How did a street urchin from the film crew end up in a Northern Song Dynasty drama called "The

"Sisters, go!" Hua Lan commanded, and the women pounced on him, tickling him relentlessly. Jin Shuai laughed so hard he nearly fell over, repeatedly begging for mercy before finally getting them to stop. He straightened his disheveled clothes and began to explain: "This whole affair, in truth, was started by me. At the time, the Liao campaign was progressing too quickly, and I thought to myself, this war can't end so soon. But a sudden halt when the army's morale was high would shake their future morale, and I couldn't directly voice this thought. If we continued to rashly advance, it would easily lead to a situation where the front and rear couldn't support each other, and if the Liao seized the opportunity to turn the tide, it would be a huge loss."

After much deliberation, I came up with an idea: the Emperor would feign illness to suspend large-scale military operations. But who could have predicted that this feigned illness would provoke several restless figures in the court to stir. Among them, the Prince of Yong and the Prince of Yan possessed the strongest power and influence. If these two wanted to succeed, they would undoubtedly try to win me over.

However, I had a past conflict with the Prince of Yan. I let him go last time, and he knows I'm not someone to mess with, so he doesn't dare to come looking for me easily. Yet, he doesn't want to see the Prince of Yong win me over, so he will definitely find an opportunity to sabotage the Prince of Yong's plan to win me over.

I never intended to deal with either of them. While I was pondering this matter, Prince Yong presented me with an opportunity, so I decided to use it to my advantage and pass it on to Prince Yan. I reckon that even if Prince Yan understands my intentions, he'll have no choice but to spread the news to disrupt Prince Yong's plans. By having the Sheng family return the wedding invitations, I was essentially making my stance clear to both of them—I don't want to help either side. At the same time, it blocked their escape route. I clearly see through their scheme to use me as a breakthrough point. On the surface, it's a rejection, but it's also a hidden warning. If they dare to try anything with those around me, I will definitely retaliate. I just don't know if they can see through this logic.”

"My lord, in your opinion, will the Prince of Yan continue to stir up conflict between you and the Prince of Yong in order to profit from it?" Tianxiang blinked her beautiful eyes and asked curiously.

Jin Shuai's lips curled into a confident smile as he said, "That's for sure. He's spreading rumors to drag me into this mess, using me to deal with Prince Yong. To put it bluntly, he's trying to use someone else to do his dirty work. But Prince Yong isn't stupid. He'll figure it out after a little thought and won't be foolish enough to fall into Prince Yan's trap. In that case, Prince Yong will hold Prince Yan responsible."

"Then I'll send someone back to my parents' home tomorrow to tell my grandmother and mother to be careful," Hua Lan said.

Jin Shuai waved his hand and said, "There's no need for that. The old lady and Changbai probably understand." After thinking for a moment, Jin Shuai added, "The Prince of Yong probably won't do anything, but the Princess of Yong will probably not be able to swallow this and will go to your house to cause trouble. It's good to give her a heads-up so that we can be prepared."

The next day, at the first light of dawn, the entrance to the Sheng residence was bustling with activity. Wang Ruofu greeted Old Madam He with a beaming smile. As the two entered Shou'an Hall, Old Madam Sheng's face lit up with joy, and she quickly took Old Madam He's hand, engaging in warm conversation. Their words flowed like a gentle stream within the cozy hall.

Unconsciously, Old Madam He turned her head slightly, her gaze sweeping around the room, and asked softly, "Why don't I see Ming'er?" Old Madam Sheng was slightly taken aback, but then her expression returned to normal, and she replied with a smile, "Alas, this child may have caught a cold by accident, and has a headache and fever. She is resting now, so let Hong'er go and take a look at her."

At this moment, Minglan was lying in her room. Upon hearing that He Hongwen had come, she truly did not want to see him, so she instructed Xiaotao to go out and tell him that she was not feeling well. Xiaotao did as she was told and soon returned to report, "Miss, Hong-ge'er said he specially brought fish from Youyang and even instructed the kitchen to make fish soup for you. He said he remembered that you liked to drink fish soup when you were in Youyang, and he thought he would warm your stomach." Minglan frowned slightly. Although she felt somewhat resistant, He Hongwen's intentions made it difficult for her to be too resolute.

Seeing Xiao Tao return to the room, He Hongwen said through the door, "Minglan, I know you're troubled by Qi Heng's matter. This fish soup is to help you ease your worries." He then added some playful remarks to tease her. Hearing his words, Minglan's worries subsided somewhat, and she couldn't help but smile softly. Xiao Tao and Danju, seeing this, exchanged smiles, their eyes filled with relief.

However, after being pestered by He Hongwen all morning, Minglan finally grew tired of it and made an excuse to go to her aunt's place for some peace and quiet. When she arrived at Aunt Wei's, Aunt Wei started nagging about Wei Xiaoniang. Minglan, who had just wanted some peace and quiet, felt utterly helpless and had no choice but to say goodbye and go home.

On her way back to the manor, Minglan happened to run into Madam Wu of the Yongchang Earl's Mansion. Upon seeing Minglan, Madam Wu's face lit up with joy, and she said enthusiastically, "Oh, Miss Minglan, what a relief to see you! I've been thinking of you. The manor is holding a polo match; you absolutely must come!" Minglan looked hesitant and quickly said, "Madam, I'm so sorry, I haven't been feeling well lately, I'm afraid I can't go." Madam Wu, however, persisted, still smiling and urging, "Miss, playing polo might just help you recover!" Minglan had no choice but to politely decline, saying, "Madam, I've already settled down and plan to spend more time practicing calligraphy at home; I've put the polo matter aside." But Madam Wu's enthusiasm remained undiminished, stopping Minglan and saying, "That won't do! Miss Minglan's polo skills are so good; it would be such a pity if you didn't come. I'll go to the Sheng manor to deliver the invitations right away."

The next day, Wang Ruofu received an invitation from Madam Wu. Looking at the invitation, she assumed Madam Wu had taken a liking to Rulan and was pondering this when her maidservant whispered, "Madam, I think Madam Wu seems to prefer Minglan." Wang Ruofu frowned slightly and said dismissively, "Hmph, she's just good at polo, that's all. Marriage is a different matter."

Inside Linxi Pavilion, Lin Xiaoniang was meticulously dressing up Molan. Molan, however, said with a look of disdain, "That polo field is so dusty, what's the point of going there?" Lin Qinshuang paused slightly in her hand, looking at her daughter in the mirror, and said earnestly, "My child, do you know that Liang Han has feelings for you now? This is a great opportunity to climb the social ladder, how can you give it up so easily?"

On the bustling polo field, under the bright sunshine, the laughter and chatter of the crowd mingled together. Mo Lan stood to the side, watching Madam Wu and Ming Lan's intimate and affectionate display, feeling a nagging unease, as if a cat had scratched at her heart. Her eyes were filled with jealousy and resentment. Ru Lan, on the other hand, appeared carefree and nonchalant, happily munching on her snacks, completely unconcerned about the scene before her.

With a beaming smile, Madam Wu affectionately took Minglan's hand and led her straight to her seat. She raised her hand, pointing lightly to Liang Han, who was playing polo on the field, and said to Minglan with great interest, "Miss Minglan, look over there! That's Liang Han, the young master of the Liang family. Isn't he a handsome young man?" Minglan had absolutely no interest in this notorious playboy, so she simply laughed it off and gave a perfunctory reply.

At this moment, Rulan caught a glimpse of Molan's infatuated expression out of the corner of her eye and couldn't help but chuckle softly, seizing the opportunity to mock, "Sister, your eyes are practically glued to Young Master Liang, aren't you afraid of being laughed at?" Upon hearing this, Molan's eyebrows shot up, and she retorted without backing down, "Little sister, you have no sense of propriety yourself, yet you have the leisure to tease me. I wonder who is usually so careless and lacking in manners."

Just then, Liang Han dismounted. Mo Lan's eyes lit up, and she quickly made an excuse to leave, plotting a chance encounter with Liang Han. She looked around in the crowd but couldn't find him. In her anxiety, she quickly asked her maid where Liang Han was. Upon learning that Liang Han had gone to the poetry gathering, Mo Lan didn't hesitate and turned to her personal maid, Yun Zai, saying, "Let's go to the poetry gathering too."

Just then, Minglan suddenly appeared out of nowhere, anxiously stopping Molan and sternly reminding her, "Sister, pull back from the brink! That poetry gathering is all young men. How can you, an unmarried woman, go to such an occasion? If word gets out, it will ruin your reputation." Molan, however, seemed blinded by greed, completely ignoring Minglan's advice and insisting on going. Seeing that she couldn't stop her, Minglan steeled her resolve, and taking advantage of Molan's inattention, quickly grabbed a handful of mud from under the flower bushes and threw it at Molan.

"Ouch!" Mo Lan shrieked, her face turning ashen with anger as she looked at her stained clothes. Now, with her clothes so dirty, she couldn't possibly go to the poetry gathering. Filled with resentment, she glared fiercely at Ming Lan, then with a flick of her sleeve, stormed off.

After the polo match ended, everyone began their journey back to the manor. Madam Wu, sitting in the carriage, insisted that Liang Han get on as well. Looking at Liang Han, she said earnestly, "In a few days, the manor will hold another flower festival. You should meet Minglan properly then." Liang Han, unimpressed, pouted and said, "She's just a concubine's daughter. She looks like a block of wood, completely lacking in charm." Madam Wu's face darkened immediately, and she gave him a good scolding: "You child, how can you be so insensible! When choosing a wife, virtue is paramount. Minglan is dignified and intelligent; what's wrong with her?" Liang Han, exasperated, quickly made up an excuse: "Mother, I heard that the Duke of Qi's manor seems to have already chosen Minglan as a concubine." Madam Wu, even more furious, retorted sharply, "Don't talk nonsense! That's not true. Stop making things up."

Madam Wu composed herself and said earnestly, "I've been hoping to find you a virtuous wife so she can help you in the future. But you're thinking about all that nonsense." Liang Han, however, remained unconvinced and muttered, "I think the fourth daughter of the Sheng family, Mo Lan, is quite good. She's pretty and understanding." Upon hearing this, Madam Wu immediately shouted, "You dare! That Mo Lan is a vixen! If you really marry her, your career will be ruined! I'm warning you, you're not allowed to flirt with her again!" Liang Han trembled in fear and could only nod repeatedly in agreement.

Meanwhile, inside the Linxi Pavilion, Mo Lan stared angrily at her soiled dress, urging Lin Qinshuang impatiently, "Mother, look how dirty this dress is! What should we do? Please quickly choose some fine fabric and make me a new one." Her stamping of her feet revealed both her coquettishness and urgency.

Lin Qinshuang frowned slightly, her gaze shifting from Mo Lan, but her thoughts were not on her daughter's dress. She gently took Mo Lan's hand, her expression grave, and said, "Lan'er, the dress is a small matter, but you must be more careful and watch out for that girl Minglan." Mo Lan, however, was unconcerned, giving a disdainful snort: "Mother, you're being too cautious. What tricks can that stupid girl Minglan pull? She's nowhere near as clever and quick-witted as I am."

Just as the mother and daughter were talking, Madam Zhou hurriedly walked in, curtsied, and quickly reported: "Madam, Miss, just now when I passed by Wang Ruofu's courtyard, I heard the sound of things being smashed coming from inside. I inquired out of curiosity and found out that Madam Wu had sent someone to deliver another invitation, saying that the flower party only invited Miss Minglan."

Upon hearing this, Mo Lan's eyebrows shot up and her almond-shaped eyes widened. She cried out in a fit of anger, "Why? Why was she invited and not me! Isn't this deliberately trying to embarrass me?"

Meanwhile, in the Wei Rui Xuan, Wang Ruofu was also furious, her handkerchief crumpled in her hand. She had always thought Liang Han was a handsome and talented man, a rare and excellent son-in-law, and was unwilling to let this wonderful marriage slip away to Minglan. She paced back and forth in the room, muttering to herself, "What exactly is this Madam Wu up to?"

Rulan, however, sat calmly to the side, took a sip of tea, and slowly said, "Mother, please don't upset yourself. In my opinion, marrying into the Earl's mansion might not be a good thing. The Earl's mansion has many rules and complicated interpersonal relationships; it might not be as comfortable as our Sheng family." Hearing Rulan's words, Wang Ruofu turned to look at her. Seeing Rulan's composed expression, indicating she truly had no interest in Liang Han, her anger subsided considerably. She pondered for a moment, remembering that Old Madam Sheng had already registered Minglan under her name, and that this marriage was ultimately a matter for their branch of the family. Thinking this way, she felt a strange sense of relief, a slight smile playing on her lips as she thought to herself, "Hmph, now it's Lin Xiaoniang who's furious."

Back in Linxi Pavilion, Mo Lan watched helplessly as Madam Wu singled out Ming Lan for the flower fair. She was so anxious she couldn't eat or drink, and even her favorite snacks, placed before her, held no appeal. Lin Qinshuang, seeing her daughter's state, felt a pang of heartache and patiently leaned close to Mo Lan's ear, whispering instructions on how to win a man's heart. However, what she taught were nothing more than the tricks concubines used to vie for favor—all lowly and unseemly schemes.