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Liu Ruyi stood to the side, a slight smile playing at the corners of her mouth as she chimed in, "Ah, yes, the tea leaves that Li Ming sent look older than I am. He has laid bare his family’s wealth; it’s clear he values you greatly!" Her words seemed to provide Liu Ruming with an escape route, yet the sarcasm underlying them made the servants stifle their laughter, their faces reddening 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. It seemed he had anticipated such a lively scene, and the glint in his eyes reflected curiosity and amusement as he awaited the outcome of this sibling rivalry.
Provoked by Liu Ruyi's words, Liu Ruming felt her defiance grow stronger. She straightened her back and spoke in a cold voice, "Then I want to see what gifts the Duke's Residence has sent you." With that, she strode over to a large chest, gripping its edge tightly with her slender fingers. With a forceful lift, the lid creaked open, and an explosion of dazzling light spilled out from within, brightening the entire room.
"Wow, so many rare treasures! How come there weren't this many in my last life?" Liu Ruming gazed at the items inside with awe and a hint of confusion. She knew full well that the quantity and quality of these betrothal gifts were vastly different from what she remembered from her previous life. This discrepancy made her wonder if she had misremembered or if circumstances had changed dramatically.
"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 thrown into a still pond, creating ripples of unease among the servants. They exchanged glances, unsure how to respond; they did not know if this amount was insufficient.
Liu Ruming picked up a gem-encrusted bracelet and toyed with it in her hands before deliberately raising her voice, "This looks like it has quantity but is just ordinary stuff. For an average family in the capital, it might be precious. But for a true noble house like the Duke's Residence, it's far too common." With these words, she not only belittled the gifts from the Duke's Residence but also sought to regain some lost ground in their argument.
At that moment, Yuan Yingwu slowly pulled out a small object from his pocket and handed it to Niu Peng. "Take this," he instructed. Niu Peng understood Yuan Yingwu's intention and turned towards Liu Ruming.
Liu Ruming continued addressing Liu Ruyi, saying, "These things are just meant to fool someone like you who has never seen the world." After speaking, she angrily kicked the chest. The box emitted a loud clank as its contents shifted slightly, producing a crisp sound of clattering items. "Just some worthless junk!" As soon as she uttered those words, tension filled the air; 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 contain himself and stepped forward to intervene. His voice was loud and authoritative, echoing through the quiet hall and causing the candle flames to flicker.
Liu Ruming remained unrepentant, tilting her head back arrogantly as she looked at Niu Peng. "What are you shouting about? You’re just a servant; do you think you can order me around in my Liu Residence because of the Duke's Residence?" Her nonchalant demeanor suggested that she was entirely unaware that her actions had crossed an unacceptable line.
Niu Peng did not argue with her; he quickly moved to the chest's side and pretended to retrieve an item while actually pulling out what Yuan Yingwu had given him from his pocket. He then turned around holding up an exquisitely carved jade pendant that was warm and smooth to the touch. The surface of the pendant was intricately engraved with elaborate 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’s voice was low but carried weighty authority that struck everyone like a hammer.
Liu Ruming stared at the jade pendant in shock, unable to maintain her arrogance as her voice trembled. "How could the Duke's Residence send something so important?"
Niu Peng snorted coldly, his tone stern. "Naturally because Miss Ruyi possesses noble qualities worthy of such an item. But you dared to kick a sacred object and disrespect His Majesty—this is a grave offense!" His words plunged the hall into silence as everyone realized how serious this situation had become.
Hearing this, Liu Ruming stumbled back a step; her legs felt weak as she nearly collapsed onto the ground. Yao Xueying rushed over with an anxious expression on her face. "This is all just a misunderstanding," she attempted to exonerate Liu Ruming but knew well how tricky this situation was.
Liu Jianmin hurried over as well and slapped Liu Ruming across the face with anger distorting his voice. "You wretched girl! Go kneel in front of the ancestral hall for an entire night!" The slap left Liu Ruming's cheek instantly red and swollen; she covered her face with trembling hands, tears welling up in her eyes but unable to utter another word.
"So disrespecting His Majesty only requires kneeling for one night?" Niu Peng looked at Liu Jianmin with scrutiny before shifting his gaze toward Yuan Yingwu for guidance.
Liu Jianmin waved his hands frantically, beads of sweat forming on his forehead. "No, no! Kneel until your wedding!" He understood that Liu Ruming had committed a serious offense; the dignity of the Duke's Residence could not be trifled with nor could sacred gifts be touched without consequence—he had no choice but to impose harsher punishment to make amends for her wrongdoing.
Niu Peng glanced at Yuan Yingwu again and saw him nod slightly before saying, "The Liu Family indeed has strict teachings; Young Lord will surely be pleased!" His words affirmed both Liu Family’s response and provided Yuan Yingwu with reassurance.
After speaking, Niu Peng approached Liu Ruyi and handed her the jade pendant. "Miss Ruyi!" She accepted it; it felt cool and heavy in her hand. 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 to follow him out. Just as they reached the door, they heard someone shout behind them: “Wait!” They halted and turned around to see Liu Ruyi chasing after them along with Zhang Yue.
Liu Ruyi gracefully gathered her skirts and bowed elegantly like a gentle spring breeze brushing over a lake’s surface. She clasped her hands toward Yuan Yingwu and spoke sincerely and earnestly: “Thank you very much for your timely assistance 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 if she could discern his identity amidst such complexity; there was something uniquely resilient about her spirit—a stubbornness unwilling to be dictated by fate itself.
Liu Ruyi held tightly onto the warm, jade pendant, 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 well within her control. "This pendant is a gift from His Majesty; how could an ordinary person dare to keep it privately? Moreover, that young man has been observing the Young Lord's expressions all along. Such subtlety is the most conclusive evidence," she stated, her words flowing with clarity and logic, like the morning light shimmering in a crystal palace, leaving one in awe of her intelligence.
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