Reborn As The Wicked Little Sister-in-Law - Chapter 29

Chapter 29: The Price

Wei Chengyan pondered for a long time. To put it bluntly, she regretted telling Lü Guiyan that she wanted to pull her into her circle. Over the past few days, she had thought a lot; every time she saw Lü Guiyan, she felt a sense of inner turmoil. If this woman hovered around her every day, she’d likely never have a good mood again.

But seeing Lü Guiyan’s earnest expression, she felt she couldn’t let this opportunity pass. The Third Concubine had been stirring up trouble lately; it would be better to let Lü Guiyan meet her on her behalf to test her resolve.

Wei Chengyan barked at the surrounding maids, ordering them to mind their own business and stop crowding around. The maids dispersed at once. Wei Chengyan reached out and touched Lü Guiyan’s cheek—it was already swollen.

“There’s ice in my courtyard. Go use it to bring the swelling down.”

“Thanks.”

Lü Guiyan didn’t stand on ceremony and stepped through the gate ahead of her.

Canglan Hall was the largest courtyard in the Pingyang Marquis Manor. Upon entering, one was greeted by a spring-fed pond and walls of climbing flowers. The pavilions and carved beams were a sight to behold. Lü Guiyan couldn’t help but sigh: Comparisons really are odious. Lanxin Courtyard is luxurious with its ornaments, but Canglan Hall is elegant and spacious. There’s even a flower wall on the west side—Wei Chengyan actually has quite a girly heart.

However, the pond was too large and lacked a safety railing. If one weren’t careful at night, they’d likely fall right in.

“Your courtyard is massive. In my place, it’s twenty steps from the gate to the house. Here, we’ve been walking forever and still haven’t arrived.”

Wei Chengyan said confidently, “Naturally. This was my mother’s bridal courtyard; she and Father always lived here. After she passed, I continued to live in Canglan Hall. Her traces are everywhere here.”

Lü Guiyan already knew this, of course, but she was just making conversation. She hadn’t expected Wei Chengyan to take the chance to flex. Since she started the topic, she decided to play along. “I heard your mother was the number one beauty in the capital when she was young. Is that true?”

Mentioning her mother brought out a rare, genuine girlhood side of Wei Chengyan. “Yes, my mother was stunningly beautiful. I haven’t inherited even a tenth of her looks.”

“I can tell. That’s your father’s fault.”

“What did you say?”

Wei Chengyan was a master of the quick-change. One second she was smiling, the next she looked like a demon.

“Just kidding. Honestly, I think you’re very beautiful.”

“Then praise me properly.”

Lü Guiyan was stunned. She hadn’t expected this move. They hadn’t seen each other for only a day—how had her skin gotten so thick?

“From afar, you seem cold, arrogant, and distant. But after interacting with you, one realizes you’re fragile inside, often feeling like a drifting piece of duckweed.”

I’m not going to praise your looks. Suck on that.

Wei Chengyan’s eyes dimmed, and without asking more, she led the way forward.

Inside Lanxin Courtyard

Concubine Lan sat before her vanity, her face ashen despite the makeup she was applying.

“Is Madam still grieving the loss of domestic power?”

Concubine Lan’s fingers, soft as young shoots, lightly touched the plum blossom ornament on her forehead. She said with a sense of loss, “Of course I am. We worked so hard to snatch it away. Tell me, if there’s even a slight slip-up and the power falls back into the hands of the Third Concubine, what then?”

Biyu explained patiently, “If that’s your worry, Madam, you can rest easy. Don’t forget that Wei Chengyan’s position as Heir was decreed by the Emperor himself. She is eighteen this year; in ordinary families, a girl her age would have already learned to manage a household. She is the successor to the Pingyang Marquis Manor; her managing the house is perfectly justified.”

“True. Previously, the Third Concubine managed the house using Wei Chengyan’s young age as an excuse. Now, it’s time for Wei Chengyan to understand how difficult and exhausting household management really is.”

“It’s good that Madam understands.”

Concubine Lan toyed with a hairpin from her jewelry box, sighing. Biyu scanned the surroundings warily. Confirming no one was there, she took on a serious expression.

“Madam, do you realize the true gravity of the situation?”

Concubine Lan was confused. “What do you mean?”

Biyu seemed to have made a firm decision. “Wei Chengyan’s title was designated by the Emperor. If we want the Young Master to become the Heir, we must pay a heavy price.”

Concubine Lan bit her reddened lip, feeling lost. “What price?”

“A life!”

Concubine Lan turned pale with fright. She hissed, “What are you talking about?”

Biyu’s gaze was resolute. “Listen to me, Madam. Our status is inferior to Wei Chengyan’s. Only a death can shake her position.”

In the back chambers, intrigue was common, but murder was horrifying. “No! If we’re found out, we’re finished.”

“Don’t worry, Madam. We won’t be suspected.”

“You already have a candidate in mind?”

Biyu nodded slowly. “The Ninth Concubine! She is your relative. You’ve always looked after her; she should repay you, Madam.”

Hearing it was Lü Guiyan, Concubine Lan shook her head in refusal. “No. She and I are both from the Lü family. I can’t harm her.”

Biyu felt a surge of disappointment at this lack of ambition. How could she achieve great things like this?

“She is the most suitable candidate. Think about it: you are cousins and have always been on good terms. No one would suspect you. If anyone else died, their family would surely investigate. But if the Ninth Concubine dies, you only need to speak to your family. Give more money to her two useless brothers and her cowardly mother, and her family won’t pursue it. They’ll even think you’re being generous to them.”

Concubine Lan listened, her heart pounding with terror. She was ambitious, yes, but the thought of treading on the bones of her own kin made her fear the nightmares that would follow.

“I…”

“Madam, you can take time to consider. This won’t happen until later. Once the Ninth Concubine has ruined Wei Chengyan’s reputation, if she ‘dies’ just as Wei Chengyan is at her most desperate, everything will be blamed on the Heir. It will have nothing to do with us.”

Biyu’s eyes were filled with cold malice. Concubine Lan was overwhelmed, her mind racing. “I… I’ll consider it.”

Biyu then softened her voice to comfort her. “I know this is hard for you. But if this step succeeds, you will be the rightful mistress of the manor. When the Young Master grows up, he will inherit the title. Then, the Pingyang Marquis Manor will belong to the Lü family. The Lü family will thank you, and they will remember Lü Guiyan’s sacrifice.”

She was like a venomous snake, luring a person into the abyss step by step.

The evening breeze blew softly as Lü Guiyan returned to Muhe Courtyard in a pleasant mood. As she entered, she saw Xiao Tan sitting under the corridor with a face full of sorrow.

Lü Guiyan crept up, intending to scare her, but the little black dog caught her scent and dashed out from the room, running past Xiao Tan. Lü Guiyan picked up Huahua. Seeing Xiao Tan still lost in thought, she spoke up.

“Xiao Tan, what are you thinking about so intently?”

Xiao Tan snapped back to reality. “Nothing… it’s nothing.”

Lü Guiyan noticed several large bags of luggage sitting there. “Did you lose your job?”

“No. I’ve been assigned to take care of you during this period.” Xiao Tan’s voice was dejected, and she occasionally shot a look of deep pity toward Lü Guiyan.

This put immense pressure on Lü Guiyan. She checked in with Qiyun.

Yanyan, you must understand: I am just an auxiliary system here. I only have the main questline. I don’t have mandatory data on minor side characters. Therefore, for these insignificant NPCs, I don’t have profiles. You have to figure them out yourself.

That was right; Lü Guiyan remembered now. To make things easier for herself, she had chosen the “Simple Mode.” She only needed to complete the main quest. Features like side-quest tracking, points, or surprise dungeons weren’t enabled. She had profiles for key characters, but for non-critical figures like Xiao Tan, Biyu, or He Yu, the database didn’t record them.

Fine. She would have to interpret most of their thoughts herself.