Reborn in Each Other’s Bodies: A Mother and Daughter’s Deadly Revenge

Sheng Minmin’s words planted a seed of doubt in Sheng Yong’s heart.

In the faint light of dawn, a servant saw the Master leaving the Madame’s Peony Court.

He was different from usual—his eyes were somewhat dazed, his steps a little unsteady, as if he had aged several years in a single night…

The servant’s curiosity was piqued. After some discreet inquiries, they all heard about how Qingxin had become the Eldest Young Master’s woman the previous night.

This news quickly reached Sheng Mingzhu’s ears, much to her displeasure.

She possessed an intense sense of ownership towards the men around her.
The more useful they were, the stronger her possessiveness became.

For instance, Prince Qi, her Martial Brother, and the three Sheng brothers…

She had long considered Sheng Mingjian her “property,” and she did not like others encroaching on his affections in the slightest.

Even if Sheng Mingjian felt no love for Qingxin, and it was just a drunken mistake, it was still unacceptable…

First, she had been slighted by the occupant of Haitang Court, then she learned the Feng family had two daughters serving as lowly maids in the Sheng household, and now this had happened…

Everything was going wrong! If not for the maturity she had gained over the past few years, she would have already had Qingxin seized and beaten.

She took several deep breaths and wrote a letter to her Master.

Her Master had promised to help her win everyone’s affection, to make her superior to others, and she was growing impatient.

She also wrote a letter to her Martial Brother, Lin Zhijing, inviting him to come and examine Sheng Mingyi when he had time.

The next day, Sheng Mingzhu received a reply from Lin Zhijing.

It turned out that news of Lin Zhijing’s return to the capital had spread months ago, and many powerful families had already invited him for consultations.

It wasn’t that the capital lacked good physicians; the Imperial Physicians in the palace and the doctors at Renxin Clinic were all highly skilled.

However, the Imperial Physicians primarily treated those in high positions, and over the years, their approach had become very conservative, prioritizing stability.

The doctors at Renxin Clinic were also excellent, and perhaps slightly more daring in their prescriptions, but they still found difficult and unusual cases challenging.

And complex, unusual ailments were precisely Lin Zhijing’s specialty.

People attributed this to his extensive travels and experiences from a young age.

Perhaps he had some unusual encounters and acquired unconventional medical techniques; no one even considered the possibility of Gu sorcery.

Besides, for those with power and influence who were suffering from illness, what did it matter if the cure involved Gu sorcery?

Even if a life-saving Gu worm required ten thousand human lives to nurture, they would undoubtedly sacrifice the common people without hesitation to save themselves—

Thus, Lin Zhijing had been extremely busy lately and replied to Sheng Mingzhu that he would need to visit the Sheng estate at a later date.

Over the next month or so, as Lin Zhijing successfully treated more and more people, his fame grew increasingly prominent.

Meanwhile, Master Dale seemed to have been quite active at the Third Princess’s estate, earning high praise from the entire household.

By now, the names of both Master Dale and Lin Zhijing were known throughout the capital, held in high esteem.

It was then that Lin Zhijing finally visited the Sheng estate.

This time, Sheng Yong’s attitude towards Lin Zhijing was much more enthusiastic. However, Lin Zhijing indeed found nothing unusual about Sheng Mingyi’s condition.

He simply stated that Sheng Mingyi was naturally frail and needed gradual nurturing, leaving behind a prescription…

The day after Lin Zhijing’s visit, the Sheng family received an invitation from the Third Princess to her mother-in-law’s birthday banquet, scheduled for a month later.

Sheng Yong repeatedly praised Sheng Mingzhu, saying the Third Princess must have sent the invitation out of respect for Sheng Mingzhu’s Master and Martial Brother…

Sheng Minmin inwardly sneered.

Years ago, at Chunshan Temple, the Eldest Princess had taken a liking to Xian Jie’er and had sent invitations to the Sheng family.

Five years ago, Huang Yaning had connected with Princess Fuling due to the charity donations, and their relationship had blossomed over the years. Huang Yaning often visited the Eldest Princess’s estate for social calls.

Xian Jie’er often accompanied her, so for years now, the Eldest Princess’s estate had always included the Sheng family in its banquet invitations.

Over time, the Sheng family’s social circle had risen several notches.

If the Sheng family could attend the Eldest Princess’s banquets, what was so praiseworthy about attending the Third Princess’s?

Ultimately, it was just Sheng Yong wanting to play all sides.

Although the husbands of both the Eldest Princess and the Third Princess could not hold official posts, the Duanmu and Murong families were both powerful and influential clans.

These two families had some historical grievances, and their conflicts had deepened due to the two princesses, forming two opposing factions at court.

Sheng Yong didn’t want to antagonize either family; instead, he wanted to gain advantages from both…

Now, with one daughter close to the Eldest Princess, and the other, thanks to Master Dale, about to become familiar with the Third Princess…

It perfectly satisfied Sheng Yong’s desire to hedge his bets.

This was also the underlying reason why Sheng Yong treated Huang Yaning and Sheng Mingzhu with such “equal favor.”

Sheng Minmin found Sheng Yong truly cunning and utterly shameless!

However, Sheng Yong had given her a box of silver notes to buy new clothes and accessories for the children…

This, at least, pleased Sheng Minmin.

Ever since she had reclaimed her dowry and stopped subsidizing the household expenses, everyone’s living expenses had been strictly allocated according to the established rules.

Even so, the accounts barely broke even, with not a single coin to spare.

That’s why Sheng Yong had previously paid out of his own pocket to furnish Sheng Mingzhu’s courtyard.

Now that Sheng Yong was willing to spend again, Sheng Minmin took Xian Jie’er, Huang Yaning, and Sheng Mingzhu out of the estate.

——-

Libai Pavilion

This was the only establishment in the capital that sold both accessories and clothing.

Their accessory designs were novel and exquisitely crafted; they offered ready-to-wear garments and also took custom orders…

Goods at Libai Pavilion were extremely expensive. A single dress or piece of jewelry could support an ordinary family of four for several years.

Consequently, its clientele consisted solely of the wealthy and noble.

Since the group needed to select outfits for the banquet, which would likely take some time, they went upstairs.

Upstairs were spacious private rooms where guests could sip tea and eat snacks while browsing selections.

For ready-to-wear garments, there were dedicated fitting rooms, making the process very convenient.

With the banquet less than a month away, a custom-made dress could usually be rushed for an extra fee.

But recently, many families must have received invitations from the Third Princess, and likely many noble young ladies would be ordering new dresses…

Sheng Minmin decided not to add to that rush and opted for ready-to-wear instead.

After she conveyed her intention, shop assistants soon entered, followed by a line of maids.

Some maids carried trays filled with an array of exquisite accessories.

Others held trays displaying garments of various colors, patterns, and fabrics.

If a customer showed interest in an item, the assistant would carefully unfold it and place it on a clothing rack for a clearer view.

“I need to help your brothers pick their clothes later, so you girls can go ahead and choose your own,” Sheng Minmin said directly. “Two new outfits each, plus some matching accessories. If you don’t see anything you like here, just ask them to bring in new selections.”