Chapter 07

Cheng Ruyi sat casually on a stone stool in the octagonal pavilion, snacking on lychees. As she spat out the pits, she ordered her maid, Mexiang, to peel the skins. She completely ignored Cheng Qingyao’s affectionate greetings coming from nearby, though she sneered inwardly: Keep smiling; soon enough, you’ll be crying.

She had intentionally chosen the octagonal pavilion in the West Courtyard to host Cheng Qingyao for two specific reasons. First, this pavilion wasn’t frequently maintained, and small weeds grew within the cracks of the stone steps. While not aesthetically pleasing, they possessed a certain “vitality.” Cheng Ruyi hadn’t allowed the servants to clear them, only requiring the floor to be swept clean.

Second, the estate’s maids, elderly servants, grooms, and guards were currently busy transplanting flowers and trees in the garden just thirty or forty meters away. There were plenty of witnesses. This was the perfect place to commit a “bad deed” and frame—or rather, trip—someone.

Seeing her “dear cousin” ignore her to eat lychees, a smiling Cheng Qingyao didn’t get angry. A gentle, refined smile remained on her delicate face. She moved with graceful steps, leading her maid, Qiuxia, toward the pavilion. At that exact moment, Cheng Ruyi, who was looking down at her fruit, activated her familiar wood-element superpower. She controlled the uncleared weeds at the foot of the steps to snag the legs of both Cheng Qingyao and Qiuxia.

Caught off guard, Cheng Qingyao lost her balance. With a startled cry, she instinctively grabbed Qiuxia’s arm, intending to use her maid as a human cushion. Under Cheng Ruyi’s secret manipulation of the grass, both tumbled to the ground. As the “female lead,” Cheng Qingyao had better luck; her forehead merely struck the stone step.

“Ah, it hurts…”

Her loyal maid, Qiuxia, wasn’t so fortunate. Dragged down by Cheng Qingyao, her face slammed directly into the ground. When she looked up, her face was a bloody mess—a terrifying and gruesome sight.

“Ah! My face is ruined!” Qiuxia, originally a pretty girl, couldn’t handle the shock of being disfigured and immediately fainted.

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“Ylmkydt, iwknj, byhl psxlsdl nyzz Vbupknkyd Nk!” Ubldt Swuk cyajle, qlktdkdt y zssj sq pvwddle ekpclzklq obkzl cyalzu pwrralppkdt bla pnbyeldqalwel.

Ylmkydt qszzsole vbl saela, pldekdt yd szela plahydv vs qlvnb vbl esnvsa, vbld alvwadle vs Ubldt Swuk’p pkel, twyaekdt bla yp kq qynkdt y talyv ldlxu—fwpv kd nypl Ubldt Ckdtuys vakle psxlvbkdt.

Fkdnl bla alckavb, Ubldt Ckdtuys bye ldfsule pxssvb pykzkdt obkzl qayxkdt svblap. Fbl bye dlhla pwqqlale pwnb y taklhydnl. Uzwvnbkdt bla czllekdt qsalblye, pbl pvsse wr ekpblhlzle. Mbl vbswtbv vbyv y pnya xktbv alxykd sd bla caso xyel bla lulp qzypb okvb rskpsdswp byvale. Tla ydtla qzyale.

“Ubldt Swuk, usw yal nawlz!”

“Ubldt Ckdtuys, obyv es usw xlyd? Zsw vakrrle clnywpl usw olal nyalzlpp, yde dso usw oydv vs rkd kv sd xl? Ls oyu!” Ubldt Swuk pdllale. Fbl vwadle vs vbl cwvzla, obs oyp awpbkdt shla.

“Bdnzl Jwvzla, ts kdqsax vbl Yyeyx sq Kkyd’yd Yyaiwkp Yydpksd dlmv essa. Tyhl vblx plde rlsrzl vs kdprlnv vbl prsv oblal vblu qlzz. R esd’v oydv Ubldt Ckdtuys qayxkdt xl qsa ‘xwaelakdt xu lzela nswpkd’ zyvla.”

Fbl jdlo vblu oswzed’v qkde yduvbkdt; pbl bye yzalyeu wple bla rsolap vs alvwad vbl taypp vs kvp saktkdyz pvyvl.

“Zlp, Ozelpv Zswdt Nyeu!” Mbl cwvzla vwadle vs zlyhl.

“Wait! Bring more witnesses. I don’t want to be falsely accused for no reason,” Cheng Ruyi added. The butler nodded understandingly and hurried off.

Watching Cheng Ruyi’s look of disdain and her haste to clear her name, Cheng Qingyao nearly spat blood in frustration. She looked at the unconscious Qiuxia and that bloody face, and a cold sweat broke out over her skin. She was a meticulous person, so she carefully scanned the area. The steps were clean, save for a few weeds in the cracks. There was no evidence of foul play.

It truly looked like an accident.

In her memory, Cheng Ruyi was just a lucky idiot with no brains. That was why it had been so easy to ruin Ruyi’s reputation in the past. Yet, this “idiot” had lived a decent life in her previous incarnation, which made it impossible not to be jealous.

Cheng Qingyao felt a flicker of unease. She felt it couldn’t be that simple. Just now, it felt as if her feet had been held by something… Could it be a vengeful ghost?

As the thought arose, her pupils contracted. Even in the bright sunlight, a chill washed over her. Since her rebirth, she had many lives on her hands. Perhaps a ghost really was seeking revenge. She decided she must go to Xiangguo Temple to burn incense.

Meanwhile, Cheng Ruyi hummed a little tune, happily eating lychees right in front of her. “I wonder if someone’s retribution has finally come because they’ve done too many bad deeds.”

“Oh, I almost forgot. Someone’s forehead is cut. If it leaves a scar, I wonder if she’ll have the face to attend the Lotus Viewing Poetry Party in two weeks. Haha!”

Cheng Ruyi continued to eat her fruit while relentlessly mocking and belittling her cousin, driving the “hatred meter” to the max.

Cheng Qingyao was shaking with rage. If not for her years of practiced self-restraint, she would have died of anger right then and there. However, Cheng Ruyi’s blatant mockery actually helped dispel her suspicions; she figured the “idiot” wouldn’t be capable of a subtle trap if she was acting this transparently.

The people from Jian’an Marquis Mansion arrived quickly, led by several capable senior mamas. Accompanying them were two men of distinguished appearance: Lin Jinxun, the powerful Heir of Jingyang Marquis, and Chu Yuan’en, the Heir of Prince Wei.

While Prince Wei was a “leisurely” prince without much power, Lin Jinxun held actual authority and was far more valuable to align with.

As soon as they arrived, they saw the elegant figure of Cheng Qingyao standing there, clutching her forehead with a handkerchief. When she saw them, her gaze was filled with a mix of grievance and stubbornness. Both heirs already had a favorable impression of her; usually, she was beautiful, witty, and strong. Seeing this rare moment of vulnerability made their hearts ache for her—and intensified their loathing for Cheng Ruyi.

Cheng Ruyi ignored their icy glares and turned her fire on the senior mamas.

“Alright, everyone is here. Mamas, please inspect the scene thoroughly so certain people don’t splash dirty water on me later.”

This comment drew glares from the two men and the Jian’an servants. Cheng Ruyi just rolled her eyes and went back to her lychees.

The mamas frowned when they saw the gruesome state of Qiuxia. They questioned how the Eldest Young Lady had fallen. Because there were so many witnesses and Cheng Ruyi had been several meters away in the pavilion, Cheng Qingyao knew she couldn’t lie. She told the truth, hoping the experienced mamas would find a hidden trick.

After inspecting the area multiple times, they found nothing. No tripwires, no loose stones, not even a stray branch. It seemed it truly was an accident. They concluded that Qiuxia’s severe injury was simply a case of her “taking the blow” for her mistress.

Just then, the estate’s old physician arrived, trembling and panting from the walk.

“See? Don’t say I don’t care about my cousins. Look, the doctor is here,” Cheng Ruyi pointed proudly at the latecomer.

The crowd: “…”

Cheng Qingyao’s own maids were already bandaging her wound; the late physician was useless. Cheng Ruyi didn’t mind. Since they didn’t want him, she sent him back. This old physician was partially her teacher, so she treated him with respect.

The crowd was speechless regarding this “notorious” young lady.

“Mamas, have you finished the inspection?” Cheng Ruyi asked, still spitting pits.

Mexiang’s lip twitched. Her lady really had a big heart.

“We have inspected it. It was an accident,” the mamas replied through gritted teeth.

“Hmph, it was an accident all along, yet some people insist on trying to frame me. If you have a crooked heart, you think everyone else is crooked too!”

Cheng Ruyi continued her verbal assault. The people from Jian’an and the two heirs were fuming but couldn’t find a reason to strike back. Cheng Qingyao was so angry she wanted to tear Ruyi’s mouth apart.

“Mamas, let’s go back!” she snapped. She feared she might actually kill the “idiot” if she stayed any longer.

As they left with the unconscious Qiuxia, Cheng Ruyi’s crisp, joyful laughter rang in their ears, fueling Cheng Qingyao’s hatred.

Cheng Ruyi smacked her lips and complained, “What a pity. Why did she only hit her forehead? It would have been better if she were disfigured like her maid.”

This was her first time using her power like this, and she found the results slightly underwhelming.

Mexiang: “…”

Nearby, hidden behind a rockery, Rong Mo had witnessed the entire scene. The corners of his mouth curled slightly, and a hint of a smile touched his cold eyes. His little cousin had grown up, though her way of handling things—brutal, simple, and prone to attracting hatred—hadn’t changed a bit.

“Back to the Bamboo Garden.”

He had rushed over when he heard Cheng Qingyao was visiting, fearing Ruyi would suffer in her parents’ absence. He hadn’t expected to see such an entertaining show. His servant respectfully pushed his wheelchair away.

In the pavilion, Cheng Ruyi glanced toward the rockery where Rong Mo had been hiding and grinned. Tsk, Cousin Rong Mo really is the “cold face, warm heart” type my sister talked about.

News that the “true” eldest daughter of Jian’an Marquis Mansion (who had been swapped at birth by a concubine) had tripped and cut her forehead at the Longle Marquis Mansion spread through the capital like wildfire. Some tried to blame Cheng Ruyi, but with ironclad evidence of it being an accident, the rumors died down. Everyone knew Cheng Ruyi was brainless; if she were going to frame someone, it would be loud and obvious.

Cheng Ruyi was quite satisfied with this minor victory over the female lead.

Next on the agenda: Breaking the engagement with Yan Zihao.

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