, so you agree?” Old Madam Shen asked cautiously.

Shen Lanxi sat squarely, giving her no opening.

“This isn’t my decision. Discuss it with Father and Mother. They chose to record the illegitimate sons as legitimate; it’s not that I want a legitimate son under my name.”

This answer displeased Old Madam Shen. Hearing this, she assumed Shen Lanxi must not agree.

Recording Yuanxin under Zhou Xinrou’s name was an imperial edict. The edict didn’t mention illegitimate daughters.

“Lanxi, I heard from your father that you cut off household expenses?” This was the real reason Old Madam Shen called Shen Lanxi.

Shen Lanxi: “Grandmother, I don’t know how Father explained it to you. Everyone around me heard how Father spoke to me yesterday. Should I have them repeat it for you?”

Old Madam Shen quickly said: “No need. Your father was just speaking in anger. You and Yuan Tang are both his daughters; it’s all the same. He only worries about children who are struggling. Now that you’re doing well, he won’t fret over you!”

She intended to say that once Lanxi married and had children, she’d understand—but thinking of Lanxi’s difficult future marriage, she refrained.

Shen Lanxi remained expressionless: “I understand Father’s intent and would like Grandmother to persuade him to be more sensible, to stop making reckless decisions.”

Old Madam Shen’s expression darkened slightly, and Shen Conglian quickly smoothed things over.

“This Yuan Tang really knows how to stir trouble. Our eldest brother is foolish too. Lanxi manages the household and the world, but how can she manage her brother-in-law’s affairs?”

Madam Liu pinched him: “What are you saying? What brother-in-law, what nonsense?”
Yuan Tang’s marriage to the Zhen Nan Wang had already been criticized by the capital; she had long avoided going out, fearing gossip. And now he mentions it?