Rebirth of the Malicious Empress of Military Lineage: Chapter 22

Chapter 22: Gold and Silver

She pointed to one of the blot of brocade and said, “Then this one will do.”

That was a blot of lotus purple material and generally most unmarried females would not choose this material. This was mainly because the lotus purple colour was picky and normal females would easily look old fashion when wearing this colour. If one did not have the aura of grandeur, the colour cannot be suppress and would make one look extremely ugly.

Chen Rou Qiu’s eyes slightly flashed as she smiled, “Why Little Five choose such a colour? A young lady should wear fresh and bright colours, like your two older sisters. I’m afraid such a dark colour would look somewhat old-fashioned.”

“Exactly.” Ren Wan Yu followed up with her words. Although she also loved to see the First household making a fool of themselves but this lotus purple colour was just too special. If outsiders were to see it, they would think that their Shen family’s daughters are all old-fashioned. Qing-er still need to show off her skills at the Chrysanthemum banquet, how can Shen Miao drag her down?

But Shen Yue and Shen Qing snickered. Shen Qing said, “I see that this lotus purple is also good. Fifth Younger Sister don’t not know how to wear this dark colour before? It would be good to try it out. I heard that this colour also look extravagant.”

“If I haven’t picked a material, I will too want to try wearing that lotus purple colour.” Shen Yue said smilingly.

Li Liang looked at the two Di daughters of the Shen family with honeyed words and hearts of daggers before looking at the calm Shen Miao and she sighed in her heart. Shen family’s First household Shen Xi’s Di daughter was foolish and ignorant and no one the entire capital not know about it. But who knew that these two Tangjie who look gentle and kind in the outside would actually have such vicious hearts? They actually change their plans to make Shen Miao look like a fool.

She has some sympathy for Shen Miao. General Shen was defending the country but his own Di daughter was being schemed by his relatives and it was rather pitiful. Thinking about that, she politely said, “This lotus purple colour is indeed too solemn. If it was the Chrysanthemum banquet, why not choose some lighter colours. Why not choose this jade white colour?”

Shen Miao glanced at Li Liang, she was indeed a rare sincere person. In her previous life, she also warned her like this but at that time Shen Miao believed both TangJie and Shenshen wholeheartedly and thus did not listen to her words. Hearing what she said, Shen Miao politely thanked, “No need. I like these blot of lotus purple coloured material.”

Her replied made Shen Qing’s and Shen Yue’s just tighten brows loosen as they were relieved. Shen Yue smiled, “Fifth Younger Sister indeed have an good eye. Like this, we would need to bother Li Liang to help us to tailor make the clothes.”

Li Liang’s heart sighed but she did not say anything more and started to take the measurements of these young ladies.

From the beginning to the end, Old Shen Furen sat on the reclined couch with her eyes close, pretending to be asleep as though as she did not hear anything in front of her. For matters that deal with money, she was always happy to pretend not to know. The fabrics and tailoring cost would all be out from the common fund and the money from the public funds would be handled by Ren Yan Yun.

After taking the measurement for the clothes, Li Liang left. Ren Wan Yun then smile and said, “These children are all ladies already and one must not underestimate the our Shen residence’s young ladies. I have gotten some jewellries for you young ladies and they can be used during the Chrysanthemum banquet.” As she spoke, she instructed Xiang Lan behind her to take the boxes out and headed one to Shen Qing and one to Shen Miao.

Shen Miao’s box was rather heavy. Ren Wan Yun looked at her and spoke in an exceptionally loving tone, “Second Shen saw that you are busy for the past few days for Guang Wen Tang’s acedmy examinations and got the jewellery made when I was shopping. They are all made with the best styles and hope that you will like them.”

At the highest seat, Old Shen Furen’s brows wrinkled and she seemed to want to open her eyes but then paused and continue to pretend to be asleep.

“Thanking Second Shenshen.” Shen Miao also return her thanks. Shen Qing and Shen Yue could pick their own jewellery and get it sent back but when they went shopping, they did not take her along and still call it with a glorified name of unwilling to disturb her. Finally to complete the entire act, they gave her some which would be too late to be changed.

“Then lets’ go back first to take a look.” Shen Yue pulled Chen Rou Qiu as she winked at Shen Miao, “Fifth Younger Sister’s jewellery must be the heaviest.”

Shen Miao smiled and did not say anything.

Returning back to West courtyard, Shen Miao drew the box aside without taking a look inside. When Jin Zhe saw it, she curiously asked, “Why does Young Lady not open and look?”

“Why is there a need to take a look? Would there be any difference?” Shen Miao answered without even looking back.

Jing Zhe was hesitant with her words. Every time when jewellery was received from the Second and Third household, her Young Lady would love it so much but even them servants could also see that these jewellery were just too vulgar. Shen Miao had been lead around by the Second and Third household and thus love all these tacky cold and silver stuff.

Shen Miao thought for a bit before reaching her hands to open that box up.

When it was opened, the golden light shone out. What was place inside was a gold and silver bracelet and collar necklace and there was even a hairpin with a big ruby mounted at the time but the quality was very poor.

Jing Zhe could not help but reveal a trace of anger.

Shen Miao lost her smile. Before she got married, all her jewellery were like these. This kind of golden and silver collared necklace, even the young ladies in the villages would not wear them. Every time she would wear brightly coloured clothes and then put on these golden jewellery, looking like a moving box. In the presence of the gentle and graceful Shen Yue and the bright and magnanimous Shen Qing, she looked just like a feet-washing maid.

Now Shen Miao felt the things in front of her was just ridiculous. Jing Zhe observed her own Young Lady and was surprised that she did not reveal the same excitement that she had in the past. In her surprise she saw Shen Miao closing the box and pushing it to Jing Zhe, “Pawn it away at a pawnshop and buy any silver hairpin on the way back. It need not be too good. Just some flower carvings would do.”

“Young Lady…” Jing Zhe said surprisingly, “If the people from Eastern courtyard found out that it was pawn away, it would inevitably use as a case.” Even though she was happy that Shen Miao finally did not love these gold and silver thing as before, but such actions were indeed to bold.

“These jewellery already cannot be worn so what is the point to keeping it? It would be better to pawn it for money as it would always be more convenient for things to be done normally.” Shen Miao lightly answered. Everything should be done practically and that this her principle when she was the Empress. Shen residence would provide a monthly allowance accordingly and each Young Lady would get two liang taels a month. However how much subsidies does Shen Yue and Shen Qing actually get? Shen Miao did not know but one thing can be certain was that she did not have any share of subsidies at all.

She was clearly a lady from the General’s residence but was not as generous as her two older sisters. Previously she used to think that it was Second and Third Shens who were willing to supplement their daughters but how about now?

The common fund was controlled by Ren Wan Yun but because of the need to put things in order in Shen Gui’s and Shen Wan’s work and their salary was barely enough, how would there be excess money?

It was Shen Xin’s. Because he used his own life, blood and sweat to fight in the battlefield, His Majesty would bestow rewards and Shen Xin never misappropriate these rewards and gave all to the common fund.

Holding on to the money from their household but treating her like this. Such shameless people can only be found in that Old Furen’s family.

She must find a way to separate the family out.

65 responses

  1. It’s time to clean up house!
    Can’t wait for the event. I’m sure she’ll be the most outstanding of the bunch!
    Hopefully we’ll catch a glimpse of our Male MC as well?
    Thank you for the chapter!

    Liked by 9 people

  2. Is it wrong to blame Sen Miao’s parents for leaving her along in that hellhole? i mean, I umderstand about her father, but for her mother to only go after her husband and leave her daughter to the other people’s hand is just unreasonable. It’s quite amazing how SM isn’t blaming them even just a tiny for her sufferong in that house.

    Liked by 5 people

    • It isn’t wrong of us to blame them since we have yet to develop any feelings for them at this part of the novel. SM isn’t blaming them cause of her last life experience where they gave up everything for her. Once they return and when we are properly introduced to them, I am sure we will all love them 🙂

      Liked by 4 people

      • Carrion, did you only judged them by what triggering pastlife SM’s suffering? Did you forget of the end of her whole family? Did you forget that Shen Xin even though knowing what implication SM marriage with Prince Ding will bring to their family, he still at the end relent to SM’s wishes?

        They are military people. They value human relation, honesty and straighforwardness. They themselves didn’t abandoned her. They left the small her in the care of “his good and nice family member” since that is the front that his family wears in front of him. They are as innocent and naive as the past SM. Who knows if they also had plan to bring SM to the battlefield once she shows interest in it.

        Lightnovellover, I do agree on the mother’s part and how SM didn’t blame them the tiniest bit. But maybe there is reason behind that? For the blaming, I think whatever it is that had happened, SM can’t bring herself to blame her family members due to the guilt she had over how she, using her own hands, pushed her family to the death? Because what is fresh in her mind before her past death is that it is her that is naive and brings calamity to the people that truly care for her?

        Liked by 1 person

  3. The more I read about the family the more I get so upset!
    That poor general. Working hard and not being selfish, but his own daughter getting bullied by his own family.
    >_< hatefulllllll

    (thanks for the chapter)

    Liked by 1 person

      • I don’t feel sorry for him. Why leave your child to grow by herself while you defend a nation, thinking she’d be home, waiting like a doll for you? In the past life, our Empress was heartbroken to leave her young children alone for five years. Yet, this General and his wife waltz off to war with their son, and neglected their daughter. He’s a General in scheming times – he is not naive, he should have known that sending money back in no way ensured she was cared for. And (in the past life) when they return after so long, why do you expect a child you never raised to love you and respect you over those who (however badly) raised her?

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  4. Shameless! Gaah!

    And her parents never realize this???
    They don’t even ask how she is and just take what the people around her say about her as true?
    There should be at least a point in time when they go home to see her, right?
    They think badly of her and get mad at her for being like this and yet they never even thought to guide her? Fully trusting those relatives?
    Are her parents pretending to be blind of just naive?
    For years living in that kind of environment, they should at least know such situations occur even within family, all the conspiracies and the scheming… especially ones born of different mothers, right?

    I am amazed she doesn’t even resent them for leaving her alone, trusting such people to care for her. They may be supportive and loving parents but still… It’s different when you know your child is getting off the wrong path and just blaming her for it and never actually providing direct guidance.

    The more I read the more I see that Shen Xin isn’t entirely blameless. I know he goes off to defend the country, but there’s always been that fact.

    What’s the use of spilling your blood to defend the country if you can’t even defend your own family? At the end of the day you’ll just come home glorious only to find out that nothing else waits for you but a corpse. Same with XJX’s father.

    Tch. Men.

    😒😒😒

    Thanks for the update.

    Liked by 2 people

    • Exactly, this is the one point that drives me crazy in an otherwise nice story.

      I see that some explain it as if her parents are naive… Ha! If that was the case the Shen family would’ve been taken care off long long ago.

      Liked by 1 person

    • Omg, I totally agree. Like what the heck is her family doing?? Maybe I can give the dad a pass since it seems like in ancient times, roles were decisively split and dad’s took on the “make money/glory/honor” role whereas mom’s had to “take care of the hougong/family”. Why isn’t her mother aware that as a young girl, she needs someone to take care of her? And scratch that, her whole family! Like how can you all go somewhere and just leave the youngest daughter alone in a house where she has no BLOOD relatives which is so important back then. The oldest in the household (old Shen furen) isn’t even her actual grandmother. They seem to be negligent at this point.

      Also it always cracks me up that people are so mean in these novels. Like maybe you can not care for the girl since she isn’t part of your main family but do you have to go out of your way to be vicious??

      Anyways, thanks for the translation!! Beautiful as always.

      Liked by 2 people

      • If I remember the MTL right, and assuming that translation wasn’t half gobbledygook (*love* that word!) and half wrong, they know, but she wouldn’t let them help her.

        I think it was something like “You mofos left me, but these kind and gentle souls love me and treat me well. They’re my *real* family. You don’t know me! Hey SY, thanks for the hairpin! It’s so big and expensive looking! And that huge diamond from Cubed Zirconia really sparkles! I know you love me best. “

        Liked by 1 person

      • Well… If you trace it back to why she’s like that is cause they left her alone in the first place. Furen should’ve at least stayed behind. Especially since she’s still young and developing, absorbing anything you throw at her like the naive kid she is.

        And since they wronged in the first place she turns out like that, and then one word of rejection – ok, maybe lots of them, i dunno – you just don’t give up on family. Not one who is a blood related kid to you. That just spells out for further estrangement. It’s weird to expect her to suddenly turn out loving and welcoming just from watching her from afar. That the relationship would fix itself somehow.

        But ok… I’ll give them the benefit of a doubt since Zaza says there’s more to the family background than it seems atm. And since I haven’t read that part yet… I won’t fully condemn them and give them a chance to plead innocence in my court. Lelz.

        😘😘😘

        Liked by 1 person

      • At the very least they should’ve made sure about her education (not the school she goes to but proper decorum and female politics) as well as leaving behind a skilled and intelligent high ranking mama to take care and protect her so that even Old Furen wouldn’t dare to slight her. Instead they let her become the joke of the capital. No matter what the circumstances, there is no way to excuse not doing at least that much. The parents deserve all the blame here for not raising her properly.

        Liked by 2 people

    • Tbh I also blamed the parents at the beginning, why leave her there? Why them? Why did they not see how she is when they return annually? But once the family came back, and the author started to delve into the family background and why they did what they did, I kinda understood why they make those decisions. Its unfortunate that 2 households are like vampires that suck everything good out of the 1st family. I guess no one will ever have guess your close relatives would want to do you in…

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      • Ahhh, I see. Well, I can give them the benefit of the doubt then. I’m sure there’s more that meets the eye and it does seem that she was super naive in her past life.

        Thank you for the translations!

        Liked by 1 person

  5. Hi! How are you? Hope you’re doing well. Thanks for the update!

    These relatives sure know how to leech someone else’s hard work and good intentions. It clearly is the time to start sorting out the households and to certainly remind them that there is certainly a bottom line of their arrogance and shamelessness. I can’t even imagine how they can still live without their consciences eating them to guilt. Let’s hope that SM’s struggle to rightfully claim the respect she deserved would hold out till the masters and mistress of the first household arrives. I mean her family would return at some point in the story right? SM’s need all the love and care she was deprived of and deserved to have. Hopefully, they will come home soon! Better yet, take her away from this horrid people.

    Thanks once again! And have a nice dayyy~

    Liked by 1 person

    • Thanks for supporting!! I am on a biz trip this week and thanks to it, I am able to translate a little more than usual (translation is easier when done in the plane :P)

      Yes, SM family will be coming back soon and then finally we will be able to get a glimpse of how the first household is like 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      • Ikr! I had a 13 hours plane ride from east to west side of the planet. All I’ve been doing aside from binge watching some movies in my seat was stuffing the meals those pretty flight attendants would give me (cries cause I suffered a stomach throughout and im scared sh*t using the plane’s toilet. Like gurlll, did you see how it flushed?!) So, there really is plenty of time when you’re not touching land. Hahaha! I hope you’re doing great and stay safeee!

        P.S. Glad to know they’ll (SM’s family) come soon. Hopefully, sooner…

        Liked by 1 person

  6. Ugh, not even the money her father had worked so hard for has been spared. I hope she gets to cut ties with those selfish and arrogant branch family soon. Thanks for the update!

    Liked by 1 person

  7. Thank you for the chapter!!! ^.^
    Can’t wait to see how SM shocks everyone with how elegant and mature she looks at the banquet! That’ll teach these horrible family members to not mess with SM anymore hehe!

    I’m just really happy SM is so practical and calm, I love female characters that are intelligent ! Often, female characters are the opposite and I can’t handle naive characters anymore tbh >.<

    Like

  8. I bet our MC is gonna rock up to the banquet and totally look bad ass and classy in her purple dress. I can imagine how everyone’s draws will drop, especially the ones who encouraged her to choose the purple colour in the first place. Thanks for the chapter~

    Liked by 2 people

  9. Ugh, they’re too horrible and shameless. I can understand them neglecting her, but purposefully trying to ruin her? Too much. I’m also wondering about what her parents are doing. They just left their naive daughter (in that first life) in the claws of immoral people. The mother could have at least stayed with the daughter while her father’s off to war. >:/

    Liked by 1 person

  10. You know, I couldn’t help but get angry at her parents especially her mom. I mean, being a mother and a daughter in the past she must at least have some idea how cruel a fu actually is! But they just leave their daughter to deal with the alligators -_- I hope she can fix this…

    Liked by 1 person

    • It would be explained more in the future, but I believe all readers now will be furious with her parents, and I think that is the author’s intention. There is always 2 views with everything and what we see is usually what it really is

      Like

  11. I hope an adequate explanation is givin for how her parents are absent! Why did the mom have to go and leave her all alone at hone with these viscous people?!

    I hope she shines but not too brightly. Enough to show everyone up hut not too glamorous as to catch unwanted attention.

    *sighs* why do family members act this way?

    Liked by 2 people

  12. SM literally split the family from each other, wiped out the uncles family though the last sister (only appear way later) would saved herself with her wonderous maneuver but alas her greed caused the fall of her and her husband’s family.

    Liked by 1 person

  13. The more i read, the more i dislike FM’s mother. To leave her daughter alone among the wolves. …. oh, she followed her husband to the battlefield because she couldnt part with him. She loved loved him very much. Well, what about her daughter??? Did she not love her at all? I felt like FM was abandoned by her own family (mother).

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  14. Thank you for translating. The more I read this, the more I resent her paerents for her. They left her there, taking their son with them. But they left her under the care of others and didn’t leave trusted servants to could keep watch over her and report back to them on her welfare. It’s all well and good if they care in the future, but their failure as parents is what sent her on the path she took in the previous life. I don’t blame her at all in the previous life; I blame her parents and I fins it fitting the family was disposed in the past – it was their fault ultimately.

    Yes, I have a viscous mind.

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  15. I’m realizing that her maid’s were just useless. She had so many advantages, and yet, the maid’s never wrote letters to her parents telling them of what was going on.

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