After my father was sent to marry into the princess's household, I became the darling of the en

The next morning, Shen Jingque sat groggily in front of the dressing mirror, waiting for Lü'e to comb her hair.

Because Xiao Mingyue planned to send her to Qishan Academy after the New Year, he instructed Lü'e to wake her up at Chenshi (7-9 AM) every day so that she could get used to getting up early.

In short, we just don't want her to sleep in.

Shen Jingque was filled with grief and indignation.

She's just a twelve-year-old girl who doesn't work!

Why can't I sleep in?

Before her braids were even properly tied, the courtyard gate was kicked open from the outside.

Xiao Changqi leaned against the door frame with his golden fan, his peach blossom eyes sweeping from her head to her feet, his features contorted with disgust.

"You're wearing this to the flower festival?"

Shen Jingque looked down at her plain little jacket and didn't see anything wrong with it.

"Yes, it was made a few days ago."

"Why is such a young girl dressed so plainly!"

Xiao Changqi snapped his golden fan shut and scooped her up from the stool.

"Tomorrow, that venue will be full of young ladies and gentlemen from prominent families in the capital. If you go in dressed like this, people will think that the Princess's residence is mistreating you."

"Come on, come on, I have to get you a decent outfit today."

Shen Jingque's legs were pulled so hard that she struggled desperately.

"Second brother, slow down! I'm exhausted from running!"

Unexpectedly, Xiao Changqi turned around, picked her up, and bounced her up a bit.

"Second brother will carry you on his back, you little short legs!"

The carriage bumped along the road to the East Market and stopped in front of a three-story silk shop with three large gilded characters on the plaque: Treasure Pavilion.

Xiao Changqi lifted her down from the carriage, patted her clothes, and pointed his golden fan toward the door.

"Come on, pick whatever you like today, your brother will cover the cost."

The shopkeeper came forward, bowing and scraping.

"Young Master, your presence is an honor to our humble establishment. Please come in, please come in."

Xiao Changqi sat down in the armchair, crossed his legs, and pointed his golden fan toward the counter.

"Bring out all your latest Suzhou embroidery shawls this year, along with South Sea pearl headdresses, and choose Shu brocade skirts with patterns suitable for young girls."

The shopkeeper responded with a thunderous roar, turning around and ordering his assistants to move the goods.

Shen Jingque leaned over the counter, her nose almost touching a white jade butterfly hairpin inside. The butterfly's wings were as thin as cicada wings, and a pearl the size of a grain of rice hung from its tail, gleaming softly on the velvet.

She pointed.

"How much is this?"

Just as the waiter was about to quote a price, the beaded curtain at the door rustled, and a rich, perfumed scent wafted in before the waiter could enter.

Zhao Yuwan, accompanied by four or five maids and servants, strode into the shop with her chin held high, looking just like a peacock spreading its tail feathers.

She glanced up and saw Shen Jingque leaning over the counter. She paused for a moment, a cold glint in her eyes.

"Oh, isn't this that little brat from the Princess's residence?"

Zhao Yuwan covered her lips with a handkerchief and laughed gratingly, "You drank a bellyful of river water on Baiyu Bridge last time, and you're out shopping so soon? You're really tough."

Shen Jingque raised her head and gave her a sweet smile.

"Miss Zhao is here too. Didn't you also drink a bellyful of river water? We're practically friends, one of us spitting out the headwaters of the Yangtze River and the other drinking its tailwaters."

Zhao Yuwan's face turned pale for a moment as the shame of that day surged into her heart, making her eyes red.

She paced to the counter, her gaze falling on the white jade butterfly hairpin.

"I'll take this hairpin. Wrap it up."

The shopkeeper wiped the sweat from his brow and said with a forced smile, "Miss Zhao, this young lady took a liking to this hairpin first, as you see..."

Zhao Yuwan slammed her hand on the counter, her eyebrows raised.

"Then I'd like to see who dares to steal from my Yong'an Marquis's mansion!"

The other ladies and young women in the shop who were selecting jewelry all looked up, their eyes darting back and forth between Zhao Yuwan and Shen Jingque.

Xiao Changqi's golden fan tapped against his knee. Just as he was about to get up, his sleeve was gently tugged from below.

Shen Jingque raised her face, winked at him, and a subtle smile curved her lips.

Xiao Changqi was taken aback, then leaned back in his chair, swallowing back the words that were about to come out, and a look of amusement appeared in his peach blossom eyes.

This girl is probably up to no good again.

Shen Jingque chuckled as she released her grip on the counter.

"Alright, alright, Miss Zhao, if you like it, you can have it. I won't argue with you."

She skipped and hopped to the next counter, pointed to a set of red coral jewelry, and exclaimed in surprise.

"Wow, second brother, look at this! It's so pretty! I want this!"

Zhao Yuwan's gaze followed, landing on the set of red coral, and she snorted coldly.

"I want this set too."

Shen Jingque paused on the counter, turned to look at her, and her face showed just the right amount of grievance.

Xiao Changqi finally couldn't help but speak, his tone lazy and irritating.

"Don't be upset, little sister. I'll take care of everything in this shop. Just pick whatever you like."

Shen Jingque received the order and darted around the shop like a madman.

Touch a piece of moon-scented brocade, examine two jade bracelets, pick up a South Sea pearl earring and hold it up for a long time before putting it down.

Every single thing she touched, Zhao Yuwan would follow behind with a livid face and try to steal it.

The goods on the counter were piled higher and higher, and the shopkeeper's hands were trembling as he calculated with the abacus.

The other customers in the shop had long since stopped looking for things and were standing around watching the excitement, whispering amongst themselves.

Shen Jingque finally picked up a jade bracelet with excellent clarity, spun it twice in the light, and then placed it back on the velvet cushion with a thud.

She clapped her hands and turned to wave at Xiao Changqi.

"Forget it, Second Brother, the stuff in this shop is just so-so, all fancy and impractical. Let's go look at other shops."

Xiao Changqi spread his golden fan to cover half of his face, which was about to break down, and got up to follow.

The two walked side by side toward the door, the shopkeeper's clear abacus beading sound coming from behind them.

"Miss Zhao, the total amount you just ordered is three thousand four hundred and sixty taels. Would you like to pay in cash or on the books?"

Shen Jingque paused for a moment at the threshold and turned to the side.

Zhao Yuwan's face turned from green to white and then to ashen. Her lips moved twice, but she couldn't utter a single word.

Shen Jingque tilted her head, her tone excessively naive.

"Miss Zhao is so generous! She didn't even blink at the sight of three thousand. As expected of the eldest daughter of the Marquis of Yong'an, she is truly extravagant."

All eyes in the shop were fixed on Zhao Yuwan.

Zhao Yuwan gritted her teeth and finally realized what was happening.

This girl is deliberately trying to trick her!

She only brought five hundred taels of silver with her when she went out today, and originally only planned to see if there were any new styles of jewelry.

These items, worth over three thousand taels, would be a disgrace not to buy them.

I bought it, and then I fell for that little bitch's wicked scheme again.

It's so infuriating!

She took a deep breath, calmed herself, and turned to whisper instructions to the head maid beside her.

"Go back to the manor to get the silver."

However, it's only three thousand taels, which is not something their Marquis's mansion can't afford.

Shen Jingque had already stepped out of the threshold, but as if suddenly remembering something, she poked half her head back in.

"Oh dear, it's not like they're spending their own money so lavishly. I heard that the second branch of the Marquis's family has encroached on farmland, causing farmers to be displaced."

She blinked, her smile clean and innocent.

"The three thousand taels you spent today, you didn't skim that money from the common people, did you?"

The sound of gasps for air filled the entire shop.

The ladies who had just been watching the spectacle all took a half step back, looking at Zhao Yuwan as if she were something dirty.

The onlookers at the entrance began to look at Zhao Yuwan with hostility.

So they're just the family members of powerful and corrupt officials. What good stuff could they possibly have?

Zhao Yuwan trembled all over, pointing at Shen Jingque and shouting sharply, "You...you're spouting nonsense!"

Shen Jingque leaned her head against the door frame, tilted her neck, and spoke in a light, airy tone.

"This case was decided by the Emperor himself in court, so does Miss Zhao think... the Emperor made a mistake?"

Zhao Yuwan's body seemed to have all its strength drained away; her face was deathly pale, her lips moved, but she could no longer utter a single word.

This little girl immediately put such a big label on her, and even made her say the wrong thing.

If these words were to get out now...

She bit her lower lip hard and didn't utter another sound.

Shen Jingque pulled her head back, not even glancing at Zhao Yuwan who was as angry as a pufferfish, and pulled Xiao Changqi into the alley next door.

"Let's go, second brother. I just saw a nice hairpin in that shop over there, only eight taels of silver."

Xiao Changqi finally couldn't hold back anymore, and he laughed so hard that his golden fan fell to the ground.

"You little rascal, you're more cunning than a sieve. That elaborate scheme you just pulled was all planned out in advance, wasn't it?"

Shen Jingque touched the tip of her nose, clearly dissatisfied with his statement.

"How can this be a multi-pronged scheme? This is clearly my doing!"

Xiao Changqi: ?

Shen Jingque: "If someone wants to spend money, I have to accommodate them!"

Xiao Changqi rolled his eyes.

This girl can make gray, red, and black look white!