Transmigrated into an Ancient M-Preg Novel as the Scumbag Alpha (GL) - Chapter 9
“Let’s eat.”
Yun Chenghuai gave the order, and lunch was brought in one after another.
Shen Liunian leaned against the luohan bed, looking somewhat languid.
Even when Yun Chenghuai entered, she remained motionless, her disdainful attitude somehow making Yun Chenghuai feel inexplicably guilty.
Yun Chenghuai squinted, taking two steps towards the luohan bed. “Madam, shall I carry you?”
She just saw Shen Liunian’s indifferent look and, for a moment, wanted to tease her.
Shen Liunian: “???”
“Nan Ling, come help me.”
The morning was an accident; Shen Liunian certainly didn’t want Yun Chenghuai to touch her, so she quickly had Nan Ling help her to the dining table.
The main house was very large, with bamboo screens everywhere, separating private areas like the bedroom, wardrobe, dressing table, and the spot where the chaise lounge was placed.
Bedrooms in Southern Qin were relatively small, only about ten square meters. It was said to be for feng shui reasons, generally using screens or curtains to make the sleeping area tiny. In modern terms, it was for a sense of security.
With the original owner’s personality, the courtyard was decorated very plainly, which indeed did not match the original owner’s character.
Because the original owner had a slight talent, she often claimed to be a scholar. Most of her retainers were talented scholars who had passed the imperial examinations, or *juren* (provincial graduates).
Juren could still become officials, going to some remote places to serve as minor officials, but *xiucai* (county graduates) were genuinely useless.
Among the retainers were also some powerless capital officials, and a few good-for-nothing sisters from noble families.
As a Princess, and one ambitious for the throne, she was surrounded by mere sycophants who only knew about romance and leisure, with no real skills.
Perhaps these retainers could write a few decent poems, and those spoiled scions might win the affection of their grandmothers and mothers, but this was far from enough to contend for the throne.
Unlike the Crown Princess, who had civil and military officials by her side, capable of shaking the imperial court with a mere stomp of their feet.
After the Crown Princess, the two strongest imperial daughters were the Fourth Imperial Daughter and the Seventh Imperial Daughter. The former’s maternal family was one of the current Grand Chancellors, and the latter’s maternal grandfather’s family was one of the Eight Grand Protectors.
The former had disciples all over the world, while the latter commanded a hundred thousand troops.
Compared to them, the original owner had much better conditions: a maternal grandfather who was the head of the Eight Grand Protectors, and an elder sister who was the Crown Princess.
To put it bluntly, even if she did nothing, simply waiting for her Crown Princess sister to falter and then naturally inheriting the connections and resources her sister left behind would be enough.
Not contending was a form of contending; eventually, if the original owner wished, she could simply raise her arm and rally support.
But the original owner courted death, earning the Emperor’s displeasure. Marrying a merchant’s daughter completely severed the original owner’s path to succession, and later, an excuse was found to confine her for ten years.
Of course, the term “merchant’s daughter” carried prejudice in this era. Yun Chenghuai, however, felt that a wealthy and beautiful woman like Shen Liunian, who was inherently a career-driven strong woman and would later become the first Kun Ze empress in history, was worth eight hundred original owners, and that was just considering her beautiful face.
Yun Chenghuai had memorized so many case laws. Take those cases, for example; if it weren’t for advancements in modern technology, they would be utterly undiscoverable through human effort alone.
Property disputes among powerful families were more dramatic than TV shows.
When she got tired of memorizing legal statutes, she would watch TV shows or read novels, particularly favoring historical power struggles. She had read quite a few legitimate history books.
She always had an idea to write a suspenseful detective novel set in ancient times, but unfortunately, she transmigrated to ancient times before she could realize it.
Yun Chenghuai had studied for so many years and became independent early, so she was much more mature than her peers, both logically and in her personal character.
Those who experience the coldness of human relationships too early can always adapt to new environments more quickly.
After sorting things out this morning, she had a clearer understanding of her current situation, realizing she faced both internal and external threats.
Fortunately, there was the personal guard unit given by the old Duke. With them, she wouldn’t be unable to move an inch.
That idiot, the original owner, couldn’t tell good from bad. Who were those people she considered her confidants?
The retainers were the ones who gave the original owner ideas on how to seize Shen Liunian’s dowry.
Those retainers made the original owner constantly persecute Shen Liunian or those around her, forcing the latter to voluntarily hand over money to protect herself and her people.
The original owner wanted both money and reputation.
She didn’t even consider that this was no different from outright robbery; her reputation had long been ruined.
No wonder Shen Liunian hated her so much; the original owner brought it all upon herself.
Shen Liunian’s attitude towards Yun Chenghuai was dismissive, her expression of disgust undisguised.
Shen Liunian had been raised with doting care, but after coming to Southern Qin, she had constantly suffered bullying, even abuse and humiliation.
So, Yun Chenghuai didn’t react to Shen Liunian’s attitude. Instead, as if by magic, she pulled out a bag of pastries from her sleeve.
“Old Li’s Jujube and Yam Cake.”
She couldn’t leave the manor, but that didn’t mean people inside the manor couldn’t leave.
Red dates replenish qi and bl00d, and yam supplements deficiencies. She had asked the manor physician, and pregnant women could eat them.
When she sorted through the original owner’s memories, she found that whenever the original owner visited Shen Liunian’s courtyard, there were always jujube and yam cakes on the table.
The shameless original owner would even pick up a piece and eat it.
In the morning, when she arrived at the front courtyard, Yun Chenghuai had asked where to buy good jujube and yam cakes and sent someone to buy them.
Since there was a queue, by the time she was about to reach the main courtyard, the guard had just arrived with the pastries, so she conveniently brought them along.
She was almost messed up by those maids earlier, which startled her. If the pastries had been crushed, she wouldn’t have had an appetite.
Shen Liunian looked at her, slightly stunned. “I don’t like sweets.”
Then, she picked up a piece of pastry nearby, took a small bite, waiting for Yun Chenghuai to lose her temper.
A person’s true nature couldn’t be hidden. One could pretend for a while, but not forever. She wanted to see how long Yun Chenghuai could keep up the act.
Yun Chenghuai was emotionally stable and didn’t think it was a big deal. Liking something was liking it, not liking it was not liking it, just like her reason for wanting to be a lawyer. Black was black, white was white; the law would give everyone justice.
Even if Shen Liunian refused to eat what she bought, so what?
“Don’t like sweets, huh? Then let’s eat our meal.” Yun Chenghuai lowered her voice, making her slightly magnetic voice sound soft and sweet.
Her words carried a hint of flattery, once again surprising those around her.
Does pregnancy really change a person? But it’s our young lady who’s pregnant! The maids present were full of doubts.
As soon as Shen Liunian was found to be pregnant, Yun Chenghuai seemed to transform, which was indeed unbelievable.
Yun Chenghuai was quite anxious internally. If she couldn’t get Shen Liunian to change her mind within three days, her fate was already sealed.
She had even considered what she would do if she couldn’t successfully change her destiny after three days.
Should she reveal that she was a transmigrator and not the original owner at all, or should she run away with Shen Liunian?
She didn’t notice that her thoughtful expression was seen by Shen Liunian.
Shen Liunian cursed inwardly, “Dog thing,” feeling that Yun Chenghuai was up to no good again.