Rules of the Strange: I Became a God in a Bizarre World Through Taoist Arts

The little maid's glistening tears clung precariously to her long eyelashes. Upon hearing Shen Xingzhuo's punishment, which was neither too severe nor too mild, she momentarily forgot to react.

Shen Xingzhuo didn't urge her.

First, she couldn't lower herself to the status of Miss Pei; second, the maid was probably the only "person" she could see at this stage, and she couldn't let this source of labor get away.

"If Miss believes it is my fault, then I am willing to accept the punishment."

The little maid closed her eyes, seemingly resigned to her fate.

Shen Xingzhuo's lips twitched.

What's the difference between saying that and saying, "If that's what you think, there's nothing I can do about it"?

It's as if she's being unreasonable.

Shen Xingzhuo cleared her throat. "Then why aren't you going yet? Do you want me to call in the family for discipline?"

"I……"

The young maid was taken aback. "Does Miss really believe I seduced the young master?"

Shen Xingzhuo looked at her with a cold smile.

What kind of answer do you want to hear?

"Yes... I believe you didn't have any intention of seducing Liu Jin. It was Liu Jin who was a beast in human form and poisoned the little maid who served me. Or do you admit that I am jealous, thus confirming that I, Pei Jinyu, am intolerant of others?"

Shen Xingzhuo got up from the couch and slowly walked closer to the little maid.

He leaned down slightly and whispered in the maid's ear, "You're incredibly foolish to try and force me to prove myself."

Her smile didn't reach her eyes. "This is the Pei residence. Even if I were to call a deer a horse, you'd still have to applaud me, understand?"

The little maid was now truly trembling with fear.

Seeing that the time was right, Shen Xingzhu sneered, "Before I get angry, go and fill up the water vat in the yard!"

"Yes...yes!"

The young maidservant quickly got up and ran out, her steps unsteady.

Shen Xingzhuo walked to the window and glanced at the red sun that seemed about to set.

[Main Quest 2: Complete the wedding ceremony with Liu Jin, but be careful not to anger the groom! (Current progress: 8/9)]

"The mission has reached the final stage... which means I have passed the verification of the first eight rules of marriage."

Based on the wedding ceremony's flow, it should be late at night, not around sunset.

Shen Xingzhuo tapped rhythmically on the window frame.

Her gaze deepened as she began to piece together the clues.

After entering the bridal chamber, one must sit alone until dawn.

However, Liu Jin's goal was to marry into the family first and then seize power, so it was impossible for him to leave Pei Jinyu, who was still immersed in happiness, alone on their wedding night.

Moreover, even putting that aside, Liu Jin from the "past" in the ghost stories was already stabbed to death long ago.

The current Liu Jin is the Chosen One Xiu Yi. He has her puppet talisman on him, so he will never do anything against her will.

"The sun shines brightly, but it's all an illusion. So everything I see now is what others want me to see..."

Shen Xingzhuo's eyes flickered with helplessness as she murmured softly, "Jinxiu, Jinxiu, you still don't believe your sister."

But even so, she could still understand Pei Jinxiu's feelings—

After all, someone who is obsessed with love and willing to abandon their family and career has virtually no credibility.

That's why Pei Jinxiu used methods to directly shatter Pei Jinyu's illusions.

"But there's still one thing that doesn't make sense..."

"My original identity was Pei Yin. It was because Runyu said that well water could be dyed into Guanyin brocade that I went out to investigate and ended up on the 'past' timeline..."

"If Pei Jinxiu did all this for my sister, doesn't that mean Runyu might be one of Pei Jinxiu's people?!"