Chen Meng Mei had overlooked the reason why bandits would appear in Xu Mountain in the first place. True bandits relied on intimidation, breaking the law, and stealing loot to survive. While these reasons might have seemed plausible at first, they were not enough to convince the Prince, the Imperial Guards, or even an ordinary citizen.
The crucial revelation came from the significance of the Jimeng Temple itself. The late Emperor Liang had declared the temple a haven for devotees, and it held deep sentimental value to him as he spent time cultivating and doing important works within its walls.
As a result, the Imperial Guards were resolute in their dedication to safeguarding the temple, honoring the late Emperor's decree.
The Prince quickly deduced that genuine bandits would be well aware of the risks involved in causing chaos in Xu Mountain, where the temple stood.
They would undoubtedly face severe consequences from the vigilant Imperial Guards. It would be far more convincing for real bandits to target places where they could avoid these Imperial Guards, rather than causing chaos in the Xu Mountain where their chance of being captured is high.
So with this insight, the Prince became even more suspicious of Chen Meng Mei's supposed plight. He saw her scheme for what it truly was—an attempt to gain his sympathy and manipulate him, rather than a genuine cry for help.
Thus, Chen Mengmei's plan was partly successful. She achieved her goal of getting the Prince's attention, but her actions also made him more cautious of her.
From Qiang Xin Yi's perspective, she wants to scold and smack Chen Mengmei for being foolish. Now that Qiang Xinyi's soul resides in Chen Meng Mei's body, she wonders how she can still gain the Prince's trust and pity after Chen Meng Mei's initial mistakes.
As the carriage carried Qiang Xin Yi and Dong'er back to the Temple, the road grew rough and bumpy, causing the carriage to sway. The tired horse struggled to climb up the rocky path, and the driver urged it on with his whip.
Dong'er noticed that her Lady seemed lost in her thoughts, so she gently asked, "Mistress, are you okay?"
Taken aback, Qiang Xin Yi paused for a moment before answering with a smile, "I am."
However, Dong'er sensed something wasn't right and spoke cautiously, "I know you don't want me to meddle in your affairs, but I can tell you're stressed. If you share your worries with [1] núpú, I'll do my best to help you."
Qiang Xin Yi felt a tug at her heart upon hearing Dong'er's concern. She wondered how Chen Mengmei, known for her bad attitude that made other servants in the manor dislike her, could have earned the loyalty of this caring girl.
Dong'er, though young, didn't seem naive enough to serve an evil master. Qiang Xin Yi was genuinely touched by Dong'er's loyalty and couldn't help but inquire, "Dong'er, do you still remember how we first met?"
Dong'er looked at her with confusion and asked, "Why do you suddenly bring that up, Mistress?" Stammering, Qiang Xin Yi replied, "Oh...no reason. Can't I ask a question?"
It wasn't really for no specific reason that Qiang Xin Yi suddenly asked the girl a simple question. Xin Yi just wanted to learn more about Chen Meng Mei, as the system, as Lao'an mentioned earlier, could only provide memories one moment at a time.
But for Xin Yi, eager to finish and go home, she decided to gather more information about Chen Meng Mei's life.
This way, she could achieve multiple goals at once: understand Chen Meng Mei better to uncover her deepest desires, learn about potential foes to be cautious around them and plan accordingly, and finally, accomplish her mission.
It was like hitting three targets with one shot.
"Mistress Núpú would never dare to disobey," Dong'er replied.
"Núpú became acquainted with you because my mother worked as a servant assigned to do laundry in the manor. As a child, I would accompany her and help with the task. One day, my mother asked me to deliver some washed garments to your pavilion. Then, I saw you sitting beneath the plum blossom, crying because your older siblings didn't want to play with you. I couldn't bear seeing you upset, so without anyone noticing, I picked up a rattan ball from the ground and offered it to you. Surprisingly, you didn't push me away like the other servant kids, and instead, you played with me, even though I always lost due to my short legs. Later on, I discovered that you were my master, and I felt even happier to serve you," Dong'er recalled with a warm smile.
"From that day on, whenever I had free time, we would play together behind your pavilion. I couldn't comprehend why the people in the manor disliked you. To me, you were the epitome of beauty and kindness," Dong'er expressed, tugging at Qiang Xin Yi's heartstrings as her eyes welled up with tears.
But before the tears could fall, she quickly turned away, not wanting to show any vulnerability, or more on, not wanting to cause any suspicion on her identity. After all, Chen Meng Mei never cries.
Even though Dong'er's response is generally a simple recount of their old times, Xin Yi learned that this servant of hers has built up a friendship and trust with the original Chen Meng Mei. Dong'er is the only one she can count on the most in this world.
To ease up the atmosphere, in a witty response, Qiang Xin Yi jested, "Well, it's no wonder we get along so well. It seems we were destined to be allies in a world that perceives me as evil." Their laughter resonated through the forest, filling the air with happiness like the radiant sun in the sky.
In the middle of all the happiness, Qiang Xin Yi suddenly figured something out. She noticed that the book didn't talk about what happened to Chen Meng Mei during her days in the ceremony. The story just started talking about the upcoming Imperial Examination, with little mention of how Chen Meng Mei took her sister's place to go to the Jimeng Temple.
The day before the exam was the time when Chen Meng Mei came back to Chen Manor. As Qiang Xin Yi read that part, even though the author didn't directly say what happened to Chen Meng Mei during her trip, she could tell from how the servants were gossiping that Meng Mei probably didn't have a good time.
It seemed like something bad might have happened during her stay in the ceremony that made Chen Meng Mei feel bitter and maybe even more angry at her sister.
Qiang Xin Yi thought that this event might be the reason why Chen Meng Mei ended up locking Chen Xiaohua in the cellar.
Now that the more she thinks of this, the more she feels like getting close to her enemies, studying their strengths and weaknesses, and cleverly turning situations to her advantage could be the key to success.
"Lao'an, you want me to be the best villain you say. Just watch!" she thought as an idea came to her mind— the female lead has her friends, but what about her?
Her remaining days in the Jimeng Temple might not be good, but she is Qiang Xin Yi. Instead of waiting for her doom, she would rather resolve to muster allies, even if some of them bore hidden grudges against her.
She could care less if they will try to bring her down in the future, she just needs skilled people who could help her accomplish her missions.
She would be clever enough to turn the tables if her supposed allies ever tried to use her and use them to her advantage as well, like a crafty strategist in a game of wits.
So, where could she find such an ally? Well, the answer lies within the Jimeng Temple!
[1] nupu - servant
YOU ARE READING
Destined Hearts
Historical Fiction"In a scripted world, she must pick: safety in lines or a heart's composed destiny." Qiang Xin Yi was just a regular woman living in the modern world. However, when she hit her head and somehow transferred her soul into a novel she had been reading...
