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Liu Ruyi stood to the side, a slight smile playing on her lips as she chimed in, "Ah, yes, the tea leaves sent by Li Ming look older than I am. He has laid bare his family’s wealth; it’s clear he truly values you!" Her words seemed to provide Liu Rumeng with an escape route, yet the sarcasm woven through them made the servants stifle their laughter, their faces turning red as they struggled to contain themselves.
Yuan Yingwu leaned back in his chair, arms crossed over his chest, his sharp eyes watching the two sisters with keen interest. He seemed to have anticipated such a lively scene, curiosity and amusement flickering in his gaze as he awaited the outcome of this sisterly rivalry.
Liu Rumeng felt her indignation rise at Liu Ruyi's words. Straightening her back, her cold voice rang out again, "Then I want to see what gifts the Duke's Residence has sent you!" With that, she strode over to a large chest, her slender fingers gripping the edge tightly. With a forceful lift, the lid creaked open, and a brilliant light spilled forth from within, illuminating the entire room.
"Wow, so many rare treasures! How come I didn't have this many in my past life?" Liu Rumeng exclaimed as she gazed at the items inside, her eyes filled with awe and a hint of confusion. She knew that the quantity and quality of these betrothal gifts were vastly different from what she remembered from her previous life, leading her to wonder if she had misremembered or if the world had changed too much.
"Have all our betrothal gifts arrived? This number doesn’t seem right!" Yuan Yingwu asked softly. His voice was low but resonated like a stone dropped into still water, creating ripples of unease among the servants. They exchanged glances, unsure how to respond; they didn’t know if this amount was insufficient.
Liu Rumeng picked up a gem-studded bracelet and toyed with it in her hands before raising her voice deliberately. "These things may look plentiful but are just ordinary items. To an average family in the capital, they might be precious. But for a true noble house like the Duke's Residence, they are far too common." Her words not only belittled the gifts from the Duke's Residence but also served as an attempt to salvage her waning advantage in this dispute.
At that moment, Yuan Yingwu slowly pulled out a small object from his pocket and handed it to Niu Peng. "Take this!" Niu Peng understood Yuan Yingwu's intention and turned toward Liu Rumeng.
Liu Rumeng continued addressing Liu Ruyi. "These items are just meant to fool someone like you who hasn’t seen much of the world." After saying this, she angrily kicked the chest. It made a loud clatter as its contents shifted slightly, producing a crisp sound of collision. "Just some worthless junk!" The atmosphere instantly grew tense; the servants held their breath, sensing that this proud young lady might be about to make a grave mistake.
Sure enough, "Enough!" Niu Peng could no longer hold back and stepped forward to intervene. His voice was loud and authoritative, echoing through the quiet hall and causing the candle flames to flicker slightly.
Liu Rumeng remained unrepentant, tilting her head arrogantly to look at Niu Peng. "What are you shouting about? You’re just a servant; do you think you can boss me around in my Liu Residence because of the Duke's Residence?" Her nonchalant demeanor suggested she was completely unaware that her actions had crossed an unacceptable line.
Niu Peng did not argue with her but quickly moved to the side of the chest and pretended to retrieve something from inside while actually pulling out what Yuan Yingwu had given him from his pocket. He then turned around and held up an exquisitely carved jade pendant. The pendant was smooth and warm like jade, its surface adorned with intricate patterns that shimmered softly under the sunlight.
"Do you know what you just kicked? This is a jade pendant bestowed by His Majesty himself! Even the inscription is in His Majesty's own handwriting," Niu Peng said firmly. His voice was low but resonated powerfully with each word like a hammer striking everyone’s hearts.
Liu Rumeng stared at the pendant in shock, unable to maintain her arrogance any longer; her voice trembled as she asked, "How could the Duke's Residence send such an important item?"
Niu Peng snorted coldly and replied sternly, "Naturally because Miss Liu Ruyi possesses noble qualities worthy of such a gift. But you dared to kick a sacred object and disrespect His Majesty; this is a grave offense!" As soon as he finished speaking, silence fell over the hall; everyone realized how serious the situation had become.
Hearing this, Liu Rumeng took a step back in fear; her legs weakened as she nearly collapsed onto the floor. Yao Xueying rushed over with an anxious expression on her face. "This is all just a misunderstanding." She attempted to defend Liu Rumeng but knew well how tricky this situation was.
Liu Jianmin hurried over as well and slapped Liu Rumeng across the face in anger. "Wretched girl! Go kneel in front of the ancestral hall for me! Kneel for an entire night!" The slap left Liu Rumeng’s cheek instantly swollen; she covered her face with tears welling up in her eyes but dared not utter another word.
"So it turns out that disrespecting His Majesty only requires kneeling for one night?" Niu Peng looked at Liu Jianmin with scrutinizing eyes before glancing at his master Yuan Yingwu for guidance.
Liu Jianmin quickly waved his hand, beads of sweat forming on his forehead. "No, no! Kneel until your wedding!" He understood that Liu Rumeng had caused significant trouble; the dignity of the Duke's Residence could not be tarnished, and one must never touch items bestowed by His Majesty—he could only impose a heavier punishment to make up for her mistake.
Niu Peng looked back at Yuan Yingwu and saw him nod slightly before saying, "The Liu Family indeed has strict teachings; Young Lord will surely be satisfied!" His words affirmed both Liu Family's response and provided an explanation for Yuan Yingwu.
After speaking, Niu Peng approached Liu Ruyi and handed her the jade pendant. "Miss Liu Ruyi!" She took it into her hands; it felt cold and heavy against her palm. She understood that such a betrothal gift demonstrated how much importance Duke's Residence placed on her.
Once Niu Peng finished speaking, he turned to leave while Yuan Yingwu stood up and followed him out. Just as they reached the door, they heard someone shout behind them: "Wait!" They stopped and turned around to see Liu Ruyi chasing after them with Zhang Yue.
Liu Ruyi gently adjusted her clothing before bowing gracefully like a spring breeze brushing over a lake’s surface. She clasped her hands toward Yuan Yingwu and spoke sincerely and earnestly: "Thank you for coming to my aid today." Her delicate brows furrowed slightly as curiosity sparkled in her eyes; it seemed she wanted to peer through Yuan Yingwu’s calm exterior into his innermost secrets.
Yuan Yingwu raised an eyebrow slightly as if intrigued by her perceptiveness. He stepped forward slowly, his gaze sharp as an eagle’s scrutinizing this remarkable woman before him: “How did you guess my identity?” This Liu Ruyi was no ordinary woman; she had swiftly discerned his identity amidst such complex circumstances. The unique aura about her resembled new sprouts breaking through spring soil—a stubbornness unwilling to be dictated by fate.
Liu Ruyi held tightly onto the jade pendant, its surface smooth and warm like fine jade, her fingertips gently tracing the carved patterns of the Azure Dragon. A slight smile graced her lips, revealing a row of neat white teeth, as if everything was within her grasp. "This pendant was personally bestowed by His Majesty; how could an ordinary person dare to keep it for themselves? Moreover, that young man has been observing the Young Lord's expressions all along. Such subtle details are the most conclusive evidence." Her words flowed in an orderly manner, with a clarity as bright as the morning light streaming through a crystal palace, leaving one in awe of her intelligence.
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