Shen Mianmian clearly remembered that the last time she transmigrated into a book, she always viewed everything from the perspective of an outsider. The reason she was so "out of sync" was not only because she missed her family, but also because the body was not hers at all.

She had lived with her own body for over twenty years, but suddenly she was given a completely different body, and she couldn't reconcile the emotional connection with it.

But this body... has the exact same appearance.

She suddenly wanted to see Bai Qingzhou immediately, to see him with this face that looked exactly like hers. She wanted to know if he would still like her if she lost that stunning beauty.

Jiang Yinjin asked, "What's wrong?"

Chen Mianmian looked away from the mirror. "This face is exactly the same as mine."

Jiang Yinjin was pleasantly surprised, "So this is what you look like?"

Shen Mianmian nodded, "Yes, she's not as beautiful as before. Are you disappointed?"

Jiang Yinjin carefully examined her for a while, "I'm not disappointed. On the contrary, I think this appearance suits you well. Your bright eyes and white teeth reveal your intelligence. Before, you were so beautiful that you looked like a brainless plaything, so every time you subtly debunked my tricks, I was in a daze."

The sleeping woman was amused.

Just as I was about to say something, a wave of fatigue suddenly washed over me. I couldn't tell if it was the fusion of body and soul or the emotional turmoil from just escaping death.

Jiang Yinjin asked softly, "Are you tired? You should rest first, and we can talk about other things later."

"Wait!" Despite her overwhelming weariness, Chen Mianmian grabbed her arm. "I want to see him..."

The dignified and aloof Empress rolled her eyes twice. "Fine, I'll take care of things these next couple of days and help you solidify your new status. After that, I'll let you leave. You should at least stay with me for a few more days, even if it's just three!"

Shen Mianmian released her, her heavy eyelids finally drooping, and she murmured, "...two days."

Jiang Yinjin's lips twitched—even after fainting, he still tried to bargain with her? Was Bai Qingzhou really that good? How could she not see how good Bai Qingzhou was? Although he was good-looking and well-educated, there were many talented people like him in the capital.

It's true... like a turtle eyeing a green bean, they've found their match.

Bai Qingzhou is that stinking bastard!

Jiang Yinjin left the room while angrily cursing someone.

As he left the room, his relaxed and carefree expression vanished instantly, replaced by his usual noble, dignified, and imposing demeanor.

...

Chen Mianmian had no idea how long she had been asleep.

When I opened my eyes, I found that it was already late at night and the room was lit.

Chu Xue, who was keeping watch nearby, saw that Lady Ning had woken up and hurriedly stepped forward, "Lady Ning, you're awake? This servant will pour you some water."

Chen Mianmian looked at the first snow, her expression dazed, as if she had returned to the Anning Marquis's mansion—she was back, she was really back.

It's so good to see them again.

I wonder if Xiang Ning is alright, and... that person...

She used to dare not think about him too much, because thinking about him would only cause her pain, since she could never see him. Now, however, she finally dares to let her thoughts wander and freely yearn for him.

Soon, Chuxue returned with water.

Chu Xue was a rather oblivious person and didn't notice anything amiss. She was just wondering: Was this Lady Ning an old acquaintance of Her Majesty? She didn't remember such a person. Also, why was Lady Ning looking at her so strangely?

A short while later,

After finishing the water, they heard a eunuch's voice outside the door announcing that the Empress had arrived.

Chu Xue was taken aback and looked over in surprise.

Chen Mianmian hurriedly asked, "What's wrong? What happened?"

Chu Xue explained, "Here's what happened. Because Lady Ning was resting in Kunning Palace, Her Majesty decided after thinking it over that Her Majesty would not trouble His Majesty and would go to Yonggan Palace to serve him. However, Her Majesty returned unexpectedly."

Shen Mianmian couldn't help but worry—why did he suddenly return? Had something happened? Could it be that the Emperor was angry because he learned that the Empress had changed her mind about not letting him come to Kunning Palace for the sake of a female official?

While Shen Mianmian was still worried, Jiang Yinjin had already rushed back to the room. Seeing that she was awake, she looked delighted and asked, "When did you wake up? Are you feeling better?"

Seeing that Chen Mianmian was about to get out of bed after lifting the covers, Jiang Yinjin hurriedly said, "Don't get down. If you're not feeling well, lie down for a while longer."

Chu Xue was completely bewildered—why was her mistress so caring towards others? Her mistress was naturally aloof, and even towards her own sisters, she wasn't overly affectionate.

Shen Mianmian got out of bed and answered softly as she put on her shoes, "Don't worry, I've recovered a lot, there's nothing wrong."

Seeing her insistence, Jiang Yinjin didn't try to dissuade her, and turned to ask Chuxue, "When did she wake up?"

Chu Xue replied, "Your Majesty, Lady Ning had just woken up when you returned."

"So, you haven't had dinner yet?"

"No."

"Have someone prepare dinner."

"Yes, Your Majesty." Chu Xue immediately went to make the arrangements.

Seeing that no one was in the room, Chen Mianmian hurriedly asked, "I heard you went to Yonggan Palace to serve the Emperor? Why did you come back? What happened? Please don't let me cause any unpleasantness between you and the Emperor."

Jiang Yinjin chuckled, "It's just sharing a room, how long will it take? Half an hour is enough for him, he can come back when he's done. Don't overthink it, we won't have any disagreements, he's very obedient."

Shen Mianmian worried, "If you come back right after you've 'used' it like this, won't the Emperor be unhappy?"

"Who cares?" Jiang Yinjin said nonchalantly.

Soon, Chuxue returned, bringing several palace maids with her.

The palace maids helped "Ning Nuguan" with her washing and dressing, while Chu Xue and others helped the Empress remove her makeup and change into a light dress.

By this time, dinner had been prepared.

Jiang Yinjin then invited Shen Mianmian to have dinner at the dining hall. The lavish meal was beyond description.

After finishing their dinner, the two returned to their room, where Jiang Yinjin continued to tell Shen Mianmian what had happened during the seven years she was away.

It turns out that seven years ago, when Shen Mianmian was kidnapped, the Marquis of Anning and his wife went crazy with worry. Because of the fact that the heir had faked his death, they dared not make a big fuss to find him, nor did they dare to report to the authorities. They could only find Princess Ruian and ask her to help them find out.

The princess told them that Shen Mianmian had been kidnapped by the Prince of Qin, and Jiang Yinjin was also in the Prince of Qin's residence; both of them were safe.

The Marquis of Anning and his wife were greatly surprised, because in their memory, they had no connection with the King of Qin, or rather, who would dare to have any dealings with that King of Qin who was like a living Yama?

Regarding the reason why the King of Qin kidnapped Shen Mianmian, many people speculated that it might be related to Shen Mianmian's appearance.

After all, it's not surprising that men would be attracted to that face.

Princess Rui'an instructed the two not to make a fuss for the sake of the Crown Prince. She said that if the Prince of Qin really wanted to harm Shen Mianmian, she would rescue her immediately.

Let's return to the Qin Prince's Mansion.

After Jiang Yinjin left, Shen Mianmian developed a high fever and then transmigrated out of the book. The transmigrated woman who originally used the body returned.

King Qin learned through the Heart-Communicating Gu that the person had been replaced. He was furious but there was nothing he could do. So he ordered that Shen Mianmian... who later changed her name back to Zhong Yuwei, be sent back to her room and placed under house arrest for his future use.

Later, upon learning that Shen Mianmian had left, Jiang Yinjin defected to Prince Jin and launched a rebellion.

He only briefly mentioned how he helped Prince Jin, without going into too much detail.

It was said that the Prince of Jin's power was growing stronger and stronger, and he was about to conquer the capital. The Prince of Qin, keenly aware of the trend of the times, immediately transformed himself into a loyal minister who opposed the tyrannical emperor and supported the Prince of Jin.

In collusion with the Prince of Jin, they captured the capital and executed the tyrannical emperor.

Jiang Yinjin would not let the King of Qin off the hook, so she told him that something was amiss and that the King of Qin was deliberately feigning loyalty in order to seize the throne.

Subsequently, the two devised a plan to weaken the King of Qin's power.

The King of Qin did not sit idly by and wait for his death. He bribed a Taoist priest to spread the word that there was a female ghost who possessed a corpse and would use her ability to foresee the future to deceive men, then absorb their yang energy and bewitch the world.

Every word was directed at Jiang Yinjin, and it took Jiang Yinjin a great deal of effort to convince the Prince that she was not a ghost possessing another's body.

After that, Jiang Yinjin and the King of Qin began a bloody and fierce battle.

When the previous incompetent ruler was in power, the King of Qin never thought of becoming emperor. However, when the King of Jin became emperor, the King of Qin contributed his efforts and was constantly busy dealing with Jiang Yinjin, so he developed the desire to seize the throne.

Knowing that the emperor favored "Chenmianmian," he devised a plan to have the emperor "snatch" her away. To show his loyalty, he "reluctantly gave up" the beauty and offered her to the emperor.

Subsequently, he learned the inside story from Zhong Yuwei, which greatly increased his power, and he won several brilliant battles.

Jiang Yinjin felt increasingly uneasy. She started by investigating the Qin King's retainers and finally bribed one of them, learning that the Qin King was using Gu poison.

Subsequently, he focused on retaining key figures, taking a long-term approach, and developing a comprehensive strategy.

Let's talk about Zhong Yuwei.

After entering the palace as a concubine, Princess Ruian and Lady Anning came to question her, asking why she had changed her mind and why she had abandoned Bai Qingzhou.

Zhong Yuwei only said that she had fallen seriously ill in the Qin Prince's Mansion and had lost all her previous memories, and did not remember the Anning Marquis's Mansion or Bai Qingzhou.

At this point, Jiang Yinjin complained about Zhong Yuwei's hypocrisy. Back when Shen Mianmian hadn't transmigrated into the book, she clamored that she and Prince Bai would be together for life, but after turning around and entering the palace as a concubine, she pretended to have amnesia.

Jiang Yinjin had tested Zhong Yuwei, and she confirmed that Zhong Yuwei did not have any memories of the period between Bai Qingzhou's wedding and the Qin Prince's residence, but she did have memories of the period before the wedding, though she was unwilling to admit it.

The two were worried that Bai Qingzhou would be devastated by the betrayal, but Bai Qingzhou learned from Jiang Yinjin that Zhong Yuwei was not the Empress Dowager. She didn't have much emotion and only requested to find a beautiful place to be a county magistrate.

The Emperor tried to persuade Bai Qingzhou to stay, but she insisted on leaving.

Because he had stolen Bai Qingzhou's love, the emperor felt guilty and allowed Bai Qingzhou to choose his own place, respecting his choice, and appointed him as a county magistrate.

The two chatted like that until almost dawn.

They had been talking for too long, so they simply lay down on the bed to continue their conversation—they had slept in the same bed at the Prince of Qin's residence for safety reasons.

The two chatted until they were tired, and then fell asleep without realizing it.

...

morning.

Before Chen Mianmian was awake, she heard a familiar, high-pitched, shrill voice, "Get out of the way! Get out of my way! How dare you block this princess's pathetic temper? Do you believe I'll beat you all to death in front of the Empress?"

Chen Mianmian woke up abruptly, "Princess Rui'an?"

Jiang Yinjin, who shared the bed with him, also woke up, a fierce glint in her eyes. "She really doesn't learn her lesson."

Shen Mianmian was startled—these two leading ladies were fighting?