An early summer breeze, wrapped in the sweet fragrance of gardenias from the back garden, quietly crept into the ancestral hall west of the general's mansion. The carved wooden window frames were covered with half-worn mulberry paper. Sunlight filtered through the cracks, casting dappled shadows on the blue brick floor, illuminating the old butler's hunched back. He trembled as he placed three sticks of sandalwood incense into the copper incense burner. He gazed at the portrait of General Shen, armored and sword-wielding, on the wall. Suddenly, he wiped his eyes, his turbid tears forming glistening droplets on his graying beard.
"General..." The old housekeeper sobbed at the portrait, his voice thick with nasal sounds. "The year you left, the eldest lady was only five years old. She clung to the wooden pony you gave her and refused to let go. Now she is about to get married..." He thought of the tragic situation when Shen Weiwan was almost married to the lame Li Xiu before her rebirth. His throat was choked with sobs and he couldn't speak. "I thought I would have to watch the eldest lady jump into the fire pit, but I didn't know... I didn't know that she was like a different person. Not only did she not hand over the warehouse key, she also kicked that vicious woman Liu and her family out of the capital!"
Sandalwood smoke curled from the incense burner. The old butler grew increasingly excited as he spoke, his dry finger pointing at the general's eyes in the portrait: "I never expected it, General! His Highness the Seventh Prince has taken a fancy to our eldest daughter! Yesterday, I ran into His Highness carrying our eldest daughter into the mansion at the moon gate. That look in his eyes...tsk, tsk, sweeter than freshly brewed honey from the imperial kitchen! You said back then that you would find our eldest daughter a husband from the best family, and now your wish has come true!"
As he was mumbling, the wooden door of the ancestral hall creaked open, and Shen Weiwan swung in, holding Xiao Yu's hand. She was wearing a light green skirt and a fresh gardenia in her hair. Hearing the old housekeeper's words, she doubled over with laughter. She deliberately put on a stern face and lightly kicked the old housekeeper's butt: "Grandpa Housekeeper! What do you mean by 'hooking up'? This is called free love, don't you understand?"
The old butler shuddered with fear, turned around and saw the two of them. He hurriedly wiped his tears with his sleeve, tears still hanging on his beard: "Miss! Your Highness! This old servant... This old servant is so happy for the general! Look how successful you are now..."
Xiao Yu raised his eyebrows, rubbed his fingertips against the gardenia in Shen Weiwan's hair, and suddenly pinched her cheek: "The housekeeper is right, this prince is indeed 'hooked up' with you."
"Go away!" Shen Weiwan slapped his hand away, her ears slightly red. She turned and saluted the general's portrait, then suddenly put her hands on her hips and said, "Dad, did you hear that? Your daughter didn't embarrass you. Not only did she deal with Aunt Liu and Shen Ruorou, that bitch, but she also found a prince who can help me cheat people! If anyone dares to bully me again, your son-in-law will throw him into the cesspool—no, send him to feed the pigs!"
The old housekeeper nodded vigorously, remembering Xiao Yu putting croton powder in Lin Wanrou's rice, and couldn't help but say, "That's right! Last time, when that girl Lin Wanrou poisoned someone, His Highness personally sent people to the clan house to deliver croton. She didn't dare leave the toilet for three months..."
"Stop!" Shen Weiwan hurriedly covered the old butler's mouth, her cheeks burning, "Butler Grandpa, can we change the subject?" She secretly glanced at Xiao Yu, and seeing him smiling frankly, she felt shy and sweet in her heart - who would have thought that the cold prince was so sinister in private.
However, Xiao Yu took Shen Weiwan's waist and said to the old housekeeper with a smile: "What the housekeeper said is right. This king will have to help Weiwan cheat more people in the future, so that no one will be blind."
The old housekeeper watched the two flirting and remembered the general's last words. He wiped away his tears again: "General... Look at the young lady. She's even more capable than you were back then! Back then, you betrayed the enemy on the battlefield, and now the young lady is betraying the villains in the capital. True, a tiger father has a dog daughter!"
Shen Weiwan was embarrassed by the praise, and she pulled Xiao Yu and ran out: "Grandpa Butler, please chat with my father slowly, Your Highness and I will go to the warehouse to check out the new snacks!"
As the two of them reached the door of the warehouse, they heard Chuntao's scream from inside. When they pushed the door open, they saw Chuntao staring blankly at a basket of pigskin rafts in the corner. Each raft was painted with a different face in cinnabar, some sticking out their tongues, some rolling their eyes, looking both funny and creepy.
"Miss! Your Highness!" Chun Tao pointed at the pigskin raft, her face full of confusion. "Where did this come from? It looks scary..."
Xiao Yu coughed lightly, his eyes drifting towards the window: "Uh... I had someone send this to Weiwan as... a decoration."
Chen Weiwan narrowed her eyes, walked around the bamboo basket, and suddenly laughed out loud: "Ornament? I think it's a 'surprise' you want to give to Lin Wanrou?" She thought of the red pigskin raft tied to her waist when Lin Wanrou fell into the water. She reached out and poked the crooked ghost face painted on the raft. "It's quite unique, though. I'll hang it up in Xiefangyuan as a wind chime to scare away those gossiping flies!"
Seeing that she liked it, Xiao Yu immediately smiled and leaned over to her ear and said, "I'm glad you like it. I'll have someone draw some more of Nezha riding on wind-fire wheels. I guarantee they'll be more interesting than this."
As he was speaking, the old butler came running in breathlessly, clutching a wax-sealed letter in his hand: "My dear lady! The Queen Mother's decree has come from the palace, granting you and His Highness a marriage!"
Shen Weiwan was stunned, and turned to look at Xiao Yu, her eyes full of surprise: "A marriage? You knew about it a long time ago?"
Xiao Yu raised an eyebrow and brushed the petals off her shoulder with his fingertips. "I just submitted a petition for imperial decree yesterday. The Queen Mother has always been fond of me, so she will naturally grant my request." He suddenly leaned in close, his warm breath brushing against her ear. "Weiwan, from now on, you will be my princess consort. You can do whatever you want to deceive others, and I will be your accomplice."
Shen Weiwan's cheeks flushed red, and she deliberately put on a stern face: "Who wants to be your princess... But considering that you sent a basket of pig skin rafts, I will reluctantly agree!"
The old butler was grinning from ear to ear, and he bowed to the general's portrait: "General! Did you hear that? The eldest daughter is going to be the prince's consort! I will go to the storehouse to rummage through the boxes and cabinets and prepare the wedding gifts!"
This chapter is not finished yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
