Chapter Four: I Understand Now!

As dusk deepened, Song Xirui returned the warehouse key to her room and hid it carefully, then summoned her maid to replace the glaringly bright red mandarin duck quilt.

Late into the night, Su Yun did not return to his room, instead sending a servant to say that he intended to burn the midnight oil in his study.

Song Xirui naturally did not believe such nonsense; she could tell with her heels that Su Yun had gone to accompany his delicate “cousin.”

But that was fine—if he had truly come back to share a bed, she would have felt utterly nauseated.

Sharing a bed with conflicting dreams, each detesting the other’s gaze, was a torment in itself.

“Madam.”

Her attendant hesitated, sighing deeply.

“If you have something to say, just speak.”

Song Xirui looked at the maid with a gentle smile. This maid, Red Bean, had followed her from her family home and grown up by her side, the only person she trusted in the Su household.

Shy and bashful like a mimosa, Red Bean mustered the courage and said, “Madam, I think the matriarch is setting a trap to seize your dowry.”

“I’ve noticed.”

Red Bean panicked, “Then why did you still send the dowry to the warehouse?”

Song Xirui smiled warmly, pinching her chubby cheeks, “Red Bean, what do you think would happen if a thief sneaked into the Su estate tonight and stole all the silver from the treasury?”

Red Bean clenched her fists into her palm and grinned foolishly, “I get it!”

With that, she dashed off.

Song Xirui caught her sleeve, raising an eyebrow, “Make sure to leave some silver behind, enough to last ten days or more.”

Red Bean patted her chest confidently, “Madam, you can trust me!”

Though Red Bean was Song Xirui’s maid, her eldest brother was a notorious gang leader in the capital, a connection that indirectly involved Song Xirui.

But now was not the time to dwell on that. Song Xirui tapped her fingers on the table, trying to recall events from her previous life.

In about half a month, a grand poetry gathering would take place in the capital, attracting many scholars eager to join the festivities.

This event was more than mere entertainment; some high officials would use it to scout for strategists and advisers.

In her past life, Su Yun had also attended and earned the favor of the Crown Prince, becoming one of his trusted followers and advancing swiftly in his career.

Now, Su Yun had lost his good fortune; even if he went to the poetry gathering, he might not catch the Crown Prince’s eye.

Yet she feared the royal aura might suppress Su Yun’s misfortune and recreate the events of her past life.

Though the odds were slim, Song Xirui was determined to prevent Su Yun from ever turning his luck around.

At present, she faced two tasks: find a way to stop Su Yun from attending the poetry gathering, and find a legitimate reason to seek a divorce.

Though her rebirth and past experience had allowed her to thwart Su Yun and Luo Yun’er before, they might still find new tricks.

There is no permanent defense against betrayal; it was best to extricate herself quickly.

Yet this marriage was something she had begged for; a sudden divorce without proper cause would damage the Song family’s reputation.

So she could not handle this alone—she needed help.

But after much thought, aside from her family, Song Xirui had no one in the capital she could rely on.

What was she to do?

Just as she tossed and turned, a shadow suddenly appeared on the roof outside her window.

Startled, Song Xirui sat up and looked out; the figure was striking—handsome, imposing, and very familiar.

He stood holding a sword, whose icy blade was stained with blood, his gaze scanning as if searching for someone.

Moments later, a black shadow dashed from the locust tree in the Su estate, stumbling as it fled, and the swordsman pursued silently through the night.

Song Xirui withdrew her gaze, pondering who the man could be, then froze in place.

“The Protector General! Xiao Yunci!”

How was he here? Investigating? Killing?

Her thoughts flashed back to her previous life, recalling how Xiao Yunci was killed on the city tower of the capital by a conspiracy between the Crown Prince and Su Yun, his severed head displayed.

His expression was as restless and unwilling to die as hers.

With this realization, Song Xirui’s mind cleared.

This time, she could help Xiao Yunci survive and use his hand to eliminate Su Yun, thus escaping the Su family with a legitimate reason, without bringing disgrace to her own.

After that, all that remained was to deal with that despicable Luo Yun’er.

The night was deep and quiet; Song Xirui’s thoughts settled, and she fell asleep peacefully.

The next day, at the General’s Mansion.

Song Xirui climbed the steps and handed over a letter: “Please inform the General that Song Xirui of the Champion’s Residence wishes to see him.”

The gatekeeper glanced her over, then bowed politely.

“Please return. The General is not seeing visitors lately.”

Song Xirui frowned but did not give up. “Please inform him again. I have urgent business...”

The gatekeeper’s face darkened. “As I said, the General is unwell and seeing no one!”

Realizing further insistence was futile, Song Xirui shifted her gaze, thinking of another plan.

“Excuse me, Madam!”

At that moment, a group arrived at the gate with carts laden with medicinal herbs.

The young man at their head stepped forward and bowed, “Please inform the General. I am here on behalf of Manager Zhou of the Divine Medical Hall, delivering medicine.”

The gatekeeper, recognizing the urgency, hurried inside to notify.

Song Xirui watched the carts thoughtfully.

Outsiders believed that the war god general Xiao Yunci had been injured on the battlefield and could no longer practice martial arts.

He was said to be bedridden, receiving medicines in boxes by the dozen.

But in her previous life, she had discovered that he was not truly ill—he feigned sickness out of fear of the Empress Dowager, biding his time.

Moreover, last night he appeared vigorous, hardly the image of a bedridden man.

With this in mind, Song Xirui purchased a set of men's clothes from a nearby tailor, affixed a fake beard, and donned a hairpiece, disguising herself as a man before returning to the General’s Mansion.

While the delivery men busied themselves unloading the herbs, she used the excuse of being from the Divine Medical Hall to slip past the gatekeeper unnoticed.

Once the young man in charge finished directing the unloading and prepared to leave, the gatekeeper asked, “Where is your manager?”

The young man looked puzzled, “What manager?”

The gatekeeper’s face darkened; a bad feeling rose within him.

“Manager Zhou from the Divine Medical Hall—he just went inside.”

The young man frowned. “Manager Zhou left for the south two days ago and entrusted me to deliver the medicine. He couldn’t possibly be here.”

Hearing this, the gatekeeper panicked and rushed to find the chief of guards.

“It’s bad! Deputy General Qu! An assassin has infiltrated the General’s Mansion!”