After her transformation and rebirth, she manipulates the innocent and ruthless to overthrow the wor

"Really? Is this servant really that useful?" Chun Tao stopped sobbing, a faint blush rising on her cheeks, just like a peach blossom in early spring.

Xiao Ran smiled gently, turned around and sat back down in front of her dressing table, her gentle profile reflected in the bronze mirror.

"Alright, alright," she said softly. "From now on, just say what's on your mind. You girls are busy dealing with all sorts of open and covert attacks all day long, how can I possibly have time to guess your little thoughts?"

She paused, her tone softening further: "Everyone in this courtyard is one family, so you shouldn't hold a grudge."

Upon hearing this, Chun Tao's heart skipped a beat.

These days, she has indeed been intentionally or unintentionally distancing herself from Xiaolan. Whenever she thinks about how the young lady asked Xiaolan to deal with Granny Yang, she feels suffocated.

Looking back now, I realize I was being too narrow-minded. The young lady was already struggling to make ends meet in the household, and I shouldn't have added to her troubles.

"This servant knows she was wrong," Chun Tao said softly, her voice tinged with guilt. "I will never be so willful again."

“You should be more willful, otherwise…” Xiao Ran smiled lightly, “you wouldn’t be called Chun Tao anymore.”

Before she could finish speaking, Xia He couldn't help but laugh out loud, covering her mouth with her handkerchief. Chun Tao blushed instantly, stamping her feet as she ran to Xia He's side, pretending to cover her mouth: "Xia He! You, you're not allowed to laugh!"

After a few moments of playful banter, the three finally sat down. Chun Tao held the box of candied fruit but hesitated, a hint of doubt lingering between her brows. She paused for a moment, then asked softly:

“Miss, when we were at the Lotus Garden, I always felt that you weren’t acting like a girl anymore…”

Before she could finish speaking, Xia He interrupted with a laugh: "Chun Tao, what are you saying? If a girl isn't a girl, then who is she? Do you actually believe in those stories about possession?" She picked up a candied apricot and teased, "Have you been reading too many supernatural tales these past few days and gone mad?"

Chun Tao shook her head, her expression serious: "No. When you were being punished in Fuqu Courtyard and being lectured by Granny Yang, you were more like... more like that silly, naive girl from before."

She paused, her voice lowering, "But girls these days are clearly very opinionated, how could they..."

Upon hearing this, a strange light flashed in Xiao Ran's eyes, and she slowly put down the teacup in her hand.

“Chuntao,” she suddenly spoke, her voice as soft as a whisper, “Since you can tell I was faking it, why don’t you guess why I pretended to be that foolish?”

Chun Tao tilted her head and pondered for a moment, then her eyes suddenly lit up: "Is it for the people of Fuqu Courtyard to see?"

"Hmm." Xiao Ran lowered her eyes, her fingertips gently tracing the exquisite mutton-fat jade bracelet on the dressing case. "People only let their guard down when they think the other person is harmless."

In fact, her feigned foolishness at Fuqu Courtyard was all part of her plan with Afu. At first, when Afu mentioned the Emperor to her, she didn't think much of it, but she only realized it after meeting the First Prince Ruichen.

Now all she has to do is wait quietly for He Wan to be caught.

Thick clouds swallowed the last ray of moonlight, and the copper bells on the eaves whistled softly in the wind. With a soft click of the door, Xiao Ran, draped in a crimson cloak, stepped out of the room, kicking up a few snowflakes.

She clutched a purse in her hand, its stitches crooked as if embroidered while drunk, with several loose threads revealing the cold glint of broken silver inside. This purse was completely different from the one given to Afu and the others during the day; a crooked "An" character was embroidered in one corner, the needle eye large enough to stuff a red bean inside.

But she didn't seem to care; instead, she held it as if it were an extremely cherished object.