Her shouting attracted a few passing servants, who hid behind the rockery and laughed secretly. Someone murmured:
"Look at her like a mad woman."
"Serves her right! She's the one who schemed against the young lady, and now she's getting her comeuppance."
"That's right, there's not even anyone to serve, how pitiful..."
"Pitiable?" another voice sneered, "When she withheld our monthly salary, she didn't feel sorry for us!"
When Liu heard these comments, she was so angry that she trembled all over and pointed at the rockery and screamed: "You dogs and slaves! How dare you talk about your master? Wait until I get better..."
Before she could finish her words, the servants ran off, laughing, leaving Liu alone, like a cucumber wilted in the sun. She looked at the empty courtyard and suddenly squatted on the ground, sobbing uncontrollably. Her makeup was smudged, and she looked even more miserable than a clown on stage.
At this moment, Shen Weiwan came over with Chuntao. Seeing Liu squatting on the ground, she showed just the right amount of surprise on her face: "Aiya, aunt, what's wrong with you? Who made you angry?"
Liu suddenly looked up and saw the red gold bracelet dangling on Shen Weiwan's wrist - it was the dowry she had pawned last month, but now it was worn on Shen Weiwan's hand. The flames of resentment instantly devoured her reason: "Shen Weiwan! Did you instruct them to do this to me?!"
"Auntie," Shen Weiwan blinked in a wronged manner, "How could the servants listen to me? I'm afraid you are usually too strict with them?"
"You're talking nonsense!" Liu screamed, standing up, her hair disheveled. "It's obvious you bribed them with money!"
"If Auntie thinks so, I can't help it," Shen Weiwan shrugged, and suddenly changed the subject, "But then again, you withheld the servants' monthly wages and sold the things in the warehouse. Everyone knows it. Now it's human nature that you don't want to serve you."
Liu was hit in the sore spot and was so angry that she couldn’t speak. She could only point at Shen Weiwan and tremble.
"Oh, auntie," Chen Weiwan seemed to remember something, "I heard that you wanted to make Sister Ruorou's coming-of-age ceremony more splendid? But look at this yard..." She glanced at the pillows and quilts scattered on the floor, "There's not even anyone to clean up, how can we organize this ceremony?"
Liu gritted her teeth and said, "None of your business!"
"How could I not care?" Chen Weiwan smiled innocently, "Sister Ruorou is also my cousin. How about this," she winked at Chuntao, "you bring a few maids to help your aunt clean up the yard, so as not to delay the coming-of-age ceremony."
Chun Tao immediately obeyed the order and walked in with four strong and sturdy maids. Without saying a word, she started moving things. Liu looked at these unfamiliar maids and knew that they were all Shen Weiwan's confidants. She was so angry that she trembled all over, but she couldn't even say a word of rebuttal.
Shen Weiwan looked at Liu's frustrated look, and felt happy in her heart, but her face was still concerned: "Aunt, please have a good rest. I'll go back first. Call me if you need anything."
After saying that, she turned around and left with Chuntao, leaving Liu standing there like a punctured ball.
Back at Songyun Hall, Chuntao couldn't help but ask, "Miss, are you really going to help Liu prepare for her coming-of-age ceremony?"
Shen Weiwan walked to the window, looked at the busy figures in the west wing, and a cold smile appeared on the corner of her mouth: "Of course I have to help. And I have to help with all my heart."
Chun Tao suddenly realized: "The young lady wants to..."
"What else?" Shen Weiwan turned around, a sharp glint in her eyes, "Liu wants to use the coming-of-age ceremony to turn things around, but I want her to be shattered to pieces at the peak of her glory."
Chun Tao saw the cold light in her young lady's eyes and couldn't help but shudder. She knew that the coming-of-age ceremony would be a wonderful spectacle.
At the same time, in the study of the Seventh Prince's Mansion, Xiao Yu listened to the guard's report and couldn't help but put down the teacup in his hand and chuckled: "This Shen Weiwan is becoming more and more interesting."
"Your Highness, do you need my help?" the guard asked, bowing.
Xiao Yu waved his hand, his fingertips stroking the warm jade ring: "No need. Let her play by herself." He walked to the window and looked in the direction of the general's mansion, a hint of amusement in his eyes, "I want to see how well she can play this chess game of Liu." After a pause, he ordered: "Go check on the second prince. Don't let them ruin Shen Weiwan's mood on the day of the coming-of-age ceremony."
"Yes, Your Highness."
Xiao Yu looked at the azure sky outside the window, an elusive smile curling up at the corner of his mouth. Chen Weiwan, every move you make makes me more and more excited.
As night fell, the General's Mansion fell into silence. Liu sat alone in the deserted room, a bowl of steamed bread and pickled vegetables on the table, the heat long gone. She stared at the blackened pickles, and for the first time, she felt a deep, bone-deep fear. The servants' rolling eyes, Shen Weiwan's sneer, the Seventh Prince's croton... Scenes flashed before her, and she suddenly realized that she had lost all support, like a small boat in a storm, ready to capsize at any moment.
Inside Songyun Hall, Chen Weiwan was flipping through stacks of account books by candlelight. Chuntao was grinding ink beside her and whispered, "Miss, Lu'e has brought the details of Liu's withheld monthly payments, as well as the pawn ticket that Uncle Li found."
Without even looking up, Chen Weiwan ran her fingertips over the yellowed pawn tickets: "Keep them. These are the 'big gifts' for Liu on her coming-of-age ceremony." She raised her head, her eyes gleaming with confidence, "The end of Liu is not far away."
Outside the window, a crescent moon crept up the willow branches, its cool light shone on the eaves of the general's mansion, casting a veil of silence over the approaching storm. A greater struggle was secretly gathering strength, waiting only for the day of the coming-of-age ceremony to erupt.
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