By the wall, the man lightly tapped his toes on the ground, preparing to depart, when he keenly sensed Wen Xueling’s gaze.
He turned back sharply, his eyes meeting hers in a piercing, scrutinizing stare.
Wen Xueling feigned being startled by a strange man, her face turning pale as she immediately slammed the window shut.
The man withdrew his cold gaze and used his qinggong to vanish.
Inside the room, Wen Xueling’s brow furrowed.
One of the three demon City Lords of Nu City—what was he doing here?
She shook her head. Everything regarding Nu City from her past life had nothing to do with her current self.
However, in her previous life, today was the very day Wen Jin’an obtained the opportunity to become a “County Princess.”
At that time, Wen Jin’an had carried a miraculous medicine and saved the Empress Dowager, who was practicing Zen meditation at Fu’an Temple. For this, she received a reward by imperial decree.
In truth, that medicine was a life-saving miracle drug her mother had specially refined for her sickly second brother before he left!
That medicine had cost her mother over ten years of painstaking effort, resulting in only three pills in total.
Her second brother had already taken two before heading to Jingcheng; she hadn’t expected him to give the remaining one to his stepsister.
She lowered her eyes in thought. In her past life, Wen Jin’an had relied on this to enjoy endless glory.
Since Wen Jin’an had taken her mother’s medicine, she would take it back.
The opportunity Wen Jin’an had exchanged for her mother’s lifeblood, she would also seize.
With this opportunity, she could enter the Prime Minister’s Mansion openly, and the plans she held in her hands could proceed smoothly.
There was no time to lose.
Wen Xueling found an excuse to leave the house and hurried to the foot of the mountain where Fu’an Temple was located. Just then, she spotted the carriage from the Prime Minister’s Mansion.
Wen Jinli was helping his stepsister down from the carriage with a look of doting affection that Wen Xueling had never seen before.
Hadn’t it been said that he was so distraught he had fainted? Why was he now bouncing around with such energy?
Wen Xueling let out a cold sneer; this fourth brother of hers was truly a hypocrite.
With his biological mother and sister’s fates unknown, he actually had the heart to accompany Wen Jin’an to admire flowers today. Wen Xueling’s eyes were full of irony.
Her gaze landed on the sachet at Wen Jin’an’s waist, and her expression darkened. The medicine was inside.
On the other side, Wen Jinli was also thinking of Wen Xueling with resentment.
He had already verified that there were no charred corpses in the Fragrant Court. This was surely just a trick by Wen Xueling to force him and their father to compromise by feigning death!
If he ignored her, once she ran out of money and found it impossible to move an inch in Jingcheng, she would bound to come begging to him.
When that time came, he would definitely teach this foolish, oblivious sister a proper lesson.
Wen Xueling followed them all the way, watching Wen Jin’an act coquettishly toward Wen Jinli, saying she wanted to walk alone. She then led her maid deep into the plum grove nearby.
A pavilion next to a rockery deep in the plum grove?
Wen Xueling’s eyes flickered. She had just seen another acquaintance in that pavilion.
Wen Jin’an’s brother-in-law from her past life—Cheng Yuting, the second son of the Marquis of Ding’an.
Wen Xueling’s beautiful eyes narrowed. This was getting interesting.
The man held Wen Jin’an’s hand and asked, “An’an, when will your engagement with my elder brother be dissolved?”
Wen Jin’an lowered her head shyly. “Brother Ting, what’s the rush? Just wait a bit longer. Once Father returns to the mansion, I will have Mother bring up the matter.”
The two of them whispered their mutual longing in the pavilion while guards and maids kept watch nearby.
The sound of movement came from not far away. Wen Xueling turned to look and saw the legitimate daughter of the Minister of the Dali Temple, Jiang Fuqu.
She was Cheng Yuting’s fiancée in his past life.
Ultimately, her family had been destroyed, and she had died a miserable death in a prison in Nu City.
A thought crossed Wen Xueling’s mind as she quickly devised a plan.
There were many pavilions in the plum grove, each equipped with the four treasures of the study for the young ladies of noble families to compose poems and paint.
She went to an empty pavilion, wrote a few lines of text, and, taking advantage of the moment when Jiang Fuqu dismissed her maids to admire the plum blossoms alone, tossed a crumpled piece of paper in front of her.
“Who’s there!” Jiang Fuqu’s eyes were sharp as she looked around, but saw no one.
She picked up the paper and looked at it, her pupils shrinking instantly.
Jiang Fuqu was a clever person. She immediately sent her confidante to investigate and did not make a scene.
Instead, she invited a group of high-born noble ladies and headed toward the pavilion where Wen Jin’an and the other were.
In front of everyone, she asked sorrowfully, “You… what are the two of you doing?”
Startled, Wen Jin’an hurriedly threw off Cheng Yuting’s hand.
The Marquis’s guards blocked Jiang Fuqu and the others, giving Cheng Yuting the chance to have the maid escort her away through the rockery on the other side of the pavilion.
Knowing that Wen Jin’an lacked the courage and brains to handle the situation, Wen Xueling was already waiting at the rockery.
As a gust of wind passed, the knockout powder took effect immediately.
She deftly removed the life-saving pill from the sachet and replaced it with a poison that sealed the throat upon contact with blood.
Just as Wen Xueling was about to leave, she heard Wen Jinli’s voice searching for someone, followed by a cold command: “Seize her!”
Wen Jinli hurried to his stepsister’s side, helping her up and asking with concern, “An’an, wake up.”
“Cough, cough… Fourth Brother?” Wen Jin’an woke up slowly and looked at him in confusion. “Why am I here?”
His dark eyes were grim as he said coldly, “We’ll have to ask her.”
Wen Xueling was wearing a white veil, so Wen Jinli did not recognize her.
Using the skills she had learned in Nu City in her past life, she altered her voice and said coolly, “What does it have to do with me?”
Wen Jinli said, “I clearly saw you just now, acting with ill intent beside An’an.”
She let out a scoff and retorted, “I also saw your An’an fleeing in a hurry after being caught in an affair by the noble ladies.”
Wen Jin’an’s face turned pale, and she clutched his sleeve aggrievedly. “Fourth Brother, this woman… she is slandering An’an!”
He hurried to comfort her. “Don’t be afraid. Your brother is here for everything.”
Seeing the deep sibling bond between the two, Wen Xueling’s lips curled. “Whether it’s slander or not, won’t we know once those noble ladies arrive?”
A flash of panic crossed Wen Jin’an’s eyes. So many noble ladies had seen her just now.
If she didn’t find a scapegoat, her reputation would be ruined.
She cried, saying she and Cheng Yuting had met by chance in the plum grove and had only chatted for a bit, but they were misunderstood by Jiang Fuqu and the others.
“Fourth Brother, An’an only spoke a few words with Brother Ting. There was nothing improper. But rumors are fearsome. If this gets out, how… how could I face the world? I’d rather be dead.”
He patted her shoulder and coaxed her softly, “Don’t be afraid. Brother is here.”
At that moment, a guard hurried over to report, “Fourth Young Master, Miss Jiang is coming this way with others.”
Wen Jin’an saw Wen Xueling, whose clothes were similar in color to her own, and a plan formed in her mind.
Clutching Wen Jinli’s sleeve, she wept as she said, “If only someone whose clothes are similar to mine could take my place… that would be wonderful…”
As soon as she spoke, Wen Jinli whipped his head around to look at Wen Xueling, only to meet her speechless gaze.
Regardless of whether this matter involved An’an or not, he could not let her suffer.
The best way was to pin the secret tryst on this woman.
Wen Jinli made up his mind. He stood up, approached her, and abruptly tore off Wen Xueling’s white veil.
Wen Jinli froze, murmuring, “Ling’er, how could it be you…”
No! He couldn’t let An’an know about Ling’er’s existence so soon.
If she learned they still had a biological sister, An’an would be heartbroken.
Wen Jinli dragged her by the hand to the side of the rockery and feigned joy. “Ling’er, it’s wonderful that you’re alright. You have no idea how scared I was yesterday. I thought you and Mother had perished in the fire. I was so distraught I fainted; even now, my chest still hurts.”
She replied flatly, “Fainting yesterday and being able to accompany your stepsister to admire plum blossoms today—even the gods descending to earth would have to praise your robust health.”
“…” Her words left him speechless, but he quickly adjusted.
Wen Jinli continued, “An’an is still young and cannot bear such grievance. In a moment, you will take the blame for this matter. Afterward, I will have Father compensate you.”