Where the Waters Flow

[Older-Sister/Younger-Dog Dynamic // At First He's Aloof and Stuffy, Later He Begs to Be Her Loyal-Dog Accessory]

After marrying Xue Yeming, Jiang Mucheng always observed proper etiquette, treating him with respect and courtesy. She never showed off, but quietly used her status as the Jiang family's legitimate daughter to open up trade routes and smooth the family's path through court. The Xue and Jiang families' power grew ever stronger, intertwined like vines. For a time, everyone in the capital said, "Xue is a talented gentleman, and Jiang a virtuous lady," a match made in heaven.

But no one expected Xue Yeming to return from a distant journey with a woman named Lu Yan.

She had no prestigious family background, but knew how to charm people. Phrases like "A husband and wife should be each other's closest companions" and "I just adore my husband" struck a chord with Xue Yeming. She gave him no vulgar gold or silver, but handmade sachets, handkerchiefs embroidered with lopsided mandarin ducks, and mouthwatering pastries. Each gift was thoughtful, and he couldn't bear to put any of them down.

At first, Jiang Mucheng didn't care. Her marriage to Xue Yeming had always been mutually beneficial. She wanted stability, not deep affection. But Lu Yan wasn't content simply to be favored. She began "accidentally" knocking over Jiang Mucheng's teacup, "letting slip" at banquets that she was "too proper and not much fun," and whispering into Xue Yeming's ear, "Your wife is a good woman, but she's like a dead tree. You'll never warm her up."

At last, Lu Yan's ambitions reached beyond the estate and into the court. With a few words and a little tenderness, she lured Xue Yeming into joining her in falsely accusing the Jiang family of treason, driving them to the brink of ruin. Xue Yeming was so obsessed with her that he would sacrifice the entire Jiang family just to see her smile. Jiang Mucheng was divorced, imprisoned, and reviled, becoming a laughingstock throughout the capital. In the end, she died without a trace, with no proper resting place.

But fate gave her a chance to start over.

In her new life, she would no longer hold back for the sake of appearances. She would be a vengeful woman who never forgave an insult and never showed mercy.

She proceeded cautiously, planning every step. She exploited their weaknesses, exposed the truth, and quietly gathered evidence and laid traps, drawing the two of them step by step into the web she had already spun.

She would make Lu Yan taste what it was like to be driven into a corner. She would make Xue Yeming understand that the person he had cast aside with his own hands was the true benefactor. Above all, she would show the entire capital that the Jiang family was not to be bullied.

But just when everything was going according to plan, the man who should never have been pulled in, but whom she had drawn into her scheme, became impossible to shake off.

Theme: Only by becoming strong can you protect the people you cherish