Dreams of Yellow Millet: Smoke Rises

After Second Sister fell into the lake, she was like a completely different person.

She brazenly went to Prince Jin and offered to help him seize the throne, on the sole condition that he promise to marry only her for life.

When Eldest Sister heard about this, she flew into a rage and ordered that this reckless fool be sliced to pieces.

"She's just a time-traveling girl. How could she possibly compete with a lady who's been meticulously groomed by a noble family for over a decade?"

That was Prince Jin's assessment when he found out.

I stood beside him, shrinking my neck and not daring to make a sound, because I was also a time-traveling girl.

01

I've been in Great Jin for five years now, but I never aspired to anything grand. Besides, my health was poor, so I spent my days holed up in my courtyard, barely moving.

My original self was the Third Miss of the Chancellor's manor. Above me were my legitimate elder brother and sister, and my half-siblings, Second Brother and Second Sister, born of a concubine.

The Chancellor was a man of great learning, but he harbored a secret first love in his heart. Yet, for power, he married the First Lady.

The First Lady was a kind-hearted woman. Not only did she agree to let that first love become a concubine, but she also gave her many valuable gifts, asking only that she not cause trouble.

Unfortunately, Concubine Orchid was not content to remain a mere concubine. After giving birth to Second Sister and Second Brother, she set her sights on the position of the First Lady.

At that time, the First Lady was pregnant with the original me. Concubine Orchid had someone poison her, and as a result, I was born with a chronic illness.

No matter how favored Concubine Orchid was, she couldn't escape death.

A concubine is just a concubine. How could she compare to the First Lady? And daring to poison the First Lady—she was simply tired of living.

The First Lady was kind-hearted. She didn't send Concubine Orchid's children to a country estate but kept them in the manor and took good care of them.

In the First Lady's words, how could the sins of adults be visited upon innocent children?

Everyone in the manor kept the truth of Concubine Orchid's death from the children, but there were always a few loose tongues that didn't heed their masters' words.

When the original me was ten years old, Second Sister finally learned the truth about her mother's death.

It was the dead of winter. The original me was in the garden watching the snow when Second Sister suddenly appeared and pushed me into the lake.

The wind was biting cold, let alone the icy water.

When I crossed over, I was still struggling in the lake. My waterlogged cotton-padded jacket felt like iron, dragging me down to the bottom.

Despair and helplessness washed over me. The bone-piercing cold cut like knives. Suffocation made me instinctively open my mouth, but only lake water filled it, not air.

Just as I was about to lose strength, a figure jumped into the lake.

When I woke up again, it was three days later.

The quilts on me were so heavy I could barely breathe. I reached out to push them away, but Eldest Sister, who was beside me, stopped me.

"The imperial physician said you mustn't catch a chill," she said, handing me a bowl of plain congee. "Have some hot congee to warm your stomach first."

A bowl of plain congee, yet it held a thousand flavors.

After finishing the bowl, I stared longingly at the empty bottom.

Eldest Sister smiled softly. "You can't have any more. Eating too much will upset your digestion."

I reluctantly looked away, then stared blankly at her.

She was truly beautiful, with an oval face and willow-leaf eyebrows—a classical beauty of great poise and grace.

A faint blush crept across Eldest Sister's face. "What are you looking at me for? Rest well. When you're better, I'll take you to see the plum blossoms."

Speaking of plum blossoms, I craved plum blossom cakes.

I swallowed hard. I seemed even hungrier.

Eldest Sister laughed. "You're not thinking about plum blossom cakes, are you? I'll have someone make some for you later."

I smiled back at her. Eldest Sister was so kind.

02

Before I crossed over, I was only nineteen and still studying.

Eldest Sister was also nineteen, but she was already married—to the Crown Prince.

I heard that after the original me fell into the water, she rushed back from the Eastern Palace in a panic.

With just a few questions, she figured out that Second Sister was the one who pushed me in.

The Crown Princess was furious. Even though the Chancellor was reluctant, he had no choice but to send Second Sister to a country estate.

If nothing unexpected happened, Second Sister would never return to the Capital City in her lifetime.

As for Second Brother, who shared the same mother as Second Sister?

He was clever enough to focus solely on his studies, ignoring everything else. That was a wise path for him.

03

The original me had always been frail, but with the imperial physician's care, my health had been slowly improving.

That fall into the lake, however, was too severe. It undid ten years of careful nurturing, leaving me breathless after just a few steps.

I was so thin that no matter how much I ate, I couldn't put on weight. This worried everyone.

Every time she saw me, the First Lady would beat her chest and blame herself. "I've failed you! If I had dealt with that贱婢 properly back then, none of this would have happened!"

I held her hand and told her it wasn't her fault.

The First Lady looked at me with tear-filled eyes, laughing and crying at the same time, her gaze filled with both relief and sorrow.

04

Because of the lake incident, the Chancellor held a grudge against me.

Even though the original me was also his biological daughter.

I was born with a love for food. I spent all day in my courtyard, either cooking or planning to cook.

As for music, chess, calligraphy, and painting—in Prince Jin's words, "Someone who won't live long, learning these things? Are you preparing to perform for the King of Hell?"

Because of that remark, Prince Jin got scolded.

But Prince Jin had a point. The First Lady came to ask me if I really wanted to learn.

I said I only wanted to learn cooking.

So the First Lady specially hired a teacher to teach me, and even raised chickens, ducks, cows, and sheep in the manor.

When the Chancellor found out, he stormed over to confront the First Lady.

"Instead of learning music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, she's learning to cook? How disgraceful!"

"Do you think the Chancellor's manor is some kind of barn? Bringing all these animals in—aren't you afraid of the filth?"

"I am the head of this household! What do you think you're doing, woman?"

I was holding a plate of freshly made pastries, intending to give them to the First Lady, when I overheard these words.

Furious, I handed the tray to a servant, lifted my skirt, and rushed inside.

"You worthless man! You only became Chancellor because of my mother's family, and now you dare to boss her around? What a joke!"

"Calling me a beast? Well, I'm a beast because I have your blood in me!"

"Drop dead for all I care! I'll go buy you some funeral money right now, so you won't be stranded in the underworld without my mother."

"Yes, I'm disrespectful! Yes, I'm a bully! If you dare to insult my mother again, I'll not only complain to my brother-in-law, but I'll also complain to His Majesty!"

"Don't think that just because the Xiao family has no men left, you can bully my mother! Let me tell you, His Majesty and all the people of Great Jin remember the Xiao family's loyalty and sacrifice!"

I planted my hands on my hips and glared at the Chancellor.

So what if he was talented? Great Jin never lacked talented men.

A social-climbing man with no real power, if not for the Xiao family, how could he have become Chancellor?

I hit a nerve. He pointed at my nose, unable to utter a single word for a long time.

Finally, he flicked his sleeves and stormed off.

As soon as he left, I gasped for air.

This wretched body of mine—when I'm angry, I'm as strong as an ox.

But once the anger subsides, I feel like I'm about to breathe my last.

The First Lady felt sorry for me and told me not to get upset. "Let him talk. It won't cost us anything."

"Hmph, I'll say it anyway! He's ungrateful and heartless!" I panted. "Anyway, he's not allowed to say anything bad about you. You're the best person in the world, and no one gets to criticize you."

The First Lady nodded and praised me for being sensible and caring about my mother.

I looked at the gray hair at her temples and felt a pang of sympathy. I hugged her tightly and nestled in her arms.

I loved the First Lady, and I loved Eldest Sister and Eldest Brother.

Because they gave me the feeling of family—something I craved.

Even if my health was poor, having them made everything worthwhile.

"Mother."

"My little Lele finally called me 'Mother.' How sweet."

05

In the blink of an eye, I had lived in Great Jin for five years.

Thanks to the care of the First Lady, Eldest Brother, and Eldest Sister, I lived quite comfortably.

Prince Jin was the Crown Prince's full-blooded younger brother. Sometimes he came to discuss literature with Eldest Brother.

I was happiest when he came.

Because he always brought some novel trinkets—sometimes amber, sometimes foreign goods. But whenever he gave me something, he always looked at me with pity.

I played dumb, completely ignoring his pitying gaze.

I knew it all: I didn't have long to live.

Although Eldest Sister kept this news tightly under wraps, Imperial Physician Huang always frowned and sighed whenever he took my pulse.

The imperial physician said I absolutely must not get angry anymore.

But that scumbag father of mine still found ways to provoke me. Although he always left in defeat, he never failed to infuriate me.

In the end, my mother made a bold decision. She took me and Eldest Brother and moved back to the Xiao family mansion.

The moment we left, that scumbag father brought Second Sister back to the manor.

But no sooner had Second Sister returned to the Chancellor's manor than she fell into the lake.

Xiao Liu gleefully described the scene, practically begging to take me to the Chancellor's manor to see Second Sister's fall for myself.

But no one could have imagined that after falling into the water, Second Sister, who had been living in the countryside, would suddenly shine.

When I saw those poems, I realized that Second Sister was also a time traveler.

"Before my bed, the moonlight bright—I wonder if it's frost on the ground. Lifting my head, I gaze at the bright moon; lowering my head, I think of home."

"At noon, they hoe the weeds; sweat drips down to the soil. Who knows that every grain of rice on our plates comes from hard toil?"

Ha. No real talent, but plenty of nerve.

06

Second Sister of the Chancellor's manor stole the show at Old Lady Lu's birthday banquet.

A poem about moonlight expressed her five years of homesickness.

A poem about farming expressed her feelings while living at the country estate.

Those who had come to mock her now heaped praise on her, calling her a prodigy of Great Jin, even more outstanding than the eldest Miss of the An family.

"More outstanding than my sister? Pfft, my sister wouldn't even deign to compete with her." An Yuerong rolled her eyes. "The more I think about it, the more annoyed I get. My sister has to be mentioned in the same breath as someone like her? Who's being insulted here?"

"By the way, did she really write those poems? Five years ago, she didn't have that kind of talent. After five years in the countryside, she suddenly becomes a prodigy of the Capital City?" An Yuerong grabbed a handful of melon seeds. "I bet your father wrote them for her in advance, just to let her show off."

I smiled and said nothing. No matter how much Yuerong pressed me, I only said I knew nothing about Second Sister's affairs.

Seeing she couldn't get anything out of me, Yuerong changed the subject and asked about my future plans.

I didn't have long to live. What future plans could I have? I figured the best thing was to enjoy the present.

Yuerong comforted me, saying I looked rosy-cheeked lately. Maybe heaven would take pity on me and grant me a long and healthy life.

But then she started talking about marriage.

Her own marriage was already arranged, but her fiancé was stationed at the border and wouldn't return to the Capital City until the end of the year to hold the wedding.

She was more concerned about my marriage than her own, dropping hints about my relationship with Prince Jin.

As Yuerong said, Prince Jin and I were indeed close, but only as siblings. There was absolutely no romantic feelings between us.

"Really?"

"Really."

Hearing this, Yuerong beamed.

"Then how about I introduce you to a young gentleman?" Yuerong pulled a portrait from her sleeve. "The second son of the General of the Cavalry, Lu Xihe. What do you think?"

"What, do you have a grudge against him? Why would you want to introduce him to me?"

"Pfft, don't say that." Yuerong placed the portrait on the table. "He said you're the most pleasing to the eye in the entire Capital City. His mother asked my mother to have me sound you out."

"I've never even met him. How does he know I'm pleasing to the eye?" I rolled up the portrait and handed it back. "He probably just doesn't want to get married and is using me as an excuse."

"That's true. I'll tell his mother that your mother cherishes you and can't bear to see you married off. How about that?"

"Perfect."

07

Yuerong came and went in a whirlwind.

Xiao Liu seemed to have inherited her temperament, walking as fast as the wind, as if she were riding on fire wheels.

"Second Sister also knows medicine! I saw her bring a dying person back to life with my own eyes!"

Xiao Liu downed a pot of tea before animatedly recounting what she had seen and heard that day.

From the doctor's prognosis that the patient had little time left, to Second Sister's miraculous healing, to the patient kneeling in gratitude on the spot—Xiao Liu told the story brilliantly.

I hadn't expected this time-traveling Second Sister to be so remarkable. I set aside my earlier prejudice and gained some respect for her.

But as she talked, Xiao Liu got angry again.

"I went to her and asked her to treat you, but she said she only treats people when she feels like it." Xiao Liu's face was red with anger. "She's the one who harmed you! If she really has the skill to cure you, why won't she?"

"Maybe she can't cure me either. Besides, only you went to ask her. We were the ones who were rude to her."

"She's the one who harmed you! I say she should come to you voluntarily and offer to treat you."

"We're the ones asking for a favor now. We have to be humble. Besides, treating an illness is no small matter. If she doesn't want to, there's no point in forcing her."

And if we're really going to talk about it, the one who pushed me into the water wasn't her. If she doesn't want to treat me, I can't say much. She's the one with the medical skill.

After Xiao Liu told my mother about Second Sister saving someone, my mother was eager to leave the house.

She said she had to try, no matter the outcome. As for what happened back then, at its root, it was all Concubine Orchid's doing.

But the Empress was faster than anyone. Before my mother could leave the house, she heard that Second Sister had been summoned to the palace to treat the Empress.

Second Sister was gone for three whole days.

When she came out, she was rewarded with ten thousand taels of gold and the title of Commandery Princess.

Second Sister's medical skill was legendary. Many nobles came to seek treatment, but they were all turned away, including my mother.

But Second Sister had the Empress's backing. The nobles couldn't say much after being refused. Only my mother was determined to have Second Sister come to the Xiao family mansion.

My mother had already divorced my father and taken most of the Chancellor's manor's money with her. Naturally, she couldn't get through the gates now.

But that didn't stop her. She brought a hundred strong servants to block the Chancellor's manor's entrance. I went to dissuade her, but she wouldn't listen.

It wasn't until the Empress summoned her to the palace that the matter was settled.

The Empress's stance made Second Sister even more popular. Some households began to inquire about Second Sister's marriage prospects.

But no one expected her to stop Prince Jin's carriage in the middle of the street.

08

Prince Jin's fief was Yuhang, but he usually lived in the Capital City. Because the court was proposing foreign trade, he had returned to his fief to oversee the matter and had only just come back to the Capital City that day.

'Oversee' was just a polite way of saying it. He was really just going through the motions.

The court had enforced a maritime ban for forty years, but after Prince Jin received his fief, he tacitly allowed his subordinates to do business with foreigners.

It was a good thing he was the second legitimate son. If he were any other prince, the Emperor would have stripped him of his title long ago.

Counting the days, Prince Jin had been in his fief for three or four months. He must have found some interesting things.

As I guessed, Prince Jin returned to the Capital City with fifty or sixty carriages, even more lively than a feudal lord's tribute.

But most of those carriages were filled with foreign merchants.

When Prince Jin's carriage was stopped, many people stopped to watch. The merchants got off to see the commotion, and their blonde hair and blue eyes attracted even more onlookers.

The entire street was blocked solid. It even coincided with the Imperial Academy's field leave. In the end, the Commander of the Nine Gates had to personally intervene to clear the road.

As for Second Sister, she eventually got on Prince Jin's carriage.

According to Xiao Liu, Second Sister shouted that she wanted to treat Prince Jin's illness, which was why she stopped his carriage.

As for what they talked about in the carriage, no one knew.

09

I saw Second Sister in person for the first time at a birthday banquet half a month later.

Eldest Sister was several months pregnant. I was afraid of passing my illness to her, so I refused to go to the palace to see her.

Strangely enough, ever since I started using the spring water my mother brought back from the palace to boil my medicine, I felt my body getting warmer and warmer.

When Imperial Physician Huang took my pulse, he no longer frowned. Instead, he marveled that the gods had heard the daily prayers of the Crown Princess and the First Lady.

It was only then that I realized Imperial Physician Huang's constant frowning wasn't because I didn't have much time left, but because my health was improving.

He said that every time he took my pulse, he doubted his own medical skill.

But his confusion had been resolved. As for how, he refused to say.

I guessed it had something to do with that jar of spring water.

Since my health was improving and Eldest Sister missed me terribly, I used the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet as an excuse to enter the palace and spend some time with her.

But no sooner had I entered the Eastern Palace than I was pulled aside by Consort Lin.

"Stay away from your Second Sister. I smell demonic energy on her."

Judging by Consort Lin's tone, she had been reading demon-hunting stories lately.

"Don't you believe me? I may be younger than your Eldest Sister, but my intuition is very sharp." Consort Lin put one foot on a stool. "Besides, my ancestors were demon hunters. I can tell with a snap of my fingers that your Second Sister is possessed by evil spirits."

"Sister Lin, last time you said your ancestors were grave robbers."

"Demon hunting and grave robbing—they go hand in hand. Anyway, your Second Sister is definitely not a good person." Consort Lin flicked the stray hairs from her forehead. "The first time she came to the palace, I saw her deliberately bump into the Crown Prince. Now she's stopping Prince Jin's carriage in the street. If she were a decent woman, I'd have read all my storybooks for nothing!"

As she spoke, Consort Lin pulled out a thick stack of papers.

"This is my summary of the Ten Strategies for Household and Palace Intrigue. With this, you can go forth and conquer. Not just minor demons, even Zhen Huan herself would have to call you 'ancestor'!"

Yes, that Zhen Huan.

But this version was even more formidable, with even more plot twists. It probably incorporated the author's personal experiences.

And I had long noticed that I wasn't the only time traveler in this world.

10

The Empress Dowager cared for the people and was afraid of wasting resources, so her birthday banquets were always simple.

But I never expected Second Sister to show up in plain white clothes.

The moment she appeared, she drew everyone's attention. Her pale white ruqun was completely out of place, and the white flower in her hair seemed to carry some ominous meaning.

Worse still, she arrived later than the Empress Dowager.

Eldest Sister, who was pregnant, had already taken her seat early. But Second Sister took her time, only showing up when the Empress Dowager and others had just sat down.

Perhaps because she held the title of Commandery Princess and had the Empress's favor, the eunuch on duty dared to let her in.

I didn't dare to look too closely at the Empress Dowager's expression. I could only silently thank my lucky stars that my mother had already divorced.

I glanced toward that scumbag father of mine. His eyes were actually red. Could it be that he saw the ghost of his old flame in Second Sister?

The once noisy banquet had fallen silent. Even Prince Fu was bowing his head, not daring to make a sound.

Then a male voice broke the silence.

"Dressed like you're attending a funeral. Anyone would think the Chancellor had died and you were here to cry at his grave."

Only Prince Jin would dare to say such a thing.

Second Sister's face turned pale. She looked at Prince Jin in disbelief, her eyes full of disappointment.

But Prince Jin's words had defused the awkwardness.

The Empress Dowager pretended to be angry. "Yi'er, apologize to the Chancellor at once!"

That scumbag father snapped out of his reverie. He looked at the Empress Dowager and remembered that this was her birthday banquet. He quickly dragged Second Sister to kowtow and apologize.

The Empress Dowager praised Second Sister for being a rare beauty and said her white clothes reminded her of her youth, letting the matter drop.

Meanwhile, the Emperor and Empress were whispering to each other on their high seats.

I suddenly felt that the Chancellor might soon be replaced.

11

After the obligatory pleasantries, the Emperor left in a hurry with the Crown Prince.

The Empress Dowager told everyone to make themselves at home. Some close friends gathered to drink and chat. An Yuerong took the opportunity to sit next to me.

"She wore the same thing at Old Lady Lu's birthday banquet. Old Lady Lu felt sorry for her and praised her for looking good. She actually thought wearing white to a birthday banquet made her look like a fairy."

"Strange, isn't it? Why doesn't your sister treat anyone once she leaves the palace? Never mind others, she won't even treat you. My mother's circle of old friends talk about it all the time."

"Not only does she refuse to treat people, but the other day she went to treat Prince Jin. Prince Jin is as strong as an ox. Could he have some hidden ailment?"

"By the way, have you really thought about the second son of the Lu family? Look, he's over there. He's not bad-looking."

I put a piece of cherry meat in Yuerong's bowl. "This was made by Chef Li. It's even better than mine."

"Really? I have to try it." Yuerong popped it into her mouth, and her eyes lit up. "Delicious! I'm going to get my mother's portion too."

I smiled and said nothing. This trick of using food to shut Yuerong up always worked.

By the time she had eaten her fill, some people had already started heading to the Imperial Garden. I took Yuerong for a walk to aid digestion, and we happened to run into Prince Jin, who was admiring the moon. Second Sister was standing beside him.

When she saw me, Second Sister smiled and then leaned her head affectionately on Prince Jin's shoulder.

For some reason, I felt like Second Sister was deliberately showing off to me. I frowned instinctively, and her smile grew even brighter.

Suddenly, I felt like cursing.

Maybe it was because this Second Sister looked like that scumbag father of mine.

12

Unlike Second Sister, Prince Jin's expression was subtle. His face was set in a grimace that was hard to read—not quite disgust, but not exactly pleasure either.

Strange. Normally, Prince Jin would come to see me as soon as he returned to the Capital City.

But this time, I hadn't seen him until now. It was as if he was deliberately keeping his distance.

Was it because of Second Sister?

I didn't know. But Prince Jin always had his reasons. If he wanted to keep his distance, I would go along with it.

I nodded at Prince Jin and was about to lead Yuerong away when Second Sister blocked my path.

"What terrible manners, little sister. You don't even bow to me? Is this how your mother taught you?"

She crossed her arms, her face full of contempt.

Oh, right. She was a Commandery Princess.

But I also held the title of Commandery Princess. If we were to exchange courtesies, we should do so equally.

Now she was throwing her weight around. If I obediently bowed to her, I would be bringing shame to the Xiao family.

I smiled at her. "Have you forgotten, sister, that I was also granted the title of Commandery Princess?"

Unlike Second Sister's title, which was a gift, my original self's title was earned by the Xiao family with their lives.

For that reason alone, I absolutely could not bow to her.

I no longer avoided her gaze. I stared straight back at her. Our eyes clashed, and the atmosphere was tense.

I refused to back down, and so did she.

We stood there, drawing a crowd of onlookers.

She wasn't afraid. Instead, she laughed lightly. "I am still your elder sister. Can't I even accept a bow from you?"

I didn't reply. I just looked at her calmly. In this situation, all I had to do was stand there. Someone would step in to uphold justice.

As I expected, the Eldest Princess approached, surrounded by a group of noble ladies.

"How dare a concubine-born girl demand a bow from a legitimate daughter! After five years in the country, you've forgotten all about propriety and respect, Miss Shen. What excellent manners you have!"

The Eldest Princess was the Emperor's own sister. Since the Empress and Empress Dowager were not in the Imperial Garden, she was the highest-ranking person there.

The moment she spoke, Second Sister's arrogance evaporated.

But she still wasn't willing to give up. She moved closer to Prince Jin and tugged at his sleeve, as if asking him to stand up for her.

Prince Jin looked embarrassed, but he still stepped in front of Second Sister.

"Miss Shen has had too much to drink and lost her composure. Please forgive her, Aunt."

Since Prince Jin had spoken, the Eldest Princess naturally couldn't pursue the matter further.

But Second Sister, hiding behind Prince Jin, didn't even show any sign of apology. This displeased the Eldest Princess greatly.

She looked coldly at Second Sister and sneered, "Lost her composure? I'd say she's lost her virtue."

The young ladies watching wore expressions of schadenfreude. Second Sister glared hatefully at the Eldest Princess, as if she were about to lunge at her and teach her a lesson.

But what could Second Sister do, no matter how unhappy she was?

This was the Eldest Princess of Great Jin. Even her father had to bow before the Eldest Princess.

13

Second Sister, relying on her title as Commandery Princess, had tried to force me to grovel. Instead, she had made a fool of herself.

In my opinion, rather than seeking the limelight and standing at the forefront, it was better to hide one's light and bide one's time. That way, you wouldn't be targeted and end up with a miserable fate.

I and this Second Sister were ultimately not on the same path. But I could vaguely guess that she had lofty ambitions. The position of a mere Chancellor's daughter would never satisfy her.

Prince Jin's consort? Given her background, it would be quite difficult.

But among the Emperor's sons, aside from Prince Fu, only Prince Jin had not taken a wife or concubine. Perhaps that was what Second Sister had her eye on.

But how could Prince Jin be interested in Second Sister? He was always shrewd, calculating his moves carefully, and his standards were higher than anyone's.

Logically, he should look down on Second Sister. Yet now he was being so close to her.

Could it be love at first sight? People in the imperial family rarely had deep feelings. He was probably after something else.

When the city gates catch fire, the fish in the moat suffer.

I saw through it all but said nothing. Besides, whatever Second Sister's fate, it was her choice.

Even if I secretly warned her, if she was too ambitious, she wouldn't listen to my advice.

Besides, I didn't even like her.

14

The birthday banquet incident made Second Sister famous again, but this time it wasn't for a good reason.

Second Sister didn't sit idle. She packed up early and went to the outskirts of the city to distribute porridge.

It was a clever move. It earned her the title of "Great Benefactor" among the common people.

But in the noble households, no one praised her for it. She made a mistake one day and went to do good deeds the next. Everyone knew what she was up to.

Some more imaginative people couldn't help but ask: If she hadn't made a mistake, would she have done good deeds?

But everyone only said these things behind her back. If they met Second Sister in person, they would praise her for being beautiful and kind.

She loved hearing such flattery. But that wasn't enough.

Perhaps because she had a grudge against me, she even had people spread rumors comparing me to her, saying I was ignorant and ugly, and inferior to her in every way.

"She wants to show off, fine. But stepping on one person to lift another—what kind of behavior is that?"

Xiao Liu was furious. She wanted to rush to the Chancellor's manor and beat Second Sister up.

I laughed at Xiao Liu for being so hot-tempered. If Eldest Sister found out, she would scold her again.

Xiao Liu felt wronged. She said I was a pushover, that even Second Sister could bully me.

Bully me?

I just didn't bother to argue with her. Besides, I was indeed ignorant and unskilled.

But being ignorant and unskilled had its advantages. Good things might not come my way, but bad things wouldn't target me first.

After all, who would waste time dealing with a harmless "good-for-nothing"?

But Second Sister hadn't spent enough money. The rumors comparing me to her only lasted half a day before they were suppressed.

I didn't know who did it.

Maybe it was Mother. Or maybe it was Eldest Sister.

As for Eldest Brother? He had gone to the northwest days ago and still hadn't returned. If he found out about this, he would probably kick down the Chancellor's manor's front gate.

15

A few days later, Second Sister came up with another new trick.

She opened a restaurant in the Capital City. It was quite large, combining several storefronts.

The restaurant had started renovations on the third day after Prince Jin returned to the Capital City and had only just been completed a few days ago.

According to Second Sister's advertisements, the restaurant would sell all sorts of things—milk tea, hot pot, barbecue—as if she wanted to turn it into a food street all at once.

Given the scale, she had probably poured all ten thousand taels of gold the Empress had rewarded her into it.

The opening day was naturally a grand affair.

Everyone was curious about what she was selling with such a big investment. Now that it was finally open, how could they miss it?

But there was a hiccup on opening day.

There were rumors that Prince Jin also had a stake in the restaurant, so many nobles came to offer their congratulations.

Before the opening, Second Sister had also heavily promoted it, saying the first day would be free tasting. This attracted a large crowd of commoners.

Logically, this should have been a good thing.

But unfortunately, too many people came. The commoners all pushed and shoved to get in.

The restaurant manager and servants were useless. They couldn't control the crowd, and disaster struck.

The perfectly good staircase suddenly collapsed. Dozens of people fell in a heap. Some were holding skewers, and in the chaos, they stabbed others in the arms. Blood gushed out like a flood.

The scene was terrifying.

What was even more terrifying was that Prince Fu was one of the ones who got stabbed.

Prince Fu screamed in pain. The two-hundred-pound fat man cried like a child. The young master of the Song family, who was crushed underneath, cried even more pitifully.

No one dared to move them. The doctors from the Hall of Returning Spring and the imperial physicians from the palace ran until their legs were about to fall off, but they still couldn't save the Song family's young master in time, crushed as he was under Prince Fu.

Prince Fu, seeing his friend dead, cried and made a scene. Even food couldn't calm him down.

The arriving Virtuous Consort held Prince Fu and cursed Second Sister.

Second Sister retorted, "If Prince Fu weren't as fat as a pig, would the staircase have collapsed? Would the Song family's young master have been crushed to death?"

Well, that did it. Prince Fu stopped crying. He no longer wanted to live.

Prince Fu stood up and rammed his head into the wall.

The wall broke into a human-shaped hole. Prince Fu stood on the other side, turned back to smile at Virtuous Consort, and then fell straight down.

The imperial physician examined him and declared that Prince Fu had no pulse. Virtuous Consort's eyes turned red.

16

Virtuous Consort was anything but virtuous. She rolled up her sleeves and slapped Second Sister several times across the face.

Second Sister was no pushover. How could she take that lying down? She grabbed Virtuous Consort's hair.

Virtuous Consort was trained. She pulled out her hairpin and slashed Second Sister's face.

"Ruining my face? How can I tolerate that?"

Second Sister lunged at Virtuous Consort, intending to do the same, but the arriving Eldest Princess kicked her away.

Virtuous Consort pounced again, slapping Second Sister several more times. That wasn't enough. She took her hairpin and slashed Second Sister's face a few more times.

The Eldest Princess tried to pull them apart, but it was useless.

It wasn't until the imperial physician said that Prince Fu had been revived that Virtuous Consort slowly stood up and straightened her clothes.

Second Sister had just gotten up when the Song family's madam arrived.

The Song family was a noble house. The eldest branch of the Song family had only that one legitimate son. He was a precious treasure. And he had been crushed to death?

Madam Song forgot all about propriety. She lunged at Second Sister, wanting to kill her.

Virtuous Consort, now virtuous again, pulled Madam Song back, saying, "She's still a child."

Madam Song couldn't catch her breath and fainted.

17

The direct line of the Song family didn't hold official positions, but their influence in the court was considerable. Many ministers were disciples of the Song family.

The eldest legitimate son had died young. How could the Song family swallow this?

They not only demanded that Second Sister be buried with him, but they also wanted Prince Fu to pay with his life.

The Chancellor, who doted on his daughter, cursed the Song family in court for their treason and contempt for imperial authority.

The Emperor said the Chancellor had spoken well, that the Song family was indeed arrogant. But considering their grief over losing a son, it was understandable. As for the root cause, it was the restaurant's fault. So Second Sister would have to atone with her life.

The Chancellor's face turned pale. He said Prince Jin also had a stake in the restaurant.

Prince Jin stepped aside. "I knew nothing about it. I only went to support Second Miss as a favor to you, Chancellor."

The Chancellor lost his arrogance. He bowed and scraped, saying he would find a way to beg the Song family for forgiveness.

The Emperor agreed. After all, it was the Chancellor's own daughter who had caused the trouble. He could clean it up himself.

A few days later, the matter was settled.

The Chancellor went to the Song family's door and used moral blackmail. "The Song family has always been