[So this is Yan Changye, the future villain who’ll end up having an affair with his own father’s Ninth Concubine?]
As soon as Yan Changye stepped into the grand hall of the Marshal’s Mansion, a crisp, clear voice slipped into his ears.
His footsteps halted.
Yan Changye’s father was the Military Governor of the five southeastern provinces, known to everyone as Marshal Yan. Having risen from a bandit background, the old marshal had forcibly taken many women as his concubines.
Yan Changye was the eldest son born to the Marshal’s legal wife. He spent most of the year away from home and rarely returned.
But as far as he remembered, his father only had eight officially recognized concubines.
While he’d been away, where had the old man found another one?
His sharp gaze swept across the room before settling on the lone unfamiliar figure standing in the center of the hall. His brows furrowed.
Everyone else in the room was familiar.
Only she was a stranger.
But…
Wasn’t this the bride the old bandit had stolen for him?
Although he hadn’t returned for the wedding ceremony, he’d seen her photograph when the marriage contract was signed.
[He’s so ridiculously handsome… and such a playboy. I absolutely love the whole “father’s concubine” drama.]
[A son secretly involved with his father’s concubine behind the legal wife’s back? Even better.]
Liu Xiyin knelt on the floor. Surrounded by everyone, she looked tiny, yet her bright eyes sparkled.
She was Yan Changye’s lawful wife.
She had only married into the Marshal’s Mansion earlier that day.
Unfortunately, the Young Marshal was always away and hadn’t appeared at the wedding. She had been forced to bow to Heaven and Earth while holding a rooster in place of the groom before entering the bridal chamber.
She was now the legitimate Young Madam of the Marshal’s Mansion.
That evening, the Third Young Master, Yan Changyue, had fallen down the stairs and broken his leg.
Song Shiyun, the niece of the Second Concubine, accused Liu Xiyin of pushing him.
The Marshal’s wife tried to protect Liu Xiyin, but she wasn’t favored. The Second Concubine merely shed a few tears and acted spoiled, and the Marshal immediately took her side, believing Song Shiyun’s accusation.
The Marshal had once been a bandit. He was stubborn to the core.
Since Yan Changyue had broken a leg, Liu Xiyin would have to lose one of hers in compensation.
Then…
Yan Changye returned.
Dressed in a deep navy military uniform, wearing black leather gloves, he stood nearly six-foot-two.
A silver pocket watch hung from his uniform buttons by a delicate chain that swayed gently as he walked.
His military boots struck the wooden floor with cold, intimidating echoes.
In the bitter depths of winter, his very presence made everyone’s scalp tingle.
Every eye turned toward him.
Liu Xiyin was no exception.
Yet at such a critical moment, she wasn’t nervous at all.
Her mind was completely occupied by excitement over the unfolding drama.
Liu Xiyin had transmigrated into this novel.
This world came from a book she’d casually read while taking a break at the research institute.
It was set in an alternate Republican Era.
The novel’s greatest villain was Yan Changye.
In the future, he would secretly carry on an affair with his father’s Ninth Concubine.
She had been completely engrossed in the story.
Just as she was about to reach the exciting part where he finally succeeded…
Her excitement, combined with too many sleepless nights, caused her to die suddenly.
When she opened her eyes again, she’d been reborn as the real daughter of the Liu family, the child who had been lost in the countryside years ago.
Many years earlier, Old Master Liu had saved Marshal Yan before he became a powerful warlord.
The two families arranged a marriage.
Later, Old Master Liu passed away, while Marshal Yan rose to become the supreme military ruler of the five southeastern provinces.
Despite his newfound power, he still remembered the marriage agreement.
When he sent people to the Liu family to fulfill it, he discovered that the real daughter had been lost, and the family had unknowingly raised a fake daughter for sixteen years.
Marshal Yan had exploded with rage.
Pointing a pistol at the entire Liu family, he roared,
“I may not have much education, but I stick to my principles! If any of you dare fool me with a fake daughter, I’ll shoot every last one of you!”
With guns pointed at their heads, the Liu family found Liu Xiyin within half a month and begged her to marry into the Marshal’s Mansion.
Although she retained memories from her previous life after reincarnating, the chaos of war had left her confused.
When she finally became aware of her surroundings, she found herself living in a rundown farmhouse.
She had always believed she was simply the daughter of an ordinary farming family during the Republican Era.
In her previous life, she’d been an orphan raised by the director of a research institute.
This lifetime, she finally had parents, and she treasured them dearly.
Who would have guessed she’d become caught up in one of those “real daughter versus fake daughter” stories?
By the time she learned the truth, both the Liu family and the Marshal’s Mansion had already fixed their eyes on her.
If she refused to return and marry the future villain, not only she, but also her adoptive parents and the Liu family would all be executed.
She had no choice but to honor the marriage agreement while pursuing the things she wanted to accomplish.
Which led her straight into this mess.
Marshal Yan was crude, lustful, and straightforward.
He only forced the Liu family to bring Liu Xiyin back to fulfill an old promise.
He had no real intention of protecting her.
Fortunately, she didn’t need his protection.
As a future scientific genius, she might not be able to overthrow a local tyrant like Marshal Yan…
But handling a situation like this was hardly difficult.
If Yan Changye hadn’t suddenly returned to interrupt things, she would have already turned the tables herself.
The black military boots stopped directly in front of her.
Liu Xiyin lowered her head shyly, pretending to be obedient.
Yan Changye removed one glove.
He bent down, lifted her chin, and carefully examined her face.
[What are you doing? I know you don’t like me, but don’t even think about killing me just to make room for your future Ninth Concubine. I’m not easy to deal with!]
It really was her.
Marshal Yan disliked anything Western, so today’s wedding had followed traditional customs.
Liu Xiyin still wore the elaborate phoenix crown and embroidered bridal robes.
She had only removed the heavy crown from her head.
Her long black hair cascaded freely over her shoulders, a few loose strands framing her face.
Her already fair skin appeared even more delicate, making her resemble a fragile red plum blossom blooming amid heavy snowfall.
As though a single gust of wind might scatter her away.
That is…
If Yan Changye hadn’t heard the outrageously rebellious thoughts running through her mind.
Yet her lips never moved.
She hadn’t spoken a single word.
No one else appeared to have heard anything either.
Could it be…
Those had been his little bride’s inner thoughts?
And only he could hear them?
Yan Changye had gone to war at twelve years old.
He had grown up among piles of corpses and witnessed every imaginable horror.
Nowadays, strange new ideas and inventions poured endlessly into the country.
People constantly encountered things they had never imagined before.
So the fact that he could suddenly hear someone’s thoughts…
He accepted it surprisingly quickly.
His expression never changed.
The calloused fingers that bore years of gun training slid away from her chin.
Grabbing her shoulder, he pulled her to her feet.
[Ow… that hurts.]
Liu Xiyin cried inwardly.
Yan Changye immediately loosened his grip and stepped in front of her protectively.
“Father… what are you planning to do to my bride?”
His voice was cold and deep, carrying the unmistakable killing intent of someone who had survived countless battlefields.
No matter what kind of spectacle his little bride wanted to watch…
Once they had completed the wedding ceremony, she belonged to him.
He would settle today’s matter first.
Later…
He could slowly uncover all of her secrets.
Marshal Yan answered coldly,
“She refused to obey. She pushed your third brother downstairs and broke his leg. A leg for a leg.”
Yan Changye showed not the slightest fear toward his father.
He simply extended his hand.
“Evidence.”
[So handsome… He’s actually standing up for the bride who married him holding a rooster. But don’t forget your future Ninth Concubine!]
Marshal Yan pointed toward Song Shiyun.
“Shiyun saw it herself.”
Song Shiyun was the daughter of the Second Concubine’s late elder sister.
After her sister died, the Second Concubine brought Song Shiyun into the Marshal’s Mansion to raise her.
The household certainly had enough food for one more mouth.
Besides, the Second Concubine was deeply favored.
Song Shiyun had grown up with the Yan family and had just turned eighteen.
She was beautiful, dressed in an elegant qipao with fashionable curled hair.
From the moment Yan Changye entered, her eyes had never left him.
[Cousin, I don’t blame you for liking the Young Marshal. But slandering me while staring so openly at my husband isn’t exactly classy. Control yourself. He’s destined for the Ninth Concubine anyway.]
Yan Changye: “…”
His little bride looked quiet and gentle.
Her inner thoughts, however…
Never stopped talking.
Song Shiyun hesitated.
“It… it was Sister-in-law who pushed Third Cousin.”
[The Empress pushed Consort Xi! The legendary line has finally appeared! My life is complete. I even get to play the Empress now.]
Yan Changye: “…”
What was she talking about?
Did his little bride want to become an empress?
Too late.
The emperor had already been overthrown.