Chapter 17: Liu Jingyi

Having been in the residence for three months, Liu Jingyi was well-informed about the happenings within the household.

She knew that Shen Yuling had invited Feng Moheng to dine and drink that evening.

Thus, she had sent someone to wait at the entrance early on, with instructions to bring Feng Moheng to Sujin Courtyard as soon as he returned.

Originally, she had told herself that even if Shen Yuling was the female lead, so what? Feng Moheng loved her now, and she had already won the male lead’s heart.

But Feng Moheng’s overnight stay last night and the sweet sight of him holding hands with Shen Yuling this morning filled her with unease and dread.

She was originally a pampered young lady from the modern world, born into a wealthy family.

However, she had never been fond of studying. After finishing high school, she went abroad for further education. Upon returning, she naturally joined the family business.

Her life had been smooth sailing since childhood.

Apart from the occasional annoyance caused by her parents bringing up arranged marriages, she had almost no other worries to trouble her.

In her leisure time, her greatest hobby was reading novels.

Little did she expect that she would inexplicably find herself transported into the world of a novel she had read.

The reason for this transmigration could be traced back to the blind dates her parents had arranged for her.

Those so-called “rich second-generation heirs” were either good-for-nothing playboys who spent their days indulging in eating, drinking, and having fun, with no ambition whatsoever.

Or they were simply unattractive, making it difficult for her to feel any sense of closeness.

She had also been infatuated with some of the handsome celebrities in the entertainment industry.

But when she expressed her feelings to her parents, they firmly rejected the idea.

Helpless, she could only find solace in novels to ease her frustration.

After all, the male leads in novels were always wealthy, powerful, and handsome.

Moreover, they were the kind of rare, perfect men that matched her ideal expectations for a partner.

After transmigrating, she found herself transformed into the illegitimate daughter of the Chief Justice of the Dali Temple in the Qian Dynasty.

In the Qian Dynasty, whether a daughter was legitimate or illegitimate, she was merely a tool for family alliances through marriage.

Although legitimate daughters held a more prestigious status, the difference wasn’t as exaggerated as portrayed in TV dramas, where the gap seemed insurmountable.

In their household, the upbringing of legitimate and illegitimate daughters was almost the same, with no significant differences.

Because of this, her relationship with her older sister, Liu Shihan, was quite good.

Additionally, since she knew some of the novel’s plotlines, she had a slight understanding of the current emperor’s character.

Although the book only briefly mentioned him, it was enough for her to glean some crucial information.

With her subtle assistance, her sister gained some unique favor from the emperor after entering the palace and even bore him several imperial sons.

As a result, the bond between her and her sister grew even stronger.

Originally, as an illegitimate daughter, she could have married a decent man from a family of similar status, becoming a legitimate wife and living a stable life.

However, having read that novel, Liu Jingyi had planted a seed in her heart.

She was convinced that the best man in the world was none other than the novel’s male lead, Feng Moheng.

Feng Moheng was extraordinarily handsome, and at a young age, he had already been ennobled as a prince, his status incomparably prestigious.

Not to mention, his mother was the current emperor’s elder sister—Princess Xihe.

Such a prominent status, immense power, and outstanding looks made him, in Liu Jingyi’s eyes, the perfect husband tailor-made for her.

Thus, from that moment on, she was determined to marry Feng Moheng.

Liu Jingyi knew that as the male lead of the novel, Feng Moheng would experience a thrilling assassination attempt at the age of ten.

That assassination would leave a nightmarish scar on Feng Moheng’s heart, creating an indelible shadow over his perception of women.

The assassin had disguised herself as a gentle and kind older sister, gradually gaining Feng Moheng’s complete trust before suddenly revealing her sinister intentions, attempting to kill him.

If Princess Xihe hadn’t discovered the plot in time and sent people to rescue Feng Moheng, he would have already met his end.

From that moment on, Feng Moheng no longer dared to trust women easily and kept them at a distance.

It wasn’t until later, due to an arranged marriage, that the female lead, Shen Yuling, married Feng Moheng.

As the two spent their days together, Feng Moheng gradually let down his guard and fell in love with the female lead. In the end, they walked hand in hand, becoming a devoted couple for life.

Liu Jingyi bit her lip.

Since she had transmigrated, why couldn’t she change the storyline? Why couldn’t she become the protagonist of the story?!

Thus, at the critical moment when Feng Moheng was about to be assassinated, Liu Jingyi had already made meticulous plans.

She found an extremely clever excuse to casually approach Feng Moheng, even subtly providing the female assassin with a better opportunity to act earlier.

At that time, the sunlight was just right, and a gentle breeze brushed past. She was dressed in an elegant, moon-white gown.

As the female assassin, who had been disguised as a caring older sister and had been serving by Feng Moheng’s side, brandished a sharp blade and lunged at him with a ferocious expression…

To ensure the assassin let her guard down, Liu Jingyi stayed at a slight distance but kept her attention firmly fixed on the scene.

When she saw the assassin make her move, she didn’t hesitate for a moment and stepped in to take the fatal blow for Feng Moheng.

In an instant, blood stained her white gown, creating a fragile and innocent beauty.

At that moment, she endured the intense pain, her eyes filled with concern for Feng Moheng.

Just like that, she became Feng Moheng’s savior, planting a special seed in his heart.

From that day on, the bond between Liu Jingyi and Feng Moheng grew like spring vines, slowly spreading and intertwining.

They often exchanged letters, pouring out their hearts to each other, every stroke of the brush filled with deep affection.

In their leisure time, they would meet at bustling teahouses to listen to storytellers or visit theaters to watch operas together.

Liu Jingyi knew that Feng Moheng liked women who were pure, kind, and slightly lively.

Coming from the modern world, she had a broad perspective and a wealth of knowledge, making her vastly different from the ordinary women of ancient times.

Every time she spent time with Feng Moheng, she always managed to display a unique charm, whether through witty remarks or insightful perspectives, making Feng Moheng feel that she was truly extraordinary.

Gradually, a subtle affection began to grow between the two.

However, how could everything in the world go as one wished?

Although the customs of this dynasty were relatively open-minded, and the strict separation between men and women wasn’t as severe—even the current emperor advocated for freedom in marriage and divorce—these policies ultimately benefited the common people more.

For noble families, marrying within one’s social class remained an insurmountable chasm, an ironclad rule that had to be followed in matters of marriage.

Liu Jingyi and Feng Moheng were already deeply in love.

She was overjoyed, thinking that she could finally marry her ideal man in this unfamiliar dynasty and live a happy life like the female lead in a novel.

But she never expected that Princess Xihe would be so adamantly opposed to their union.

No matter how desperately Feng Moheng pleaded, the princess remained unmoved, her stance as unyielding as a rock, impossible to sway.

However, Feng Moheng was, after all, Princess Xihe’s only son, and she didn’t want to create a rift between herself and her child.

In the end, the princess agreed to let Liu Jingyi enter the residence of Prince Lingyang as a concubine.

As if to console her, the princess also proposed that if Liu Jingyi could bear Feng Moheng’s first son, she might have a chance to be elevated to the status of a legitimate wife.

When Liu Jingyi learned of this, it felt as though a bucket of cold water had been poured over her head, and all her joy vanished in an instant.

She had worked hard to establish herself in Feng Moheng’s eyes as someone deeply devoted to him, someone who cared nothing for his status or position.

If she now refused to marry him because the status of a concubine was too low, Feng Moheng, with his suspicious nature born of past betrayals by women, might begin to doubt her sincerity.

Wouldn’t all her previous efforts then be in vain?

After much deliberation, Liu Jingyi gritted her teeth and ultimately agreed to the princess’s arrangement.

Time flew by, and three months ago, she stepped through the gates of the residence of Prince Lingyang, filled with resentment but also with hope for Feng Moheng.

According to the original novel’s plot, the female lead, Shen Yuling, would soon enter the residence.

Having transmigrated so many years ago and changed so many things, could it be that she still couldn’t alter the destined meeting of the male and female leads?

The resentment in Liu Jingyi’s heart grew stronger.

Since the female lead insisted on coming to the residence of Prince Lingyang, then she couldn’t blame Liu Jingyi for being ruthless.

In just these short three months, it was impossible for her to bear the first son, so the position of the legitimate wife would never belong to her.

In that case, the only option was to eliminate the female lead who had taken her rightful place as the legitimate wife!

Having transmigrated here, was she still destined to be a supporting character, forced to watch the male and female leads live happily while she suffered in silence?

No, Liu Jingyi would never be a supporting character in someone else’s story. She would become the protagonist, the one who controlled her own destiny.

She had spent so many years pouring her heart and soul into warming Feng Moheng’s heart. If he were to lose himself so easily upon seeing the female lead, what would all her efforts amount to?

In the novel, hadn’t the female lead also gradually won Feng Moheng’s heart through their interactions?

This proved that Feng Moheng wasn’t a man who valued appearances above all else.

Moreover, with her here now, she would never give Feng Moheng the chance to spend too much time with Shen Yuling. She would never let Feng Moheng fall in love with Shen Yuling again!