"Look at her, as if being with her lowers her status as the legitimate daughter. Who would want to play with her?"

Shen Ming'e muttered something without thinking, but when she saw that Ninth Sister ignored her, she shut her mouth in embarrassment.

All kinds of lanterns were hung along the way, giving people a sense of dazzling prosperity. Each lantern had a piece of paper with the name of the flower written on it. Many of the simple ones had already been taken away to claim rewards, and the ones left behind were some that were not easy to guess.

"If only we had come sooner, all the good ones would have been picked over!"

Shen Mingzhuang smiled, used to hearing Shen Ming'e's complaints from time to time, and glanced at the papers.

Using poetry as a riddle is quite elegant. Shen Mingzhuang is someone who has memorized an entire book of 300 Tang poems, so this is no challenge for her.

She remembered this poem: "Quietly and unintentionally, a rare flower blooms, adorning the first glow of spring. Its delicate silhouette and fragrant blossoms are most endearing, its golden waist winning praise from beauties."

Seeing her remove the riddle paper from the flower's stamen, Shen Ming'e's eyes widened in surprise. "You know how to do it?"

“When I was in Jiangzhou, I often read books when I had nothing to do, and I have seen this.”

After saying that, he placed the paper in Shen Ming'e's hand, whispered a few words in her ear, and Shen Ming'e's expression changed slightly. She then smiled and thanked Shen Mingzhuang, and took the letter to exchange for flowers.

Shen Mingzhuang looked on and couldn't help but shake his head with a smile. Shen Ming'e was born a favored concubine. This Aunt Zhen was able to live peacefully under Lin's petty-mindedness, which shows that she was also a woman with some means and scheming.

It's a pity she gave birth to a naive daughter, completely different from her mother, which is quite amusing.

If Shen Ming'e hadn't followed Shen Mingxi, perhaps she wouldn't have had so many wicked thoughts, and her future path might have been very different.

Normally, Madam Lin didn't like this illegitimate daughter born to her husband's favorite concubine, so she naturally didn't care about her. With Aunt Zhen planning everything for her, Shen Ming'e developed such a carefree personality. She didn't like reading, so these riddle poems were truly unsolvable mysteries for her.

He took the riddle poem given to him by Shen Mingzhuang to Madam Pei and told her the answer. Madam Pei nodded and praised, "The Shen family is indeed a family of scholars who have passed down poetry and books. This piece of paper has been hanging there for so long, and it finally has a place to go."

Then, a maidservant was asked to bring a tray and let Shen Ming'e choose one item herself.

The tray was filled with a dazzling array of silver hairpins, all themed around flowers. They were exquisitely crafted, with each petal having a unique shape, so lifelike that it was hard to tell them apart from the real thing.

Shen Ming'e hesitated for a long time before deciding which one to choose. Madam Pei simply stood by with a smile. Pei Shuwan, who was assisting her, placed a silver orchid hairpin in front of Shen Ming'e and said with a gentle smile, "This orchid hairpin is simple and elegant. Your gentle and charming appearance is complemented by this hairpin."

As Shen Ming'e listened, she found Pei Shuwan's tone gentle and her words pleasant to hear, and couldn't help but glance at her a few more times.

She had heard a lot about the fourth young lady of the Pei family while following Shen Mingxi and being by Shen Mingshu's side, but none of it was anything good. Shen Mingshu often said that the fourth young lady of the Pei family was arrogant and haughty because her father was the Minister of Rites.

"Shuwan".

Madam Pei smiled and called her daughter's name. Pei Shuwan understood, smiled, put down the hairpin, and said nothing more.

In the end, Shen Ming'e still chose the orchid hairpin and thanked Pei Shuwan again, showing a rare sense of propriety.

"You can solve puzzles too?"

A slightly sarcastic voice came from behind. Shen Mingshu walked forward gracefully, took the note from Shen Ming'e's hand and glanced at it. "Who told you this time that you know what kind of flower this is?"

She had studied with her brothers before she was twelve, and she was confident that her knowledge was far superior to that of these illegitimate children. After looking for a long time, she still couldn't guess a single one. She could only sigh that she had come too late. How could a brainless Shen Ming'e know more than her?