Reborn in Each Other’s Bodies: A Mother and Daughter’s Deadly Revenge - Chapter 96

Given that the Third Princess had spent her entire life competing with the Eldest Princess, it was no surprise that her daughter, Murong Yan, and Duanmu Rui’s relationship was anything but cordial.

That Murong Yan was a smiling tiger—venomous beneath her pleasant facade.

Afraid of being discovered, Sheng Minmin pressed a finger to her lips in a silent “shush.”

Xian’er adorably covered her mouth with her tiny hands, while Qingying and Dujuan nodded in understanding.

Just then, Murong Yan’s voice rang out again from outside.

“Elder Sister, why don’t you speak for yourself? Did we bully you just now?”

“Blessed Spirit Princess, earlier… the County Princess was merely jesting with this common girl…”

The voice was soft, but it carried unmistakable grievance.

Sheng Minmin’s expression changed the moment she heard it.

She recognized the speaker—it was Dong Qianqian, Murong Yan’s so-called “close friend.”

Dong Qianqian was a distant niece of the Minister of Revenue, Dong Shangshu. Orphaned at a young age, she had been sent to the capital out of pity by her clan.

Rumor had it that Minister Dong and his wife doted on her, bringing her to every banquet.

In her past life, Dong Qianqian had married well and often visited the Sheng residence to see Murong Yan. The two had seemed as close as real sisters, leading Sheng Minmin to assume their bond had always been warm.

But now, it sounded as though Murong Yan had been bullying Dong Qianqian—only for Duanmu Rui to intervene on her behalf?

Was this some kind of scheme?

Sheng Minmin’s heart instantly tightened.

Meanwhile, Duanmu Rui grew even angrier upon hearing the girl’s words. She pointed at Murong Yan.

“Murong Yan, you must have threatened her! Why else would she be so terrified?”

“Don’t be afraid! I’m a princess, and she’s merely a county princess. If she bullied or intimidated you, I will stand up for you!”

But the girl only trembled, finally forcing out a weak, “Thank you for your kindness, Princess… but you’ve truly misunderstood…”

Duanmu Rui was so furious she stamped her foot in frustration.

“Fine! If you insist on being a doormat, I won’t waste my time—”

With one last glare at Murong Yan, she stormed off.

Silence fell, broken only by the rustling of the wind.

Then—

“Come here.”

Murong Yan’s voice turned icy, her tone brooking no argument.

Dong Qianqian stepped forward—only to receive a sharp slap across the face.

“Do you know what to do next?”

Clutching her cheek, Dong Qianqian replied meekly,

“Replying to the County Princess… this common girl will return to the banquet and… accidentally let others notice the redness on my face. If anyone asks, I’ll say it had nothing to do with the Princess…”

“No. Wrong.”

Dong Qianqian’s lashes fluttered. “Then… what should this common girl do…?”

“Don’t let people notice. If anything, you should subtly hide it when they stare.”

“If asked, give a vague excuse—never mention her name, and never hint that she’s involved. Understood?”

Dong Qianqian looked bewildered.

Murong Yan smirked.

“Some things mustn’t be too obvious. But if repeated often enough… they become undeniable.”

A look of realization dawned on Dong Qianqian’s face. “This common girl understands.”

“Do your part well, and I’ll ensure you land a good marriage.”

Dong Qianqian’s eyes lit up with delight. “This common girl thanks the County Princess!”

…..

Sheng Minmin felt as though she’d just stumbled upon a jaw-dropping secret.

Murong Yan’s schemes ran deep!

First, she played the tyrant in front of Duanmu Rui, while Dong Qianqian acted the helpless victim too afraid to defy her.

Given Duanmu Rui’s personality, she would inevitably intervene to “save” Dong Qianqian—scolding or warning Murong Yan.

Then, Murong Yan would later “explain” in private, only to have Dong Qianqian show signs of abuse after Duanmu Rui left…

If this happened repeatedly, people would eventually take notice.

And once Dong Qianqian—the “victim”—subtly hinted at the truth (or, as in their past life, became Murong Yan’s “close friend”), the blame would shift to Duanmu Rui.

After all, who would suspect that Dong Qianqian was secretly colluding with Murong Yan?

Who would guess that their entire act was designed to frame Duanmu Rui?

This method was slow, requiring patience—but it was also the most insidious.

Was this how they tarnished the princess’s reputation in my past life?

The revelation sent Sheng Minmin’s heart racing.

But she quickly realized—this was the perfect opportunity to legitimately approach the Eldest Princess!

“Aunt…”

Huang Xianjing, her face pale, tugged at Sheng Minmin’s sleeve. Clearly, she too understood Murong Yan’s scheme.

Sheng Minmin shook her head. “Let’s go back first…”

After straightening their appearances, they returned to the main garden.

Servants were already serving cold dishes—the banquet was about to begin.

Finally, Sheng Minmin spotted the Eldest Princess and Princess Jing at the head table, with Nanny Wang standing behind the latter.

Seeing that familiar yet much younger face, memories from her past life flooded Sheng Minmin’s mind. Her chest ached, and tears blurred her vision…

To her, the stern but kind-hearted Nanny Wang had been her true family.

How she longed to throw herself into Nanny Wang’s arms and sob out everything she’d endured!

But she couldn’t. Nanny Wang didn’t know her now—and there were far too many people around…

Suppressing the storm of emotions inside, Sheng Minmin forced herself to remain seated.

The Eldest Princess’s banquet was extravagant—ten cold dishes alone were served.

The guests picked at their food halfheartedly, and soon the dishes were cleared to make way for hot courses.

Each dish was exquisitely prepared, but Sheng Minmin barely tasted anything, her mind preoccupied. Even Xian’er ate little.

Once the meal ended, the Eldest Princess invited everyone to another garden, where fruits and pastries had been laid out.

She then called for an opera performance, and the music began…

Sheng Minmin noticed that whether during the meal or the opera, the Eldest Princess was constantly surrounded by people.

She didn’t hesitate long before deciding—rather than approaching the Eldest Princess in front of everyone, it would be better to seek out Princess Jing.

Princess Jing was close to the Eldest Princess and would surely relay any message.

Moreover, Princess Jing disliked crowds and would likely retire to rest after the meal. Sheng Minmin could use her frequent visits from Zhu Qisheng as an excuse to “chat”—no one would find it suspicious.

As expected, Princess Jing left to rest instead of attending the opera.

Sheng Minmin sent Qingying to discreetly follow and confirm her location. After settling Xian’er, she waited for Qingying’s return before making her move.