News of the Second Branch

The system was persuaded by Zhao Ruxi.

It felt it was always being manipulated by Zhao Ruxi simply because what it had wasn't what Zhao Ruxi desperately needed. If it could access the modern online system and obtain what Zhao Ruxi wanted, then its current points wouldn't just be its own; Zhao Ruxi would even work hard to earn more points to buy things.

It said, "Alright, I'll give it a try. But gathering information in the modern world is different from doing it in ancient times; it consumes more energy. If you give me too few points, it won't be worth it for me. So this recipe will cost at least 50,000 points. If I consume too much energy, the points will have to increase even more. If you agree, I'll give it a try; otherwise, forget it."

Zhao Ruxi was immediately overjoyed.

She was just saying it casually, thinking the system wouldn't be able to find out anything about the modern world. But she didn't expect the system to give her this kind of answer.

Before Xiao Lingyan went to the border, she was so worried that she didn't know whether the Recovery Pill were effective when taken when one's life was in danger, or if they were effective if taken beforehand. After taking Xiao Lingyan said he felt no change in his body and didn't feel any stronger than before.

Later, she realized that this was Recovery Pill, not a strengthening pill, and it should only be taken when one's life is in danger to boost immunity. Therefore, even though she later saved up enough points, she did not buy the pill for her master and grandmother.

So she hasn't spent any points for a long time, and now she has nearly 200,000 points in her account. Moreover, she is currently earning a lot of points through both painting and calligraphy, so earning points is relatively easy. If she can spend 50,000 points to obtain a wine recipe and benefit the people of Nanyang, then it won't be a loss.

She said, "Okay. But we need to make this clear beforehand: you can't just find some incomplete wine recipe online and give it to me. If you sell me the recipe, you have to teach me until I can brew the same flavor as the sealed-jar wine I drank in modern times. Also, you have to give me some information about my family and Xiao Lingyan's family, so I can see what will happen to his family after we pass away."

"No problem," the system said.

After the two parties agreed on the price, the system remained silent, presumably to gather information.

Zhao Ruxi returned home with anticipation in her heart.

Lady Zhu instructed a maid to prepare bathwater and clothes for Zhao Ruxi, and asked with concern, "Didn't you say you had finished your inspection and weren't going to the countryside?"

"Well, unless something unexpected happens, I won't be going to the countryside anytime soon. I was just checking out the place where the distillery is being built," Zhao Ruxi said.

Only then did Lady Zhu feel relieved.

After Zhao Ruxi finished showering and sat down at the dining table, she said, "Your elder brother in the capital has sent a letter."

Zhao Ruxi took a spoonful of soup, looked up, and asked, "What did you say?"

Lady Zhu's expression was strange. "He said that one night a few days ago, a sedan chair came to the door, and your fourth sister got in with her maid and left. When the gatekeeper noticed something was wrong and reported it to your second uncle and eldest brother, they wanted to ask Ruyu what had happened, only to find that Miss Yu and Fushu had been drugged and were unconscious in the room."

Zhao Ruxi almost spat out her soup.

"Cough, cough cough cough..."

Lady Zhu was startled and was about to get up when she saw Qingfeng patting her back, and Zhao Ruxi had also recovered.

She quickly waved her hand and said, "Alright, I won't say anymore. You should eat your food. We'll talk after you finish eating."

Previously, the Earl of Suiping's Residence also adhered to the principle of "not speaking while eating or sleeping," but after Zhao Ruxi came and the family separated, because they left early and returned late, the family could only gather together to talk during mealtimes. Under Zhao Ruxi's leadership, everyone developed the habit of talking about things at the dinner table.

"Mother, you can say so, I won't drink the soup," Zhao Ruxi said.

Seeing her daughter's bright eyes and gossipy expression, Lady Zhu couldn't help but laugh.

"Later, your second uncle and the others called a doctor, who revived Miss Yu and her maid. They then learned that the second son of the Marquis of Pingnan had arranged to take Miss Yu as a concubine and had come to fetch her in a bridal sedan chair. Miss Yu was worried about being scolded by your second uncle and eldest brother, so she planned to leave a letter and secretly get into the sedan chair. But for some reason, your fourth sister drugged Miss Yu and got into the sedan chair herself."

At this point, Lady Zhu sighed, "I really don't know what to say about those two sisters. They gave up being proper wives to become concubines, and such lowly ones at that. It's one thing for Miss Yu to be foolish, but at least she was with the Marquis of Pingnan for so long and was willing to suffer for him. Even after she married into the Marquis of Pingnan's Residence, the Young Master Fu Er would treat her well. I just can't understand why Miss Rui would do this."

Zhao Ruxi remained silent and did not speak.

When she first transmigrated, she still tried to recall the plot, but since she and Xiao Lingyan both escaped unscathed, she rarely thinks about the original story anymore.

When the matter of the substitute marriage came up, she remembered that in the original plot, when Zhao Ruyu was to marry Fu Yunlang, Zhao Rurui was insanely jealous and tried to drug Zhao Ruyu so that she could take Zhao Ruyu's place in the marriage.

The female lead's aura is invincible, and Zhao Rurui naturally saw through Zhao Ruyu's schemes. In the end Zhao Ruyu got her wish and married Fu Yunlang; while Zhao Rurui suffered revenge from Zhao Ruyu, and her marriage plans repeatedly failed. In the end, it was Lady Zhu who made the decision to marry her off to a scholar from an ordinary family.

Is Zhao Ruyu getting revenge on Zhao Rurui now? Zhao Ruyu would never believe that Zhao Ruxi didn't do it on purpose.

Although she didn't know how many points Zhao Ruyu spent on the Beauty Pill, the price certainly wouldn't be lower than hers. Even if Zhao Ruyu's piano skills were at a higher level, and she earned more points for playing a piece than she did when she first started practicing calligraphy, it wouldn't be easy for her to earn that many points.

She spent so much time and energy becoming beautiful, it's impossible for her to end up worse off than in her previous life, willingly becoming a concubine to Fu Yunlang, who could no longer become the Marquis of Pingnan and whose heart had changed.

So she set a trap for Zhao Rurui?

"What happened next?" she asked. "Young Master Fu Er discovered that the person carried into the manor wasn't Zhao Ruyu, didn't he have someone bring Zhao Rurui back?"

"Your elder brother didn't mention it in his letter, so I guess the Young Master Fu Er left the person at the manor," said Lady Zhu.

She guessed that Zhao Rurui had both sleeping pills that could drug Zhao Ruyu servant, and could certainly drug the Young Master Fu Er as well. Since Zhao Rurui had gone to such lengths to get into the bridal sedan chair, she wouldn't allow herself to be sent back.

But Zhao Jingli couldn't write about these despicable methods in her letter, nor could she tell her daughter who was still young.

Lady Zhu's conjecture was exactly what Zhao Ruxi had thought.

She smiled and said, "Zhao Rurui got what she wanted. Since she wants to be a concubine, let her be. After we return to the capital, don't pay any attention to her. When she was at home, she would still maintain some decorum in order to get you to arrange a good marriage for her; now that she's not happy with her marriage, she might just throw a tantrum in front of you and Grandmother, demanding that you give her a dowry."