Falling out

Dongfang Minghui got up unusually early and heard hurried footsteps. Presumably, someone had discovered what had happened to her fourth sister.

"Miss, something terrible has happened in the West Wing Courtyard!" Cui'er came in carrying water and announced loudly.

"Do you know what happened?" Dongfang Minghui calmly washed her face, as though last night's events had nothing whatsoever to do with her.

Cui'er recounted everything she had just learned. "Apparently, the second young master had arranged to go into town with Young Master Lai. Then he pushed the door open without thinking and found him and the fourth young miss..."

What followed was difficult to put into words. After all, any Eldest Young Master who discovered his friend lying naked in bed with his unmarried younger sister would have been struck speechless.

Unfortunately, the fourth young miss woke up just then, and her screams drew everyone else over.

The news spread from one person to ten, then from ten to a hundred. In no time, the scandal had reached the entire Dongfang Family.

"Let's go take a look, too." Dongfang Minghui reckoned her father must be absolutely furious by now. Anyone would find it unbearable to have such a scandal erupt the day after his birthday celebration.

"Yes, miss."

By the time Dongfang Minghui arrived with Cui'er, the affair was almost over. Everyone had dispersed, and her father had told her second brother to bring Young Master Lai into a side hall. She had no way of knowing what they discussed.

As for her dear fourth sister, she had naturally been led back to her room in tears. The first madam had sent an elderly maidservant from her own household to watch over her, apparently afraid she might do something drastic.

Her fourth sister had previously had a fiancé whose status was an excellent match for hers. After this incident, their father would surely send someone to call off the engagement, or choose another of the sisters to carry on the marriage arrangement.

With Dongfang Lizhu's intelligence, she would probably soon realize that Dongfang Minghui was behind everything.

Just as Dongfang Minghui expected, her fourth sister came to her courtyard that very day under the pretext of "having a heart-to-heart with Ninth Sister." Fury covered her delicate, beautiful face, twisting her expression into something vicious.

"Fourth Sister, what brings you here?" Dongfang Minghui greeted her with a smile, a comprehensive guide to plants still in her hand.

Dongfang Lizhu walked up to her and knocked the book out of her hand with a smack. "Ninth Sister, how dare you set me up!"

Dongfang Minghui looked hurt. She glanced at the book that had been knocked away, then back at Dongfang Lizhu, her face full of wounded innocence. "Fourth Sister, what are you talking about? Why would I set you up? Besides, I've been meaning to ask you—where did you go yesterday?"

Dongfang Lizhu gave a scornful laugh and seized Dongfang Minghui's collar, yanking it hard. "Stop playing dumb. This is your handwriting on the note, isn't it? Your maid was the one who took me to the West Wing Courtyard. Who else could have set me up?"

A note?

Dongfang Minghui smiled. She had been counting on her fourth sister not daring to produce it and confront her. It plainly said, "The plan has changed." If she brought out the note, she would have no way to explain what those words meant.

Dongfang Minghui explained innocently, "Yes, I wrote the note. Cousin didn't drink the medicinal wine I'd prepared for him yesterday, so the plan couldn't proceed. In my haste, I wrote a note and gave it to Cui'er because I wanted to discuss what to do with you. I did tell Cui'er to take you to the West Wing Courtyard. I was trying to keep Dongfang Wanyu occupied then, so I asked you to wait in the room for a little while. But when Cui'er took me there, you weren't in the room at all. I even waited for you for ages. If you don't believe me, you can ask Cui'er."

Ask Cui'er? Wasn't that answer obvious?

Only then did Dongfang Lizhu realize she had fallen into a trap. She had thought she was playing everyone else like puppets, only to be outmaneuvered herself. But that was all right. There was plenty of time ahead, and who would have the last laugh remained to be seen. She chuckled twice. "Ninth Sister, well done. I really did misjudge you."

Dongfang Minghui widened her eyes in hurt disbelief. "Fourth Sister, you still don't believe me?"

Dongfang Lizhu closed her eyes and drew a deep breath. She could not bear to remain here a moment longer. "Ninth Sister, I'm not feeling well. I'll go back and rest."

"In that case, get some proper rest, Fourth Sister." Dongfang Minghui quietly instructed Cui'er, "Cui'er, see Fourth Sister out for me."

Their father soon delivered his decision on Dongfang Lizhu's situation: she would marry Young Master Lai as his concubine within a month. He must have been furious beyond measure. Even when the third madam went to plead with him personally after the decision was announced, he refused to relent. The marriage was settled just like that.

Lately, Dongfang Minghui had been poring over books about plants. This damned world was a fantasy setting where strength ruled supreme. Once people reached a certain age, their families required them to have their Spiritual Power tested. The original owner of her body had been a prodigy whose Spiritual Power awakened early, at just eight years old. Yet although one foot had entered the ranks of geniuses, the other remained firmly stuck outside. That was because Dongfang Minghui had useless Spiritual Power. She had only a slight affinity for flowers and plants, with no combat ability whatsoever, making her practically half a good-for-nothing.

That was also one of the reasons she had constantly courted death by antagonizing The Female Lead. Seeing the supposedly useless Female Lead was like a constant reminder that she herself was useless, too.

Of course, that was how the former Dongfang Minghui had thought.

Having read countless fantasy romance novels, she naturally knew that plant-type Spiritual Power users were valuable support specialists who could assist their teammates against enemies in battle. See? She was actually very useful. No one with a discerning eye had discovered her yet, that was all.

If she wanted to stay alive, she needed not only to cling desperately to The Female Lead's coattails, but also to make herself more useful. That was the latest conclusion Dongfang Minghui had reached after being repeatedly scorned by The Female Lead.

"Miss, these are flowers from the garden." Cui'er placed three potted plants on the table, one at a time: a jasmine, a Chinese rose, and a Peony.

After sending her away, Dongfang Minghui examined the three plants. She could tell that the Chinese rose was listless, as though it was unhappy. The Peony was brimming with vigor, but desperately wanted to go outside and bask in the sun. The last pot, the jasmine, had somewhat shriveled petals and seemed to be on its last legs.

"Cui'er," Dongfang Minghui called.

Cui'er pushed open the door and came in at her call.

"Put the Peony outside so it can get some sun." Dongfang Minghui pointed at the pot that had been so lively, then at another. "When you brought this one over, was there another pot of flowers beside it? Bring that one over, too."

Cui'er did everything she asked, although she had no idea why.

Dongfang Minghui went outside as well to observe the Peony basking in the sun. Its blossoms looked even lovelier in the sunlight. Sensing that its Spiritual Power seemed about to spill out, she quietly struck a bargain with it. "Give me the stamens from one of your flowers, and I'll let you bask outside every day."

The sunbathing plant immediately shook its branches in agreement.

Dongfang Minghui used her meager Spiritual Power to conjure a pair of scissors. With a snip, she cut off the Peony's stamens, then stored them in a glass bottle.

Because of years of insecurity and resistance, Dongfang Minghui's Spiritual Power level had remained at level one. Now, at last, she intended to break through.

When Cui'er returned, she was carrying another pot of roses. The Chinese rose beside it immediately perked up. Clearly, flowers feared loneliness, too.

Dongfang Minghui did not know whether to laugh or cry. Was she really going to spend her life dealing with all these flowers and plants?

She needed to prepare a few things to level up, such as a Foundation Stabilizing Pill. It was one of the most commonly used pills, sold all over town, and nothing particularly rare or expensive. She also needed plant essence. The stamens she had requested from the peony earlier were its essence. Such things cost a great deal outside; scarcity drove up their value. Everyone needed plant essence to break through in Spiritual Power, yet some higher-level plants had developed intelligence. When they saw humans coming to slaughter them, they fled in fright, leaving many people with no choice but to hire mercenaries to hunt them down.

Once both items were ready, Dongfang Minghui locked her door and told Cui'er to stand guard outside without leaving for even a moment, lest some reckless fool barge in and interrupt her Spiritual Power advancement.

Perhaps the Peony essence had done its work, or perhaps Dongfang Minghui's Spiritual Power was already on the verge of a breakthrough after so many years of suppression. In just half an hour, she advanced from level one to level two.

As a level-two Spirit User, her aura had become more appealing to plants, though only to relatively low-level ones.

When Dongfang Minghui emerged from her room, Cui'er first congratulated her on her breakthrough, then reported, "Miss, the seventh young miss seems to have left the estate."

Dongfang Minghui immediately summoned two guards and hurried out after her. She only dared follow from a distance, not approach her.

Then she reconsidered. Being too obvious about it would only make her seem guilty. She might as well appear openly before her.

Dongfang Minghui held out a hand to the two guards behind her. "Hand over some silver. I'm going shopping."

Dongfang Wanyu was short of a dose of plant essence and had come to a workshop to look for one. To her surprise, she found it, only to encounter an unreasonable young lady. The two were now locked in a dispute over the essence of the same plant.

Although Dongfang Wanyu was the seventh young miss, her standing in the household was lower than even a maid's. Naturally, she could not produce enough silver to compete with this willful young lady.

She might not have the money, but how could Dongfang Minghui pass up such a perfect chance to curry favor?

"I'll take this Spikefragrance Grass." Dongfang Minghui planted a pouch of silver in front of the shopkeeper.

The shopkeeper looked at it, caught in a dilemma. Only two young women had been fighting over it a moment ago, and now there were three. Since when had Spikefragrance Grass become so sought-after?

"Stop looking. I'm paying this silver for my Seventh Sister. Is it enough?" Dongfang Minghui stood directly beside Dongfang Wanyu, making her intentions clear.

The shopkeeper understood at once. "Yes, it's enough. Miss, this Spikefragrance Grass is yours."

Dongfang Minghui immediately took the glass bottle and placed it in Dongfang Wanyu's hand. "Seventh Sister, let's go."

The young woman who had been arguing with Dongfang Wanyu all this time was decidedly unhappy. She slammed her hand on the table. "Shopkeeper, what is the meaning of this? Do you think I don't have enough silver to pay you?"

The shopkeeper explained, "Miss, there is actually another specimen of Spikefragrance Grass, but we'll have to wait for it to be transferred from another workshop. Why not come back tomorrow? I'll be sure to keep it here for you."

"No. I want this one."

Dongfang Minghui could not care less. She had paid the silver and received the goods. Taking Dongfang Wanyu by the hand, she headed outside—only for a whip to lash viciously toward the side of her face.

The Female Lead was right beside Dongfang Minghui, leaving her no room to dodge. All she could do was watch helplessly as the whip came hurtling toward her.