Dowager Shen sat down again and had someone let them in.
The steward was very anxious and went straight to the point, saying, "Madam, the master says he needs to borrow the plants and ornaments from your courtyard for a while. He’ll return them later."
Dowager Shen didn’t think much of it and waved her hand generously.
But when the steward began directing the servants to move things, the old lady was somewhat stunned.
She didn’t speak, but the old maid beside her couldn’t help saying, "How much does the master plan to use? Our lady’s bedchamber is nearly empty."
Everything hanging on the walls or placed on the tables, even the folding screen, was carried away—every valuable item without exception. The wind blew in with nothing to block it.
The plants were taken too, leaving not a single green leaf behind.
Dowager Shen’s face stiffened as she watched the servants scurry off in a flurry.
The steward said, "Madam, please forgive us. Once the master is done using them, I’ll have them returned to you immediately." After speaking, he hurried away as well.
The old maid attending Dowager Shen immediately followed outside to take a look and soon returned, saying, "Madam, what is the master up to? I noticed it’s not just your place—it seems all the valuable items in the entire manor have been moved out."
Dowager Shen had no idea what was happening. She instinctively reached for her tea cup, only to find nothing there.
They hadn’t even spared her fine set of white jade teapot and cups.
It was like a house ransacking!
The servants in the Shen manor were bustling about, sweating profusely, while on Cui Yunchu’s side, it was very quiet, and she rarely ran into anyone.
Under Shen Xiabai’s direction, she stepped onto a covered walkway. The architecture was elegant, with intricate and exquisite carvings. Cui Yunchu touched one of the pillars, thinking that if she could pull one out and sell it, just the carving alone would fetch a good price.
Above the walkway hung decorative palace lanterns of a very stylish design.
Further ahead, there was a pavilion over the water, connected by the walkway, leading straight to the rear courtyard. Where the two met, there was a small arched bridge over flowing water, with rocks arranged for scenery and colorful carp swimming back and forth.
Cui Yunchu was so captivated by the beauty of the place that she couldn’t move, and she unconsciously stepped onto the bridge.
The fish in the water were unlike any she had seen before—their tails were multicolored, and the way they moved was simply stunning.
"Where did these fish come from? I’ve never seen any like this," she asked.
Shen Xiabai glanced at her and replied, "They were tribute from the western regions, a gift from the emperor. It’s said that each one is worth a thousand gold pieces."
"!!!" Cui Yunchu nearly cursed out loud.
A fish worth a thousand gold pieces? Even a fish made of gold couldn’t be that expensive.
"They’re… pretty," she finally stammered after a silent pause.
All her possessions combined weren’t worth as much as a single fish.
Shen Xiabai smiled but said nothing. "There are several more inside, quite plump. They’d be good to eat."
Eat a gift from the emperor?
Cui Yunchu gave Shen Xiabai a look and pressed her lips together, staying silent.
Well, the emperor himself probably couldn’t even remember everything he had gifted Shen Xiabai.
They continued walking toward the storehouse Shen Xiabai had mentioned. Along the way, Cui Yunchu was truly overwhelmed by the beautiful scenery, rendered speechless, and also hit hard by how vastly rich it all was.
They had been walking for nearly half an hour and still hadn’t reached the storehouse he’d spoken of. Instead, it seemed like they were taking a tour around the entire Shen manor, seeing the whole estate.
Cui Yunchu frowned. "How much further is it?"
Shen Xiabai said, "Just past the garden."
By now, Cui Yunchu was full of anticipation for the Shen family’s storehouse. If the century-old Shen family had a manor this luxurious, what must the storehouse be like?
As they passed the garden, Cui Yunchu pointed to a few especially vibrant flowers in bloom and said, "To have such brilliant flowers at this time of year is truly rare."
Shen Xiabai narrowed his eyes, as if smiling. "Do you like them?"
Cui Yunchu stepped forward to touch one and nodded.
What girl wouldn’t like flowers, especially ones so dazzlingly colorful?
"Those are also tribute—gifts from the Empress Dowager. They’re even more expensive than the fish."
Cui Yunchu felt as if she’d been struck by lightning. She yanked her hand back, wiped it on her dress, and still took care to blow gently on the flower.
"No harm done, no harm done."
She stepped back several paces.
A single flower was enough to cost her her life—she couldn’t afford to pay it back.
With those two lessons learned, Cui Yunchu didn’t dare touch anything nice-looking anymore. She only admired it from a distance, sighing in awe.
When they arrived at the Shen manor’s storehouse, the steward was already waiting there, holding the keys on a silver platter. He respectfully offered them to Cui Yunchu.
Cui Yunchu felt very embarrassed. What was the meaning of putting the storehouse keys in her hands?
But no one else seemed to find it strange. Even Shen Xiabai was watching her, waiting for her to take them and open the door.
The keys were quite heavy—might they be made of gold?
Clutching the keys, Cui Yunchu double-checked, "Are you sure the things the crown prince gifted me are inside?"
Shen Xiabai nodded. "I’ve been busy these past few days and didn’t get around to giving them to you, so I ordered them stored in the treasury first."
Cui Yunchu added, "Are you sure that once we come out of the storehouse, I can pick any pearls I want?"
Shen Xiabai said, a little exasperated, "As if I’d be stingy with a few pearls."
See how grandly this man talked.
Outside the storehouse, everyone watched as Cui Yunchu took the keys and approached the door to open it.
The door swung open, and Cui Yunchu was briefly stunned. The Shen family’s storehouse was enormous—about the size of a small mansion—and it was filled with hundreds of chests stacked to the ceiling, alongside antique ornaments arranged in rows, all clearly priceless.
Cui Yunchu swallowed hard. If she could own even a fraction of this in her lifetime, she’d feel like she hadn’t lived in vain—even if she had to marry an old man, she’d accept it.
She stood at the doorway, unable to look away. Xing’er tugged at her sleeve. "Miss, Miss, snap out of it. Don’t fall for it."
Cui Yunchu jolted back to her senses, quickly suppressing the greed in her eyes, and turned to Shen Xiabai. "Where are my things?"
Shen Xiabai said, "I’ve forgotten where I put them. I’ll take you inside to look."
Cui Yunchu nodded and followed him in, while Xing’er was left outside.
Shen Xiabai led Cui Yunchu through the storehouse, showing her every corner.
Yu Feng followed behind. Occasionally, Shen Xiabai would stop in front of a chest and instruct Yu Feng, "Open this chest and see if they’re in there. I’ve been so busy lately that I forgot."
Yu Feng obediently stepped forward and opened it, again and again. Cui Yunchu was nearly blinded by the dazzling sparkle of treasure, the greed in her heart ready to burst forth.
Such a huge temptation was like a death trap.
Yu Feng opened another chest. It was packed full of jewels, with a thick layer of dust on top. Shen Xiabai said regretfully, "All of these things were left by our ancestors. It’s a shame the household has no young ladies to use them, so they just gather dust in the storehouse."
Cui Yunchu bit her lips hard, afraid of losing her composure and volunteering herself.
Wealth is a blade hanging over one’s head—don’t fall for it, don’t show weakness.
She reminded herself over and over, silently chanting a calming mantra.
Shen Xiabai side-glanced her and said, "In the future, when my wife enters this household, the entire storehouse will be hers. I wonder if she’ll like it."
Cui Yunchu’s facial muscles began to twitch. She quickly covered her mouth with both hands, turned, and continued walking forward. “Where exactly are my things?”
The group kept moving ahead until Cui Yunchu stopped before a screen. The screen was immaculately clean, as if it had been dusted daily—strangely out of place in its dusty corner, as though it had been brought in just to fill the space.
But it was exquisitely beautiful, and Cui Yunchu couldn’t stop admiring it.
Beside the screen sat a complete set of white jade teacups, their brocade box left open, as if intentionally displayed for viewers.
She was utterly charmed.
Cui Yunchu pressed her face against the screen.
Embroidered on it with golden thread were intricate patterns, adorned with Eastern pearls of varying sizes. How much must it be worth?
She hugged the screen, then reached out to touch this and that, her eyes full of greed.
“This screen is also a family heirloom, reserved for the future mistress of the Shen family.”
