Beneath the grape trellis at the Prince's Palace, Chen Weiwan squatted on the ground, fiddling with a pile of multicolored powders. A hint of emerald green paint stained the tip of her nose, making her look like a small animal with a face full of bruises from stealing food. Xiao Yu leaned against a porch pillar, the hem of his dark brocade robe brushing the blue bricks. He twirled a mutton-fat jade ring in his hand as he watched her mix cinnabar, malachite, and gamboge in a clay pot. His brows raised slightly. "What are you working on?"
Without even looking up, Chen Weiwan stirred the powder with a wooden spoon, "I'm preparing a 'surprise' for the Grand Tutor! Yesterday he said the exhibits in my museum weren't fresh enough, so today I'll let him be a 'living specimen' himself."
Xiao Yu chuckled softly, walked over and squatted beside her, wiping the paint off the tip of her nose with his fingertips. "What are you going to do? Last time you stuffed his court boots with peppercorns, and he didn't dare to attend the morning court for three days."
"That's nothing!" Shen Weiwan proudly shook the wooden spoon, and the green powder sprinkled on her lilac skirt. "This time I'm going to dye his white beard peacock green, and sew the words 'Old Naughty Boy' on his cuffs. I'll make sure the whole capital knows that the Grand Tutor has 'rejuvenated'!"
Xiao Yu shook his head helplessly, but took out a sealed glass bottle from his sleeve pocket: "Use this, the plant dyes tributed from the Western Regions cannot be washed off." Shen Weiwan's eyes lit up, snatched the bottle and kissed him on the cheek: "Your Highness still loves me!"
Three days later, the Grand Tutor, looking sullen, stormed into the Prince's residence. His graying beard shone green, a strange gleam in the sunlight. He brandished his cane, nearly knocking over a flowerpot in the hallway. "Xiao Yu! Can you please stop your wife? You dyed my beard this awful way! How shameless!"
Xiao Yu was looking at the account book. Hearing this, he slowly put it down, glanced at the Taifu's green beard, and laughed so hard that his shoulders shook. "Taifu, calm down. I think Weiwan was just joking with you."
"Are you kidding?" The Grand Tutor was so angry that he puffed his beard and glared, "She even sewed 'Old Naughty Boy' on my sleeve! How can I face anyone?"
Shen Weiwan poked her head out from behind the screen, holding a cup of tea in her hand, with an innocent smile on her face: "Master Taifu, green makes you look younger! Look, this color suits you so well!"
Just as the Grand Tutor was about to explode, Xiao Yu suddenly spoke in a serious tone, "Grand Tutor, since Weiwan is 'dressing up' for you, it's a thoughtful gesture. However... I heard that your little grandson has been acting mischievously at the academy lately?"
The Taifu was stunned: "What does this have to do with it?"
"This is a serious matter!" Xiao Yu stood up and walked over to the Grand Tutor. "If a son is not taught well, it's the father's fault. Grand Tutor, you've failed in your parenting. As punishment, I'll copy the 'Rules for Disciples' a hundred times and then spend three months as a guide at the Weiwan 'Museum of Tricks'. I'll let you experience the joy of being 'tricked'."
The Grand Tutor nearly fainted from anger: "Xiao Yu! You are seeking revenge for your own personal gain!"
"Grandmaster, you're joking," Xiao Yu said with a smile. "This is to help you cultivate your character. Weiwan, why don't you pour Grandmaster a cup of tea and apologize?"
Chen Weiwan held back her laughter and handed over the teacup: "Master Taifu, you are so magnanimous, don't bother with me~ When you become a tour guide, I will make you a 'Legend of the Green Beard' sign, and I guarantee that the ticket price will double!"
The Grand Tutor was so angry that he could not speak when he saw the couple in collusion. He left with his green beard swung. Shen Weiwan immediately threw herself into Xiao Yu's arms, laughing so hard that she could not straighten her waist: "Your Highness, you were so handsome just now! You thought of copying the "Disciples' Rules" a hundred times as punishment!"
Xiao Yu rubbed her hair, his eyes full of doting: "After all, you are my wife. You dig the hole, so I have to hand you a shovel."
This is just one glimpse into Xiao Yu's daily life at the "Wife-Watching Stone." Ever since Chen Weiwan married into the Prince's Mansion, Xiao Yu has become her "exclusive supporter." When her "Museum of Fraud" at the General's Mansion was short on exhibits, he took old items from his own house to fill the void, euphemistically calling it "support for his career." When she tricked the Prime Minister's son into cleaning a manure pit, and when he came to her house, he said, "Young people, it's good for your health and well-being to experience more life." Even when she dyed the Queen Mother's cat a variety of colors, he remained calm and said, "The cat looks more festive with a different coat color."
Once, Shen Weiwan fell in love with the jade cabbage ornaments in Xiao Yu's warehouse and wanted to take them to the museum as "trick props." Xiao Yu sent them there without hesitation and also gave them a pair of jade carrots as a gift: "Putting them together will make them look like a vegetable garden, which is more humorous."
The most outrageous time was when Chen Weiwan replaced the censor's black gauze hat with rabbit ears. When Xiao Yu found out, he not only did not blame her, but ordered: "The censor has been overworked recently, so you will be granted three days off to 'rest' at home." The censor was so angry that he glared at the rabbit-ear hat at home, but did not dare to say anything else.
The servants in the palace all knew that when the princess was digging a hole, the prince would either be there to hand her tools or clean up the mess. In short, he would never let the princess suffer any injustice.
That day, Shen Weiwan was tinkering with new gadgets in the study. When Xiao Yu came in, he saw her looking worriedly at a pile of wooden lumps. "What is this?" He picked up a half-carved wooden sign with the words "Scam Academy" written crookedly on it.
Shen Weiwan sighed: "I wanted to build a 'School of Tricks' for our future children, but the carpentry skills were so poor that the carvings looked like ghost paintings."
Xiao Yu laughed and picked up the carving knife: "I'll do it." His fingertips were nimble and the carving knife flew across the wood. Soon, an exquisite wooden plaque took shape. The words on it were vigorous and powerful, and a mischievous smiley face was carved next to it.
Shen Weiwan's eyes lit up: "Your Highness, you are amazing! From now on, the motto of the 'Swindlers Academy' will be written by you!"
"Oh? What's the school motto?" Xiao Yu raised his eyebrows.
Shen Weiwan put her hands on her hips and said proudly, "The school motto is - 'Don't have the intention to cheat others, but be on guard against being cheated. If someone tries to cheat me, I will make sure he never comes back!'"
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