A moment earlier…
Yu Lin, thinking the situation was settled, couldn’t help but become overconfident.
Chasing after Xie Jinghong on the way back to the courtyard, she whispered some “eye-opening” words to him: “I told you Yu Mu’an was unrestrained, didn’t I?
Look at her just after the wedding, she’s already trying to seduce a newly acquainted fool. This is outrageous!
Brother Hong, you’d better think twice! Marrying a woman like this, who knows when she’ll turn your head green…”
“Shut up!”
Xie Jinghong roared in anger and stormed off toward the study.
Yu Lin froze. “Brother Hong! Where are you going?!”
“To the study!” he shouted.
Bang!
The study door slammed shut.
Yu Lin staggered, and Madam Liu quickly stepped forward to steady her. “Miss…”
Yu Lin muttered, “On our wedding night… he actually wants to go to the study… He really doesn’t want to marry me…”
Madam Liu felt pity and tried to console her: “Nonsense. It’s just that little brat Yu Mu’an provoked him. Your husband was angry only for a moment.
You two have been friends since childhood it can’t be false.”
Yu Lin held back the tears, taking a deep breath.
Lowering her voice, she said, “You pretend there’s someone in the bridal chamber. I’ll go and be right back.”
At the corner of the General’s Mansion street, inside a luxurious carriage…
Yu Lin, the step-mother, and Consort Zhao sat silently inside, while maids and attendants waited outside to watch for passersby.
The step-mother’s expression was more serious than before: “What did you mean by what you just said?”
Yu Lin looked at her stepmother, then at her own foolish but beautiful birth mother, and pursed her lips: “I know you want to use Yu Mu’an to curry favor with the General’s wife, but she’s already married to that fool, a wasted piece.
It’s better to work with me.
I also know your mother-in-law has always wanted to get rid of that fool so her own son, Brother Hong, could inherit the title smoothly.”
The step-mother squinted.
Yu Lin smiled slightly, confident: “I also know that although your maternal family has great influence in Heng City, the prefect isn’t one of your own, so many things are difficult to accomplish.”
Upon hearing this secret of her family, the step-mother’s expression changed.
Yu Lin’s smile was enigmatic, her tone full of persuasion “I have a plan to help your eldest brother in your maternal family eliminate his superior and become the prefect.
In the future, Heng City will be under your Ho family’s control, won’t it?”
The step-mother stared at Yu Lin. After a long pause, she curled her lips slightly: “You do have a talent for boasting.
You dare slander my maternal family do you believe I have ways to make you disappear without a trace?”
Consort Zhao panicked and quickly apologized: “Madam, please forgive her. Lin’er is not ”
“I was reborn,” Yu Lin interrupted suddenly.
The other two froze.
Yu Lin’s expression was cold: “In my previous life, I didn’t know. I was forced to marry and only then realized the so-called young general was a fool.
My mother-in-law and you conspired, causing that fool to die in Heng City, and she wanted to eliminate me too.
Fortunately, I escaped, and Brother Hong took me in.
He was successfully granted the title of heir, went on victorious campaigns, became a grand general, and gained great prestige.
Our Marquis’ household revived, and people competed to propose for your son Hang’er.”
The step-mother’s expression softened slightly at this.
“But…”
Yu Lin’s face darkened.
“Someone secretly accused our Marquis’ household of treason and collusion, and the person had a jade pendant as proof.
Brother Hong and I worked frantically to save the household, but Yu Mu’an! She knew who had the pendant and refused to speak!
No matter how we persuaded her, she preferred to watch our family be falsely accused and destroyed rather than reveal the truth…
Brother Hong lost his temper and accidentally killed her. Others manipulated this, making it appear we knew the truth and killed Yu Mu’an to cover it up.
The Emperor was furious and executed everyone everyone!”
Yu Lin ground out the last words through her teeth, staring at the step-mother.
Consort Zhao’s body went limp, collapsing: “W-We all… died?”
Yu Lin glanced at her, then back at the step-mother:
“All of us, from the Marquis’ household, men and women, young and old, from master to servant, one hundred and forty people all executed!”
The step-mother’s lips pressed tightly.
Yu Lin stared at her:
“Mother, you wouldn’t want our Marquis’ household to suffer this fate again, would you?
When I was reborn, it was the night before my wedding. I couldn’t discuss it with you in time, so I found Auntie to replace the matchmaker and help me succeed in switching the marriage.
This life, I will save our Marquis’ household from the old path. That’s why I must marry Brother Hong from the start, to win over my mother-in-law.
With me as the bridge, your cooperation with my mother-in-law will be smoother, and Yu Mu’an will perish along with that fool!”
In her previous life, she escaped only because a skilled maid helped her.
Yu Mu’an wouldn’t be so lucky.
Speaking of that maid…
On the day of the return visit last life, she had gone with Consort Zhao to the estate to collect rents, passing by an underground gambling den on the outskirts.
She rescued a disfigured maid named “Scoundrel Dog.”
A truly useful servant.
This time, she would retrieve that maid again.
The step-mother looked at her:
“If you claim to be reborn, then prove it to me. You must remember something about the future. Just give a nearby example.”
Yu Lin, confident, recalled that very return-visit day: “In three days, a death will occur at the largest Yuhua Restaurant on Suzaku Street.”
At Qingchen Courtyard…
Yu Mu’an had been carried the entire way, the hard shoulder pressing against her stomach, making her nauseous.
Once set down at the door, she immediately crouched.
Anxin rushed to support her: “Miss! Are you okay?!”
Xie Jingyan stood over her, fuming: “Hide-and-seek!”
Yu Mu’an looked up at him, coaxing: “It’s too dark now. Can we continue tomorrow? You can see, but I cannot.”
Xie Jingyan’s little servant also tried to intervene.
Suddenly, Xie Jingyan flung his arm, kicking a potted plant beside the steps flying!
Bang!
“Ah!”
Anxin screamed, instinctively stepping in front of Yu Mu’an as shards scattered.
Yu Mu’an pulled Anxin back and pressed against the door, watching Xie Jingyan warily.
The little servant, holding his master’s waist, strained so hard his face reddened, gritting out:
“Young Madam… go… quickly… someone! Someone!”
Servants from Qingchen Courtyard rushed to help, while the maids and attendants sent by the mistress all hid in the servant quarters.
Yu Mu’an didn’t hesitate, dragging Anxin back to the main room. Bang! She shut the door and immediately dragged the large Eight Immortals table to block it.
Anxin, holding back tears, helped her push it to the door.
Outside, they could vaguely hear Xie Jingyan’s shouts and the servant calling for help, chaos all around.
The two shared a glance, and Anxin cried out loudly: “Miss… your life is so hard… the master is so unpredictable! How will you survive the days ahead…”
Outside, Xie Jingyan’s shouts gradually faded.
Yu Mu’an sat on the couch with Anxin, soothing her softly: “It’s okay, Anxin. Now only you can help me.”
Anxin’s eyes were still wet with tears: “Miss, what do you need me to do? I would die a thousand deaths without complaint!”
“It’s not that serious…”
Yu Mu’an’s eyes were serious.
“I just need you to help me find someone.”