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

The Yan family mansion is magnificent, with carved beams and painted rafters.

Su Jinxin stood in the courtyard, watching the servants coming and going, busily preparing for the annual ancestral worship ceremony.

The sunlight shone on her, but it couldn't dispel the lingering unease in her heart.

Although she had gained some foothold in front of Old Madam Yan after marrying into the Yan family for several months, she was still excluded from the Yan family's core affairs.

They said they wanted her to focus on learning business skills, but in reality, they kept her out of reach, treating her like a delicate decoration.

This feeling of being marginalized was like a fishbone stuck in her throat.

"Miss, you're spacing out again." Green Ivy carefully handed a cup of hot tea to Su Jinxin.

Su Jinxin took the teacup, took a small sip, and said with a wry smile, "How can I not be in a daze? I feel like a mascot, just something to look good on."

Green Ivy covered her mouth and chuckled, "Miss, you're no ordinary lucky charm, you're the Yan family's 'lucky koi'!"

Su Jinxin shook her head helplessly, and was about to speak when she heard a commotion in the distance.

She looked up and saw a group of people gathered around the entrance of the ancestral hall, seemingly arguing about something.

"Green Ivy, go see what's wrong."

Cui'er responded and left, returning hurriedly a moment later with a hint of excitement on her face: "Miss, during this year's ancestral worship ceremony, the eldest and second branches of the Yan family got into a dispute over some trivial matters, and now they're at an impasse!"

Su Jinxin's heart skipped a beat; this might be an opportunity.

In the past, during ancestral worship ceremonies, women could only watch from the sidelines and were not allowed to participate in any activities.

But the situation is special now. If she can stand up at this time, she might be able to change her situation in the Yan family.

"Come on, let's go take a look."

When Su Jinxin arrived at the entrance of the ancestral hall, she saw the wives of the eldest and second wives of the Yan family confronting each other, neither willing to give in.

Madam Yan sat to one side, her brows furrowed, clearly quite troubled by the argument.

Su Jinxin stepped forward, bowed to Madam Yan, and then said in a humble yet respectful manner, "Madam, your granddaughter-in-law has a request."

Madam Yan looked at Su Jinxin with some surprise: "Jinxin, what's the matter?"

Su Jinxin smiled slightly: "My granddaughter-in-law wants to do her part for this year's ancestral worship ceremony."

Upon hearing this, everyone present was taken aback.

The head steward of the Yan family couldn't help but remind her, "Third Young Mistress, the arrangements for this ancestral worship ceremony have always been the responsibility of us servants..."

Su Jinxin interrupted him, her gaze firm: "I know, but this year's situation is special. Why don't I give it a try? Maybe it will have a different effect."

Yan Chengan stood to the side, watching Su Jinxin's confident demeanor, a subtle smile playing on his lips.

He knew that his wife was never a woman content with an ordinary life.

After a moment's thought, Madam Yan finally nodded: "Alright, Jinxin, give it a try."

Having received permission, Su Jinxin was overjoyed. She then turned to look at everyone and slowly began, "Since that's the case, let me first share my thoughts..."

Next, Su Jinxin began to talk at length about her plan.

After hearing this, Madam Yan's eyes lit up, and she nodded repeatedly: "Jin Xin's idea is excellent! In all my years, this is the first time I've ever heard of ancestor worship being done this way! Let's do it your way!"

Those servants who had previously looked down on Su Jinxin now looked at her with new respect, thinking to themselves: This third young mistress is really something!

During the event preparations, Yan Chengan secretly walked up to Su Jinxin and handed her a delicate osmanthus cake, saying, "Thank you for your hard work."

Su Jinxin accepted the pastries with a smile, "It's no trouble at all, it's my pleasure." Their eyes met, and an ambiguous atmosphere spread in the air.

Su Jinxin ate the pastry in small bites, the sweet fragrance of osmanthus filling her mouth, making her feel sweet inside, and everything around her seemed to become beautiful.

Mmm, this osmanthus cake smells so good!

Just then, a sarcastic voice rang out: "Oh, Third Sister-in-law, you're in such high spirits, even having time to sneak a snack?" Su Jinxin looked up and saw that it was Yan Cheng'an's cousin, Yan Zijin, a guy who was arrogant and always said sarcastic things.

This guy, relying on the fact that his mother is the niece of Old Madam Yan, acted arrogantly and domineeringly in the Yan family, causing Yan Cheng'an a lot of trouble.

Now that Yan Chengan has married Su Jinxin, they've started to nitpick and complain again.

"Young Master, what business is it of yours if I eat some snacks?" Su Jinxin raised an eyebrow and retorted without any politeness. "But you, instead of busy preparing for the event, come here to make sarcastic remarks. Do you also want to taste this osmanthus cake?" She deliberately emphasized the words "osmanthus cake," implying that Yan Zijin was lazy and gluttonous.

Yan Zijin's face stiffened. He hadn't expected Su Jinxin to dare speak to him like that, and he was instantly enraged: "You! What do you know about etiquette, you woman from a merchant's family! I'm just reminding you not to embarrass the Yan family at the ancestral worship ceremony!"

"Oh? Does Young Master think I don't know the rules?" Su Jinxin sneered. "Then why don't you test me, Young Master? That way I'll know where I'm lacking and correct it in time." She put on a humble and eager-to-learn look, but in reality, she was digging a pit for Yan Zijin to fall into.

Yan Zijin took the bait as expected. He considered himself well-read and knowledgeable in etiquette, so he asked arrogantly, "How should women perform their rituals during the ancestral worship ceremony? Tell me!"

Su Jinxin smiled slightly and answered calmly, "When women worship their ancestors, they should perform a solemn bowing ceremony, bowing three times and kowtowing nine times, to show their piety." She paused and then added, "Of course, the etiquette is different for different occasions, for example..." She began to list the etiquette for various occasions, from ancestral worship ceremonies to daily greetings, speaking eloquently and fluently, leaving Yan Zijin stunned.

"Well, young master? Am I right?" Su Jinxin looked at Yan Zijin with a smile, her eyes carrying a hint of provocation.

Yan Zijin's face flushed red. He hadn't expected Su Jinxin to be so proficient in etiquette, and for a moment he couldn't find the words to refute her.

He stammered for a long time before finally managing to say, "You... what you're saying is just superficial! True etiquette isn't something you can just learn by talking about it!" He racked his brains, trying to find a difficult problem to embarrass Su Jinxin.

"I ask you, what material should the jade pendant a woman wear when offering sacrifices to her ancestors be made of? What patterns should be carved on it?"

Without hesitation, Su Jinxin replied, "There are no strict rules about the material of jade pendants for women to wear when worshipping their ancestors, but warm and lustrous mutton fat jade is preferred. Auspicious patterns such as clouds, mythical beasts, and flowers can be carved on them to pray for continuous blessings."

She paused, her gaze sharpening as she looked at Yan Zijin. "Young Master, your question just now seemed somewhat inappropriate. The focus of ancestor worship is on expressing respect for ancestors, not on being particular about the style of the jade pendant. Overemphasizing form makes it seem flashy and impractical, lacking sincerity."

A low chuckle rippled through the crowd. Yan Zijin's face flushed red and then paled. He hadn't expected Su Jinxin to turn the tables on him and make him lose face.

He was furious and about to retort when he heard a clear, cold voice rang out... "Zijin." Yan Cheng'an's voice was not loud, but it carried an undeniable authority.

Yan Zijin, like a rooster with its neck being choked, instantly fell silent and dared not cause any more trouble.

He glared fiercely at Su Jinxin, then turned and left, his back view filled with resentment and bitterness.

Yan Cheng'an walked up to Su Jinxin, a smile in his eyes: "Madam handled things well, which is admirable." He naturally took Su Jinxin's hand, their fingers intertwined, an intimate gesture that left the surrounding servants speechless.

It should be noted that although Yan Cheng'an is gentle, he rarely makes such intimate gestures, which is enough to prove how much he values ​​Su Jinxin.

"A trivial skill, not worth mentioning." Su Jinxin smiled faintly and withdrew her hand imperceptibly. Although she was somewhat surprised by Yan Chengan's actions, she remained calm on the surface.

She knew that in this era, a woman's status depended on a man, and to gain a foothold, she needed her husband's support.

Yan Cheng'an seemed unaware of Su Jinxin's subtle actions. He announced loudly, "Everyone, from today onwards, the Yan family's internal affairs and some shop accounts will be managed by Madam."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the crowd, "I hope everyone will do their best to assist the Madam. Anyone who fails to fulfill their duties will be severely punished!"

As soon as this statement came out, everyone was shocked.

Although the Yan family has declined, even a fallen camel is bigger than a horse, and managing the affairs of the Yan family is no easy task.

The fact that Yan Cheng'an entrusted such an important task to Su Jinxin shows that he trusts her exceptionally much.

In the crowd, Old Madam Yan looked at Su Jinxin, a complex expression flashing in her eyes.

Although she admired Su Jinxin's talent, she was also worried that Su Jinxin would become arrogant and spoiled, affecting the stability of the Yan family.

Su Jinxin naturally understood Yan Chengan's intentions; he was supporting her and establishing her authority.

She nodded slightly, her tone steady: "Thank you for your trust, sir. I will do my utmost to live up to your expectations."

As night fell, Su Jinxin sat alone in her study, holding a cup of hot tea, lost in thought.

Today's events may seem calm on the surface, but there are undercurrents beneath.

She knew that her actions would inevitably affect the interests of some people, and that even greater challenges awaited her next.

But she was not afraid, because she knew she was not fighting alone.

She looked up at the dark night sky outside the window, a confident smile playing on her lips.

"Green ivy, grind the ink."

Cui'er stepped forward in response, and was about to start grinding the ink when she discovered that what was spread out in front of Su Jinxin was not poetry and songs, but a thick... account book.