Liu Neng accompanied the National Master to Xiaosuisui's Qin Xin Courtyard, and he clearly saw the surprise on the National Master's face.
"This tree seems to have been around for some years; it looks like its branches were just pruned!"
Liu Neng hurriedly nodded. "This old locust tree has a history of hundreds of years. Its branches should have been pruned long ago. However, our Master hasn't been residing in the Mansion for a long time, so we dared not act on our own authority. Later, the Old Madam suddenly returned with the young masters and ladies without notifying us beforehand, so the pruning was delayed. It wasn't until today, when all the Masters in the Mansion went on a lake tour, that I finally had someone prune the branches!"
Although there were no apparent flaws in Steward Liu's words, the National Master saw inconsistencies everywhere.
"Who resides in this courtyard?" the National Master asked directly.
"This is the Eldest Princess's courtyard!"
