The autumn night in the wilderness was biting cold all around, yet Li Chenghuan felt her cheeks inexplicably burning hot. Without even needing to look in a mirror, she knew her face must be completely flushed.
Fortunately, tonight’s moon had no idea where it had gone to hide. Even though they were standing within arm’s reach, visibility was blurred, making it impossible to see each other’s expressions clearly.
However…
This posture was so bizarre! Li Chenghuan’s brain spun at lightning speed. Should she open her mouth right now, or keep her lips pressed together? Most crucially, she felt as if she had been struck by an immobilizing acupressure spell—her mind was completely incapable of commanding her body to move, leaving her frozen stiff on the spot.
An eerie silence settled over the atmosphere.
It felt as though a long time had passed, or perhaps just a split second. Li Chenghuan couldn’t help but lightly press her lips together, causing the fingers resting against them to instantly retract.
In a tone of unruffled calm, Jiang Jinyue asked, “Are you thirsty?” Yet the hand hanging inside her sleeve was unconsciously twisting and turning, moving slowly as if reluctant to let go of that soft touch.
Shaking her head in a dazed daze, Li Chenghuan answered the previous question with a delayed reaction: “This time it’s a submachine gun too. We have three guns now.”
The moment the words left her mouth, she had no idea what else to say. What should she do if she still felt awkward?
Why did the cold-beauty sister-in-law act like that just now? Wasn’t she being a bit too unreserved…
Jiang Jinyue’s gaze deepened. “Can I learn how to use it?” Three guns for three people—naturally, she wanted to be one of those holding one.
Hearing this, Li Chenghuan cast aside her awkwardness. Producing a submachine gun, she handed it over: “Of course you can. It’s very simple. You just point the muzzle at the enemy and pull the trigger—right here, press it down… and hold it steady…”
With the dim visibility, she stepped in very close, meticulously explaining how to operate it.
Seeing that Jiang Jinyue made no move, she instinctively took hold of Jiang Jinyue’s hand, guiding her to fire the first shot together. The bullet zipped out through the silencer with almost zero noise, striking some unknown tree and producing the faint, cracking sound of splitting wood.
Immediately afterward, as if scalded, Li Chenghuan jerked her hand back with an overly abrupt motion.
Ah! It seemed she was being a bit unreserved herself. Why had she suddenly gone hands-on? But the cold-beauty sister-in-law’s hand felt so cool…
Jiang Jinyue’s entire focus remained locked onto the firearm. Guided through firing a single shot, she tried operating it independently and discharged another round.
“It truly is simple. How do you plan to arrange the remaining gun?”
Li Chenghuan’s thoughts were yanked back to reality. In her personal view, she naturally wanted to give it to Li Chengle; the third sister was definitely reliable, but her mind was too simple and she tended to act rashly.
Comparatively speaking, Xie Yuwan was much steadier. Not only was she intelligent, but she was also a close friend of the cold-beauty sister-in-law and wholly trustworthy, making her a more suitable candidate than Li Chengle.
Unable to make up her mind, she simply gave up thinking about it: “Sister-in-law can decide. I’ll listen to you.”
Pondering for a moment, Jiang Jinyue said, “Go call Grandmother over.”
Startled, Li Chenghuan couldn’t react for a second. Not Li Chengle, and not Xie Yuwan—did the cold-beauty sister-in-law favor the old matriarch instead?
Overwhelmed with surprise, she blurted out, “You want Grandmother to learn how to use a gun?” Are you being serious? The old matriarch is getting on in years—is she really reliable?
Jiang Jinyue nodded. “The method to use a gun is simple; Grandmother will certainly master it as soon as she learns.”
Li Chenghuan’s eyes widened. “But Grandmother is elderly and might not coordinate well with us. Wouldn’t choosing between Third Sister and Yuwan be a safer bet?” She still felt it was an unreliable idea.
Jiang Jinyue smiled with the corners of her lips, saying unhurriedly, “Grandmother has quick reflexes. She is steadier than both Third Sister and Yuwan—don’t you think?”
Compared to the youthful and impetuous Li Chengle and the not-entirely-trustworthy Xie Yuwan, Old Madam Li was the most appropriate choice.
Moreover, to put it bluntly, a gun could only catch an enemy off guard for a deterrent effect; it didn’t test physical agility. Otherwise, if an enemy retaliated with a single arrow, no matter how formidable the gun was, a wielder who couldn’t dodge in time would still be done for.
Li Chenghuan was left speechless. Come to think of it, the old matriarch really did have quick reflexes—whenever anything involved good food or drinks, her movements were faster than anyone else’s.
Furthermore, the old matriarch was indeed steadier than Li Chengle and more reassuring than Xie Yuwan. In the original owner’s memories, the old matriarch was practically an all-rounder—flexible and adaptable in her conduct, and craftier in her dealings than anyone else.
“Alright, let Grandmother learn it then.” With that, Li Chenghuan produced the Chinese-sausage steamed rice and coconut water. She felt starving and parched herself after the long day; if she didn’t eat something now, she had no idea how grueling tomorrow would be.
After eating and drinking their fill and discussing matters further, the two of them headed back.
Once close enough to spot the procession’s campfires, Li Chenghuan took out three more portions of food and drink. “I’ll go call them over.”
Jiang Jinyue waited in place, and soon enough, she saw the old matriarch and the other two following closely behind Li Chengle as they hurried over.
All three of them were starving and stood on no ceremony, immediately digging into the feast with gusto.
Only after they had all eaten and drunk their fill did Jiang Jinyue speak up: “It’s not proper for everyone to be away from the procession for too long. Yuwan, you and Chengle go back first; Grandmother and we will return shortly.”
As soon as Xie Yuwan and Li Chengle departed, Old Madam Li wiped her mouth and said with a cheerful chuckle, “My good Yue’er, is there something you wanted to say to this old woman?”
Wonderful! As long as they buttered up the jinx, the three generations of their family wouldn’t have to worry about going hungry.
“We must trouble Grandmother to walk a bit further away with us.” Casting a meaningful glance at Old Madam Li, Jiang Jinyue hoped the old lady wouldn’t be too frightened.
Two quarters of an hour later, they returned to the procession.
The hour was already very late, and after putting in both physical and mental effort, Li Chenghuan and Jiang Jinyue collapsed by the campfire and fell straight asleep. Beside them, however, Old Madam Li kept her eyes wide open, utterly unable to fall asleep.
Turning over, she gazed at the sleeping Jiang Jinyue. Her complexion flickered rapidly between wild elation and startled terror, refusing to calm down for a long time.
How could her granddaughter-in-law possibly be a jinx? She was clearly a fairy descended from the seat of the Queen Mother of the West! Everything she pulled out was stuff mortals had never laid eyes on—at least, in all her long years of living, she had never seen such a miraculous flashlight that shone as bright as if a piece of the sun had been ripped off and shoved inside.
And that so-called gun—pressing it down to blast a person’s head could take a life in the blink of an eye, and holding it down meant you could keep attacking and killing…
Good gracious, it was terrifying!
Lifting her hands up before her eyes, Old Madam Li hastily shoved them back inside her robes. They couldn’t shake; fairy Yue’er had said she was the stabilizing pillar of the Li family, and from now on they would rely on her to deter all petty scoundrels.
Her eldest grandson Li Chenghuan had been a scheming sort since childhood; though he had plotted his own life away early on, managing to scheme his way into this marriage right before his death was worth it after all.
Their Li family must have had smoke billowing from their ancestral graves to climb so high as to marry a high-born young lady like fairy Yue’er.
As Old Madam Li thought about it, tears welled up in her eyes. Chenghuan, though you were a cold-blooded wretch who only knew how to climb upward and proved to be a spineless grandson, the Jiang Jinyue you latched onto is truly wonderful… but with a fairy like this, the Li family probably couldn’t hold onto her…
A few paces away, Li Chenghuan shivered from the chill, though she didn’t wake up. Instinctively searching for a heat source, she reached out and pulled the person beside her straight into her arms.
The person in her arms stiffened for a fraction of a second before obediently clasping the hand resting around her waist. The picture was remarkably harmonious.
Having apparently played enough, the moon finally remembered its duty, breaking out from beneath the thick cloud cover to cast its glow upon the wind-swayed campfires, continuing its shift until dawn began to break and it reluctantly clocked off.
“Everyone up! Get moving immediately! Walk faster, and by evening we’ll reach Youlong County. We’ll have food and drink then!” Boss Gu shouted in a deep voice, symbolically waving his woven rattan whip.
Too sleepy to open her eyes, Li Chenghuan tightened her grip around the person in her arms—hm? In her arms? A person!
Jolting awake, her eyes snapped open to lock directly with a pair of exquisite eyes—sleepy, lazy, and utterly bewitching.
“Cold-beauty sister-in-law… no, that’s not what I call you in my dreams! Wait, no, I didn’t dream about you!” Regaining her rationality the moment the words tumbled out, Li Chenghuan stammered in a frantic rush to explain, though her explanation only grew more chaotic.
Will someone please tell her what on earth had happened? Why had the cold-beauty sister-in-law ended up in her arms?!
Staring blankly at her as if still shaking off sleep, Jiang Jinyue remained silent.
“You ill-fated child, what are you hollering for? Don’t startle your sister-in-law.” Bringing her palm down squarely on the back of Li Chenghuan’s head, Old Madam Li then beamed cheerfully at Jiang Jinyue.
“Fairy… no, my good Yue’er, are you tired? Do you want to let Chengle carry you on her back? Don’t let Chengle’s young age fool you; this child is strong as an ox—she could carry you all the way to the northern frontier without getting tired.”
Since fairy Yue’er possessed such formidable abilities, they had to butter her up properly and find a way to keep her here, otherwise that spineless grandson Chenghuan would have died in vain.
Nearby, Li Chengle scratched her head in helpless bewilderment. Grandmother was buttering people up again; carrying Sister-in-law on her back for a short stretch was fine, but carrying someone all the way to the northern frontier would practically run her to death! Still, Grandmother’s words had to be obeyed, or she’d end up taking slaps to the head like Second Sister.
Fiddling with her thoughts, the young girl spoke in a weak, unconvincing voice: “Sister-in-law, I probably won’t get tired…”
Rising calmly to her feet, Jiang Jinyue gave a gentle shake of her head: “There is no need for that. Let’s go.”
Spurred by the bailiffs’ urging, everyone was already setting off. Since they were stationed at the rear of the procession, they couldn’t afford to lag too far behind.
Behind her, Li Chenghuan fell into step, yet rather than walking side-by-side with Jiang Jinyue as before, she dropped back two paces, silently following in her wake.
Noticing this, Old Madam Li felt an instant surge of anxiety and lowered her voice to ask, “Chenghuan, why aren’t you walking alongside good Yue’er?”
Their Li family simply couldn’t afford to lose fairy Yue’er right now; she was dying to rack her brains just to keep the woman buttered up, so why on earth did her foolish granddaughter seem to be growing distant from her?
Glancing at Jiang Jinyue’s retreating back, Li Chenghuan replied in a small voice, “I’m a bit tired today and can’t walk fast.”
In truth, she felt awkward—or perhaps awkward wasn’t the right word; it was just weird.
From holding Jiang Jinyue’s finger last night to waking up this morning and discovering she had wrapped her arms around her, she felt completely ill at ease everywhere she looked, yet couldn’t quite put her finger on the sensation. It was just bizarre.
With an expression of utter exasperation at her failure to measure up, Old Madam Li hissed, “You useless thing! Even an old woman like me doesn’t feel tired—hurry up and catch up!”
With a shove, she sent Li Chenghuan stumbling forward.
Stumbling ahead and looking as though she was about to crash right into her, Jiang Jinyue happened to turn around and reached out to steady her arm.
“Watch your step.” Lowering her hand, Jiang Jinyue slid it down to clasp Li Chenghuan’s hand and asked casually, “Tired?”
Staring straight ahead, Li Chenghuan muttered, “Did Sister-in-law hear all that?” She felt even weirder and more ill at ease now. What on earth was wrong with her?
Nodding, Jiang Jinyue noted that with the distance so close, she had heard every word clearly.
“Just hold on for a few more hours; we’ll reach Youlong County soon.”
Falling silent for a moment, Li Chenghuan silently tightened her grip around the other person’s hand. “Actually, I’m not tired. I’m just…”
“Just what?”
“Just feeling weird.”
“Weird?” Turning her head, Jiang Jinyue shot her an appraising look.
Keeping her gaze fixed straight ahead on the prisoners marching in front, Li Chenghuan asked, “Sister-in-law, why did you act like that last night?”
The moment those words dropped, it was Jiang Jinyue’s turn to fall silent. Then, she let out a light chuckle. “I thought you were cute.” She genuinely had felt that way at the time, and there was nothing to hide.
“And you? What do you find weird about it?”
Finally withdrawing her gaze to look at the person beside her, and perhaps infected by the other’s directness and candor, Li Chenghuan felt her cheeks flush pink. “I think Sister-in-law is extremely gorgeous. But you were already stunning to begin with, yet I still find myself constantly dazzled.”
Her mind was a chaotic mess, and her answer made zero sense, yet for some reason, once the words were out, she suddenly stopped feeling awkward.
Appreciation for beauty was a universal human trait; her reaction was just a normal human response, nothing weird about it at all.
Jiang Jinyue’s pupils flickered slightly. It wasn’t her first time hearing praises of her beauty; even her parents often lamented that if she married into the imperial family, she would surely monopolize the Emperor’s favor, and her father had genuinely toyed with the notion of sending her into the palace.
Fortunately, her grandfather had kept a lid on it—serving the ruler was like sleeping with a tiger, and imperial consorts weren’t favored based on looks alone.
Never had she expected to end up schemed against by Li Chenghuan’s eldest brother. The mere thought of this marriage made Jiang Jinyue’s gaze darken as she cast a meaningful, profound glance at Li Chenghuan.
The young maiden possessed such miraculous abilities and showed absolute trust in her; logically speaking, there was nothing to worry about.
However, people grew and changed. If one day Li Chenghuan stopped placing her trust in her and no longer needed her to strategize, whom could she rely on then?
Jiang Jinyue had understood a principle from a very early age: relying on anyone was inferior to relying on oneself. Therefore, she trusted no one, always keeping her guard up around people—and Li Chenghuan was no exception…
[Female lead’s darkening value increases by ten, one Wild Ox submachine gun confiscated]
Li Chenghuan: ！！！！！
Turning her head in absolute disbelief, she locked her gaze straight onto the person beside her, feeling as though the sky were crashing down.
Darkening values could increase backward? Earned rewards could actually be confiscated?!
“What’s wrong?” Sensing her stare, Jiang Jinyue asked softly.
Inspecting her closely, Li Chenghuan saw that the cold-beauty sister-in-law’s face looked completely placid, indistinguishable from usual. Yet why on earth had her darkening value spiked? Previous reductions had only been one or two points, but the increase had jumped straight to ten!
Where was the justice in this?
Ranting frantically in her mind, she asked in a daze, “Sister-in-law, are you alright?”
Puzzled, Jiang Jinyue replied, “Me? I’m fine.”
Involuntarily holding her breath, Li Chenghuan asked cautiously, “Your mood turned bad, didn’t it?”
Shaking her head, Jiang Jinyue asked, “What do you mean?”
Scanning the surroundings and tugging on Jiang Jinyue’s hand to pull her a fraction closer, Li Chenghuan whispered, “Sister-in-law, one of the submachine guns is gone. It’s because of you—what were you thinking about just now?”
Save me, she thought. How could this golden finger confiscate things it had already rewarded? What on earth was the logic behind this?!
If she didn’t figure out what was going on, she was genuinely going to lose her mind. What if one day she was right in the middle of a major battle and the gun in her hand suddenly got confiscated? Where was she supposed to go to cry?
Surprise flickered across Jiang Jinyue’s expression. Pondering for a moment, she offered an ambiguous reply: “I was thinking about your eldest brother just now.”
Perhaps she could pivot her identity and firmly tether the young maiden to her side; the opportunity had already been delivered to her doorstep, so how could she possibly let it slip by?
A sudden wave of realization washed over Li Chenghuan: “You’re unhappy with your marriage to my eldest brother, so your mood went bad?”
Calmly nodding, Jiang Jinyue admitted, “Marrying your eldest brother was never my wish.” If not for Li Chenghuan’s eldest brother’s calculated scheming coinciding precisely with her father’s desire to surrender to Wang Yue, she would never have married into the Li family.
Li Chenghuan understood. If she had been forced into it, she’d probably spike her darkening value by ten points every time she thought about it too. But what was she supposed to do about it now? That scoundrel of an eldest brother had already been beheaded, and time couldn’t be turned backward.
“Sister-in-law, why don’t you try exercising some self-restraint and stop thinking about my eldest brother?”
Gazing at her intensely, Jiang Jinyue said, “Chenghuan, I cannot stop thinking about it—unless this marriage is officially annulled.”
Society was harsh toward women; even if a husband died, a wife was expected to remain chaste for him. If she wished to remarry or regain her independence, she required the senior members of her husband’s family to write a letter of divorce freeing her.
Having all of the original owner’s memories, Li Chenghuan naturally knew this rule as well. “You… you want Grandmother to…?”
Right now, the only person in the Li family capable of writing a letter of divorce on behalf of the deceased eldest brother was Old Madam Li.
Nodding heavily, Jiang Jinyue asked, “Do you think it’s feasible?” If she was no longer Li Chenghuan’s eldest brother’s wife, if she was more than just Li Chenghuan’s sister-in-law, and if she could truly occupy a place in the young maiden’s heart, her prospects of survival and leverage would grow immeasurably greater…
Subconsciously shaking her head, Li Chenghuan said, “It’ll be very difficult.” Previously, even when Old Madam Li harbored prejudices against Jiang Jinyue and rationed her food, she had never once entertained the thought of writing a divorce letter.
Right now, the old matriarch believed Jiang Jinyue was capable of pulling out endless good things and was cooing “good Yue’er” at her every chance she got; she’d be even less likely to agree now.
Wait a minute, Li Chenghuan felt her brain going haywire. If they couldn’t persuade the old matriarch to write the divorce letter, the cold-beauty sister-in-law would undoubtedly remain unhappy, and whenever she thought of that scoundrel eldest brother she’d remain unhappy, meaning her darkening value would keep on rising!
It was over, completely over. The sky had truly fallen—were all her rewards going to be confiscated?!
Right at that instant, Jiang Jinyue tightened her grip around her hand. “Chenghuan, can you help me?”
“How am I supposed to help?” Li Chenghuan asked, on the verge of tears. “Sister-in-law, please calm down and stop thinking about this right now, or all our stuff is going to vanish completely.”
She felt so helpless. Who could come save her? She felt as though the items in her mind could blink out of existence at any second—this golden finger was too坑 (treacherous)!
Lowering her gaze in silence, Jiang Jinyue refused to let the thought go; she couldn’t afford to let slip this opportunity to pull the young maiden into her orbit.
The rest of the journey passed in silence. As evening approached, Boss Gu gazed at the distant city walls and ordered the prisoners to rest in place, instructing Zhou Yuan to take Censor Gao and Lu Chongzhi ahead to scout out the situation.
As the saying goes, once familiar, twice practiced. Since these two already knew the secret of Hu Er and the three others being killed, they might as well be put to use to avoid dragging more people into the inner circle.
At the rear of the procession, Li Chenghuan cast a nervous, heart-in-throat glance at Jiang Jinyue. The cold-beauty sister-in-law hadn’t spoken since, and none of the golden finger’s remaining rewards had been confiscated, so the matter seemed to have blown over for now.
Just as she was feeling a sliver of reassurance, however, the person beside her stood up.
“Sis… Sister-in-law.”
Silently locking gazes with her, Jiang Jinyue said, “Chenghuan, come with me for a moment.”
Li Chenghuan’s heart instantly plummeted to the bottom of her stomach, carrying the distinct sensation that she was completely done for.
As usual, Old Madam Li grew excited, pushing her up with exceptional enthusiasm: “What are you staring blankly for? Go accompany your sister-in-law.” Why did this ill-fated child still look so unwilling? Truly lacking in drive.
If this household relied on her, it would fall apart sooner rather than later.
Casting a resentful glare at the old matriarch, Li Chenghuan thought: If you old lady knew what the cold-beauty sister-in-law was plotting, you wouldn’t be this enthusiastic.
Noticing the glare, the old matriarch felt a creepy shiver run down her spine. What was wrong with this ill-fated child and that look in her eyes?
What look? A look of absolute helplessness.
Walking a distance away from the rest, Li Chenghuan didn’t wait for Jiang Jinyue to speak and blurted out first, “Sister-in-law, I support your idea. Just tell me what you want me to do; I’ll have zero objections.”
She understood the hardships faced by women in ancient times and recognized Jiang Jinyue’s lack of agency, so she would naturally try her best to help—even though it might not prove very useful.
Asking unhurriedly, Jiang Jinyue probed, “How do you think Grandmother will react?” Though she had investigated the personalities of the Li family members beforehand, those were all hearsay; their true colors were best known by their own kin.
Sighing helplessly, Li Chenghuan answered, “She probably won’t agree.”
Judging from the original owner’s memories, Old Madam Li wouldn’t just disagree; she’d likely throw a full-blown tantrum complete with crying, making a scene, and threatening to hang herself. While she wasn’t afraid of the old matriarch making a fuss, that still wouldn’t solve the core problem.
Maintaining her calm expression, Jiang Jinyue asked further, “And why do you think Grandmother won’t agree?”
Thinking it over, Li Chenghuan replied, “Firstly, Grandmother has conservative views; even though Eldest Brother is dead, she’ll want a wife tied to his name for appearances’ sake. Secondly, Grandmother now believes you possess heaven-defying abilities and is desperate to bind you to the Li family. Though… we could try changing our tune first to test the waters.”
Both points were terribly difficult to reason through. Even if they changed their tune right now and claimed she was the one pulling out all those items, knowing the old matriarch’s nature, she’d likely revert to treating Jiang Jinyue like a jinx, preferring to mistreat her and turn hostile rather than let her go.
There was no helping it—that was simply human nature.
Gazing into the distance with a wistful tone, Jiang Jinyue said, “There’s no need to change our tune. As long as I remain a wife of the Li family and am willing to continuously support the Li family, won’t that problem cease to exist?”
Stunned, Li Chenghuan blinked. What was that supposed to mean?
Without looking at her, Jiang Jinyue continued, “Right now, in Grandmother’s eyes, your eldest brother is nowhere near as important as you and Chengle. Since Grandmother believes I possess heaven-defying methods, as long as I remain bound to the Li family, Grandmother will naturally agree.”
The old matriarch was astute, and astute people understood how to weigh gains and losses. She believed the old matriarch would see reason.
Utterly bewildered, Li Chenghuan asked, “What do you mean?” If she was given a divorce letter, how could she still be bound to the Li family? Did they expect to rely on making sacred oaths? The old matriarch certainly wouldn’t believe that.
Shifting her gaze to rest on the young maiden’s face, Jiang Jinyue slowly stated, “Chenghuan, the person betrothed to me was your eldest brother. But the person who bowed with me in the wedding hall was not him.”
The one who welcomed her through the Li family’s doors and completed the three ritual bows with her was the young maiden standing right before her. And in this dynasty, marriages between women were permitted by law.
Flabbergasted, Li Chenghuan stared at her. What on earth was that supposed to mean?
Flailing her hands in a panic after a long moment, she stammered, “Sister-in-law, my feelings for you are purely out of appreciation—appreciation for beauty! I absolutely do not harbor any thoughts like that!”
She understood now, yet didn’t completely understand, but that didn’t stop her from rejecting it outright.
She hadn’t suffered the bitter pains of romance in her past life, and she had zero desire to taste them in this one; she was a firm believer in singlehood.
Darkening her gaze slightly, Jiang Jinyue said, “My heart isn’t set on you either; I simply wish to have a clean break with your eldest brother.” Halting for a second, her tone turned frosty. “If you refuse to help with this favor, I won’t force you.”
Then she wouldn’t blame herself for taking an unorthodox shortcut. There was another unwritten rule in this dynasty: if a husband died and his family lacked senior members to show filial respect to, the marriage was automatically rendered void, and a woman was entirely free to remarry or establish her own household independently.
She couldn’t guarantee whether Li Chenghuan’s miraculous abilities would always require her involvement, but she was confident in her ability to clear away Old Madam Li as an obstacle. When that time came, whether she could permanently hold sway over Li Chenghuan or not, it would remain all benefit and zero harm to her.
[Female lead’s darkening value increases by twenty, two Wild Ox submachine guns confiscated]
Plunged into absolute darkness before her eyes, Li Chenghuan nearly passed out on the spot. Terrified out of her wits, she hurriedly pledged, “I’m willing to help you! Really!”
Help me, she cried internally. Not a single gun was left; did leaving her with just over two hundred loose bullets mean she was expected to swallow them?!
Seeing that Jiang Jinyue merely stared at her in silence as if refusing to believe her, Li Chenghuan raised her hands directly in surrender. “I swear it! I’ll listen to whatever you say. Is your mood any better now? Quick, start thinking about how we need submachine guns—Wild Ox submachine guns!”
This life was genuinely unlivable. She had never encountered such a toxic golden finger, nor had she ever heard of a transmigrator as miserable as herself. Every step felt like walking on thin ice, completely at the mercy of the female lead.
Remaining unmoved, Jiang Jinyue stated darkly, “You must assist me in making Grandmother write the divorce letter, and you must also take me as your wife. Until a formal separation is reached, you will obey my every word without question and conceal nothing from me.”
Li Chenghuan: “…” What exactly did pushing one’s luck mean? She was witnessing it live right now.
Was there really such an unreasonable female lead in existence? Weren’t female leads supposed to be upright and heroic?
[What you are encountering is a female lead after darkening.]
A mechanical voice rang out abruptly in her mind, startling her into a violent twitch.
Shocked, Li Chenghuan thought: What the heck? The golden finger can talk now?!
Noticing her horrified expression, Jiang Jinyue’s expression chilled further: “You’re unwilling?”
[Female lead’s darkening value increases by ten, half a pot of Chinese-sausage steamed rice confiscated]
Li Chenghuan: Heh, thanks a bunch!
Just let it all be destroyed. Was there something fundamentally wrong with this golden finger? Why didn’t it just bind directly to the female lead to save everyone the trouble? Why insist on torturing her—was it fun?!
Yet no matter how she ranted internally, the golden finger remained completely unresponsive, as if that single response had merely been an auditory hallucination.
The young maiden’s continued silence coupled with her look of utter despair made Jiang Jinyue feel a twinge of unease. Had she pushed things too far?
“If you truly are unwilling…”
“I am willing! Just tell me whatever arrangements you have; I have zero objections.” Interrupting Jiang Jinyue, Li Chenghuan yielded. One had to bow one’s head when under low eaves; without the golden finger and having lost all her rewards, her situation would only grow even more perilous.
Just wait, she muttered to herself. The day I no longer need the golden finger’s rewards, the day I firmly plant my feet in this world, I’ll definitely lock the female lead up and starve her for a few days! Likes to darken, huh? I’ll let her darken to her heart’s content then.
Though the young maiden verbally agreed, her tone carried an overwhelming sense of helpless resignation.
Pursing her lips, Jiang Jinyue softened her tone: “Chenghuan, I was driven to this by helplessness; I didn’t mean to force you.”
With a dismissive shake of her head, Li Chenghuan replied indifferently, “It’s fine, as long as you’re happy. Just remember to keep thinking about those submachine guns, otherwise all those bullets go to waste.”
You’re the female lead, you darken, you’re amazing.
She was utterly plastered.
Darkening her gaze, Jiang Jinyue figured she might have rushed things too eagerly, yet she felt no regret. With the current situation shrouded in uncertainty, she had no time to take things slow; she required more bargaining chips, and neither her self-preservation nor her hope of returning to the capital could afford any delays.
Locking eyes with her, Jiang Jinyue took the initiative to clasp Li Chenghuan’s hand. “Didn’t you ask me why I acted that way last night? I wasn’t telling the truth before.”
Staring at her with a deadpan expression, Li Chenghuan waited for the rest.
Lowering her gaze, Jiang Jinyue spoke in a light, drifting tone: “Because I wanted to. I wanted to treat you that way, so I did.” Since hard tactics fail, I’ll switch to soft ones.
Her heart entirely devoid of ripples, Li Chenghuan thought: Is that so? Want to know why I held you in my arms this morning?
Lifting her eyes, Jiang Jinyue waited for her to continue.
“Because I wanted to as well—I wanted to treat you that way.” Feeling utterly aggrieved and swept up by a wave of pent-up defiance, Li Chenghuan yanked Jiang Jinyue straight into her arms, cupping her hands around her cheeks.
With virtually zero distance remaining between them, their breaths mingling, she lowered her head as if venting her frustration. Just as she was about to graze those alluring red lips, a surge of reluctance stayed her hand, causing her to swerve slightly so that her lips only brushed against Jiang Jinyue’s cheek.
“Sister-in-law, let’s head back right now and ask Grandmother to write that divorce letter, then establish our engagement and announce it far and wide. We’ll do it entirely your way.”
Parting her lips, a soft, inexplicable warmth bloomed in Jiang Jinyue’s chest. “Alright.”
[Female lead’s darkening value decreases by three, rewarded with one Wild Ox submachine gun]
The golden finger’s reward arrived right on cue, yet Li Chenghuan felt entirely devoid of joy. Three guns had turned back into one—who could possibly be happy about that?
Dropping her arms dejectedly, she turned on her heel and walked away. Fine, whatever. Who cares that she’s the female lead? Who cares that I’m dirt poor and dependent on the golden finger?
Returning to the procession, the two of them had barely reached Old Madam Li’s side when they spotted Xu Xiao walking over briskly.
Halting before Jiang Jinyue, the youth said, “Miss Jiang, might it be convenient to step aside? My father has important matters to discuss.”
As it turned out, Magistrate Xu had caught a cold and previously collapsed midway from dehydration; reaching this point on foot was already his absolute limit. The moment he lay down just now, he felt as though he lacked the strength to ever stand back up.
Nodding in agreement, Jiang Jinyue subconsciously glanced at Li Chenghuan, feeling a momentary stir of realization—from what point on had she grown accustomed to this person’s constant companionship?
Were those insincere words also laced with a shred of truth?
Consciously rising to her feet, Li Chenghuan figured there was nothing else she could do; as the old matriarch put it, when asking favors of others, one had to butter them up.
Seeing them approach, Magistrate Xu hastily propped himself up on his elbows. “Pardon the trouble, both of you. Xu is being discourteous.”
“Magistrate Xu, please don’t stand on ceremony. What is the important matter you wish to discuss?” Pulling Li Chenghuan down to sit beside her, Jiang Jinyue maintained a distance that was neither too close to obscure his murmurs nor too distant to appear aloof.
Raising his head and signaling his son to keep watch on nearby bystanders, Magistrate Xu turned his gaze to Jiang Jinyue. “I wonder if Miss Jiang has ever heard your esteemed father mention the situation within the Ministry of Revenue?”
A jolt of shock rippled through Jiang Jinyue, though her expression remained completely composed. “What I know, Magistrate Xu surely understands just as well. Please feel free to speak plainly.”
While her father was indeed the Junior Vice Minister of Revenue, Magistrate Xu’s elder brother served as the Minister of Revenue; as members of the same circle, there was no need for probing tests at a time like this.
Nodding, Magistrate Xu said, “With three consecutive years of severe drought yielding zero harvest for the commoners, my elder brother has repeatedly mentioned since early spring that household taxes can no longer be collected, and commercial taxes are barely sufficient to sustain military provisions and government offices—there is nothing left to spare beyond that.” (Household taxes included poll taxes, land taxes, grain taxes, and various miscellaneous levies.)
Disaster relief grain had been suspended for months, and the Emperor’s private treasury had been hollowed out. If the situation wasn’t resolved soon, chaos would inevitably erupt across the provinces.
Naturally, Jiang Jinyue was well aware of these inside details, but there was still something she failed to understand.
“The source of chaos ought not to have originated in Youlong County.” In truth, Wang Yue’s assessment hadn’t been wrong; Youlong County sat right at the foot of the capital and boasted three thousand garrison troops—it shouldn’t have fallen into chaos, or at least, it shouldn’t have been the first to do so.
Nodding, Magistrate Xu asked, “Do you know why I fell ill?”
Startled, Jiang Jinyue wondered if mentioning his illness at a time like this meant it was connected to Youlong County.
Sensing her thoughts, Magistrate Xu let out a long, heavy sigh. “The Court of Judicial Review holds jurisdiction over major criminal cases across the provinces. Early this year, a case was submitted from the local authorities: the Magistrate of Youlong County had died suddenly at home under suspicious circumstances, and the Chief Magistrate ordered me to investigate in secret…”
The moment he departed the capital, he had sensed something was amiss; virtually no travelers were heading toward the capital along the road. Even with the severe drought, it shouldn’t have been devoid of even a single merchant caravan.
Youlong County sat at the foot of the imperial capital. Though designated a county, its territory was as vast as a prefecture or commandery. Ringed by mountains on two sides like a funnel, it guarded the sole pathway leading from the northern frontier into the capital, serving as a natural barrier for the imperial city.
“Little did I expect that the moment I arrived in Youlong County, I was invited straight into the county yamen…”
The newly appointed Youlong County Magistrate, Tong Dongshan, was Magistrate Xu’s former classmate and fellow disciple under the current Chancellor, Prime Minister Wu. It was precisely because of this connection that Tong Dongshan had confided the inner truth to him.
With three years of severe drought and the imperial court failing to provide effective countermeasures, the empire had long since plunged into chaos; refugees were displaced, and regional garrisons frequently stirred up trouble. The reason no news reached the imperial court was because Prime Minister Wu had instructed the Youlong County authorities to seal off the checkpoints leading into the capital while simultaneously intercepting all outgoing reports.
As for the death of the former Youlong County Magistrate, someone had attempted to smuggle the news out, but unfortunately, all memorials had to pass through Prime Minister Wu before reaching the Emperor’s hands.
Having taken charge of Youlong County, Tong Dongshan continued to take orders from Prime Minister Wu, ensuring the news never made it upward. Worn out by his exhausting journey, Magistrate Xu had fallen ill upon returning to the capital.
Knowing Tong Dongshan as he did, Magistrate Xu realized Youlong County hadn’t simply fallen into chaos—Tong Dongshan had led the garrison in open rebellion, an act that undoubtedly bore Prime Minister Wu’s backing.
Hearing this, Jiang Jinyue grasped the entire picture. The reigning sovereign had four sons—no, three sons and a daughter. Aside from the eldest princess Wang Yue, there were three imperial princes.
The youngest, the Fourth Prince, was born to Noble Consort Wu, who was Prime Minister Wu’s legitimate daughter. Since the Fourth Prince held neither the status of the primary wife’s eldest son nor seniority, and was merely a three-year-old toddler, even with Prime Minister Wu’s monstrous authority, he was still just a civil official devoid of military power.
Under normal circumstances, the Fourth Prince would have zero hope of succession; however, if the empire fell into chaos, anything became possible.
“I wonder what Magistrate Xu’s thoughts are?”
“Regardless of what news they bring back, we must enter the city tonight. With myself mediating from within, Tong Dongshan will certainly treat us as honored guests.” Speaking in a grave tone, Magistrate Xu wore an expression of earnest sincerity.
Pausing in silence for a moment, Jiang Jinyue nodded.
Magistrate Xu’s expression relaxed somewhat as he cupped his fists toward them and closed his eyes to rest.
Returning to Old Madam Li’s side, Li Chenghuan noticed Jiang Jinyue remaining lost in deep thought and couldn’t help prompting, “Sister-in-law, didn’t you have something to say to Grandmother?”
“What is it? My good Yue’er, just say whatever is on your mind; there’s nothing this old woman won’t agree to.” Hearing this, Old Madam Li beamed lovingly at Jiang Jinyue.
Shaking her head instead, Jiang Jinyue turned her attention back to Li Chenghuan. “How much sense do you think Magistrate Xu’s words make?”
Realizing they were discussing serious business, Old Madam Li silently turned her back to them. Fine, whatever, I won’t get in the way.
Puzzled, Li Chenghuan asked, “Why wouldn’t what he said make sense?” What’s this? Was Magistrate Xu just playing around with us?
Unexpectedly, Jiang Jinyue nodded: “He wasn’t telling the truth…” Magistrate Xu had underestimated a sheltered maiden; he had underestimated her.
Prime Minister Wu possessed monstrous power, and Youlong County’s strategic location was crucial—both of those were true. Yet neither Prime Minister Wu nor Youlong County could possibly block news of the disasters and turmoil.
Youlong County could block travelers coming from the north, and Prime Minister Wu could intercept memorials from various regions, but that was the extent of their blocking power.
However, the channels for transmitting news across the empire were not limited to human messengers and written memorials; relay stations used carrier pigeons, and the northern frontier was famed for its eagles. The methods available for spreading information were countless—how could mere human manpower hope to intercept them all?
Li Chenghuan gained a fresh appreciation for the situation. “Then what should we do? Are we still entering the city tonight or not?”
Shaking her head, Jiang Jinyue replied, “I don’t know either.” She needed to think carefully about whether entering Youlong County was the right move.
Seeing her devoid of an answer, Li Chenghuan gave up entirely and defaulted to a devil-may-care attitude: “If you ask me, we might as well just launch a rebellion and be done with it.” Let the world burn—a single gun is enough to conquer it.
Whirling around abruptly, Old Madam Li brought her palm down squarely on Li Chenghuan’s head. “What kind of nonsense are you spouting? Treason is a crime punishable by the extermination of all nine agnatic clans!” This ill-fated child truly had the guts to say anything.
Rubbing her head and rolling her eyes, Li Chenghuan retorted, “You were the one talking about wanting to flee earlier—isn’t that also a crime punishable by extermination of the nine clans?”
With her expression freezing over, Old Madam Li hurriedly glanced over at Jiang Jinyue. “Good Yue’er, don’t listen to her spouting nonsense…”
“I’ve already talked to Sister-in-law about it, and Sister-in-law agrees.” Dropping a bombshell, Li Chenghuan cut the old matriarch off mid-sentence.
Staring in sheer disbelief, Old Madam Li blinked at Jiang Jinyue. “Good Yue’er, you’re willing to run away with us?”
How could she be this heartless—did she not care about her family back in the capital?
Hesitating for a moment, Jiang Jinyue nodded. She did agree, but they had to use a different method so as not to implicate their family members in the capital.
Seeing her nod, Old Madam Li’s complexion shifted through a rainbow of expressions before she finally whispered, “Then when are we running away? Should we bring Yuwan along? Where are we running to? Do you have a concrete plan in your head?”
Glancing at Li Chenghuan, Jiang Jinyue patiently explained to the old matriarch, “Chenghuan didn’t make herself clear…”
“What’s there to make clear? We have a gun—we can go occupy a mountain peak and become kings anywhere!” Li Chenghuan interrupted once more. Though there was only one gun, wasn’t the female lead right here with them? There was nothing to fear.
Frowning, Jiang Jinyue found the young maiden’s attitude far too casual, as if nothing mattered anymore—a mindset that left her deeply unsettled.
Seeing her frown at Li Chenghuan, Old Madam Li delivered another slap to the back of the head. “Shut your mouth and let your sister-in-law finish speaking!”
She had only looked away for a short moment, yet this ill-fated granddaughter was acting out again; she truly deserved a beating.
Taking another hit, Li Chenghuan simply decided to remove herself from the spot entirely. “If you won’t let me talk, I’ll just leave.”
“Hey, you get back here!” Old Madam Li was genuinely furious now. Truly, if you didn’t discipline her for three days she’d start tearing up the roof tiles; this ill-fated child was actually talking back to her now.
Naturally, Li Chenghuan didn’t stop. Her heart felt intensely upset, as though a heavy ball of stagnant frustration was pressing against her chest with nowhere to escape, driving her to the verge of irritation.
“Grandmother, don’t worry, I’ll go check on her.” Placating the old matriarch, Jiang Jinyue rose to her feet and followed after Li Chenghuan.
Once they were far enough from the procession, she halted her steps: “Chenghuan, let’s talk.”
Turning around, Li Chenghuan folded her arms and stared at her. “What does Sister-in-law want to talk about?”
Closing the distance to stand face-to-face with her, Jiang Jinyue stated, “You’re dissatisfied with me.” Her tone was absolute; the young maiden’s dissatisfaction was written all over her face.
With a self-deprecating laugh, Li Chenghuan retorted, “I wouldn’t dare be dissatisfied.” You’re the female lead; you say it’s time to darken and you darken; all the golden finger’s rewards depend entirely on you, and when it confiscates them, it does so without a shred of hesitation. She was just a pure tool character—what qualifications did she have to express dissatisfaction?
Pursing her lips, Jiang Jinyue lowered her gaze and said softly, “Chenghuan, I need you.” Her tone was dejected, her expression fragile and pitifully forlorn.
Li Chenghuan’s breath hitched. Gritting her teeth, she mercilessly wrenched her head away. Detestable female lead—actually resorting to acting pitiful! Playing dirty like this… she almost fell for it.