Oops! My Inner Thoughts Are Ruining The Plot

Chapter 92: Chapter

The Governor’s open-air banquet garden was buzzing with high society energy under the glowing red lanterns. Tables were set up across the grand courtyard, filled with fine wine and food as music floated through the night air.

As Wenzhe, Yueqing, Zi Han, and Lanyin walked over to their seats, three people stood up from the main table to welcome them. They were the Governor’s children: the eldest sister, Lady Liu Mingzhu, looking calm and poised, and her two younger siblings, Liu Feng and Liu Ruyi.

The second Liu Feng and Liu Ruyi spotted Yueqing, their faces turned as sour as spoiled milk.

Past memories flared up instantly. Two years ago, Yueqing had thrown Liu Feng’s terrible poetry into a duck pond, and she had once dumped cold soup over Liu Ruyi’s head at a tea party. The surrounding nobles at the nearby tables immediately started whispering among themselves.

"Look, it’s Young Madam Xi..."

"Is she really showing her face here after what she did to the Governor’s children back then?"

"She was such an unruly playgirl before her marriage. I still remember the scene she caused last year!"

Listening to the murmurs, Yueqing put on her softest, most fragile smile, while her inner voice blared directly into the minds of Wenzhe and Lanyin.

[Look at these people murmuring like a bunch of hens,] Yueqing’s inner voice scoffed, completely unbothered. [They act like Su Yueqing was the devil incarnate. Well, to be fair, the original body owner was a total menace who played with people’s feelings and caused chaos everywhere she went. But hey, I’m just the transmigrated soul stuck living in her skin now!]

[Host, remember your mission!] Nine’s robotic voice chimed in directly inside her head. [You need to farm Villain Points! Cause as much chaos and ruckus as possible, but do not completely wreck the main storyline! Keep the drama flowing!]

[Say no more, Nine,] Yueqing replied mentally to her system, her eyes shining with evil joy. [Chaos is my middle name. Watch me milk these idiots for maximum villain points.]

"Welcome, General Xi, Young Madam," the eldest sister, Liu Mingzhu, said politely, bowing low to keep the peace.

"Sister, why bow to her?" Liu Ruyi sneered out loud, not even trying to hide her glare. "Dressing in pale pink doesn’t turn a snake into a delicate lady! Some people belong in a cage, not at a governor’s party."

Liu Feng crossed his arms, snorting. "Indeed. I still remember when certain uncultured people threw my masterwork poetry into a pond. Pure savagery."

[Masterwork poetry?] Yueqing’s mind roared back, sending Nine, Wenzhe, and Lanyin into a tailspin. [His rhymes were so trash the ducks in that pond literally choked on them! And his sister talking about cages girl, with that hair, you look like a wet, angry dog!]

Lanyin pressed her silk handkerchief against her lips to stop herself from snorting out loud. Wenzhe’s jaw tightened as he fought for his life to maintain a straight face.

Yueqing stepped forward, putting on her soft, innocent expression. "Oh, Young Lady Liu, Young Master Liu! It has been so long. Young Master Liu, have you finally learned how to write poetry that doesn’t sound like a dying donkey? And Lady Ruyi, is your face always squeezed up like a sour plum, or are you just happy to see me?"

[Ding! Villain Points +5 for public mockery!] Nine chimed in happily.

"You—! How dare you—!" Liu Ruyi shrieked.

"I dare because my tongue works, unlike your brother’s brain," Yueqing replied sweetly, giving a helpless little sigh.

"Su Yueqing!" Liu Feng shouted, his face turning bright red. "You unrefined bully! General Xi, how can you stand having such an obnoxious woman as a wife? She has zero manners!"

Before Yueqing could unleash a whole speech of roasts to farm another 5 points, Wenzhe took a heavy step forward. His dark, cold eyes locked onto Liu Feng, his military aura flaring up instantly.

"Young Master Liu," Wenzhe’s deep voice cut through the air like a blade. "You are speaking to the Young Madam of the Xi Dukedom. If my wife says your poetry drowned the fish, then your poetry drowned the fish. Are you questioning my judgment, or do you wish to discuss your manners with me privately?"

The whole area went dead silent. Liu Feng turned pale as a ghost, his knees shaking so bad he almost fell backward.

While the siblings were thoroughly terrified, Su Yueqing stood right next to Wenzhe, completely frozen in shock and pure annoyance.

[WAIT A SECOND!] Yueqing’s inner scream reverberated like a loud bell in Wenzhe’s brain. [WHAT IS HE DOING?! WHY IS HE DEFENDING ME?! HE STOLE MY THUNDER AND MY VILLAIN POINTS! I had a three-page roast lined up for that duck-poet! He just ruined my whole combo! Who told this stoic tree to jump in and act like a protective hero?! Bro, stick to the script!]

Wenzhe’s right eye twitched uncontrollably. He slowly turned his head, expecting gratitude, only to see Yueqing glaring at him sideways with absolute, petty fury.

Suddenly, a handsome young man stepped forward from a nearby table. This was Young Master Song the eldest daughter Liu Mingzhu’s fiancé. He was standing alongside his two noble friends, Young Master Han and Young Master Li.

Young Master Song looked at Yueqing with a soft, complicated gaze. In the past, when the original Su Yueqing was a notorious playgirl, Young Master Song had fallen deeply in love with her. Even though Yueqing had played with his feelings, he still carried a torch for her and had even escorted her to this very banquet last year.

"Lady Ruyi, Liu Feng, that is enough," Young Master Song spoke up firmly, stepping in to shield Yueqing from the crowd’s glaring eyes. "Young Madam Xi is a guest tonight. Bringing up old grievances only shows a lack of hospitality."

The surrounding nobles began whispering again.

"Isn’t that Young Master Song?"

"Ah, right! He was head over heels for Su Yueqing before she got married..."

"He even escorted her here last year! Poor man, she completely played him."

Hearing this, Wenzhe’s eyes narrowed dangerously. His dark gaze locked onto Young Master Song, an unknown, sharp sting of jealousy rising in his chest. Who is this man, and why is he standing up for my wife so comfortably? Wenzhe thought, his hand tightening on his sword hilt, completely unaware of the man’s past history with Yueqing.

[Oh, look, it’s Young Master Song,] Yueqing noted mentally to Nine. [The original body owner really left a mess behind. This guy was so sweet, but the original Yueqing treated him like a footstool.]

[Host, careful!] Nine warned amusedly. [Don’t derail the plot too much! And your husband looks like he’s about to challenge him to a duel!]

Before the tension between Wenzhe and Young Master Song could boil over, another grand entrance caused a commotion at the garden archway.

Walking into the courtyard was Zhao Mingyuan, escorting none other than Lady Pei!

Lady Pei was wearing a loud, bright red gown, walking with her chin held high. The moment she entered, her eyes landed straight on General Xi Wenzhe! Lady Pei had a massive, burning crush on Wenzhe ever since she saw how fiercely he had defended Yueqing at a previous gathering.. Even though he insulted her, it made her like him more.. defending his wife like that despite not liking her.. he was so gentlemanly. Her jealousy toward Yueqing was practically eating her alive.

Meanwhile, Zhao Mingyuan was staring in absolute shock at Lanyin, who was sitting gracefully next to Zi Han. He had ditched Lanyin on purpose tonight to make her feel desperate, but here she was, looking stunning beside the Top Scholar!

Unable to contain her bitter envy, Lady Pei dragged Zhao Mingyuan straight over, with Young Master Han and Young Master Li watching the spectacle from afar.

"Well, well, if it isn’t Young Madam Xi," Lady Pei scoffed out loud, fanning herself aggressively while casting a flirting, longing glance at Wenzhe. "I didn’t know they let pond-monsters attend high-class banquets! General Xi, I truly pity you for having to escort such a wild, unrefined woman."

[Nine, look! It’s the flying fish from the pond!] Yueqing’s inner voice cheered, bouncing with excitement in Wenzhe and Lanyin’s heads. [She finally washed the pond mud off her face! Look at that bright red dress... she looks like a boiled lobster trying to seduce my husband! Time to farm those sweet Villain Points!]

Lanyin choked on her tea, while Wenzhe sighed deeply, rubbing his temples as he realized just how chaotic this night was going to be.

Yueqing turned around, putting her hands on her waist, her eyes glowing with evil excitement. "Oh! Lady Pei! I almost didn’t recognize you without the lotus leaves stuck in your hair! Tell me, did you ever get the smell of dirty pond water out of your clothes, or are you just wearing red to hide your embarrassment?"

[Ding! Villain Points +10!]

Lady Pei’s face turned bright red. "You—! General Xi, look at how vile she is!"

"I’m merely stating facts," Yueqing replied with a fake, sweet smile. "And speaking of trash, I see you picked up Zhao Mingyuan on your way here. How fitting! A fake scholar and a boiled lobster, a match made in heaven!"

"Su Yueqing!" Zhao Mingyuan snapped, his face burning with humiliation.. Everyone knew how annoying Sue Yueqing was and now he was getting to experience it.

[Oh look, the dog is barking,] Yueqing’s mind sneered out loud. [Nine, remind me to throw both of them into the Governor’s pond later tonight. It’ll be a reunion episode and double points!]

Wenzhe glanced down at his wife, then at Young Master Song who was still watching her, and finally at Lady Pei who was glaring daggers. He silently accepted that this banquet was about to erupt into complete chaos.