Shen Hua's expenditure had returned to the usual standard and perhaps was even better. With enough silver bones and charcoal fire, the room was as warm as spring. She no longer had to worry about freezing at night.
After that incident, in order to show off her ability, the broker was extremely meticulous in choosing servants. The ones sent over were indeed honest and dutiful.
Shen Hua glanced over and rubbed her brows tiredly.
She was very vigilant. The main maidservant she had was still Yi Cui alone.
However, the vacancies for the second and third-grade servants have been filled. The courtyard was filled with vitality again and was not as lifeless as before.
She memorized these unfamiliar faces one by one.
"Your monthly silver won't go to the accounting office. I'll pay for it."
She had money in her hands. It was left behind by her biological mother and Shen Wei. That huge sum of money was all stored in the bank.
In her previous life, something happened behind the embroidery workshop and she needed a large sum of silver to settle it. No matter how annoyed she was, she did not want to watch the workshop fall and easily let Shen Qu take everything…
How silly.
Yi Cui could not help but hit the new servant.
"Do you know who you're serving?"
"Those who served my mistress in the past were blind and black-hearted. They couldn't recognize their master. They bared their fangs and brandished their claws, thinking that they could borrow someone's power to ascend to the heavens in a single step. They were stupid and ignorant.
"Be on duty and keep your loyalty. If I find out who's a traitor…"
Yi Cui paused. She raised her chin and prepared to snap the thin stick in her hand into two to threaten him.
Under the gaze of seven or eight pairs of bright and slightly frightened eyes, she held herself back.
Whoosh!
!!!
The stick did not budge.
However, her arm was about to collapse.
Shen Hua, "???"
She felt embarrassed for Yi Cui.
The new servant was trembling. "Sister Yi Cui, do you need help?"
Yi Cui had miscalculated.
The corners of Shen Hua's lips curled up. It was undeniable that things were getting better.
The snow had yet to melt, but today was a rare sunny day. The light quietly shone on the sickly and pale side of the girl's face.
Shen Hua took the warm bowl of medicine and drank it all.
After the wind blew, Shen Hua's mind became groggy. She was about to return to the courtyard when she suddenly stopped in her tracks.
The best embroidery was closely related to the embroidery base, embroidery thread, needle method, and pattern.
The embroidery base mostly consisted of silk, satin, velvet, make-up flowers… The uses were different, and the fabrics were worlds apart.
The Shen family's embroidery workshop was famous and had a good reputation. Many nobles paid a deposit in advance without hesitation and waited for the finished product.
As a layman, Shen Qu was short-sighted. He only cared about the immediate benefits and disregarded the rules and principles of the embroidery workshop that had been running for many years. He did not listen to advice and insisted on doing things his own way.
The prices of the fabrics varied. Some were expensive, while others were cheap. However, he made a large sum of money by selling them as inferior goods.
Ordinary customers came to buy, but they did not know how deep the art was. Because the embroidery material was good to the touch, and the embroidery looked exquisite, most of them were fooled.
In the end, you reap what you sow.
Eventually, this matter was exposed by experts. Most of the embroidery workshop's orders were returned, and many customers asked for refunds and compensation. There were even some who caused a scene at the entrance of the embroidery workshop.
Even the ill-gotten gains from the difference in price would not be enough for Shen Qu to settle the compensation.
There was still a year before the embroidery workshop would get in trouble.
However, Shen Hua did not want to wait a year.
She would not live long and the First Branch would have no descendants. Instead of letting the Second Branch take advantage of her, she might as well destroy everything herself.
She wanted to see Shen Qu's helpless state with her own eyes.
"Yi Cui, prepare the carriage."
The sky and earth were wrapped in silver, along with the white silk hanging from the eaves, making the surroundings seem even more cold and desolate.
Shen Hua loved the snowy scenery very much. In the past, she would always spend a lot of money during this season to buy all kinds of furs and go to all kinds of fancy events.
When they met the people from the Second Branch, they immediately started arguing.
Third Lady Zheng of the Daheng Rice Shop had never gotten along with Shen Hua. Last time, she spat and scolded her for being a sickly waste of space and forcing her mother and brother to die. She was so angry that her eyes were dark.
Without another word, she collapsed on the spot to extort money.
"I've always been in poor health. Third Lady Zheng might be involved in a murder lawsuit this time."
Shen Hua's temper was extremely unreasonable. She was barbaric and crafty. She did not hesitate to admit that she was about to die.
As long as she breathed, she was alive. Why not live a little more shamelessly before the end of her life? She would not be restrained by the rules and would be happier.
Shen Wei always held her carefully as though worried she would melt. What right did these people have to criticize her?
She left the house in a hurry. She did not have time to prepare a heater.
After leaving the courtyard and walking on the narrow path, her hands were about to freeze.
The cold wind blew against her, and she pressed her head down, burying it in her furry scarf.
She had bought this fox fur scarf with the extorted silver. After wearing it for the first time, she went to show it off in front of Third Lady Cheng. She openly hinted at the latter's generosity, causing her to be incredibly furious.
Yi Cui said, "Mistress, are you cold?"
Shen Hua's teeth chattered. "Yes… I'm cold."
Yi Cui frowned fiercely and secretly criticized herself for being careless. "You should have put on another cloak. I'll go back and get one now."
They had already walked halfway. Even if Yi Cui returned, she still had to wait here for a while in the cold weather.
Shen Hua lowered her head again, leaving only a pair of bright eyes to look at the road.
As the mistress and servant were talking, they bumped into Aunt Liu, who was in a state of worry.
She was Shen Wei's only concubine. After losing her youngest daughter, it was difficult for her to get pregnant again. She had become virtually invisible in the residence.
She looked miserable. "Mistress, you haven't recovered yet. How can you wander outside?"
As soon as she finished speaking, her timid face turned pale, afraid that Shen Hua would be displeased.
Shen Hua looked at her with an odd expression.
"Hanging is an ugly way to die. Poison can invade your internal organs, making you vomit blood and foam. If you jump from a building, your blood might splatter, and it will be difficult for your bones to remain intact."
Aunt Liu, "???"
Terrifying!
She clutched the handkerchief timidly.
Shen Hua asked unhurriedly, "Do you wish to die?"
Her tone was exactly the same as usual.
When Yi Cui saw this and saw Aunt Liu's miserable expression, she could not bear it. She could only persuade her softly, "Mistress, Concubine Liu is a pitiful person. You've been on good terms with her for many years…"
Before she could finish speaking, she heard Aunt Liu's low response.
"Yes, I do."
She was indeed considering which way to die was the most suitable.
Yi Cui, "?"
Shen Hua expressed her understanding.
"Since I'll die no matter what. It's not bad to freeze to death. Let me use that hand heater."
Aunt Liu passed over her heater in a daze.
The moment her fingertips touched the scorching warmth, Shen Hua wrapped it in her arms and let out a comfortable sigh.
She walked past Aunt Liu and took a few big steps forward. Soon, she frowned.
She actually felt guilty about Aunt Liu.
She also remembered that Aunt Liu would follow Shen Wei not long after his death.
"Hey."
Aunt Liu's heart skipped a beat.
"I'm going out for a while. Since you're free, why don't you come with me?"
"I… don't want to go out."
Seeing this, Shen Hua made a decision for her. "Don't say anything else. Just follow me."