Reborn and married in a swapped marriage, my aloof husband is too ruthless.

Su Jinxin felt that something was definitely wrong!

The smell of conspiracy was stronger than the aged wine she treasured.

She squinted, her mind racing through various possibilities: malicious competition from business rivals?

Was it a covert sabotage by political enemies?

Or...is someone deliberately trying to cause trouble?

"I think someone is up to no good in the dark!" Su Jinxin said firmly, turning to Yan Cheng'an, "Husband, what do you think?"

Yan Cheng'an pursed his thin lips, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his deep eyes: "What you say is absolutely right, my wife. The timing of this recurring epidemic is too coincidental; there must be something fishy about it." He paused, then added, "Perhaps someone wants to use the epidemic as a pretext to attack your business empire."

"Hmph, trying to mess with me? Don't you even know your own limitations!" Su Jinxin sneered, a glint of ruthlessness flashing in her eyes. "I'm not someone to be trifled with!"

So the couple joined forces to investigate the mysterious spy.

However, the clues are as intricate and complex as a maze, leaving people completely baffled.

Just when we find a suspicious person here, new suspicious points emerge there. It's driving me crazy!

Meanwhile, the lurking observers were not idle either.

Various rumors detrimental to Su Jinxin's business empire spread like a virus throughout the city.

All sorts of accusations have been made, such as "the Su family sells inferior goods as superior ones," "Su Jinxin exploits the people," and "the Su family colludes with officials."

Although these rumors were full of loopholes, they did cause some uninformed partners to waver.

After all, in this era where information spreads at a snail's pace, rumors can still be quite damaging.

"Madam, Manager Liu and Master Zhao request an audience," a maid's voice came from outside the door.

Su Jinxin and Yan Chengan exchanged a glance, and both saw the same message in each other's eyes: the visitor was up to no good!

"Let them in," Su Jinxin said calmly, her tone devoid of any emotion.

The door opened, and Manager Liu and Master Zhao walked in one after the other, both with a hint of embarrassment and unease on their faces.

“Miss Su…” Manager Liu spoke first, rubbing his hands together, then hesitated.

Su Jinxin raised an eyebrow and looked at him with a half-smile: "Manager Liu, just say what you have to say. We've been cooperating for quite some time now, there's no need to be so coy."

Manager Liu took a deep breath and mustered his courage to say, "Miss Su, what are those rumors circulating in the city about you lately..."

Before he could finish speaking, Master Zhao quickly interjected, "Yes, Miss Su, those rumors are just too awful! We...we..."

Su Jinxin sneered, interrupting them: "What? You believe those rumors too?"

Yan Chengan held Su Jinxin's hand and squeezed it gently, signaling her to calm down.

He stood up, walked to the two men, stared intently at them, and said in a deep voice, "Gentlemen, I believe you are both intelligent people. Rumors stop with the wise, and I believe you can judge for yourselves what is true and what is false."

Manager Liu and Master Zhao were so intimidated by his imposing manner that they were speechless for a moment.

Just then, hurried footsteps sounded outside the door, and a servant rushed in, kneeling down with a pale face: "Master, Madam, something terrible has happened!..."

The servant knelt on the ground, trembling like a leaf, and could barely speak: "Guard Zhang... Guard Zhang... has fallen ill again! The doctor said... said it's... the plague... has... flared up again!"

Goodness, one problem after another!

Su Jinxin almost spat out a mouthful of blood.

Why is this epidemic like leeks, it keeps coming back after being cut down?

She took a deep breath, trying to maintain her composure, and said calmly, "What's the panic! Even if the sky falls, there are tall people to hold it up!" She glanced at Manager Liu and Master Zhao, and said with a forced smile, "Gentlemen, it seems I don't have time to entertain you today. I have some minor matters to attend to at the manor, please return."

Manager Liu and Yuanshi Zhao exchanged glances, not daring to say anything more, and slunk away.

After seeing off these two opportunists, Su Jinxin immediately summoned the stewards of the manor to discuss countermeasures.

She made a decisive decision to make all the accounts public so that everyone could see whether the Su family had actually "passed off inferior goods as superior ones" or "exploited the people."

At the same time, she also produced a cooperation agreement between the Yan family and the Su family to prove that the Su family and the officials had normal business cooperation and were not "collusion".

This tactic of "openly repairing the plank road while secretly crossing the Chencang pass" proved effective.

Those rumors crumbled on their own in the face of irrefutable facts.

Those partners who had previously wavered have also expressed their continued support for the Su family.

After all, who would turn down money?

Watching Su Jinxin handle the crisis with swift and decisive action, Yan Cheng'an's eyes were filled with admiration and affection.

He knew that his wife was never a woman who could be easily defeated.

After dealing with these upsetting matters, Yan Chengan noticed Su Jinxin's exhaustion.

He held her hand tenderly and said softly, "My wife, let's go to Peach Blossom Village outside the city to relax."

Peach Blossom Village was where they first met.

Far from the hustle and bustle, with its beautiful scenery, it was a haven for their souls.

The two strolled through Peach Blossom Valley, a gentle breeze carrying the fragrance of flowers.

Su Jinxin's mood gradually calmed down.

Yan Chengan held Su Jinxin's hand tightly, giving her silent strength.

He knew that his wife needed a shoulder to lean on.

"Husband," Su Jinxin leaned on Yan Chengan's shoulder and said softly, "thank you for always being there for me."

Yan Cheng'an gently stroked her hair and said softly, "Silly girl, we are husband and wife, we should weather the storms together."

Suddenly, a dark figure flashed by, and Yan Cheng'an's eyes sharpened: "Who goes there?!"

The dark shadow flashed by, as fast as the wind.

Yan Chengan immediately shielded Su Jinxin behind him and cautiously looked around.

Peach Blossom Village remained tranquil, with only the rustling of peach blossoms in the wind, as if everything that had just happened was merely an illusion.

"Are you alright?" Yan Chengan asked with concern, looking down at her.

Su Jinxin shook her head. "I'm fine, but there must have been someone there just now." This wasn't an ancient version of "Approaching Science," and those supernatural tricks wouldn't work on her.

Upon returning to the mansion, Su Jinxin immediately activated her network of connections. After all, she hadn't become a business tycoon for nothing; her network spanned the streets and alleys, comparable to an ancient version of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

News arrived like snowflakes, and soon, some clues surfaced: some people saw suspicious figures loitering around the Su residence, while others claimed to have seen a group of suspicious strangers outside the city.

"Looks like we've stirred up a hornet's nest." Su Jinxin sneered, a cold glint flashing in her eyes.

How dare they mess with her? Do they really think she's a pushover?

Yan Cheng'an was no pushover. He appeared sickly, but in reality, he was a master strategist who had long ago arranged for a group of elite guards to catch them like turtles in a jar.

At his command, the guards moved out like ghosts, conducting a thorough search inside and outside the city.

As expected, the henchmen were quickly captured.

After a "friendly exchange," these guys spilled the beans, revealing everything about the mastermind behind it all.

"Heh, so it's them!" Su Jinxin looked at the list in her hand, a playful smile playing on her lips.

It seems some people really won't shed a tear until they see the coffin.

In the dead of night, Yan Chengan came to Su Jinxin's room.

“It’s all been cleaned up,” he said softly.

"Yes." Su Jinxin nodded, but her eyes grew increasingly serious. "But this is just the beginning."

Yan Chengan held her hand. "I know."

The two looked at each other and smiled, saying nothing.

Suddenly, a slight noise came from outside the window... That noise was like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, creating ripples.

Su Jinxin and Yan Chengan exchanged a glance, everything understood without a word.

This "friendly exchange" is just an appetizer; the main course hasn't been served yet!

The two were not easily intimidated; they were prepared to face any challenge head-on.

Yan Cheng'an rushed to the window and pushed it open, but there was no one outside. Only the night wind rustled the peach blossoms.

"A feint?" Yan Cheng'an chuckled lightly. This "feint attack" tactic was rather low-level.

Su Jinxin walked to the window, took a deep breath, and felt a faint, unpleasant fragrance in the night air.

“Something’s not right,” she said, her brows furrowing slightly. “This scent…”

Yan Cheng'an also smelled the strange fragrance, and his expression instantly became serious.

"Scented incense! Oh no!" He quickly covered Su Jinxin's mouth and nose, but it was too late. The two of them felt dizzy and their vision began to blur...

Just then, a dark figure silently appeared in the room, and a sinister smile curled up at the corner of his mouth as he looked at the two people who had fallen.

"The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind; the game has only just begun..."

The shadowy figure bent down, took a jade pendant from Su Jinxin, and then quickly disappeared into the night as if it had never existed.

The next morning, sunlight streamed into the room through the window. Su Jinxin slowly opened her eyes, only to feel a splitting headache.

She looked around in confusion and found Yan Chengan lying beside her, his face pale.

"Cheng'an, are you alright?"

Yan Chengan shook his head and struggled to sit up. "I'm fine, I'm just a little..." He suddenly stopped, his eyes filled with shock and disbelief.

"My jade pendant! My jade pendant is gone!"

That jade pendant was the only keepsake his mother left him, and it held extraordinary significance.

Now, it has vanished without a trace...

"It seems they're after this jade pendant." Su Jinxin's expression was grave. "There's probably a bigger secret hidden behind this..."

Yan Chengan gripped Su Jinxin's hand tightly, his eyes resolute. "No matter what, we must find out the truth about this!"

Suddenly, there was a rapid knocking at the door. "Master, Madam, Magistrate Li requests an audience!"

Magistrate Li?

What is he here to do?

Su Jinxin and Yan Chengan exchanged a glance, a sense of foreboding rising in their hearts...