Marrying the Sweet Story’s Melodramatic Villainess [Transmigration] - Chapter 8

Wanting nothing to do with the villains and staying away from the plot was exactly what Cui Yi desired. Once her mind was at ease, she busied herself with making money. The Cui family lived in luxury and certainly didn’t lack funds; Lady Du was a master of household management, and the shops she managed were thriving. Cui Yi’s monthly allowance was thirty taels, whereas a common family in Chang’an lived on only twenty taels a year—it was a significant amount of pocket money, but Cui Yi wasn’t one to sit back and enjoy the fruits of others’ labor.

Thinking of how Cui Yan occasionally drank at home and how the wine was cloudy and only about 10% ABV, Cui Yi decided to use her limited knowledge of distillation and purification. She recalled the process, drew up blueprints, and handed them to Gu Jing. “Find a craftsman to make this.”

The Cui family employed their own craftsmen, so Cui Yi wasn’t worried about the secret leaking out.

Since wine is made from grain and ancient yields were low, she didn’t plan on mass-producing it. She intended to sell it only as a luxury item in Chang’an. At the foot of the Emperor, where the powerful gathered, earning their money would be more than enough.

Now that she had distillation technology, perhaps she could try making perfume as well?

Cui Yi dipped her brush in ink and wrote down her next plan.

As for the “Transmigration Trio”—soap, glass, and cement—she decided to leave those to the female protagonist.

Outside the window, the ginkgo leaves rustled in the wind. Cui Yi’s hand never stopped. Dongzhi didn’t understand what she was doing and stood silently grinding ink until her feet ached. Finally, Cui Yi stopped. She reviewed her plan one last time, and once the ink was dry, she put it away. Now was not the time to reveal it.

While Cui Yi was busy making money, so was the protagonist, Gu Ning. Her stepmother managed the household; while she wasn’t harsh regarding food and clothing, there were no extra perks. Gu Ning desperately wanted financial freedom, so she thought of making soap.

While the protagonist was busy, the villains naturally weren’t staying quiet either.

Murong Xihua, having waited in vain for Pei Mingjiao to strike, felt belittled. Her follower, Shen Tian, suggested: “Don’t worry, Third Lady. The County Princess has always been at odds with you; she must be plotting something. Why don’t we set a trap? You haven’t shown your face in a long time; it’s time to make an appearance.”

Murong Xihua smiled knowingly, and soon, Pei Mingjiao received her invitation.

“That Murong Xihua! I didn’t go looking for her, yet she dares to provoke me.” Pei Mingjiao was full of fighting spirit. She ordered her attendants, “Hurry and find a seamstress to make me an outfit. The more magnificent, the better.”

When she made her grand entrance, she would make sure Murong Xihua knew what it meant to have the guest outshine the host.

Cui Yi also received an invitation. The young ladies of Chang’an loved hosting banquets for any reason, partly due to the lack of entertainment. Murong Xihua, as one of the early “cannon fodder” characters, occupied quite a bit of space in the book. In the original plot, she was part of the male lead’s harem, but once the protagonist transmigrated, she was destined to be discarded.

Cui Yi only remembered the vague outlines of the novel, but staying away from plot characters was never a mistake. She decided not to attend the banquet.

She tossed the invitation aside and continued her Go match. A moment later, news came from the front courtyard: Tang Wensi, the second daughter of the Tang family, had sent someone to invite her to go to Murong Xihua’s banquet together.

Cui Yi had a good impression of Tang Wensi. After a moment of silence, she accepted.

Gu Jing whispered, “Lady Wensi is the County Princess’s cousin, after all. You’ll inevitably run into the County Princess. It might not be good if a confrontation happens at someone else’s house.”

Cui Yi held a black stone, her expression flat. “I shall simply avoid her.”

Only then did Gu Jing stop talking.

The Day of Murong Xihua’s Banquet

Pei Mingjiao started fussing over her appearance early in the morning. She used a new novelty from Chang’an called “soap” to bathe, which left a faint scent on her skin; she chose the rose scent. She wore a light purple “Floating Immortal” skirt that the seamstress had worked overtime to finish. The hem fluttered, and a silk ribbon of the same color cinched her waist, perfectly highlighting her slender frame. Her eyebrows were drawn long and elegant, her face was without powder, and her lips had a thin layer of red. Her hair was held by a few simple, elegant pearl hairpins—she looked both gorgeous and fresh.

This was a far cry from the “magnificent and grand” look she had originally planned. However, after Gu Yue reminded her that Murong Xihua would surely expect her to try and outdress her, Pei Mingjiao decided to do the opposite to crush her rival completely.

And she was right.

At that moment, Murong Xihua was enjoying the flattery of others. She wore a yellow and white dress, her hair full of jewels. A floral pattern was drawn on her forehead, her eyebrows were shaped like crescent moons, and her lips were red and moist. Her face was beautiful and her skin glowing, like a peony in full bloom.

Feeling triumphant, Murong Xihua walked over to Zhao Xuan, her eyes full of emotion. “Brother Zhao, it has been a long time.”

Zhao Xuan was as handsome as jade, possessing a refined and noble air that had captured the hearts of many ladies in Chang’an—Murong Xihua included. Zhao Xuan greeted her warmly: “Is the Third Lady well after her time in Longxi?”

Murong Xihua had encountered many interesting things in Longxi and shared them in detail with Zhao Xuan. The ladies of Chang’an rarely had the chance to leave the city, so hearing her stories was fascinating. They swarmed around her, and she spoke with even more gusto. Tang Wensi tried to pull Cui Yi into the crowd, but Cui Yi pointed to a rockery not far away. “I’m going there to look at the koi.”

Tang Wensi said she would find her after she finished listening.

Cui Yi gave a light smile and headed to the rockery, looking down at the fat koi in the pond. While she entertained herself, Murong Xihua was surrounded by the crowd. Suddenly, someone cried out that the County Princess had arrived, and everyone turned to look.

Pei Mingjiao walked in slowly, her posture graceful and her face holding a light smile. She looked beautiful and ethereal. Murong Xihua’s teeth itched with annoyance. Fine, so this is how she’s playing it, she thought, feeling she looked gaudy in comparison. She said loudly, “Since you are late, are you willing to drink three penalty cups, County Princess?”

Pei Mingjiao raised an eyebrow, took the wine cup from a servant, and drained it with effortless grace.

Seeing her so straightforward, the crowd began to praise her. Pei Mingjiao ignored them and gave Murong Xihua a triumphant look, as if saying, ‘Let’s see what else you’ve got.’ Just as Murong Xihua was about to speak, Shen Tian gave her a light tug. She quickly regained her composure and put on a proper smile: “It has been a long time. Your tolerance for wine has improved, County Princess.”

Pei Mingjiao affectedly covered her lips with her hand. “I’m just afraid of getting drunk and falling into the mud.”

Everyone present immediately remembered the time Murong Xihua got drunk and played in a mud pit for half a day. Someone couldn’t help but let out a laugh.

Murong Xihua’s eyes turned red with rage, pointing directly at the culprit: “Pei Mingjiao, did you do that on purpose?!”

Pei Mingjiao blinked innocently. “I am merely telling the truth.”

Cui Yi, seeing that the atmosphere had become sharp upon Pei Mingjiao’s arrival, retreated further toward the rockery. There was a small stone bridge there, wide enough for two people. She stood there for a while, getting splashed by a few drops of water from a waterfall on the rockery. She leaned inward, where there was a recessed area just large enough for one person to hide.

Cui Yi half-crouched, her fingertips dancing in the water. Soon, several fat koi were attracted. Their mouths lightly brushed against her fingers—slippery and itchy. After an unknown amount of time, she heard footsteps. She tapped the head of a silly fish that was still nuzzling her finger for food, then withdrew her hand, preparing to leave. However, she heard a voice of accusation: “Pei Mingjiao, I didn’t expect that after three months, you would become so treacherous.”

Cui Yi instantly lost her chance to move. At this point, it was neither right to go out nor stay—she was stuck.

No one expected anyone to be hiding there. Pei Mingjiao said triumphantly, “It is simply that your skills are inferior.”

Murong Xihua was furious. Seeing no one around, she approached inconspicuously, her voice remaining sharp: “No matter what fox-like methods you use, Brother Zhao is mine.”

Pei Mingjiao acted as if she didn’t notice the small movements, her face showing disdain: “Only you treat him like a treasure; I wouldn’t even look at him.”

“Fine, you…” As Murong Xihua spoke, she seized a moment when Pei Mingjiao wasn’t looking and gave her a shove, only to be caught by a prepared Pei Mingjiao.

Pei Mingjiao grabbed both of Murong Xihua’s wrists, applying pressure until Murong Xihua’s eyes welled with tears. Murong Xihua snapped: “Shen Tian, why aren’t you helping? Can’t you see I’m being bullied?”

Pei Mingjiao bit her lip. A miscalculation, she thought, I forgot to bring Gu Yue. Seeing Shen Tian approaching, she quickly let go of her right hand. Murong Xihua immediately struck back, grabbing Pei Mingjiao’s hair. Pei Mingjiao let out a hiss of pain and grabbed back. The two of them instantly became a tangled mess of limbs. Shen Tian stood to the side and looked at the sky, appearing accustomed to this.

Murong Xihua and Pei Mingjiao were evenly matched, and as they fought, their tempers flared. The area they were standing on was narrow; in a moment of inattention, both of them tumbled into the pond. The koi scattered in a panic. The pond was deep, and Pei Mingjiao coughed after choking on water. Both she and Murong Xihua could swim. Pei Mingjiao took the opportunity to give the dazed Murong Xihua a kick and tried to swim for the shore, only to have her leg grabbed. The two engaged in a “death roll” underwater. Shen Tian was terrified: “Stop fighting! Someone is coming!”

The two, who valued their reputation above all else, stopped instantly and swam toward the rockery. Pei Mingjiao placed her hand on a stone, preparing to pull herself up, when a green silk skirt entered her vision. Looking up, she saw a “hated face.”

Cui Yi: “…” Pei Mingjiao: “…”

Cui Yi lowered her gaze, leaned over, and reached out to grip Pei Mingjiao’s arm, pulling hard. Using that strength, Pei Mingjiao scrambled up. Her wet clothes clung to her body, highlighting her curves. The space was only large enough for one person, so it instantly became crowded. Hearing someone ask what had happened, Pei Mingjiao instinctively squeezed further in, rubbing her wet body all over Cui Yi. In the narrow space, a rich, sweet fragrance was dizzying. They were of similar height, and Pei Mingjiao was almost buried against the side of Cui Yi’s neck. Water from her hair dripped down her cheek onto Cui Yi’s shoulder. The green fabric immediately formed a wet patch, soaking through three layers of clothing. The skin that rarely saw light felt as if the wetness were seeping into the bone. Damp, hot breath exhaled against Cui Yi’s exposed skin—it was wet and sticky. A soft chest pressed against Cui Yi’s arm, which was held across her own chest, sending a wave of goosebumps over her body.

Cui Yi couldn’t stand the closeness. She said in a soft voice, “Let me out.”

Without waiting for Pei Mingjiao’s consent, she turned and gave her a light shove, using the force to step outside. She happened to meet a lady who had come looking for the source of the noise. Seeing the water on the ground and on Cui Yi, the lady asked, “What happened?”

Cui Yi turned slightly to block the lady’s view of the gap. “A koi jumped out.”

The lady looked at the fat koi in the pond and didn’t suspect anything. Seeing that Cui Yi didn’t seem in the mood for small talk, she left tactfully.

Pei Mingjiao breathed a sigh of relief. Cui Yi looked up at the hot sun and whispered to her, “County Princess, I shall go and get some clothes.”

Pei Mingjiao propped herself against the stone wall and peeked out, her wet little face looking piteous. “Then hurry up.”

Cui Yi’s eyelashes fluttered. She nodded and left.

Pei Mingjiao huddled in the stone crevice, her mind beginning to wander. What was Cui Yi hiding here for? I must have won that fight just now. Murong Xihua sure ran fast.

As her mind churned with random thoughts, Cui Yi returned with Pei Mingjiao’s maid. Caizhu, seeing her County Princess huddled there looking so miserable, was heartbroken and quickly handed over an outer robe.

She then led Pei Mingjiao to a guest room to change. Cui Yi did not follow.

Pei Mingjiao instinctively looked back and saw Cui Yi standing there quietly, her expression faint. Thinking that Cui Yi had helped her, Pei Mingjiao gave her a smile. It was a pure and radiant smile.

Cui Yi was stunned. Once Pei Mingjiao was out of sight, she prepared to return to the banquet. Suddenly, her eye was caught by a reflected light. Looking into the stone crevice, she saw a hairpin set with purple gemstones. Cui Yi recognized it; it was the one Pei Mingjiao had worn today to match her purple dress. She picked it up; the pin was hot from the sun. She gripped it tightly, hid it in her sleeve, and returned to the seats. Tang Wensi asked in confusion, “Where did you go?”

Cui Yi sipped her tea. “I lost track of time watching the fish.”

Tang Wensi didn’t ask further, only muttering to herself, “Where did Sister Hua and my cousin go? They didn’t start fighting again, did they? Why haven’t I heard anything?”

Cui Yi, who had witnessed the entire event, silently drank her tea and said nothing.

Zhao Xuan was also looking for Pei Mingjiao, but he was tied up by others. By the time he managed to excuse himself, she was nowhere to be found. He let out a sigh; it seemed he would have to find another time to make contact.

Gu Yue was also puzzled. She had only been distracted for a moment, and Pei Mingjiao had vanished, along with Murong Xihua and her follower Shen Tian. Two against one—she wondered if Pei Mingjiao could handle it.

While she was worrying, a hairpin appeared before her. She looked up in a daze to see Cui Yi’s indifferent face. “The County Princess dropped this. Please return it to her.”

Gu Yue took it, even more confused. How did Cui Yi know this was the County Princess’s pin? Unfortunately, Cui Yi offered no explanation, leaving as if she had simply completed a task.

Gu Yue: “…”

How strange.