My Love Rivals Have All Reborn - Chapter 3

Seeing her confused look, Shen Rui was quite helpless. Noticing that Xie Yu was about to make things difficult for her, she proactively pushed Xiao Kuning out, saying, “My Princely Father asked me to relay something to the Teacher. You wait for me for a moment.”

As Xiao Kuning turned, the hall door slammed shut. Even after being reincarnated, Shen Rui was still looking out for her in every way.

And she was still this domineering.

The exterior of Guanzhi Hall was the same as in the previous life: a large water vat was placed outside the main entrance. When entering the hall, one would pass by the side, allowing one to turn and see one’s own reflection in the water, a deep self-recognition.

To observe others and to observe oneself.

She stood next to the water vat. The clear water reflected her face. At this moment, she was not the Empress, but was dressed simply, in plain attire without much ornamentation.

At this time, Madam Luo was already cold towards her, believing that following Zhao Xiran had taught her a host of bad habits, and that her wild nature remained unchanged.

Though the Zhao Xiran in Madam Luo’s mind was not a dajia guixiu (daughter of a noble family), the things she had taught her were by no means less than what Xiao Wenxue knew; on the contrary, she knew more than Xiao Wenxue.

To be precise, her spoiled and willful temperament was indulged by Shen Rui.

When she caused trouble, Shen Rui resolved it for her. No matter how big the problem, Shen Rui always covered for her.

During her youth, Shen Rui had been by her side nearly every step of the way. All their joys and misfortunes had been experienced together, until the Zhennan Prince’s Manor was charged with treason.

Regarding the treason case, she never understood how the fiercely loyal Zhennan Prince could become entangled with rebels. Shen Rui was always the most modest and polite person in the palace, whom everyone would greet as the little County Princess. She should not have colluded with rebels.

Since she was alive again, she ought to investigate the matter.

A moment later, the hall door opened, and Shen Rui emerged from inside. The young woman was full of spirit, and her joyful steps signaled that the matter had been resolved very well.

Xiao Kuning looked inside but did not see Xie Yu come out.

Shen Rui walked closer, took her hand, and started to walk outside. “I’ll take you home. Tomorrow is a day off. I’ll take you to see the lantern festival.”

Xiao Kuning did not know the exact date today, but the mention of the lantern festival allowed her to deduce the approximate time.

In her previous life, she had indeed gone out with Shen Rui to see the lanterns. Xiao Wenxue had also gone out that night, but Xiao Wenxue encountered thieves, was nearly harmed, and was later rescued by the Emperor Zhao Yin’s full younger brother, the Prince of Yanping.

Because of this, Xiao Wenxue developed a liking for the Prince of Yanping.

But anything Xiao Wenxue liked, she would try to seize. After the Zhennan Prince’s Manor was raided and Shen Rui fled Chang’an, she chose to marry the Prince of Yanping.

It was not about love, only about power and influence.

She used to hate Xiao Wenxue so much. Thinking back now, how foolish she had been—why torment herself because of that hatred?

If she had not married the Prince of Yanping, she would not have become the Empress, and she wouldn’t have had to contend with Xie Yu. What was the point?

On the way back to the manor, Shen Rui did not mention Xie Yu at all, acting as if she had never struck him.

The fervent young woman had given her entire heart to Xiao Kuning, but during that great calamity, Xiao Kuning could do nothing, and she even refused when Shen Rui suggested they leave together.

She had too much unvented hatred and was unwilling to yield the Xiao family to Xiao Wenxue. She was even unwilling to leave Xie Yu so far behind.

In the end, Shen Rui returned, stood alongside Xie Yu, stirred up trouble, killed members of the imperial clan, and finally threatened her, making the Palace of Perpetual Autumn (Changqiu Gong) her prison, treating her as a mere plaything.

In the end, she no longer felt any guilt towards Shen Rui. Xie Yu said she had abandoned Shen Rui, but he did not know she had been imprisoned and regarded as a plaything by Shen Rui.

She did not owe Shen Rui anything.

The Xiao manor was located at the entrance of Yong’an Alley, purchased by Madam Luo with funds from her dowry. Xiao Mingwang, who came from a humble background, married Madam Luo, the illegitimate daughter of a Minister. After nearly twenty years of maneuvering, he had climbed to the position of Vice Minister of Personnel.

Approaching her home, and looking at the long-unseen alley, she felt no returning joy for some reason.

For her, this was merely a house, not a home; it was Xiao Wenxue’s home.

Shen Rui abandoned her horse and rode in the carriage to Yong’an Alley. Seeing Xiao Kuning’s unusual expression, she gripped her hand anxiously: “Ah Ning, you don’t want to return to the manor?”

Ah Ning had been back in the manor for many days, but she had never felt happiness. Shen Rui urgently said, “Just wait for me for a while.”

When my father returns, I will marry you.

Xiao Kuning understood her meaning but did not expose it. The Zhennan Prince was tricked into returning by the Emperor Zhao Yin, who then had him poisoned and killed. Shen Rui never got a chance to propose marriage.

She knew, but kept silent, saying, “I’m going in.”

As always, Shen Rui did not ask for the reason. She wanted to escort her back to her courtyard but was afraid of incurring Madam Xiao’s displeasure. So, she quietly watched her walk in, and only when her figure vanished did she instruct the coachman to return to the Prince’s Manor.

Xiao Kuning believed her innate wildness and the strictly self-disciplined Madam Luo, a product of a noble family, could not coexist, even reaching a point where they were mutually repulsive.

She was very familiar with the courtyards of the Xiao manor. In this life, she did not have the same aversion as in the previous life; at least she could look at Madam Luo one more time and speak one more word to her.

Walking past the main courtyard, she peeked her head in. Madam Luo was embroidering under a tree. Such a posture was something she simply could not learn.

Zhao Xiran had said that a woman should not learn embroidery. The manor was not so poor that it couldn’t afford a needlewoman, so why torment oneself? If you embroider for a man, he wears it for one day, and the woman is happy for one day.

Such a posture was worse than a needlewoman’s. A needlewoman, at least, gets silver for the clothes she embroiders. What does a woman get?

Madam Luo simply loved to embroider all day, making garments for Xiao Mingwang, but she had never made a single one for Xiao Kuning.

However, she had the money to buy her own.

Upon returning to her courtyard, the maid Qing He came forward, bowed to her, and happily said, “The little County Princess has sent clothes, pastries, and some trinkets.”

Shen Rui was truly considerate. The gifts arrived before she even returned to the manor.

The pastries were a newly developed kind from Qinghe Zhai, with a box costing several taels of silver. Shen Rui was accustomed to being extravagant.

Xiao Kuning glanced at them and then lay down on the couch to rest. Her mind was in disarray, with events from the previous life and the current life jumbled together. She didn’t know how to face anything.

Especially today… striking Xie Yu felt inexplicably gratifying.

Looking at the hand that struck him, she felt that this kind of thing should happen a few more times.

Xie Yu had traveled to the capital with her three years ago. Unfortunately, there was a heavy snow that night. Xie Yu, for some unknown reason, encountered bandits, was injured, and his servants were nowhere to be found. She happened to run into him.

The one escorting her to the capital was Madam Luo’s wet nurse, part of her dowry, who was arrogant and looked down on others. She completely ignored the person crying for help.

At that time, she was still young and held a shred of kindness in her heart. She disregarded the objections of those beside her and rescued Xie Yu.

Thinking back now, she must have been kicked in the head by a donkey to save Xie Yu. Had she known he would later drive her to her death, she should have drawn her sword and stabbed him one more time when she saw him in the snow, saving herself so much trouble later.

The pastries were arranged on the table, and the trinkets were scattered on the couch. She opened them one by one—all valuable treasures.

Shen Rui was truly generous.

Being reborn, she had to learn to save herself. These items all needed to be kept safe, and then returned to Shen Rui one by one later.

After putting the things away, Qing He served her dinner. Before bed, she took out the robes she would need for the next day, ironed them, and placed them to the side.

Her courtyard had become like a separate, small Xiao manor, where almost no one came. Madam Luo regarded this place as the most unacceptable part of the residence.

She could barely sleep after dark. Xie Yu’s shadow constantly flitted through her mind: cool, aloof, like an exiled immortal.

She finally drifted off to sleep vaguely until dawn. In the early morning, someone knocked on the door, and Qing He’s voice sounded from outside: “Little County Princess, why are you here so early? Have you had breakfast yet?”

“Not yet. When you make Ah Ning’s, make a portion for me too. I’ll eat whatever she eats. Is your mistress awake?”

Shen Rui’s voice was gentle, like a piece of warm jade.

Xiao Kuning woke up with a start from her dream, instantly sitting up. In the previous life, after Shen Rui returned, she often climbed in through the window of the Palace of Perpetual Autumn in the early morning, and Xiao Kuning would wake up to find her lying next to her.

Unexpectedly, she had a habit of doing this, and it was a habit Xiao Kuning had indulged.

Qing He was used to it and even opened the door for the little County Princess. “You may have to wait a moment. My mistress is not yet awake. I’ll go check.”

“No need. I’ll just wait in the outer room. Just let her sleep.”

Inside the room, Xiao Kuning was covered by the quilt, practically afraid to hear Shen Rui’s voice again—a nightmare from her previous life.

Shen Rui, mindful of proper etiquette, did not enter the room. Instead, she walked to the courtyard, observing the surroundings. The remote little courtyard had no particular scenery; aside from the flowers and grass, there was hardly anything to look at.

Ah Ning’s habits were very particular; the courtyard should not be in this condition. She walked around a few times and then squatted in the grass, looking at the flowers. Footsteps came from behind her.

It was Ah Ning’s mother, Madam Luo, who had arrived.