Dad, open the door. I'll bring your mistress back for you.

Shen Chuning was awakened by a nightmare.

Sometimes she dreamed of two eyeballs filled with blood, sometimes she dreamed of Shen Jingwan bringing her medicine and forcing her to drink it, and sometimes she dreamed of a child lying beside the bed, asking why she didn't want him.

Shen Chuning opened her eyes, calmed herself down, and called the maid in to help her wash up.

The maid combed her hair into a bun with hanging flowers, chose a peach pink dress for Shen Chuning to wear, and picked newly opened peach blossoms in the yard and put them in her hair.

"Miss, I saw that you liked the sweet cheese yesterday, so I made peach blossom cheese today. The main kitchen has sent over five-blessing cakes and barley porridge. Would you like to have your meal now?" Cuiwei pulled the curtain aside and came in.

"Keep the food that the main kitchen has sent you. Cuiwei, take the peach blossom cheese and follow me to Songhe Hall."

After Shen Chuning finished speaking, she moved lightly with lotus steps, her silk skirt fluttering like petals falling from the peach tree in the yard.

It was early spring, and the air was still a little chilly, but the sunlight had become soft and bright. The servants in the yard were pruning the trees, and the maids in the corridor were wiping the dust off the railings with rags.

Cuiwei, holding a bamboo-carved, lacquered, and gold-painted food box, followed Shen Chuning to Songhe Hall.

"Grandma, Chu Ning is here to pay her respects to you." Shen Chuning called out before she even entered the door.

Qixia, who was in the room, heard this and quickly lifted the curtain to welcome Shen Chuning in. "The old lady was just talking about Miss Nine."

"I knew Grandma was thinking about Chu Ning. Cuiwei made this fresh peach blossom cheese. It's easy to digest. I brought it to you right off the stove. You haven't had breakfast yet, have you?"

As Shen Chuning spoke, she took out peach blossom cheese from the food box and looked at the table full of food with her eyes wide open.

Seeing her like this, Old Lady Shen smiled at Qixia and said, "Look at her. She's not trying to show her filial piety at all. She's clearly here to get some money from me."

"Miss Nine hasn't eaten properly for several days. Perhaps she's become greedy after seeing all this food."

"Aunt Qixia really understands me. This morning, the kitchen only sent us five-blessing cakes and barley porridge. When have I ever suffered such injustice?" Shen Chuning said as she picked up a handkerchief and wiped the non-existent tears from the corners of her eyes.

This made Mrs. Shen laugh out loud.

"Seeing you become such a naughty monkey again, it should be better. Tell the kitchen to prepare Miss Nine's meals as usual."

After receiving the order, Qixia replied "yes" and walked out.

The grandparents and grandchildren were left alone in the house to chat privately.

"Madame Jane from the palace came this morning."

Hearing this, Shen Chuning stopped scooping the meat wontons and looked up at Old Madam Shen, her eyes full of anticipation.

"Princess Jiahe nodded in agreement. You will enter the palace starting on the first day of next month. The Empress Dowager, considering your young age, will allow you to return home every day. Grandmother would like to hear your opinion."

"Chun Ning wants to live in the palace. If I remember correctly, Princess Jiahe already has two study companions. If Chu Ning goes home alone every day, she might become annoying."

Of course she had to live in the palace, otherwise how could she develop relationships with her patrons?

Fortunately, there are still about twenty days until the first day of next month, which should be enough time for her to deal with Shen Jingwan's affairs.

"Princess Jiahe's two companions are one, the young princess of Prince Ruyang's mansion. Although Prince Ruyang is an idle prince and his family has no outstanding male descendants, the young princess is superior to you in status, so you should be careful in your interactions. The other is the daughter of the Minister of Rites, and the niece of the late Empress. Although these two are nominally the princess' companions, they were both chosen by the late Empress for the Crown Prince when she was still alive. I originally wanted to find a reason to bring them by my side and educate them early, but I didn't expect the late Empress to pass away so early. Grandmother told you about this relationship because she hopes you will be careful in everything in the palace, but you must not bring shame upon my Shen family."

"Yes, granddaughter remembers it."

Shen Chuning picked up a piece of silver thread roll and placed it on the plate in front of Old Madam Shen. She was not interested in that so-called Crown Princess. After she was reborn, she swore that she would never enter the royal family again in this life. Now she just wanted to find a few more thighs to hug.

"Madame Jian also said that it was the Fifth Prince who saved you in the palace that day. He must have suffered a lot because of you, and the Empress Dowager sent medicine to him in your name."

"Suffered a little? Is it serious?"

That day, Shen Chuning saw that the child's clothes were not only ill-fitting but also covered in dirt. He was also quite afraid of Xiao Jinhuan. She didn't expect that it was the fifth prince.

In his previous life, the fifth prince was a notorious coward who withdrew from the power struggle early on. Unexpectedly, in this life, at such a young age, he had the courage to fight against Xiao Jinhuan. You have to know that behind Xiao Jinhuan were Concubine Qin and the third prince.

"Since the Empress Dowager sent the medicine in your name, she has repaid your kindness. There is no need to worry about a prince whose mother is of low status and who is not valued by the Emperor."

"Grandma, after breakfast, I want to go out for a walk. It's my first time meeting my sisters, so I have to prepare some gifts."

"You're just tired of staying at home," Old Madam Shen said, standing up and taking out a five-hundred-liang silver note from the box on her dressing table and handing it to Shen Chuning. "Your second aunt came to pay her respects the other day and said the craftsmen at Wanbaoxuan have designed a batch of new jewelry. Go and see if there's anything you like. After you've picked out some, go to Jinxiufang to look at some clothing styles. After noon, have Xiuniang come to take your measurements and make you some new clothes."

Shen Chuning pushed the banknote back.

"My granddaughter has money. Besides, this is our own shop, so why would we need money? I'll keep my own money to reward the little girl when I feel like it."

"You are the little girl I want to reward. Seeing you safe and sound makes me happy. Take this silver. If you can't spend it, you can save it for your dowry."

"Thank you, grandma." Shen Chuning happily put the banknote away.

……

After breakfast, Shen Chuning took Birui out.

The streets were bustling with people, shouting and laughing.

There are restaurants, teahouses, banks, silk shops, rouge shops, and gold shops of all sizes on the roadside, creating a prosperous and lively scene.

The Shen Mansion's carriage drove slowly past. The horses pulling the carriage were strong and their hooves knocked on the ground, splashing up clouds of dust.

The carriage that Shen Chuning was riding in stopped at the door of Wanbaoxuan. As one of the four major golden buildings in the capital, Wanbaoxuan was widely praised by the ladies and young ladies of various mansions in the capital because it often had new styles.

A servant from the mansion had informed in advance that Shen Chuning would be coming today, so the shopkeeper was already waiting at the door before the carriage arrived.

The driver placed the horse stool beside the carriage, and Xu Fu, the owner of Wanbaoxuan, hurried forward.

"Miss Jiu, we have prepared tea and snacks for you on the second floor. Whatever you would like to choose today, I will prepare it and bring it up to you."

"I heard the shop has a new set of red coral head ornaments. Bring it over to me and let me have a look. I'll also pick out a few sets of jewelry for the ladies of the house."

After Shen Chuning finished speaking, she walked up the stairs. This Wanbaoxuan was given to her as a dowry in her previous life, but after the wedding, Xiao Yuanlang handed the shop to Shen Jingwan in the name of letting her rest assured to take care of the pregnancy. It is said that Shen Jingwan is good at drawing jewelry patterns, and Wanbaoxuan made a lot of money in her hands, but not a penny of this money fell into Shen Chuning's hands.

Pine nut and lily pastries were prepared early in the room on the second floor, and Lu'an melon slices were served as tea.

Shen Chuning picked up the teacup and took a sip of the tea. She asked Birui beside her, "Is there any news from your brother?"