Two burly maids came forward and lifted up the limp Shen Ruoruo like a sack. She was still crying out "I didn't," but the maids covered her mouth, so she could only make a whimpering sound. When passing by Shen Weiwan, Shen Weiwan suddenly came close, and her warm breath brushed her ear: "Cousin, next time you copy a poem, remember to let the maid check the almanac first."
Shen Ruorou froze, and when she looked up suddenly, she was met with the "annoying" smile on Shen Weiwan's lips. Her eyes went dark, and she completely fainted. The last jade hairpin in her bun fell to the ground with a "ding-ling" sound, rolling to Shen Weiwan's feet.
"Miss, you are really amazing!" Chun Tao helped Shen Weiwan back to her seat, her eyes full of admiration, "You took off her panties in just a few words!"
Chen Weiwan picked up the teacup, the heat misting her eyebrows and eyes: "It's far inferior to Your Highness." She raised her eyes to look at Xiao Yu who was not far away. The other party was raising his glass to gesture to her. The amber wine swayed in the cup, reflecting the indelible tenderness in his eyes.
"Miss Shen, you're too polite." Xiao Yu walked over, tapping his folding fan lightly on his palm. "This prince simply caused the owner of Zui Mo Zhai to 'accidentally' tell the truth." He paused, lowering his voice. "Yesterday, the owner said that when the second young lady's maid bought a poem, she deliberately picked the shortest one, saying, 'My young lady has a bad memory.'"
The two smiled at each other, and a tacit understanding flowed in their eyes. The discussions of the noble ladies around them gradually subsided, replaced by envious glances - everyone could see that the look in the eyes of the Seventh Prince when he looked at Shen Weiwan was no longer just ordinary admiration.
"Okay," Madam Taifu cleared her throat and her eyes fell on Shen Weiwan, "Weiwan, do you have any poems?"
Shen Weiwan stood up and walked to the table, picking up the wolf-hair brush. The ink in the inkstone had already rippled from the previous commotion. She thought for a moment, then moved the brush tip smoothly across the rice paper:
"In late spring, when the flowers have fallen, the bees and butterflies are busy with their own things.
Don't lament the fading of beauty, but smile at the growing willow branches.
The poem fell onto paper, and the whole hall fell silent. The Grand Tutor's wife recited it twice, then suddenly clapped her hands and laughed. "What a wonderful 'smiling while watching the willow branches grow'! Weiwan, the open-mindedness in your poem seems to have seen through the vicissitudes of life."
The noble ladies gathered around, and those who had just laughed at Shen Ruoruo now looked at Shen Weiwan with eyes full of admiration. Some admired the vigorous brushwork, while others lamented the profound artistic conception. For a moment, Shen Weiwan became the most dazzling presence in the flower hall.
She smiled as she responded, but out of the corner of her eye she caught a glimpse of a shadow at the side hall doorway. Shen Ruorou had woken up at some point and was hiding behind the door, staring at her with a venomous gaze. The hatred in her eyes threatened to ignite the air, yet there was also a hint of unwilling cowardice—like a poisonous snake trampled in the mud, spitting its tongue in vain.
Shen Weiwan curled her lips slightly, then turned back to continue her discussion of poetry with Madam Taifu. She knew Shen Ruoruo's "talented woman" persona was just a facade, now pierced by her own hands, revealing the filth beneath. Next up, it was the turn of that lame scumbag, Li Xiu—compared to Shen Ruoruo, his pitiful self-esteem was the perfect opportunity to break through.
It was almost dusk when the poetry gathering ended, and Xiao Yu insisted on sending Shen Weiwan back home. In the carriage, Chuntao was still excitedly recounting the farce just now, while Shen Weiwan was looking at the street scene passing by outside the window, lost in thought.
"What are you thinking about?" Xiao Yu held her hand, and the warmth of his palm came through his fingertips.
Shen Weiwan turned to look at him, his handsome features outlined in the twilight: "Thinking about how to deal with Li Xiu."
Xiao Yu laughed, his fingertips stroking the fine lines on the back of her hand: "You, you really can't sit still for a moment." He moved closer, and the scent of cedar mixed with the smell of ink hit him. "This prince does have an idea--"
He whispered a few words in her ear. Shen Weiwan listened, the smile on her lips getting bigger and bigger, and finally she couldn't help laughing out loud: "Your Highness, your idea is really 'harmful'!"
"Same here." Xiao Yu raised an eyebrow. "Compared to someone letting a dog hold a bracelet or forcing my cousin to rub stones, what's this prince doing?"
The carriage slowly pulled into the general's residence, and the gatehouse lanterns lit up in the twilight. Shen Weiwan gazed out the window at the familiar vermilion lacquer gate, her heart filled with anticipation. She knew that Shen Ruorou's demise was only the beginning; with Xiao Yu as her "best assist," the drama that followed would surely be even more exciting.
At this moment, in the side hall, Shen Ruorou threw the teacup to the ground, and the broken pieces of porcelain splashed on the hem of her skirt, but she was completely unaware. The maid Xiaolian knelt on the ground, shaking like a sieve.
"Chen Weiwan! Xiao Yu!" She grabbed the bronze mirror on the table and smashed it against the wall. The mirror shattered into pieces, reflecting her distorted face. "I won't let you go! Even if I turn into a ghost, I will peel off your skin!"
But her cries were merely the wails of a trapped beast. When the news of "talented woman Shen Ruorou being caught red-handed for plagiarism" spread throughout the capital, and when the streets were filled with the jingle "Second Young Lady Forgets the Seasons While Copying Poems," who would still care about a notorious concubine's daughter?
When Shen Weiwan returned to the courtyard, Chuntao had already lit the glass lantern. Standing by the window, she gazed at the rising crescent moon in the sky, remembering herself at that moment in her past life, foolishly unaware of Liu's trickery into handing over her mother's belongings. And now, not only had she secured everything, she was also trampling her enemies underfoot one by one.
"Dad, Mom," she murmured to herself in the moonlight, her fingertips gently stroking the jade bracelet on her wrist, "Look, I have turned everyone who bullied me into a laughing stock."
The evening breeze blew, bringing with it the fragrance of flowers all over the garden and the faint sound of children's songs in the distance. Shen Weiwan's lips curled up, revealing a confident smile. The curtain of the next great show had slowly opened, and this time, she was the only protagonist.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
