Reborn As The Wicked Little Sister-in-Law - Chapter 27

Chapter 27: The Scheme

Upon returning to Muhe Courtyard, lunch had just been delivered—perfect timing. After eating and settling Huahua, Lü Guiyan grabbed Xiao Tan to head toward Lanxin Courtyard.

Xiao Tan looked at the kapok tree in the courtyard and said helplessly, “Ninth Concubine, are you still planning on cutting down that tree?”

“Ah… No, I’m just going to pay a visit.”

Xiao Tan offered a well-meaning reminder: “Have you forgotten what Biyu told you before?”

“What words?”

Lü Guiyan didn’t quite understand. As she tried to recall Biyu, Qiyun informed her: Biyu hopes you won’t run to Lanxin Courtyard unless necessary. The Marquis visits frequently, and she’s afraid your presence will be… distracting.

Distracting? She’s clearly worried the Marquis might have a lapse in judgment and take a liking to me.Lü Guiyan understood these little calculations. Biyu was single-mindedly loyal; she didn’t just guard against the Ninth Concubine, but against any maid in Lanxin Courtyard who had a bit of looks. She was a truly devoted first-class maid.

Seeing Xiao Tan’s uneasy expression, Lü Guiyan comforted her, “Don’t worry. I’m going to discuss matters with my cousin. Biyu will understand.”

Xiao Tan pouted. “How about you tell me, and I’ll pass the message?”

It was normal for Biyu to worry. Before Lü Guiyan had arrived in this body, the original host was obsessed with gaining the Marquis’s recognition. During the time of her coming-of-age ceremony, the original host ran to Lanxin Courtyard every day, claiming to see Concubine Lan while her actual target was the Marquis. No wonder Biyu was on guard.

“It’s fine. I truly have no interest in the Marquis now. Everything I do is for the Lü family and for my cousin. I just hope the main Lü family can be kinder to my own branch; that would be enough for me.”

Seeing she couldn’t dissuade Lü Guiyan, Xiao Tan gave up. “Alright then, let’s go together.”

Seeing Xiao Tan’s genuine concern, Lü Guiyan felt a warmth in her heart. Since coming to this world, Xiao Tan was the person she spent the most time with; having her around brought a sense of security.

“Thank you, Xiao Tan.”

“No need for thanks, it’s my duty.”

The two arrived at Lanxin Courtyard, where Biyu was shocked to see them and blocked the entrance.

“The Marquis and Concubine Lan are currently discussing matters. Perhaps the Ninth Concubine could return later?”

Turned away before even stepping foot inside—Lü Guiyan remained calm; this was expected.

“Very well. It seems I won’t see my cousin today. However, I have a very important matter to discuss with her, something regarding her status in the Marquis Manor.”

Biyu looked skeptical. “Could you be more specific?”

Lü Guiyan smiled brightly and beckoned Biyu closer, whispering: “The Heir’s courtyard already harbors a bone-deep hatred for Lanxin Courtyard. We cannot just sit here and wait for death. It is time to think of a counterattack.”

Biyu thought it was something grand, but in her judgment, this was a minor issue. The Heir’s courtyard and Lanxin Courtyard had always been at odds; there was no such thing as “sitting and waiting for death” on their end.

“The Marquis desires family harmony. Our mistress is an elder; how could she stoop to bickering with a junior? You are overthinking it, Ninth Concubine.”

Lü Guiyan knew this would be the reaction, but she had to get inside today—otherwise, how could she secure the freedom to enter and exit the manor? She ignored Biyu’s dismissal and said with a smile, “Go and inform my cousin. I wish to see her.”

Biyu feigned difficulty. “The Marquis and the Concubine are taking a midday nap. It’s not good for us servants to disturb them.”

“Then I’ll go in myself.”

As soon as the words left her mouth, Lü Guiyan stepped into the courtyard. Biyu didn’t want to cause an open scene, so she could only urge her to wait at the door while she went to report.

While Biyu was away, Lü Guiyan turned to the sweating Xiao Tan and asked, “The golden sore ointment given by the three concubines is missing. Have you seen it today?”

“I… I felt that medicine was suspicious, so I handed it over to Auntie Biyu.”

“Suspicious?” Lü Guiyan’s expression didn’t change as she gazed at the scorching sun. She had never felt the afternoon heat so piercing.

Before long, Ziyu came to the door to invite Lü Guiyan in. She followed Ziyu to Concubine Lan’s bedroom. Inside were only Concubine Lan and Biyu—the “Marquis” was nowhere to be seen.

Lü Guiyan dismissed Xiao Tan, leaving only herself, her cousin, and Biyu.

Concubine Lan’s hair was loose, her face flushed with a delicate glow. Her robes were draped casually as she leaned lazily against the cooling couch by the west window, looking like a classic beauty resting her heart. Such a fragile, graceful woman—how could anyone not feel protective?

“Cousin, I apologize for disturbing your rest.”

Concubine Lan moved her small fan slightly. The gold bracelets and jade beads on her wrist tinkled with a crisp sound, as refreshing as a spring of water in the sweltering summer.

“It’s no matter. I was just about to look for you; I didn’t expect you’d come first. We cousins truly share a soul.”

Lü Guiyan lifted the thin gauze curtain and walked closer, lowering her head as she caught a faint, lingering scent of alcohol in the room.

“You joke, cousin. The one who shares a soul with you is the Marquis.”

The silk fan half-covered her face as the beauty on the couch smiled intoxicatingly. “And what important matter do you have to discuss?”

Lü Guiyan sat on a down-padded stool. “Xiao Tan must have told you that I’ve been close with Sisters Five, Six, and Seven lately?”

Concubine Lan’s cheeks were slightly pink. She nodded with a faint smile. “I know. You want to use them to get close to the Heir. To catch the tiger cub, one must enter the tiger’s den.”

“That is one part. The other is to distract those three sisters, pulling them away from the Heir. Once the Heir is isolated, we can find a way to strip her of her title.”

This caught Concubine Lan’s attention. Her fan stopped in mid-air as she focused. “So that’s the reason. You’ve worked hard, cousin.”

“Sisters Five, Six, and Seven have been in the manor for years; their vision is limited to these walls. We all know which concubines belong to which cliques. To shift their gaze, we need something from outside the manor.”

Biyu frowned in thought, realizing Lü Guiyan’s ultimate goal for today. “Does the Ninth Concubine wish for the mistress to grant you the freedom to leave the manor at will?”

Lü Guiyan raised an eyebrow, a satisfied smile appearing. “Yes.”

“That won’t do. You are the Marquis’s concubines. If you are constantly seen outside, what will people think of our Pingyang Marquis Manor?” Concubine Lan immediately objected. To become the mistress of the house, she first had to satisfy the Marquis. If he felt the household was disorderly due to outside gossip, he would think she was incompetent.

To this, Lü Guiyan offered a logical explanation. Because Concubine Lan was mindful of her status, she never appeared at social events in the capital. Instead, Wei Chengyan handled most social obligations as the Heir. This led outsiders to believe the Marquis’s “inner chambers” were empty, allowing a young female Heir to dominate the scene.

In reality, Concubine Lan was afraid her lower status would make her a laughingstock. So for years, she stayed confined, and after gaining domestic power, she forbid other concubines from leaving easily as well.

But in Lü Guiyan’s view, this couldn’t continue. Outsiders didn’t know the situation inside, and those inside couldn’t leave, leading to a pressure cooker of internal strife. Everyone just spent their time perfecting schemes to frame one another. If this continued, the dozen or so concubines would only consume each other, and no one would benefit.

Despite the logic, Concubine Lan still felt uneasy. “If I upset the Marquis, the loss outweighs the gain. He will think my management is lacking.”

“Then give the management power away. Specifically, state that it is being handed over to the Heir.”

Handing over the power she had fought so hard to snatch? Concubine Lan sat bolt upright, her expression stern as she demanded: “Lü Guiyan, what exactly do you mean by that?”