Xiao Mingyu reluctantly followed Yun Xiu back to their quarters.
To prevent him from slipping away halfway, Madam Qin even sent one of her trusted nursemaids to accompany them.
Once they entered the room, Xiao Mingyu coldly ordered the nursemaid,
“You may go rest in the servants’ quarters in the rear courtyard.”
The old nurse shook her head.
“Madam instructed this old servant to look after both Second Young Master and Young Madam. I’ll be resting in the front hall tonight.”
She knew her presence was unwelcome. After bowing, she quietly withdrew from the inner courtyard.
With the nursemaid guarding the main entrance, Xiao Mingyu had no chance of sneaking away.
Inside, the maids busied themselves making the bed.
“Lay out two quilts,” Xiao Mingyu ordered coldly.
Yun Xiu sat opposite him, her eyes filled with grievance and disappointment.
He ignored her completely.
After the maids finished preparing the room, they quietly withdrew and closed the doors behind them.
At last, Yun Xiu spoke.
“Mingyu… won’t you even give me a chance to explain?”
“What is there to explain?”
Xiao Mingyu sneered.
“Would my elder brother lie to me about something like this?”
He laughed bitterly.
“Yun Xiu, if you didn’t want to marry me, you should’ve said so from the beginning. I’m still the son of a marquis—I wasn’t going to force you.”
“You said nothing before the wedding.”
“You waited until after we were married to disgust me.”
“Now there’s no way for us to divorce.”
“So let’s just make do.”
“In another year or two, I’ll find a respectable excuse to let you go.”
He turned toward the bed.
Yun Xiu hurried after him, wrapped both arms around his waist from behind, and burst into tears.
“I didn’t not want to marry you, Mingyu! I truly love you! I had no choice!”
“Let go.”
“I knew about the bride swap…”
“…but I was forced into it!”
Xiao Mingyu scoffed.
“If you truly didn’t want it, who could possibly force you?”
“My parents!”
The moment those words left her mouth, Xiao Mingyu stopped struggling.
Pressed against his back, Yun Xiu’s tears soaked through his outer robe.
“How could I not want to marry you?”
“I’ve dreamed of being with you.”
“But my parents… they valued Xiao Lanting’s abilities.”
“They were convinced the Marquis would skip over you and pass the title to him.”
“So they forced me to exchange places with Yun Juan and marry Xiao Lanting instead.”
Looking up at him with complete sincerity, she continued,
“Actually…”
“I’m the one who knocked off my bridal veil.”
“I simply couldn’t bring myself to perform the wedding rites with Xiao Lanting while you watched.”
“So even though…”
“…even though I knew you might misunderstand me…”
“I still chose to defy my parents.”
“Mingyu…”
“Even after all that…”
“…are you still going to doubt me?”
Silence filled the room.
After a long while, Xiao Mingyu slowly turned around and searched her eyes.
“Really?”
Yun Xiu gritted her teeth.
Without warning, she pulled the hairpin from her hair and slashed it toward her own neck.
“Xiu!”
Xiao Mingyu’s face drained of color.
He grabbed her wrist in panic.
Even so, the sharp tip grazed her neck, leaving a thin cut as fresh blood welled to the surface.
“What are you doing?!”
He hurriedly snatched up a handkerchief and pressed it against the wound.
Yun Xiu sobbed uncontrollably.
“You don’t believe me.”
“You even want to divorce me.”
“You don’t want me anymore…”
“So what’s the point of my living?”
It felt as though someone had squeezed Xiao Mingyu’s heart.
The love in Yun Xiu’s tear-filled eyes looked utterly genuine.
She truly loved him.
She wasn’t lying.
“Xiu…”
“I’m sorry.”
Filled with guilt, Xiao Mingyu pulled her tightly into his embrace.
After tending to the small wound on her neck, he tossed aside the extra quilt.
The two leaned against each other intimately.
After a while, Xiao Mingyu asked in a low voice,
“Xiu… was the bride swap really your parents’ idea?”
“You still don’t believe me?”
“No.”
He paused.
Although he now believed Yun Xiu hadn’t intended to make a fool of him…
The very thought of the bride swap still left him feeling as though he’d swallowed a fly.
It made him sick.
After a moment, he said,
“Your parents are far too calculating.”
“Unless it’s an important occasion, you should avoid seeing them in the future.”
“I don’t want them influencing you.”
“I’ll listen to you.”
The moment she’d invented this excuse, Yun Xiu had already anticipated that Xiao Mingyu would inevitably grow estranged from Yun Chengguang and Madam Xu.
She had no better solution.
For now…
She could only take things one step at a time.
Resting quietly against his chest, she spoke gently,
“The truth is…”
“My parents only came up with such a despicable scheme because of Xiao Lanting.”
“He’s always overshadowed you.”
“No one ever notices your strengths.”
“If you can prove to my parents that you’re no worse than Xiao Lanting…”
“They’ll regret the choice they made.”
Xiao Mingyu said nothing.
But her words stirred something inside him.
“Mingyu…”
“You should take the imperial examinations.”
She seized the opportunity to push a little harder.
“Take the prefectural exam in the spring.”
“If you pass, the provincial examination is held this August.”
“If you become a juren, who would dare say you’re inferior to Xiao Lanting?”
Wrapping an arm around her waist, Xiao Mingyu asked,
“You really want me to?”
“I love you whether you have official rank or not.”
“But I can’t bear hearing others say you’re inferior to your elder brother.”
“So please…”
“Take the exam.”
“I will!”
His blood heated instantly.
Without thinking further, he agreed.
Yun Xiu was overjoyed.
She clung to him affectionately, and before long the two disappeared beneath the embroidered quilt, spending the entire night wrapped in each other’s embrace.
The next morning, after Xiao Mingyu had left, Yun Xiu’s maid, Wutong, came in to attend to her.
She couldn’t hide her admiration.
“Madam is truly remarkable.”
“You managed to soothe Second Young Master so easily.”
Yun Xiu smiled faintly.
“Mingyu and I share deep feelings.”
“How could he truly stay angry with me?”
Even as she spoke, she began reflecting on herself.
At least for the time being, she shouldn’t devote too much attention to Yun Juan and Xiao Lanting.
Otherwise, Xiao Mingyu might grow suspicious again.
Turning to Wutong, she instructed,
“Go to the brokers over the next few days.”
“Ask how much my two dowry shops could sell for.”
“If the price exceeds one thousand taels…”
“Sell them.”
Wutong stared in shock.
“What?”
“But Madam! Those are prime storefronts! Master specifically chose them for your dowry. They earn dozens of taels every month.”
“Why would you…”
“What do you know?”
Yun Xiu snapped.
“Just do as I say.”
The Yun family had been merchants for generations.
Their businesses were old-fashioned and resistant to change.
Even their so-called prime shops earned only a few dozen taels a month.
Yun Xiu knew perfectly well…
Within two years, all of the Yun family’s businesses would begin a slow decline.
Her teeth clenched with resentment.
In her previous life, Yun Juan had clearly foreseen all of it.
Yet she’d never warned their father.
She’d simply stood by and watched the Yun family fall apart.
This time would be different.
Yun Xiu intended to sell her dowry properties while they were still valuable.
Then she’d invest in the industries that would soon rise to prominence.
Those businesses would earn over ten thousand taels in a single month.
Leaning comfortably against the edge of the bathing tub, Yun Xiu smiled smugly.
This lifetime…
The one who becomes rich will be me.
Just then, a servant called from outside the corridor.
“A letter for Second Young Madam!”
Wutong went to fetch it.
When she returned, excitement colored her voice.
“This is incredible, Madam!”
“It came from the palace!”
Yun Xiu immediately snatched the letter away.
But the instant she saw the seal on the envelope…
She froze.
The next second, she viciously threw it onto the floor and stomped on it several times.
“Madam!”
Wutong cried out in alarm.
Yun Xiu stood there breathing heavily.
That wretched woman again!
Xiao Nanzhi again!
Her entire arm trembled.
Then suddenly she remembered.
She had been reborn.
She was no longer Xiao Lanting’s wife.
If Xiao Nanzhi was sending her a letter now…
Could it be because of…
…Yun Juan?
Yun Xiu bent down, picked up the envelope, and opened it.
After skimming its contents…
She burst into delighted laughter.
“Yun Juan…”
“Your downfall is finally coming!”