Chapter 1: What Deep, Sisterly Devotion

Tomorrow, the household of Earl Xuanning would see a daughter wed. Lanterns and streamers adorned the place, magpies perched on branches, and the bustle continued into the night. Only the bride-to-be Tang Wanning’s courtyard remained quiet and elegantly restrained.

“Miss, look at Miss Lan, coming so late and not leaving, bathing in our room, insisting on bathing in the best rose petals from the betrothal gifts before she’ll be satisfied. Tomorrow is clearly your wedding day, yet she acts like she’s the real bride!” the maid Xiaoman complained angrily, defending her mistress.

Tang Wanning knew the girl was loyal, and stubbornly so, unwilling to serve another mistress. Such obstinacy would result in a bad end. Unfortunately, both she and her maid were just as blind.

She had originally been a modern-day heiress who fell into bankruptcy: through her girlhood she had been pampered and arrogant, used to getting whatever she wanted. Then her father made a bad decision and the family collapsed. In a short time she lost more than handbags, clothes, and luxuries. She lost respect and then the heartbreaking news that both parents couldn’t endure and left her. Beaten by society and deceived by people, she’d learned much, grown thicker-skinned, and just as her small business began to succeed and before she could buy back the sold luxuries she had lost, she died and transmigrated into a novel…

The original owner of this body who shared her name fared even worse. Her father had been a great general with countless merits, earning the Earl Xuanning title with his scars, but he died for the country too soon. Her mother couldn’t bear the grief and passed within two years. The original owner of this body became an orphan, with the title passed to her second uncle and the estate was entrusted to him, so she ended up dependent on others.

That foolish girl spent her days pitying herself, timid and shrinking, never daring to raise her head. She willingly became her cousin’s substitute and married the Second Prince Zhao Yan. The cousin who was supposed to marry him was her second uncle’s eldest daughter and she suffered an unfortunate fate: two years earlier she fell from a cliff and left no remains. The original Tang Wanning knew she was not the one for whom the Second Prince truly cared. She was not his ideal lover nor his cherished beauty, only someone who looked similar, so the prince’s affections had shifted to her. Yet she couldn’t control her love and bravely married him.

The outcome was obvious: a counterfeit could never replace the real thing. Her lone courage was exhausted at marriage, and afterward her timidity repulsed the Second Prince. Apart from a few initial warm days, there was nothing after that. She fell into gloom, lost her child to miscarriage. The steward of the house proved useless and she fell for trap after trap, getting into trouble after trouble, a vicious cycle that made the prince despise her more and more. In the end she was repudiated for supposedly having an illness that made her go blind, and Miss Lan stepped into her place.

That Miss Lan was Tang Wanlan, the second daughter of the second uncle, currently bathing in the side chamber and insisting on using the betrothal rose petals for her bath.

Tang Wanlan had long harbored a secret love for the Second Prince but hid it well, appearing to everyone as an innocent, sweet girl. In her heart she resented the original’s betrothal: as a sister by the same mother, she resembled the elder sister Tang Wanyan even more, so why was the marriage arranged with her cousin, Tang Wanning? Only because on that day she was a few breaths late, and the Second Prince saw Tang Wanning first!

Tang Wanlan considered it deeply unfair and felt that Tang Wanning had stolen her fate. She hated Tang Wanning and couldn’t accept that someone else would stand noble and graceful beside the future sovereign instead of her.

But the match had been set and couldn’t be changed, so she continued to act obediently while executing schemes in private: she uttered sweet-sounding sisterly words that seemed to be good advice but were actually meant to demean Tang Wanning; bribing and colluding with servants of the Second Prince’s household to stir trouble, all while playing the understanding beauty and showing concern for her brother-in-law. When the time came the drama unfolded: she had Tang Wanning’s eyes ruined, forcing the prince to discard her, and by handling matters cleverly and with decorum she successfully rose to become the new Second Prince’s consort.

When Tang Wanning first learned of this she wanted to curse and swear. Who could have imagined sisters would stoop so low for status and glory, even fighting to be the substitute! The Second Prince had an imperial noble consort for a mother who seemed a strong backer and the prince looked handsome enough, but he was heartless and unkind behind closed doors. Was he worth such self-sacrifice?

Now she was not from this universe, but she was already here. There was no going back. She had to survive wherever life put her, but she wouldn’t live sloppily or in humiliation. Even if only for the sake of her parents watching her from heaven, she would live well and honor herself. As for scumbags like the Second Prince, she had no use for him. Such a rotten-hearted dog could be left to those who needed him.

“Miss… Miss, at least say something!” Xiaoman stamped her foot anxiously. “Say the word and I’ll bawl out that shameless wretch this instant!”

Tang Wanning smiled faintly, lips curved. “If she likes it, let her use it.”

Xiaoman’s eyes widened. “Miss, what are you saying!”

Tang Wanning’s smile deepened at the corner of her mouth. “I’m getting married tomorrow and Lan’er can’t bear to part with me, so she comes to cling to me, to ease my parting sorrow and calm my mind. What a fine sister she is.”

Xiaoman instinctively checked her mistress’s forehead. “Surely you haven’t…” been bullied into foolishness, have you?

“Shh—”

Hearing the water stop in the adjacent room, Tang Wanning put a pale forefinger to her lips and instructed her naive maid, “If Miss Lan comes to cause a fuss, remember to keep silent. Don’t speak, obediently step back.”

“But, I…”

“Do as I say.”

Her mistress narrowed her eyes in a disconcerting way. Xiaoman didn’t dare disobey and obediently replied, “Yes, miss.”

Pop!

A candle spat a flash. Tang Wanning picked up a small, silver pair of scissors and began to cut with deliberate calm.

In the novel the original owner of this body was timid and shrinking, always insecure, aware she couldn’t prop up the family so she didn’t try to fight for anything, except she obsessively wanted to marry the Second Prince. She failed to see Tang Wanlan’s affection for the prince, yet she instinctively sensed danger and was usually cautious. On that day she swallowed everything and mustered the courage to send Tang Wanlan away. Now it was her turn…what was there to chase away? The other woman had come at just the right time.

Oh Tang Wanlan, don’t you dare disappoint me.

“Sister, I’m done bathing!” Tang Wanlan, scented from her bath and smiling sweetly, came over and hugged Tang Wanning’s arm. “The things here are different, so fragrant. So the Second Prince likes this scent. Sister, hurry and bathe, be sure to put lots of petals in!”

Tang Wanning let her gaze slide over the hand on her arm without moving, lowering her head in a shy smile.

Tang Wanlan’s eyes flickered. “Oh silly me, I’ve totally forgotten. Tomorrow’s your big day, so you should wait till tomorrow morning to bathe and scent yourself. Sister is so beautiful, so wonderful. The Second Prince is truly fortunate, I’m so envious!”

What was she talking about? Who was the really beautiful one right now? Tang Wanning wore plain nightclothes, her hair and skin unkempt. Tang Wanlan emerged beautiful from her bath, her face like peach blossoms, breath like orchids, skin flawless. The contrast was painfully stark.

Some words are careless to the speaker but purposeful to the listener. The original owner of this body had been fragile and sensitive, and Tang Wanlan’s deliberate display had an obvious effect. She was clearly trying to tell Tang Wanning: “I’m so beautiful and yet has no chance, are you worthy? The Second Prince is so fine a man and should marry someone who matches him, someone the world will envy. What makes you think you can?”

Those words would have deepened the old Tang Wanning’s inferiority, but this new Tang Wanning only gave a slight smile. “It’s my honor to attend to such a favored son of heaven. No others would have such an opportunity, would they?”

Tang Wanlan paused, sensing something different about this older cousin, but on closer look she hung her head more shyly and nervously twisted a cloth with her fingers… It was possible that Tang Wanning couldn’t even perceive the implication behind her words.

“Exactly, everyone outside envies you, sister,” Tang Wanlan adjusted her tone well and rested her head against Tang Wanning’s shoulder. “But I can’t bear to lose you… Sister dotes on me, always keeps good food for me, leaves the fun things for me, the best things for me. If sister leaves, what will I do?”

She looked up, eyes slightly red. “In the future… can I often visit sister at the Second Prince’s residence?”

Tang Wanning stroked her hair, throat slightly tight, feigning deep sisterly feeling as if too moved to speak. But inside she snorted: are you really going to visit your sister or are you hoping to harm her?

Suddenly, there was a clattering sound. The maid Xiaoman had come in with tea but accidentally dropped the teacup to the floor.

Tang Wanlan frowned. “What’s going on? Such clumsy hands! Don’t you know tomorrow is my sister’s auspicious day? Breaking things like this is unlucky. Go downstairs right now!”

“I didn’t…” Xiaoman protested, deeply aggrieved. As a well-trained maid, she couldn’t possibly be that unsteady. If not for Shuangxing bumping her from the side…

“You dare talk back?” Tang Wanlan’s brows knitted tighter. “Guards, drag her down and lock her in the firewood storeroom for the night to sober up! Sister did secure a fine match, but our Tang family mustn’t get too proud. The Second Prince’s household is no place for someone as arrogant as you! You will only shame my sister!”

Xiaoman was indignant, but recalling what her mistress had said earlier and seeing the slight shake of the mistress’s head, she pressed her lips together and lowered her head.

Tang Wanning sighed, her voice, as ever, lacking strength, “Alright, Xiaoman, go downstairs for now. With tomorrow’s festivities there will be many attendants by my side, you should rest. And don’t lock her in the storeroom, just stay in your own room and go nowhere. I’ll have someone fetch you to the Second Prince’s residence later.”

Tang Wanlan turned her back, a smug curl at her lips, nodding to her maid Shuangxing to brew another pot of tea.

“Sister, don’t be angry. I was just a little anxious before, I didn’t mean to do anything to Xiaoman, only to remind her to know her limits. Once away from home she must mind both big and small matters… Sister, have some tea!”

A sister so considerate, not bad-tempered at all. Just a bit possessive and proud. How could Tang Wanning, as the elder sister, refuse? She naturally lifted the cup her sister had handed and drained it in one sip.

Tang Wanlan’s smile grew sweeter. “Then sister, let’s go to bed!”

“Alright.”

Tang Wanning sat at her dressing table and let her hair down. Before leaving, after a moment’s thought, she still tucked a golden hairpin into her hair.

She couldn’t help it, the pin was too pretty. She’d lived frugally and ungroomed, forcing herself to work like a man. It had been a very long time since she’d worn something so bright and beautiful.

Once in bed, Tang Wanlan snuggled closer again, playing the clingy, coquettish, attentive little-sister role.

“Sister, let’s share a blanket.”

“Sure.”

“Sister, come closer, I can’t bear to be apart from you…”

“Mm.”

“You’re so warm…tell me, what’s so good about getting married? To live in someone else’s home, you can’t always return or long for home… Without doting parents, you have to worry for others over everything, it sounds like such a pitiful life…”

Those words would have made the original owner of this body even more afraid and uneasy, but Tang Wanning merely smiled. “Women grow up and must marry. Lan, you will too.”

Tang Wanlan whined, “I don’t want to! I don’t want to marry! I’ll stay with sister forever, stay home to care for our parents forever!”

Tang Wanning understood too well: such words were spoken because she was unhappy with the match. Were the suitor the Second Prince, the little sister would likely blush and lower her head at once as she said, “I’ll do as my parents say.”

“Tsk… Sister, why are you sleeping with a hairpin?” In the dark night Tang Wanlan tilted her mouth in open disdain at what she saw as Tang Wanning’s petty thriftiness, her voice still coquettish and sweet. “You can’t keep doing this. If you don’t pamper yourself, won’t the Second Prince be displeased and hurt?”

Tang Wanning snorted inwardly. This woman could even tease her about husband-and-wife intimacies and still pretend to be an innocent sister. Would her mother approve of such boldness?

Night deepened and the sounds outside the gate slowed as everything drew its breath in. Some creatures huddled for warmth, while some people lay together but had different dreams.

Tang Wanning heard movement in the courtyard, soft footsteps approaching and stopping at the door.

The one they waited for was not Tang Wanlan but the bride-to-be herself, Tang Wanning.