The cousin's family is extremely wealthy; she deserves to be a concubine.

“Sister, don’t underestimate yourself. You have your own merits, which only a discerning person can discover, and only such a person is worthy of your sincere trust.”

"Hehehe." He Zhihuan covered her mouth with a handkerchief. "Look, look, I told you Cousin Rong was a wonderful person. It's a pity that no one in this whole family has any discernment. I managed to pick up the bargain."

My cousin's words are so true; I'm truly convinced this time that she's better at studying than me.

“Oh, do you remember when you first came to our house, Grandmother asked you if you had any education? You said you only knew a few words, which was indeed an understatement. But you don’t just know a few words; you have seen through many profound truths that men and women cannot.”

Hua Sirong felt quite embarrassed after hearing He Zhihuan's praise.

Judging from the way the second young lady looks, it seems she genuinely wants to befriend her.

"I am not worthy of such praise from you, sister. I just enjoy reading a few books to pass the time. When it comes to scholarship, I am no match for the sisters in your household."

However, I grew up in Xishan, and my father was not very strict with me. He only told me to study what I liked, which is why I developed a love for miscellaneous books.

If you say I understand many principles, then those principles are not principles I understand, but rather principles from the authors in those many books.

I'm merely making a fool of myself today, simply borrowing someone else's logic; I hope my sister will forgive my presumption.

“Sister, don’t be modest. Even if it’s someone else’s reasoning, if you take it to heart, it becomes yours. It’s like knowledge. If we don’t study it, it’s just in the books, neither yours nor mine. But as long as we study it with our hearts, it becomes our own, and no one can take it away from us.”

"My sister is absolutely right. She truly is the most talented woman in the Marquis's mansion."

He Zhihuan looked slightly awkward for a moment, but then said as usual, "Let's not flatter each other here. There's no one else here but you and me, so what's the point? I came here specifically to deliver the book to you, and now that I've delivered it, I'm going back."

"It's getting late, so I won't keep you any longer. Take care, sister. Please come visit my Qingwu Courtyard more often when you have time, so it can keep the place lively."

"Alright, sister, don't see me off. Go and burn incense and bathe, then go read your book." After teasing Hua Sirong, He Zhihuan led her maid Xiangcao away quickly.

In the evenings, each household ate their own meals in their own courtyards. However, the members of the second branch of the family, regardless of whether they were legitimate or illegitimate, would gather in the main courtyard of their stepmother, Madam Zhan, for their meals. As a mere illegitimate daughter, she dared not be late.

Watching He Zhihuan and her servant leave, Hua Sirong's previously warm smile vanished. Wang Mama, suspicious, quickly asked, "Miss, is something the matter?"

Hua Sirong didn't say a word, but quickly went back to the west wing to check the handwritten copy. She flipped through it several times but couldn't find anything wrong with it.

Wang's mother became even more anxious, "Girl, what are you looking at?"

"Read a book."

"Could there be something wrong with this book?"

"I don't know. You know I usually can't stand all this classical Chinese stuff. But this book does look a bit older than the new books I usually buy."

"Mom, come and see, is it true?"

Mrs. Wang touched the paper and said, "Girl, I can't tell the difference between good and bad paper." She was illiterate and couldn't tell the difference between good and bad paper.

"But if the girl says there's a problem, then there must be a problem."

Hua Sirong put down the book. "I'm not sure if there's a problem or not. You know, some large families have secret methods that can age new books."

Although the second young lady presented a copy, the aged book had a more refined feel and was a more presentable gift.

But is that really what she thinks?

If she had connections with all the young ladies in the manor, she could easily find out if there was anything fishy going on by just visiting one of their places. But the problem is that she can hardly even leave Qingwu Courtyard.

She racked her brains but couldn't figure out the reason. She could only start from the second daughter's perspective. "Mom, why did the second daughter suddenly become good friends with me? I'm not sure about her feelings for me. Sometimes I feel good, and sometimes I feel bad."

"The young lady is learned, and the second young lady of this household is also learned. Two learned people appreciating each other, isn't that a good thing?"

"It's a good thing. The relationship between Zhong Ziqi and Bo Ya is enviable. But what have I done to deserve such a devoted and open-hearted girl like you?"

"Even such a rare and valuable copy has been given to me. Even if it's just a manuscript, it would be priceless and highly sought after elsewhere."

"Didn't the Second Miss say that every young lady in the manor should have a copy? Although you are a cousin living in the Marquis's manor, you can still be considered a sister in the manor. You are also the Marquis's niece. For her to give you a copy is no loss to her."

“Mother is right. For me, this is just a matter of having the Second Miss copy the ancient book one more time. But for the Second Miss, this whole thing means she has lost a truly unique copy, which is also the most important asset for her to establish herself in her husband’s family in the future.” Hua Sirong’s face was solemn.

"But what does this have to do with the young lady? If she hadn't come to deliver this book today, how would we have known that she had such a rare edition?"

“Mom is right.”

Just as the master and servant were having some concerns, more people came into the courtyard.

Wenqin came. Today, Madam Shen mentioned Miss Rong again. Although she had arranged for a maid to keep an eye on the courtyard to prevent any mistakes, she still had to come and check on it herself from time to time to avoid losing her composure in front of her mistress.

"Greetings, Miss. When I came over just now, I thought I saw the Second Miss. Did she come to visit you?"

"That's right. This is the third time the Second Miss has come. She is very knowledgeable. When I'm engrossed in reading in the courtyard, she can help me with my questions."

Wenqin was the head maid of the Lady of the Marquis, and Hua Sirong did not dare to be presumptuous in front of her. When Wang Mama saw her coming, she had already brewed some good tea and brought out two plates of snacks, and invited Wenqin to sit down.

Wenqin sat on a small stool and, quite politely, drank some tea and ate a pastry. Satisfied with Hua Sirong and her servant's attitude, she naturally spoke a few more words, partly with a hint of boasting.

"The second young lady is a renowned talented woman in our household. The Meng family she is to marry into is also a scholarly family that has been passed down for one or two hundred years."

Although his elders in the family do not hold high positions in the court, he still has an uncle who is a headmaster, and his students are all over the world, with disciples all over the court.

If it weren't for the fact that the second daughter was quite capable, the marriage in the Meng family might not have fallen to her, a concubine's daughter from a second wife.

That's inappropriate; it's talking about one's master behind his back.