Chapter 4

Chapter 4

My family might not be as noble as the Marquis Manor.

But my family had money.

Thanks to my father’s tireless efforts-and his willingness to spend silver like water-the story of Song Mingyang and Xu Ruyi spread far and wide across the land.

The Marquis Manor had intended to make me unmarriageable. Now, however, it was the daughters of respectable families who refused to even consider Song Mingyang.

While I was inspecting one of our shops, I happened to run into Song Mingyang, who was drinking away his sorrows.

The way he looked at me was as though I had murdered his father, his whole face cold and sinister.

As we brushed past each other, he said darkly, “Sooner or later, you’ll come crying and begging me.”

“Hah. Heir, do remember to pay for your wine.”

He flung his sleeves and left.

But I committed that chilling look in his eyes to memory.

The Marquis Manor could no longer make ends meet. Though the engagement had been broken, who knew what other foul schemes they might be plotting to seize my family’s fortune?

I held my teacup, thinking in silence.

In this world, money alone was not enough. My family was enormously wealthy, but we had no means of protecting ourselves.

Money and power. Wealth and status.

If the Song family was determined to set a trap for me, they might very well succeed.

I still had to find a reliable backer. Only then could I safeguard this vast family fortune.

…

On the eighteenth of April, I received a calling card inviting me to attend the Flower-Viewing Banquet hosted by Princess Ninghua.

Naturally, the card had not come from the Elder Princess herself, but from Lin Jiayi, the daughter of an official and a young lady I was on good terms with, who invited me to go with her.

“This chance wasn’t easy to come by, Shi Yue. You must make the most of it.”

Those born to merchant families had always been looked down upon.

If I had not had that dream, I would not have suspected this close friend of mine.

But in the dream, in order to help Song Mingyang’s younger sister marry her own elder brother, Lin Jiayi had harmed me several times, both openly and in secret.

Now, I did not dare believe she could possibly mean well.

Still, I did indeed have to attend Princess Ninghua’s Flower-Viewing Banquet.

Because I also had an invitation personally written by the Elder Princess herself.

Seeing me agree, Lin Jiayi was delighted, a trace of anticipation appearing in her eyes.

“On the eighteenth of April, my dear sister, I’ll see you there.”

“Of course.”

After she left, I secretly instructed Xiao Cui, “Send someone to find out who Lin Jiayi has been in contact with lately.”

Money could make even ghosts turn the millstone.

When it came to investigating Lin Jiayi, my family had more than enough people for the task.

On the day of the Flower-Viewing Banquet, Lin Jiayi and I arrived in the same carriage.

At the entrance, however, I said I wished to change my clothes and parted from her for the moment.

Only after she disappeared from sight did I seek out the maid assigned to receive guests.

“Miss Gu has arrived? The Elder Princess has been waiting for you for quite some time.”

Princess Ninghua was still as graceful as ever, her brows and eyes carrying the cold solemnity of one long accustomed to power.

“Since Miss Gu is willing to pledge herself to my service, I should naturally give you a welcome gift.”

“Many thanks, Elder Princess.”

In the dream, this Elder Princess had forced a palace coup, killed her own younger brother and nephew, and ascended to the highest seat as a woman.

Even then, she had valued my talent for calculations highly, and had even wanted me to enter official service and work for her.

I had originally planned to set up my own household after giving birth. I simply had not expected Song Mingyang to strike so ruthlessly.

Fortunately, everything had only been a dream.

I still had the chance to change it all.

…

Halfway through the banquet, Lin Jiayi kept urging me to drink a few more cups of fruit wine.

“This is tribute from the northern lands. You can’t usually get a taste of it.”

I smiled without speaking.

What did my family’s wine cellar not have? Did she really think I lacked one sip of northern fruit wine?

She truly had no idea how rich I was.

A moment later, I told her my head felt a little dizzy and asked her to accompany me out for some fresh air.

Lin Jiayi gladly rose and led me toward the rear courtyard.

“Sister Shi Yue, wait here for me a moment. I’m going to change my clothes.”

She found an excuse and left me in the pavilion.

I smiled and agreed, leaving just the right amount of nervousness in my voice. “Sister, you must come back quickly.”

“Don’t worry, sister.”

The moment she left, I followed the Elder Princess’s maid away.

Lin Jiayi had drugged my fruit wine, intending to make a fool of me in public. What she did not know was that such a crude trick had long since been seen through by me.

“Miss Lin, just wait and enjoy the show. I promise you’ll be satisfied.”

…

Marchioness Yongning brought a group of noble ladies on a stroll to the lotus pond. Just as everyone was admiring the flowers, they suddenly heard strange noises coming from behind the artificial hill.

The ladies’ expressions changed at once.

“This… This is utterly improper!”

Marchioness Yongning turned pale with shock and called for servants, saying loudly, “At the princess’s banquet, who dares behave so shamelessly?

“Seize them at once and punish them!”

A faint, barely perceptible smugness hid in her eyes as she waited to see the two people behind the artificial hill disgrace themselves before everyone.

All of a sudden, someone behind her picked up the thread of her words.

“Madam is absolutely right. How could such a beautiful scene be ruined by filthy people like that?”

Marchioness Yongning froze. Stiffly, she turned her head and saw me standing gracefully in the corridor. The smile on her face froze, making her look utterly ridiculous.

She could not hold back and cried out, “Why are you here?!”

“If I am not here, where else should I be?”

I took a few steps forward until I reached her side, then lowered my voice so only the two of us could hear.

“Madam, this time, you’ve brought a great disaster upon yourself.”