The Female Supporting Character Just Wants to Farm [Transmigration] - Chapter 8

Facing down the female lead, with all her main-character halos, I can’t back down. After all, I transmigrated into this novel. It’s like God’s given me a cheat code, so dealing with these old-fashioned characters should be a piece of cake! Gao Luoshen thought to herself, taking a deep breath and shooting a disdainful glance at Gao Chun, perfectly embodying the rumored discord between the two Gao family daughters.

Gao Chun seemed completely oblivious to her arrogance, her expression remaining gentle as she smiled faintly. “Second Sister.”

When someone who rarely smiles suddenly starts smiling at you all the time and with such an innocent, sweet smile—even if you’re not captivated by it, you’d be a little spooked, right? Gao Luoshen certainly was. She clutched her chest and quickly stepped in front of Gao Chun. She was terrified that some new, bizarre rumor would start circulating in the capital, attracting even more unwanted attention for Gao Chun. 

“You’re coming back with me,” Gao Luoshen said in a low voice.

Gao Chun simply hummed in agreement, her smile a picture of obedience. But when they arrived at the Duke’s Estate, her demeanor changed completely. Her expression turned cold as she looked at Gao Luoshen. When Gao Luoshen wasn’t paying attention, Gao Chun pulled her into her own courtyard. Shua Hua, Gao Chun’s head maid, was initially overjoyed to see her mistress. But the moment she saw Gao Luoshen, her face fell. She stepped in front of Gao Chun, blocking her, and whispered, “My lady, why did you bring her here? Did she give you a hard time again?”

Gao Luoshen’s hearing was sharp; she clearly caught the maid’s words. That “again” was a subtle little jab, wasn’t it? Who was bothering whom? Was Gao Chun the type to be bullied? Seeing Shua Hua’s protective stance, Gao Luoshen scoffed inwardly and said, “Why did you bring me here? If there’s nothing, I’m going back.”

Gao Chun gave Shua Hua a meaningful look. The maid huffed in annoyance and grudgingly stepped away. Gao Chun’s gaze lingered on Gao Luoshen’s displeased face, and she chuckled softly. “Second Sister, please follow me.”

Could she be about to show me something good? Gao Luoshen knew that in the estate, Gao Chun always got first pick of most things, and even the Duke’s heir had to wait behind her. As for Gao Luoshen, while she wasn’t at the very bottom thanks to a few concubine-born siblings, it still made her feel slighted. Her eyes darted around, and after a moment, she smiled and said, “Alright.”

The novel had a description of Gao Chun’s room. Its layout was simple, like any other young lady’s room, save for the sword hanging on the wall and a painting of a vast, prosperous landscape. Gao Luoshen entered the room and immediately looked at the sword. In the book, this very sword had cut off the heads of many opponents. And that landscape painting, though it depicted a thriving, serene land, if you tore off the top layer, it revealed a haunting scene of hell, exactly as it was described in the book when the Empress and Crown Prince were executed.

“Do you like that sword?” Gao Chun asked slowly.

Gao Luoshen waved her hands frantically. How could she possibly touch a sword that had been sharpened with fresh bl00d?

Gao Chun simply nodded. She stared at Gao Luoshen and asked, seemingly nonchalantly, “Are you very close with Zhao Lanxi? Putting aside how being with a man harms your reputation, he’s almost forty. You—”

Gao Luoshen’s eyes widened in surprise at the first half of the sentence. Then a look of exasperated amusement crossed her face, and she cut Gao Chun off. “What are you thinking? Manager Zhao and I are just business partners.”

At the word “business partners,” Gao Chun’s gaze grew cold. She asked, “Do you know what kind of person Zhao Lanxi is?”

Gao Luoshen was genuinely stumped by the question. All she knew was that in the original plot, Zhao Lanxi lost his fight against Qi Wei, and the Lanting Pavilion gradually declined. Could he be one of Gao Chun’s people? With that thought, Gao Luoshen feigned a look of sudden realization and smiled. 

“If you don’t want me to interfere in your affairs, just say so.” She didn’t know what role Zhao Lanxi played in Gao Chun’s plans, but if the protagonist wanted him to fall, she had to pull back before the Pearl Banquet began!

Gao Chun’s eyes grew even colder at Gao Luoshen’s words, a faint trace of killing intent flashing across her face. But then she looked at Gao Luoshen’s sincere and unpretentious expression, masked her emotions, and said indifferently, “Zhao Lanxi started from nothing. He has Prince of Changshan, Yin Chunren, backing him. Otherwise, do you think someone with no power or influence could make it in the capital? And as for the Qi family, they’re inclined toward the Prince of Qin, Yin Chunxi, just like our Duke’s Estate.” At this, Gao Chun let out a cold laugh, hiding a flicker of disdain in her eyes.

Prince of Changshan, Yin Chunren, was the current Emperor’s second son. Fifteen years ago, the deposed Crown Prince Yin Chunjun and the late Empress were executed for treason. Afterward, Emperor Tianyan, Yin Shang, never named a new Crown Prince. He had many children, but only three could compete for the position: his eldest son, Prince of Zhao, Yin Chunyang; his second son, Prince of Changshan, Yin Chunren; and the much younger Yin Chunxi. The Emperor’s health was failing with each passing year, and the competition for the throne was becoming increasingly brutal. Most officials believed the eldest son should be the heir, but Yin Chunxi’s mother was the Emperor’s most beloved concubine.

“Is that true?” Gao Luoshen stared at Gao Chun in shock. She had read most of the book and didn’t know any of this. But then again, Gao Chun was in the Duke’s Estate. How did she get this information? When did she start laying her plans?

Gao Chun’s expression was nonchalant. “Why would I lie to you?”

Gao Luoshen frowned. If this was true, the Pearl Banquet might be a political struggle between the princes, and she shouldn’t be involved at all. But what if she backed out now? After a moment, she looked at Gao Chun and asked slowly, “Between the Fengyue Pavilion and the Lanting Pavilion, who do you think will win?”

Gao Chun didn’t answer. Her gaze was like a sharp knife, slowly tracing over Gao Luoshen’s face. After a long pause, she smiled faintly and said, “The Lanting Pavilion.” The Lanting Pavilion’s relationship with the Prince of Changshan wasn’t public, but the Qi family’s connection with the Prince of Qin was. It was unclear whether the attendees would be supporting the Fengyue Pavilion or the Prince of Qin.

“I see.” Gao Luoshen nodded.

If Gao Chun said the Lanting Pavilion would win, then it would definitely win.

But after the Pearl Banquet, she had to distance herself from Zhao Lanxi. If she accidentally got caught up in the struggle for the throne and became an obstacle for Gao Chun, her life would be at risk. After staying in Gao Chun’s room for a while, several ideas had crossed her mind, and she had finally settled on a plan. With her Luoshen Manor’s supplies and her perfect recipes, why not open her own establishment? She wouldn’t have to hire girls to sing, unlike the Lanting Pavilion or the Fengyue Pavilion, and instead of catering to noblemen, she could open a shop in a common area for ordinary citizens. She could even hire a storyteller to sit in the hall; wouldn’t that be more appealing? Compared to listening to songs, ordinary people would definitely prefer gossip. Regardless of its effectiveness, controlling public opinion would be crucial for building momentum later on.

Before leaving, Gao Luoshen gave Gao Chun a genuine smile. She had to thank her for providing such valuable information.

As soon as Gao Luoshen left, Shua Hua hurried into the room, afraid her mistress had been bullied. Seeing her mistress in a daze, she waved her hand in front of her face, worried. “My lady, did she poison you?”

“What are you talking about?” Gao Chun snapped out of her trance and laughed softly. She was replaying the expression on Gao Luoshen’s face before she left. She never expected Gao Luoshen to show such a genuine, kind smile. If she told anyone, they would probably never believe her.

Shua Hua pouted. After a moment, she asked curiously, “How did you end up walking with her?”

“She seems to know something. She’s not what I imagined.” Gao Chun frowned, her eyes falling on the sword on the wall. She wondered if this unpredictable variable should be kept around or simply eliminated for good.

Shua Hua stroked her chin for a moment, then replied, “Ever since she came back from the villa—no, ever since she went to the villa, she’s been a little strange, acting all secretive. Do you think she’s been possessed by something?” The moment the words left her mouth, the room fell silent. After a long pause, Shua Hua’s face turned pale, and she whispered shakily, “Should… should we go—”

Gao Chun gave Shua Hua a sideways glance and laughed. “You’ve been reading too many ghost stories. Go to the Jinghongyuan pavilion more often and tell me what you see. If you can’t figure it out, send Ah Da.”