As she opened the lid, a rich aroma wafted out.

Ruan Xinghu even coughed because he was choked.

Her maid, who was very outspoken, blurted out, "This isn't the rouge from Pink Butterfly Pavilion at all..."

"Shiyue!" Ruan Xinghu interrupted Shiyue in a deep voice: "Don't talk nonsense."

"……yes."

Shi Yue looked at Shen Qiyin with a wronged expression, as if to say: I'm not lying, this really isn't the rouge from Pink Butterfly Pavilion!

“Miss, you may be mistaken.” Shen Qiyin smiled at her and explained gently, “This was bought for me by my second brother.”

“He specifically mentioned that he bought it from Pink Butterfly Pavilion, otherwise I wouldn’t have gone to the trouble of bringing it to give to my older sister.”

Shi Yue opened her mouth, but remembering Ruan Xinghu's warning, she ultimately chose to remain silent.

But just because she doesn't speak up doesn't mean others won't.

The scene in front of the Marquis's mansion had already spread as others arrived in the garden, so from the moment Shen Qiyin appeared in the garden, she attracted everyone's attention.

Seeing that she had brought out a box of inferior rouge and claimed it was the Danxin Rouge from Pink Butterfly Pavilion, someone, not wanting to miss out on the fun, said, "The fragrance is cheap and the powder is coarse. How could it possibly be the Danxin Rouge from Pink Butterfly Pavilion!"

"Miss Chen, you probably haven't seen what the real Danxin Rouge looks like, have you?"

Another person chimed in, "The Shen family is a poor family; they may not have seen anything good before."

"But Miss Shen, the Crown Prince's wife's maid kindly told you that it wasn't Danxin Rouge, so you should believe her."

"Don't underestimate her just because she's a maid. The Marquis's mansion is wealthy, and the things a maid has used and seen are probably ten times better than what you've ever experienced."

That's an open insult.

However, Shen Qiyin, who had been quick-witted outside the mansion, looked blank and said, "...No, my second brother told me himself that he bought it from Pink Butterfly Pavilion."

"Perhaps he was deceived?"

"I think you've been fooled by your second brother." Xie Qing rarely had a chance to ridicule Chen Qiyin, so she naturally wouldn't let it go: "I wouldn't even use such a cheap woman as my maid!"

As she spoke, her gaze fell on Shen Qiyin's hair, as if she had discovered some "treasure." When she spoke again, her voice rose several decibels: "Is that a hairpin from Yuxianju that you're wearing?! But the quality of the jade doesn't look very good to me."

Upon hearing this, everyone looked towards her hair.

"Tsk, that color doesn't look quite right."

"You know what! Look at this style, it really is a new hairpin from Yuxianju. But I remember the shopkeeper said that the hairpin is the shop's prized possession and it's not for sale."

"Then isn't that what Miss Chen is wearing on her head...?"

Xie Qing feigned surprise: "Could it be fake too?!"

This time, however, Shen Xi did not firmly deny the marriage.

Clearly, she herself wasn't sure whether the thing on her head was real or fake.

But if you bought it yourself, how could you not know?

unless--

This was also bought for her by the second young master of the Shen family.

Xie Qing shook her head in disapproval: "I originally thought that the Shen family was just of low social standing, but that the people in the family were of good character. I never expected that your brother would not only be vain but also lie all the time."

Chen Xiyin thought to herself: If you can talk, then talk more.

But on his face he looked heartbroken and dejected: "...My second brother wouldn't deliberately try to fool me."

"Even if this thing is fake, he must have some unspeakable reason."

Seeing this, everyone's tone suddenly changed.

"Sigh, this Miss Shen is so pitiful, how did she end up with such a brother?"

"Who wouldn't say that? I heard from my younger brother that the Second Young Master Shen's fan costs twenty or thirty taels of silver! He clearly wears and uses expensive things, but why is he so stingy with his sister? It's truly shameful!"

"It's kind of Miss Shen to still care about the eldest daughter of the Shen family. She originally thought it was a fine item and wanted to save it for her, but..."

Xie Qing felt increasingly uneasy as she listened.

Shen Qiyin used fake rouge and wore fake hairpins. She should have been so ashamed and angry that she would have run away covering her face. But instead, she looked heartbroken and acted as if someone had bullied her.

And what about the reactions of those young ladies from aristocratic families?

They shouldn't be scoffing at this, why are they instead sympathizing with her!

With things having escalated to this point, Ruan Xinghu figured that Shen Qiyin probably wouldn't give the rouge to Aunt Shen anymore. Just as she was about to say something to change the subject, a maidservant from the Lady of Wu'an Marquis's side came to the garden and said that the Marquis and his wife invited Shen Qiyin over.

Chao Ruanxinghu curtsied, and Shen Qiyin left with the maid.

The other party led her directly to a courtyard.

From afar, she saw a man and a woman standing at the gate of the courtyard. The man was tall and strong, while the woman was petite but had an extraordinary air about her. She guessed that they must be Marquis Wu'an and his wife.

Upon approaching, the Marquis's wife immediately greeted her: "I never imagined that you, young lady, possessed such exquisite medical skills at such a young age. My son's illness will now depend entirely on this divine physician."

"You're too kind, Madam. I will do my best to help."

Marquis Wu'an, Wei Xi, had a serious expression and simply raised his hand, saying, "Please!"

After saying that, he took the lead and walked inside.

As Shen Qiyin gazed at his retreating figure, she felt a strange sense of familiarity. After a moment of careful recollection, she realized that the person who had nearly knocked her down at Qiying Pavilion was none other than the man before her!

People who can paint are always very observant of people and things, so even if it is just a back view, Shen Qiyin is sure that she will not mistake it.

While I was pondering, I suddenly heard the sound of a zither.

Shen Xiyin listened intently and finally came to a conclusion: it was played with a foot!

If you had even one hand, you wouldn't have made such a loud, jarring noise.

To be honest, it's just as bad as the flute played by honeysuckle.

The further into the courtyard one goes, the clearer the music becomes. It is obvious that the person playing the zither is the owner of this courtyard, Wei Heng, the third young master of the Marquis of Wu'an's mansion.

Shen Qiyin found it strange.

Didn't everyone say that Young Master Wei had been ill since childhood, spending all his time bedridden and unable to get up? How could he still play the zither?

Perhaps sensing Shen Qiyin's doubts, the Marquis's wife sighed and said, "The divine physician will know once he sees it."