After Gui's mother left, Shen Qing walked out from behind the screen.

  She crawled to Ren Yuanyun's side, leaning against her mother, with an unmistakable anger in her tone: "Mother, Shen Miao refuses to give up on Ding Wang, what should I do?"

  The Shen family has three branches, and the first branch is undoubtedly the highest in official position. If Shen Miao were to ask Shen Xin for a marriage on her own initiative, it would also be very likely. However, she also admires Ding Wang, if Shen Miao succeeded, what would she count as?

  His Majesty King Ding is such a majestic and handsome person, how can he be occupied by that stupid and ignorant Shen Miao? Every time she thinks about it, Shen Qing feels a hundred times unwilling.

  "Don't worry, in the Shen household, no one can surpass you." Ruan Yun said: "Shen Miao's personality is dull and not worth worrying about. Mother naturally has a way to make her unable to marry Ding Wang, but as for you... She sighed: "You'd better take a closer look at the people in Autumn Water Garden, do you think that Second Young Mistress is good enough? You have such thoughts, maybe Second Young Mistress doesn't."

  "Shen Yue?" Shen Qing furrowed her brow: "She's also infatuated with Prince Ding? How is that possible?" Shen Qing said: "Even if she really likes Prince Ding, Third Uncle isn't comparable to Eldest Uncle, they can't even have a conversation. Looking left and right, none of them are worthy of concern."

  "Hey," Ruan Yun tapped Shen Qing's forehead with a scolding tone: "How can I be at ease? Your third aunt is a formidable one, back then with your third uncle..." She suddenly stopped herself, seemingly aware that this wasn't something to be said in front of the child. All she said was: "In short, Wu Ya, don't worry about it, Mother will have a way."

  "Thank you, Mom." Shen Qing said sweetly. The mother and daughter laughed together.

  In Qiushui Garden, Chen Ruoqiu was sitting at a desk writing.

  She was a woman from a family of scholars, with infinite talent and emotion. Even after becoming a wife, she still enjoyed writing and reading books. Shen Yue stood behind her, wearing a yellow satin cheongsam dress, slender and delicate, just like a young Chen Ruoyu.

  "Mother, why did you speak to Gui's nanny like that just now?" She couldn't help but ask after a long while.

  Madam Gui came once, but unexpectedly, Chen Ruoqiu not only didn't stop Madam Gui from stopping Shen Miao's infatuation with Ding Wang, but instead let Madam Gui persuade Shen Miao that Ding Wang was a good place to settle down.

  "This isn't letting her make up her mind to marry Duke Ding Wang after all." Shen Yue said with some resentment.

  Chen Ruoqiu put down the wolf hair in her hand, let out a soft sigh, and pulled Shen Yue's hand to sit down in front of the bed, saying gently: "Yue'er, didn't mother tell you that when doing anything, especially within this inner courtyard, you must do it in a roundabout way. This way, if something happens in the future, no matter what, it will not be traced back to you."

  Shen Yue shook her head: "Mother, I don't understand."

  Chen Ruoqiu smiled. This daughter of hers was gentle and talented, with a clever mind, but ultimately still a bit too young. Probably because Old Master Shen had spoiled her too much, she didn't know the dangers that lurked in the inner chambers. Unlike when Chen Ruoqiu herself was at the Minister's Manor, surrounded by sisters, cousins, aunts, and concubines - none of whom were easy to deal with. So after she got married, she had always kept Old Master Shen firmly under her control.

  It's just that in the end, she couldn't give birth to a son, which is the most regrettable thing. No matter how much Shen San Old Master doted on her, without a son, there was no one to rely on, and sooner or later, Shen San Old Master would have to let Concubine Mei take the infertility medicine, and by then... what kind of scene would it be?

  So this daughter, she must be well educated and brought up properly.

  "Yue'er, what do you think of Shen Wu?" she asked softly.

  Shen Yue thought for a moment, then replied: "She can't do math or strategy, she's not good at music, chess, calligraphy, or painting. She's timid and stupid, and not eloquent. If it weren't for the prestige of being the eldest son's daughter, I'm afraid no one would give her any face. Even as a concubine-born daughter, they all seem to have more poise than her."

  If anyone had heard, they would have been shocked. These words that were meant to degrade Shen Miao were actually coming from the mouth of her gentle and soft-hearted older sister. It was well-known that Shen Miao's best friend tomorrow would be Shen Yue.

  "Perhaps it was before," Chen Ruoqiu shook her head: "But after falling into the water this time, I saw that Shenwu has also changed a lot."

  "Why did Mother say that?" Shen Yue was puzzled.

  Chen Ruoqiu didn't know why she had such a feeling, maybe it could be used to describe a little girl who was hit and spoke impulsively, but Chen Ruoqiu had seen many people, compared to her clever and cunning second sister-in-law, she saw people more clearly, Shen Miao became smarter.

  Her conversation with Old Madam at Rong Jing Tang, as well as her demeanor, were completely different from before. Had the matter of Ding Wang given her such a blow, or was there someone beside her guiding her?

  In any case, we can't be careless.

  "Perhaps it was due to the blow from Ding Wang. But Yue Er, Mother has told you that clever women do not deal with women, they deal with men." Chen Ruoqiu's voice was soft and gentle, like a song: "Since you also have a crush on Ding Wang, why must you focus all your attention on Shen Miao? Your uncle may be powerful, but there is no rule in the world that says men will love a foolish and ignorant woman. If Ding Wang were to marry such an unworthy woman, wouldn't he be laughed at by everyone?"

  "But..." Shen Yue said with some resentment.

  "Listen to me, you not only shouldn't distance yourself from Shen Wu because of this, but also be friends with her as before. You should work even harder and let everyone see your talent and beauty. The more outstanding you are, the more foolish she will appear." Chen Ruoqiu smiled, speaking casually, yet every word was piercing: "I'll have Gui to persuade her to continue pining for Ding Wang, this foolish woman will become more and more of a laughing stock. Ding Wang will only grow more disgusted with her."

  "It seems like this......" Shen Yue seemed to have understood a bit.

  Chen Ruoqiu patted her head: "You're a clever child, you should understand Mother's meaning. So, you have to persuade her to continue loving Ding Wang and make a fool of herself in front of Ding Wang. Only then can you let Ding Wang notice the more outstanding you. Even if the whole world wants Ding Wang to marry Shen Wu, as long as you can make Ding Wang's heart belong to you, you win."

  "Mother..." was blurted out so suddenly that Shen Yue felt a little embarrassed and buried her head in Chen Ruoqiu's arms: "I understand."

  Chen Ruoqiu smiled, and at first, the marriage with Shen Sanlao had also encountered many obstacles. At that time, Shen Sanlao was considered a young talent, and many matchmakers came to propose the marriage.

  Why did he choose her alone? It was just because they met by chance in a temple once, she happened to be wearing a white brocade dress under the tree playing the zither, and Shen Sanlaoye heard it. Shen Sanlaoye was amazed by her, and after returning home, he insisted on marrying her as his wife.

  Shen San Lao Ye loves listening to the guqin the most, and his favorite color is white.

  Look, so many women were competing and scrambling, but she was the last winner. It's just because she knew from the start that she was dealing with a man after all.

  What about Shen family's three legitimate daughters? Only her Yu'er can match up with Ding Wang.