Bai Qingzhou shook his head.
“No.”
“You got rejected?” Shen Mianmian let out a huge sigh of relief.
Of course the reborn female lead wouldn’t sleep with this doomed cannon-fodder character.
Bai Qingzhou thought for a moment.
“Not really, I guess? While she was bathing, I waited on the couch. As I waited, I gradually calmed down. I realized I shouldn’t act out of spite. I promised you that we’d be one husband and one wife for life, and I should keep that promise. I can’t break my word just because I’m angry.”
Hearing those cliché seven words again, Shen Mianmian found herself strangely less annoyed than before.
As she watched the young man begin removing his clothes, she was about to object.
But then she thought about it.
The idiot had finally calmed down and decided not to sleep with the female lead. The tiny spark threatening to ignite the plot was finally dying out.
How could she possibly fan the flames?
Between him sleeping with the female lead and sleeping beside her, she’d much rather choose the latter.
The young man removed his outer robe, leaving only his white inner garments, and lay down against the edge of the bed.
As he slipped beneath the blanket, that clean, youthful scent came with him.
Yet he made no further move.
Instead, he simply lay on his side facing away from her, perfectly proper and motionless near the edge of the bed.
Shen Mianmian didn’t bother him.
Forget it.
Let things be.
There was no need to deliberately create distance anymore.
When soldiers came, she’d block them. When water came, she’d dam it.
She could predict what the female lead intended to do. Did that mean she couldn’t stop her?
Wasn’t Jiang Yinjin’s goal simply to push the Marquis of Anning onto Prince Jin’s rebellious faction?
As long as she could prevent Jiang Yinjin from earning Madam Ding’s trust and meeting Princess Rui’an, wouldn’t the problem solve itself?
If Jiang Yinjin wanted to curry favor with Madam Ding?
Then she’d do the same.
They could compete and see who succeeded.
…
Peony Courtyard.
Jiang Yinjin put away the sedative she hadn’t needed to use, then instructed the maids to prepare water.
After carefully washing her hands, she returned to bed.
Chuxue and Chuyu remained in the room.
Neither spoke.
The atmosphere was thick with silent resentment.
Jiang Yinjin withdrew from her thoughts and raised her eyes.
“It’s getting late. Why aren’t you two resting? What are you still doing here?”
Chuxue’s voice choked with emotion.
“Young Madam, you’re so intelligent. Are you really just going to watch that vixen steal the heir away?”
Tears rolled down Chuyu’s cheeks.
“Exactly! The heir came and then left again. If word gets out… he’s gone too far!”
Jiang Yinjin burst into laughter.
“I thought it was something serious.”
She shook her head.
“So it’s just that.”
She chuckled softly.
“And what if word gets out? People will laugh at me for losing favor?”
She looked at them calmly.
“Remember this. A wife is chosen for virtue. A concubine is taken for beauty. The duty of a proper wife is not to serve with her looks. Competing with concubines for affection only lowers one’s status.”
Seeing no trace of sadness on her face, the two maids finally relaxed.
Knowing they genuinely cared about her, Jiang Yinjin made an exception and explained a little more.
“My goal has never been the heir.”
“It’s Madam Ding.”
“Madam Ding?” Chuxue exclaimed.
Chuyu understood first.
“I see what Young Madam means. Everyone in the capital knows the heir is spineless. In the past, the Marquis and Madam ruled this household. In the future, our Young Madam will.”
“That’s it!” Chuxue exclaimed happily. “Now I understand too!”
Jiang Yinjin looked at them fondly.
“Go get some rest. I don’t want to see either of you nodding off tomorrow.”
“Yes, Young Madam.”
The two maids cheerfully paid their respects and left, handing the night-watch duties over to lower-ranking servants.
A while later—
After their figures disappeared from the room, the smile on Jiang Yinjin’s face slowly faded.
A chilling coldness appeared in her eyes.
“Heh.”
“They all deserve to die.”
“I’ll make sure the entire Marquis of Anning’s household dies without a burial place.”
…
The next morning.
After breakfast, Jiang Yinjin went early to the main courtyard to pay her respects to Madam Ding.
The Marchioness warmly welcomed her.
“Have you eaten breakfast yet?”
Jiang Yinjin lowered her eyes respectfully.
“Yes, Mother. Your daughter-in-law has already eaten.”
Madam Ding nodded thoughtfully.
Then she exchanged a glance with her trusted nanny, who promptly dismissed the servants below.
Soon, only Madam Ding, Jiang Yinjin, and their closest attendants remained in the reception hall.
Madam Ding asked eagerly,
“I heard Qingzhou spent some time with you yesterday?”
Jiang Yinjin naturally knew what she wanted to ask.
A trace of disdain flashed across her lips before quickly disappearing.
Lowering her gaze, she revealed a mixture of quiet strength and faint grievance.
“Yes. When the heir arrived, I was bathing. After I finished, we exchanged a few words, and then he left.”
Madam Ding’s expression stiffened.
Embarrassment crept onto her face.
“Perhaps… perhaps he thought you were tired after bathing.”
She hurriedly added,
“Don’t worry. Leave everything to me. I’ll have a proper talk with Qingzhou later.”
Satisfaction flickered deep within Jiang Yinjin’s eyes, though her demeanor remained respectful.
“I have something on my mind. I’m not sure whether I should say it.”
“Of course you should!” Madam Ding replied immediately. “Tell me. Whatever request you have, I’ll do my best as your mother-in-law.”
While comforting her daughter-in-law, she silently cursed her disappointing son countless times.
Jiang Yinjin smiled gently.
“Actually, before the marriage, I already knew about the situation between the heir and Concubine Shen. I accepted it.”
“As the principal wife, I understand my responsibilities. If I truly become occupied managing household affairs in the future, I’m afraid I won’t be able to care for the heir properly.”
“So seeing someone by his side who understands him and takes care of him reassures me.”
Madam Ding was deeply moved.
She stared at the young woman, amazed that someone so young could be so dignified and magnanimous.
“What a wonderful daughter-in-law!”
“Truly wonderful!”
Immediately, she ordered rewards to be brought.
Silks.
Jade ornaments.
And plenty of silver.
Afterward, the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law chatted privately and took a stroll through the garden before Madam Ding finally let Jiang Yinjin return.
Back in her room.
Jiang Yinjin changed into a softer everyday dress and removed her gentle smile.
Her gaze settled heavily on the view outside the window.
Chuxue and Chuyu stood nearby.
After a long silence, Jiang Yinjin finally looked away and smiled faintly.
“You two have questions. Go ahead and ask.”
In her previous life, both maids had remained loyal until her death.
She trusted them completely.
After receiving permission, Chuxue respectfully asked,
“Your servant doesn’t understand. Since Young Madam doesn’t care about the heir and only wants Madam Ding’s trust, why are you unhappy after receiving so many rewards today?”
Jiang Yinjin raised an eyebrow.
“Am I that obvious?”
Both maids nodded.
“You know me well.”
She sighed and shook her head.
“I am unhappy.”
“Because everything is progressing too slowly.”
“Too slowly?” the two asked in confusion.
This time, Jiang Yinjin did not answer.
In her previous life, the heir had refused to spend their wedding night with her.
The next day, he had not even appeared for the tea ceremony.
She had seen Madam Ding’s displeasure.
That same afternoon, Shen Mianmian had failed to pay her respects.
Even three days later, when she returned to her parents’ home, the heir had refused to accompany her.
If things had unfolded the same way this time, she could have used Madam Ding’s anger to stir trouble against Shen Mianmian.
Bai Qingzhou would inevitably have argued with his mother for Shen Mianmian’s sake.
Every argument would have increased Madam Ding’s guilt toward her.
That guilt would have led to compensation.
More gifts.
More trust.
And eventually, introductions to Princess Rui’an.
The princess would listen to her.
Believe her.
Trust her.
But this lifetime had changed.
The heir attended the tea ceremony.
Shen Mianmian voluntarily came to pay her respects.
Three days later, despite his reluctance, the heir still accompanied her back to her family home.
As a result, Madam Ding felt far less guilty toward her.
According to the previous timeline, it had taken two years before Madam Ding privately introduced her to Princess Rui’an.
By then, Prince Jin’s rebellion had already begun.
The Marquis of Anning’s household could never approach Prince Jin after he openly rebelled.
She had to bind Prince Jin and the Marquis’s household together before the rebellion began.
Which meant she needed to accelerate everything.
No matter what method she used, she had to make Shen Mianmian and Bai Qingzhou cause trouble.
She had to push Madam Ding toward her side.
Thinking this, Jiang Yinjin let out a cold smile.
Then she said,
“Chuxue.”
“Go to Bright Moon Courtyard.”
“Invite Concubine Shen here.”