You take on two husbands, I'll turn around and marry the tyrant and rule the world.

A sweet, pungent, aphrodisiac scent wafted from behind the bed curtains, like the tongue of a venomous snake, suddenly licking Lin Jingrui's nostrils.

His muscles tensed instantly, and he could no longer restrain himself, kicking the door open with a "bang"!

The dim lighting inside stretched and twisted his furious shadow, casting it like a giant beast onto the messy floor.

Lin Jingrui's eyes were bloodshot as he rushed inside.

The curtains fluttered wildly, revealing only the back of a man and the sound of a woman weeping.

A surge of violent, bloodthirsty energy rushed to his head, and Lin Jingrui's eyes turned completely red.

He let out a beastly growl, grabbed the man, and slammed him against the wall.

"Have mercy, it's me..." The man was so shocked by the impact that he saw stars and cried out in terror.

Lin Jingrui ignored him, grabbed the back of his neck, and slammed him violently against the corner of the bed! "Bang! Bang! Bang!" After a few blows, his face was covered in blood.

"Third brother, it's me... I'm your eldest brother!" the man finally cried out in a sorrowful voice.

Lin Jingrui's movements suddenly froze.

He turned around, picked up the oil lamp, and held it up to shine a light on it... Under the light, he saw his elder brother Lin Jingfan's face covered in pockmarks!

Lin Jingrui's pupils contracted sharply, and he was so shocked that he almost dropped the oil lamp.

Immediately, his bloodshot gaze abruptly turned to the corner of the bed.

"Chu Nianci, did he actually father a child with you?" His voice was chillingly sinister.

The huddled-up "Chu Nianci" suddenly jolted.

Suddenly, she let out a trembling, tearful scream and abruptly pulled the blankets over her head and body.

This sound... is not right.

That wasn't Chu Nianci's cool voice; it sounded more like... Shunqing's?

Lin Jingrui's heart skipped a beat. His boiling killing intent and anger were instantly doused with ice water, and a cold clarity seeped into his chaotic mind. He threw aside his limp elder brother, strode towards the bed, and was about to reach out and drag the man out...

Just then, a flurry of footsteps and laughter suddenly came from the doorway.

"Today is the housewarming party. Let's go see the bride's vows. She's shy, Jingjue, you're not allowed to tease your sister-in-law." Xie's teasing voice came from the doorway.

The girl chuckled and said, "I understand, Mother."

As she walked, Madam Xie sighed, "Ladies, my family's situation is unusual; we've married two daughters-in-law in a row, which has made us a laughingstock."

Lin Jingrui's heart sank; he knew something was wrong. He tried to turn around and close the door, but it was too late.

"No...you can't come in." Lin Jingrui hadn't finished speaking.

A large group of people poured into the doorway, including his family, several wives, and his friends.

Everyone was stunned by what they saw inside the house.

The ladies and gentlemen exchanged glances, all waiting to see what would happen.

"You unfilial daughter-in-law, what you've done is utterly shameless!" A rough, angry shout rang out at the doorway.

Lin Jingrui turned around abruptly and saw his father, the Earl of Chengen, and his mother, Madam Xie, standing outside the door, their faces filled with anger and disbelief.

Lord Bo, Lin Beicheng, was in his forties and a valiant warrior. He wore a black casual suit and his face was as black as the bottom of a pot. Madam Xie was beautiful and wore a coat with fox fur trim. Her face first turned pale and then became so gloomy that it seemed to drip water.

Behind them followed their astonished younger sister, Lin Jingjue, and their fourth brother, Lin Jingxing.

Madam Xie's gaze swept over the mess in the room, landing on her son's sinister face, and her lips curled slightly.

She had intended to use this to control Chu Nianci and force her to hand over her dowry, but she never expected that her son would witness the scandal.

A thought flashed through her mind, and Xie made a decision in an instant. She clutched her forehead, swaying precariously, and feigned a cough, then took her daughter's hand.

"Mother!" Lin Jingrui and Lin Jingjue rushed forward to support her.

"Please calm down, sir..." Madam Xie said, feigning concern.

"You still want to cover for her?" The Earl was furious, but a ruthless glint flashed in his eyes. "Jingrui, the Lin family cannot afford such a shameless daughter-in-law. You shall immediately send her to the countryside estate and never let her return to the manor."

"Father is right. Our family cannot keep such a shameless person who disgraces the family." Lin Jingxing also scolded towards the bed.

Chu Nianci stood to the side, watching her sister-in-law's arrogant and domineering face.

In her previous life, she almost lost her virginity. Lin Jingjue spread the news everywhere, and everyone in the capital knew that she had been defiled.

This time, she will no longer be caught in this dilemma.

The Earl glanced at Lin Jingfan and ordered his servants, "What are you all standing there for? Carry that scoundrel out of here, don't make a mess of the ground!"

Two guards rushed forward and dragged Lin Jingfan, who had collapsed to the ground, away.

Madam Xie then walked to the bed, sighing and pretending to be helpless, saying, "Chu Nianci, if you have even the slightest regret, return all your dowry shops and land, and I might still be able to save you some face."

Behind the crowd, Chu Nianci watched this scene quietly, a cold smile playing on her lips.

A lifetime has passed, but her mother-in-law's greedy face remains unchanged.

She said exactly the same thing as in her previous life, and forced herself to hand over her dowry in public.

But this time, we will not repeat the same mistakes.

The woman on the bed was trembling, but remained silent.

Madam Xie gestured for the nanny to act, and the nanny grabbed the woman's arm on the bed and dragged her out forcefully.

"No...no!" The woman clung tightly to the bedpost, her voice distorted with fear.

"You have no choice but to agree!" Xie said, but then suddenly realized something was wrong. Chu Nianci's skin was fair, but the exposed half of her calf seemed to be wheat-colored...

Just then, the woman finally gave in to the two burly old women and let out a piercing scream. A corner of the bed sheet slipped down, revealing a face smeared with rouge and tears.

Her eyebrows and eyes did bear some resemblance to Chu Nianci's, but her wheat-colored skin and pointed chin...

"Sister-in-law..." Lin Jingjue exclaimed in surprise, "It's you! Where's Third Sister-in-law?"

"Who's looking for me? What's going on here?" A clear, melodious voice rang out from the doorway.

Everyone turned around in shock, only to see Chu Nianci standing perfectly fine by the door, her clothes neat and her expression a perfect mix of surprise and confusion.

Xie was struck dumb, staring wide-eyed at Chu Nianci, then abruptly turning her head to look at the bed, "What's going on..."

The woman on the bed finally broke down completely, violently ripped off the sheets, revealing her true face... It was Chu Shunqing!

The room was deathly silent.

impossible!

Xie's fingernails dug into her flesh.

She had personally added the medicine to the rosewater, and she was certain that Chu Nianci had drunk it without any suspicion during dinner.

How come this bitch is still standing here unharmed?

She stared at Chu Nianci in disbelief, as if she had seen a ghost.

Lin Jingrui looked at Chu Nianci, then at the disheveled Chu Shunqing, his face drained of color.

He couldn't utter a single word.

He stood blankly in the middle of the crowd, but his expression was quite different from others.

It was an expression of surprise, embarrassment, and regret—an indescribable mix of regret and shock.

Amidst the astonished and uncertain gazes of the crowd, Chu Nianci walked step by step to the front of the group, met their eyes, and calmly answered, "I wasn't feeling well just now, so I went out for some fresh air. When I came back, I saw so many people gathered here. What happened?"

The crowd erupted in uproar, and whispers of discussion spread.

"The one in bed was actually Physician Chu. She was personally appointed by the Empress as a Physician. How could she be so shameless?"

"I heard she went south with the prince herself; I bet she's going to steal my sister's husband!"

"Maybe it was the mother-in-law who instigated it."

This last sentence caused Xie's expression to change several times; her gentle face suddenly turned gloomy.

The next moment, her hand trembled as she pointed at Chu Nianci with heartbreaking grief: "Nianci, Shunqing is your own sister, the legal wife whom Jingrui married on behalf of his brother. She helped Jingrui make meritorious contributions in the south, and she didn't hinder your position at all. How could you be so intolerant of her, setting up such a vicious scheme to harm her? Do you really think that I, her mother-in-law, am weak and that the Lin family can be bullied?"

Chu Shunqing was covering his face and crying.

Upon hearing this, she rushed to Chu Nianci without hesitation and demanded, "It was you! You're the one who ruined me!"

Chu Shunqing lunged at Chu Nianci like a madwoman, her nails scratching at his face.

"Slap!" A crisp slap echoed through the room.

Chu Nianci slapped her across the face, hitting her nose bridge, causing her to curl up on the ground in pain.

She then gently flicked her sleeve, walked slowly to the table, picked up the pot of rose dew with her fingertips, and shook it slightly in the light.

"Sister, wake up!" she said coldly, then turned to Madam Xie. "Aunt, you seem to have forgotten that you specially ordered this pot of 'Warmth Dew' to be delivered. Should we... invite that 'staff' back for a face-to-face confrontation?"

Xie stared intently at Chu Nianci's face, which was as beautiful as jade, until the last trace of color drained from her face.

She certainly knew the gravity of the matter.

The groom was her son, Lin Jingfan, who had secretly run away from the border. It was through her connections at the Ministry of War that he was spared.

How could she dare to expose this in front of everyone?