Crossing the Mountains

Chapter 12 Doubts
Tan Huaike was walking along the corridor back to his own courtyard when he suddenly heard a voice behind him calling out, "Wait!"

She ignored him and continued walking forward.

Shen Tuzhuo quickly took a few steps to catch up: "Why, didn't you hear me calling you?"

Tan Huaike said innocently, "Did you call me? What did you call me?"

"I call you..." Shen Tu Zhuo paused, then chuckled, "Okay, okay, you just want me to call you sister-in-law, so what if you take advantage of me?"

"Uncle, you're overthinking it." Tan Huaike said, "I'm younger than you, and I'm just your eldest sister-in-law."

"Don't talk to me about this. I just want to ask you, how did you know about the Imperial Merchant?"

"Didn't you hear me just now, little uncle? I told you, it was Grandfather who told me that the Tan family lost a lot of money because of this incident. Otherwise, they wouldn't have been so anxious to marry me off to the Shentu Mansion."

"No, I mean, why did you suddenly bring up the matter of selecting the Imperial Merchant in front of my mother?" Shen Tu Zhuo instantly subsided, his impudent demeanor fading as his eyes gleamed with sternness. "You pretend to be obedient and honest, acting as if you have no interest in competing with my brother's fortune, yet you deliberately brought this up. Aren't you hoping to profit from it?"

"That's interesting, uncle. Of course I want to profit from this," Tan Huaike said bluntly. "I'm a widowed bride, and I've been treated coldly by you since I entered your house. I have to depend on you for everything, even eating and sleeping. You're always on guard against me coveting your wealth. If I don't make plans for myself sooner rather than later, am I going to be tortured to death?"

"..." Her words were so shocking that Shen Tu Zhuo was speechless for a moment.

"Speaking of which, it was you, my uncle, who inspired me." Tan Huaike did not hide the truth from him. "Originally, I had only heard of the Imperial Merchants and did not think much about it. It was not until that day when you complained about why Jun Gu and Lang Jun chose the Tan family that I vaguely guessed some connection. Anyway, I was sitting in the Qinglu, keeping vigil, with nothing to do, so I thought about how to use this opportunity to make my life here more comfortable. Speaking of which, I also have to thank my uncle for dressing up as a ghost to scare me."

"Okay, let's not mention this again." Even if he was thick-skinned, it was still too absurd to pretend to be his brother's ghost to scare the bride.

"So, what else does my uncle have to say?"

"Anyway, let me remind you that the new order hasn't been issued yet. How the selection process will be conducted and how many nominations can be made haven't been determined yet. Even if it is determined, I advise you, the Tan family, to be more disciplined and not overreach." Shen Tuzhuo added, "If you want to start a small business, that's fine, but just don't hold us back."

"Holding you back? Do the Shentu family have a good chance of succeeding in gaining access to the imperial merchants' connections and wealth?" Tan Huaike said with clear, innocent eyes. It was hard to tell whether he was questioning or mocking her. "Uncle, I know you look down on me, but I want to remind you: don't let your guard against me narrow your path."
-
Watching Tan Huaike walk into the side courtyard, Shen Tu Zhuo frowned, always feeling that he seemed to have overlooked something.

What exactly is wrong?

Was it she who married the tablet and the coffin, and remained calm and composed while keeping vigil in the Qinglu for many days?
Did she guess the Shentu family's ambition to participate in the selection of imperial merchants based on just a few words?

Or did she use both soft and hard tactics to get herself a shop and land, and try to be self-reliant in order to avoid having to rely on others?

No, that's not right!

Shentu Zhuo just woke up from his dream!
None of this is right!
Tan Huaike, a child born to a Hu girl, was raised as a concubine in a country house. She had not been valued or educated by Tan Li for more than ten years. Where did she get such courage and character?
She had never done business for a single day, so how could she have the confidence to think that she could make a living by relying on those two shops that were on the verge of closing?

He even wants to intervene in the selection of imperial merchants through the Shentu family?
Who is she?

Thinking of this, Shentu Zhuo decided to re-investigate the background of the new bride in his family.
-
After finding a good day, Shentu Zhuo had lunch, took his two servants, A Shuo and A Hui, and swaggered to the Tan family...an old country house in Youlin Village.

As they were leaving, Ah Shuo reminded them, "Second Young Master, didn't you make an appointment with Chi Leguan to rehearse the New Yuefu today?"

Shentu Zhuo played with the jade pendant at his waist, looking like a dandy with nothing to do. "I'm not going. I can't think of any good words right now, and I'll be laughed at if I go." He got along very well with the county governor's nephew, Chi Fanyu. Together, they formed a troupe of musicians. In their spare time, they collected and composed poetry, then sent people to perform music and dance, rehearsing performances. Gradually, they became quite famous. The wealthy families in the county liked to invite their troupe to perform at sacrifices or banquets.

For a son of an aristocratic family to engage in such a livelihood could be considered elegant, but it could also be considered a waste of time. Although Old Lady Shentu was displeased with this, she did not discipline him. Her eldest son had fought bravely in the army, rising through the ranks thanks to his military achievements. She had originally only hoped that her youngest son would live a stable and happy life. Now that her eldest son was gone, she did not expect him to shoulder the burden of the family, and she preferred to support him herself.

So no matter how turbulent the changes were in the mansion, Shentu Zhuo remained an idle person.

Arriving near the old Tan family residence, Shentu Zhuo stood on a high slope, leaning against a tree and gazing at the gate. He looked for two incense sticks, not knowing what he was looking at.

Ah Shuo couldn't help but say, "Second Young Master, do we really want to go in and bother them? When the betrothal was first proposed, the Lady sent someone to inquire about it. The eldest young master's bride was indeed raised here. There's no way this could be wrong, right?"

When he heard that the second young master wanted to investigate his widowed sister-in-law's background, he always felt that it was unnecessary.

Shentu Zhuo snorted coldly, "The Tan family has bad intentions. Tan Li has the habit of a dishonest businessman. Who knows where he might set a trap for us. It's better to be cautious."

Ah Shuo didn't understand the twists and turns here, so he just said, "But it's not right for us to question them this way. If the master of the Tan family finds out, he'll probably complain to the lady."

"Who says we are not legitimate?"

"what?"

"It's supposed to be the day for her parents to return home. Although the two families have waived this formality, my sister-in-law is homesick. It wouldn't be wrong for us to bring her some of her old things she's used to, right?"

Having said this, Shentu Zhuo walked down the slope and knocked on the door of the old house.
-
The person who opened the door was an old woman in simple clothes.

Shen Tuzhuo had just noticed from his perch that there were very few people in the old house. There were only five people coming and going. Two of them were very young and looked clumsy, and three were very old and could hardly walk. They were lucky enough to be able to do some odd jobs, so there was no way they could take good care of the master's daughter.

His doubts grew deeper and deeper, and he vowed to get to the bottom of it.

The door here was still draped with festive crimson silk, unlike the Tan family mansion in the city, where the decorations were restored to their original state three days after the wedding. After all, it was a rather unseemly affair, and they wanted to move on quickly, avoiding unnecessary gossip from the neighbors. Perhaps Tan Li hadn't bothered to instruct the old country house, so they naturally followed the old customs, preparing to dress the bride after her return. However, due to a lack of care, many of the silk fabrics had been torn at the edges, making the place look messy and worn.

The old woman looked at Shen Tu Zhuo blankly: "Who is this..."

Ah Shuo introduced: "This is the second young master of our Shentu Mansion."

The old woman replied in a panic, "Ah, I wonder what brings Master Shentu here?"

Observing her expression, Shentu Zhuo said, "The bride should have returned home today, but my brother passed away, and my sister-in-law has to observe mourning for three months, so it's inconvenient for her to come back. But she remembered that some of her old things were left at the old house, so she asked me to come and get them for her."

"Old, old things?"

"Why, the Tan family wouldn't throw away all my sister-in-law's old things, would they?"
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　Next chapter: Exploring the old house.

　　Thanks to Jiang Jiang Jiang Jiang Han, Xia Xi Chan Ming, and Universe Group Pet for their recommendations~
　　

(End of this chapter)