Obviously, Sheng Weiwu had run all the way here from the third branch for there was considerable dew on her chignon and dress.

Before she finished, the two maids looking after her had chased into the room, made a hurried greeting to Sheng Weiqiao and stepped forward to drag her back, "Seventh Miss! Seventh Miss! It"s the Senior Master"s birthday today! I beg you, don"t be imprudent. What if you miss the time to kowtow to Senior Master?!"

"Don"t worry, Second Sister! You"ll see how I take revenge for you today!" Sheng Weiwu was doing her best to struggle, but she was only seven, while the two maids were fourteen or fifteen, so certainly she was no match for them. Being dragged away, she earnestly a.s.sured, "Second Sister, you"ll see how the son of a mistress is going to be chucked out!"

Hearing that, Sheng Weiqiao was deeply moved, and then she unhesitatingly helped the two maids to prize away from her cousin"s fingers from the door, "Dear, it"s grandfather"s birthday today, waste no time and go back now to get yourself dressed up. Leave everything behind and we"ll talk about it later if you get any ideas!"

Having waved her hand and seen Sheng Weiwu away, Sheng Weiqiao went back to the mirror and sighed, "My seventh sister is the one who cares about my feelings!"

"Second Miss!" Lvjin and Lvqi stared at each other for a while and decided to remind her, "Seventh Miss just said that you would see how she was going to throw out the son of a... the young master. She... Is it possible that she has done something?"

Though Sheng Shuihe had already affiliated himself to the family of his ancestors, they hadn"t entered the ancestral hall to add him to the family tree, so he wasn"t among the ranking of his peers. Everyone just called him the young master at the time.

Hearing that, Sheng Weiqiao paused for a while with bewilderment. Having thought carefully about what Sheng Weiwu had said just now, then she came to realize that Sheng Weiwu hadn"t been here to discuss her plan, but to inform her a piece of good news.

Usually, seeing her cousin help her with such commitment, she would surely feel glad.

But that day was Senior Master"s birthday. Though Sheng Weiqiao was indulged and willful, she wasn"t intended to ruin her grandfather"s good mood, so she got nervous, "One of you rush to catch up with her now, and ask her what happened?"

Lvjin and Lvqi were to talk over who to go, while Xiquan, following Madam Feng"s order, came over to check Sheng Weiqiao"s dressing for today. Seeing that she had put on the cherry gold-dot silk blouse with the pattern of pomegranate which was picked by Madam Feng personally, as well as a dress with layers of voile lined with pearls and gold thread, with her hair styled in a double conch chignon, meanwhile, in the half-opened ornament case, there were plenty of jewelries, Xiquan said urgently, "Madam thought about it just now and said that though the jaded pin in the form of b.u.t.terflies and flowers she picked for you yesterdays was pretty, it wasn"t proper for this occasion. So, she asked you to have the one in mutton fat jade carved with the symbol of longevity."

Sheng Weiqiao, taking the pin out of the case, hastening her maids, "Go now!"

"What does my miss want them to do?" Xiquan asked curiously.

Having learned the reasons behind, she smiled, "See how old the seventh miss is? I suppose it"s just some childish tricks. Your sisters are all going to the back hall later, so just ask her privately, and it will be clear, right? If you rush someone to the third branch now and let the Third Master and Third Madam know about it, Seventh Miss will probably get a rebuke!"

Sheng Weiqiao thought she was right, inserting the pin into the chignon. Looking here and there into the mirror, she asked, "How do I look?"

"My miss, you surely possess the beauty of a fairy and the temperament of jade!" Xiquan, praising her, picked some other ornaments for her. Finally, after a while, they finished and went to join Sheng Lanci and Madam Feng. While when they arrived at the Spring House, Sheng Shuihe was already there. Telling from Sheng Lanci and Madam Feng"s looks, were they having a pleasant conversation?

Sheng Weiqiao, who was exited before, pulled a long face instantly!

What was worse, Sheng Lanci and Madam Feng even blamed her, "Why don"t you greet your brother?"

"I came back not long ago and haven"t fulfilled my duty of being a brother, so it"s normal that my sister felt distant from me." Hearing that, Sheng Weiqiao turned her head aside and gave no response. Seeing that, Sheng Shuihe smiled and tried to save the situation, "Since we"ll live together more in the future, we"ll naturally get closer. Father and mother, don"t worry about that!"

It might be to show his blessings for the birthday, he wasn"t in black today but in a red gown embroidered with kylin.

As a man in red, Ningwei Marquis" Young Lord Xu Baomo gave an impression of dignity, which evoked the memories of light, wine and luxury life in the Imperial Academy.

While Sheng Shuihe made an unrestrained and willful profile of a traveler.

But the red gown also reflected his face much paler, which unavoidably made Sheng Weiqiao remember the incident in Xiezhu Pavilion.

Such severe injury. Counting the time, she confirmed that it was impossible to get recovered by now.

How did he restrain all the pain and pretend to be normal while walking around?

With her mind wandering, she forgot to counter Sheng Shuihe, at which she was excessively vexed when realizing it. But at the time, Sheng Lanci and Madam had risen, "Time is up. Let"s go to the back hall."

"I"ll figure out what trap my seventh sister had prepared for you. If it won"t affect grandfather"s birthday, huh!"

Seeing that, Sheng Weiqiao could only turn back and catch up with her parents, without forgetting to cast Sheng Shuihe a menacing look.

Unexpectedly, Sheng Shuihe also returned her a meaningful smile. He was handsome, so he had got a pleasing look when he smiled, which appeared to be even more fascinating among all the flowers and willows in the yard. But Sheng Weiqiao got a shiver, and having an impulse of a scare, she almost stepped on her train!

After calming down herself, she glared again at Sheng Shuihe. He didn"t smile back at her this time but looked calmly at the front, affecting to be concentrated on walking.

Having not found any excuse to make him trouble, Sheng Weiqiao had to turn away her head, upset.

They reached Jinxue House. Old Madam Ming, the second branch and the third branch were already there. Probably it was to compensate what she blurted out the day before, Old Madam Ming was extremely warm to the first branch, which was almost flattering.

But Sheng Lanci and Madam Feng should play the role of a host at the front yard and back yard respectively, so they had no time to bond with her. Having chatted a bit, they both left for more important things. Old Madam Ming could only switch her target and call Sheng Weiqiao to come to her side and said many caring words about the trifles, showing excessive concern.

Sheng Weiqiao was anxious about her grandmother"s love since she still had to ask Sheng Weiwu about her plan!

However, Old Madam Ming, unconscious of her mind, was still thinking that by working on this granddaughter, she could resolve the conflicts with the first branch. How could she let her go?

One word after another, and she was literally stuck there!

It kept going that way, and finally, when all the local celebrities including the satrap, the county magistrate, Feng Family and Xuanyu Family had all come to give their greetings so that she could free herself, Sheng Weiqiao looked around, but where was Sheng Weiwu?

"Aunt Xiquan was right, my seventh sister was only seven. Even if she wanted to take revenge for me, she wouldn"t go too far!" having searched around but still failing to find her cousin, with Xiquan"s words occurring to her, Sheng Weiqiao felt her nervous mood relieved.

Several girls of her age happened to invite her to drink tea and have talks at the table, so she accepted. But unexpectedly, both she and Xiquan had underestimated Sheng Weiwu!

Because presently, Sheng Weiqiao who was chatting happily with others was called into the main hall. In front of all the guests on the spot, Senior Master Sheng, in a temper as if his hair and beard were to explode, scolded, "b.a.s.t.a.r.d, what is going on?!"

Sheng Weiqiao turned to the lower, perplexed. A seductive woman in a pink blouse and a red skirt was saying with tears in her eyes, "The lady of Sheng Family, her maid told me that if I came here and declared in public that the baby I conceived was Mr. Sheng Shuihe"s and that I wanted Sheng Family to give him status, she would give me 100 taels for this!"