CHAPTER 349: CHAPTER 343: I AM THE MARQUIS MANSION DOWAGER 32 (BONUS FOR 300 MONTHLY TICKETS)

Jiang Baoshu couldn’t fall asleep, and Song Jingman was also lying in bed, wide awake.

She offended Mrs. Song by causing a commotion, and although Mrs. Song didn’t send her back to the Song Family, she didn’t let her stay in the main room either. Instead, she had her move in with Tang Yi, sharing a room with her.

Looking at the already soundly sleeping Tang Yi, Song Jingman could not help feeling a sense of compassion.

It was this gentle girl who was eventually sold by her biological father for five thousand taels of Silver and later died from domestic violence at her husband’s family.

Looking at Tang Yi, Song Jingman felt like she was in a dream.

She hadn’t done anything wrong, so how did she end up transmigrating into a book?

Moreover, it was an epic masterpiece from her era.

That book was mainly about the Tang Family issues, and she, Song Jingman, was quite a well-known and tragic figure in the book.

She remembered that not long after her character married, her husband died, and she spent her life as a widow. The days at her in-law’s house weren’t good, and later both the Tang and the Song families fell, and her life probably became even harder.

It seemed that after this book was turned into a TV series, Song Jingman in the series eventually ended up on a flower boat.

Thinking of such an ending gave Song Jingman chills.

She didn’t want to end up like that.

She had finally transmigrated into a book, so she should struggle for a life of luxury and wealth.

Gradually, Song Jingman thought of Xu Wan.

The book was actually an eternal cliffhanger that was never finished; the endings for most characters were feeble attempts by later generations. It seemed that Xu Wan’s ending was not good either.

However, some guessed that although Xu Wan didn’t marry Mr. Rong, she might have married Prince Kang.

Song Jingman guessed that Xu Wan might indeed marry Prince Kang.

After all, Xu Wan was incredibly beautiful, and any powerful figure who saw such a beauty would want to marry her.

Furthermore, the book also mentioned that Prince Kang and Mr. Rong had a good relationship, even giving Mr. Rong a bracelet once, which Mr. Rong later gifted to Xu Wan.

Here lay a subtle hint.

A handkerchief given to Mr. Rong by a servant girl in the book, which Mr. Rong then passed on to someone else, led to the Tang Family’s downfall, and that servant girl married that someone.

By this reasoning, Xu Wan really might end up marrying Prince Kang.

Considering the book’s portrayal of Prince Kang, Song Jingman was tempted.

She considered herself pretty and was a transmigration girl with her own transmigration halo; perhaps, she could replace Xu Wan and marry Prince Kang.

As for Xu Wan, wasn’t she in mutual love with Mr. Rong? Then let her be with Mr. Rong.

She would make sure to help Xu Wan marry into the Tang Family properly, considering it compensation for stealing Prince Kang.

With these thoughts, Song Jingman gradually fell asleep.

Not far from her, Anning curled her lips, revealing an interested smile.

"An Xin, this is getting more and more interesting."

An Xin retorted helplessly, "Why are there so many anomalies?"

Exactly.

Is the Tang Family a sieve? Isn’t one fast-traveling girl on a mission enough? Yet, two more anomalies are thrown in, one transmigrated into a book, and the other reborn; what are they treating the Tang Family as, a stage for a grand opera?

Anning stood in the courtyard looking up at the sky, flipping her middle finger towards the layers of the firmament above.

Then there was a rumbling thunder in the sky.

Anning snorted, "Big deal with the thunder. If you’re capable, strike me with lightning."

After her remark, the thunder slowly subsided.

Bullies the weak and fears the strong.

Anning muttered under her breath and turned back to the house.

She felt that her previous thoughts were misguided—all the happenings in the Tang Family had been unfolding as planned, and no one could deviate from this set trajectory. It wasn’t meant to make the people of the Tang Family repeat their predetermined fates, but rather, it was for the amusement of certain individuals.

Anning shook her head; it seemed not quite right.

Another possibility came to her mind: This world must be the battleground of a tug of war between two forces.

One force ensures that the world follows its normal course, ultimately reaping the Tang Family’s Qi Fortune.

The other sends people to the Lower Realm, disrupting the predetermined fate to harvest Qi Fortune.

Song Jingman and Jiang Baoshu must be with the latter force.

The more Anning thought it through, the more chaotic this world seemed to be.

Chaos is good, she mused, for in chaos she can fish in troubled waters.

The next morning, having washed and dressed, Anning was ready for a stroll and planned to take Xu Wan to the temple to offer Buddhist scriptures she had transcribed.

Before she could leave, she heard some noise outside.

Anning stepped out to take a look.

She saw Tang Rong eagerly heading to the residence next door, Tang Yi’s abode.

However, before he could enter, he was stopped by a maid brought by Song Jingman.

"Mr. Rong, our young lady hasn’t woken up yet. It might not be appropriate for you to proceed," the maid said.

Hearing this, Tang Rong managed a good-natured smile: "Then I’ll wait outside for Jing Man; please tell her I’ve brought something nice for her to see."

A young maid went inside and reemerged shortly after.

She smiled at Tang Rong, but her words were devoid of any regard for his feelings.

"Mr. Rong, our young lady says she has to work later and also needs to pay respects to the Old Dowager. She has many things to do and has no time to entertain you."

The smile on Tang Rong’s face vanished, replaced by a disheartened and sorrowful expression.

Eyebrows raised, Anning thought to herself, could it be that Song Jingman disdains her relative?

Seeing the distressed Tang Rong emitting an aura of dejection, Anning approached him: "Come on, come and spend some time with your auntie."

Tang Rong looked up, smiled at Anning, and obediently followed her into the courtyard.

Once they entered Anning’s room, Tang Rong was captivated by the calligraphy and paintings hanging on the walls.

"How are they?"

Anning offered him some snacks and fruit, gesturing towards the calligraphy and paintings on the wall.

"Good, these characters are written so well, and the paintings are exquisite," Tang Rong commented, gesturing in the air as he observed.

"If you like them, I’ll give some to you."

Anning handed Tang Rong a piece of pastry, which he popped into his mouth without a glance.

After he had admired all the calligraphy and paintings, Anning asked: "I’m going to take Wan’er to Xiangguo Temple to offer incense. Would you like to come?"

Tang Rong immediately nodded: "Yes, I’ll go with you. Don’t worry; I promise to behave and not cause any trouble."

Anning affectionately patted Tang Rong’s head: "Good boy."

In fact, she felt quite sympathetic toward the boy.

After all, he was inherently kind-hearted, with a clear sense of rightness, devoid of any malice, and he always thought of girls with tenderness and consideration, which was indeed not easy to come by.

Although he had his shortcomings, Anning knew it wasn’t his fault. He grew up in Duke Zhongyong’s Mansion and was raised by Mrs. Song; the fact that he turned out this way was quite commendable.

Anning chatted with Tang Rong for a while, told him a couple of stories, and then, checking the time, took him to find Xu Wan.

Xu Wan was already prepared and, upon Anning’s arrival, greeted her respectfully. Seeing Tang Rong was with her, Xu Wan smiled: "Will Second Brother be joining us?"

Feeling somewhat embarrassed, Tang Rong confessed: "I have transcribed some Buddhist scriptures as well; I thought I’d burn them in honor of my aunt and uncle."