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

"I'll have to think about it some more."

Shen Jingwan said as she put away the drawings on the table and stood up.

"Please." Shen Chuning didn't have any intention of trying to persuade him to stay. She put the lid of the tea bowl back on. "But when you come to me again, the price won't be the same."

Shen Jingwan paused at the door, hesitated for a moment, and said, "Mom, let's go."

After the two of them left the room, Shen Chuning said to the maid who was guarding the room, "Go and ask Manager Xu to find someone to follow them."

"Miss, I've seen those blueprints. Even if I produce a hundred, let alone ten a month, they're not worth sixteen taels of silver. This isn't the way to show your kindness."

Shen Chuning was not being kind-hearted. Rather than knowing the value of the two drawings, it would be better to say that she knew the value of Shen Jingwan's brain. After all, under her management in her previous life, Wanbaoxuan had become the leader of the four major gold buildings with its various styles.

Relying on her memory, she could also draw some jewelry patterns, but instead of spending time and energy on doing these things herself, it would be better to spend a little money to let Shen Jingwan do it, so that she would have more energy to make trouble.

"I think it's quite nice, but I just can't see it clearly. Didn't I tell you that I need ten satisfactory design drawings every month? You look so angry, are you dissatisfied that the monthly allowance I give you is too little?"

"I just feel it's not worth it for the young lady."

"You won't know if it's worth it until you try it. This pine nut and lily pastry is delicious. Go ask Shopkeeper Xu where he bought it, and we'll buy some back for Grandma and the others to try. Oh, and tell Shopkeeper Xu that if that mother and daughter come again, he'll only give them ten taels a month."

"Ask Xu Fu to get the silver from you, and send the blueprints to me."

……

Back at Ningfengzhai in the Shen Mansion, Shen Chuning took the tea that Birui poured for her, and the light yellow tea soup was swirling in the cup.

"I've been sick for a while now, and I feel like my energy is really down. It's not even noon yet, but I already feel weak all over. In the past, I always went out and didn't come back until the evening."

"Miss, why do you say that in such an old-fashioned way? What do you mean by not having enough energy? You're just not fully recovered from your illness yet. Why don't we cancel the matter of entering the palace and have a good rest for a while?"

"That won't do. My grandmother and I fought so hard for this. How can we just go back like that?"

Shen Chuning was not joking. If she and Old Madam Shen had not gone to the palace to file a complaint, with Xiao Jinhuan, who was of the same age as her, there, Shen Chuning really would not have been able to bypass her and become a study companion to Princess Jiahe, who was three or four years older than her. There had never been such a precedent before.

"Then take good care of yourself during this period. If you want to eat something for lunch, I will go to the main kitchen and tell you."

"Don't bother, change your clothes and go to the second room for lunch. I want to eat the squirrel fish from my second aunt's place."

"Then I will have someone inform the second room."

Shen Chuning had Birui find her a red dress, which she wore over a long, crimson jacket. The collar and cuffs were embroidered with silver cloud patterns, which swayed gently with her movements, like a sunset glow. Underneath, she wore a moon-white, cross-collared shirt. The lapels were adorned with delicate butterflies, their wings vibrant and fluttering as if ready to take flight.

She wore a crimson high-waisted skirt with a wide hem, which looked like ripples on the water caused by the breeze when she walked.

Birui recombed her hair, and Wanbaoxuan had already delivered the set of red coral headpieces. Shen Chuning picked out a few pieces and put them on. A wisp of bangs hung down in front of her forehead, adding a bit of cuteness to her look.

Shen Chuning asked Birui to take some storybooks that she had bought from a bookstore on the way back, and walked towards the second house.

The second wife had ordered her maid Zhenzhu to wait at the door early. When she saw Shen Chuning, she came to greet her from afar.

"Miss Nine, you're finally here. Our Second Madam has already gone to the small kitchen to prepare your favorite food. Sister Feicui has come out to ask about it several times just now."

"Thank you, Sister Zhenzhu." Shen Chuning said as she followed Zhenzhu into the yard.

"Come and let Second Aunt see if our Xiaojiu has lost weight." Hearing the noise outside, Second Madam Shen came out of the house and looked at the charming and charming Shen Chuning with a bit of kindness in her eyes.

"Little kids need to wear brighter clothes to complement their appearance. I thought this headpiece suited you the first time I saw it. Look how good our little nine looks in it."

Mrs. Shen Er said this while pulling Shen Chuning into the house.

"Second aunt has such good taste. I liked her the moment I saw her." Shen Chuning took Second Madam Shen's arm and walked into the house with a smile.

"It's so warm in Second Aunt's room."

Mrs. Shen's second wife, Yun Shuxuan, was born into a wealthy family in Jiangnan. She had been afraid of the cold since she was a child, and after marrying into the capital, she was very uncomfortable with the northern weather.

The entire Shen Mansion would extinguish the floor heating and replace it with a charcoal basin after the beginning of spring. Even the older young masters didn't light the charcoal basin in their rooms.

Only the floor heating in Madam Shen's room would burn until after Qingming Festival.

"If you think Second Aunt's place is warm, then move in. I'll have someone clean up the east wing for you. There's also a chef in the small kitchen who specializes in making medicinal food. He'll take good care of your body."

"Why bother with so much trouble? Ningfengzhai also has a charcoal pot burning. If I want to eat medicinal food, I can just come to Second Aunt's place."

"Medicinal food is something you have to eat continuously. If you keep doing it for three days and then rest for two days, how can it be effective?" Madam Shen gave Shen Chuning a disapproving look. "I know you don't want to come because you're concerned about your mother's face. I'm not trying to sow discord between you and your mother. Look at what she's done to you."

"Well, the kitchen will prepare the medicinal food every day, and I'll have Zhenzhu and the others bring it to you."

"Why bother Sister Zhenzhu? I'll just ask Birui to come get it every day. It'll only take about ten days."

"Alas, why do I have to go to the palace to be a tutor? Can't I just not go? I'm so much more comfortable at home."

"Second aunt, don't worry about me. I don't have any sisters at home. Maybe I can have more playmates if I go to the palace."

"I came here today to ask my second aunt. Princess Jiahe is now being raised by Concubine Hui, so I have to pay her a visit. You and Concubine Hui are about the same age, so I wanted to ask you what gift I should give her."

"Empress Hui and I are old acquaintances. Our two families have always had business dealings. She was raised in luxury and later entered the palace, so she naturally had everything she needed. She loves sweet snacks. The pine nut and lily pastry you brought back is quite good. Bring some to her when you go to the palace."

"Ah? Just some snacks? Isn't that a bit too embarrassing?"

"The most important thing about gifts is that they touch the heart. But since you're a junior, you should give something more substantial. When she was young, she liked to carve seals. I'll pick out a few stones for you from the storehouse later. That should be enough."

"I knew I could gain something from Second Aunt."