According to Song Shiyun, after the wedding banquet ended that evening, she and Yan Changyue were walking upstairs when they encountered Liu Xiyin leaving the bridal chamber.
Liu Xiyin had taken a fancy to her necklace and insisted on taking it.
When she couldn’t get it, she tried to push Song Shiyun down the stairs.
Yan Changyue stepped in to protect her, and during the struggle, he fell down the staircase himself.
With tears streaming down her face, Song Shiyun held up the broken necklace in her palm.
“My second cousin brought this necklace back from France. If Sister-in-law wanted it, I would’ve gladly given it to her. I only said I needed to ask Second Cousin first, but then Sister-in-law tried to snatch it… It’s all my fault…”
Her words sounded utterly sincere.
Everyone believed her.
[Big Sister-in-law wanted to steal my necklace, and it’s all my fault… Cousin, maybe you should take a look at my neck and see if there’s even any room left for another necklace.]
Unable to stop himself, Yan Changye glanced back.
It was true.
Although his little bride had removed her phoenix crown, her neck was already adorned with a pearl necklace, an agate necklace, a jade necklace, a gold necklace…
Compared to those, Song Shiyun’s delicate chain wasn’t even as valuable as the string holding the pearls together.
“…”
His little bride had grown up in the countryside.
If she liked wearing several necklaces at once, that was hardly a problem.
[The Marshal’s wife gave me all of these because she was worried I’d be upset that Yan Changye didn’t return for our wedding. Am I really that petty? But Cousin, your necklace honestly isn’t worth much.]
His little bride’s thoughts came one after another without pause, like an endless stream of telegraph messages buzzing inside his head.
After a moment’s thought, Yan Changye stepped aside, allowing Liu Xiyin to move out from behind him.
“So… what does Young Madam have to say?”
[Young… Mad… am… has… to… say… The Young Marshal was too busy with military affairs to return for the wedding, so naturally he doesn’t even remember his bride’s name. Completely reasonable.]
[It’d be even better if he only remembered the Ninth Concubine’s name. Then I could make a graceful escape.]
Yan Changye: “…”
Liu Xiyin had fair skin and an innocent appearance.
Her large eyes sparkled with intelligence.
There wasn’t the slightest trace of panic or anger in someone supposedly about to have her leg broken.
Listening to the nonstop chatter in her mind, he had the distinct feeling she was far more interested in watching him carry on an affair with the nonexistent Ninth Concubine than clearing her own name.
Liu Xiyin timidly raised her head and looked around at the people staring at her with varying expressions.
Finally, her gaze settled on Song Shiyun, who was huddled beside the Second Concubine, sobbing uncontrollably.
[Finally! Is it my turn to speak? Oh heavens, I finally have some screen time!]
After the Third Young Master had fallen down the stairs, everyone had rushed him to the hospital before seeing off the wedding guests.
Only after Marshal Yan returned did the Marshal’s Mansion finally quiet down.
But such an incident on such an auspicious day had infuriated him.
The moment Song Shiyun accused Liu Xiyin, he ordered his servants to drag her downstairs and force her to kneel.
After that, the Marshal, his concubines, and Song Shiyun all spoke over one another.
Not a single person bothered asking Liu Xiyin what had happened.
The Marshal’s wife tried several times to let Liu Xiyin defend herself, but each attempt was interrupted by the Second Concubine.
Originally, Liu Xiyin had planned to reveal her trump card immediately.
Since Yan Changye had arrived, she could at least lay some groundwork first.
“It wasn’t me.”
Her voice was gentle and soft, completely unlike the excitement raging inside her thoughts.
She sounded obedient and pleasant.
The Second Concubine’s brows shot upward.
“So, Young Madam is saying that Yun’er falsely accused you?”
Liu Xiyin slowly nodded.
In the same soft, well-behaved tone, she replied,
“Second Aunt, Cousin truly did falsely accuse me.”
The Second Concubine clung to Marshal Yan’s arm.
“Marshal, you’ve watched Yun’er grow up. You know her. She has no grudge against Young Madam. Why would she falsely accuse her? She only exposed the truth because she saw it with her own eyes.”
[Doesn’t Second Aunt know that people who expose others always end up failing? Noble Lady Qi exposed Noble Consort Xi’s secret affair, and that ended in complete disaster. In the future, I’ll never be Noble Lady Qi exposing Yan Changye and the Ninth Concubine. I’ll be covering for them instead. As long as I get to secretly watch from the sidelines.]
[Wait… does that make me Huan Bi?]
…
Unable to endure it any longer, Yan Changye rubbed his temples.
The Second Concubine was already in her forties, yet she looked barely thirty.
She wore a pink-and-white qipao beneath an exquisite fur shawl.
Every movement radiated the graceful charm of a mature woman.
Even her voice was enough to make people’s bones go weak.
Song Shiyun looked at Liu Xiyin in disbelief, her eyes red from crying.
“Sister-in-law… My mother died when I was little. I’ve only been able to stay here in the Marshal’s Mansion because of everyone’s kindness. If you insist that I falsely accused you… are you trying to drive me out so I’ll have nowhere left to call home?”
Marshal Yan favored the Second Concubine.
Yet when he noticed Yan Changye impatiently massaging his temples, he quietly withdrew the hand the Second Concubine was holding.
Turning toward Liu Xiyin, he said,
“Eldest Daughter-in-law, I’m not a biased man. Since you claim Yun’er falsely accused you… do you have any proof?”
[Finally! The evidence stage! My turn! Time for you old fossils to witness the power of technology!]
Old fossils?
What was this “power of technology”?
Yan Changye lowered his hand from his forehead and stared at Liu Xiyin.
For the first time, he caught onto a possibility.
His little bride…
Wasn’t from this era.
That was right.
She kept mentioning empresses, imperial consorts, and noble ladies.
Those titles no longer existed.
Was she from the past?
Or the future?
Had the emperor somehow been restored in the future?
His brows knitted even tighter.
Everyone else also turned to Liu Xiyin.
Calm and composed, she simply uttered two words.
“I do.”
Song Shiyun’s face instantly turned pale.
Marshal Yan had never truly liked his current wife.
The only reason she became the legal wife was because she was the younger sister of his original wife.
His first wife had fought beside him from his bandit days until he built his military power.
She ultimately died on the battlefield, entrusting her younger sister to him before her death.
Marshal Yan honored that promise by giving her the title of legal wife.
But despite all the years that had passed—and despite his growing status and wealth—they had never developed genuine affection.
In the past, he hadn’t particularly liked Yan Changye either.
He had favored the children born to his concubines.
Only after Yan Changye grew up and earned immense prestige within the military did Marshal Yan begin considering his feelings and giving him the respect he deserved.
Sitting down on the sofa, Marshal Yan extended his hand.
“Show it to me.”
From within the wide sleeve of her bridal robe, Liu Xiyin took out a small metallic object shaped like a gramophone horn.
It rested on a tiny base, resembling a miniature gramophone.
Unlike an actual gramophone, however, its base had two small metal buttons.
Holding it respectfully with both hands, she presented it to Marshal Yan.
[Just thinking about what’s about to happen makes me want to laugh.]
She looked toward Song Shiyun, unable to stop the corners of her lips from curling upward.
The Second Concubine frowned.
“What kind of evidence is that?”
Liu Xiyin almost burst into laughter before quickly pressing her lips together.
To everyone else, she simply appeared shy.
“Marshal… Madam… Young Marshal… Aunts… Have you all ever listened to gramophone records?”
Listening to records, watching movies, and shopping at department stores were among the most fashionable activities of the day.
Marshal Yan disliked many Western customs.
But when it came to enjoying Western luxuries, the Marshal’s Mansion lacked nothing.
There was even a gramophone inside the residence.
The Second Concubine said,
“Young Madam, the Marshal asked for evidence proving Yun’er framed you. If you want to listen to records, the Young Marshal can accompany you another day. Why insist on it now?”
[Because what this gramophone is about to play sounds far more interesting.]
Yan Changye’s sharp gaze swept across the Second Concubine before settling on the tiny gramophone in Marshal Yan’s hand.
Was it really a gramophone?
After years of traveling across the country, he’d never seen one so small.
More importantly…
There wasn’t even a record on it.
How exactly was his little bride planning to use that as evidence?