As night fell, the General's Mansion returned to silence. Shen Weiwan sat at her dressing table, removing her hairpins and rings. The bronze mirror reflected Xiao Yu, frowning and staring at his dressing table. A row of celadon vases glowed dimly in the candlelight, each one engraved with tiny, crooked characters.

"Are these bottles and jars all 'murder weapons'?" Xiao Yu reached out to take a porcelain bottle, but was held down by Shen Weiwan first.

"Your Highness is wise!" She held up a small celadon bottle painted with peonies. "This is 'Smiling Half-Step Dian'. It's actually pepper powder with double the amount of mustard. One sniff brings tears to my eyes." She then picked up a sachet embroidered with lotus flowers and gently shook it, releasing powder. "This looks like a token of love, but it's actually filled with itching powder. It's perfect for Green Tea."

Xiao Yu held his forehead and sighed, "I finally understand why, upon hearing that you were getting married, my father added three more guards to the imperial kitchen overnight and even had the Imperial Kitchen Supervisor lock all the chili powder in the warehouse." He suddenly leaned in close, his nose almost touching hers, his warm breath sweeping across her flushed cheeks, "But..."

"But what?" Shen Weiwan blinked and pretended to be stupid, the pearls on her earrings swaying gently.

"But..." Xiao Yu's fingers brushed across the jade pendant at her waist, and he finally held her hand, the warmth of his palm transmitting through her wedding dress. "You are so lively and vibrant, and that's exactly how I like you. Tomorrow is our wedding..." He paused, his eyes becoming gentle yet resolute. "No matter what happens, I'll be here."

Shen Weiwan's heart skipped a beat, but she deliberately curled her lips: "You talk as if I need protection. Tomorrow, when the bridal sedan passes by Liu's old house, I will sprinkle chili powder in her yard and set off a string of firecrackers to return the gift in a lively manner!"

Xiao Yu smiled and pulled her into his arms. Moonlight streamed in through the carved window lattices, illuminating the messy "battle scars" on the ground. No one knew that this farce would become the hottest topic of conversation among the people of the capital for the next three months. And Shen Weiwan's "Thirty-Six Strategies of Tricking People," along with the dusty appearance of Liu's mother and daughter, became a legend that terrified all villains.

On the day of the wedding, when the eight-man sedan chair arrived at the Liu family's old house, the entire Suzaku Street was crowded with people watching the excitement. Shen Weiwan, under her red veil, quietly lifted a corner of the sedan curtain, holding a sachet embroidered with a golden phoenix, swaying in the sunlight.

"Aunt! Thank you so much for your 'care' back then. Please accept this 'return gift'!" With a clear shout, the sachet was thrown high into the air. Through the crimson mist, the faint sounds of Liu's sneeze and Shen Ruorou's screams could be heard. Astride his horse, Xiao Yu, observing his princess's smug expression, shook his head with a mixture of helplessness and fondness. He knew that the days from now on would be turbulent, but wasn't this kind of lively and vibrant life exactly what he had always dreamed of?