CFB Chapter 142

Translator – Xiao He Lian

This is a translation hosted on KnoxT, copies found elsewhere are either stolen or plagiarized. Please support the translator by reading it at KnoxT.

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Chapter 142 Zhou Shu’an x Shen Shu 5

 

Before stepping through the gates of the Zhou residence, Shen Shu had already imagined how he might react.

Just as he had said before—everyone longed to wear the purple official robes and bear the golden seal, to bring glory to their family and descendants. Even if he didn’t care that she had been married before, surely he would care about heirs. No matter how she thought about it… she couldn’t be the right choice.

While lost in thought, his forceful kiss fell upon her lips.

Their kiss was fierce, their lips and tongues entwining as though carrying on a silent conversation.

Her hands pressed against his broad chest, as if trying to tell him this shouldn’t happen.

But he stole her breath, his scorching lips and tongue invading her space and shattering her defenses.

Wedded bliss? 

His hands gripped her waist, his cool breath fanned across her neck.

He knew full well—this was all deliberate on her part.

The window was half open. Rain poured down heavily, and the gusting wind blew the earthy scent of mud into the room. He pinned her and walked forward a few steps, pressing her against the wall, trapping her in his arms, as if trying to force her into a corner with no way out.

“If you still have questions, ask them all now.”

Shen Shu tilted her head up to look at him. After a long silence, she suddenly raised her hand and gently touched his brows and the corners of his eyes. Then she softly said, “Is Lord Zhou really this stubborn?”

Zhou Shu’an replied in a low voice, “Yes.”

Shen Shu smiled faintly. “If I had accepted Liu Che a few days ago, what would you have done?”

Zhou Shu’an said, “I already told you—I’m no gentleman who helps others find happiness. I wouldn’t have let it happen.”

Shen Shu continued, “Lord Zhou, you are a close official to His Majesty. Marrying me might incite suspicion. If your promising future ends here, won’t you regret it?”

At her words, Zhou Shu’an’s dark and deep-set eyes suddenly lit with a smile. “Having both is not difficult for me.”

Every word he said carried the composed confidence of someone long accustomed to power.

The pattering rain drowned out the sound of the water clock. No one knew how much time had passed when Shen Shu softly asked, “I wonder, Lord Zhou—when do you plan to send your matchmaker?”

As her voice fell, a soft light happened to fall across the man’s angular face. The corners of his mouth lifted in a charming smile.

“As soon as possible.”

At the time, Shen Shu didn’t realize just how soon “as soon as possible” would turn out to be.

—

Night deepened.

After returning to her residence, Shen Shu went to her father’s study. Upon hearing that she had agreed, Shen Wenqi was overwhelmed with emotion and choked out a single word: “Good.”

When Shen Shu walked out, Qingli quietly asked, “Mistress, have you truly decided to marry?”

Shen Shu nodded.

Although marrying again wasn’t what she had wanted originally, once she agreed, there was no turning back.

The next morning, Zhou Shu’an sent a matchmaker to perform the betrothal rites. After matching the birth characters and completing the marriage documents, the wedding date was set—twentieth of the third month of the following year.

There was less than half a year to complete all six marriage rites, which wasn’t much time, but everything was handled with great ceremony. Shen Shu had initially wanted Zhou Shu’an to keep things low-key—after all, a second marriage wasn’t the same as the first. But before Zhou Shu’an could say anything, it was her own father, Shen Wenqi, who mumbled, “It’s still her first real wedding…”

That one line nearly made Shen Shu choke on air.

Zhou Shu’an was a third-rank official, a powerful figure in court. Countless officials had tried to send their daughters into his household. Back at spring banquets and chrysanthemum gatherings, when the noble ladies gathered in private, conversations would go like: “Your sixth daughter Yao is already eighteen. Has she been matched to anyone yet?” (Yao is the daughter of Minister of Justice Yao Bin.)

“She? Hah. She squabbles daily with her half-sister. I’ve told her off, but she won’t listen. That temperament of hers—anyone can see she’s hard to get along with. Just mentioning her gives me a headache.”

“I recall your husband has always been close to Lord Zhou of the Dali Temple?”

Madam Yao understood the hint and replied, “But isn’t the age difference a bit too much?”

The lady whispered, “What does it matter? The more years between them, the better he’ll know how to dote. Your youngest girl would have a good life with him.”

But before Madam Yao even had the chance to broach the topic with her husband, news of Zhou Shu’an proposing to Shen Shu had already spread across the capital.

It was another bombshell, following Lu Yan’s earlier proposal to the Shen family.

Some tore their handkerchiefs in rage, cursing Shen Shu as a seductive fox spirit—able to land herself in the household of the Minister of the Dali Temple and even in a second marriage.

Others envied Zhou Shu’an. After all, Shen Shu’s beauty had not faded with time. With a slight lift of her eyes, she could still steal the hearts of the young men of Chang’an.

The story spread through all streets of the city—and even reached the palace.

One day, Shen Wenqi returned from Luoyang to report to Emperor Chengyuan. As he spoke, the Emperor leaned back, half-closed his eyes, and scrutinized him.

Seeing the Emperor’s brows furrow, Shen Wenqi said softly, “This humble servant must be dull-witted. If there’s anything improper, I hope Your Majesty will enlighten me.”

The Emperor gave a soft snort through his nose and thought, You? Dull-witted?

Your two daughters have each snatched away one of my top officials! And the one up north isn’t exactly trouble-free either.

The Emperor didn’t want to look at him anymore and simply closed his eyes. “There’s nothing improper. Continue.”

Shen Wenqi carried on with his lengthy report, during which the Emperor rubbed his temples three times. Yet Lord Shen did not pause once…

Half an hour later, Shen Wenqi exited the audience hall. Watching his retreating figure and nearly immobile left arm, Emperor Chengyuan sighed to himself—such loyal ministers were truly rare in this world.

—

About a month before the wedding, after much thought, Shen Shu asked Shen Zhen to invite Doctor Bai’s sister to the residence.

Fu Man took her pulse, asked questions, and after a while, furrowed her brow.

Shen Shu said, “Just speak plainly.”

Fu Man replied, “Are your monthly cycles irregular?”

Shen Shu nodded. “Yes. Sometimes early in the month, sometimes late.”

Fu Man nodded again. “Even if irregular, it still shouldn’t result in no children at all. But don’t overthink it. Your body is in good condition. Children… sometimes don’t come when you want them, and show up when you least expect. It’s just fate.”

Shen Shu heard the same words she had been told so many times before and couldn’t help but laugh softly. “It’s fine. Perhaps I just lack fate with children.”

That phrase—“lacking fate with children”—was first spoken by Wen Shi, the mother of Li Di. After Shen Shu married into the Li family, she had longed for a child. But despite her hopes, none came. Wen Shi grew anxious, though she dared not say much publicly. After calling two doctors to examine her, she finally said those words.

But once things fell apart between them, Wen Shi no longer used polite phrasing. Instead, she hurled the cruelest insults—calling her a useless womb, a hen that wouldn’t lay eggs…

After Fu Man left, Qingli’s eyes were red. “Mistress, don’t take it to heart. Since your health is fine, the child will come eventually.”

Shen Shu smiled. “Why are you tearing up for? Whether or not we have children, I’ll let fate decide. At least I’ve told him everything. If he has a concubine in the future who bears a child, he can register it under my name and raise it as our legitimate son.”

The real reason she saw the doctor today… was just to give Zhou Shu’an an explanation for the future.

—

Time flew, and soon it was the twentieth of the third month.

The plum blossoms had melted with the winter snow, and the spring wind returned to the willow trees.

Dressed in a traditional red robe, Zhou Shu’an came to the Shen residence to personally escort his bride. He led on horseback, circling the bridal sedan three times.

With drums and suona music blaring, they entered the Zhou residence with great fanfare.

After the formal ceremony, the couple entered the bridal chamber.

They performed the traditional rituals—sharing wine, reciting poems. When the matchmaker had just finished reciting: “Under the moon, the sal tree stands high, its branches difficult to climb. Borrow a comb now, but return the hairpin after.”

Shen Shu reached out and lightly smacked her.

The matchmaker froze, their eyes meeting.

Oh no! The bride was too beautiful—she had momentarily forgotten this was a second marriage. The ritual of combing and knotting hair symbolized becoming first-time spouses—only performed during a first marriage.

This was her second marriage. This was a serious mistake!

The matchmaker was about to change the topic with some other auspicious phrase when Zhou Shu’an suddenly said, “Bring me scissors.”

Shen Shu looked at him.

But he paid her no attention.

He still tied both their strands of hair into a knot and placed it into a rosewood box.

The matchmaker continued the ritual with a smile.

After a while, Zhou Shu’an gently squeezed her palm before standing up to go toast the guests.

There were few people in the Zhou household, and most of the guests in the banquet were his colleagues and friends. Lu Yan also came to show his support. When the two raised their glasses, they exchanged a knowing smile.

From this day forward, their relationship had gained a new layer.

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