The abstinent prince, practicing Buddhism, is seduced by a voluptuous beauty into breaking his vows.

It snowed all night.

The next morning, Su Yaoyao opened the window and was greeted by a world of white.

The courtyard of the Grand Tutor's mansion was covered with a thick layer of snow, and a few red plum blossoms bloomed in the corner of the wall, their color as vibrant as blood.

"Miss, why are you standing in the wind?" Chun Tao came in with hot water and quickly closed the window. "Miss Bai Lu said that you are not fully recovered and should not catch a cold."

Su Yaoyao pulled her cloak tighter around herself and sat down in front of the dressing table.

The person in the mirror still looked a little pale, but it was a world of difference from the sallow complexion they had when they were first reborn.

She picked up the sandalwood prayer beads and wrapped them around her wrist twice.

Suddenly, Jiang Wan Ning's cheerful voice came from outside: "Sister! Come and see, Xie Yu has sent over a lot of plum blossoms!"

Su Yaoyao stepped out of the room and saw Jiang Wanning holding a large celadon vase filled with red plum blossoms.

"Where did you come from?" Su Yaoyao asked with a smile, looking at her cousin's rosy cheeks.

"Thank you for the gift, Young General!"

Jiang Wan Ning placed the vase by the window and said with a grin,

"They sent it before dawn, saying that they saw the red plum blossoms blooming beautifully in the snow last night and thought that my sister would like them, so they picked some and sent them over."

She blinked: "That guy, he's pretty good at currying favor."

Su Yaoyao chuckled: "Don't talk nonsense, I've only met General Xie twice."

"What's wrong with twice? You're so beautiful, who wouldn't like you? That Xie Yu's eyes are practically glued to you."

Jiang Wan Ning leaned closer, her face mischievous. "Sister, you don't know, Xie Yu has been a little devil since he was a child, he doesn't give face to anyone. Yesterday, after returning from our house, he actually went to ask his mother what girls like... He even startled the Duchess of Zhenguo!"

Su Yaoyao flicked her forehead. "You!"

Jiang Wan Ning glanced at the Buddhist prayer beads on Su Yao Yao's wrist and asked mysteriously:

"But sister... was that Buddhist prayer bead on your wrist really a gift from His Highness the Crown Prince?"

Su Yaoyao nodded.

Jiang Wan Ning clicked her tongue twice: "My goodness... Sister, do you know? His Highness the Crown Prince has never been without that string of Buddhist prayer beads since he was ten years old! Last year, the Empress Dowager's niece specially asked someone to get a string of prayer beads from India to present to him, and guess what?"

"What's wrong?"

"His Highness didn't even look at it, and simply told Ling Feng to leave." Jiang Wan Ning's eyes lit up. "But now, he's actually given you his Buddhist prayer beads!"

Su Yaoyao stroked the beads on her wrist without saying a word.

"Sister, you said His Highness...?" Jiang Wan Ning asked tentatively, "Is it about you...?"

"Don't make wild guesses," Su Yaoyao interrupted her. "His Highness is only apologizing."

"Does an apology require an intimate item?" Jiang Wan Ning pouted.

"I don't believe it."

Just then, Chuntao came in carrying a bowl of medicine: "Miss, it's time to take your medicine. Sister Bailu said that this medicine should be drunk while it's hot."

Su Yaoyao took the medicine bowl; the brown medicine was steaming and tasted bitter.

She frowned, about to drink, when she suddenly remembered something: "Chuntao, have you prepared the things I asked you to prepare?"

Chun Tao's eyes lit up: "All ready! Miss, are you really going to deliver it?"

"Hmm." Su Yaoyao drank the medicine in one gulp, frowning from the bitterness. "Go get it."

Chuntao quickly brought over a palm-sized embroidered pouch. It was made of plain brocade, embroidered with several magnolia blossoms, the stitches fine and dense.

"What is this?" Jiang Wan Ning asked curiously.

Su Yaoyao took the embroidered pouch, took out a small porcelain bottle from her sleeve, and poured the contents into the pouch—a few magnolia petals and some dried herbs.

"Calming incense".

She tied the ribbon on the embroidered pouch.

"Your Highness said he hadn't been sleeping well that day, so I had Bailu prepare some calming spices."

Jiang Wan Ning's eyes widened: "Sister, you're going to give this to His Highness the Crown Prince?!"

"Reciprocity is key."

Su Yaoyao handed the embroidered pouch to Chuntao, "Have Jingzhe deliver it to the East Palace and say... it's a small token of my appreciation."

"But..." Jiang Wan Ning said with some worry, "Will His Highness accept it? What if it's returned like it was to the Empress Dowager's niece..."

"Then let's return it." Su Yaoyao said calmly.

"It's my way of giving, whether he accepts it or not is his business."

She walked to the dressing table, looked at the woman in the mirror who was wearing a scarlet cloak and had a rosy complexion, and slowly curled the corners of her lips into a smile.

Flirting is something...

It can't be rushed.

We have to take it slowly.

Just then, a maid came to report: "Eldest Miss, Second Miss, the Old Madam requests that you have breakfast in the main hall."

----

The charcoal fire burned brightly in the main hall, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere.

Grandma Jiang pulled Su Yaoyao to sit beside her and kept putting snacks on her plate, saying, "Eat more, you're so thin."

"Grandma, that's enough, that's enough..." Su Yaoyao looked at the bowls piled up into a small mountain, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

Grand Tutor Jiang sat in the main seat, slowly sipping his porridge, when he suddenly spoke: "Yaoyao, what are your plans regarding Lady Liu?"

The hall fell silent.

Su Yaoyao put down her chopsticks and said seriously, "Grandfather, your granddaughter wishes to... return to the Marquis's residence today."

"Back to the Marquis's residence?"

Madam Jiang frowned. "You've only stayed one night. Why are you going back already? Are you not used to staying at home?"

"No, that's not it." Su Yaoyao quickly shook her head. "My granddaughter likes it here very much. It's just... Aunt Liu's three-day deadline has passed. Some things need to be settled in person."

Jiang Jingchen looked up at her and said, "I'll go back with you."

"Need not."

Su Yaoyao smiled, a sly glint in her eyes. "My cousin is the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review. If he intervenes, it would only appear as if he's abusing his power. This matter... I can handle it myself."

Grand Tutor Jiang looked at her, a hint of approval flashing in his eyes: "Have you thought it through?"

"I've thought it through."

Su Yaoyao nodded, "I want to get back every penny of my mother's dowry. And I want Aunt Liu to return everything she's embezzled over the years, with interest."

Jiang Wan Ning, listening from the side, had her eyes light up: "Sister is so amazing! But... that Aunt Liu is very cunning, sister, you have to be careful."

"Don't worry." Su Yaoyao stroked the Buddhist prayer beads on her wrist. "I know what I'm doing."

After breakfast, Su Yaoyao changed her clothes and prepared to return to the Marquis's residence.

Before leaving, Old Madam Jiang handed her a hand warmer and repeatedly instructed her, "If that Liu woman dares to make things difficult for you, immediately send someone back to inform her. Your maternal grandfather and cousin are both here, so don't be afraid of her."

"Granddaughter will remember."

As the carriage drove out of the Grand Tutor's residence, it started snowing again.

Su Yaoyao leaned against the car wall, closing her eyes to rest.

The prayer beads on her wrist swayed gently with the bumps of the carriage, the beads making a soft, crisp sound as they touched.

She carefully considered the matter in her mind.

Aunt Liu must be in a terrible predicament right now—her brother's debts, her own losses, the three-day deadline has passed, and if she can't pay, she'll face a lawsuit.

The dowry list for her mother doesn't match up, and the Jiang family is putting increasing pressure on her...

A cornered dog will jump over the wall.

She had to guard against Aunt Liu's final counterattack.

Just then, the carriage suddenly came to a sharp stop!