Upon hearing this, the guests present instinctively turned their gazes to Song Zhiyu and the brocade box in Lu Bai's hand.

Some guests who hadn't attended the auction became interested and chimed in, "Yes, Miss Song, why don't you open the brocade box and let us have a look?"

"I've never seen the legendary golden nanmu Buddha statue before, so today is a good opportunity to broaden my horizons."

"..."

The guests present all chimed in, expressing their desire for Song Zhiyu to open the brocade box, which suited Shen Jinhua's wishes perfectly.

She pressed on relentlessly, determined to get what she wanted. "The gift from Second Sister isn't anything shameful. Why don't we open it and let everyone see it to satisfy our curiosity?"

She had already switched the gifts. If Song Zhiyu dared to open the brocade box, she would lose all face and might even incur the dislike of Old Madam Ling.

At that time, she will present the jade ruyi to Madam Ling to celebrate her birthday. With the two presents, Madam Ling will surely remember her.

Shen Jinhua became happier and happier as she thought about it, and her tone became somewhat urgent, "Second sister, you should hurry up, so as not to delay the other guests from celebrating the old lady's birthday."

Ignoring her mother's advice, Qin Yue made a sarcastic remark, "Could it be that Miss Song's gift is too low-class, which is why she doesn't dare to let us see it?"

From the moment she first saw Song Zhiyu, she felt an inexplicable dislike for her, always feeling that this woman would steal everything that belonged to her.

The feeling was so strong that she had to take it seriously.

Shen Jinhua was deliberately targeting Song Zhiyu, and she didn't mind adding fuel to the fire.

She spoke frankly, completely oblivious to Madam Ling's reaction.

Sitting upright in her high position, Old Madam Ling shook her head inwardly. Her body temperature seemed to have dropped considerably, and her gaze towards Qin Yue was no longer as gentle and kind as before.

She ultimately nurtured the hearts of both mother and daughter.

Upon hearing this, Song Zhiyu raised her eyes to meet Shen Jinhua's smiling gaze, and parted her red lips slightly, "Since you all want to see what kind of gift is inside this brocade box, then I will grant your wish."

As soon as she finished speaking, Song Zhiyu opened the brocade box, revealing its contents.

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound, their curiosity piqued.

Even Chen's mother, who had been sitting quietly in her seat, suddenly sat up straight, her face looking rather unpleasant.

Could it be that the golden nanmu Buddha statue really wasn't a gift for her?

A wave of self-righteous embarrassment washed over Shen's mother, and she felt a surge of resentment towards Song Zhiyu, her face filled with grievance.

Song Zhiyu knew perfectly well that she also liked the Buddha statue, but she would rather give it to a stranger than to her own mother.

It wasn't until Shen Jinhua's slightly amused voice came that her thoughts returned, and she looked at Song Zhiyu with some surprise.

Inside the brocade box was a rolled-up calligraphy and painting, which looked quite ordinary.

"So this is Second Sister's congratulatory gift. I wonder which master's masterpiece it is?" Shen Jinhua's lips couldn't help but curl up, especially when she saw Song Zhiyu's expression change slightly, she couldn't hide her joy.

The real show is yet to come.

"How could this be?" Song Zhiyu murmured with a frown. Although her voice was soft, Shen Jinhua heard it clearly, which made her even more certain of her thoughts.

Song Zhiyu hesitated to take out the calligraphy and painting, and his expression gradually became serious. Even the guests who were happily watching the show noticed something was wrong.

Shen Jinhua was the first to lose her temper. Seeing that the opportunity to ruin Song Zhiyu's reputation was right in front of her, she naturally couldn't let it go. "If it's inconvenient for you, Second Sister, let me help you."

After saying this, Shen Jinhua quickly took the calligraphy and painting out of the brocade box, smiling smugly.

"Are you sure you really want to open it?" Just as she was about to open the calligraphy and painting, Song Zhiyu reached out and stopped her, his deep gaze fixed on her, unfathomable.

Shen Jinhua shivered violently. After the fear subsided, she became angry. "What is Second Sister afraid of? Could it be that this calligraphy and painting has some unspeakable secret?"

The one who should be embarrassed is Song Zhiyu; what does she have to be afraid of?

After saying that, Shen Jinhua forcefully shook off Song Zhiyu's hand and opened the calligraphy and painting with a smile.

Is there any particular significance to Second Sister giving Old Madam Ling a blank calligraphy or painting?

As soon as he finished speaking, everyone present sighed and looked at Song Zhiyu with a somewhat subtle expression.

They had never seen anyone send calligraphy or paintings as gifts, or even just a blank sheet of paper. Wasn't this just deliberately causing trouble?

As expected, Madam Ling's face turned cold, and her imposing aura became overwhelming, as if she had transformed back into the female general who had once dominated the battlefield.

They couldn't help but gasp, feeling a pang of worry for Song Zhiyu, as it seemed she would soon be kicked out of the Duke's mansion.

Tan Yingying and Qin Yue were also very happy. They had made Song Zhiyu look so bad and angered Old Madam Ling. Her life in the capital would definitely not be easy from now on.

While relieved, Shen's mother looked away, having no intention of speaking up for Song Zhiyu.

Whoever makes the mistake should bear the consequences.

Shen Feng stood up agitatedly, showing no regard for Song Zhiyu's feelings, "You unfilial daughter, get back to your residence now and stop making a fool of yourself here."

"Second sister, even if you don't know what gift to give the old lady, you shouldn't try to fool her with this blank calligraphy and painting. With such behavior, where do you place the old lady, and where do you place the Duke of Ling's mansion?"

Shen Jinhua spoke with righteous indignation, every word of which accused Song Zhiyu of being tactless, giving her no chance to defend herself.

She made the matter sound very serious; anyone else would have already gone along with her and gotten angry.

But the people from the Duke of Ling's mansion didn't follow the usual path. Instead of getting angry, they looked at him with disdain, as if he were a fool.

After scolding Song Zhiyu, Shen Feng pretended to be a loving father who was disappointed in his daughter, and turned to apologize to Madam Ling, "It is all because I have failed to educate my daughter properly. I hope you will not blame me."

Madam Ling merely sneered, ignoring Shen Feng's pretense and letting him make a fool of himself.

"Zhiyu, you speak." Old Madam Ling's expression remained unchanged, but her voice had softened considerably.

Others might not know Song Zhiyu's personality, but how could she not know it?

Besides, she likes this girl. She would cherish any congratulatory gift from this girl, even if it was just a blank painting or calligraphy. It's none of other people's business to criticize.

Seeing this, Song Zhiyu felt a warmth in her heart, gave a slight curtsy, and every move she made was impeccable. "I will always remember how kind the old lady has been to me."

Hearing that the old lady is extremely fond of painting, Zhiyu, though only possessing some minor skills, would like to paint a piece on the spot as a congratulatory gift. If there are any shortcomings, she would be grateful for the old lady's guidance.

"What a great idea!" Old Madam Ling nodded slightly, a hint of anticipation rising in her heart.

Although she was the daughter of a military family, she was a skilled painter, but unfortunately, there was no one to carry on her legacy.

The younger members of her family weren't very good at this either, so she had to give up on trying.

Song Zhiyu's words surprised her. Even though she hadn't seen the finished product yet, she was absolutely certain that Song Zhiyu wouldn't disappoint her.