Manxi looked at Bao Tang and said helplessly, "It's not that I was scared by the second young lady, but by the Crown Prince. You've been staying in the courtyard all along and don't know what's going on outside. After dinner, when you have some free time, go out and ask around to see how many people in our mansion can withstand the intimidation of the Crown Prince's mansion."

  She said that, and Bao Tang no longer doubted her. Since arriving at Liu Garden, he hadn't had a full meal, and now looking at these delicious dishes, Bao Tang's mouth was watering. However, he still couldn't help but think about how to report today's events in Liu Garden to Madame. Although Madame had entrusted this task to Li Mama, since she had also been sent here, she naturally had this responsibility as well. The master might not ask, but if she didn't speak up, it would be her fault.

  In the afternoon, Yao's wife coaxed Zi Rui to sleep. Huang Quan was in the courtyard with Sun Dajie sorting out the betrothal gifts.

  Feng Yu Huan hadn't slept all night and was feeling a bit drowsy at this time, originally intending to take a nap as well. But just as she had prepared to lie down, she saw Wang Chuan walk into the room and softly say by her side: "Second Miss, Third Madam of the manor has arrived with Third Miss."

  Feng Yu Heng and Yao shi came out to greet them, while An shi and Feng Yin had already been led into the outer hall of the main house by Sun mama.

  It turns out that the relationship between Yao and An is quite harmonious. When An followed Shen into the house, she was indeed bullied by Shen. However, An is not a person who likes to fight, and can endure if possible. Fortunately, Shen was just a concubine at the time, and with Yao as the main mistress, she didn't dare to be too excessive.

  Jian Feng Yu Huan and Yao Shi entered the house, An Shi led Xiang Rong to quickly get up, An Shi rushed towards Yao Shi and bowed, calling out "sister", and when she lifted her head again, her eyes had already turned red.

  Yao was also deeply moved and held An's hand for a long time without saying a word.

  Feng Yu Huan disliked seeing such a tearful scene the most, so she advised Yao Shi: "Quickly let An Niang and San Mei sit down, there are still many days for talking in the future."

  An's family finally came back to their senses, turned around and rushed towards Feng Yuexia, also bowing, "I've seen the second young lady."

  She quickly helped her up: "Auntie, don't be like this, there's no need for such etiquette here, you're a senior, it's not worth exchanging pleasantries with younger ones."

  An smiled wryly, "I'm just a concubine, how can I be considered an elder? Second Miss is being too kind to me. Logically speaking, in front of Second Miss, I should refer to myself as a servant."

  "Auntie, you mustn't be like this." Feng Yuhan waved her hand to stop them and gestured for the two to sit down.

  Sun Auntie had already brewed the tea and brought it over, the fragrance instantly filled the entire small hall, Rong Yu couldn't help but exclaim: "What kind of tea is this? It smells so good!"

  An smiled with pursed lips, "It must be something good given by the Royal Highness, our mansion doesn't have such good tea."

  Feng Yu snorted and shrugged his shoulders, "Even if there is, it's not for people from Liu Garden to drink."

  An sighed lightly, "To say it, the Feng family has gone too far. However, since Second Miss has just returned to the manor, it's best not to make too many enemies for now?"

  Feng Yu Huan knew that An Shi was also doing it for her own good, nodded in gratitude to An Shi, but then shook her head and said: "From the moment we knocked on the Feng family's door, the enemy has been coming one after another, where is there still a need to deliberately provoke them."

  An nodded in agreement, "In these years you weren't at the mansion, Shen had already replaced most of the old servants. Even Sun Mama was sent to do rough work in the outer courtyard for over two years until news came that the Ninth Prince was returning to the capital and she was dispatched to pick you up."

  Madam Yao felt a pang in her heart for Sun the Fourth's wife and became even more distressed.

  Feng Yu didn't want to talk about these sad things anymore, so she got up and returned to her inner chamber. She had already moved a few jewelry boxes into her boudoir, and now she opened one of them, picked out a pair of peach blossom earrings, and took them in her hand. When she came back to the outer hall, she stuffed the object into Xiang Rong's hands: "Second sister just returned to the manor, originally there wasn't even half a good thing on her body, fortunately today the imperial palace sent some over, this is for third sister as a meeting gift!"

  She was immediately stunned by the pair of earrings, with a soft pink color and two delicate peach blossoms carved on them. The material is unknown, it looks like jade but doesn't feel like jade, she can't describe it, she just feels that everything she has seen before is not as beautiful as this.

  The little girl opened her mouth in amazement and after a while, she suddenly exclaimed: "Too beautiful!"

  An also came over, took a glance and was shocked. "Silly girl, what are you still standing there for? You should thank your second sister! This is the rare powder crystal that's hard to find in the world!"

  In this era, there was no large-scale mining of crystal, but the preciousness of crystal was recognized by the royal nobles. Currently, the most common is white crystal, followed by yellow crystal, pink crystal and purple crystal, which are hard to find even in the entire imperial palace, let alone craftsmen who dare to use crystal for carving, that would be a master-level figure.

  Xiang Rong immediately understood that it was crystal, or perhaps rose quartz, and grasped the preciousness of the object. She hastily and solemnly bowed to Feng Yu Huang: "Xiang Rong thanks Second Sister."

  Feng Yu Huan smiled and helped the girl up, gently patting her arm: "Between sisters, there's no need for such courtesy. Don't worry, I said before that I would give Fan Dai a handkerchief, of course, I won't leave you out either. When I use those fabrics to make clothes, I'll set aside some and secretly make a pair of embroidered shoes for Xiang Rong, for her to wear when she gets married, okay?"

  Before An could react, Mrs. An was already excited, "Second Miss!" Even the calmest person wouldn't know what to say at this moment. Earlier in Zhengyuan, Feng Yuexiang had given Xiangrong and Pindai a treasure to make into a scarf, which was already something that made everyone in Dashun envy. If Xiangrong could wear a pair of embroidered shoes made from the five treasures on her wedding day, no matter what kind of family she married into, it would be enough to make her husband's family look up to her.

  "An aunt doesn't have to be like this." Feng Yuexiang smiled faintly, "Although Ah Huan has been away from the mansion for many years, she still remembers some things from her childhood. That year when Mother was pregnant with Zirui, Shen Shi secretly replaced the precious medicinal materials in the tonic with something else. It was An aunt who saw it and told Old Lady about it, which allowed Mother to have a smooth pregnancy. Ah Huan remembers grudges, but also won't forget kindness."

  An sighed again, never thinking that her actions back then would have such a return today. She was a concubine and didn't have any ambitions of her own, all her hopes were pinned on Xiang Rong this one child. But as the daughter of a concubine, she either had to marry the son of a wealthy family as a concubine or marry a son born out of wedlock as a wife, in any case, she couldn't compare with the daughter of the legitimate wife. So she thought that even though her status wasn't on par with others, at least she had the shops from her dowry to accompany her, and over the years, she saved some silver which would be used for Xiang Rong's dowry in the future. But no matter how much silver she saved, how could it compare to Feng Yu Heng's promise of a pair of embroidered shoes made with five precious gems?

  "Thank you, Second Miss." An Shi felt heartfelt gratitude. Suddenly thinking of something else, she quickly turned her head to ask Yao Shi: "Sister, after returning to the capital, have you been to Baicao Hall?"

  Yao's expression changed slightly, and she shook her head: "No. After returning to the capital, I went straight back to the mansion and haven't gone out since."

  "It would be best if sister could find time to go and take a look, I saw that the owner of Baicao Hall seemed to have changed when I went out to manage the shop a few days ago."

  Yao furrowed her brow, "Isn't Tian Bo here?"

  An nodded: "I went in and took a look around, but I didn't see Tian Bo. The current shopkeeper is a young man."

  Madam Yao saw Feng Yu Heng's confusion and explained: "The Bai Cao Tang in the capital was a dowry shop given by my maiden family when I married into the Feng family. At that time, you were still young and didn't pay much attention to these things. Moreover..." Madam Yao shook her head helplessly, "It's said to be my dowry, but since marrying into the Feng family, where do I have a say?"

  An said on her behalf, "Not only did she not have the right to speak, but if I'm not mistaken, sister had said before that the dowry shop from the Yao family was taken back by Old Lady on the day you just entered the household?"

  "En." Mrs. Yao nodded, "On the day of the wedding, all the things were moved to the old lady's place, and on the second day when they were sent back to my courtyard, those land deeds for the house were missing. I went to ask the old lady about it, she said that since I was married into the Feng family, these would be kept by the family, and also said that the Feng family wouldn't treat me unfairly."

  Feng Yu Huan couldn't help but laugh, "You really believe her?"

  "What can I do if I don't believe it?"

  "Yes!" An replied, "A daughter-in-law who marries into a family is one of that family's people."

  "Has the profit from that shop ever been given to your mother by the Feng family?"

  "Never gave any, just said that they've been losing principal all along. The Feng family even added a lot of silver to it."

  Feng Yu Huan thought for a moment about what An Shi had said earlier, then asked: "I heard Auntie just now say that she was going out to take care of the shop, is it Auntie's own?"

  An nodded, "Yes, my mother's family also brought over two shops, but my shop can't be compared to the Yao family's at all. The Feng family wouldn't even look at it, so I left it here."

  "An Niangniang, is this really a tradition of our great Shun Dynasty?"

  An shook her head, "Where is such a system? Not only is there no such thing, but Da Shun also allows married women to take care of their dowry shops on their own. Moreover, if the woman wants to go out and take care of the shop, the husband's family cannot stop her without reason."

  "That's to say, the Feng family is going against the imperial court system?" She didn't hesitate to put this label on the Feng family.

  An shook her head and didn't say anything. After all these years, how could she not know what kind of people the Feng family were?

  "Feng Yu comforted Yao Shi: 'Don't worry, mother, it belongs to us and will be returned to me sooner or later.'"

  An also agreed with this, "Today I looked at the Yuwang Fu and it didn't seem like a play, they really wanted to support the second miss. With the Yuwang Fu here, no one will dare to mess with you again." Then she changed the subject, "Yesterday I thought about coming over myself, and when I got back I told them about the situation here. Originally I had prepared some loose silver coins, thinking that today I would send them over to you, no matter how much, at least it could help in an emergency. But before I even gave it, Yuwang's side took the lead." An said while taking out a small silver package from her sleeve, "My little bit compared to what Yuwang gave is nothing to show off about. But I thought, since Yuwang gave all silver notes, and your household is going to start construction soon, you'll definitely need some loose silver coins to reward the workers, so just take it and use it first!"

  Feng Yu Huan saw that An Shi was sincere, so she didn't stand on ceremony either. She very straightforwardly stretched out her hand to take the small silver package: "Thank you, Auntie An. I was just thinking of a way to leave the manor and exchange some loose change, and here you are sending it over. It's really timely."