This warmth didn't last long. Before Shen Wan could finish her candied hawthorn, Shen Du asked, "Did you have Ling Wang's men scare Zi Yu?"
Shen Wan's heart skipped a beat. "Big brother, how did you know...?"
Shen Du raised his hand and tapped Shen Wan's forehead. "Father is a great general, after all. Without his permission, how could the Prince of Ling's men have entered your courtyard and stayed for so long?"
Xie Jingyan's men were allowed in because they truthfully reported how Prince Jin had bullied Shen Wan. Shen Jing then permitted Xie Jingyan's men to enter Qinglan Garden to protect Shen Wan.
When Shen Du came to find Shen Wan, he happened to run into Zi Yu, who had been beaten and was being taken to the front yard to be sold. Shen Du asked Zi Yu a couple of questions, and Zi Yu took the opportunity to plead her case to Shen Du.
The man in black in Qinglan Garden must be one of Prince Ling's men, but Prince Ling's men shouldn't be so bold as to frighten Ziyu; it must have been Shen Wan's doing.
Shen Du wanted to know why Shen Wan did this. In his eyes as the older brother, his younger sister had always been someone who was sold out and then paid for it...
Since her elder brother already knew, Shen Wan decided not to hide it from him. However, before she spoke, she said, "I can tell my elder brother, but he must promise not to tell Father."
Shen Du said, "Fine, I won't tell my father."
It's enough for his older brother to know; there's no need to tell their father.
Shen Wan said, "My second aunt had Ziyu give me bone-softening powder and then invited a Taoist priest into the mansion, saying that Prince Ling was a jinx to his wives and that I should break off my engagement with Prince Ling and marry Prince Jin instead. I saw through their scheme and replaced the bone-softening powder with flour. These days, I have been pretending to be sick. Ziyu also wanted to frame Yinshuang, so I devised a plan to drive her out of the mansion."
Shen Du's face darkened, and Shen Wan said, "Second Uncle and Third Uncle seem to respect Father and follow his lead, but in reality they are disobedient to Father. I'm afraid they will harm Father. And eldest brother, you must also be careful."
Chen Du nodded, then asked curiously, "How did my sister find out?"
Shen Wan couldn't tell the truth about how she found out, and could only vaguely say, "I just found out like that. I'm not stupid. Anyway, you shouldn't have the heart to harm others, but you can't be without the heart to guard against others."
It seems my little sister has really grown up; she's even starting to give him, her older brother, advice. Her growth seems to have happened overnight. Could it be because of Prince Ling? Choosing Prince Ling was definitely the right decision.
Shen Du came to see Shen Wan. After confirming that Shen Wan was alright, he was about to leave. After taking a few steps, he suddenly remembered something and turned back to tell Shen Wan, "Ling Wang's birthday is in half a month. I prepared the gift for you last year. This year, I can't let my elder brother do it for you again. Don't forget."
After giving his instructions, Chen Du left.
Watching her older brother's departing figure, Shen Wan was completely confused. Why was her older brother helping her deliver a birthday gift to Prince Ling?
However, since he has so generously lent her his title as princess, she definitely needs to show her appreciation on his birthday.
What should I give him?
Shen Wan slurped up the candied hawthorns as she went back into the house.
Although Prince Ling is no longer favored, he has been favored by the Emperor for twelve years and is not short of money. He should have plenty of things that money can buy. Giving him a belt or pouch would seem too intimate, as their relationship is not that close yet. Shen Wan thought for a long time but couldn't come up with a good gift. Anyway, there are still half a month left, so she can ask him when she sees him and then decide what to give him.
Shen Wan sat on the small couch to read a book when her maid, Haitang, brought in pastries, her face beaming with undisguised joy.
She went out of the manor to buy chestnut pastries, which were the young lady's favorite. As a result, the second-class maid went out and returned to be told that she had been promoted to a first-rank maid. It was like a dream. How could such a good thing fall from the sky and happen to her?
Haitang knelt down to thank Shen Wan and pledged her loyalty, saying, "Thank you for trusting me, Miss. I will serve you wholeheartedly from now on."
"Get up."
Shen Wan chose Haitang for a simple reason: Haitang's mother was a maidservant brought into the mansion by Shen Wan's mother, Yun Shi, from the Yun family. She had been in Shen Wan's courtyard since she was a child. If her mother were still alive, Haitang would definitely be her head maidservant.
In her previous life, Haitang did not go to the Prince of Jin's mansion with her. She was chosen by the son of the second steward of the Marquis's mansion. The second steward begged her, and Shen Wan married Haitang to the son of the second steward. As for whether she was happy or not, Shen Wan did not know. She did not pay much attention to Haitang when she was in Qinglan Garden, let alone after she got married.
Let's promote her to head maid first. If Haitang still takes a liking to the second steward's son in this life, she will still grant her wish.
The next day was another sunny day.
After breakfast, Shen Wan went for a stroll in the garden. A maid from the front yard came to inform her that the slave trader had brought a maid into the mansion, so Shen Wan took Yin Shuang to the front yard.
She specifically instructed the broker to bring more people, and this time he brought quite a few, a full thirty.
Upon seeing Shen Wan, the slave trader said with a beaming smile, "Miss Shen, take a look at these girls and see if any of them catch your eye. I've carefully selected them before bringing them here. Some are beautiful, some are quick and efficient, and some can even read a few words. We have all kinds of maids for you."
Shen Wan looked at them one by one. Some were too timid to notice her lowering her head, while others secretly sized her up with envy.
Shen Wan looked around, asked the maids a few simple questions, and then selected two diligent ones, two who could read a little, and two pretty ones.
When a young lady from a respectable family gets married, regardless of whether she needs them or not, she usually prepares two maids to serve her husband when he is unwell. Although Shen Wan felt that she didn't need to prepare any, her failure to do so gave the Second Madam and the Old Madam the opportunity to put people around her.
Yinshuang paid the money and received the indentures for the six maids. The headmistress in charge of instructing the maids was about to take them away to teach them manners, but Shen Wan stopped her, saying, "I will personally teach these maids manners."
The supervisor looked troubled and said, "This is against the rules..."
Shen Wan knew that this steward was the Second Madam's person. Ever since she took charge of the household affairs of the Marquis's mansion, the Second Madam had replaced all the people that her mother had arranged before her death with her own people.
If the Second Madam's people teach her maids manners, it's uncertain whether these maids will still recognize her as their mistress after the lesson is over.
Shen Wan's cold gaze swept across the steward's face as she said, "Are you teaching me manners?"
The head maid stiffened and hurriedly said, "This servant wouldn't dare."
"If you don't dare, then move aside," Shen Wan said bluntly.
The head housekeeper dared not speak, but she stood still. Shen Wan walked towards her, and the head housekeeper took a step back. Just as she was about to take a second step back, Shen Ying's voice came, "Mother Cheng is just following the rules. Why make things difficult for her, elder sister?"
"If everyone were as willful and unruly as the eldest sister, wouldn't the mansion fall into chaos?"
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