If you force me to take the blame, I'll spend a day in jail and gain a year's worth of spi

Deep within the imperial prison, inside and outside luxurious private rooms.

The sisters, Xiao Meier and Xiao Fenghua, have already left.

After the two sisters left, the prison seemed to quiet down instantly, but it also felt... a little empty.

Not long after, Xiao Sheng and Xiao Yun returned, all excited and eager.

They wore extremely fawning smiles, calling him "brother-in-law" with utmost intimacy.

Zhang Yu's lips twitched as he listened, especially the repeated calls of "brother-in-law," which made his scalp tingle and left him extremely embarrassed.

His affair with Xiao Meier and Xiao Fenghua was already a mess, and now that the two of them had called out to him like that, he had an indescribable strange feeling.

As for Xiao Yun's "brother-in-law," Zhang Yu originally planned to give him a good "education" after Xiao Meier and the others left, so that he would know why the flowers were so red.

But now... he's slept with two of her beautiful and noble cousins, and if he goes back to argue with Xiao Yun about the previous conflict, he feels a bit... unjustified and lacking in confidence.

Besides, judging from their sycophantic manner, it would seem petty of him to actually harm Xiao Yun.

"Alright, alright, stop flattering me."

Zhang Yu waved his hand impatiently, interrupting Xiao Sheng's rambling, "What happened to your sisters... was an accident. Don't call them that again."

"Yes, yes, brother-in-law is right, it was an accident, absolutely an accident!"

Xiao Sheng readily agreed, nodding vigorously, but the knowing smile on his face remained unchanged.

"I understand, I understand," Xiao Yun replied cooperatively.

Looking at these two lovable cousins, each one thick-skinned and adept at taking advantage of others, Zhang Yu felt a headache coming on.

What kind of people are the Xiao family?

Their ability to be opportunistic and curry favor is practically innate; they'll pounce on any opportunity for personal gain, and their sense of shame is utterly worthless in their eyes.

Including those two women.

"Get out, all of you get out!"

Zhang Yu was extremely annoyed and had no patience to deal with these two troublemakers.

He directly used his authority to manipulate the formation, temporarily confining the area where Xiao Sheng and Xiao Yun were located.

Zhang Yu is in a bad mood right now.

Previously, due to his low cultivation level, he was affected by the original owner's obsession, which was tolerable.

But now that his cultivation has improved, his obsession has also become stronger, and it's all the system's fault.

I just learned from the system that his soul and obsession coexist within the sea of ​​consciousness of this body, and when the system infuses his soul cultivation, it targets the sea of ​​consciousness.

In this situation, that obsession received the same blessings and attained the same level of spiritual cultivation as Zhang Yu.

Therefore, Zhang Yu currently doesn't have a good way to deal with him.

Fortunately, as long as Jiang Luohan is not involved, the obsession will not flare up.

On the fifth day of Zhang Yu's imprisonment, in the morning.

Inside the Jiang family home, in Jiang Luohan's boudoir.

Before the bronze mirror, Jiang Luohan sat upright, gazing at her face, which had mostly subsided and was now only faintly bluish-purple, her eyes empty and cold.

The humiliation in the prison, the slaps from those two vile women, Xiao Meier and Xiao Fenghua, Zhang Yu's icy gaze and his final, eerie "protection" and "observation"...

And... last night, at the Yuelai Inn, that unfamiliar man.

Various images, a mixture of humiliation, fear, anger, and confusion, spun wildly in her mind like a revolving lantern, almost tearing her reason apart.

She never imagined she would end up in such a miserable situation.

In a single day, her dignity was trampled beyond recognition, her body and mind suffered repeated blows, and she even had the most unbearable relationship with a stranger whose name and origin she did not know.

Why?

Why did it turn out like this?

Was it because she betrayed Zhang Yu and chose Zhang Heng?

But isn't that the obvious choice?

Between a good-for-nothing and a promising eldest son of a marquis, even a fool would know who to choose.

She never expected that Zhang Yu had hidden himself so deeply, actually possessing innate cultivation.

Fortunately, Zhang Yu still had feelings for me.

Looking at herself in the mirror, Jiang Luohan's lips curled into a twisted smile of confidence. "Although I lost my virginity, it was an accident, and he shouldn't mind. After all, he loves me so much."

Having figured this out, Jiang Luohan's chaotic thoughts strangely calmed down, and she even felt a little excited.

She quickly washed and dressed, then set off for the Marquis of Yong'an's residence.

She thought of the best way to appease Zhang Yu: to have the Marquis's mansion intervene and reinstate her marriage with Zhang Yu.

The atmosphere inside the Marquis's residence was heavy.

Zhang Heng, Qin Xuehua, Zhang Qingyue, and others had been waiting for a long time, and as soon as they saw her arrive, they immediately surrounded her.

"Luo Han, how are you?"

That good-for-nothing Zhang Yu… no, has Zhang Yu even offered to help yet?

Zhang Heng asked anxiously, his eyes bloodshot, clearly overwhelmed by the current predicament of the Marquis's mansion.

Qin Xuehua also looked expectant: "Luo Han, you're the most capable. Does he... does he still have feelings for me?"

Zhang Qingyue curled her lip and muttered under her breath, "What skills could he possibly have? He just got lucky."

Jiang Luohan looked at these people who had been fawning over her not long ago, but now placed all their hopes on her. A cold smile flashed through her mind, but she showed just the right amount of exhaustion and distress on her face.

She shook her head gently and sighed, "I went and saw him. He... is still throwing a tantrum and just won't budge on helping."

Her voice carried a hint of grievance and helplessness, "I said a lot, even... even humbled myself, but he... he seems to hold a deep grudge, and it will probably be hard for him to get over it anytime soon."

"What? This unfilial son!"

Qin Xuehua immediately raised her eyebrows and said angrily, "The Marquis's mansion has raised him for so many years, and now that the Marquis's mansion is in trouble, he is so ungrateful."

"Exactly, my brother is so inconsiderate."

Zhang Qingyue chimed in, "He has absolutely no sense of the bigger picture. Sister Luo Han, you went in person, what more does he want?"

Zhang Heng gritted his teeth, "That Zhang Yu, he really doesn't know what's good for him. If I had known this would happen, I should have..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but the ruthlessness in his eyes was clearly visible.

The crowd launched into a barrage of criticism against Zhang Yu.

Jiang Luohan was secretly delighted; this was exactly the effect she wanted.

After everyone had vented their emotions, she spoke softly, her voice carrying a hint of resolute determination, as if in a act of "sacrifice":

"Auntie, Xiaoheng, Qingyue, please don't be angry."

You know Zhang Yu's personality; he's stubborn and inflexible.

He's angry right now; forcing him will only make things worse.

She paused, observing everyone's reactions, and slowly said, "I think... perhaps we should first calm him down and let him feel our 'sincerity' and 'change'."

Sincerity? Change?

Qin Xuehua frowned. "What do you mean?"

Jiang Luohan lowered her eyes, her voice becoming even softer:

What does Zhang Yu care about most?

First, there's the Marquis's family's attitude towards him; second, there's... my engagement with him.

She raised her head, her gaze sweeping over the crowd:

"We can gradually change the attitude of the Marquis's family and let them see our changes."

As for the engagement... perhaps we can first spread the word, or... try to get my aunt to intervene and temporarily... reinstate my engagement with Zhang Yu?"

The room fell silent instantly upon hearing this.

Qin Xuehua and Zhang Qingyue were both stunned.

Zhang Heng's face instantly turned extremely ugly.

"Restoring the engagement?"

Zhang Heng exclaimed, his eyes filled with disbelief and a hint of betrayal and anger, "Luo Han, how...how could you say that? Then what about us..."

"Xiao Heng, let me finish."

Jiang Luohan immediately grasped Zhang Heng's hand, her eyes gentle and pleading, "This is just a temporary measure to appease Zhang Yu and lower his guard."

Seeing Zhang Heng's still gloomy face, she added, "Moreover, the Marquis's mansion needs his help right now. If we can temporarily bind him with a marriage agreement, not only will we get him to work for the Marquis's mansion, but perhaps... we can also get even more benefits from him."

Qin Xuehua's eyes lit up upon hearing this.

"Luo Han is right!" Qin Xuehua immediately agreed.

Although Zhang Qingyue felt a little awkward, considering the Marquis's predicament, she muttered to herself, "It seems... alright. It's only temporary anyway."

Looking at his mother and sister's attitude, and then at Jiang Luohan's "affectionate" yet "aggrieved" eyes, Zhang Heng's dissatisfaction and doubts were suppressed by the "big picture" and "future interests."

He grasped Jiang Luohan's hand in return, nodded vigorously, and hope rekindled in his eyes:

"Luo Han, you're right, I was confused for a moment."

For the sake of the Marquis's mansion, and for our future, I'm sorry to trouble you for now.

Don't worry, once I inherit the marquisate and establish myself, I will marry you in a grand and glorious ceremony.

Zhang Yu, that good-for-nothing, is nothing but a stepping stone for us.

"Yes, I believe you, Xiao Heng."

Jiang Luohan nestled into Zhang Heng's arms, a triumphant, cold smile curving her lips from an angle unseen by others.

She was overjoyed.

Everything is going according to her plan.

Re-establishing her engagement with Zhang Yu would not only appease him, but also give her a legitimate reason to approach him and carry out her plan to control and plunder him.

The people in the Marquis's mansion, including Zhang Heng, became her most useful pawns and shields in her plan, and they were even grateful to her.