She pointed at one of the pieces of Tian silk brocade and said, "This one will do."

  That was a light blue fabric, generally speaking, most young ladies would not choose this fabric. Because the light blue color is too showy, ordinary girls' families wear this color and it's easy to look too old-fashioned. If you don't have an air of nobility all over your body, wearing this color will make you look even more unattractive.

  Chen Ruoqiu's eyes flickered slightly, and she smiled: "Why did Xiao Wu choose such a dark color? Girls from good families should wear bright and beautiful clothes, like your two sisters. This dark color is a bit too mature."

  "Not bad." Ren Yuanyun also followed. Although she was also happy to see the people of the main house making a fool of themselves, this lotus green was too much out of line. If outsiders saw it, they would think that all the girls in the Shen family were old-fashioned and stubborn. Qing'er still had to show off her skills at the chrysanthemum banquet, how could she be held back by Shen Miao?

  Shen Yue and Shen Qing couldn't help but smile secretly. Shen Qing said, "I think this lotus green color is quite good too, didn't Fifth Sister wear a similar deep color before? It's worth trying on, I've heard that this kind of color is very elegant and noble."

  "If I hadn't already chosen the fabric, I would definitely try that lotus green one." Shen Yue said with a smile.

  Ling Niang looked at the two legitimate daughters of the Shen family, who were as sweet as honey but had hearts full of malice. She then looked at Shen Miao, whose expression was calm and composed. In her heart, she sighed. The eldest daughter of the Shen family, Shen Xin's legitimate daughter Shen Miao, was known throughout the capital city for being foolish and ignorant. But who would have thought that those two elder sisters, who appeared to be kind and gentle, also had such vicious hearts? They were also finding ways to humiliate Shen Miao.

  She felt some sympathy for Shen Miao, General Shen was defending the country outside, but his own daughter was being schemed against by her relatives in the mansion, it was indeed a bit pitiful. Thinking of this, she tactfully said: "This lotus green is indeed too solemn, if it's a chrysanthemum banquet, why not choose some lighter colors? Miss, how about choosing this white jade-colored one?"

  Shen Miao glanced at Li Niang, who was indeed a rare and honest person. In her past life, she had also reminded herself in the same way, but at that time Shen Miao had wholeheartedly believed in her two elder sisters and aunt, and hadn't listened to her words. Upon hearing this, however, she politely declined, saying: "No need, I just like this lotus green fabric."

  She replied in this manner, and Shen Qing and Shen Yue, who had just furrowed their brows, let out a sigh of relief. Shen Yue smiled and said: "Fifth sister's eyes are indeed good, so we'll trouble you, Li Niangzi, to take our measurements and make clothes for us."

  Li Niang sighed faintly in her heart, but it was also not good to say anything more. Then she measured the figures of several young ladies as instructed.

  From start to finish, Old Lady Shen reclined on the couch with her eyes closed, feigning sleep, as if she hadn't heard anything in front of her. As long as it was about silver, she always pretended not to know. Today's clothes and fabrics were all from the public purse, and the silver in the public purse was managed by Ren Yuanyun.

  After finishing the measurement of clothes, Lianiang left. Ren Yuanyun smiled and said: "The children are all big girls now, our Shen family's girls can't be underestimated when they go out. I've made some accessories for the girls, which can be used on the Chrysanthemum Appreciation Banquet day." As she spoke, she instructed Xianglan behind her to bring out several boxes, one of which was given to Shen Qing and another to Shen Miao.

  Shen Miao's box was heavy, and Ren Yuanyun looked at her with an exceptionally gentle tone: "Auntie Er saw that you've been busy preparing for the Guangwen Hall exam these days, so she had someone pick out some accessories from the shop especially for you. They're all top-notch styles, I just hope you like them."

  On the high seat, Old Lady Shen's eyebrows furrowed slightly, as if she wanted to open her eyes, but after a moment, she continued to feign sleep.

  "Thank you, Auntie," Shen Miao also returned the courtesy. Shen Qing and Shen Yue were able to choose their own styles and had them delivered back, but when they went shopping, they didn't bring her along, and instead gave a lame excuse that they didn't want to disturb her. In the end, they hastily gave her a gift, and now it's too late to exchange it.

  "Let's go back and take a look first," Shen Yue pulled Chen Ruoqiu and winked at Shen Miao: "The heaviest piece of jewelry must be the one for Fifth Sister."

  Shen Miao smiled slightly and didn't say anything.

  Back at the Western Courtyard, Shen Miao tossed the box aside without even a glance. Jing Xiu was surprised and asked, "Miss isn't going to open it and take a look?"

  "What's there to look at? What's different no matter how you look at it?" Shen Miao replied without turning her head.

  Jingzhen wanted to speak but stopped, every time the jewelry from the second and third rooms came over, the girls at home couldn't bear to part with them. Unfortunately, even if they were made by their servants, it was obvious that those pieces of jewelry were a bit too flashy. Shen Miao had always been brought up by the second and third rooms to be a showy person, and she loved these somewhat tacky gold and silver trinkets the most.

  Shen Miao thought for a moment, then reached out and opened the small box again.

  As soon as it was opened, a dazzling golden light rushed in. Inside were gold and silver-made bangles and necklaces, even hairpins with rubies on top, which were quite large but of poor quality.

  Jīng zhān rěn bù zhù lòu chū yī sī fèn nù de shén qíng.

  Translation:

  The Jīngzhān could not help but reveal a hint of anger on his face.

  Shen Miao almost lost her smile. These things, before she got married, were all her accessories. Such golden hairpins and silver necklaces, even village girls wouldn't wear them. Every time she wore brightly colored clothes and those glittering accessories, she looked like a walking treasure chest. In front of gentle Shen Yue and generous Shen Qing, she really looked like a lowly servant girl.

  Now these things fell in front of Shen Miao, and she just felt that it was really ridiculous. Jing Xuan observed his own daughter, and was surprised to find that she did not show the excited expression as before. While he was wondering, he saw Shen Miao close the box and push it to Jing Xuan: "Take it to a pawnshop to pawn it, and by the way, go buy a silver hairpin back, don't need too good, one with carved flowers is fine."

  "Girl..." was shocked and exclaimed: "It's just like this, if the people of the East Courtyard find out, they will inevitably use it as a raft." Although she was also very happy that Shen Miao finally didn't like these gold and silver things as before, but this behavior was still too bold.

  "These ornaments can't be worn anymore, what's the use of keeping them? It's better to exchange them for real gold and silver. It's always more convenient to do things this way." Shen Miao replied calmly. Everything should be practical, this was a truth she had learned as an empress. The Shen family gave each daughter two taels of silver every month according to their share. But how much extra allowance did Shen Yue and Shen Qing get from their own family? Shen Miao didn't know, but one thing was certain, she didn't have that extra allowance.

  Obviously the young lady from the general's mansion, but her actions didn't have the generosity of her two older sisters. She used to think it was because Second Aunt and Third Aunt were willing to make up for their daughters themselves, but what about now?

  The family's finances were all in the hands of Ren Yuanyun, but Shen Gui and Shen Wanping spent their days handling official business in the court, and their own salaries were barely enough, let alone having any extra idle money.

  It was Shen Xin, because he had used his own life and blood to fight on the battlefield, and the emperor's rewards were many. However, these rewards, Shen Xin never embezzled, all of which were presented to Gong Zhong.

  Taking their family's money and treating themselves like this, such shameless people can only be found in the old lady's household.

  She always wants to find ways to separate the family.