The Reborn Princess Has Turned Evil

Qin Xiuyuan sighed inwardly. He had no say in his marriage, but he knew that no matter what kind of woman he met in the future, she would never enter his heart.

Despite the heavy weight in his heart, Qin Xiuyuan still said in a light tone, "Unfortunately, Grandmother and my sister went out to offer incense today, and even Father went out on business." He just wanted to change the subject and didn't want to hear about these things.

Her main purpose in coming today was to meet Aunt Cao, so she said with a smile, "When I came in just now, I heard the steward say that, in that case, could you please take Anle to see Mother's courtyard?"

"Of course." Qin Xiuyuan nodded and continued, "Follow me."

As the eldest daughter of the General's Mansion, Qin Yin was deeply loved. After her marriage, her courtyard was preserved intact, and people were often sent over to clean it.

The two walked through the long corridor and through the courtyards, finally arriving at Qin Yin's courtyard. Jing Anle looked up and saw the words "Qiyun Pavilion" written on it.

Qin Xiuyuan gently pushed the door open and gestured for Jing Anle to enter. She smiled and nodded in thanks before stepping inside.

Upon entering, a huge sycamore tree comes into view, with lush branches and leaves, but there are no fallen leaves on the ground, which must be because it is cleaned regularly.

Jing Anle suddenly stopped and said, "Cousin, could you let Anle take a look for herself?"

She spoke with a sorrowful tone, and Qin Xiuyuan knew that she had lost her mother at a young age and must miss her very much, so he said, "I'll be right at the door. Call me if you need anything."

“Cousin, don’t worry, Afang will be here soon,” Jing Anle said.

Qin Xiuyuan was well aware that a man and a woman being alone in a room would give people something to talk about, and it would be bad if it affected Jing Anle's reputation. So he said, "I will arrange two maids at the door. You can give them any instructions."

"Thank you, cousin."

Qin Xiuyuan smiled and nodded, then went out.

The air was crisp and cool, and the flowers under the windowsill were still blooming brightly. As soon as she stepped into the room, she saw a desk with the Four Treasures of the Study on it, and some authentic works by masters were hanging on the wall. A fragrance of ink wafted over her. In the inner bedroom, there was a zither table, and a large square daybed was placed at the back.

The room was brightly lit, making the furniture gleam. Jing Anle only needed to glance at it to know that these items were quite valuable. Just as she was about to go upstairs, she heard footsteps. She smiled and thought to herself: They're here.

Although she knew that Cao Wantang was a spy, Jing Anle was unsure whether she was also keeping an eye on her. But now that Cao Wantang had arrived, it meant that everything in the General's Mansion was under her surveillance.

Jing Anle suddenly remembered that when they first met, Cao Wantang had deliberately created the opportunity to meet, and he thought to himself that this woman was truly meticulous.

"Princess?"

Jing Anle paused in her steps as she pretended to go upstairs, turned around in confusion, and sure enough, saw that the person who came was Cao Wantang. She was wearing a white silk dress and had a charming smile. She was a beautiful woman with an ethereal air.

“You are…Aunt Cao.” Jing Anle pretended to recall.

Cao Wantang quickly bowed, "Just now I saw that the gate was not closed and thought it was a mistake by the servants. I did not mean to disturb the princess. I hope the princess will forgive me."

An ordinary concubine would be terrified and flustered if she met a princess of the court, but this Concubine Cao acted with composure and grace, which is indeed suspicious.

"It's alright, get up." Jing Anle stopped going upstairs and turned around.

Jing Anle didn't say much; she wanted to see what Cao Wantang had to say.

"Thank you, Princess!" Cao Wantang stood up and said with a smile, "If the princess is here to see the old lady, then it is unfortunate."

This is the third person to say the same thing to Jing Anle today. Cao Wantang must have known this all along. She probably said this to try to steer the conversation toward the old lady and get closer to her.

Jing Anle had come specifically for her, so she went along with her words and said, "My cousin already told me earlier, is Grandmother's health any better?"

“Princess, you are kind and compassionate. The old lady is much better now and just needs to rest,” Cao Wantang said with a smile.

Her smile was genuine, and her tone was sincere. If Jing Anle hadn't already known Cao Wantang's identity, she would have thought that this woman was both understanding and approachable. As a spy, Cao Wantang had really done a good job, and who knows how long she had been trained behind the scenes.

"In that case, I can rest assured." Jing Anle said as she walked outside. She didn't want this woman to dirty her mother's room. Cao Wantang silently followed behind Jing Anle.

A sudden gust of wind blew, rustling the leaves. Jing Anle stretched out her hand to feel the wind, which was quite cool, and asked, "Mid-Autumn Festival is coming soon. Does Aunt Cao miss her family?"

Cao Wantang paused for a moment, then smiled and said, "Wantang is an orphan who wandered around without a home. She was only able to grow up after being taken in by kind people."

"Then you must be missing the kind person who raised you." Jing Anle turned to look into Cao Wantang's eyes, trying to find an answer there.

Cao Wantang still smiled, but her tone was somewhat sad, "The border is not peaceful, and good times don't last long. The kind person who took me in was robbed and killed by bandits. I was lucky, and I was able to save my life thanks to the general."

"From now on, the General's Mansion will be my home." Cao Wantang gazed at the sky, somewhat lost in thought.

Women confined to their homes are usually prone to jealousy and infighting, but Cao Wantang is completely devoid of this vulgarity; instead, she exudes a sense of serenity.

For some reason, Jing Anle felt that Cao Wantang wasn't lying; at least her background was real. So who was the person behind her?

Jing Anle walked towards Cao Wantang step by step. She raised her right hand, and Cao Wantang instinctively flinched slightly. Jing Anle noticed this subtle movement, picked up a sycamore leaf, and said with a smile, "Look, it fell into your hair." Then she threw the leaf on the ground.

"Thank you, Princess." Cao Wantang, perhaps noticing that Jing Anle had seen her actions, smiled somewhat awkwardly and continued, "I'm sorry to have made you laugh, Princess. I tried my best to cover it up, but you still found out."

"Oh?" Jing Anle said.

Cao Wantang smiled calmly and continued, "The princess is very intelligent and probably already knows what's going on."

"The family that adopted me was violent and often beat and scolded me. It was common for me to go hungry and cold. That's why I was a little scared when the princess helped me just now. Those days were just too dark."

Jing Anle narrowed her eyes slightly. She dismissed her previous guess. She didn't believe a single word Cao Wantang said. She must have made up these words on the spot because she saw that Jing Anle was wary.

How could someone who abused her teach her manners? Although Jing Anle had only met Cao Wantang twice, her innate upbringing and demeanor could not be cultivated through training.

After a long silence, Jing Anle finally spoke: "The hardships that Aunt Cao endured in the past have all vanished with the wind. Now that she has found a good home, her future will be smooth sailing."

Cao Wantang nodded, "As long as I live a peaceful life, that's enough."

Jing Anle truly couldn't understand Cao Wantang. Was she deliberately coming here just to say these things, or was she, like herself, simply here to probe the truth?