"Paper?"
A clear, melodious female voice drifted from inside the carriage, like a gentle breeze tinkling a bell, melodious and serene, soothing to the ear.
Immediately afterwards, the gauze curtain was parted from the inside by a slender, pale hand, revealing the pale and frail face of the woman inside the car.
Her features were gentle yet tinged with a sickly air; her skin was almost unnaturally pale, and even her lips had an unhealthy dark tinge.
She wore a simple, wide-sleeved, cross-collar ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), with a light gauze overlay and no excessive embellishments. Her dark, cloud-like hair was simply held up with a jade hairpin, while the rest of her hair fell in front of her, adding to her ethereal and aloof beauty.
At this moment, the woman looked helpless, with a serene smile on her lips, exuding an inexplicable gentle and approachable charm.
"Zhi'er, why are you fooling around outside again?"
Zhan Xinjia suddenly stopped in her tracks, her eyes widening in astonishment.
In a moment, she pounced on the woman like a jubilant little fox, nuzzling her head against her chest and acting all cute and affectionate.
The little girl looked up, her eyes sparkling as if they were filled with stars.
"Master!! Master, I miss you so much~"
Mu Yunlan is the eldest daughter of the Mu family, the residence of the Minister.
Mu Yunlan's mother died early, and her father took a second wife the following year, who had a son and a daughter.
At that time, Mu Yunlan, who was already virtually invisible, was in an even worse situation. Using the excuse that she had a chronic illness and needed to recuperate, her stepmother sent her to a temple in the suburbs where she stayed for seven years.
Nine years ago, after falling into the pond, Miss Mu's personality changed drastically. She abandoned her previous timidity, not only befriending various forces but also opening shops and running a girls' school. After saving the Empress Dowager from being assassinated while offering incense, she was granted the title of County Princess and returned to the Minister's Mansion in a righteous manner.
He battled his wicked stepmother and slapped his scheming half-sister in the face. His exquisite poem at the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet was a true marvel.
Finally, this legendary woman, dressed in a magnificent red bridal gown, married into the Prince Yan's mansion and became the Princess Consort of Prince Yan.
This marriage was actually not favored by anyone.
Although Prince Yan Wuju is the emperor's half-brother and his fiefdom is rich and fertile, he is disabled in both legs and has difficulty walking, so he has been living in the capital to recuperate.
He is said to be sinister and unpredictable, cruel and tyrannical, and is known as the cold-faced King of Hell.
Surprisingly, the two have supported each other all these years and have a very deep and harmonious relationship.
When Zhan Xinjia was young, she did a lot of petty theft because her family was poor. Her father begged and pleaded with everyone he could, but no female tutor was willing to come to the Zhan family to teach her. In the end, it was this kind-hearted Princess Yan who took Zhan Xinjia back when she passed by.
From a young age, Zhan Xinjia felt that her master was quite strange.
My master keeps muttering things like "time travel," "villains," and "quest walkthrough," and sometimes he'll stare at me absentmindedly.
According to her master, this world is a giant romance novel, with Yan Xiyue, who has been at odds with her since childhood, as the female lead, and her destined villainous supporting character.
At that time, Zhan Xinjia, who was still young, asked what a vicious female supporting character was.
The master pinched her little face sympathetically.
You and Princess Caixia will both fall for the same man in the future, fighting each other to the death. In the end, you will lose your mind due to jealousy, implicating the entire Zhan family and even your nine generations of relatives, resulting in the destruction of your family and your own death.
After listening, Zhan Xinjia suddenly fell into deep thought—
Huh? Huh? But my dad and mom are both orphans. If someone could help me find all nine generations of her family, that would be amazing.
"I heard you ran away from home. Are you planning to cause trouble for a few more days this time?"
Mu Yunlan put her arm around Zhan Xinjia's shoulder, her tone filled with undisguised doting affection.
Zhan Xinjia leaned against the woman as if he had no bones, laughing and joking on the surface, but he was actually a little guilty.
"Oh, Master~ I just came out for some fresh air, you know my family situation (the poor guy choked up)..."
"Have you been staying at Lord Shen's residence recently?"
How did Master find out about this?
Zhan Xinjia was taken aback, but still answered truthfully.
"Young Master Shen thought I was a homeless lunatic, so he took me in. Now I'm eating and drinking for free at his house."
Mu Yunlan sighed.
Her gaze fell somewhat blankly on Zhan Xinjia's face, then she bent down and hugged her tightly, her tone full of affection.
“My dear, you must know that some people are destined to bring you misfortune. If you want to escape your predetermined fate, all you need to do is stay with your master.”
What was the original plot? As time went by, Mu Yunlan could no longer remember.
But she clearly remembered Zhan Xinjia's ending in the book: she died at the hands of that Lord Shen...
Will it bring misfortune...?
On the way back, Zhan Xinjia kept scratching the back of her head, pondering these words in a daze. She felt uneasy whenever she thought of the compassionate look on her master's face.
The little girl crossed her arms and rubbed the hairs standing on her arms, tilting her head as if a bright question mark was on her head.
But Master Shen is a very good person!
Not only is she beautiful, but she is also adept at everything from formal occasions to domestic duties, such as laundry, cooking, and housework.
Moreover, he didn't rely on family background to get promoted; he became the Crown Prince's tutor through his own hard work and ability. He's practically a literary genius descended to earth.
Well... aside from being a bit old-fashioned and rigid like a little old man, he basically has no flaws.
As Zhan Xinjia listed Xiao Shen's merits, she couldn't understand why her master was so resistant to him.
She sighed, looked up, and before she knew it, she had reached the doorway beneath the wall covered in ivy.
She felt a little timid and hesitated.
I wonder if Master Shen is still angry...
Having mustered her courage and mentally drafted her answer, Zhan Xinjia hesitantly raised her hand to knock on the door. The knock nearly caused her to stumble and fall flat on her face.
Wait, the door isn't locked. Could it be that Lord Shen is waiting for her?!
Thinking of this, the little girl's gloomy mood vanished, and she swaggered in happily. When she saw Jide lying in the bamboo strips drying radishes in the yard, she forcibly lifted it up, buried it in her belly, kissed it several times, and then tucked it under her arm.
Although it's not very useful, at least it can give you courage.
The atmosphere in the study was tense. When Zhan Xinjia pushed open the door, the young man was sitting upright in the armchair with his eyes lowered. There was a cup of cold tea on the table in front of him.
His face was tense, his handsome thin lips pressed tightly together, and when he lowered his eyes, his aura was so distant and cold that it made people hesitate to approach him.
His once warm and gentle face now wore a solemn and stern expression.
The door was pushed open, and his gaze fell indifferently on the person and cat trembling in the doorway.
At just one glance, Zhan Xinjia was so frightened she felt like her hair was about to explode.
But even faster than its bristling fur was Jide, who was forced to struggle under its arm.
The orange chicken leg meowed and broke free from the little girl's arms. It tucked its tail between its legs and cautiously walked to the young man, rubbing against his boots in an extremely obsequious manner to show that it was not on her side.
I was so angry when I received the letter that I was heartbroken.
Traitor!
Under the intensely oppressive gaze of Lord Shen, Zhan Xinjia awkwardly wiped the cat hair off his hands and chuckled twice, forcing a smile with two dimples on his face.
"Young Master Shen, are you thirsty? Let me pour you some tea..."
She fawned over him, but as soon as she reached the table, she saw a jet-black ruler sitting there. Judging by its length and thickness, it wasn't hard to imagine how painful it would be to hit someone's palm with it.
Greetings!
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