Reborn As The Wicked Little Sister-in-Law - Chapter 15

Chapter 15: Cheating and Hoodwinking

The rosy light of dawn streamed through the window, bathing Lü Guiyan’s porcelain cheeks in a warm glow. Her face, flushed like a drunkard’s dream, looked as delicate as a freshly bloomed peach blossom.

With no other servants in the courtyard, Lü Guiyan slept until she woke naturally. No sooner had she finished dressing than breakfast was delivered.

Waking up to food, a monthly allowance, and no need to wake up early to pay respects to elders—this was truly a god-like existence. While she had briefly regretted picking this character on her second day here, it now seemed that choosing a supporting role was a stroke of genius.

Lü Guiyan didn’t know how to style complex hair, so she simply gathered her locks with a wooden hairpin. Dressed in white cotton-linen robes, she sat on the swing after breakfast, her gaze drifting occasionally toward the kapok tree in the courtyard.

Its fiery red blooms stood like a cluster of burning clouds. To Lü Guiyan, however, this tree was an eyesore. She hated these flowers; they reminded her of someone. She schemed: I should just find someone to chop this tree down.

Taking action immediately, she went inside to change, intending to head to the Lanxin Courtyard to find Auntie Lan.

You’re cutting down the tree?

Yes. Seeing it bloom so beautifully irritates me.

Qi Yun was speechless. Why… why don’t you like kapok flowers? This was the first time Qi Yun had actively asked her a personal question.

Lü Guiyan’s expression grew somber. She looked up at the fiery red canopy, her eyes filled with a deep, inexplicable sorrow.

“I don’t know why I hate them myself,” she muttered aloud.

Her words were overheard by the Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Concubines, who happened to be arriving to deliver medicine.

The Sixth Concubine scoffed, “Yo~ there isn’t a soul in this yard besides you. Who are you talking to?”

The Seventh Concubine nudged her discreetly, signaling her to mind her manners. Lü Guiyan felt a small sense of comfort; aside from Wei Chengyan coming to watch the drama, she hadn’t expected these three, who usually disliked her, to be the first to visit.

“Thank you.”

The Fifth Concubine handed over some wound ointment with a smile. “I heard you saw a doctor yesterday; his medicine is surely better than ours. Still, this is a token of our regard—consider it consolation for all that money you lost to us.”

Lü Guiyan didn’t stand on ceremony and took it briskly. “Thank you again.”

“Don’t just say thanks,” the Sixth Concubine teased. “We need some real action.”

Lü Guiyan joked, “Should I kowtow to you three?”

“No, no, no!” They refused in unison. Making her kowtow would be a direct slap to Auntie Lan’s face. If the Lanxin Courtyard found out, the Marquis would know, and they didn’t want trouble.

“Then what kind of thanks do you need?”

The three exchanged glances. Lü Guiyan immediately understood their primary motive.

Cards!

“We’re bored to death. We actually came here because we wanted to play,” the Seventh Concubine admitted sheepishly.

Lü Guiyan’s expression turned strange. Just as she suspected, these three were in Wei Chengyan’s camp. If they lost, given Wei Chengyan’s temper, she would probably explode with rage.

“I’ve prayed to the God of Wealth; luck is on my side today. Are you sure you want to play?”

The Sixth Concubine dismissed this with a look of disdain. “Those two stone statues at the gate are useless. Don’t say we’re ganging up on you. If you lose this time, you aren’t allowed to go crying to the Heir to make us give your stuff back.”

Lü Guiyan held up her hand, swearing an oath. “Don’t worry. That absolutely won’t happen this time.”

Because this time, I’m winning it all back with interest.

Qi Yun, help me cheat.

Tsk tsk… I despise you.

With Qi Yun as a god-tier assistant, Lü Guiyan won eight out of ten rounds, losing the other two only for show to keep them hooked. Inside the Muhe Courtyard, the atmosphere grew heated. The three concubines looked frantic, while Lü Guiyan played her cards with leisure.

“Seven Bamboos.”

“Pung!” (Match!)

Lü Guiyan beamed. “Oh my, I’m so sorry. My luck is just too good today. Do you three have any more money to lose? I don’t accept credit here.”

Despite the warm, sunny weather, the three concubines were breaking into cold sweats, their hands and feet icy.

“How are you… so good today?” the Fifth Concubine stammered.

Lü Guiyan smiled. “I told you at the start: I prayed to the God of Wealth.”

The Sixth Concubine suddenly slammed the table and stood up, pointing at Lü Guiyan. “I don’t believe your nonsense! You must be cheating! Confess now!”

Lü Guiyan pouted innocently. “I told you it’s because of the two ‘gate gods’ at the entrance. If I knew how to cheat, why would I have lost so much to you during the spring outing?”

The Seventh Concubine asked gently, “How did you know the stone statues—I mean, the gate gods—at the mansion entrance were so effective?”

The hot-tempered Sixth Concubine couldn’t hide anything. “Listen to her bluffing! I bet she’s cheating. Let me find the evidence and humiliate her.”

Being a woman of action, she began searching Lü Guiyan’s person. Finding nothing, she searched under the table. Still nothing.

“You…”

“I told you, I prayed to the God of Wealth. They protect me,” Lü Guiyan continued to hoodwink them.

The Sixth Concubine wanted to say more, but the Seventh Concubine stopped her. “We’ve played long enough. Let’s call it a day and play again another time.”

“Yes, let’s head back,” the Fifth Concubine urged.

Though the Sixth Concubine was unconvinced, she had no proof and had to give up. As they stomped away, she muttered, “That brat is definitely cheating. I don’t believe those stone blocks at the gate are powerful enough to turn her into a pro overnight.”

The Seventh Concubine soothed her, “True, but we won quite a bit from her before. It’s normal for her to want revenge.”

The Fifth Concubine chimed in, “Don’t be so petty. If you make a scene, she won’t play with us anymore. Just endure it for now; we have plenty of time.”

The three hurried away, so absorbed in each other that they didn’t even notice Xiaotan bowing to them. Once they were gone, Xiaotan’s polite smile vanished. “Pah! What’s with the attitude? All three started as common maids; it’s not like they were respectable concubines to begin with. So arrogant. Hmph, I’m telling Auntie Lan.”

Xiaotan walked into the courtyard huffily, only to see Lü Guiyan clutching a pile of money and giggling to herself. Her heart sank.

“Oh no. What I feared has happened. Mistress has gone crazy.”

Her voice wasn’t very loud, but it reached Lü Guiyan’s ears. Lü Guiyan slowly wiped the wild grin off her face.

“Do you need something?”

Xiaotan’s reaction was a beat slow. “Ninth Mistress, is your… you know… okay?” She pointed at her head.

Having won a fortune, Lü Guiyan was as happy as a child and didn’t mind the gesture. “Are you here to deliver medicine?”

“Ah! Yes.” She placed a jade bottle on the table.

Lü Guiyan was in a fantastic mood, refusing to let go of her winnings. Suddenly, her eyes caught a fallen kapok flower on the ground. Her smile vanished.

“By the way, go tell my cousin to send someone to chop down the kapok tree in my yard.”

Xiaotan felt Lü Guiyan’s forehead with her hand and said in surprise, “Ninth Mistress, you used to love this tree the most. You only chose this courtyard because of the tree! It’s so remote that Auntie Lan refused at first; you had to beg her for a long time to get this place. Now you want to cut it down? Are you really okay?”