After greeting Shen Cangfeng, Wei Changfeng's report had satisfied Madam Song. Shen Cangfeng was extremely close to his future brother-in-law. After knowing that Wei Changfeng had recognized, after being assassinated, that he should learn swordsmanship because lacking Wushu practice was a weakness, Shen Cangfeng promised to bring a high-quality sword from the Shen Family next year when he came to pick up Wei Changying to the capital.

Madam Song didn't care about the sword. Based on Shen Cangfeng's standard, a high-quality sword must be a rare one, but every distinguished family would have collected several swords. Although the Wei Family had only several weaponized swords, they had a lot of decorative swords.

Wei Changfeng wanted to learn swordsmanship because he felt guilty for hindering his sister when being assassinated. However, based on his status, he would rarely be assassinated. Now that "Biwu" was in Wei Huan's hands, Wei Changfeng was even safer. What's more, as a lineal son of a distinguished family, Wei Changfeng was more suitable for taking a decorative sword with him.

Therefore, Madam Song cared more about Shen Cangfeng's attitude.

What's more, Wei Changying described that Shen Cangfeng was "tall, handsome, graceful and poised". In terms of the case that Wei Changying was worrying about, Shen Cangfeng had highly praised Wei Changying for her bravery of protecting her brother and killing the enemies. After hearing Wei Changfeng's words, Madam Song burst with joy.

However, she was also worried that such a nice son-in-law, who had let Wei Changying fell in love with, would change his mind in the future. Therefore, she called Mrs. Huang to her front and exhorted, "Wei Changying is my only daughter, and you know how I dote on her. She has never met with setbacks. Though the assassination has made her suffer, she is still naive because she is young, so she sometimes can't see things comprehensively. At present, I think Shen Cangfeng is very outstanding, so I hope you can keep an eye on him so that Changying won't be treated badly."

Mrs. Huang smiled and said, "You can rest assured. Don't you know why I have stayed in the capital? At that time, Old Madam Song has exhorted me that I should keep an eye on the Shen Family, and it was more important than serving Mrs. Duanmu. Old Madam Song was worried that the First Miss couldn't adjust to the customs and lifestyle in the capital after she gets married, so I have required to stay in the capital and get familiar with the people there in advance. Now that I can see Miss Wei again, how couldn't I be loyal to her? From now on, Miss Wei's life is my life!"

Hearing such words, Madam Song was satisfied and said, "It's true that the elder is the treasure of a family. At that time, my father was seriously ill, so we hurried back to Fengzhou. Wei Changying was under one year old, and I was only worrying whether she could bear the bumping on the way to Fengzhou. I didn't expect that my mother was already considering Wei Changying's future, and she has asked you to stay. Or else, I would be worrying about her again if Wei Changying has no one to rely on in the capital."

Madam Song looked gently at Mrs. Huang and said, "You have been working hard these days. Although Wei Shengyi and Mrs. Duanmu seem nice, they are not easy to get along with. I've heard that you have always been helping in the mansion and I know it's not easy. But you still have to keep an eye on the Shen Family."

Mrs. Huang smiled gently and said, "In fact, Mrs. Duanmu didn't like me in the beginning. But she soon knew my intention when she found that I was gathering information about the Shen Family. After that, she treated me well. Sometimes she would help me by asking the madams about Shen Cangfeng's personality."

Madam Song immediately asked, "How is he?"

"I heard that Shen Cangfeng was a progressive person, and he is not a playboy. But I don't know whether he has maids in his inner room," Mrs. Huang sipped her mouth and said, "You know, before he marries Miss Wei, no one around him can get status. But it was hard to know what he is doing secretly."

Madam Song murmured, "Since he is progressive but not a playboy, he won't be obsessed even if he has a maid. More importantly, you are always there to help Wei Changying."

Mrs. Huang bowed as she smiled and said, "No worries. I have no other intentions except for helping out Old Madam Song, you, and Miss Wei."

Two days after Wei Changfeng had greeted Shen Cangfeng, Wei Zhengya's burial ceremony was held.

Shen Zhou and Shen Cangfeng attended the rite as guests. The next day, they had to go back to the capital, so they said goodbye to the Wei Family. Since Shen Cangfeng was about to go on a holiday, it was not proper for the Wei Family to urge him to stay. Therefore, they asked Shen Zhou to stay for another couple of days out of politeness.

Shen Zhou was appointed by his brother to come here and cancel the engagement. But now, he did not only fail to take back the leaf-and-flower-patterned jade pendant but also lost the "Lu Hu" sword, which he had coveted for a long time—it had been given to Wei Changying as a gift from Shen Cangfeng. He had planned to leave for the capital and explain to his brother the next day after he had arrived in Fengzhou.

However, Wei Zhengya's funeral was holding. Since they had continued the engagement, the Shen Family had a close relationship with the Wei Family, so they had to attend the funeral. What's more, Wei Zhengya was a famous scholar in the country, so Shen Zhou had to attend out of politeness.

Therefore, facing Wei Huan's detainment, Shen Zhou rejected immediately, "My brother loves the "Lu Hu" sword a lot, but I have forgotten to take it. He couldn't rest assured if he let others bring it here, so he could only ask my nephew Cangfeng to deliver it. Cangfeng has set off so hurriedly that he has only taken few guards with him. Therefore, I dare not let him return to the capital by himself...."

Wei Huan didn't really mean to let him stay. Now that Shen Zhou had rejected, he agreed to let them leave and ordered the servants to prepare the farewell banquet.

The news that the Shen Family was going to leave had spread to Xianshuang Court. Although Wei Changying said nothing, she was feeling ill at ease all day long.

Both Mrs. Huang and Mrs. He had noticed Wei Changying's feelings. Mrs. He asked, "Do you want to see Shen Cangfeng again?"

"No!" Wei Changying's face turned red and glared at Mrs. He as she said, "What's so good to see him?"

Mrs. He didn't mind what Wei Changying had said. She then smiled and said, "It's the end of the year now, anyway. Shen Cangfeng will come here next year. Don't be sad."

"It's nonsense!" Wei Changying's face blushed as she said. She threw away the things in her hands, stood up, and walked to the side angrily. She said, "I'm not sad! I'm just feeling bored because it has been raining all day, and I can't move around in my court!"

Mrs. Huang looked at her with a big smile and said, "Since you are bored, what about going to the Green Willow Tower tomorrow morning?"

"Green Willow Tower?" said Wei Changying. She remembered that the Green Willow Tower, which was very far from Xianshuang Court, was small and desolate, so she was not interested in it. She said, "There's nothing fun there."

Mrs. Huang and Mrs. He looked at each other and laughed at the same time. They said, "Are you sure you're not going? You can see the frontcourt from the Green Willow Tower!"

Seeing that Wei Changying was confused, Mrs. Huang reminded, "If any guest is leaving, the Wei Family will walk him down a pavement where can be seen from the Green Willow Tower. This tower is named after an old willow tree, which was planted a hundred years ago. Because the climate is warm in Fengzhou, the leaves of the tree have not totally fallen, so no one can see you from that pavement if you are on the tower."

Before Mrs. Huang had finished, Wei Changying's eyes brightened. She squeezed her fist in order to compress her delightful expression and said seriously, "Oh, I remember. The willow tree is beautiful, and it's the right season to appreciate the tree now!" After making such an excuse, Wei Changying became anxious again. She said, "But what should I wear? My father has said that I look good in red, but Uncle Wei Zhengya has just been buried.... My father has also said that lilac purple suits me, but maybe it looks too light in autumn. And...."

Mrs. He burst out laughing and said, "Miss Wei, Mrs. Huang has said that the Green Willow Tower was behind the old willow tree, no one will see you unless you stand at the bottom of the tower!"

"...." For a long time, Wei Changying didn't know what to say. She then turned her head to another direction and said, "What are you talking about? We are going to appreciate the willow tree, and I was just choosing the dress! I don't need anyone to notice me!"

Mrs. Huang pulled Mrs. He secretly and said, "I think the new jade-colored skirt matching the pine green shirt will look nice on you."

"Isn't it the same color as the willow tree?" Wei Changying said unconsciously.

Mrs. Huang said with amusement, "You have said that it's improper to wear red since Wei Zhengya has just been buried!"

"...." Wei Changying thought for a long while and sighed with disappointment as she said, "Alright!"

Although she was upset, Wei Changying got up early the next day without Qin'ge calling her. She stared into the mirror while Mrs. He was helping her make her hair into a double conch shaped bun, and put on the hair clasp which she had chosen for a long time last night. Then, she finally put on the dress which Mrs. Huang had recommended.

When they had climbed onto the Green Willow Tower, Wei Changying stared at the frontcourt behind the willow branches and said, "The leaves are still on the tree, and it looked even greener after the rain. Hmm..., they are lovely indeed. Let's stay here longer."

The servants stifled their laughter and nodded as they said, "Yes, the tree is white and tender. It's lovely."

Wei Changying even nodded and said, "Yes, yes!" Everyone burst into laughter.

Shen Zhou was very anxious to return to the capital, so he got up early and urged Shen Cangfeng to wash and dress. After the servants had packed up their luggage, Shen Zhou led Shen Cangfeng to the rear hall and said goodbye again to Wei Huan and Old Madam Song.

After urging them to stay longer out of politeness, Wei Huan and Old Madam Song walked for a while to send them off and ordered a servant to ask Wei Shengnian to send Shen Zhou and Shen Cangfeng to the gate. They should have sent them to the pavilion ten Li outside the city gate, just like how Wei Changying and Wei Changfeng did to see Song Zaishui off. But if so, they had to prepare the banquet. Therefore, Shen Zhou, who was anxious to return to the capital, had rejected and said that they could see them off at the gate of the mansion.

Although Wei Shengnian was not so capable, he had been taught personally by Wei Huan, so he could cope with such occasion. He chatted with Shen Zhou and Shen Cangfeng as they walked towards the gate. After they had gone through the second gate, Shen Cangfeng suddenly looked behind.

Seeing this, Wei Shengnian was quite surprised and looked towards the same direction as Shen Cangfeng. He then smiled and said, "Cangfeng, are you surprised at the willow tree whose leaves have not fallen?"

Shen Cangfeng's sense was keener that common people. He looked back because he had felt that someone was peeping at him. But when he found that the person was in the rear hall, he knew who it was, so he replied to Wei Shengnian, "Yes. Now that it is late autumn, the willow trees in the capital are leafless, so I'm surprised to see such a luxuriant one,"

"The climate in Fengzhou is warm, so the plants can live longer," Wei Shengnian smiled and explained, "That willow tree has been planted for hundreds of years, and the Green Willow Tower beside it is named after it."

"What a nice name...." They continued to talk as they hurried to the gate. On the Green Willow Tower, Wei Changying put down her arms with embarrassment and said, "Ah, why did he look back?"

Mrs. Huang said with amusement, "Maybe it's a coincidence."

Wei Changying was about to nod when Mrs. He said suddenly, "Isn't it 'mind acts upon mind'?"

"Nonsense!" Wei Changying said angrily as she stamped her foot, "I don't want to talk to you anymore!" She then ran down the tower.

Mrs. Huang laughed and said, "Mrs. He, look at you! You've pissed Miss Wei off!"

Mrs. He asked Qin'ge and other young maidservants to catch up Wei Changying. The Green Willow Tower was cramped, and the stairs were steep and tall. Mrs. Huang and Mrs. He, who had become Grannies for years and had been used to behave elegantly, were walking down the stairs carefully in case of falling.

Hearing that the maidservants had gone far, Mrs. He smiled and said, "Since Shen Cangfeng has gone away, of course Miss Wei doesn't feel like appreciating the tree anymore. Now she could go back with an excuse!"

Mrs. Huang was surprised and said, "I didn't expect that you have such an intention.... However, I don't mean to blame you, but you are spoiling Miss Wei. You have said that the third young master of the Shen Family will pick her up next year, so why do we have to come here and watch him from a distance? He can't see Wei Changying even if he looked back. Thanks to the tower with an old willow tree in the front, Shen Cangfeng didn't see Miss Wei. Or else, he might think that Miss Wei is not reserved enough."

Mrs. He sighed and said, "It's not a big deal. Since it's easy to come up with such an idea, why not delight her? I know I'm not a sophisticated person. Although I have been taking charge in the Xianshuang Court, Old Madam Song and Madam Song have always been taking care of Miss Wei. What I have to do was to keep an eye on those maidservants in the first few years. Since Old Madam Song and Madam Song are here, who dares to mistreat her?"

"As time went by, the maidservants knew the rules, so I needed not keep an eye on them anymore. Therefore, I only needed to think about two things: persuading Miss Wei not to practice martial arts and making her happy. However, if Miss Wei didn't practice martial arts, the fifth young master would be in great danger last time. What's more, the Shen Family has now given us a sword, so I shouldn't stop Miss Wei from practicing martial arts now. I have always been doting on her since she was born. I would give her everything she wanted, even if she didn't mean to ask for something. Or else, I would feel anxious!"

Mrs. Huang was speechless. She then shook her head and said seriously, "That's why Old Madam Song doesn't trust you. You are spoiling Miss Wei. She is too young, so you can't give her everything she requires.... Just this once. I agreed today because there is a proper place for her to watch him, if she wants to do anything that would break the rules next time, I will stop her. It is not so important to follow the rules, but it is unworthy breaking the rules without enough benefit!"

She then continued, "Take today's case as an example. It has no benefit for her except for making her happy. It will harm her reputation if others know, and she would be embarrassed if he has noticed her! It was better to...."

However, Mrs. He looked unhappy and said, "Since you are back, you can decide everything. I don't want to think too much, so you needn't teach me. After all, you have the final say. All I need to do is to remember what I shouldn't do."

Mrs. Huang was speechless again.