Chapter 121: Pride and Glory

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“Mm, yes,” Shen Shi admitted outright.

He admitted it? Just like that? How could he? How could he possibly say it so directly?

Shen Ancai was utterly flustered.

In this world, when dealing with officials, it was naturally the person of highest standing who stepped forward to speak. Shen Father, for instance, was accompanied by Shen Renfu. Among the younger generation, Shen Ancai held the highest status as a licentiate, which was why his brothers had pushed him forward. He had accepted that responsibility.

But surely their conversation should have been a little more refined? When speaking to an official, one ought to be restrained and humble.

At least, that was what Shen Ancai had been taught. Yet Shen Shi had actually admitted it without hesitation. What was he supposed to say next?

He was completely dumbfounded.

Seeing his expression, Shen Shi could not help laughing. This fellow had truly been made stupid by his books.

He had taken everything written in them as golden maxims. In truth, those men who were always proclaiming that they had no desire to become officials—if they were really offered office, how many would truly refuse?

It was all empty rhetoric, nothing more than a way to mislead students.

Still, seeing Shen Ancai like this reassured Shen Shi. Bookworms generally had few ulterior motives. A person who had read himself into a daze could not possibly be very calculating. If he had been that scheming, he would never have become such a bookworm.

In other words, there would be no internal strife within the Shen family. Without internal strife, all that remained was familial affection. That was a good thing—a truly good thing. Was it not?

Of course, their minor resentments still existed. There were old grievances left over from the past, resentment toward the clan for abandoning them, and also the regional pride that came from having lived in the capital for so long.

They were people from Tokyo. Even if they lived in a small village on Tokyo’s outskirts, they were still natives of the capital’s environs. Living in the imperial capital naturally came with an aura of pride.

Shen Yuejiao, for instance, thought very little of Shen Shi’s official position. It was only some petty post, as if that were anything to be proud of.

Frowning slightly, she suddenly asked, “Brother Shen Shi, now that you have come to the capital, are you planning to stay and serve as an official here?”

She asked with an adorable smile, revealing two tiny canine teeth.

This was a very calculating girl. On the surface, she was asking whether Shen Shi could remain in the capital as an official, but in reality she was reminding him that her own family consisted of capital officials.

With an ordinary person, she would have made him utterly unable to save face. After all, to most people, becoming a capital official was the true mark of advancement.

In the Great Song, everywhere outside the capital was practically exile. She had seen enough of those appointed to distant posts each year, sobbing and wailing as they departed, for the impression to be firmly lodged in her little head.

But no matter what Shen Shi said in response, he would be in the wrong. And he could not lose his temper with her, either. She was only a child.

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“Why must he remain in the capital? Little Brother Shen Shi is already an official. What difference does it make where he serves?”

Before Shen Shi could say anything, Shen Yue’e stepped forward to object. Like Shen Ancai, she was a talented young woman, and by nature she felt close to scholarly men such as her elder brother and Shen Shi. Her values were fundamentally at odds with Shen Yuejiao’s practical outlook and her tendency to judge people by their status.

“Oh, Sister Yue’e, that isn’t right. How could a capital official be the same as a local official? Why not ask Father to help arrange Shen Shi’s transfer to the capital? Then the whole family could be together.”

Though the little girl spoke of offering help, her tone was unmistakably boastful. She made it sound as though a mere word from her would be enough to have Shen Shi transferred to the capital. It had not occurred to her that her father’s office did not carry such authority.

A number of people chuckled when Shen Yuejiao finished speaking.

Everyone still cared greatly about Shen Shi’s status as a member of the main branch. The Shen family had no internal strife because the family possessed neither the means nor the value to support it.

The Shen family had already fallen into decline. Even Shen Renfu held only a minor rank.

A truly illustrious military family, whether the Yang clan of Tianbo Prefecture or the Zhong clan of the northwest, produced officials of at least the seventh rank whenever one of their members emerged. The elite of a truly great family ought to be like the young master of the Vice Minister’s Residence whom Shen Yuejiao pursued: his future path had been planned long ago, and a broad career lay before him.

“My father may not be able to do it, but I can ask Young Master Tang to help,” Shen Yuejiao declared. The moment everyone laughed, she immediately revealed her trump card—the young master of the Vice Minister’s household.

“There is no need for anyone’s help. Brother Shen and I will shoulder our family’s responsibilities and restore the clan to greatness as soon as possible.”

Scholars—or rather, bookworms—possessed a certain pride. Hearing his younger cousin invoke an outsider, Shen Ancai protested indignantly. His words were full of lofty resolve.

Yet Shen Yue’e’s expression darkened slightly.

Serving as an official in the Great Song was not so simple. As a talented woman, her horizons were far broader than her brother Shen Ancai’s. She knew about the glut of officials and understood the importance of military lineages. That was why she had said nothing about Shen Yuejiao’s association with Tang Renxian. After all, Shen Yuejiao was already betrothed.

If possible, she too hoped that someone from the Shen family might rise high enough to lift the entire household with him. Then her father and her brother would no longer have to struggle so hard.

“Restore the clan to greatness?”

Shen Yuejiao nearly laughed herself crooked. “Restore the clan to greatness? Why don’t you first tell us whether you can even become a capital official!”

Everyone talked about restoring the clan, but generation after generation had passed—who had actually succeeded?

The others shook their heads as well, unwilling to believe it. It was not that they did not want to believe. It was simply that years of waiting had left them no time to dream of restoring the clan. Being able to avoid starving to death was more important than anything else.

Living in Tokyo was no easy matter!

“Oh? Is that so? What will you do if I become a capital official?”

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Shen Shi spoke suddenly.

“You? A capital official?” Shen Yuejiao raised her brows high. “If you become one, I’ll call you Big Brother whenever I see you from now on. How about that?”

The eldest brother among the Shen family members in the capital had always been Shen Ancai. He was the oldest and, as a licentiate, held the highest standing.

This girl was naturally suited to officialdom. Whether she won or lost, she had nothing to lose.

“Good girl.” Shen Shi shrugged and employed his most terrifying tactic: the head pat.

He reached out and rubbed Shen Yuejiao’s head. “Even if I win, I won’t make you call me Big Brother. All you have to do is start behaving from now on.”

“And what if you lose?” Shen Yuejiao narrowed her eyes and asked maliciously.

“I lose?” Shen Shi tilted his head, amused. He had never imagined that he might lose. If she had been an outsider, he would certainly have taken advantage of the wager—but she was his own cousin, even if she was somewhat snobbish.

“Come here. Take a look. What do you see?”

Shen Shi led her toward the horses they had ridden there.

“Nothing but a few horses,” Shen Yuejiao said disdainfully.

She knew nothing about horses.

The horse handlers accompanying Shen Shi were furious when they heard her say that. These were all first-rate warhorses.

To raise them properly, they had spared no expense on eggs and meat.

Even the handlers winced at the amount of food that had gone into them. The horses had been fed better than people.

If the Shen family had not enjoyed a considerable increase in income that year, they would have gone bankrupt.

Still, the more difficult something was, the prouder the people below felt when they succeeded. The Shen family’s retainers were no different. They took pride in their master’s household.

What? They were merely horses?

If she had not been the young lady of the main branch, I would have given her a beating—believe that or not.