"We're a family," Shen Weiwan raised her eyes as a matter of course. The sunlight fell into her eyes, reflecting a tiny golden light. "I can't just watch her being bullied."
Liu's temples throbbed as she listened, her nails digging deep into her palms. Shen Ruorou was trembling all over, but she could only clutch the hem of her skirt tightly, not even having the courage to look up.
Xiao Yu stopped teasing her and suggested going to the garden to guess lantern riddles. Everyone stood up as if they had been pardoned. Shen Weiwan deliberately stayed last. Chun Tao leaned close to her ear and said, "Miss, what you said just now was really powerful. The second lady's face turned pale!"
Shen Weiwan raised the corner of her mouth and looked at the tall figure of the Seventh Prince walking in front: "This is just the beginning."
A lantern riddle frame was set up beside the Nine-Curve Bridge in the garden, and the ladies chattered around the riddles. However, Shen Weiwan walked straight towards Shen Ruoruo, who was standing alone under the pomegranate tree, her skirt sweeping a silent arc on the bluestone slabs.
"Cousin," her voice was as gentle as a spring breeze, "don't be too sad. It's hard to find a three-legged frog, but isn't it hard to find a two-legged man?"
Shen Ruorou turned back suddenly, her eyes burning with anger: "Chen Weiwan! Are you behind this? Are you the one who spread those rumors?"
Shen Weiwan immediately showed an aggrieved expression, and put her hand on her chest: "How could you say that, cousin? How many people were watching the incident between Master Li and you in the garden that day..." She paused deliberately and looked at the crowd in the distance, "Besides, the rumor about the gay couple was not made up by me. The storyteller on West Street has been telling it for three days."
"You!" Shen Ruorou was so angry that she trembled all over, and finally couldn't help but roll down her tears, "You clearly know..."
"Know what?" Shen Weiwan tilted her head, looking confused, "Cousin, if you have something to say, you might as well say it directly, so that my sister can understand."
Shen Ruorou looked at her innocent appearance, and suddenly remembered the foolish look of Shen Weiwan when she was deceived by her in her previous life. Now she was calculated by this face and had no power to fight back. A surge of resentment surged in her heart: "Just wait! I won't let you go!"
"What are you talking about, cousin?" Shen Weiwan sighed, "I'm just worried about you." She turned around and wanted to leave, but was stopped by Wang Ruohan: "Sister Weiwan, the Seventh Prince asked you to go over!"
Shen Weiwan responded, and before leaving, she turned back and said to Shen Ruorou: "Cousin, relax and don't think too much."
When she reached Xiao Yu, he was staring intently at a lantern riddle that read "Sunrise in the east, rain in the west," with an exquisite jade rabbit lantern hanging next to it.
"Your Highness called me?"
Xiao Yu pointed at the riddle: "Can you guess this?"
Chen Weiwan glanced at it and smiled, "It's the character '汨'. '日' means sunrise in the east, and '氵' means rain in the west. Put them together and it's the same."
A hint of surprise flashed across Xiao Yu's eyes, and then he smiled and said, "You're quite a clever girl." He suddenly took a step closer and lowered his voice, "I heard everything you said just now with Miss Shen Er."
Shen Weiwan's heart tightened, but her face remained calm: "What did your highness hear?"
"I heard how you 'cared' for her," Xiao Yu's eyes fell on her trembling eyelashes, "and I also heard how you insisted on labeling me a 'homosexual'."
Shen Weiwan smiled awkwardly, her fingertips unconsciously rubbing the jade pendant on her waist: "Your Highness, you are joking. I am just talking about the matter."
Xiao Yu stopped asking and turned to talk about the horse farm outside the capital, but Shen Weiwan was absent-minded. She could feel the Seventh Prince's eyes falling on her from time to time, and that look was like a hook, as if to hook out all the calculations in her heart.
When they returned home after the banquet, Chuntao reported vividly: "Miss, after you left, Madam Liu and the second young lady had a huge fight in the garden! The second young lady cried and said she wanted to go to the family temple, and Madam Liu was so angry that she slapped her!"
Chen Weiwan sat in front of the mirror, removing her hairpins. Hearing this, she curled her lips and said, "Well done." She looked at her calm face in the mirror, but a cold light flashed in her eyes. "Go tell the old housekeeper to recheck the account books of Liu's embezzlement of the household expenses. There's a monthly meeting tomorrow, and it's time to wake some people up."
"Yes!" Chuntao responded and left.
Shen Weiwan picked up the dragon-patterned jade pendant on the table, feeling its warmth. This was her father's legacy. In her previous life, she had pawned it for money to curry favor with the Liu family. Now it had been returned to its original owner, but it could never bring back her life. She stroked the patterns on the jade pendant, a cold smile curling her lips.
At the same time, in the study of the Seventh Prince's Mansion, Xiao Yu listened to the guard's report, and the jade chess piece in his hand fell "pa" on the chessboard.
"Your Highness, Miss Shen was at the Grand Tutor's residence today, completely confirming the rumors of her being a homosexual," the guard whispered. "Ms. Liu was so angry she smashed three teacups, and Miss Shen II has locked herself up in her room."
Xiao Yu played with the chess pieces, the black jade gleaming faintly in the candlelight. "This Chen Weiwan..." He suddenly chuckled, "She's more interesting than I imagined." He paused, "How's the situation with the Minister of Personnel?"
"Your Highness, I have claimed illness as you instructed. The people sent by Liu were turned away."
Xiao Yu nodded: "Very good. There will be a good show to watch at the monthly meeting tomorrow."
After the guards left, Xiao Yu walked to the window and looked towards the general's mansion. In the night, the mansion looked like a dormant beast, and Shen Weiwan was the sharpest fang in its mouth. He thought of her smiling almond eyes during the day, and suddenly felt that this boring capital city had become a little more interesting because of this woman.
The next morning, in the main hall of the general's mansion, Liu, wearing a brand new gold-woven skirt, walked in with Shen Ruoruo in a proud manner. She had received the news last night that the Minister of Personnel had fallen ill. Although she felt a little uneasy, she still felt that Shen Weiwan would not cause any trouble.
Shen Weiwan had already taken the main seat, and the old housekeeper stood beside her holding the account book. She watched Liu come in, and a smile slowly curled up at the corner of her mouth.
Liu, your doom has come. She had already laid out the plan for this war without the smoke of gunpowder, and was just waiting to close the net.
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