Xiao Yu laughed and reached out to rub the top of her head, his fingertips touching her soft hair. "As you wish. But..." He suddenly leaned in close, his warm breath brushing against her ear. "Tonight, a new chef from Jiangnan has arrived in my palace. He's an expert at making roast duck and steamed sugar-coated pastry. Would you like to come and have a meal?"

Shen Weiwan raised her eyebrows, a cunning light flashing in her eyes: "Besides the sugar-steamed pastry, do you have sweet osmanthus cake?"

"I'll have the kitchen prepare whatever you want to eat."

As the two were chatting and laughing, Chuntao came running over, panting, her skirt in hand, her face filled with panic: "Miss! It's bad! Over at the Liu Mansion... Madam Liu has set fire to the mansion!"

Shen Weiwan's steps suddenly stopped and she turned to look at Xiao Yu. The smile in his eyes was instantly replaced by ice, and his tone was as cold as frost: "I will handle it. You go back to the general's mansion first and are not allowed to go out."

"I won't!" Shen Weiwan put her hands on her waist, her nose slightly raised, "Auntie, if you set the fire, you might be able to burn out some scorched silver. I have to go and pick up the bargain!"

Xiao Yu helplessly looked at her self-righteous appearance, and finally flicked her forehead with his fingers, took her hand and said: "Okay, okay, I will accompany you to 'pick up silver'."

As expected, flames shot up from the Liu Mansion, and thick smoke billowed, dyeing half the sky a gray-black. The flames licked at the carved beams and painted buildings, and the crackling sound of the burning could be heard clearly from several streets away. Liu stood before the blaze, her hair disheveled, her gold brocade skirt scorched by the flames. In her hand, she clutched a half-burned torch, reduced to charcoal, looking like a madman.

"Chen Weiwan! Xiao Yu! I'll burn all this! Burn you bunch of dogs and bitches..." Before she could finish her words, she was held down by the guards who rushed over. The torch fell to the ground with a "click", splashing a few sparks.

Chen Weiwan stood at a distant street corner, watching the firelight illuminate Liu's distorted face. That face, once filled with a false smile, now contained only resentment and madness. Chuntao carefully handed over a piece of newly bought candied haws, the candy shell glowing dark red in the firelight: "Miss, have something to eat..."

She took the candied haws and bit off a candied hawthorn. The sweet and sour taste spread across her tongue, but it couldn't dispel the subtle melancholy in her heart. Xiao Yu silently handed her a clean handkerchief: "There's candy on the corner of your mouth."

"What do you care?" Shen Weiwan muttered as she took the handkerchief, but when she wiped her mouth, she secretly raised her eyes and saw the worry in his eyes, and she couldn't help but curl the corners of her lips.

Three days later, the imperial edict was issued: Liu was stripped of all her status and exiled to a bitterly cold place three thousand miles away for multiple crimes including bribing the examiner and setting fire to her house; Shen Ruorou was sent to the family temple in the suburbs of Beijing and was never allowed to return to Beijing; Minister Liu was dismissed from his post and investigated for his negligence and shielding, and his property was confiscated.

In front of the long-sealed storehouse of the General's Mansion, Shen Weiwan held the cold copper key, her fingertips trembling uncontrollably. The old housekeeper brought a cup of hot tea and said in a choked voice, "Miss, you finally got back something that belonged to the General's Mansion..."

She took a deep breath and inserted the key into the lock. With a soft click, the heavy wooden door slowly swung open, and a dazzling golden light instantly poured out—a room filled with gold, silver, jewelry, silks, satins, antiques, and jade, all gleaming brilliantly in the sunlight. It was the family fortune her father had earned with his blood, sweat, and life, everything that had been taken away from her in her previous life.

"Chun Tao," Chen Weiwan suddenly spoke, her voice trembling slightly, "Go, move the box of gold ingots from the third compartment of the east wing and deliver it to the Seventh Prince's residence."

"Huh?" Chun Tao's eyes widened, thinking she had misheard. "Miss, that's a whole box of gold ingots!"

Shen Weiwan grinned, revealing two rows of small white teeth, but her eyes were shining brightly: "Just say... just say thank you to His Royal Highness the Seventh Prince for treating me to so many roast ducks. This is a thank you gift for 'roast duck for gold ingots'!"

In the study of the Seventh Prince's residence, Xiao Yu stared at the box of gold ingots before him, feeling neither amused nor helpless. Mo Shu, beside him, was stifling laughter until his face flushed red. "Your Highness, Miss Shen asked me to tell you that this is a token of gratitude for the roast duck feast you treated her to."

Xiao Yu shook his head, picked up a pure gold ingot, weighed it in his palm, and suddenly chuckled: "Tell her that what I lack is not gold ingots, but..." He paused, his ears slightly red, "It's the sugar-steamed yogurt she made herself, the kind with double the amount of osmanthus flowers."

Mo Shu took his orders and left, leaving Xiao Yu chuckling at the box full of gold ingots. Outside the window, the people of the capital city made up a new jingle, and the clear voices of children filled the streets and alleys:

"Seventh Prince, with divine assistance, a few words can decide the outcome.

Liu cried and wailed as if she was fainting, and smiled gently as she received a basin full of gold.

The storehouse is open and the ingots are shining, life is sweeter than osmanthus candy!

Beneath the sycamore tree at the General's Mansion, Shen Weiwan leaned against the trunk, listening to distant folk songs. She toyed with the red-gold hairpin Xiao Yu had given her, the pearls swaying gently with her movements. Chuntao brought over freshly steamed sugar-coated pastry, sprinkled with a fine layer of candied osmanthus flowers. "Miss," she said, "the guards at the Seventh Prince's Mansion said, 'If His Highness doesn't ask you to leave, he'll come and snatch you away himself.'"

"Go ahead and grab it," Chen Weiwan scooped up a spoonful of dense cheese and brought it to her lips, suddenly winking cunningly, "but first he has to recite ten of my newly written limericks. If he can't recite them, then... I'll punish him by treating him to roast duck for a year!"

Sunlight filtered through the layers of sycamore leaves, casting dappled shadows on her face, making her eyes sparkle like the stars of a summer night. She knew that the chill of the snow in her previous life had long since dissipated. In this life, she had the Seventh Prince, who was willing to support her, the loyal Chun Tao, her lost and recovered family property, and a heart full of endless "silly poetry."

The familiar sound of horse hooves could be heard in the distance, accompanied by the Seventh Prince's smiling call: "Chen Weiwan! I'm here to recite poetry! Quickly take out your doggerel!"

Shen Weiwan chuckled, shoved the last spoonful of yogurt into her mouth, and stood up to greet them. Beneath the sycamore tree, two figures gradually approached. Their clear laughter blended with the youthful shouts of youth, echoing across every corner of the capital on the autumn wind. This time, she not only regained everything she had lost, but also a brand new life filled with excitement and surprises.