CHAPTER 30: CHAPTER 29: THE MASTERMIND BEHIND THE SCENES!

"Ah! Are there guests here?"

Song Lanyi blinked her eyes, like a lost fawn in the forest, and said innocently, "I didn’t know there were guests in the mansion. Father, I hope I’m not disturbing you?"

Song Cheng’s cold smile softened slightly, his tone fairly affectionate as he shook his head, "No worries, it’s just a small matter. Since you are back, go and rest in your room first."

Although Song Lanyi was his concubine-born daughter, she had been obedient and sensible since childhood.

Her mother passed away early, and she was raised by Mrs. Song’s side.

Though Mrs. Song wasn’t as close to her as to her own daughter, she didn’t withhold from her either, raising her with care.

Song Lanyi glanced at Xie Jiuxiao without leaving any trace, and timidly said, "Yes, Father."

She turned around and paid respects to Mr. Lu, "Mr. Lu, Lanyi takes her leave."

Turning to the side, she met Song Caiwei’s tearful appearance.

She exclaimed, "Oh, sister, don’t misunderstand. When I left, the carriage was fine, but when I returned, it broke down. I happened to meet Mr. Lu, who thought I looked pitiful standing by the roadside, so he invited me onto his carriage and personally sent me back to the mansion. I guess I also owe my thanks to sister, since Mr. Lu is the future brother-in-law."

She playfully stuck out her tongue and glanced at Luu Shaochen with shy hesitance.

That look was nothing like how one would look at a brother-in-law.

Luu Shaochen, gentle and elegant, only gave a faint smile. Since entering, his gaze had been fixed on Song Caiwei, which quietly annoyed Song Lanyi.

Song Caiwei forced a smile, "Is that so? That’s wonderful, Mr. Lu, thank you."

Luu Shaochen’s lips curled upwards, "You’re welcome, we will all be family in the future."

Song Caiwei blinked, raised her eyes in surprise to glance at him, her face a lot rosier.

Song Lanyi’s smile was stiff, "Sister and Mr. Lu have such a good relationship, Lanyi is truly envious."

Caught, Ms Mei cried out, "Lanyi..."

Song Lanyi frowned, a flash of disgust appearing and disappearing, "Lanyi takes her leave now."

"Hold on, who said you could leave?"

Yu Nianzhao waved a hand, and Mu Hongxuan blocked her path.

Song Lanyi asked in confusion, "Who are you? What do you want to do?"

Song Cheng was also puzzled, "Miss Yu, is there also an evil spirit left in Lanyi?"

Yu Nianzhao looked at her with profound meaning, "Your pretentious words are one thing, but jealousy really makes one lose reason."

Song Lanyi’s face turned cold, "Lanyi doesn’t know what you’re talking about!"

"I won’t waste words with you. With such a big evil spirit here, should you be allowed into the freshly cleansed Song Mansion?"

Yu Nianzhao took out a talisman and swiftly stuck it onto Song Lanyi.

"Ah!"

Song Lanyi fell to the ground in shock, looking aggrieved and pitiful as she said, "What is the young lady doing? How could Lanyi be an evil spirit? Father, is it because Lanyi is a concubine-born daughter that she has to suffer such grievances?"

Her tears fell like rain, as her pitiful gaze swept over every man present.

Song Cheng was the first to react, showing pity, "How could that be? Lanyi, don’t be afraid. There must be some misunderstanding here."

"Did Ms. Mei learn that act from you? Truly a passing torch!"

Yu Nianzhao wasn’t swayed by her innocent act and skillfully took a sachet from Song Lanyi.

With her sachet gone, Song Lanyi couldn’t hold back anymore, fiercely glaring as she lunged at Yu Nianzhao, "Give it back to me, that’s mine."

Yu Nianzhao kicked her away.

Bang!

Song Lanyi could no longer maintain her delicate and graceful image, sprawling embarrassingly on the ground.

Song Cheng was stunned, "This, this, this..."

"What do you mean ’this’? Not only are you a jerk, but you’re blind too. Can’t you see that something’s off with this so-called concubine-born daughter of yours?"

Yu Nianzhao grumbled, "It’s one thing to try to seduce the future brother-in-law, but plotting harm too? You thought Ms Mei was simply her pawn, her scapegoat. The true mastermind is her, Song Lanyi!"

"What?"

Even Song Cheng was shocked, and Mr Song, who had seen countless people, hadn’t expected the one stirring chaos in Song Mansion to be such a young girl.

"I didn’t, I know nothing, why are you slandering me?"

Song Lanyi sat up, resentfully looking at Song Caiwei, "Sister, are you unable to tolerate a concubine-born daughter like me? Did you bring someone to frame me? I already said, I won’t fight you for Mr. Lu, there’s no need to target me in every little thing."

Song Caiwei’s face turned pale, "I, I did not!"

"Even at this point, you still want to frame Caiwei?"

Yu Nianzhao opened the sachet, and a red paper slipped out, inscribed with words.

Seeing this, Song Caiwei trembled, saying, "This is my birth date and time."

Yu Nianzhao burned the paper, and as it burned up, a wisp of black smoke drifted away.

"Ah! How dare you! That was mine! What right do you have to burn it!"

Song Lanyi hadn’t expected Yu Nianzhao to act so quickly, and it was too late to stop her. Her eyes turned red, fearfully covering her cheeks and letting out a piercing scream.

Her demeanor was a stark contrast to her earlier gentle and graceful appearance.

"Why wouldn’t I dare? Should I keep something harmful around for the holidays?"

Yu Nianzhao’s eyes were exceedingly cold, pointing to the scar on Song Caiwei’s face, "This scar originally came from you. To make yourself beautiful, you transferred it to the one you were most jealous of. Not only that, though Mrs. Song did not treat you as her own, she ensured you were well-fed and clothed, even planning to find you a good husband in the future, better off than the other concubine-born daughters from most households. Yet you still want to keep her bedridden, truly you have the heart of a snake and scorpion."

Once the truth was laid bare, everyone in the Song Mansion looked at Song Lanyi with disgust.

Indeed, once the sachet was destroyed,

The ugly scar on Song Caiwei’s face vanished inch by inch and transferred onto Song Lanyi’s face.

Song Lanyi was in unbearable pain, unable to keep her facade any longer.

She snarled, "What do you understand? From birth, my fate was sealed. But why? Simply because my mother was a concubine while Song Caiwei’s mother was the wife? How innocent am I, already lacking in status to her, yet marked with something so ugly on my face. Why does fate mistreat me so? All the good things belong to Song Caiwei; do I deserve only the bad? I refuse to accept this!"

Song Cheng covered his face in agony, "It was really you behind it all, Song Lanyi. You were raised beside the lady of the house from childhood. Could you not see her kindness to you? How could your heart be so dark? You intended to destroy the entire Song Mansion."

After this incident, Song Cheng seemed aged by over a decade, utterly exhausted.

Song Lanyi glared, "It’s never enough. The finest clothes are for Song Caiwei. At banquets, I’m only there to be a backdrop. Even cultured and refined men like Mr. Lu belong to her! What do you know? You were born privileged, never understanding the hardships of being a concubine-born daughter!"