The first rays of morning sunlight crept over the blue tiles of the General's Mansion. The front yard's sycamore tree was already crowded with servants. The old butler, leaning on a jujube-wood cane, stood on the steps, observing the chattering crowd below. He cleared his throat—his voice carried his usual authority, yet concealed a subtle hint of playfulness.
"Everyone, be quiet!" The old butler's cane tapped on the bluestone slabs. "I've called you all together today to inform you of what happened in the west wing last night."
Liu hid behind the crowd, wrapped in a heavy cloak, trying to hide the hem of her skirt, which had been stained with rotten egg liquid the night before. Her nails dug into her palms, and her eyelids jumped when she heard the words "West Wing."
"Last night at three o'clock in the morning," the old housekeeper drawled, his eyes flicking towards Liu, "Madam, desperately missing her husband, mistakenly believed rumors and went to dig under the old locust tree in the west wing..."
"Puchi——" Someone couldn't hold back his laughter and was immediately poked by the elbow by the person next to him.
The old housekeeper glared at the man and continued, "Madam mistakenly believed there were relics of the general buried under the tree, but what she unearthed was actually rotten eggs from the kitchen. Although this was a misunderstanding, it disturbed the peace of the mansion and damaged the reputation of the general's residence. I hope Madam will not believe rumors in the future, and the servants should also take this as a warning."
These words sounded euphemistic, but they hit Liu like a slap in the face. "Missing her husband so much"? Everyone knew the general was Shen Weiwan's biological father! "Believing rumors"? Clearly, they were digging up the foundations looking for gold! The servants knew the truth, but they didn't dare laugh out loud. Their shoulders trembled like leaves in the autumn wind.
"No!" Liu finally couldn't help herself and rushed out of the crowd, her face pale and blue. "Old housekeeper, you are talking nonsense! I am... I am..."
"Oh? Madam, what's your explanation?" Shen Weiwan's voice came from behind the crowd. She was wearing a plain white skirt and holding a bowl of bird's nest porridge in her hand, as if she had just finished breakfast and passed by. "Didn't Auntie say she was 'fertilizing' the west wing last night? How did it become looking for the general's relics?"
This sentence was like a thunderclap, and the servants could no longer hold back and burst into laughter. Someone murmured:
"No wonder he stinks, it turns out he's fighting rotten eggs!"
"I missed my husband so much that I ended up digging into a cesspool, tsk tsk..."
"Who will dare to say that Madam is dignified from now on?"
Liu was laughed at and felt ashamed. She pointed at Shen Weiwan and was so angry that she couldn't speak: "You...you are slandering me!"
"Auntie, you're really wronging me," Shen Weiwan tilted her head, looking innocent, "Didn't you say last night that you were 'fermenting' the flowers and plants? How come when it comes to the housekeeper, it becomes 'missing your husband'? Could it be..." She deliberately lowered her voice, "Could it be that Auntie thinks that the general's relics are worse than flowers and plants and can only be used as fertilizer?"
"How dare you!" Liu screamed and was about to pounce, but was stopped by the old housekeeper.
"Madam, please respect yourself!" the old butler said sternly. "The eldest lady only covered up for you out of concern for you. This matter will be handled according to the notice, and this will not happen again." He paused, then raised his voice. "From today on, no one is allowed to dig in the west wing without authorization. Violators will be severely punished!"
Liu's face turned pale with choking. Looking at the servants pointing and criticizing at her, she wished she could find a hole in the ground to hide in. She knew that Shen Weiwan was trying to prove that she had "dug the foundation secretly" and make her completely unable to raise her head in the mansion.
Shen Weiwan looked at Liu's embarrassed appearance, feeling secretly happy, but showing a "worried" expression on her face: "Aunt, you look so bad, did you not sleep well last night? How about I ask the kitchen to make you a bowl of 'calming soup'?"
"Get out!" Liu couldn't bear it any longer, she flicked her sleeves and left, with even louder snickers coming from behind her.
After Liu walked away, the old housekeeper walked to Shen Weiwan and lowered his voice: "Miss, this notice..."
"Well done, housekeeper," Shen Weiwan smiled, her eyes curved. "It's this kind of 'euphemistic' criticism that makes her speechless." She turned her head to look at the crowd, "By the way, housekeeper, how are the new account books in the warehouse going?"
"My dear young lady," the old butler pulled out the account book from his sleeve, "there's more evidence of Liu's embezzlement, especially the fur expenditure last winter..."
"Shh—" Shen Weiwan interrupted him and pointed at the Seventh Prince Xiao Yu in the distance.
Xiao Yu, riding a white horse, stopped outside the moon-shaped gate, playing with a folding fan in his hand, looking at this side with a half-smile. Behind him followed a young eunuch, holding a food box in his hand.
"Miss Shen is quite resourceful," Xiao Yu dismounted and walked in front of Shen Weiwan. "I heard laughter from the general's residence at the palace gate. So they were holding a 'struggle session'?"
Shen Weiwan's heart skipped a beat, but she pretended to be surprised: "Why is Your Highness here?"
"Just passing by," Xiao Yu raised an eyebrow, his eyes sweeping over the account book in her hand, "I'll bring you something by the way." He gestured for the eunuch to hand over the food box, "This is the peach blossom pastry freshly made by the imperial kitchen, as a reward for you."
Chuntao quickly took the food box, opened it and saw that it contained exquisite peach blossom pastries, still hot.
"Thank you, Your Highness," Shen Weiwan bowed, "but I cannot accept rewards without merit..."
"Who said you didn't do anything?" Xiao Yu interrupted her. "You've brought Liu down to earth and relieved my boredom. That's merit." He took a step closer and lowered his voice. "I heard you prepared a 'big gift' for Liu, planning to give it to the Queen Mother at her birthday banquet?"
Shen Weiwan's heart trembled, but her face remained calm: "Your Highness is joking, what kind of gift can I give you?"
"Oh?" Xiao Yu looked at her with a sharp gaze. "Then I heard that someone prepared a 'special' account book, hoping to show the Empress Dowager how 'thrifty' Liu is in managing the household."
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