Chapter 5

But when I opened my eyes, I had returned to the past.

The moment I saw the Third Prince, Xiao Ce, enter the estate, I stopped caring about anything else. I decisively swung a stick, fighting for the wealth, honor, and happiness I wanted in this life, while blood poured everywhere.

“Say something, Shen Yuemian!”

Xie Jing'an's shocked shout dragged me back to the present.

**07**

“My elder sister is beautiful and talented, and the heir is handsome and outstanding. The two of them are a perfect match.”

“I won't steal him or compete for him. You can rest easy, my lord.”

I brushed off my skirt. Every word came from the bottom of my heart.

Xie Jing'an looked confused, with a hint of surprise.

“Are you telling the truth?”

“Xie Jing'an!”

The one who answered him was Shen Yuetang, hurrying toward us.

She'd run so fast that even the jeweled flower in her hair had slipped crooked.

Her cheeks were flushed, and beads of sweat dotted her forehead.

Xie Jing'an's gaze softened. He reached out to catch her and drew her into his arms.

His voice was full of concern.

“Slow down. Be careful not to fall.”

“We have plenty of time. We can take it one step at a time.”

He meant the rest of their lives together.

Shen Yuetang didn't understand.

She was simply so worried her eyes had reddened.

“You can't even swim. I was scared to death!”

I watched them, hiding the mockery at the corner of my mouth.

If I remembered correctly, on this day in my previous life, Shen Yuetang had been out boating with her cousin, Bùi Vân Châu.

When she heard the Third Prince had come to the estate to see Father, she left Bùi Vân Châu behind and hurried home.

But in this life, she was still a step too late.

The Third Prince had smashed his head and was unconscious at the bottom of the lake. The palace attendants had already carried him back to the palace.

She couldn't let her trip home be for nothing.

So she retreated a step and gave all her anxious concern to Xie Jing'an instead.

For a woman, getting married was like being reborn.

On the road to a good marriage and a promising future, Shen Yuetang and I weren't so different.

We both—

Cast our nets wide and waited for the big fish. Whoever took the bait could be reeled in when the price was right.

My fish had already bitten the hook. All I had to do was haul him ashore.

As for Xie Jing'an and Shen Yuetang—

The road they hadn't traveled before was bound to be a little rougher.

I hoped they wouldn't fall apart too soon.

With that thought, I turned to leave.

Xie Jing'an suddenly called after me.

“Shen Yuemian.”

I stopped and looked back at him, puzzled.

He lowered his dark eyes and said slowly:

“Remember what you just said.”

“When His Highness rewards people for their merits, don't use saving his life to force me and the Xie family into anything.”

I had no intention of getting involved in the Xie family's mess.

Consort Lin, the Third Prince's mother, was vicious and ruthless. She loved a good fight more than anyone.

In my previous life, the two of us had met and clicked instantly, becoming kindred spirits.

If I became her daughter-in-law in this life, I'd hand her the knife, and she'd do the cutting.

We'd work together so well no one would ever see it coming.

The Shen family deserved to die.

The Bùi family was doomed.

And the imperial family had bad luck coming.

Not a single one of them would escape.

Why would I still want a gullible fool like him?

**07**

Sure enough, Consort Lin summoned me to the palace early the next morning.

Before we discussed rewards, an eunuch leaned close and whispered a few words to her.

A trace of anger crossed her beautiful, haughty face.

She glanced at me, suppressed her feelings, and set out a Go board.

“The Shen family says you're nothing but a pretty face, with no skill in music, chess, calligraphy, or painting, and that you can't compare to your talented elder sister.”

Her armored finger placed a stone on the board.

Then her sharp gaze swept over me.

“But I don't believe them.”

“The Third Prince knows how to swim. He couldn't have drowned. And there was a stick mark on his lower back.”

“I suspect you did it.”

No wonder she had been my closest friend in my previous life.

She'd guessed it was me in an instant.

She shot me a sideways look.

“Your trick of pushing someone to the brink of death and then finding a way to save them is quite impressive. I don't believe an empty-headed girl could have pulled it off.”

I accepted the stone the eunuch handed me and immediately placed it on the board.

“Since Your Highness hasn't exposed me, that means I still have a chance to turn the game around, doesn't it?”

She curled her lip, looking disdainful.

“When a game is already in a losing position, if you can't find a way to turn it around, the only difference is whether you die sooner or later.”

In my previous life, I'd played hundreds of games of Go with her.

I could make her happy with my eyes closed and win all of her monthly pocket money in the process.

She placed stone after stone, each move swift and decisive.

I responded in haste. I seemed flustered, but every move was calculated.

Until—

I placed one more stone.

The scattered stones across the board suddenly formed an encirclement, blocking every escape route Consort Lin had.

The white stone stopped between her fingers. At last, a crack appeared in her expression.

“Brilliant! Attack from both ends, pull the kindling from under the pot, strike the vital point and cut off every escape. Ruthless and precise. I like it.”

She tossed the stone back onto the board.

“You win this round.”

“I knew I wasn't wrong about you. Bring her a seat!”

I stood and sat properly across from Consort Lin.

“But Your Highness, our game has only just begun.”

My gaze slid to Eunuch Li, still kneeling in the courtyard and afraid to rise. I smiled faintly, without any warmth in my eyes.

“Attack from both ends, pull the kindling from under the pot, strike the vital point and cut off every escape. That applies to Consort Li, too.”