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Xiao's nails dug deep into his palms.

In the main hall of Songhe Hall, Jiang Sizheng was having a pleasant conversation with Zhen Heng's mother. It was obvious that the two were familiar with each other and it was not their first meeting.

Jiang Pei tugged at Xiao's sleeve a little nervously and said, "Mother, Madam Zhen seems to like Fourth Sister very much."

"Shut up!" Xiao scolded Jiang Pei in a low voice, but walked towards Madam Zhen with a smile on her face. "Madam, this hairpin is really unique. Is it a new product from the Treasure Pavilion in the South City?"

Madam Zhen smiled politely, "It was a gift from Fourth Miss Jiang! She came to visit the other day and happened to help me mix a calming incense."

“…” The smile on Xiao’s face froze.

When did Jiang Si become so close to the Zhen family?
If this little bitch is allowed to marry into the Zhen family, and if Zhen Heng really becomes a prime minister in the future, will there still be a place for their second branch in the Dongping Marquis's Mansion?

Jiang Si stood beside her without her noticing, holding an exquisite incense burner in his hand.

"Second Aunt, Grandmother wants you to see the process of the birthday banquet."

Xiao took the list, his eyes lingered on the words "burn incense to celebrate birthdays" for a moment, and suddenly an idea came to his mind.

"Si'er, I heard that you are very good at making perfume! Why don't you be the one to burn the incense? That way, the guests can see the talent of our young lady from the Bo Mansion."

Ginger's eyelashes trembled slightly.

In her previous life, Xiao also asked her to prepare incense in public at a birthday banquet, but he secretly tampered with the incense burner, causing her to make a fool of herself in public.

Is this life going to come again...

"Niece obeys."

She responded obediently, with an almost imperceptible curve at the corner of her lips.

On the day of the birthday banquet, the Dongping Earl's Mansion was decorated with lights and colorful lanterns.

Jiang Si was wearing a scarlet gauze dress and walked slowly towards the incense table under the gaze of the guests.

When she passed by Jiang Pei's seat, she keenly caught the faint sweet fragrance coming from her sleeves, which was the scent of the Western Region aphrodisiac "Drunk Hibiscus".

[Jiang Si, your family is really interesting.] Su Ning's voice rang out in her mind, [If you need my help, call me in your heart.]

[No need.] Jiang shook his head imperceptibly.

She had already prepared to take advantage of the situation, and this morning she specifically asked Ah Man to swap the tea set prepared by Xiao with Jiang Pei's.

But I didn't expect that they actually put the medicine on the tableware.

The agarwood in the incense burner gradually rose, and Jiang Si suddenly felt dizzy.

Through her blurred vision, she saw Jiang Pei nervously clutching the handkerchief, while Xiao walked towards her with pretended concern.

"The fourth young lady doesn't look well?" Xiao's voice rose. "Could it be..."

At this moment, a cold hand suddenly grabbed Jiang Si's wrist.

The mysterious Suning appeared beside her at some point, his white clothes as white as snow, making him particularly eye-catching among the guests in the room.

"Excuse me." He nodded politely to Xiao. "Miss Jiang just said she needed to pick up some personal belongings, and I'm just passing by."

Without waiting for Xiao's reaction, Su Ning half-hugged Jiang Si and walked away quickly.

Yu Qi stood up from the table, his hand on the ebony dagger, but ultimately did not chase after him.

The black mist surrounding the man in white reminded him of the blood-colored barrier of the Changxing Marquis Mansion.

"What's going on?" Old Mrs. Jiang frowned. "Where did Si'er go?"

Mrs. Xiao pretended to be worried: "Just now, that young man took the fourth young lady away. It was really disrespectful in front of everyone..."

"Nonsense!" Jiang Zhan slammed the table and stood up. "My sister is clearly unwell! How can Second Aunt talk nonsense like this?"

There was a lot of discussion at the table.

At this moment, Zhen Heng stood up, bowed, looked at the old lady and said, "Old Madam, why don't we let the Capital City Office..."

"It's just a small matter in the inner house. Lord Zhen, please don't worry about it. I will take care of it." Old Lady Jiang swept her sharp eyes over Xiao.

……

In a remote bamboo courtyard, Jiang Si leaned in Su Ning's arms with flushed cheeks and a dazed look in her eyes.

The effect of the aphrodisiac made her whole body hot, and the power of the contract further amplified this heat.

"Master, why did you come just now?" She murmured unconsciously, stroking Su Ning's face with her fingers.

Suning's breathing stopped.

The girl's subtle fragrance mixed with the sweetness of the aphrodisiac made even this devil feel dizzy.

The bond of the contract connected their souls, and at this moment Jiang Si's emotions hit his reason like a tide.

[Host! This is a good opportunity to complete the mission! ]

[While she is still unconscious, completely bind her soul! ]

Su Ning pinched Jiang Si's chin and forced her to look at him: "Jiang Si, look carefully, who am I?"

Jiang Si's eyes were dazed, but he suddenly smiled: "Lord Satan..."

She tilted her head up and leaned close to his ear, "My... Master..."

The word "Master" swept across Suning's heart like a feather.

He should have completed the last step of the contract, but he inexplicably remembered the day in Changxing Marquis Mansion when Jiang Si was willing to fight against him to save those girls.

"Damn it!" He suddenly pushed Jiang Si away and threw out a black mist from his sleeve.

The mist condensed into ice, wrapping Jiang Si's entire body. "Calm down!"

There was a noisy sound of people outside the yard.

Su Ning frowned and touched Jiang Si's eyebrows with his fingertips: "Dance for me."

Jiang Si's eyes gradually became clear, but his body began to move like a puppet.

The graceful dance, with its strange rhythm, even caused the bamboo leaves in the courtyard to rustle without wind...

In the main hall, the debate intensified.

Xiao was describing the scene of Jiang Si eloping with the "wild man" in an exaggerated manner when suddenly a clear flute sound came from the courtyard.

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw Jiang Si coming gracefully to the sound of the flute under the full moon.

Her dance moves were as smooth as flowing clouds and water. As her scarlet gauze skirt fluttered, some fluorescent spots floated around. They were fireflies attracted by the power of the devil.

"My granddaughter is late." After the dance, Jiang Siying bowed and said, "I will perform this dance to celebrate your birthday."

All the guests were fascinated by the performance.

Mrs. Zhen held Jiang Si's hand and praised him repeatedly, and even the usually serious old lady Jiang smiled.

Only Xiao's face turned pale. Jiang Si not only did not make a fool of himself, but instead became the center of attention!
What's even more strange is that she clearly gave me double the dose...

"Second Aunt doesn't look well?" Jiang Si caringly poured tea for Xiao, "Have some hot tea and relax."

Xiao didn't suspect anything and drank it all.

But after a moment, her face suddenly flushed and she began to tear at her collar unconsciously!
"It's so hot! Master, why do you come just now?" Xiao's eyes were blurred, and she actually unbuttoned two buttons in public.

"Wow..." The whole room was in uproar.

Jiang Ancheng awkwardly ordered the maid to help Xiao down. Jiang Pei ran out crying, but was stopped by Old Lady Jiang.

"Stop! Who prepared this tea?"

Jiang Pei's legs went weak and she fell to the ground. "Grandma, it was...it was Mother herself..."

"Nonsense!" Old Madam Jiang slammed her dragon-headed cane down hard. "Someone! Bring all the maids from the Second Madam's room here for interrogation!"

In the chaos, Jiang Si and Su Ning who was standing in the corner looked at each other.

The devil in white raised his glass to her, with a meaningful smile on his lips.

……

The next morning, Jiang Pei sneaked into Jiang Si's yard.

Just as she opened the dressing box to check, she heard a cold female voice behind her:

"What is Third Sister looking for? The antidote for Drunk Hibiscus?"

Jiang Pei was so frightened that she fell to the ground: "You...what are you doing..."

"Why am I okay?" Jiang Si leaned over and pinched Jiang Pei's chin, "Because that cup of tea was finally drunk by Second Aunt!"

“…” Jiang Pei’s face looked ashen.

Under Jiang Si's gaze, which contained a hidden glow in his eyes, she confessed everything: how Xiao bribed the cook to drug her, how she planned to ruin her reputation, and even how she withheld the eldest wife's expenses many years ago.

"Fourth sister, spare my life!" Jiang Pei burst into tears. "It was all my mother who forced me to do this..."

Jiang Si let go of her hand and gently wiped away her tears: "Don't worry, Third Sister! As long as you behave yourself, I won't tell anyone."

She leaned close to Jiang Pei's ear and said, "After all... we are a family!"

To Jiang Pei, these words were more terrifying than any threat.

Three days later, Mrs. Jiang gathered the whole family together and handed the housekeeper token to Jiang Si in public: "From now on, this family will be handed over to you."

Xiao claimed to be ill and did not go out.

Yu Qi stood in the corridor and watched the scene from afar. He turned to Long Dan and said, "Remove the surveillance on Miss Jiang Si."

"Seventh Master? That Nanwu totem..." Longdan was puzzled.

"That's not Nanwu's mark." Yu Qi's eyes were deep. "It's an even older...demon mark."

At the same time, Su Ning played with a strand of hair he had taken from Jiang Si and asked the system, "How is the mission progress?"

[Soul binding 70%! Host is amazing!] The system responded cheerfully, [However, abnormal energy resistance has been detected in Jiang Si's body...]

Suning chuckled: "That's interesting."

He looked towards the direction of the Bo Mansion. "How can a completely tamed Jiang Si be more fun than a wild one?"

……

In the Zhen Mansion's study, Zhen Heng held his brush for a long time. A drop of ink fell on the rice paper and spread.

Just like the arc of the ginger-colored skirt that bloomed at the birthday party that day.

"Heng'er." Madam Zhen came in with lotus seed soup. Seeing the silhouette of a woman drawn on the Analects in front of her son, she couldn't help but sigh, "Are you thinking about Fourth Miss Jiang?"

Zhen Heng hurriedly closed the book: "Mother, you're joking! Your son was just..."

"That girl is indeed outstanding." Madam Zhen put down her bowl, "but..."

She hesitated to speak, "Do you recognize the young man in white who took her away that day?"

The pen tip paused, and Su Ning's half-smiley eyes appeared before Zhen Heng's eyes: "I don't know either. I just feel that he is not an ordinary person."

"It's more than unusual." Madam Zhen lowered her voice. "I asked the housekeeper to inquire, and there's no such person in the capital. However, on the day the incident happened at the Changxing Marquis' Mansion, someone saw this man in white entering and leaving."

Zhen Heng's heart skipped a beat.

If Jiang seems to be related to the tragic murder...

"Mother, you're worrying too much! The fourth daughter is so gentle and virtuous, how could she be related to the tragic massacre of her family?"

"That's not what I meant." Madam Zhen shook her head. "I'm worried that she's been held hostage by some bad guys! If you're interested, why not ask Lord Yu to investigate secretly? After all, the Duwei Division is investigating the case."

Before he finished speaking, Zhen Heng stood up and said, "Son, I'll go to the Capital Guard Division right away!"

……

In the side hall of Songhe Hall, Jiang Si was pouring tea for Jiang Yi.

My eldest sister had gauze wrapped around her finger, saying that she accidentally pricked it while embroidering, but the scar was clearly left by a ruler.

"Is mother-in-law treating my sister well?" Jiang Si went straight to the point.

Jiang Yi's fingertips trembled, and a few drops of tea splashed out: "It's good! But..."

"You're just dissatisfied with me for not giving birth to a grandson?" Jiang Si sneered, "So you make me kneel in the ancestral hall every day? Or..."

She suddenly lifted Jiang Yi's sleeve, revealing the purple pinch marks on her arm.

Jiang Yi hurriedly pulled down her sleeves, tears already falling: "Don't tell anyone! My mother-in-law said that if you dare tell my family, my husband will divorce me."

[Look at these mortals.] Su Ning's voice rang out in Jiang Si's mind, [Instead of groveling for a man, why don't you let me help you kill that old woman?]

Jiang Si scolded in his heart: "Shut up!"

"Fourth sister? Are you scolding me?" Jiang Yi looked up in confusion.

Jiang Si put on a smile and said, "No! But don't worry, sister. I have a way."

"..."

Then Jiang Si took out a small porcelain bottle from his sleeve and said, "This is Nanwu's 'Yimang'. Burn it by your pillow before going to bed. I guarantee that the old woman will have a grandson next year."

"Thank you, fourth sister." Jiang Yi accepted it doubtfully.

When saying goodbye, Jiang Si stuffed another bag of silver into her hand and said, "Don't skimp on the money you need to support the servants. If you feel wronged again, feel free to send someone to tell me."

Looking at his elder sister's carriage going away, Jiang Si clenched his fists.

In her previous life, her eldest sister was tortured to death by her in-laws. In this life, she will never let the tragedy happen again.

……

In the accounting office, Xiao held onto the account book tightly and refused to let go: "The old lady only confined me to my room, but she didn't ask me to hand over the household expenses!"

Jiang Si was neither anxious nor annoyed: "Second Aunt is right! It's just about the expenses for Grandmother's birthday banquet...Huh? Why is this piece of Shu brocade recorded as two hundred taels? I clearly remember the market price is only eighty taels."

Xiao's expression suddenly changed: "You...what do you know! That's top-grade..."

"And this bird's nest." Jiang Si continued to look through it. "Three hundred taels for one pound? Could it be a nest built by the swiftlet?"

The housekeeper beside her had already started to sweat.

No one dared to investigate these tricks in the past, but unexpectedly, the fourth girl saw through them at a glance.

"Second Aunt." Jiang Si closed the account book and said softly but unquestionably, "Would you like to hand it over yourself, or should I ask Grandmother?"

Xiao finally left in disgrace.

Just as Jiang Si was about to breathe a sigh of relief, Ah Man came running over: "Girl! Those old guys in the kitchen are rebelling! They're saying you're withholding your monthly wages, and they're all quitting cooking!"

Jiang Si sneered.

In her past life, these cunning slaves had helped Xiao to bully her, and now they wanted to use the same tricks again?

"Go to the human traffickers and buy five new cooks," she ordered. "They must be skilled and come from clean families."

"And the old cook?"

"Sell them all." Jiang Si's eyes flashed red. "Since they won't obey discipline, what's the point of keeping them?"

That night, Jiang's uncle slammed the table and shouted angrily, "This is outrageous! Those are the elders of the mansion, and you just send them away with a single word?"

"Third Uncle, you're wrong." Jiang Si took a leisurely sip of tea. "Wang Po put lime in the porridge, Li Ma Ma stole the silverware from the kitchen, and Zhang the cook even put drugs in my food at the behest of Second Aunt. Do you want to keep such 'old people' to bring disaster to the whole family?"

Jiang Ancheng, who was standing by, immediately became furious upon hearing this: "What? Drugging?"

Seeing the two brothers about to quarrel, Old Lady Jiang slammed her dragon-headed cane down hard, "Shut up! Si'er, now that you've taken charge of this family, I want to see results within three days."

"Granddaughter obeys."

……

Three days later, the Jiang family was completely transformed.

The newly purchased servants were assigned their duties, the accounts were clear and traceable, and even the peonies in the garden that had withered for years were blooming again.

Old Madam Jiang was satisfied and formally handed the pair of cards to Jiang Si. Xiao threw a whole set of tea sets in the room.

The moonlight was like water, and Jiang Si was leaning against the window, playing with the ring that was transformed from the devil's contract.

Ah Man was making the bed while muttering, "What do you think of Master Zhen, young lady? I see he sent another invitation today."

"Senior Brother Zhen is extremely talented and a gentleman." Jiang Si said lightly.

"What about Lord Yu?" Ah Man blinked. "Although he doesn't come here often, he always shows up whenever the young lady needs help."

"Yu Qi..." Jiang Si's heart trembled slightly.

The Tongpan of the Duwei Division who always looked at her with an inquiring gaze did give her an indescribable sense of familiarity.

Especially the ebony dagger at his waist, which always reminded her of a vague figure in her previous life.

[What? You've fallen in love with someone else so quickly?] Su Ning's voice suddenly rang out, a hint of teasing in it.

"..."

What a shame! Your soul belongs to me, for all eternity.

The ring suddenly tightened, causing Jiang's fingers to hurt.

Yes! She had already signed the devil's agreement, so how could she have the right to think about these things?

"Girl?" Ah Man called out worriedly.

Jiang Si forced a smile: "Ah Man, stop talking nonsense! It's absolutely impossible for me and Lord Yu to be together."

Just as he finished speaking, there was a soft "dong" sound outside the window.

Jiang Si opened the window to check and saw a straw grasshopper lying on the windowsill.

In his previous life, when Yu Qi was monitoring her, he always liked to leave little gadgets like this.

What? Yu Qi was here?

Jiang Si held the grasshopper in his palm, hoping that he would go far away and not be discovered by Su Ning, but also secretly hoping that he could...

"Look, girl!" Ah Man suddenly pointed into the distance and exclaimed.

In the west of the city, a red firework shot up into the sky. It was the signal for the Guards to gather people.

In the dark alley of the black market, Yu Qi's ebony dagger was against the throat of a hunchbacked old man.

There were dozens of poisonous scorpions scattered on the ground, being killed one by one by Gentian using a special medicinal powder.

"Tell me! Who did you sell "Shenxianyou" to?" Yu Qi looked at the old man in front of him and asked sternly.

The old man sneered, "Why do you ask when you already know the answer? What the Changxing Marquisate wants is, of course..."

The knife flashed and the old man's ear fell to the ground.

Yu Qi said coldly, "Marquis Changxing and Cao Xingyu are already dead. You'd better think it over carefully before you speak."

"It's...it's the Princess's Mansion!" the old man cried out. "Princess Rongyang takes a lot of 'immortal tours' every month, saying they're specially prepared for the Seventh Prince."

Yu Qi's pupils suddenly shrank.

The Seventh Prince? Isn't that him? What a great way to divert trouble!
Suddenly, applause came from the alley.

Yu Qi turned around and saw Su Ning standing in the moonlight, dressed in white, gently waving a folding fan in his hand. "Excellent! I didn't expect the Metropolitan Guards to resort to torture to extract confessions during their investigations."

Yu Qidaofeng turned and asked: "What is your connection with the Changxing Marquis Mansion tragedy?"

"Relationship?" Su Ning chuckled. "I'm just a spectator, so please don't let your imagination run wild."

"What? How do you know?"

"Yu Qi, you don't need to be so hostile to me. There isn't much conflict of interest between us."

"who are you?"

"My humble name is Suning."

"What exactly do you want from Jiang Si?"

"Yu Qi, this has nothing to do with you."

"..."

...(End of chapter)