Fortunate Life of the Rural Beauty

The Chens owned a three-section house in the Capital City. Whenever Chen Shiying came to the capital for work or official business, he would stay there. The house, although not large, was exquisite. Mrs. Jiang lived in the main court; Chen Yulan lived in the West Cross Court; The three daughters of Chen Afu were appointed to stay in the rear shelter room.

A willow tree, budding with new green, stood in the courtyard of the rear shelter house. In the middle was a curved azure pond where several koi fish were raised. Large stones were randomly piled up by the pond.

The main room consisted of five spaces with two additional ear rooms on each side. Three more rooms were connected to the east and west sides of the house, each with two more ear rooms included.

Chen Afu and Chen Yuqing each occupied a room on the eastern and western ends, respectively, while Chen Yuxia stayed in the west wing room.

The next day, Mrs. Jiang returned her four siblings to their mother’s home, The Jiangs’. The Jiang family was indeed a prominent one in Huguang. It had many officials serving all over the Dashun dynasty, though not as influential as the two preceding generations. The highest-ranking official was Mrs. Jiang’s father, Mr. Jiang, who currently holds a third-rank position of Grand Coachman.

Despite having the most ordinary looks among the Jiang’s daughters and enduring two marriageable men she engaged in dying, Mrs. Jiang’s husband was one of the finest among the Jiang’s sons-in-law. Although Chen Shiying was a scholar of humble origin, he had outstanding academic achievements and impressive tact, accumulating over ten years to earn a fourth-rank officer position. Even though he was just a governor, he held the significant strategic position in the key city of Dingzhou. Whoever performed well in this position had a promising future.

When the Chen siblings paid respects to Mrs. Jiang, she gave Chen Afu and Chen Yuxia gifts. She then cuddled Chen Yuqing and Chen Yulan in her arms, calling them endearing terms like "treasure" and "sweetheart."