The Daoist priest froze for a moment at Yin Yin’s words, then chuckled and said, “Miss, you really know how to joke.”

“Who said I was joking?” Yin Yin replied coldly, and with a sudden clang, she drew her dagger. The gleam of cold steel caused the Daoist priest’s face to turn deathly pale in an instant.

Of course, the dagger was still just a prop. Yin Yin had specially borrowed it from Ling Long before she left the manor.

The Daoist priest shrank back and tried to slip toward the mouth of the alley, but Yin Yin blocked his path, forcing him to retreat step by step into a corner. “Heroine, let’s talk this out.” He pleaded. “There’s no need for blades or violence, is there?”

Yin Yin smiled and said, “When I dragged you in just now, why did you look so terrified? Have you done too many shameful things and are scared someone’s come to settle scores?”

The Daoist priest protested, “Please be reasonable, Heroine! I’m just a peaceful and law-abiding Daoist. I’ve never done anything to wrong anyone!”

Yin Yin raised an eyebrow. “Pretending to be a Daoist priest and swindling people everywhere— and you dare say you’ve done nothing wrong?”

The Daoist priest refused to concede. “On what basis are you saying I’m a fake?”

Yin Yin sneered and pointed at the words ‘divine seer’ written on his robe with her dagger. “You can’t even predict your own death, and you still call yourself a divine seer?”

The words ‘your own death’ made the Daoist priest fall to his knees with a thud. He kowtowed repeatedly and begged, “Please spare me, Heroine! I just trick people a little, I’ve never done anything truly wicked!”

Yin Yin smirked and helped him to his feet. “Don’t be afraid. I’m not going to kill you— so long as you help me with something.”

“What do you need?”

Yin Yin blinked at him and asked, “What are you best at?”

The Daoist priest thought for a moment and replied, “Deceiving people.”

Yin Yin laughed. “Exactly. I need you to deceive someone.”

The Daoist priest stared at her in disbelief. Yin Yin then laid out her plan in detail. Once she finished, she slipped a silver ingot into his hand and said, “Don’t worry. If this works, there will be more rewards in it for you.”

Clutching the silver, the Daoist priest nodded vigorously. “I’ll go prepare right away.”

“Mhm.” Yin Yin nodded, then added, “Find a clever maid to help you too.”

“Got it, got it!”

“Three days from now, we will meet at the teahouse up front. If you dare not show up……” Yin Yin shook the dagger meaningfully.

The Daoist priest wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. “I wouldn’t dare.”

Satisfied, Yin Yin nodded and let him go.

With her business done, Yin Yin prepared to head home.

She had barely taken a few steps when she noticed a commotion up ahead. Curious, she went to take a look.

“Let go of my sister!” A childish voice shouted from within the crowd. The onlookers parted to reveal a few brutish-looking men dragging a young woman away. Behind them, a dirty little boy in a patched coarse cloth outfit clung to one of the men’s arms, kicking at him with all his might.

Unfortunately, the boy was too small and weak. His attacks didn’t even register to the man, who easily flung him to the ground with a sweep of his arm.

“Heiwa! Are you okay?!” The woman struggled to help the boy up, only to be yanked back by one of the men.

The boy stubbornly climbed back to his feet and grabbed the man’s arm again. “You bastards, let go of my sister!”

Annoyed by the persistence, the man kicked the boy to the ground once more. The boy’s face twisted in pain, yet he still struggled to rise. The man, clearly losing patience, raised his leg again for a more brutal blow— only to be intercepted by Yin Yin.

“In broad daylight, you’re trying to snatch a woman off the street? Does the law mean nothing to you?”

The man’s violent act was abruptly halted. He turned to lash out but froze when he saw the beautiful woman standing in his way. His fury quickly morphed into lechery.

“Well now, what a pretty little lady.” He leered, reaching out to touch Yin Yin’s face.

Yin Yin slapped his hand away and said coldly, “Who are you people? Why are you seizing this young lady?”

Rubbing his numbed hand, the man snapped, “She owes us money! She can’t pay it back, so we’re taking her to the brothel!”

“I only borrowed one tael of silver.” The woman cried angrily, tears brimming in her eyes. “Now you’re demanding thirty. How could I possibly repay that?”

So it was loansharking. Yin Yin thought to herself that this was a truly profitable business. One only needed capital and the interest would snowball on its own. Looking at the men before her, she said, “Thirty taels, is it? I’ll pay it for her.”

The man blinked. Yin Yin took out thirty taels of silver and handed it to him.

He weighed the silver in his hand, then smirked and patted the woman’s face. “Looks like you’re lucky today. You’re off the hook— for now. If you ever need money again, you know where to find me.”

He swaggered off with his lackeys.

The woman dropped to her knees in front of Yin Yin. “Thank you, Miss, for saving us!”

The little boy knelt beside his sister and kowtowed vigorously. “Thank you, Big Sister! You’re not only beautiful, you’re so kind too!”

Yin Yin couldn’t help laughing as she helped them up. The woman looked at her gratefully. “May I ask the name of our benefactor?”

Yin Yin replied solemnly, “Lei Feng.”

“Miss Lei.” The woman said. “My name is Sang Mei, and this is my brother, Sang Ze. Our parents died early, and we’ve relied on each other ever since. But times are hard and we’ve run out of food. I had no choice but to borrow money from Wu Tianliang. I never thought…… Thank you so much. But that silver……”

Sang Mei’s use of Miss Lei made Yin Yin twitch slightly, but she kept a straight face. “Don’t worry. I don’t need that thirty taels.”

And it was true. At Yin Manor, she was waited on hand and foot. Whatever she wanted, all she had to do was say the word. She hardly had a chance to spend money.

Being a villainess had its perks as nine out of ten were rich.

But Sang Mei wouldn’t accept that. “That won’t do! We may be poor, but we can’t take such a big favor for free. No matter what, I will repay you— even if it takes me a lifetime.”

Yin Yin gave Sang Mei a look of approval. “In that case, consider the silver an advance on your wages.”

“Wages?” Sang Mei looked confused. Yin Yin winked. “I have a job. Would you be willing to take it?”

────ρя


By the time Yin Yin returned, it was nearly noon.

She still held the dagger in her hand, planning to return it to Ling Long before grabbing some lunch.

Just as she approached the courtyard where Ling Long resided, Yin Yin heard Du Qianqian’s laughter drifting out from inside his quarters.

Yin Yin’s grip on the dagger tightened.

I’ve been out working myself to death, and you’re in here increasing the male protagonist’s favorability?

Damn it! Even a female side character has a temper!

Without hesitation, Yin Yin pushed open the door, completely ignoring the startled look on Du Qianqian’s face. She smiled coldly and said, “Young Master Lin, thank you for the dagger.”

Ling Long looked at her in slight bewilderment and accepted the dagger. “Miss Yin, is your matter settled?”

Yin Yin smiled and nodded. If it weren’t, your child would already be old enough to run errands.

Sharp as ever, Ling Long immediately sensed her anger, though he couldn’t understand why. “May I ask what has made Miss Yin so upset?”

Yin Yin paused. Right, why was she so angry? She never planned to fight the white lotus for anything in the first place.

She reminded herself to be a well-behaved female side character. That way, she wouldn’t end up as cannon fodder.

Suppressing the fury rising in her chest, she smiled and said, “It’s nothing.”

She turned to leave but was stopped by Ling Long’s voice, “May I ask how Miss Yin plans to deal with Fang Li?”

Yin Yin turned her head, her lips curving into a beautiful arc. “Give him a taste of his own medicine.”

Ling Long was momentarily dazzled by her smile. It must be the sunlight today— it’s too bright.

“Eldest Miss!” Li Li came rushing over in a flurry. “I finally found you!”

Yin Yin looked at the breathless Li Li. “What’s the emergency? Have the six great sects attacked Guangmingding^[1]the headquarters of the Ming Cult in 《The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber》, a wuxia novel by Jin Yong?”

“Young Master Qian is here!”

“Young Master Qian?” Who the hell is that?

Du Qianqian’s eyes lit up. “Eldest Miss, don’t you remember? He’s your childhood sweetheart.”

My childhood sweetheart?

Yin Yin’s mouth twitched. Damn it, what’s with that gloating look on your face?

Du Qianqian looked at Yin Yin and said with a smile, “He’s probably here to propose.”

“Propose?! To whom?”

“Why, to you of course.”

“……”

Like being struck by divine lightning, Yin Yin finally remembered who this so-called Young Master Qian was.

The Qian family— one of the three great clans in Zizhou— was considered a family friend of the Yin’s. Qian Cai, the eldest son of Qian Manor, was Yin Yin’s so-called childhood fiancé arranged by their parents before birth.

The original novel did mention that Qian Cai came to propose at Yin Manor, but at that time, Yin Yin had been bedridden after being ‘injured’ by Du Qianqian, and used the excuse to send him away.

What should I do now? Should I pretend to be sick while there’s still time?

Clutching her stomach, Yin Yin squatted down. Ling Long hesitated for a moment before walking up to her. “Miss Yin, what’s wrong?”

Yin Yin’s face turned pale as she moaned in pain, “I think I’ve disturbed the fetal energy.”

Ling Long: “……”

He felt that this young lady always had the most unexpected excuses.

“I’ll go get you a physician.” Ling Long said calmly, standing up.

But Yin Yin grabbed him and pulled him back. “A physician can’t save me!”

Ling Long stared at her in silence. Yin Yin leaned close to him and lowered her voice, “Do you know if Qian Cai has any weaknesses?”

Don’t you dare tell me you don’t! Even if you do, I won’t believe it!

Yin Yin stared at Ling Long like a predator eyeing its prey. His amber eyes shifted slightly, and he finally replied in a low voice, “I do.”

Satisfied, Yin Yin let go of his hand and gave him a ‘You really know what’s up’ kind of look.

Ling Long almost chuckled but maintained his composed demeanor.

Armed with Qian Cai’s weakness, Yin Yin confidently strode toward the main hall.

In the hall, aside from Master Yu and Madam Yu, there sat a young man she didn’t recognize. He had refined features, but there was an indescribable stink of money about him. That must be the infamous Qian Cai.

“Father, I heard you wanted to see me?” Yin Yin walked out from the inner room, sneaking a few curious glances at Qian Cai.

Yin Dongjiang, who had been chatting with Qian Cai, stood up when he saw her. “Xiao Yin, come greet Young Master Qian.”

Yin Yin approached Qian Cai and gave a radiant smile. “Greetings, Young Master Qian.”

Qian Cai’s eyes flashed with admiration as he stared at Yin Yin without blinking. “Greetings, Miss Yin. You’ve become even more beautiful in just a few days.”

Yin Yin rolled her eyes internally. Maybe your nearsightedness is finally healed.

“Uncle Yin,” Qian Cai began, full of literary flair, “I heard you treasure paintings above all. I was fortunate enough to acquire a famous work and have brought it as a gift, hoping you would enjoy it.”

With a signal from Qian Cai, his attendant respectfully presented a scroll to Yin Dongjiang.

Unable to hide his eagerness, Yin Dongjiang immediately unrolled the painting. Yin Yin leaned over curiously and saw a painting of red plum blossoms in the snow.

Amid a sea of pure white snow, several vivid red plum blossoms bloomed with defiant grace.

“Xiao Yin, look! This is an authentic piece by Master Fan!” Yin Dongjiang said, visibly thrilled.

But Yin Yin could no longer hear who the artist was.

The stark contrast of pure white and vivid red made her head throb again.

She finally remembered where this strong sense of déjà vu came from.