Chapter 125
Chapter 125: Taken with Yun Zheng’s Bloodline
[What the—]
[What on earth is going on?]
[Could it be because my spiritual power just broke through?]
[A breakthrough in spiritual power can even pierce the system’s shielding? Am I really that amazing?]
[Wait, I have a theory. What if the system’s upgrade works the same way as my spiritual power breakthrough?]
[If that’s the case, then why should I worry about it upgrading?]
[It upgrades, I don’t upgrade—problem solved.]
[That way, it’ll never be able to overpower me.]
As they listened to her heart voice, the rest of the Yun family exchanged bewildered looks.
What was going on?
Why had Little Fourth suddenly brought up the system? And what did she mean by “piercing the system’s shielding”? The fragments made no sense, so they decided to wait and see. Based on past experience, Little Fourth could never keep things to herself for long—soon she’d lay everything out clearly.
Sure enough, Yun Wan Ning’s heart voice resumed after only a moment’s pause:
[Oh, why am I thinking so far ahead?]
[Now that I can hear Su Qian Xue’s conversations with the system again, the priority is to spy on her task progress.]
[What was she just saying to the system? Something about Su Jian and Madam Su wanting to marry her to Pei Yu? And they’ve already sent someone to the Pei clan with the proposal?]
[That makes no sense. The whole thing with Pei Yu happened days ago—what were the Su couple doing all this time?]
[Even if Su Jian hasn’t recovered from being beaten by the Chancellor’s faction and couldn’t handle the matter himself, what about Madam Su?]
[Could it be she was reluctant to marry Su Qian Xue to Pei Yu and kept delaying?]
[No, no, no—Madam Su’s persona is that of a fierce tigress. Even if the Heavenly King himself came, he’d still get two slaps.]
[If she didn’t want it, she wouldn’t delay—she’d flatly refuse. Without her consent, Su Jian could never make it happen.]
[So no matter how I think about it, something’s off here.]
What Yun Wan Ning didn’t know was that Su Jian had indeed been beaten unconscious by officials, and Madam Su had also suffered Mo Yuan Hao’s retaliation—her carriage had rolled down a slope, leaving her comatose for days. She also didn’t know that the moment the couple woke up, they heard about Su Qian Xue and Pei Yu, then fainted again in rage.
To her, Su Qian Xue’s sudden system dialogue made no sense.
The Yun family finally pieced it together: Little Fourth must have regained the ability to hear Su Qian Xue’s system after her spiritual power breakthrough, which explained the earlier fragmented thoughts.
As for the content—it was about Su Jian and Madam Su wanting to marry Su Qian Xue to Pei Yu.
Yun Wan Ye’s eyes flashed with a hint of satisfaction. So, things were finally heading this way—his efforts had paid off. He was curious to see how Su Qian Xue would resist her parents’ will.
[Ugh, what’s going on between Su Qian Xue and the system?]
[They’ve been at it for ages, and all I get is one line?]
[Come on, keep talking!]
[If only my spiritual power were stronger. Then I could tether a strand to her and watch her 24/7.]
[Once I reach the third level, I’ll be able to leave a wisp of spiritual power on someone indefinitely.]
Just as she thought the conversation had ended, the dialogue box popped up again:
[I’ll handle it myself. If I really can’t, I’ll have Su Qian Yue marry Pei Yu in my place. In the original plot, her role was to be the substitute bride.]
[Because of my arrival, she escaped that fate.]
[But as a concubine’s daughter, what good match can she get?]
[The Pei clan may not be top-tier, but Pei Yu is the legitimate son. He’s still better than that cripple Yun Wan Chen in the original plot.]
[Su Qian Yue loved that cripple to death—if she could marry Pei Yu, she’d be overjoyed.]
[The host may act freely, as long as the task is completed.]
Yun Wan Ning: [ … ]
[Wow. Su Qian Xue really broadened my horizons.]
[How could she come up with something this vile?]
[In the original plot, making Su Qian Yue the substitute bride was the work of a vicious supporting role who destroyed herself through her own scheming.]
[But this is the official plotline—how can you, the heroine, do something so base?]
[And the damned system even agrees…]
Her thoughts startled Yun Wan Chen, his gaze suddenly narrowing.
The others froze as well.
What?
Su Qian Xue wanted to substitute Su Qian Yue into the marriage with Pei Yu?
Realizing what this meant, everyone instinctively looked at Yun Wan Chen. His expression remained calm, but his eyes held a dangerous gleam.
Meanwhile, Yun Wan Ning’s thoughts kept flowing:
[So what, a concubine’s daughter’s life doesn’t matter?]
[Wasn’t the point to repair the broken plotline?]
[Substituting Su Qian Yue would only break it further. So the system only cares about the male and female leads’ storyline, and no one else’s?]
[And what’s with looking down on my big brother?]
[What do you mean Pei Yu is “better” than him?]
[Even if my big brother were crippled, that Pei fellow couldn’t compare. Does he have a sister as amazing as me?]
[Don’t think that just because you’re the heroine, you can say whatever you want.]
[Just wait. One day, I’ll make you swallow those words.]
The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. She didn’t care if Su Qian Yue was substituted, but insulting her big brother was unacceptable. She liked him too much to tolerate anyone demeaning him.
As far as she was concerned, even if every man in the world became crippled, her brother never would.
…
At the Grand Commandant’s manor, Madam Su had sent word to the Pei clan, proposing that Pei Yu marry Su Qian Xue to protect both families’ reputations. The Peis, feeling guilty and wary of the Grand Commandant’s influence, agreed at once.
However, Pei Yu was still unconscious from a serious attack, so the betrothal would be delayed until he woke.
When the messenger returned with the Peis’ reply, Madam Su’s anger finally eased. She had never imagined that in the few days she’d been unconscious, her beloved daughter would become entangled with the lowly Pei clan—and in such a humiliating way that the whole city knew.
This scandal was far worse than the previous brothel incident. That time, though everyone thought her daughter had lost her chastity, Madam Su knew her girl was still pure. One glimpse of her maiden’s seal would have silenced all rumors.
But this time, the disgrace was real, witnessed by many. There was no covering it up—marriage was the only way to end it.
The Peis might not be prestigious, but Pei Yu was at least presentable, and with the Grand Commandant’s manor behind her, Su Qian Xue would not be mistreated.
Madam Su only hoped her daughter could stay quiet now—her family could endure no more turmoil.
Thinking how her daughter’s future husband had gone from First Young Master Yun Wan Chen to Pei Yu made Madam Yun’s chest tighten. How could the Peis compare to the Yuns?
Back then, she had taken a liking to Yun Zheng’s bloodline, and after saving him once by chance, had clung to him until she secured the match between Yun Wan Chen and her daughter. She had never expected later events to ruin it.
If Yun Wan Chen had never met with misfortune, he would have been the best possible match in all of Haojing.
…
Meanwhile, Su Qian Xue changed clothes, preparing to approach Mo Yuan Hao. With time running short, she couldn’t afford to waste another moment—she didn’t want to face the system’s punishment for failure.
But just as she reached the gate, the guards blocked her:
“Miss, Madam has ordered that you are not to leave the estate.”
Her eyes widened in disbelief. “What did you say?”
“Until the engagement is settled, Madam says you are not to step outside.”
“…”
What the hell?
If she couldn’t go out, how was she supposed to complete her task? Lying around all day wouldn’t get it done.
“And if I insist on leaving?”
“Madam says if you try to force your way out, we’re to knock you unconscious.”
She never expected her first major obstacle to be her doting mother.
“Fine, I get it. I won’t go out.”
Grinding her teeth, she turned back into the estate.
[System, find me another way out of the Su manor besides the main gate.]
[Will the host crawl through a dog hole?]
[…]
[I’ll crawl.]
For the sake of the task, she would endure it.
Yun Wan Ning, listening in real-time from Duke Ning’s estate, mused:
[Oh, Su Qian Xue is leaving the estate again. I wonder what she’s up to.]
[Must be something important—otherwise she wouldn’t agree so readily to crawl through a dog hole, when she refused before.]
[Wait… why not use the main gate?]
[Could it be… she’s forbidden to leave?]
[Maybe Madam Su’s guarding her to prevent her from escaping marriage?]
Her eyes widened at the thought.
[So is she going out to escape marriage? Or to do her task? Or something else entirely?]
Out at the Grand Commandant’s manor, Su Qian Xue emerged from the dog hole, brushing off her hands and clothes with a look of pure disgust.
[Ugh, I never want to crawl through another dog hole as long as I live.]
[If the host dislikes it, why not use disguise arts to leave?]
[…]
[Oh right, I could disguise myself as a maid—why didn’t you say so earlier?]
She froze for a beat, then cursed the system in her heart. The damned thing must have done it on purpose to see her humiliated.
[The host didn’t ask.]
[…]
This useless trash—she’d had enough of it. It never gave her any cheats, and now it was just dead weight. Could it really be pretending to be useless on purpose?
Meanwhile, Yun Wan Ning was left speechless by the pair:
[Honestly, I’ve read countless novels in my past life, but this is the first time I’ve seen such a ridiculous heroine and system. And of course, I’m the one stuck with them.]
[Who’s the unlucky one here? Hard to say.]
[Well, it’s none of my business. I’ll just enjoy the show.]