Marrying the Sweet Story’s Melodramatic Villainess [Transmigration] - Chapter 7

Since their meeting at Huguo Temple, Pei Mingjiao felt she was being generous by no longer holding a grudge against Cui Yi. Considering Cui Yi’s friendship with her cousin Tang Wensi, she was willing to accept her as a member of her small circle. As for Cui Yi’s own thoughts—in Pei Mingjiao’s view, Cui Yi should be profoundly grateful; how could she possibly refuse?

Thus, Pei Mingjiao sent an invitation to Cui Yi, asking her to come to the County Princess’s estate to tour the lake and admire the flowers.

Inside the Cui residence, Dongzhi fanned over crushed ice. It was late July, and the weather had not yet begun to cool. Cui Yi reclined on a couch, lazily reading a miscellaneous book. Dongzhi stifled a yawn just as Gu Jing arrived with the invitation from the County Princess’s estate.

Upon hearing the news, Dongzhi instantly perked up.

The hand turning the pages paused. Cui Yi placed the book on the table, took the invitation, and studied it with lowered eyes.

Touring the lake?

It was likely another large-scale social gathering, and since the villainess was the host, one could guess it wouldn’t be peaceful. Cui Yi’s first instinct was to refuse, but seeing this, Gu Jing spoke up quickly. “My Lady, I heard from the estate manager that the County Princess only invited two people.”

Cui Yi looked up. “Who is the other one?”

Gu Jing had asked the same thing. “It is Lady Gu Yue.”

Pei Mingjiao and Gu Yue were the core of the “death-seeking villainess group” in the book. What was the point of adding her to the mix?

Seeing her frown, Gu Jing asked softly, “Should we decline?”

Cui Yi shook her head. Since only two people were invited, she didn’t know how much of a fuss Pei Mingjiao would make if she didn’t show up. She didn’t want to court trouble. “Forget it, go and prepare.”

Gu Jing voiced her agreement.

Dongzhi couldn’t guess Cui Yi’s thoughts, but since Cui Yi was always lenient with them, she asked directly, “My Lady, what do you think the County Princess is up to? Why has she suddenly become friendly toward you?”

Cui Yi, returning to her book, felt her eyelashes flutter. “I do not know.”

Dongzhi began to smile. “Still, it’s a good thing. The Madam wants you to go out and walk around more often.”

In the past, Cui Yi’s health was poor, so she was always cooped up in the residence. Now, Lady Du encouraged her to be active. When Lady Du was Cui Yi’s age, she had several close female friends, so she naturally wanted Cui Yi to make some of her own.

However, hearing from the gatekeeper that Cui Yi was getting close to the County Princess of Yongjia—a woman known for her domineering personality—Lady Du couldn’t help but worry that Cui Yi might be bullied, though she didn’t stop them from associating.

Nanny Wei comforted her. “The Eldest Miss is clever; she won’t suffer a loss. And, if I may speak out of turn, our Cui family is not so easily bullied either.”

Lady Du was born into the prestigious Du clan of Jingzhao, and Cui Yan came from the Cui clan of Qinghe. With two great families joined by marriage, even the royalty wouldn’t dare insult them at will.

Lady Du knew this, of course, but as a parent, she couldn’t help but worry. Still, she didn’t say anything to Cui Yi.

Cui Yi, unaware of her mother’s fears, read two more pages before going to practice her calligraphy. Dongzhi found it strange, as Cui Yi usually had a specific time for practice, but she said nothing and began the preparations.

Gu Jing, who had finished preparing the items for the next day, took over the task of grinding ink from Dongzhi. She couldn’t help but wonder, “Why is My Lady practicing at this hour?”

Cui Yi replied, “To quiet the mind.”

Quiet the mind?

Gu Jing’s confusion deepened. She looked at Dongzhi, who also shook her head. Gu Jing studied Cui Yi’s expression carefully; seeing no signs of distress, she suppressed her curiosity and stood silently to grind the ink.

The Grand Princess’s Estate

Yan Linlang knew that Pei Mingjiao was holding a gathering at the County Princess’s estate and had invited only two people. Gu Yue was already a known factor, but the Eldest Miss of the Cui family was a new addition. Yan Linlang was curious. “Jiao-niang, when did you become so close with that Cui girl?”

Pei Mingjiao said nonchalantly, “She looks pleasing to my eye.”

Pei Mingjiao didn’t just flatter anyone; usually, she only showed patience to those who suited her tastes.

Yan Linlang understood her daughter’s personality well. She asked out of curiosity but didn’t press the matter, allowing her maids to dye her nails. Seeing this, Pei Mingjiao also decided to add some color to her own…

The Next Day, 2:00 PM (Wei Hour)

Cui Yi arrived at the County Princess’s estate as planned.

When she arrived, Gu Yue was already there, chatting and laughing with Pei Mingjiao. Gu Yue was quite unhappy to see her; she couldn’t understand why the County Princess would treat Cui Yi differently.

With both of them already present, it made it seem as if she were late. Cui Yi said softly, “I have arrived late.”

“It is just the right time.” Pei Mingjiao sat on a stone chair in the lakeside pavilion. Behind her were vibrant pink lotus flowers in full bloom, which complemented her stunning face perfectly. She offered a bright smile and said, “Quickly, sit. We will tour the lake once the sun is less intense.”

Cui Yi sat to her right, less than half an arm’s length away. In her line of sight, Pei Mingjiao picked up a cherry and placed it in her mouth with a slow, deliberate motion. Her fingers were slender and pale, her skin delicate, and her joints small and exquisite. Her fingertips were rounded and full, her nails dyed with red balsam—like a drop of blood in the snow. The red of the cherry was not as vivid as the dye, nor as pink as the color of her lips.

After a moment, Cui Yi lowered her eyes and took a sip of cool tea, leaving Pei Mingjiao huffing with puffed-out cheeks. Changing her tactic, Pei Mingjiao personally refilled Cui Yi’s tea, her dyed fingers swaying right under Cui Yi’s nose. In the end, Cui Yi remained completely unmoved, tilting her head to drain half the cup.

Pei Mingjiao, who had been acting affected for quite some time: “…”

Pei Mingjiao decided to be direct. “Lady Cui, what do you think of my newly dyed nails?”

She spread her ten fingers in front of Cui Yi, the nails shimmering under the bright light.

Cui Yi, her eyes dazed by the glare, spoke the truth: “The color of the balsam is too vivid; it does not quite suit the County Princess.”

Gu Yue, standing nearby, had an expression that said ‘You’re so brave.’

Pei Mingjiao, who had expected to be praised: “…”

Feeling both awkward and embarrassed, Pei Mingjiao quickly retracted her hands. A flush of red crept onto her face, and she gave Cui Yi a fierce glare, uttering words to save face: “You truly have no sense of appreciation.”

Gu Yue chimed in, sharing the same resentment. “Exactly, exactly.”

Cui Yi didn’t argue.

After a moment of embarrassed annoyance, Pei Mingjiao began talking again as if nothing had happened. “That annoying person Murong Xihua is back.”

Murong Xihua was the granddaughter of the Eldest Princess (the sister of Emperor Xuanzong) and was the person most at odds with Pei Mingjiao. They couldn’t stand each other. Murong Xihua had been at her ancestral home in Longxi for three months and was arriving in Chang’an tomorrow. After three months apart, Pei Mingjiao was determined to deal her a crushing blow.

Gu Yue also disliked the snobbish Murong Xihua and offered a suggestion: “Tomorrow, let’s arrange a play at Taiyang Tower depicting that time she fell and got covered in mud. We’ll lure her there to watch; it’s guaranteed to make her die of anger.”

Pei Mingjiao’s eyes lit up, clearly thinking it was a grand idea. Remembering that Cui Yi was now one of them, she wanted to hear her thoughts—perhaps she had an even better idea. “Eldest Miss Cui, what do you think?”

Cui Yi, finding herself a witness to a villainess planning a misdeed: “…I am not well-acquainted with Lady Murong.”

Pei Mingjiao didn’t press her, apparently decided on following Gu Yue’s plan. Gu Yue raised an eyebrow triumphantly at Cui Yi, showing off that she was the one Pei Mingjiao valued most.

Cui Yi looked away, not wanting to see that “cannon fodder” face any longer.

Pei Mingjiao continued her villainous career: “Yan Ming actually used my name to get into my Imperial Uncle’s good graces. How can I get back at him?”

Yan Ming was the son of Prince Ji. While chatting, he had told Emperor Qi an embarrassing story about Pei Mingjiao, which made the Emperor extremely happy and earned Yan Ming a reward. Having been taken advantage of, Pei Mingjiao was furious.

As it involved imperial relatives, Gu Yue was more cautious and couldn’t decide on a plan. She shifted the conflict to the uninvolved Cui Yi. “Eldest Miss Cui, do you have any ideas?”

Cui Yi’s expression was cold. “Not at the moment.”

Pei Mingjiao felt that this follower, Cui Yi, had no sense of situational awareness and wasn’t clever at all. She snapped, “What use are you?”

Cui Yi couldn’t help but be stung by the insult. “Speaking ill of others behind their backs is not the way of a gentleman.”

Pei Mingjiao pointed at her in anger. “Cui Yi, you are being insolent!”

It wasn’t that Pei Mingjiao had never been scolded before, but it was usually she who provoked others first. Those she provoked were people she disliked. Now that she had categorized Cui Yi as “one of her own,” her anger level hit its peak. Her face was full of indignation, and the rage rushed to her head. In her fury, she grabbed Cui Yi’s wrist. “Cui Yi, you actually dare to scold me!”

Pei Mingjiao’s grip was strong, causing Cui Yi pain, but her expression remained unchanged. “I am merely telling the truth.”

Pei Mingjiao didn’t expect her to show no sign of begging for mercy. She was both angry and indignant, with a touch of inexplicable grievance. Cui Yi, however, pulled her hand from Pei Mingjiao’s grip. “It is getting late. I will not disturb the County Princess’s enjoyment any longer. I shall take my leave.”

Pei Mingjiao hadn’t expected her to leave. She said coldly, “Stay. We haven’t even toured the lake yet.”

Thus, the three of them boarded the boat.

Gu Yue and Pei Mingjiao sat at the bow, while Cui Yi sat at the stern. It was a clear attempt to isolate her, but Cui Yi didn’t care in the least.

The lake was surrounded by weeping willows, and the emerald water was crystal clear, shimmering under the gentle breeze. On the surface, lotus leaves were clustered together, and the flowers stood tall and graceful among the green, emitting a refreshing fragrance.

Such beauty, yet no one appreciated it. Pei Mingjiao had a stiff face, Gu Yue was distracted, and Cui Yi kept her eyes down. The accompanying servants didn’t even dare to breathe loudly. After one lap, Cui Yi disembarked and excused herself. Pei Mingjiao did not stop her. Once she was gone, Gu Yue spoke in a “tea-flavored” tone: “County Princess, Cui Yi simply does not understand you. There is no need to be heartbroken for her. Once she figures it out, she will realize what she has missed.”

Hearing this, Pei Mingjiao felt it was true. Cui Yi truly didn’t know what was good for her. With so many people trying to flatter her, why should she be angry?

Yet, despite this, she felt a lingering frustration in her chest that wouldn’t go away.

That evening, Yan Linlang heard about the incident. She was amused that her daughter had suffered a setback and acted as if she knew nothing. The bickering of children wasn’t something she needed to take to heart.

When Cui Yi returned, she forbade Dongzhi and Gu Jing from telling Lady Du. Given how serious Cui Yi was, the two didn’t dare to speak.

Thus, apart from a few specific people, no one else knew about the argument.

However, because of this fight, Pei Mingjiao completely forgot about her old rival Murong Xihua. Murong Xihua had even made a bet with someone that Pei Mingjiao was surely planning something for her arrival. Yet, after returning to the Duke’s estate, she received no word from Pei Mingjiao. She immediately ordered her staff to investigate and learned that Pei Mingjiao hadn’t even left her house today. She gave a cold snort, thinking her rival was being particularly patient.

Where would Pei Mingjiao even remember Murong Xihua? Gu Yue stayed tucked away at home, not wanting to trigger her temper. Pei Mingjiao had temporarily forgotten about such a person; at this moment, she was busy removing the dye from her nails at home.

Gu Ning knew that the male lead, the Heir Apparent of Yue, Yan Zhen, would be at Taiyang Tower today to watch a play. She timed her arrival to Taiyang Tower, but upon arriving, while the place was lively, it was nowhere near as crowded as described in the book. Feeling strange, she went to the back where the theater troupe was. It hadn’t started yet, and there were only a few scattered people in the audience. Pei Mingjiao and her younger sister were not there. Gu Ning was startled, but after seeing the male lead sitting in the first row, she felt at ease. She walked over and picked a seat that was neither too close nor too far; being too aggressive would look suspicious.

In the plot, the villainess Pei Mingjiao had arranged a play specifically to humiliate the daughter of a Duke, Murong Xihua. This was supposed to make Murong Xihua flip out on the spot and start a fight with Pei Mingjiao. The male lead, who was there to watch the play, would be caught in the crossfire and order his servants to control the scene. Since no one dared intervene between Pei Mingjiao and Murong Xihua, the male lead would have to step in himself, only to be scratched by both of them. The villainess Pei Mingjiao would then feel that this “cousin” was not as good as the previous “fake” heir and would curse him out, calling him crude and ill-intentioned, even slapping him.

Thus, the grudge between the male lead and the villainess was born.

Gu Ning was waiting for the fight to start so she could step in and help, leaving a good impression on the male lead.

But even after the play started, Pei Mingjiao did not appear. Furthermore, the play was a standard judicial drama, with no hint of humiliation whatsoever.

Gu Ning bit her lip, forced to suppress her anxiety. Whether the plot had changed or not, she had to make an impression on the male lead today.

Gu Ning listened dutifully for an hour. When it ended, she followed the crowd in tipping the actors. Seeing the male lead rise, she walked over and greeted him poisedly: “Does the Heir Apparent also enjoy theater?”

Seeing the slight confusion in his expression, Gu Ning took the opportunity to introduce herself.

Yan Zhen, seeing that the lady before him showed no sign of prejudice against him, felt his expression soften. Lately, he was well aware that people called him crude behind his back, yet acted fawning whenever they were in his presence, which he disliked immensely. This gave him a slightly better impression of Gu Ning, but it wasn’t yet enough to treat her specially. After a few words, Yan Zhen left. Gu Ning watched his back and replayed the interaction in her mind; feeling there were no issues, she finally felt relieved enough to head home.

As soon as she returned to the residence, she saw Gu Yue sitting in the garden. After a moment’s thought, she walked over. “Second Sister truly has fine spirits.”

Gu Yue felt it was bad luck to see her and gave a fake smile. “I cannot compare to you, Sister.”

Gu Ning wasn’t angry. “Why did you not go out with the County Princess today? A fine play was performed at Taiyang Tower; it is a pity you missed it.”

Gu Yue immediately remembered what happened that day. Her face turned unnatural, and she gave a snort. “What business is it of yours?” she snapped before rushing away.

Gu Ning was left in contemplation. Her maid, seeing this, thought she was sad and comforted her: “My Lady, do not worry. Lady Yue is merely relying on the County Princess’s support. Yet, to this day, the County Princess has not given her a good future. It is better to rely on oneself. My Lady only needs to study hard and earn her own future.”

Hearing this, Gu Ning felt awkward. Her situation was so similar to Gu Yue’s. Yet, to ask her to study for the examinations—how could that be easy? It was better to latch onto the male lead and hope for a reward once he rose to power.

Meanwhile, the departing Gu Yue calmed down and felt something was strange. she ordered her staff to investigate what Gu Ning had done today.

Since Gu Ning’s major illness, Gu Yue felt she had become a bit “wicked.”

It was better to be cautious about everything.