Ji Man slightly smiled and amicably said, “Muxu isn’t young anymore. I brought up the topic of Muxu’s marriage to the marquis today.” 

  Li Zixiu let out a small sigh in relief and respectfully cupped his hands. “This one has already told Miss Muxu that this one would marry her.” 

  “Did Muxu agree?” Ji Man asked. 

  Li Zixiu smiled and nodded. “Muxu said she would marry me once you’re willing to release her from her duties as your servant girl.” 

  Ji Man raised her eyebrows. This fool was really stupid. Muxu was dreaming about flying up in social status. Did he really think she would marry him? 

  “When I brought up pairing Muxu to you in marriage, the marquis didn’t object.” Ji Man unhurriedly said, “But, Muxu said she didn’t want to marry yet.” 

  Doctor Li’s face stiffened. He slightly frowned. “How could this be? Maybe, she’s just too shy?” 

  Ji Man deeply looked at him, sighed, and said, “Women are very dangerous animals. Sometimes, they only treat you well because they have a hidden scheme. Without even realizing it, men will be used by them to do wicked things.” 

  “It can’t be.” Li Zixiu shook his head. “Muxu isn’t that type of person. She said she’ll marry me. And…… And, she hasn’t asked me to do anything bad.” 

  This man had clean eyes. He wasn’t a treacherous person. It was only that his emotional intelligence wasn’t high enough, and he couldn’t see through other people’s manipulations, ah. Ji Man shook her head. “I heard that there’s going to be a meteor shower tonight. How about you invite Muxu to watch it with you? Anyways, I’ve already agreed to the two of you marrying, you don’t need to be too scrupulous.” 

  Doctor Li’s eyes showed his bewilderment as he tried to process her earlier words. Hearing her following words, he thought she was just being kind. He nodded and said, “Thank you, Madam.” 

  — 

  Marquis had a little bit more work to do today, so Ji Man went to the study to look for him. She brought chicken soup with her. 

  “Hmm, were you afraid that I wouldn’t come over?” Ning Yuxuan smiled when he saw her. “You even brought over soup.” 

  “This servant is just worried that the soup won’t taste as good when it cools down.” Ji Man looked rather wronged as she ladled out the soup into a bowl. 

  Ning Yuxuan accepted the bowl of soup and slowly drank it. He said with a light smile, “You’ve really taken a lot of extra trouble. You can go back. I’ll come over later.” 

  Ji Man was smiling as she withdrew from the study. After she came out, she said to Dengxin and Gancao, “When we go back, you two can go to your rooms to sleep. You don’t need to attend to me for the rest of the night. I can handle the rest myself. If you hear anything, don’t come out.” 

  The two young servant girls blushed. They probably thought that their master was planning on seriously working to earn favor. And so, they separately returned to their rooms to sleep. 

  Ji Man closed her doors and waited outside at the Feiwan Courtyard’s entrance. 

  — 

  The sky quickly darkened, and there was no moonlight tonight. Ning Yuxuan was supported over here by Guibai. His footsteps sounded a bit anxious. 

  “My lord?” Ji Man stepped forward to keep him from stumbling. Guibai left right after saluting her. 

  “Nie Sangyu, what are you planning?” 

  Ji Man felt his warm breath on her neck. His entire body was was leaning onto her body for support. She could feel the heat of his body being transmitted through his clothing. It was very unusual. 

  “This servant hasn’t done anything.” Ji Man innocently blinked. 

  As she quietly asked, “My lord, what’s wrong?”, she supported Marquis Moyu as she led him to the side room. 

  Leaning against the pillars, Ning Yuxuan was already somewhat muddle-headed. He repeatedly bit her neck and left behind several marks. In the end, he had a moment of clarity and he told her, “I’m never drinking your chicken soup again,” before succumbing to the drug and tightly hugging her. 

  Smiling like a fox in a chicken coop, Ji Man pushed open the doors to the side room and led Ning Yuxuan to Muxu’s bedside. Then, she fled from the room at the lightning speed and closed the doors. 

  From outside, Ji Man heard Muxu saying in a low voice, “.…… Marquis?” Muxu seemed to have been startled. However, she didn’t hear anything after that. 

  Ji Man stood in the courtyard and looked at the night sky for a bit. It looked quite pitiful and lonely. The promised meteor shower hadn’t come. 

  Ji Man started to hear suppressed sounds coming from the side room. She yawned and turned around to go to her own room to sleep. 

  — 

  The next morning, Gancao’s alarmed shout set off the prologue of an epic catfight. 

  “You…… Why is the marquis in older sister Muxu’s bedroom?!” Gancao had originally come over here because she wanted to wake up Muxu, so they could go and attend their master. But, when she came into the Muxu’s room, the place was in complete disarray and Muxu and the marquis weren’t properly dressed. It was clear that something that shouldn’t have happened had happened last night. 

  Gancao’s face had completely lost color. She loudly scolded, “Shameless!”, then she turned around and ran to Nie Sangyu’s room. 

  — 

  Ji Man messed up her hair, then she rubbed her face, so that she had a haggard appearance as if she had stayed up all night for a husband that hadn’t come. 

  When Gancao barged into her room, she asked her what was wrong. 

  Gancao was so upset for her that she started to cry as she alternated between telling her what had happened and angrily saying words of rebuke. 

  Ji Man didn’t think the matter was worth crying over. 

  — 

  And so, the residence became very lively in the early morning. With her clothes still disheveled, Muxu was kneeling in the outside courtyard. Tears dripped down her face as she said, “This servant didn’t do this intentionally. It was the marquis that came to this servant’s room……” 

  Dengxin asked, “Then, why didn’t you scream? If the marquis entered the wrong room, why didn’t you remind him?” 

  Muxu didn’t have any words to defend herself. She had always held an infatuation to Marquis Moyu. He had the bearing and appearance of a celestial immortal. She had originally thought he was out of her reach, but he had suddenly kissed her and bit her of his own initiative. How could she bear to refuse him? 

  She had her own selfish motives. Thinking that once this was done, it couldn’t be undone, so she had tolerated the pain and stayed silent. Once this happened, her master wouldn’t be able to marry her off to Doctor Li, right? 

  Inside, Ning Yuxuan was sitting down and expressionlessly looked at Nie Sangyu. 

  Ji Man pressed her lips into a flat line. “My lord, this servant can’t be blamed for this matter. This servant had only wanted to gain favor for myself, but you insistently ran out. This servant thought you had gone to an honored concubine’s courtyard. Who could have guessed that you would go to the side room?”


  Chapter 162 – How about I personally help you up into the position of an honored concubine? 

  Half-believing and half-doubting, Ning Yuxuan looked at Nie Sangyu. After all, there wouldn’t be a woman stupid enough to drug her husband, then let her servant girl snatch away her chance at being favored. But, he clearly remembered that he hadn’t let down his guard last night until he saw her. How did he end up on Muxu’s bed? Could her words be true? Had he really been the one that insisted on leaving? 

  Ji Man pinched her thigh to force herself to cry and said, “Muxu has served me for several years. Originally, I had wanted to pair her with Doctor Li. My lord, I didn’t expect that you would do such a thing……” 

  If you’re going to do something bad, make your accusation before the other party has time to figure things out. 

  Ning Yuxuan doubtfully looked at Nie Sangyu for a few more moments, then he started reflecting on himself. Had he really gone to the wrong room? 

  — 

  Muxu gritted her teeth as she continued to kneel in the courtyard. From behind her, she could hear the sound of everyone commenting and blaming her. A lot of people were gathered outside of Feiwan Courtyard to watch the show. 

  Gossip spread quickly like an infectious disease. A short while later, word came from old madame’s place. She said that Nie Sangyu could decide on what Muxu’s outcome would be. 

  A servant girl’s status was lowly to begin with, even becoming a concubine was an impossible dream for them. At the most, they could rise to the rank of bed servant. However, if a bed servant wasn’t able to give birth to a child after a few years of serving her lord, then she would still be married off to someone like any other servant girl. Still, after losing her virginity, it wouldn’t be possible for her to be married off to a good partner. 

  Muxu felt panic-stricken at first. But, once she remembered that her kind-hearted master usually treated her very well and that they had come out of the confinement courtyard together, she thought that Nie Sangyu probably wouldn’t punish her too harshly. 

  And yet, as Marquis Moyu left Feiwan Courtyard to go to the Six Ministries for work, he didn’t even glance at her as he passed by her. Muxu’s heart sank and she blankly looked at the ground. 

  A long time passed before Ji Man came out with redden eyes. Looking at the person kneeling at the center of the courtyard, she simply said an actor’s script that a wronged woman would say, “Muxu, I haven’t treated you poorly. Why would you do this to me……” 

  Muxu’s heart hopefully went up. She hurriedly said, “Master, please calm down. This servant really didn’t try to steal master’s chance at receiving the marquis’s favor. This servant…… this servant also truly likes the marquis……” 

  Li Zixiu was standing at Feiwan Courtyard’s entrance. Although he had originally felt very sleepy, hearing Muxu’s words was like being splashed with icy water. 

  She truly liked the marquis? Doctor Li pinched his own face and laughed. My goodness, he must be feeling too tired from waiting up for her last night. Surely, this was just a hallucination. 

  Muxu’s back was facing the courtyard’s entrance, so she naturally couldn’t see the people that were standing at the entrance. She continued to cry as she said, “This servant is willing to continue to serving Madam and the marquis. This servant won’t ask for even an ounce of doting. Madam, please let this servant stay here. Please don’t kick this servant out……” 

  Ji Man pursed her lips and asked her, “Doctor Li wholeheartedly cares for you. Do you not care about him at all?” 

  Muxu froze in surprise. She shook her head and said, “We’re just acquaintances. There aren’t any romantic feelings between us.” 

  These were the words that Ji Man had been waiting for. She looked at the pitiful man that was standing at the entrance. His expression had abruptly changed. Ji Man curved her lips, sighed, and said, “You’ve served me for so long. I wouldn’t be cold-hearted. Why would I kick you out?” 

  Muxu let out a sigh in relief. 

  Ji Man added, “Go to Steward Qian and tell him that you’ve been reassigned to wash clothes in the back of the residence. You’ll still be in this household. And, if you want to serve me, you can wash only my clothing instead of the rest of the household’s.” 

  “No,” Muxu instinctively refused. Her tone had become slightly anxious. 

  Ji Man raised an eyebrow and looked at her. 

  “This servant doesn’t want to leave master’s side.” Muxu’s voice softened again. Her tears seemed endless as she looked at Nie Sangyu and said, “This is the first time this servant made a mistake. Master, please forgive me. Please forgive me!” 

  Ji Man ignored her. She stood there and waited until Muxu’s cries sounded hopeless before waiving her hand and saying, “Gancao, help you older sister Muxu inside. I have something I want to say to her in private.” 

  Gancao uttered a sound of agreement, pulled Muxu up, and pushed her into the Nie Sangyu’s room. Ji Man also went inside and closed the doors to shut everyone outside. 

  Ji Man sat down, looked at Muxu, and said, “Old Madame said I can decide whether you’re staying or leaving this household. That means, if I want you to leave, no one can help you. Do you think I should let you stay or have you leave?” 

  “Master, please have mercy!” Muxu’s voice already sounded slightly hoarse. She knelt down and repeatedly kowtowed. “This servant will wholeheartedly serve master in the future. Even if this servant hadn’t done anything outstanding, this servant has at least worked hard during the past six years. Master, please spare me this one time……” 

  Ji Man supported her chin with one hand and tapped the table with her fingers on her other hand. “I remember, when I rewarded you with a banknote the first time, you also gratefully said that you won’t betray me again.” 

  Muxu froze. She lowered her eyes and guilty looked at the floor. 

  “That time, I believed you. And then, I found my banknotes in your wardrobe and people came to my room to search for missing money. I almost got into trouble because of that. I haven’t figure out who was behind that yet. Is it Qi Siling? But, that doesn’t seem like her style.” 

  “Master……” Muxu looked at her in dismay. Feeling fearful, Muxu was even slightly trembling. Nie Sangyu actually knew…… that those banknotes were stolen from her? 

  “Don’t panic. I haven’t finished speaking yet.” Ji Man slowly and deliberately said, “You know a lot of my secrets. And as you said, you’ve been with me for six years. As my servant, you’re not lacking in money, so money wouldn’t be enough to gain your loyalty. So, Muxu, tell me. What method did that person use in order to have you be willing to risk your life for her? Who is that person? She’s even tried to harm my unborn baby this time.”


  Chapter 163 – How about I personally help you up into the position of an honored concubine? (2) 

  Muxu fell backwards into a kneeling position. 

  Why did she know everything? Had she known about all of her betrayals since the beginning? Why did she know that she was going to take action against her unborn baby? If she had felt suspicious about her since the lost money from the cold cream, why didn’t she say anything? Had she been observing her for such a long time? 

  Too frightening. 

  Muxu looked at Nie Sangyu fearfully. She instinctively wanted to retreat. 

  “I’ll always be lenient towards my own people.” Ji Man smiled. “You don’t have to be afraid.” 

  Dazed, Muxu closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and slowly exhaled. She moved forward to kneel in front of Nie Sangyu and said, “This servant can’t outwit master and is willing to admit defeat.” 

  Ji Man raised her eyebrows. “I’ve always been wondering; shouldn’t you secretly hate me? I didn’t treat you well for several years and frightened you into this shy and mumbly state. It seems that I wasn’t overthinking. You truly do hate me.” 

  Nie Sangyu had been extremely cruel to Muxu in the original novel. Ji Man wasn’t surprised about Nie Sangyu’s habit of beating and scolding Muxu at the slightest pretext. It was only to be expected that a woman that didn’t receive love for several years to become slightly disturbed. 

  But, since she had transmigrated here, when had she ever treated Muxu even slightly bad? When she had stolen a chicken, she had shared half with Muxu. When she had earned money, she had given her some to spend. Why did she still betray her? Moreover, Muxu’s method had been so ruthless each time, ah. Whether it was last time or this time with wanting to harm the unborn baby, the consequences would have been very serious for her if she hadn’t been careful and Muxu had succeeded. 

  Muxu frowned and bitterly laughed. “With master’s memory, is it possible for you to forget how you treated this servant in the past?” 

  “You really don’t have many options,” Ji Man lightly said, “Your future is under my control. If you insist on protecting your hidden master, then I’ll tell Old Madame to drive you out of this household.” 

  Muxu lowered her eyes and said, “This servant can only accept that outcome. It was this servant’s own choices that led to it. If Madam isn’t magnanimous and can’t tolerate this servant, then this servant can only leave.” 

  Seeing Muxu’s attitude of not caring because she had nothing to lose, Ji Man sneered. “Are you thinking that since Li Zixiu is deeply in love with you and you treated his sickly mother well, he’ll still marry you if you go to him and cry that the marquis forced you?” 

  Muxu froze in shock. 

  “I forgot to tell you.” Ji Man took out a scrap of paper. “Doctor Li sent a note to you yesterday to watch the meteor shower with him last night. Unfortunately for you, at that time, you went to the study with me to bring the marquis chicken soup. Dengxin had thought the scrap of paper was trash and threw it away.” 

  “Also, when you were recently kneeling outside and crying that you sincerely love the marquis, Doctor Li was standing at the courtyard’s entrance and watching the show.” Ji Man smiled and continued, “Muxu, I’m guessing that it took a lot of sweet words from you to get him to hide the truth about my pregnancy from me, right?” 

  This woman had guessed everything correctly. Muxu’s lips trembled. She raised her eyes and looked at the woman in front of her, “You aren’t Nie Sangyu……” 

  She had served Nie Sangyu for six years. How could not know Nie Sangyu’s intelligence and conduct? But, it was exactly because she had always been following after her and knew that this person had to be Nie Sangyu that she never felt suspicious despite the strange change in her behavior. She had thought her personality had just drastically changed from being confined for too long. 

  However, a person’s brain couldn’t be changed. Nie Sangyu had originally been such a foolish woman. It wasn’t possible for her to become clever just because she had suffered shock. This woman wasn’t Nie Sangyu! 

  Still kneeling, Muxu scooted backwards. Her eyes were full of fear. 

  Ji Man stood up, straightened her clothes, and leisurely said, “If you want, you can go out and run around the marquis’s residence three times while shouting that I’m not the real Nie Sangyu. Do you think anyone will believe you?” 

  Muxu shook her head. Feeling the wall at her back, she stopped retreating. Her face was deathly pale. 

  “Don’t be so anxious. You know that you can’t outwit me. Why are you still struggling?” Ji Man said, “Even if you don’t say anything today and make the huge sacrifice of ruining your own future in order to protect your hidden master, I’ll still find out her identity sooner or later. You couldn’t hide from me and neither can she.” 

  “However, if you’re willing to tell me who she is, I won’t ask you to be loyal to me in the future or tell anyone that you were the one that told me. On the contrary, I can personally help you up into the position of an honored concubine.” 

  After showing her enough of the negative consequences, it was time for sweetness. This sweetness was incomparable. As a person that was used to being a servant, Muxu didn’t have any defenses against this type of reward. 

  “Y-you’re lying to me.” Muxu’s eyes showed that her firm resolve had wavered, but she still felt somewhat guarded. 

  Ji Man covered her lips and smiled. “Why would I lie to you? Are you doubting my ability? Or, do you think I’ll suffer a loss if you become an honored concubine? Don’t forget, you’ll always be my person in the eyes of others.” 

  Muxu’s heart moved. Although the woman in front of her was terrifying, she didn’t have any other paths to take. If she followed this type of master, as long as she didn’t act against her, she would be able to live a lavish life and no longer have to serve anyone. 

  Ji Man didn’t rush her. She sat down and leisurely drank her tea as she waited for Muxu to decide. 

  After enough time had passed for an incense stick to burn down, Muxu let out a long sigh. 

  T/N: To summarize rambling note below, I’m so sorry for the late chapters. I wasn’t feeling well last week, but I feel much better now. I’ll be posting at least two extra chapter parts each day by 11:55 PM EST until I catch up on late chapters. 

  Sorry for disappearing. I’ve been busy with personal stuff (finally done as of Sunday night, yay), and I haven’t been feeling well until yesterday. I always feel disappointed when a translator or author only post an announcement that they’ve been sick/busy or some other reason and will post sometime in the future, so I didn’t want to post before I had an new translated chapter. 

  Anyways, at minimum, I’ll be posting two extra chapter parts each day by 11:55 PM EST until I catch up on late chapter parts from last week. Late chapters will be made up by November 30th 11:55 PM EST.

  Chapter: 164 out of 513 – Reversal in fortunes (1) 

  “Madam, do you remember when this servant broke your treasured teacup two years ago and you ordered this servant to kneel outside in the middle of the winter as punishment?” 

  Ji Man raised her eyebrows. Nie Sangyu hadn’t shared that memory with her. It was probably because she hadn’t found it important. 

  “Madam, you definitely have no idea what it’s like to to suffer coldness,” Muxu said, “During the past six years, you treated this servant as less than human. On that day, when this servant was kneeling in the snow, Mistress Xue passed by and secretly took this servant back to her courtyard to warm up. Then, she gave this servant warmer clothes, and this servant went back to kneeling.” 

  Mistress Xue? Qian Lianxue? 

  “Later on, Madam scolded Mistress Xue and told her to mind her own business.” Muxu desolately laughed. “If it wasn’t for Mistress Xue, this servant might have frozen to death that day.” 

  Ji Man was slightly surprised. She hadn’t expected that the person would be Qian Lianxue. She had thought Qi Siling would be a more likely suspect than Qian Lianxue. After all, Qi Siling clearly disliked her. As for Qian Lianxue, hadn’t she treated her differently at the beginning because of the cold cream? 

  Thinking of that sickly person that couldn’t even steadily walk by herself, Ji Man’s smile gradually faded. If the culprit had been Qi Siling, she would be much easier to deal with. But, why was it Qian Lianxue? 

  “Do you think she’s a good person?” Ji Man lightly asked Muxu. 

  Muxu nodded. Her eyes showed gratitude as she said, “At the very least, Mistress Xue has always treated this servant well.” 

  For a sickly honored concubine to treat Nie Sangyu’s personal servant girl well for no reason, how could it be possible for her intentions to be pure? Ji Man shook her head. In this household, Qi Siling was interested in the account book, Wen Wan was interested in Marquis Moyu, and Jinse was interested in status. She had thought that Qian Lianxue and Liu Hanyun were the only two people in this household that weren’t interested in anything. Hadn’t even Old Madame said that Qian Lianxue was a pitiful woman? 

  She was a woman that appeared to accept her lot in life. Why would Qian Lianxue manipulate Nie Sangyu’s servant into harming her? 

  Qian Lianxue seemed to be the only person that Nie Sangyu hadn’t offended before. Why did this behind the scenes BOSS want to harm her? Ji Man pondered these questions for a long time. 

  Muxu looked at Nie Sangyu’s expression and carefully asked, “Madam, do your earlier words still count?” 

  “Of course, it counts. How can it not?” Ji Man returned to her senses and lightly smiled at her. “Since I mistreated you for several years, it’s only right that I compensate you. I’ll go over to Old Madame’s place later to report to her and have the marquis give you a position.” 

  “As for my pregnancy……” Ji Man asked, “Did you tell Qian Lianxue?” 

  Muxu lowered her eyes and lightly nodded. 

  “Then, does she also know that we made the cold cream instead of buying it?” 

  Muxu nodded. After a pause, she added, “This servant only told Mistress Xue about this matter after you gave her the cold cream. After you took the cold cream out to sell, this servant didn’t tell her that you had earned a lot of money that was stored in your wardrobe.” 

  This Qian Lianxue was very talented at scheming and knew how to plan long-term for major returns. She hadn’t notice her attempts at harming her until now. 

  The enemy was hidden in the shadows and she was exposed in the light. Ji Man sighed. This was truly unfavorable, ah. 

  Right now, she wanted to keep her unborn child, but the person that wanted to torment her to death knew of it’s existence. Didn’t this mean that her future path had become more dangerous? Qian Lianxue didn’t seem threatening at all. But, as it turned out, she was like a cactus that had a deep root system that was camouflaged by a layer of fallen leaves. 

  Fortunately, after she had found out that Muxu had betrayed her, she had put on the show of cleanly severing her ties with Shuiji Rouge Store. Qian Lianxue probably didn’t know about her connection with that store. Right now, Shuiji Rouge Store could also be used to harm her. 

  Ji Man amicably allowed Muxu to stand up and said a few words to her so that she wouldn’t feel worried anymore. 

  — 

  During lunchtime, when she went over to old madame’s courtyard, she simply asked old madame to allow Muxu to become one of Marquis Moyu’s concubines. 

  Old Madame nodded and agreed, “I’ve been thinking that it’ll be better for you to have someone that can assist you. Let’s accept Muxu as one of my son’s concubines then.” 

  Muxu was overjoyed. She immediately knelt down and thanked them. Although Madam had said that she would help her become an honored concubine, she knew that they would have to take things step by step. She had thought she would have to start off as a bed servant. She would have never imagined that she could jump straight to being a concubine. 

  Old madame looked at Muxu again. Her tone was slightly severe as she said, “Since you’re Sangyu’s servant, don’t do anything that would wrong your master. It’s good if you can receive the marquis’s favor, but don’t forget that you stepped on your master’s back in order to go up.” 

  Even though she had become a concubine, everyone would think that Muxu was a despicable servant that had used the marquis’s affection for her master to climb up socially. She understood old madame’s words. Even if she became an honored concubine one day, her life wouldn’t be good if she wasn’t loyal to her master. 

  Ji Man arranged for Muxu to move to Wenxiang Courtyard and assigned two lower ranking servant girls to her. Starting from today, Muxu had accomplished her original goal and would be counted as a minor master. 

  Muxu happily walked around in her new room. She stopped at the mirror and looked at her new hairpin and clothes. She was extremely satisfied.