Reborn and returned, sisters swapped

On the surface, the palace appears peaceful day after day, but beneath lies an undercurrent of tension.

Gu Jinyan walked slowly in the courtyard, his expression calm. His fingertips lightly brushed the blooming petals, but his heart was as clear as water, with a calm scrutiny.

Several white cranes swept across the blue sky, silently blessing her new life, but a barely perceptible shadow flickered in her eyes, as if she had not yet shaken off the scars left by her past life.

A gentle breeze carried the scent of flowers, and she closed her eyes, lost in thought.

With the family dinner on April 18th fast approaching, she frowned slightly.

On that day, at the family banquet, her father would gather all the clansmen, and the familiar scene seemed to appear before her eyes across time—that was the place where her fate was rewritten.

On the stone steps, the cold smile of her half-sister Quran was faintly visible, coiling around her heart like a snake, sending chills down her spine.

Gu Jinyan slowly opened his eyes, his gaze sweeping over the servants moving about in the courtyard, his eyes slightly cold, like a cheetah tracking its prey.

She strolled through the palace as if she were just wandering around, but in reality she was secretly observing the actions of every member of the clan.

Some people whispered, but fell silent as she approached; the maidservants bowed with a hint of trepidation in their expressions.

A thoughtful look appeared between her brows, and she secretly became wary.

She stopped at the stone table in the courtyard, her fingers gently stroking the jade pendant she wore.

The cold jade penetrated to her bones, yet it gradually cleared her thoughts.

A resolute glint flashed in her eyes as she raised her head, her gaze fixed on the far end of the courtyard.

Through the dense shadows of the trees, I could see the next game of chess about to begin.

The moonlight was hazy, and a faint silver glow spilled into the courtyard of this ancient house.

Gu Jinyan sat by the window in his study, holding a military book in his hands, but he couldn't concentrate at all.

My gaze pierced through the half-closed window, looking into the depths of the courtyard.

A breeze blew, dappling the shadows of the trees and swaying gently, accompanied by faint whispers coming from the direction of the main hall.

These days, Father Gu Yuande often receives guests behind closed doors, and in that main hall with its doors tightly shut, a slender and tall figure has appeared many times—Quran.

Gu Jinyan put down the military book in his hand, gently pushed open the window, and the night wind blew in, carrying a slight chill.

Her gaze lingered on the main hall, where, through the lamplight and the cracks in the door, she could vaguely make out the graceful figure of the Quran bowing.

The slightly lowered head and the submissive posture conveyed an air of flattery and obedience.

"Why is she appearing by my father's side so frequently?" Gu Jinyan muttered to himself, his tone filled with doubt and vigilance.

My father has always disliked being disturbed by others, and he is even less likely to allow younger members of the family to get involved in the affairs of the Prince's Mansion.

From a young age, her father often warned her, "When it comes to matters of the court, you must not overstep the bounds."

Now, this usually low-key half-sister has suddenly started appearing frequently in front of her father, and even won his attention in an unconventional way, which is intriguing in itself.

The next morning, Gu Jinyan deliberately got up early.

Before dawn, the morning dew dampened the bluestone slabs in the courtyard.

After tidying herself up, she casually picked up a book and pretended to wander aimlessly through the flowerbeds near the main hall.

Not long after, footsteps came from the corridor—sure enough, it was Quran again.

However, Gu Jinyan did not show himself directly, but hid behind the pillars and quietly peeked through the slightly open door of the main hall.

Qulanci, carrying a cup of tea, gently walked to Gu Yuande's side.

He placed the teacup on the table and then said in a low voice, "Father, last night I sorted through some old account books from the Prince's mansion."

Some of these food ration lists seem to overlap with the rationing plan you mentioned back then. I wonder if we need to re-verify them?

As he listened, Gu Jinyan frowned slightly, his fingers unconsciously tightening around the book.

The Quran is spoken in a gentle tone, yet every word is perfectly chosen.

The affairs of the Prince's mansion have always been managed by the steward and the father himself. When did she interfere in such matters?

Suddenly, Gu Yuande put down his pen, looked up at the Quran, and seemed to appreciate it.

"Lan Ci, you are indeed meticulous. These old accounts do have some problems; I had wanted to sort them out but hadn't had the time to do so."

Now that you've discovered it, continue checking. Report back immediately if you find anything.

"Yes, Father." Quran bowed his head and withdrew, his expression respectful and his steps light.

As she stepped out of the main hall, her gaze met Gu Jinyan, who was secretly watching from afar.

At that moment, although Quran's expression remained docile, a barely perceptible hint of smugness shone through his eyes.

Gu Jinyan stood behind the pillar, his hand gripping the scroll even tighter.

She had to admit that Quran's strategy was extremely clever: he intervened in the affairs of the royal court with meticulous care, demonstrating his abilities just right without overstepping any boundaries, which made her father look at her with new eyes.

Every step she took seemed to be carefully considered and steady.

However, what made her even more uneasy was that, in addition to the Quran, another figure began to appear frequently beside her father—Gu Shichang.

This uncle, who has always been ambitious about the affairs of the Prince's Palace, has recently been performing exceptionally well.

In the evening, as Gu Jinyan passed by the main hall, he heard his father talking to Gu Shichang coming from inside the door.

"Shichang, what are your thoughts on the autumn harvest distribution this time?" Gu Yuande's voice carried a hint of probing.

“Father, I have checked the land register of the Tianchen Dynasty. There is a piece of land that has not been cultivated for many years, and the tax revenue has always been low.”

However, if more manpower can be assigned to repair the irrigation canals and fertilizer can be applied in a timely manner, the yield should double.

As for the required funds, I have already had a budget prepared..." Gu Shichang's words were confident and fluent, as if he had already done his homework.

Gu Jinyan stood outside the window, his heart filled with mixed feelings.

From the time she could remember, Gu Shichang, though shrewd, had never met anyone as talented as him.

But now, his speech has become more composed and farsighted, and even shows some meticulous consideration.

This is clearly not his usual style.

Is someone helping them from behind, or is there another purpose?

In the following days, Gu Jinyan gradually discovered that Gu Shichang's behavior had undergone a dramatic change.

He not only actively participated in the affairs of the Prince's Palace, but also appeared with his father on several important occasions, publicly expressing his concern for the affairs of the palace.

In the afternoon, Gu Jinyan passed by the study and vaguely heard Gu Yuande's voice coming from inside the door: "Shichang, I am very pleased that you are willing to take on this responsibility."

At this moment, Gu Jinyan stood outside the door, feeling a heavy weight in his chest.

Her father's words undoubtedly indicated that Gu Shichang was gradually gaining his trust, while she, as the legitimate daughter, had become utterly useless.

This is something she can't let go of.

A few days later, Gu Jinyan personally found the steward and, while pretending to chat with him, subtly inquired about Gu Shichang's recent movements.

“Miss, Master Shichang is indeed very diligent. These past few days he has been going to the accounting office frequently and has personally reviewed a lot of old accounts.”

I heard that Miss Quran compiled these account books for him. She's naturally meticulous, and with the Second Master's decisive leadership, the two worked together very well.

The words of the person in charge were like a pebble falling into the heart of Gu Jinyan, stirring up ripples.

It turns out that Quran not only frequently appeared beside his father, but also secretly assisted Gu Shichang.

The secret collaboration between the two was clearly an attempt to gain the father's trust and even to exclude her.

Everything seemed to connect: the meticulousness and obedience of the Quran, and Gu Shichang's decisiveness and passion.

This seemingly unrelated uncle and nephew actually joined forces behind the scenes, gradually eroding their position within the family.

At this moment, Gu Jinyan took a deep breath and suppressed his inner resentment.

At this moment, emotions are meaningless; only calmness can help us find a solution.

"Now that this game has begun, how could I easily admit defeat?"

She stood in the courtyard, her gaze as deep as the night.

A breeze blew by, and her sleeves fluttered gently, like a sharp longsword hidden in the shadows, slowly being drawn from its sheath.