Transmigrated as the Villainess, She Made the General Blush - Chapter 24

Xiao Fuguang furrowed his brows and raised his hand to scratch his head.

“Sister, are they siblings?”

What were this Mu Family brother and sister up to, putting on a grand show in front of them?

Xiao Wangshu mused, smiling, “Who knows?”

In the book, Mu Shuhao and Mu Xiaoxiao were far from harmless; at least, not as innocent as they appeared on the surface.

Mu Xiaoxiao monopolized the Capital’s clothing and jewelry market, and alone could easily cover the vast expenses of the entire Mu Mansion.

As for Mu Shuhao, in the early stages, he used various means to approach the Xiao Family’s children, attempting to stir up conflict between the Xiao Family and the Mu Family’s legitimate line. He wanted to use the Xiao Family’s power to crush the legitimate heirs of the Mu Mansion, and thereby establish a new Mu Mansion under his own control.

The Xiao Family child he targeted was their second brother, Xiao Pingnan.

Early on, Xiao Pingnan sought to use Mu Shuhao to bring down the Mu Family, leveraging his own connections to open up an official career path for Mu Shuhao, and indeed learned many Mu Family secrets from him.

Later, because Mu Xiaoxiao was rescued by Emperor Wei Qixuan during a dangerous incident, the two fell in love and secretly pledged themselves to each other. From then on, the Mu Shuhao siblings quietly joined the Emperor’s faction.

Acting as inside agents for Xiao Pingnan and helping the Emperor bring down the Xiao Family, Mu Shuhao and Mu Yunze became almost equals in power.

For a time, the two Mu Mansions became the most powerful forces in the Capital.

On the surface, Mu Xiaoxiao also reconciled with Mu Chuxue. The two sisters served the Emperor together, sharing equal favor in the harem.

Right now, the plot was clearly still in its early stages.

The Mu Shuhao siblings were racking their brains to find external support, hoping to use the Xiao Mansion’s influence to defeat the legitimate heirs of the Mu Mansion, then establish their own power and rule alone.

Whether it was guiding Pan Jin to push Xiao Wangshu into the water, or telling them at Ruibao Pavilion that Pan Jin targeted Xiao Wangshu out of love for Mu Yunze, or today’s performance revealing that Mu Xiaoxiao and Mu Chuxue had always been at odds-in truth, the Mu Family siblings’ goal had never changed:

To befriend the Xiao Family’s children and guide the Xiao Family to target the Mu Family’s legitimate line.

These siblings could be called true merchants. To them, as long as the profit was great enough, even betraying their pro-Emperor family was not out of the question.

Profit-driven merchants-what loyalty or righteousness could there be?

To them, whoever offered benefits, even if it was the treacherous Xiao Family, they would follow.

“Forget it, let’s not bother with them. Sister, let’s go home.”

Xiao Fuguang thought for a while, but couldn’t figure it out, so he stopped concerning himself with the Mu Family siblings.

Xiao Wangshu nodded and left with him.

The Mu Family siblings had deep roots in the Capital’s business circles. If she approached them now, she would only be used by them. Not only would it hinder her own development, but she wouldn’t gain much benefit in the end.

Better to wait until she had the confidence to negotiate, then go bargain with the tigers.

…

Ever since she visited Fang Qin’er’s two shops after leaving the mansion, Xiao Wangshu had been studying books upon her return, drawing layout plans for the shops based on current decoration styles and the shopping habits of women in the Capital.

Decoration was the shop’s first impression; the right style and layout could maximize the shopping experience.

To better understand the construction techniques of this era, Xiao Wangshu often spent time in Xiao Fuguang’s study, since only there could she find the books she needed.

She also had a moderately sized music room in her own courtyard, which held many books, but those were all poetry and music scores, which she didn’t need for now.

—

After finishing his lessons today, Xiao Fuguang returned with his attendants and once again saw his sister sitting at the door of his study.

The legitimate young lady of a prestigious family, just sitting right on the threshold.

What kind of behavior was that?

Xiao Fuguang hurried forward and asked the two Guards at the door, “Didn’t I tell you not to stop my sister?”

The two Guards quickly replied, “Reporting to Young Master, we wouldn’t dare stop Fourth Miss!”
Ever since the last time they tried to stop her and were punished by the Young Master, how would they dare block this Ancestor again? Clearly, it was this Ancestor herself who refused to go in, insisting on sitting outside the door to wait for their Young Master to return.

At this moment, Xiao Wangshu also stood up and said, “Brother, calm down. They didn’t stop me; I just wanted to sit outside, enjoy the breeze, and read.”

Besides, a study might contain some secrets.

Her old habits made her unwilling to enter someone else’s study at will.

Hearing this, Xiao Fuguang immediately guessed her concern and said, “Sister, I’ve already told you, you can just go in directly. We’re siblings-what could there possibly be in my study that you shouldn’t see?”

They’re family, just reading some books together-why be so distant?

Xiao Wangshu smiled and said, “Alright then, I’ll just go in directly from now on?”

“Sister, just go in as you please. It’s a study, not a bedchamber. What could there be that’s embarrassing to see?” Xiao Fuguang raised his hand, signaling the two Guards to open the door.

After the study door opened, Xiao Fuguang let the servant carrying books enter first, then followed into the study himself.

Xiao Wangshu followed behind him, finished reading the last two pages of her book, found the spot where she had originally taken it, and put it back on Xiao Fuguang’s bookshelf.

At this moment, two Maids entered one after another, saluted Xiao Fuguang and Xiao Wangshu, and placed the tea, snacks, and porridge they carried onto the table.

Xiao Fuguang sat behind the desk, glanced at the food, and instructed, “You may leave.”

“Yes.” The two Maids saluted and withdrew.

After the Maids left, the Guards outside closed the study door.

Xiao Fuguang’s Personal Attendant stepped forward and began to taste the food with the spare utensils.

Standing by the bookshelf, Xiao Wangshu took in the entire scene.

In the original memories, when Xiao Fuguang was young and reading at night, he once suffered an attempt at poisoning.

That night, he was reading by lamplight when a servant from the Chancellor’s Mansion brought him a bowl of soup for nourishment. Not wanting it, he casually gave it to his Study Companion.

After drinking it, the Study Companion bled from all seven orifices and died on the spot.

Such a scene left an indelible shadow in the young Xiao Fuguang’s heart. From then on, anything he ate or drank had to be tasted by his Personal Attendant first.

Fang Qin’er was also so frightened by this incident that her heart would race every time. Since then, every bowl of nourishing soup sent to Xiao Fuguang’s study at night was watched over by Fang Qin’er’s trusted people, monitoring from the washing of ingredients all the way until it reached Xiao Fuguang’s desk.

This was just a small story within the Chancellor’s Mansion, existing in the original memories, but not depicted in the book.

The book focused mainly on the romantic lives of the Mu Family Female Lead and the Emperor Male Lead. Many other plotlines were glossed over, with only the interactions between the two leads described in detail.

Thus, many things within the Chancellor’s Mansion were either briefly mentioned or not written at all.

For example, Xiao Fuguang’s habit and the story behind it.

“Sister, would you like to eat something before reading?”

Only after all the food had been tasted by the attendants did Xiao Fuguang ask.

Xiao Wangshu returned to her senses and replied, “Mm.”

She then selected a book from the shelf, carried it over to sit opposite Xiao Fuguang, and picked up a piece of Chinese Yam Cake to eat.

“Chinese yam is good for the stomach. It’s autumn now, Sister, you should eat more.” Xiao Fuguang pushed the plate of pastries closer to Xiao Wangshu, then looked up and smiled at her.

Xiao Wangshu was momentarily dazed by his smile. After a while, she smiled back and continued eating her Chinese Yam Cake.

When reading the book, she was actually full of doubts about Xiao Fuguang’s character.

It was hard for her to imagine that such a young boy, unlike herself who was orphaned, was instead doted on by his parents-so how did he develop such a temperament and methods?

And why was it, as described in the book, that from childhood to adulthood, it was always the younger brother protecting the older sister?

At this moment, she seemed to understand.