The dream was so real, it felt like I was actually in it.

Xue Rong came in from outside and saw her young mistress sitting on the chaise longue, her breathing slightly heavy. She couldn't help but ask with concern, "Miss, are you awake?"

"What time is it?"

Xue Rong placed the small blue-and-white porcelain cup on the rosewood table next to the chaise lounge. "Miss has been asleep for an hour; it's already past 3:45 PM."

It was around 3:30 in the afternoon when Shen Mingzhuang glanced at the swaying green shadows outside the window. Only then did she clear her mind of all distractions and realize that she hadn't seen Man Huan when she woke up. This girl usually kept watch over her while she slept. "Where did Man Huan go?"

Xue Rong placed a large, autumn-colored cushion behind Shen Mingzhuang, then brought over a small blue-and-white porcelain cup. "She said she went to borrow silk thread from Sister Shuxiang of Shou'an Hall. She should be back by now. Miss, please drink the chicken soup first. It rained this morning and the sun came out this afternoon. The temperature change is so hot and cold that people are prone to getting sick. The old lady arranged for the kitchen staff to send a cup of chicken soup to each household."

For some reason, she felt a strange sensation.

Holding the perfectly warm chicken soup, she asked, almost as if possessed, "When did you move me in here? Was anyone here while I was sleeping?"

"Miss came back by herself after her hair dried, Miss, have you forgotten?" Xue Rong covered her mouth and laughed, Shen Mingzhuang had no recollection at all!

Xue Rong wasn't lying. They had only turned around for a moment when they found Shen Mingzhuang already in the inner room, which is why they carried the chaise longue inside.

Then the young lady slept until now, and when she woke up, she seemed to know nothing about it.

Looking at the chicken soup, Shen Mingzhuang couldn't help but feel a bit wary.

Xue Rong didn't notice anything unusual about her young mistress, assuming she was just still half asleep. She then mentioned that the weather was getting hot and everyone in the mansion was starting to change their curtains, suggesting that Cui Xuan Ju should also replace the cloth curtains with bamboo curtains.

Just then, Manhuan returned.

Seeing Shen Mingzhuang drinking chicken soup, Manhuan smiled and said, "It seems that the old lady still dotes on Miss Jiu."

This puzzled her. "What happened? Doesn't every household have this?"

Manhuan looked slightly taken aback. "When I returned from Shuxiang's place, I didn't hear that the old lady had instructed that chicken soup be sent to other courtyards."

Upon hearing this, Shen Mingzhuang felt a chill run down his spine. He had only taken a nap, so how could so many bizarre things have happened when he woke up!

"By the way, Miss, I wonder what mistake the Third Madam made that made her stand in the sun all afternoon at Shou'an Hall!"

Shen Mingzhuang was taken aback when Man Huan interrupted his thoughts.

But he quickly guessed one possibility: "What else did you find out?"

Manhuan looked around and, seeing that there were no outsiders in the room, lowered her voice and said, "This servant also found out that yesterday, the Third Madam was furious about the Third Master going to Concubine Liu's room, and even smashed a tea set!"

Man Huan found out about this, could it be that this girl also went to Yuehua Courtyard to borrow silk thread? Shen Mingzhuang couldn't help but laugh, "If the Third Madam knew that the maids in her courtyard were so loose-lipped, she would probably smash a tea set!"

Man Huan disagreed, "Anyway, the Third Madam won't miss a set or two of teacups."

The master and servant exchanged a glance and both laughed heartily, creating a harmonious atmosphere in the room.

At this moment, the atmosphere in Shou'an Hall was somber, and no one could laugh.

“My Shen family has never had a daughter-in-law who behaves like this. If you bring the filthy ways of the Lin family into my Shen family, then the Shen family will not tolerate you.”

The tone was soft, but the words struck like hammers, making your head buzz.

Granny Jiang couldn't help but sweat. Although Lin was indignant at her mother-in-law's words, she dared not say a word in defense of her family.

It is an indisputable fact that merchant families like the Lin family do not pay much attention to rules and regulations.

“Aunt Liu is also a concubine from a respectable family. She has never made any mistakes while following Third Master all these years. Don’t be confused.”

After speaking, Madam Shen felt that she had said enough. There was no need to repeat herself. If Lin Shi still didn't know her place and acted recklessly, she would have a good time.

Lin was prepared to be severely scolded, but she didn't expect that after waiting for several hours, her mother-in-law would only say a few short words.

Even so, she couldn't help but feel a sense of relief, as if the matter was finally over.

When Shen Mingshu heard that her mother had been standing in the sun in her grandmother's courtyard all afternoon, she went out and bought some cooling and heat-relieving ointment. Lin was very pleased to hear this, as she was glad that her daughter still cared about her.

Shen Mingshu gently applied ointment to the sunburned areas on her mother's face, then asked with concern, "Mother, what did you do to offend Grandmother that she punished you so harshly?"

The matter of Aunt Liu had been put behind them, and Madam Lin didn't want to mention it in front of her daughter, so she gave a perfunctory answer.

"Mother, I also want to go to the palace."

Shen Mingshu's sudden remark made Lin, who was drinking tea, choke quite badly.

She coughed a few times, feeling a bit better, and stared at her daughter's face as she asked, "Why would you want to go to the palace?"

Shen Mingshu blushed slightly. "Seventh Sister said that there are few people in the palace and no one to talk to. If I want to go, she can ask the princess. Princess Jiayuan will definitely agree."

These are all just pretexts! What Shen Mingshu really wanted was not this, but rather, after hearing from Shen Mingxi that Pei Jingzhou had promised to teach the princess to play the zither, she could naturally see Young Master Pei every day if she could enter the palace.

She used to run into Pei Jingzhou from time to time when she visited the Pei residence before, but she hadn't seen him at all since. This was a rare opportunity.

Madam Lin doted on her only daughter and never doubted her words. She thought that since her daughter's marriage had never been arranged, it would be good for her if she could enter the palace and get to know a princess or a noblewoman.

Anyway, I learn manners from my second sister-in-law all day long at home, so it doesn't matter where I am.

He immediately said, "Alright, I'll go tell your grandmother."

Then she changed her mind. After the incident with Aunt Liu, her stepmother was not on her side. If she went to talk to her, the matter would definitely not be resolved.

"In that case, you should have your seventh sister go and negotiate with the princess. If the Empress Dowager agrees, you should go directly to the palace. Don't let anyone else know about this, especially your grandmother."

Two days later, Shen Mingxi boarded the carriage that came from the palace to pick her up. Looking at her third sister, Shen Mingshu, who was reluctant to part with her, her smile was very forced.

"Third Sister, you don't need to worry about this. I will definitely not let you down."

The old lady didn't care about her life, but many people cared about Shen Mingshu's life. They were all daughters of the Shen family, and if they couldn't live well, they shouldn't expect to be happy either!

Shen Mingshu was the first.

The carriage slowly drove away. Just as Shen Mingzhuang was about to turn around, Shen Mingshu called out to him, "Ninth Sister."

She lifted her skirt and stepped over the threshold, taking two steps forward to catch up with Shen Mingzhuang. "What have you been busy with lately, Ninth Sister? I heard that your embroidery skills were superb when you were in Jiangzhou. I want a painting of a hundred sons and a thousand grandsons. Could you embroider one for me when you have time?"

It wasn't a request or discussion, but rather an order.