Oops! My Inner Thoughts Are Ruining The Plot

Chapter 90: Chapter

As the sun started dropping, turning the sky a dusty orange, Su Yueqing’s room was a total mess of silk dresses and travel bags.

Since this banquet was an all-night thing at the Governor’s place... drink until midnight, crash in their guest rooms, and head back tomorrow morning, her maids were busy packing a chest with her extra clothes and cosmetics.

Su Yueqing was sitting by her mirror, lazily twirling a comb, when the door swung open. Her head maid stepped in, dragging along an old physician who looked like he’d rather be anywhere else.

"Madam, Physician Kang is here," the maid said, bowing.

"Finally," Yueqing said, turning around with a sharp, wicked little grin. "Did you bring my stuff?"

The old guy bowed so low his nose almost touched his knees, setting his wooden medicine box on the table. "I did, Young Madam. Exactly what you ordered."

He unclasped the box and pulled out a few dark glass vials and three paper packets packed with some nasty, strong-smelling ground herbs.

"I have the purging herbs and the concentrated laxative powder right here," Doctor Kang muttered, looking around like he was about to get executed for treason. He scratched his beard, looking totally lost. "If you don’t mind me asking, Madam... are you sick? Because if you take even a pinch of this, you’ll be glued to a toilet for two days."

"Sick? Me?" Yueqing laughed, taking the packets. She handed the heavy stash over to her head maid to pack into her luggage, keeping just one small packet tucked tight into the hidden pocket of her sleeve. "God, no. I feel great."

Her eyes narrowed, filled with pure, unfiltered spite.

"But some annoying little pests tonight are definitely about to have a miserable time," she said, her voice dry as ice. "Call it a preventative measure. Better safe than sorry, right?"

The old doctor stared at her, his mouth hanging open. He took one look at her totally unhinged, confident face and decided right then and there that closing his mouth and getting out was the safest option for his health. He bowed fast and sprinted out the door.

This little dose of nightmare fuel was reserved for whichever bratty noble ladies or arrogant pricks decided to get on her nerves tonight.

Once the room cleared out, Yueqing sat back down at her vanity, leaning back and pulling up the web novel interface in her head. She flipped to the banquet arc to skim through what was supposed to happen next.

Scanning through the text, her eyebrows twitched in absolute disgust.

[God, this novel is so trash,] she complained internally, rolling her eyes as she read the upcoming plot points. [The author really pulled every cliché out of their ass for this banquet. Stupid misunderstandings, fake drama, pathetic traps... these idiots really never learn, do they?]

With their maids and guards trailing behind them, the couple made their way to the front gate where two large carriages were waiting. One was lavishly fitted for the journey, while the second was entirely dedicated to carrying their luggage.

Su Yueqing, never one to skip a chance to play up her dramatic reputation, had insisted on bringing four massive, overstuffed silk bundles for a simple overnight stay. After all, what kind of proper villainess would she be without her absurdly extra wardrobe options?

Wenzhe stared at the mountain of bags loaded onto the second carriage and pinched the bridge of his nose, his composure cracking. "Four bundles, Yueqing? We are staying for one night. Are you planning to change your outfit every two hours?"

"Excuse me, General, but options are essential!" Yueqing huffed, crossing her arms and glaring right back at him. "A lady of my standing needs day wear, evening wear, emergency wear, and morning-after wear. Do you want me looking like a peasant in front of the entire capital?"

"You’re being utterly ridiculous—"

"I am being prepared!"

The two of them were bickering like petty children when the clip-clop of horse hooves cut through their argument. A grand, sleek carriage pulled up right outside the estate gates, bearing the emblem of the Empire’s prestigious scholar house.

The curtain pulled back, and Young Master Zi Han stepped down with practiced, effortless grace. Dressed in elegant silver-and-white robes, he looked every bit the top scholar of the empire.

"General Xi, Young Madam," Zi Han greeted them with a polite, flawless bow, a refined smile on his face. "I hope I am not interrupting."

Instantly, both Wenzhe and Yueqing froze. Wenzhe cleared his throat loudly, snapped his posture straight, and threw on his stoic, noble General face as if he hadn’t just been squabbling over luggage. Yueqing adjusted her sleeves with a sweet, totally fake smile, acting as if she were the picture of grace and poise. Neither of them wanted to look like absolute fools in front of the top scholar.

Just as the awkward silence settled, soft footsteps sounded from the courtyard. Lanyin walked out, looking radiant, accompanied by her mother, Aunt Ronghua, Qianqian, Gu Yue, and little Anran clinging happily to her dress.

Wenzhe looked around at the gathering, glancing past his family to scan the courtyard. "Where are the boys?" he asked, referring to his younger brothers.

"Oh, Wenzhe," Aunt Ronghua chimed in with a fond smile, waving her hand dismissively. "The boys are with your father... he’s reviewing their essays or something."

Zi Han stepped gracefully toward Lanyin, bowing politely. "Lady Lanyin, you look breathtaking today," he said, his voice smooth and gentle, a soft warmth shining in his eyes.

Lanyin’s cheeks flushed a delicate shade of pink as she lowered her head bashfully. "Thank you, Master Zi Han."

Turning to the Duchess, Zi Han bowed deeply once more. "Duchess, please rest assured. I will protect Lady Lanyin with my life and ensure she is brought back safely tomorrow."

The Duchess smiled warmly, nodding in complete approval. "With you by her side, Master Zi Han, and with my son Wenzhe at the banquet as well, I am completely rest assured."

Meanwhile, Su Yueqing stood a few paces away, rubbing her chin with a deeply puzzled expression on her face.

[Wait a second...] Yueqing’s inner voice rang out like a loud bell in the minds of everyone standing nearby. [Hold on. Did Zi Han pick up Lanyin in the original novel? I could’ve sworn that snake Zhao Mingyuan stood her up, so Lanyin had to go to the banquet with some random, irrelevant young master while that jerk sneaked around! Why is the Top Scholar of the Empire acting like her personal driver right now?]

At her sudden inner monologue, Wenzhe, Lanyin, the Duchess, Aunt Ronghua, and even the young girls instantly exchanged subtle, wide-eyed looks.

[Wait... is the plot glitching?] Yueqing continued thinking, her eyes narrowing suspiciously as she stared back and forth between Lanyin and Zi Han. [Did I butterfly-effect this somehow? Things are getting way too strange...]

Noticing his wife’s brain actively unraveling the sudden plot changes, Wenzhe immediately sprang into action before she could start voicing her suspicions aloud.

"My dear wife! Come, let’s get going, it’s already getting late!" Wenzhe blurted out, cutting off the silent tension.

Without giving her a single second to react or ask questions, Wenzhe grabbed Su Yueqing’s arm, practically hauling her toward their carriage.

"Hey! Watch the silk, you brute—" Yueqing protested, but Wenzhe ignored her completely, practically hoisting her up into the carriage cabin before climbing in right after her and shutting the door tight behind them.

Inside the carriage, Su Yueqing yanked her sleeve free from Wenzhe’s grip, glaring at him like she was ready to set him on fire.

"Are you insane?!" she hissed, smoothing down the pale pink silk. "You almost ripped my hanfu! What was the big rush, huh? Did the Governor put a timer on the entrance door?"

[Seriously, what is his problem today?] her voice echoed right into Wenzhe’s head as she crossed her arms and stared out the window, brooding. [He practically dragged me in here like a sack of rice. And I still can’t wrap my head around Zi Han... did I miss an entire Chapter where he and Lanyin became a thing? The novel definitely said Zhao Mingyuan ditching her was supposed to be her tragic villain origin story.]

Wenzhe sat straight as a board on the velvet cushions opposite her, his arms folded tight across his chest. Externally, he maintained the stone-cold, unbothered expression of a battle-hardened General. Internally, he was sweating bullets, praying she wouldn’t dig any deeper into why everyone in the courtyard was acting so weird around her.

"The Governor doesn’t appreciate late arrivals," Wenzhe lied smoothly, his tone deadpan and completely flat. "If you spent less time staring blankly into space and overthinking other people’s business, I wouldn’t have to drag you."

[Tch. Look at Mr. High-and-Mighty over here,] Yueqing scoffed mentally, giving him a total side-eye. [Keep talking, General. One of these days I’m going to slip a pinch of that laxative powder into your tea just to see if your expression ever changes when you’re sprinting for the latrine.]

Wenzhe’s eyes twitched. He swallowed hard, silently resolving never to drink anything she handed him for the rest of his natural life.

Outside, as the carriages began to roll down the grand avenue toward the Governor’s estate, Aunt Ronghua and the Duchess watched them leave. Aunt Ronghua raised a hand to cover her mouth, trying and failing to hide her amused smirk.

"Wenzhe certainly handled that quickly," Aunt Ronghua whispered under her breath to the Duchess. "If she kept thinking out loud for another minute, she would have solved the whole mystery right there in the courtyard."

"That boy knows how dangerous his wife’s mind is," the Duchess replied with a soft chuckle, shaking her head. "Let them be. As long as she keeps accidentally saving our family with those crazy thoughts of hers, Wenzhe can handle a little extra chaos."

Meanwhile, in the carriage behind them, Zi Han held out a small, warm hand-warmer wrapped in silk toward Lanyin.

"The evening air is turning chilly, Lady Lanyin," Zi Han said gently, his eyes filled with quiet sincerity. "Please, take this."

Lanyin looked at the hand-warmer, then up at his handsome, earnest face. Thinking back to Zhao Mingyuan’s slimy lies just an hour ago, a real, genuine smile finally touched her lips as she took it. "Thank you, Master Zi Han."

As the estate gates faded into the distance, all three carriages moved steadily toward the grand venue where the capital’s nobility was gathering unaware that the night was about to explode into absolute chaos.