After having lunch at the Yun Family, Shen Wan finally headed back home. She didn’t take any of the other gifts the Yun Family offered, only bringing back a bolt of pale purple Fuguang Brocade.
Regarding this, Shan Hu was quite puzzled, “Miss, isn’t blue your favorite color? Why didn’t you take that bolt?”
Because the Fuguang Brocade wasn’t for her own use.
Shen Wu and Ye Caiwei were truly sisters, sharing similar tastes.
In her past life, everyone had received Fuguang Brocade, and those two had even fought over the colors. Now that there was only one bolt, she wanted to see if they would fight over it until they were bruised and bleeding.
If she didn’t make them fight for their own interests, they would collude to target her.
Upon returning to Dingguo Duke’s Mansion, before Shen Wan could ask why Madam of Duke Zheng had come to the mansion, a maid stepped forward and told her, “Madam of Duke Zheng has returned the Second Miss’s Geng Tie…”
It was good that it had been returned. Shen Wan breathed a sigh of relief, but Shan Hu asked, “Why was it returned?”
The maid said, “They said that last night, many strange things happened at Zhengguo Gongfu. There was chaos everywhere, and even Duke Zheng’s horse foamed at the mouth and collapsed…”
Shen Wan, “…”
Shen Wan felt a cascade of black lines forming on her forehead.
Her eldest brother had handled this matter too hastily, hadn’t he?
It was almost as if he had slapped the words “Shen Wan and Zhengguo Gong Shizi are incompatible” right on Duke Zheng’s forehead.
Could it be that he was scared off by her threats?
Feeling somewhat apologetic, Shen Wan headed toward Shen Li’s study.
The study door was wide open. As Shen Wan walked in, she heard her eldest brother speaking, “I remember clearly putting it here. Where did I stuff it?”
Shen Wan turned her head and saw Shen Li searching for a book on the bookshelf.
Shen Wan walked over.
Shen Li said, “Why has my sister come?”
Shen Wan replied, “Thank you, eldest brother, for helping me break off the engagement…”
“Cough, cough!”
Shen Li burst into a fit of violent coughing.
Shen Wan asked, “What’s wrong, eldest brother?”
What’s wrong?
Was his sister lacking in common sense?
Couldn’t she see such a large person sitting right there?
Shen Li rubbed his forehead, “Eldest brother still has a guest here.”
A guest?
Shen Wan’s heart skipped a beat.
She quickly turned around and saw a man sitting there, calmly drinking tea.
When she saw clearly who it was, Shen Wan nearly exploded.
It was Xie Jingyu!
Why was he in her eldest brother’s study?!
Thinking about how her eldest brother and Xie Jingyu were sworn brothers and had an extremely close relationship, and how Xie Jingyu, knowing full well how much her eldest brother doted on her, had humiliated her so badly—even when beating a dog, one would consider its owner—how could her eldest brother be so close to such a scoundrel? Sooner or later, she would make her eldest brother cut ties with him to avoid being corrupted.
Shen Wan seethed with indignation.
Shen Li whispered, “You weren’t exactly quiet just now. What should we do?”
“What else can we do? Silence him!”
Shen Wan’s eyes flashed with murderous intent.
Shen Li, “…”
“Truly my sister, full of courage.”
Coincidentally, there was a dagger placed on the bookshelf. Shen Li casually picked it up and handed it to Shen Wan, “You go ahead. Eldest brother will go dig a hole to bury the body.”
Looking at the dagger handed to her, Shen Wan wondered if this was really her own flesh and blood.
Shen Wan glanced toward Xie Jingyu, just as he looked over.
Their eyes met.
Shen Wan grabbed the dagger.
Shen Li was startled—he had only been joking. Surely his sister wouldn’t actually go…
Just as he was about to pull her back, Shen Wan walked out the door.
And she took his dagger with her.
Shen Li, “…”
How could he have thought his sister would actually have the guts to kill Prince Jingbei’s heir?
Shen Li couldn’t help but laugh at his own delusion.
Shen Wan tightly gripped the dagger in her hand.
She would endure it for now. One day, she would plunge this dagger deep into that scoundrel’s heart, then grind his bones to dust to vent the fury in her heart.
Xie Jingyu watched Shen Wan leave, his gaze dark and inscrutable, emotions swirling in his eyes that were impossible to decipher.
Shen Li approached and cleared his throat softly. “We siblings were just joking…”
“I’ll gladly accept this leverage.”
“…”
After leaving the study, Shen Wan carefully put away the dagger and headed to Shou’an Hall.
Shen Wu and Ye Caiwei were gathered around the Old Madam, chatting and laughing.
As soon as Shen Wan entered the room, Ye Caiwei exclaimed in admiration.
“Fuguang Brocade!”
The group that had just been surrounding the Old Madam immediately shifted their attention to Shan Hu, who was holding the Fuguang Brocade.
Shen Yao ran her hand over the brocade, marveling at its smoothness. “Truly, seeing it once is better than hearing about it a hundred times. Where did you get this, Second Sister?”
“I just brought it back from the Yun Family.”
Shen Wu couldn’t tear her eyes away from the brocade. “Weren’t you supposed to go to Huguo Temple? How did you end up at the Yun Family?”
Shen Wan replied calmly, “Madam of Duke Zheng came to the manor, so Mother couldn’t accompany me to Huguo Temple. I was a bit afraid to go alone, so I changed my plans and went to the Yun Family instead.”
“It’s a pity the Fuguang Brocade is so rare—the Yun Family only had one bolt.”
Shen Wan turned to Ye Caiwei. “Cousin, you love light purple the most. This bolt of Fuguang Brocade is for you.”
Ye Caiwei gasped in surprise. “For me? Are you sure, Cousin?”
Shen Wan said, “I’m reluctant to part with it too and would like to keep it for myself. But Father and Mother want to find you a good marriage match. In a few days, the Shunyang Princess’s estate will host a banquet. If you wear a gown made of Fuguang Brocade and perform a dance, you’re sure to dazzle everyone.”
Ye Caiwei blushed. “Do Uncle and Aunt think I’m a burden and want to marry me off?”
A young lady could be shy, but there was no need for such harsh words.
Shen Wan’s smile was faint and did not reach her eyes. “If you don’t want it, I’ll give it to Third Sister instead, as an early gift for her coming-of-age ceremony.”
Just as Shen Wu was about to accept, Ye Caiwei quickly interjected, “I want it! Thank you, Cousin!”
Afraid that Shen Wu would try to take it from her, Ye Caiwei took the tray from Shan Hu and handed it to her own maid to hold.
Shan Hu didn’t understand why her mistress would let the cousin wear the Fuguang Brocade gown first instead of keeping it for herself. But then she remembered that the cousin’s father had taken an arrow for the Duke, leaving her orphaned. It was only right for her mistress to yield to her. Besides, the Yun Family still had more.
Shen Wu wanted to snatch the brocade back but didn’t dare. She said, “Second Sister is so kind to Cousin.”
Shen Wu was only a month older than Ye Caiwei.
Shen Wan smiled. “If it weren’t for Uncle sacrificing his life, I wouldn’t have a father. Being kind to Cousin is the least I can do.”
They had reminded Shen Wan of this more than once, but this was the first time she had said it to them.
With these words, Shen Wan effectively dashed Shen Wu’s hopes of persuading her to give the brocade to her instead. If Shen Wu wanted the Fuguang Brocade, she would have to find a way to get it from Ye Caiwei.
After spending a quarter of an hour in Shou’an Hall, Shen Wan returned to Mingyue Yuan.
Inside the room, Hong Xiu was arranging flower pots. When she saw Shen Wan enter, she hurried over to bow. “Greetings, Miss.”
Shen Wan helped her up. “I specifically asked Grandmother for you. How could I let you do such menial tasks? From now on, let Shan Hu and Yin Chuan handle these things.”
Hong Xiu looked confused. “But this is my duty…”
If she wasn’t to do these tasks, then why had the Second Miss asked the Old Madam for her?
Knowing her confusion, Shen Wan smiled and said, "I asked Grandmother for you because I admire your needlework skills. My maternal grandmother and Grandmother's birthdays are only a month apart. I'm embroidering the Bai Shou Tu for Grandmother, and I can't favor one over the other, but I truly can't manage it all alone. Coincidentally, Grandmother wanted to reward me with a maid, so I took the opportunity to ask for you."
"Following me naturally can't compare to serving Grandmother, but rest assured, I won't treat you unfairly."
Shen Wan took a gold bracelet from her dressing case and slipped it onto Hong Xiu's wrist. "This gold bracelet was originally a pair. Once the Bai Shou Tu is finished, I'll reward you with the other one as well."
The weight of the gold bracelet on her wrist gave Hong Xiu an almost surreal feeling.
She knew the Second Young Miss was always generous, but she never expected such lavishness—rewarding her with a gold bracelet so casually.
Earlier, she had been somewhat reluctant to come to Mingyue Yuan, but now she felt as if she had been struck by a stroke of luck from the heavens.
Hong Xiu quickly expressed her gratitude, "This servant will do her utmost to help the Young Miss embroider the Bai Shou Tu."
Shen Wan didn't assign her any rough tasks like wiping tables or moving heavy items, so there was little else for Hong Xiu to do in the room. Having just received the gold bracelet, Hong Xiu was quick to understand her duties and immediately set to work on the Bai Shou Tu.
Seeing Shan Hu's look of envy, Shen Wan gently tapped her forehead. "Don't be envious. I certainly won't treat you unfairly either."
"I don't trust her. In the future, when interacting with her, you and Yin Chuan must not confide in her completely."