Transmigration: Reverse Exploitation, the System Works for Me

When the family of the Duke of Pei was talking about Prince Guo, Xi Qiao and Yu Ying'er were also discussing the matter in Anlan Garden.

"Sister, is the Prince Guo's wedding being held so hastily because the Emperor has found out something?"

Yu Ying'er's bright eyes were filled with a thirst for knowledge.

"what?"

Xi Qiao asked curiously, "Didn't I tell you?"

Yu Ying'er puffed out her cheeks and looked at her accusingly: "You didn't tell me anything!"

Xi Qiao raised an eyebrow at her.

Yu Ying'er immediately deflated. Well, she knew that her shallow thoughts were easily seen through.

"Oh dear, sister, please, just tell me what I know. I'm so curious!"

"Pfft-"

Xi Qiao couldn't help but laugh, and then told her about Zhen Huan using plum blossom fragrance to mix ink and Huang Guiquan using a portion of the allowance to expose the secret of the ink.

Yu Ying'er's eyes sparkled, and she clenched her fists excitedly, "Doesn't that mean Zhen Huan is doomed!"

To her surprise, her older sister shook her head as soon as she finished speaking.

"No, Zhen Huan will not die."

what?

Yu Ying'er was dumbfounded. How could they not die after all that?

Yu Ying'er was furious. "Does the Emperor really like Zhen Huan that much? She's already cheated on him, and he still hasn't executed her!"

Seeing her sullen expression, Xi Qiao hesitated for a moment before telling her about the Yun family's affairs.

He added, "Yun Shi has no power to resist, but she will make demands of the Emperor. As long as they are not too excessive, the Emperor will agree. Moreover, I have received news that yesterday, Xia Zi took sixteen embroiderers from the Imperial Household Department. Presumably, Yun Shi will be favored by the Emperor in the next few days."

When this matter was mentioned, Xi Qiao's eyes were particularly meaningful.

Yu Ying'er was a little confused and looked at her with puzzled eyes.

"Fool!"

Xi Qiao reached out and poked her smooth forehead.

"Think back to the dragon and phoenix candles and the joyous occasion in the Pepper Chamber when Zhen Huan was favored by the emperor. That Lady Yun is even more like the late Empress Chun Yuan than her daughter. Do you think the emperor would miss such a great opportunity to relive the old dream?"

"Those embroiderers were probably summoned by the emperor to make wedding dresses! Sixteen embroiderers could easily make a simple and festive wedding dress in a few days."

The emperor merely wanted to relive past memories; he wouldn't actually have a prince's wedding dress made.

Firstly, it would be too time-consuming; the emperor, with his impatient nature—the kind who would immediately imprison Yun Shi upon seeing her—couldn't wait that long.

Secondly, the emperor was a master of double standards. He could find someone to act as a substitute for Empress Chun Yuan, but he would never allow anyone to overstep their bounds and offend Empress Chun Yuan.

Therefore, it was impossible to make a complicated and exquisite wedding dress for Lady Yun as a prince's wife, but it was possible to make a simple wedding dress that represented joy and celebration.

Yu Ying'er widened her large, bright eyes, which gleamed with a mischievous glint in them. "Hehe~ Mother and daughter sharing a husband, isn't that a bit too exciting!"

"Zhen Huan is usually arrogant and aloof. If she knew about this, wouldn't she be so angry that she would vomit blood? Her pregnancy is not even three months along yet, which is the most vulnerable and dangerous time. It is not impossible for her to miscarry."

Xi Qiao smiled and said, "Therefore, I will expose the existence of the Yun family during the period between when Zhen Huan's pregnancy is stable and before the Emperor returns to the palace."

Yu Ying'er's smile froze. "Huh?"

She couldn't understand her sister's intentions at all. After all that scheming, she didn't want Zhen Huan's life or the life-saving charm in Zhen Huan's womb. What was the point?

"Why, sister? Zhen Huan has a grudge against us!"

Xi Qiao naturally couldn't tell her that Zhen Huan had the protagonist's halo.

He could only downplay the issue by saying, "My grudge against Zhen Huan isn't a deep-seated hatred, but Zhen Huan is very lucky and resourceful, and I want to use her to deal with the Empress."

“Revenge is necessary, but you and Xiao Liu must not be affected. We must leave a trace; we cannot directly attack the Empress.”

Putting aside her identity as Empress, Ulanara Yixiu was still the legal mother of Xiao Liu and the mistress of Yu Ying'er.

"Therefore, we cannot touch Zhen Huan now. Even if she is to miscarry, it must be done by the Empress or the Empress Dowager."

Yu Ying'er suddenly realized that her older sister was indeed more farsighted.

"Moreover, Bitong Academy is now surrounded, and those who deliver food are all the emperor's confidants. It would be too dangerous to make a move at this time. If the emperor wants to investigate, he will surely find out. Even if the empress wanted to harm Zhen Huan's unborn child, she would never dare to do so at this time."

Perhaps to prevent the scandal involving Zhen Huan and Prince Guo from spreading, the emperor maintained strict control over the Bitong Academy.

Yu Ying'er exclaimed, "What about Madam Yun? Everyone in the palace knows she was kept at the Natural Painting Studio. If she can't visit Madam Zhen at the Bi Tong Academy, won't that arouse suspicion?"

Xi Qiao twitched the corner of his mouth: "This morning, a sedan chair went from Natural Painting to Bitong Academy."

"The sedan chair was completely concealed, and only a vague outline could be seen inside. But the person inside was definitely not from the Yun family!"

The garden is cool and sunny in the early morning, so there's no need to cover it up so thoroughly.

Unless, the person sitting inside isn't actually from the Yun family!

Yu Ying'er finally caught up with Xi Qiao's train of thought this time. She let out a disdainful "Eh," and said with a hint of sarcasm, "The Emperor really went to great lengths to keep this a secret."

However, to those in the know, this deception was naturally the emperor's precautionary measure, but to those who knew nothing, it was simply the emperor's favoritism towards Zhen Huan.

At 3 PM, the sedan chair returned to the natural landscape.

Not long after, An Lingrong and Shen Meizhuang came to visit together.

Apart from Cui Jinxi, all the people serving Tianran Tuhua were the emperor's confidants. Perhaps they had already received orders, so they did not stop the two of them.

The two met Yun Shi without any trouble. However, Yun Shi looked haggard and her brows were full of worry, which made the two of them wonder if Zhen Huan's pregnancy was really not good.

"This humble woman greets the two noble ladies."

"Aunt Zhen, please don't stand on ceremony." Before Yun Shi could finish speaking, Shen Meizhuang and An Lingrong each helped her up by supporting one of her arms.

"Auntie, you're being too polite."

An Lingrong said with a hint of reproach, "Our relationship with Sister Zhen is extraordinary. Aunt is Sister Zhen's birth mother, so naturally she is an elder we respect. How could we accept such a bow from Aunt?"

These words were very pleasing to the ear, and Madam Yun couldn't help but feel happy that her daughter had made two such good friends.

"Thank you for your kind offer, Your Highness, but we must not neglect our proper etiquette."

Huan'er and her situation are already so difficult, she must be extremely cautious.

Shen Meizhuang then said, "Aunt, although etiquette should not be disregarded, there are still human relationships beyond etiquette. It would be fine if there were outsiders present, but since it's just the few of us here, there's no need for such formalities."

"Leaving aside our relationship with Huan'er, even considering the friendship between our families, it should be Lingrong and I who pay our respects to you."

Hearing this made Yun feel relieved, but she dared not agree. Now that their Zhen family was no longer related to officials, they were not even comparable to a small family like the An family, let alone a powerful clan like the Shen family.

"Young Master Shen is too kind to me, considering the current situation of the Zhen family..."

As she spoke, Yun sighed, her eyes filled with sorrow.