“Oh no, I shouldn’t have said that! My master and the Sword Monarch are master and disciple—how could there be anything else between them? It’s just nonsense rumors from some people, who dare to claim that the Sword Monarch refuses to seek a Dao companion because of my master, Liu Qingyin… But, well, who could blame them for misunderstanding? My master is so beautiful and kind; what man wouldn’t be drawn to her? Even the formidable Sword Monarch is still a man. Oh, Madam, allow me to tell you a secret—just the other night, the Sword Monarch stood outside my master’s abode, keeping watch all night long. His expression back then—ah, he really seemed to be suffering!”
Lin Jiu opened the wooden tray and found a fragrant bowl of bamboo-scented rice and a plate of perfectly cooked stir-fried mushrooms. “Ah, was that the same night he agreed to marry me?” She glanced at Xiong Yulian and responded perfunctorily,
“Exactly!” Pleased to see Lin Jiu finally catching on, Xiong Yulian smiled so broadly that her eyebrows seemed to dance. “I truly feel sorry for you, Madam. You’ve already married him, but they’re still entangled with each other! You didn’t see it earlier—when the Sword Monarch and my master came down the white stone steps, they were practically holding hands! If I were you, I’d be furious!”
Lin Jiu gave a vague response.
Xiong Yulian leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a whisper. “Honestly, I think my master is quite pitiful. If it weren’t for Martial Uncle Murong constantly watching over her these days, I’m afraid she might have done something foolish by now. It’s obvious how much Martial Uncle Murong cares for her! I just don’t believe she’s completely unmoved!”
Lin Jiu’s heart skipped a beat. In the original plot, the villainous side character Lin Qiu had first targeted the female lead by slipping a colorless, tasteless love potion into her tea, intending to force a scandal between Liu Qingyin and her fourth senior brother Murong Chun in an attempt to sever all ties between Liu Qingyin and Wei Liang.
However, Lin Qiu’s scheme was quickly exposed, and she was caught red-handed. Seeing Lin Qiu refusing to admit her guilt, Liu Qingyin, in a fit of anger, drank the drugged tea herself. Wei Liang was unable to stop her in time and had to watch his beloved ingesting a love potion.
Right before the female lead lost control, Wei Liang forcefully took her to his abode to detoxify the potion from her body—of course, this process included several intimate moments between the two. This marked the initial occasion when Wei Liang finally acknowledged his feelings for Liu Qingyin.
Afterward, the perpetrator Lin Qiu was sent back to Dongting by Wei Liang.
After finishing her recollection, Lin Jiu raised an eyebrow and fixed a deep gaze upon Xiong Yulian. “Are you saying that Liu Qingyin and Murong Chun…” Her words trailed.
“Exactly!” Xiong Yulian’s eyes sparkled. “But my master can’t seem to let go of the Sword Monarch, and who knows how long will she continue dragging on! If only there were a way to make them confess their feelings quickly, it would save my master from being stuck between you and the Sword Monarch, lest everyone remain miserable!”
“Even though I’m considered their elder now, this isn’t something I can meddle in. All we can do is let things happen naturally.” Lin Jiu sighed dramatically. Xiong Yulian’s tone was so persuasive that it almost lured her into this manipulative rhythm.
“Actually, there might be a way.” Lowering her voice, Xiong Yulian whispered.
“Oh?” Lin Jiu raised an eyebrow.
Xiong Yulian continued, “Last year, my master cleared out the lair of a powerful devil cultivator. Among the spoils, she found some mysterious potions that could help people realize their true feelings. My master’s been debating whether or not to use one on the Sword Monarch…” At this point, the girl paused, her eyes gleaming as she watched Lin Jiu’s reaction closely. In her mind, the bait had been cast, and now it was just a matter of seeing whether this foolish woman would take it.
Lin Jiu found this amusing, but she concealed it well and feigned anger. “How shameless of Liu Qingyin! With her own master? How could she even think of that?”
Xiong Yulian, eager to add fuel to the fire, exclaimed, “There’s no other way! The Sword Monarch obviously has feelings for my master, but he’s too bound by societal norms to admit it. My poor master is extremely heartbroken! Now that you are already in the picture, Madam, Master is likely feeling desperate and thinks this is her last chance!”
Feigning fury, Lin Jiu slammed her hand on the wooden table. “When Wei Liang returns, I’ll tell him exactly what his precious disciple is planning to do!”
“No, no, please don’t!” Xiong Yulian panicked. “My master hasn’t done anything yet. No one will believe you!”
“Then what am I supposed to do? Just sit back and watch her seduce my Wei Liang?” Lin Jiu acted out her outrage perfectly. But in her heart, she was more than ready to throw both protagonists into each other’s arms and be done with them.
“If I may, Madam, I have an idea,” Xiong Yulian began, her eyes gleaming. “Since there’s already something between my master and Martial Uncle Murong, we might as well give them a push. That way, you’ll not only bring a couple together but also put an end to my master’s feelings for the Sword Monarch. Two birds with one stone!”
“But I can’t exactly walk into Liu Qingyin’s abode and look for that love potion myself,” Lin Jiu furrowed her brow in pretend frustration.
“I can help you!” Xiong Yulian’s eyes widened with excitement. “But you can’t tell anyone I was involved!”
Glancing at the girl, Lin Jiu nodded slowly, but she was actually smirking inside. In the original plot, Lin Qiu kept her promise and never revealed Xiong Yulian’s role in the plot, proving that even villains could have principles.
Seeing Lin Jiu agree, Xiong Yulian’s smile grew even brighter. “Great! Give me a moment, Madam, I’ll head back right away and get you the potion as soon as I can!”
“Good,” Lin Jiu replied casually. “Just make sure you don’t grab the wrong thing.”
“No worries!” Xiong Yulian waved her hand. “I saw Master handling them just last night. She even warned me not to mix them up!”
Those nonchalant words didn’t sound like a lie—Lin Jiu froze for a moment, her heart skipping a beat. The narrative of the novel closely followed Liu Qingyin, and she was certain that the female lead hadn’t instructed Xiong Yulian to lead Lin Qiu into a trap.
’But… what if Liu Qingyin was actually aware of her disciple’s intention and secretly gave a light push?’
’Who is manipulating whom?!’
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Sounds line the og Lin Qiu was a pitiful person. she doesn’t sound smart and was manipulated and used by everyone around, including her own mother. She couldn’t even find a smarter way to fuel her karma lotus. And bc of her mother’s brainwashing, she didn’t even have a sense of self worth. A true sad cannon fodder.