The pregnant woman pressed down on the wife, and the cousin collapsed into the prince's arms.

Lanru remained composed and showed no joy upon hearing this. She bowed respectfully and said, "This servant will remember your instructions, mistress."

Then, Shen Yunshuang turned her gaze to Yunxi beside her: "Yunxi, you used to manage your mother-in-law's private treasury, so I naturally trust you. From now on, you will be in charge of the detailed work such as accounting, purchasing, and inventory management. You must not be negligent."

Lanru and Yunxi, having come from the Wang family, naturally carried a sense of superiority. However, they were delighted that Consort Shen valued them so much, and their loyalty to Shen Yunshuang increased considerably.

The others, naturally, had no complaints.

As Shen Yunshuang's close confidantes who had always been by her side, Lü Rui and Xue Zhi were naturally the ones Shen Yunshuang relied on even more. They were responsible for taking night watch, managing her bedroom, and helping her with washing and changing clothes.

As for Chuntao and Qiushi… Shen Yunshuang said indifferently, “You two should take charge of serving tea and entertaining guests in the front hall. Be polite and respectful, and don’t lose face.”

There were also two maids who were always sweeping, doing odd jobs, and running errands in the outer courtyard and were not allowed to come inside.

After careful planning, no one could find any fault with it. Chun Tao was astonished; the concubine's words were clear and logical, employing both kindness and severity, demonstrating meticulous planning—she was truly a formidable opponent.

Will she and Qiushi get any benefit from coming here?

Thinking this, Chun Tao heard the servant announce that the young master had arrived. She couldn't help but feel a surge of joy, but she dared not show it too much.

With a light and steady footstep, the maids bowed, and Shen Yunshuang rose from the couch to greet them.

Since marrying Shen Yunshuang, Pei Jingnian has been beaming with joy. Today, he wore a moon-white brocade robe, which made his features appear even more refined and handsome.

"Young Master," Shen Yunshuang said with a faint smile, her skirt swaying slightly as she walked, and asked softly, "Why are you back so early today?"

Her attire was simple; her black hair was tied up in a bun with only a white jade hairpin, and two wisps of hair at her temples added to her delicate and gentle temperament.

Pei Jingnian stepped forward and took her soft hand in his, gently caressing it with his fingertips. He said softly, "There's not much to do today..." His gaze swept over the row of maids standing with their heads bowed beside him, and he asked, "Why are there so many people gathered here?"

Upon hearing this, Shen Yunshuang gently raised her hand, and the maids bowed and took their leave, quietly exiting the warm pavilion.

Once only the two of them remained in the room, Shen Yunshuang slowly spoke: "Today, the Crown Princess gave me two maids. I'll call all the maids in the courtyard here and assign them tasks."

Pei Jingnian nodded slightly after hearing this, without asking any further questions. Shen Yunshuang took in his expression. When the maids took their leave earlier, the girl named Chuntao boldly looked up at Pei Jingnian with a look that was both coy and shy. However, Pei Jingnian remained calm and showed no emotion. He didn't ask any questions at all, which probably meant that Pei Jingnian didn't have much of an impression of that beautiful maid.

Pei Jingnian, in high spirits, pulled Shen Yunshuang to the desk and said in a warm and pleasant voice, "You asked me to paint before, but I haven't had the time until now. Today I'm free, so I'll make up for it for you."

Upon hearing this, Shen Yunshuang's eyes lit up with a genuine smile, and she looked extremely pleased. Pei Jingnian's paintings were exquisite, and Shen Yunshuang had previously asked him to paint a picture of her because of the simple and elegant furnishings in the warm pavilion, saying that she wanted to hang it indoors so that she could see it every day and it would add a touch of elegance to the scenery.

Men all like to be admired by their women, and Pei Jingnian was naturally flattered as well. However, painting is not something that can be done in a short time. Since he had some free time today, he thought he would spend some time with Shen Yunshuang.

As they spoke, the two arrived at the desk. A maid brought over plain paper, writing brush, ink, and an inkstone, arranging them neatly. Shen Yunshuang lightly rolled up her sleeves, and with her snow-white, jade-like hands, she picked up the inkstone and said, "This concubine will grind ink for the young master."

Pei Jingnian then picked up his paintbrush and began to paint. About half an hour later, a simple and elegant painting of plum blossoms in winter appeared on the paper.

The branches are slender and vigorous, and a subtle fragrance seems to emanate from through the paper.

Shen Yunshuang sincerely praised, "Young Master's painting skills are superb. If I could obtain this painting, it would greatly enhance the beauty of Ningxiang Pavilion."

Feeling comforted, Pei Jingnian began composing poems again.

Shen Yunshuang looked closely and saw that Pei Jingnian had written two lines:

The cold branches are stained with light ink and clear frost,

A subtle fragrance lingers around the cloud-shrouded hall.

Before she could finish writing, Pei Jingnian paused, looked at Shen Yunshuang with great interest, and said, "Shuang'er, you are exceptionally talented. How about we compose this poem together?"

If Pei Jingnian first fell for Shen Yunshuang, it was during their encounter at Fuxi Hall. The Buddhist scriptures that had fallen to the ground and the delicate handwriting made him realize that Shen Yunshuang was not just a pretty face, but also a woman with talent and integrity.

He was the third-ranked scholar appointed by the emperor, so naturally he preferred women with inner beauty and intelligence.

Shen Yunshuang remained calm and showed no fear. Since her rebirth, she had inherited all the original owner's memories. Composing poems, writing calligraphy and painting were not difficult tasks for her.

She took the brush, and though she said modestly, "Then I will make a fool of myself," she did not pause at all when she started writing. She was clearly confident and composed. The calm and certainty hidden beneath her seemingly delicate appearance made Pei Jingnian lose himself in her gaze. He only looked away from her and turned his gaze to the paper when Shen Yunshuang put down the brush.

A pale shadow, frosty and serene, recalls the passing years.

A delicate fragrance wafts through the years.

The first two lines already contained the words "clouds and frost," and the next two lines just happened to contain the name "Pei Jingnian." Pei Jingnian felt that the two of them were truly in sync, and clapped his hands in praise: "Wonderful, wonderful!"

Chun Tao stood under the corridor and heard the cheerful laughter coming from the inner room. She was secretly surprised, after all, the young master was always taciturn and aloof, and she had never heard him laugh so heartily before.

The painting and the poem were finished. The sun was already high in the sky. Shen Yunshuang and Pei Jingnian washed their hands, and the servants had already set the table with the food.

Shen Yunshuang was born and raised in Yangzhou and was not used to the rich and oily food in the capital. When she first entered the Marquis's mansion, she became very thin due to the unfamiliar food and her weak health. Wang Shi felt very sorry for her and set up a small kitchen for her in Ningxiang Pavilion. The chef was specially found from Yangzhou. Therefore, the meals on the table were quite different from what Pei Jingnian had eaten before.

Rouge goose breast, Wensi tofu, crisp celery with soy sauce and vinegar, ham and bamboo shoot soup, and eel noodles with shrimp oil—each dish is visually appealing and showcases exquisite knife skills.

Pei Jingnian didn't say much. He first tasted the shrimp oil eel noodles. The first taste was the freshness of the shrimp oil, followed by the sweetness of the eel. Combined with the chewy and smooth noodles, it was refreshing and not greasy, with a unique flavor. He then tried other dishes. Perhaps because the flavors were new, he found them all delicious and ate to his heart's content.

After the two finished their meal, a maidservant served them tea. Pei Jingnian took the teacup and said, "I have eaten to my heart's content here today. The chef from Yangzhou that Mother found is truly excellent. He should be rewarded."