"You know, Ms. Xi, I'm not particularly capable. I'm afraid you've come to the wrong person." Song Yunzhao was blunt. Whether it was Song Qinghan or Song Yexi, it was six of one and half a dozen of the other; there wasn't much difference between them.
As an innocent young lady, she had no desire to step into that mire. Wasn't it much more enjoyable to just watch the show from the sidelines?
Besides, it was no secret that she wasn't favored in the third branch of the family. For Song Yexi to seek her out now... she couldn't have had the best of intentions.
This time, without her as the unlucky scapegoat, she was curious to see who Song Qinghan would target instead. And would Song Yexi still be able to watch from afar, completely aloof and uninvolved?
A faint smile touched Song Yexi's lips. Without a hint of displeasure, she lifted her teacup for a sip before speaking in an unhurried tone. "I was just thinking that I'm not familiar with the Uncle Mansion. When the time comes, I was hoping Little Sister Zhao could look after me."
Song Yunzhao feigned a sigh of relief. "Is that all? Of course, I can do that. But, Ms. Xi, it's my first time going to the Uncle Mansion too. I'll be completely in the dark, so you'll have to forgive me if I make any mistakes."
*It's not like I'm actually going anyway,* she thought. *Agreeing verbally is no skin off my back.*
Besides, she sensed Song Yexi wasn't being entirely truthful. She had likely blocked her original request, so Yexi had simply shifted her approach on the fly.
"We're sisters, we should support each other. There's no need to talk about right or wrong," Song Yexi said with a smile, pressing her lips together.
Unsure of Song Yexi's true intentions, Song Yunzhao decided to play dumb and just smile along.
After seeing Song Yexi off, Song Yunzhao clicked her tongue. In her past life, these girls would just be middle schoolers. Here, every one of them had a mind full of schemes. Surviving as a transmigrator wasn't easy.
Though Song Yunzhao had made up her mind, she told no one, continuing her days as usual. Since they were to be guests at the Uncle Mansion, Mrs. Cai first had to go there to discuss the arrangements with the Madam, so the First Madam took over the task of having new clothes and jewelry made for the young ladies of the family.
Song Yunzhao received two new sets of clothes and a new set of jewelry. The items from the First Madam were far more generous than anything Mrs. Cai would provide. The fabric was of high quality, and the jewelry was in the latest style popular in the Capital City, crafted with ample materials. The pearl on the golden hairpin alone was the size of her thumbnail. She loved it on sight—it was all money, after all.
Who doesn't like money?
But she was already the most beautiful among the sisters. To give her such eye-catching clothes and exquisite jewelry now... The old saying, "the tree that stands tallest in the forest is the first to be broken by the wind," came to mind. The First Madam's intentions were likely anything but kind.
She was being set up as a target.
"Put these things away in the trunk," Song Yunzhao said to Jiangxiang.
Seeing that her mistress didn't look very happy, Jiangxiang said, "Miss, are you not pleased? These clothes and jewels are of the finest quality. When you go to the Uncle Mansion, you'll surely win the Madam's favor." If the Madam liked her, her chances for the selection would improve. Wasn't that a good thing?
The moment Jiangxiang finished speaking, Qiancao, who was just lifting the door curtain to enter, snorted. "I think you're just happy to the point of being foolish. Don't you think? Our own madam only has eyes for the Eldest Miss, and the First Madam is completely devoted to the Fifth Miss. Do you really think it's a good thing for our mistress to stand out so much?"
Jiangxiang froze, then said angrily, "How could the First Madam do that? It was our mistress who passed her the information in the first place!"
Isn't that just burning the bridge after crossing it? Pure ingratitude!
Qiancao's brows were also furrowed with worry. Why was everything so difficult for their mistress? No one seemed to take her seriously. She didn't know when the Master would arrive in the capital; life would surely get better for their mistress once he was here.
Listening to her two maids feel wronged on her behalf, Song Yunzhao was actually in a good mood. She hadn't accomplished much else in the dozen or so years since transmigrating, but at least she'd cultivated a few loyal confidantes. In that sense, she could be considered a success.
As dusk fell, Mrs. Luo came in to report. "Miss, the Madam and the Eldest Miss have returned. They just passed the second gate, and the housekeeper from the First Madam's side has already come to pay her respects."
Song Yunzhao nodded slightly and looked at Mrs. Luo. "There's no need to inquire further. The matter should be settled."
Mrs. Luo felt both happy and worried. She sighed, "Miss, you must be extremely cautious at the Uncle Mansion, especially of the Eldest Miss. And that Miss Chu from the Uncle Mansion is not easy to get along with, either. You are so beautiful, you cannot let your guard down. All sorts of vile things can happen in these great, noble houses."
Song Yunzhao nodded. Mrs. Luo was right.
Song Qinghan had deliberately praised her to Chu Yuying, describing her as divinely beautiful, knowledgeable, and the most outstanding among all the sisters. She'd even said that if she were to enter the selection, she would surely come out on top.
As a result, Chu Yuying had come to despise her before they had even met. She found a young man from a decent family who was known for his debauched character. During the banquet at the Uncle Mansion, he was made to "accidentally" collide with her. Just as they tumbled together, Chu Yuying arrived with a group of people, not only catching them in the act but also deliberately slandering her as a shameless hussy who intentionally seduced men.
The man's family was prominent, a family the Songs couldn't afford to offend. Furthermore, because Chu Yuying was the one orchestrating it, the Madam of the Uncle Mansion couldn't easily intervene. Chu Yuying had calculated that the original Song Yunzhao would have no choice but to suffer this devastating blow.
However, the original Song Yunzhao had a fiery temper. Back home, she already stood up to Mrs. Cai and Song Qinghan. Now, having suffered such a huge blow and knowing her future was likely ruined, she decided to go for broke. She not only kicked the man who had run into her several times to vent her fury, nearly turning him into a eunuch, but she also lunged forward and attacked Chu Yuying.
It was precisely because of her crazed outburst that some people began to believe she might have been wronged. At that moment, Song Qinghan stepped forward to speak up for her, putting on a show of sisterly affection that made Chu Yuying seem insidious and malicious in comparison.
In the end, the original Yunzhao's reputation was ruined and Chu Yuying lost face, while Song Qinghan, in contrast, reaped all the benefits.
The thought made Song Yunzhao chuckle. This time, she wouldn't be going to the Uncle Mansion. She couldn't wait to see how Song Qinghan would handle the situation.
Sure enough, it wasn't long before a messenger came from the main courtyard with instructions: she was to go to the Uncle Mansion as a guest tomorrow and should prepare early.
Late that night, Song Yunzhao quietly got up and opened her window. She sat before it, letting the cool wind blow on her for a full hour. The mid-spring nights were still somewhat chilly. She only wanted to catch a small cold, not gift herself a severe one, so she estimated that this was enough to induce a slight fever by morning. She promptly closed the window and went back to bed.
The next morning, as expected, Song Yunzhao's cheeks were flushed and her forehead was hot. Mrs. Luo was so frightened she immediately ran to the main courtyard to ask Mrs. Cai to summon a doctor. Mrs. Cai was busy managing the preparations for the trip to the Uncle Mansion, barking out one order after another until her throat was raw. Now that Song Yunzhao was causing her more trouble, her tone was naturally unpleasant, and she immediately gave Mrs. Luo a sharp scolding.
Mrs. Luo quickly apologized, begging Mrs. Cai to at least summon a doctor to examine her.
With a dark expression, Mrs. Cai sent someone to fetch a doctor. Worried that Song Yunzhao might be up to something, she decided to go see for herself. Just then, she ran into Song Qinghan, who had heard the news and come over, so mother and daughter went together.
But no sooner had they set foot in the courtyard than the First Madam arrived with Song Yexi. And trailing behind them, craning her neck with a rather unpleasant expression, was Song Jinxuan.