The late spring sun made people languid. Chen Weiwan squatted by the lotus pond, teasing the koi in the water with a piece of steamed bun crumbs. Chuntao stood nearby, holding an oil-paper bag containing a candied osmanthus cake fresh from the kitchen. The steam mixed with the sweet aroma, attracting the servant sweeping fallen leaves in the corridor to look back frequently.

"Miss, if you keep feeding them, the fish will die of overeating." Chun Tao poked Shen Weiwan on the back. "Yesterday, you chased that cripple Li Xiu away. Are you going to come back and scold him again today?"

Without even raising her head, Chen Weiwan sprinkled the last bit of steamed bread crumbs into the water: "Come? It's better to come every day. I'm worried that no one will entertain us." Before she finished speaking, the sound of a crutch hitting the ground came from behind her. The rhythm was rapid and revealed a sense of exasperation.

Chun Tao rolled her eyes and lowered her voice: "Miss, if you mention the devil, here he comes—that lame fellow is here, wearing new clothes!"

Shen Weiwan slowly stood up, brushed the dust off her skirt, and turned to look at the person who had come. Li Zhengzheng was standing three steps away, wearing a brand new lake blue brocade robe, with a jade belt polished to a shine. However, his lame leg made every step he took feel like he was treading on cotton, making the brocade robe look like a shroud.

"Chen Weiwan!" Li Xiu spoke angrily, stabbing the bluestone slab with his crutch, startling two dragonflies beside the lotus pond. "Why did you slander me and Miss Shen Er in public yesterday?!"

Shen Weiwan blinked, looking confused: "Mr. Li? You are...?"

"I'm Li Xiu! The son of the Minister of Personnel!" Li Xiu was so angry that the veins in his neck popped out. "The day before yesterday in the garden, you said I was a groom! And yesterday you said I was having an affair with Miss Shen! What are your intentions?!"

"Groom?" Shen Weiwan clapped her hands as if she had suddenly realized something, and turned to look at Chuntao, "Chuntao, I was saying he looked familiar! Wasn't there a lame groom who broke his leg at the West Market Stables the other day?"

Chun Tao immediately understood what he meant. She stepped forward and looked at Li Xiu's legs seriously. "Hey, Miss, you have a really good memory! But..." She deliberately dragged out her tone and glanced up and down at Li Xiu's brocade robe. "How can a groom wear such fine material? Look at this brocade robe, it's even more exquisite than the clothes of our housekeeper!"

Li Xiu felt uncomfortable under her gaze and snorted coldly: "Hmph, I am from a noble family, so I am naturally different from the lower class!"

"Oh? A son of an aristocratic family?" Chun Tao pretended to be surprised. "Then your leg...could it be the thief who stole our bacon last time and was broken by the guards? I remember that person also limped, and the posture is exactly the same as yours!"

"What nonsense are you talking about!" Li Xiu was so angry that his crutch almost broke. "When did I ever steal your bacon?!"

"Never stolen?" Shen Weiwan tilted her head. "But the thief Chuntao mentioned was also wearing blue clothes, similar to yours. By the way, when his leg was broken, he shouted, 'I am a relative of the Minister of Personnel', which also matches your identity."

"Bah!" Li Xiu was completely enraged. "Chen Weiwan! Stop slandering me here! I came here today to ask you to clarify publicly that Miss Shen and I are innocent and there is absolutely no private relationship!"

"Clarify?" Shen Weiwan blinked, "But I heard you say to my cousin yesterday, 'Weiwan, that fool, is easy to control. When I marry her, you will have a share of the general's estate'... Did I hear it wrong?"

These words were like thunderclaps from a clear sky, making Li Xiu's face pale. He had indeed said something similar to Liu, hoping to use the marriage to squeeze the General's Mansion's wealth, and then give Shen Ruorou some benefits, so that she could help persuade him. But how could Shen Weiwan hear these words?!

"You...when did you hear that?!" Li Xiu subconsciously asked, then realized he had spoken out of turn and hurriedly changed his words, "No! I didn't say that! You made it up!"

"I fabricated it?" Shen Weiwan looked "wronged". "Mr. Li, don't say anything nonsense. I was feeding the cat behind the rockery at the time and heard it clearly. You also said, 'Although Shen Ruorou is greedy, she is smarter than Shen Weiwan after all, and can be a helper in the future'..."

The more she spoke, the more "realistic" she became, even mimicking Li Xiu's tone perfectly. The servants cleaning nearby had already stopped their work and listened with rapt attention, their shoulders shaking from trying to hold back their laughter.

Li Xiu was completely panicked. He never thought that Shen Weiwan was not stupid, but also so eloquent. She could almost figure out his thoughts in just a few words. He pointed at Shen Weiwan and was so angry that he couldn't speak: "You...you..."

"What do you mean by 'I'?" Shen Weiwan spread out her hands. "Mr. Li, if you didn't say anything, why are you so excited? Could it be that... everything I said is true?"

"No! Absolutely not!" Li Xiu roared, his voice cracking. "I swear to God, I'm sincere to Sister Weiwan and have absolutely no ill intentions!"

"Sincerity?" Chun Tao sneered. "Mr. Li's sincerity is truly unique. He's either mistaking our young lady for a groom or plotting with our second young lady about how to plot against the General's Mansion. I'm afraid this sincerity must have come from some pawnshop, right?"

"You..." Li Xiu was speechless, his face flushed red like a punctured pig's liver. He knew staying any longer would only make him more embarrassed, so he turned abruptly and tried to leave on his crutches. In his haste, he twisted his limp leg again, nearly falling into the lotus pond.

"Mr. Li, walk slowly!" Shen Weiwan called out thoughtfully behind him, "Be careful when you walk next time, and don't break your other leg! Otherwise, if you really have to work in the stables in the future, people will think you have a weak leg!"

Li Xiu stumbled out of the garden, not even daring to turn his head. In a nearby pavilion, the Seventh Prince, Xiao Yu, set down his chess piece, a smile playing on his lips. The elder minister across from him was still muttering about the river works, unaware that the prince's gaze had already been following the legitimate daughter, whose smile was like a fox's.

My dear, there is more to this chapter. Please click on the next page to continue reading. It will be even more exciting later!