After Saving The Disabled Villain, I Was Attacked In Return! - Chapter 54

Liu Xueyun, waiting behind them, watched Jiang Yu and Qi An interact with a look of envy on her face. She only had a personal maid by her side, and she always felt her status was no different from that of a servant. Because of this, she never dared to act like a spoiled young lady or order anyone around.

Although Madam Shen Lian was kind, it didn’t mean all the maids in the household were good people. They saw Liu Xueyun, who looked like a young lady but didn’t even dare to give orders, as an easy target to push around.

Everyone scrambled to serve Liu Xueyun because she never dared to give them proper instructions, allowing them to slack off openly.

Liu Xueyun didn’t dare tell Shen Lian about this, and no one would rush to report her to the Madam either. Because of this…

Liu Xueyun didn’t even know what it was like to interact normally with others.

Jiang Yu sensed someone watching her from behind and instinctively knew it must be Liu Xueyun. But just as she was about to turn around, Shen Yun suddenly began discussing plans for the banquet coming up in a few days.

This was also Shen Yun’s main purpose for coming to the Shen Residence today. Since this banquet seemed likely to cause trouble, Jiang Yu didn’t want to miss any information about it and didn’t turn around to observe Liu Xueyun’s expression.

Behind them, Liu Xueyun’s gaze toward Jiang Yu gradually became increasingly intense, even bordering on a crazed obsession.

Jiang Yu remained unaware of this, but Qi An slowly turned her head, glancing sideways at Liu Xueyun and noticing the startling expression. Keeping her composure, Qi An subtly stepped back half a pace, blocking Liu Xueyun’s view of Jiang Yu.

At that moment, as Qi An discreetly observed Liu Xueyun’s expression, it gradually twisted with resentment, as if resenting Qi An for blocking her view of Jiang Yu.

Qi An had been trained to observe people’s expressions from a young age, and this experience had taught her that this seemingly soft and weak person likely harbored unexpected ambitions.

Perhaps Liu Xueyun’s ambitions weren’t about power or status, but they would undoubtedly manifest as some kind of obsessive fixation.

“The renovation work at your residence should have been completed long ago. Why are you holding the banquet now?” Grand Secretary Shen sensed something amiss in the conversation and slowly raised his eyes to look at Shen Yun.

The youngest daughter, Shen Yun, was the most beloved by her parents and deeply understood the intricacies of the General’s Residence. Grand Secretary Shen, who was deeply concerned about matters within the residence, sensed something amiss upon hearing of the upcoming banquet and immediately sought to question Shen Yun.

Having finally been recognized for her grievances, Shen Yun began to display her youthful, delicate mannerisms. A married daughter returning to her parents’ home often regains her childhood innocence. She pouted slightly, and Qi An, observing her, couldn’t help but notice the striking resemblance to Jiang Yu when she was aggrieved.

Truly mother and daughter, Qi An thought, her heart flooded with memories of Jiang Yu’s pained expressions. Lost in these thoughts, she didn’t even notice her own lips curving into a smile.

“Father… it’s all Dowager Consort Zhang’s fault,” Shen Yun said, her lovely face tinged with distress as she raised her handkerchief. “Yesterday, during the Laba Festival banquet, she persistently pressed the Emperor to approve this banquet. The General was left with no choice but to agree…”

Eldest Sister Shen Lian, well-versed in the duties of a Madam, having been trained by a Mama since childhood, quickly offered her assistance when she heard her younger sister’s troubles. “Don’t worry, Sister,” she said. “I’ll help you.”

When Shen Lian offered her help, both Shen Yun and Jiang Yu were thrilled. Jiang Yu took note of this person who was willing to assist. Based on her understanding, Shen Lian was merely soft-spoken and might not immediately retaliate if her family were bullied. However, she had never harbored any malice, so this banquet should remain uneventful thanks to her presence.

Shen Lian genuinely wanted to help Shen Yun. Her refined, ladylike demeanor and her reputation for hosting flawless banquets—praised by every guest she’d ever entertained—were well-known. Her capabilities were undeniable. Shen Yun had been waiting for Shen Lian to say this, and Shen Lian didn’t disappoint. Quickly grasping Shen Lian’s hand, Shen Yun exclaimed, “My dear sister… Yun’er has been waiting for you to say that!”

Shen Lian seemed rarely to experience joy from her own actions. Her daily fulfillment came from seeing the practical benefits of her studies in helping her family and herself, proving that her past twenty-plus years had not been wasted.

Being needed by Shen Yun brought Shen Lian immense happiness. She gently stroked her younger sister’s hand, and Shen Xi reciprocated with equal warmth.

“Though I’m not as skilled at managing these things as Eldest Sister,” Shen Xi said, “I’ll definitely be attending the banquet to support Yun’er.” Shen Xi had always been clever and unconventional, even after marriage. Shen Yun knew her family was her greatest source of confidence.

Madam Grand Secretary watched the sisters supporting each other and nodded approvingly. “Perhaps…” she suggested, “I should attend the banquet tomorrow as well. It would be good to see where I might be of help to Yun’er.”

At these words, Shen Yun quickly took Madam Grand Secretary’s arm and drew closer. Jiang Yu felt this scene was becoming increasingly familiar.

It seemed there was indeed a similar banquet in the original story, attended by a similar cast of characters, also orchestrated by Dowager Consort Zhang. But the timeline should have been at least a year later, postponed until early next spring.

Jiang Yu frowned deeply. Her confidence in leaving Shaoyue Pavilion and navigating this world had stemmed from her knowledge of the script and its future trajectory. Yet while the general plot still seemed to be unfolding, many events had shifted.

Now, I had to carefully consider how each event aligned with the original storylines, then piece together the subtle clues from those narratives to devise strategies for my current circumstances.

Jiang Yu silently memorized the plans discussed by the group, then began pondering the details of that infamous banquet.

The banquet had initially seemed to go smoothly, but halfway through, a dish went awry. The Grand Princess fell ill after eating it, nearly causing a scandal that would have reached the Imperial Palace.

Fortunately, the Grand Princess and Shen Lian’s son had developed a mutual fondness, unbeknownst to Dowager Consort Zhang. Shen Lian tactfully smoothed things over with a few soothing words and found a scapegoat within the General’s Residence to divert blame, thereby settling the matter.

It was, in essence, a private settlement. Seeing that the parties involved had dropped the matter, Dowager Consort Zhang had no choice but to abandon her plans to escalate to the Imperial Palace. However, this incident marked the first step in tarnishing the General’s Residence’s reputation in the Capital, as Shen Yun’s inability to host a proper banquet began to spread as gossip.

After that incident, Shen Lian stopped visiting the General’s Residence. Her son would forever owe the Grand Princess a debt of gratitude.

Jiang Yu racked her brain, feeling her mind about to overheat, before finally managing to piece together the events of that day. Now that she had the sequence of events, she needed to figure out which dish had been poisoned.

Since Qi An had already been kicked out of the General’s Residence by the time the banquet was held, the author had only written that part to pad the word count, sparing little ink on the cannon fodder character “Jiang Yu.”

As a result, neither the exact dish nor the person who poisoned it was clearly described.

Vaguely, Jiang Yu remembered the poisoner wearing a white jade bracelet. Their wrists were slender, but their skin wasn’t particularly fair.

She didn’t know why, but her mind held a vivid image of those hands. Perhaps heaven, pitying her plight, had given her a small cheat?

Whatever the reason, this hazy memory was her only clue. When the banquet began tomorrow, she would have to circulate and observe carefully.

*****

Qi An, sitting beside Jiang Yu, seemed to sense her low spirits. She leaned slightly closer and asked, “Jiang Yu, is something wrong?”

The cool, clear sound of Qi An’s voice seemed to instantly dissipate even the most bitter worries.

Jiang Yu couldn’t help but smile. Mustering her courage, she gently patted Qi An’s cheek before quickly withdrawing her hand.

Qi An watched Jiang Yu transform from deep distress to playfully teasing her cheek in the span of a moment. For a moment, she felt utterly unable to grasp Jiang Yu’s mood. Yet Qi An had always struggled with closeness, and she could only endure the cheek-patting without knowing how to respond. It was like a cat that hisses at strangers but purrs quietly when its owner ruffles its fur, remaining obediently still.

At the same time, an image of Qi An’s bewildered expression popped into Jiang Yu’s mind, and she chuckled aloud. The sound, not deliberately suppressed, reached Gu Meng’s ears.

“The elders are speaking. How dare you laugh so rudely? Do you think they’re saying something wrong?” Gu Meng couldn’t help but jump out, even after Shen Xi had just scolded her.

When Jiang Yu heard this, her smile hadn’t even faded, freezing on her soft face.

Qi An was also incredibly annoyed, her gaze sharp like blades as she glared at Gu Meng. Gu Meng suddenly felt a chill run down her spine, but when she realized Qi An was just a servant girl, she quickly went to Shen Xi to tattle.

“Mother, Mother, look! Jiang Yu was the one who first violated etiquette, and now her servant girl is being so vicious!” To emphasize her urgency, Gu Meng stamped her foot.

Shen Xi frowned, wanting to scold her daughter but unsure how to start. After all, the Shen family favored Shen Yun over Jiang Yu.

Especially her father… Shen Xi’s gaze drifted toward Grand Secretary Shen, seated high above the others.

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