The Protagonist’s Scheme and Su Mo’s Predicament

The protagonist of the web novel titled ‘Little Imperial Uncle,’ into which Su Mo had transmigrated, was none other than Xiao Yao, standing before her. According to the original plot, she was destined to endure myriad torments, only to be disgustingly ‘redeemed’ by Xiao Yao in the end.

‘A murderer of her own kin becoming an object of salvation—does the author truly understand their readers?’ Su Mo had pondered this more than once. Yet, now that she found herself in the role of the tragic female supporting character, her mood was anything but pleasant.

Suppressing her turbulent emotions, Su Mo offered a faint smile, as though she were meeting Xiao Yao for the very first time. Such an unexpectedly calm reaction, however, completely threw Xiao Yao off balance. In his mind, he was her sworn enemy, the one who had repeatedly hunted and cornered her.

‘Aren’t you going to introduce us?’ Xiao Yao cast a meaningful glance towards Xu Qingzhu.

Effortlessly, Xu Qingzhu encircled Su Mo’s slender waist, his voice soft and imbued with profound affection. He introduced her thus:

‘Senior Brother Xiao Yao, this is my fortunate and virtuous wife, Su Mo. While her temper may be a touch headstrong, she possesses a kind heart.’

After speaking, he didn’t forget to lean down and gently brush a stray strand of Su Mo’s hair behind her ear.

‘My wife, Su?’

‘Indeed, my husband.’ Su Mo found Xu Qingzhu quite irritating, yet, when contrasted with Xiao Yao, he suddenly appeared considerably more endearing.

‘Is that so.’ Xiao Yao nodded, his hand, resting on the teacup, trembled almost imperceptibly. Had he not been suppressing his rage with all his might, he would have surely crushed the teacup to dust. ‘Since his transmigration, when had he, Emperor Xiao, ever endured such an affront? Well, there were indeed a few bothersome mosquitoes that had irritated him, which he had ‘casually’ planted into the spiritual fields. This foolish Junior Brother Xu, who, despite being meticulously manipulated by him, remained utterly oblivious and even held him in considerable esteem—how dare he snatch his prey?’

‘Interesting, truly fascinating! It seems this Zhang family no longer needs to exist.’ Xiao Yao surveyed his surroundings, a faint, predatory smile playing on his lips as he mused. However, with that casual glance, his gaze fixed upon Uncle Zhang’s young daughter, a child of four or five, her delicate features resembling a finely carved jade figurine—an undeniable beauty in the making! ‘Her constitution seems somewhat unique? Could she be subtly attracting lost spirits?’

‘An unexpected boon, and not a bad one at that.’ Xiao Yao’s smile widened, growing colder.

While others might have remained oblivious, Su Mo, observing his fixed gaze on Zhang Jingmeng, instantly grew wary. ‘Even a child of four or five? You intend to lay hands on her?’ She clearly understood that the alteration in the plot had led Xiao Yao to stumble upon unforeseen gains. Such fortuitous providence perfectly aligned with his status as the story’s protagonist.

‘My husband, I’ve had an empty stomach for quite some time now, so I shall refrain from interrupting your reunion.’ Su Mo tugged lightly at Xu Qingzhu’s sleeve, then discreetly withdrew. Every second spent near Xiao Yao felt as though unseen blades were slicing through her clothes, a chilling sensation. ‘Lecherous and utterly despicable.’

‘There’s no immediate concern, my dear wife; you should go and rest.’ Xu Qingzhu affectionately ruffled her hair. That simple gesture, however, instantly ignited a furious rage within Xiao Yao.

Having only just turned and taken a few steps away, Su Mo suddenly felt an icy chill creep down her spine. A quick glance from the corner of her eye revealed Xiao Yao’s aura, outwardly calm, yet as biting and sharp as a winter gale. Gritting her teeth, Su Mo found herself, surprisingly, worrying about Xu Qingzhu:

‘Xu, you hypocritical scoundrel, for heaven’s sake, don’t you dare kick the bucket!’

Muttering her plea, she entered the inner chambers to dine. Earlier, she had anticipated this meal with pleasure, considering it the finest fare she had encountered since her transmigration into this world. Yet, as she ate, a faint frown creased her brow; the food tasted as bland and unappetizing as chewing on wax.

‘Madam? Is it not to your liking?’ Xia Ling’er, the maid, leaned closer, concern etched on her face.

‘No, I just… want to be quiet for a moment.’ Su Mo replied without thinking. Having now encountered Xiao Yao, how could she, with only Great Perfection of Qi Condensation, possibly contend with a peak Foundation Establishment cultivator like him? ‘If I recall correctly, Xu Qingzhu is merely at the early stage of Foundation Establishment, isn’t he?’ She recalled the embarrassing scene within the cave, shaking her head vigorously to dispel the memory. ‘A nightmare! An absolute nightmare!’

‘…Madam, who is Jingjing? Should I summon her?’ Seeing Su Mo’s troubled expression, Xia Ling’er inquired with genuine concern.

Su Mo froze, then slowly managed a weak greeting, realizing her blunder. However, in her distraction, ‘Cough, cough!’ The sudden choke jolted her back to her senses.

‘Since Xu Qingzhu is proving unreliable, and I’m facing the formidable enemy that is Xiao Yao, perhaps I should devise a plan to trick him into fleeing, ensuring no one discovers our escape. Once we’re clear of immediate danger, I’ll shake him off along the way. That way, I’ll have drawn him away from peril, and successfully made my own escape.’ But a crucial question remained: was Su Mo’s own strength sufficient for such a plan? ‘Without reaching Foundation Establishment and mastering the Nine-tailed Fox Love Sutra, I can’t even briefly influence Xu Qingzhu’s emotions, which makes escaping incredibly difficult.’ She had pondered for so long, only to realize that all her troubles stemmed from a single source: her own weakness. ‘If only I had an omnipotent system, what would there be to fear about transmigrating into a novel?’ Alas, it was merely a dream; she had no one and nothing upon which to rely.

‘Madam, are you truly finished eating?’ Xia Ling’er asked, a note of bewilderment in her voice. She had observed Su Mo bustling about tirelessly, appearing before everyone as a truly virtuous and sensible wife. Though she possessed a slight temper, she genuinely adored Young Master Xu; her gaze, whenever it fell upon him, seemed to stretch like silken threads. Even from a distance, their eyes would meet in a flash, a silent, telepathic understanding passing between them. ‘Now, she must surely be exhausted and hungry, yet she had consumed so little. Is this what a ‘bird’s appetite’ looks like?’ Xia Ling’er wondered, observing Su Mo once more. In that moment, the image of Su Mo as an otherworldly immortal, untouched by mortal sustenance, truly solidified. Rather than truly dining, she had merely sampled a morsel or two.

‘Ugh, that damned Xiao Yao! He’s ruined my appetite!’ Su Mo sighed, adjusted her hairpin, and stepped out of the inner chambers. Circumventing the throng of guests, she intended to seize this opportunity to visit the Zhang family’s apothecary and procure some medicinal herbs. ‘Knowledge is power, and perhaps the medical theories from my previous life are my ‘golden finger’ here… a rather paltry one, at that.’ She scoffed at her own thought.

She had perused the ‘Nine-tailed Fox Love Sutra’ left by her mother. Many a sleepless night, she had pored over its pages, only to discern a few crucial words hidden between the lines: ‘The Path of Suffering!’ To avoid being ‘inserted’ and to swiftly master the path of joyful emotions, one could only endure inhuman agony and comprehend the profound power of suffering. ‘A specific combination of several herbs can induce unbearable agony, making one wish for death, yet allow for immediate recovery upon consuming the antidote.’ She mused, staring up at the sky, completely reliant on Xia Ling’er to guide her. What she hadn’t anticipated, however, was that Xia Ling’er had apparently been ensnared by a curse, leading her inexorably towards a secluded and secret path. Lost in her thoughts and still unfamiliar with the sprawling Zhang Manor, Su Mo remained oblivious. Not until she spotted what appeared to be a woodshed, at the entrance of which stood a dashing and elegant young man, gently caressing the ‘Gentleman’s Sword’ at his waist.

****

A short while earlier, having moved to the tea room with Xu Qingzhu, Xiao Yao had already grown somewhat impatient during their conversation. He sipped his tea, an undercurrent of urgency discernible in his every word. Such impatience was rare for him, entirely provoked by Su Mo alone.

‘Junior Brother Xu, to acquire such a delicate wife, you must truly be blessed with happiness.’ Xiao Yao’s words were laced with hidden meaning. In that moment, he pricked up his ears, eager to hear Xu Qingzhu’s response. If Su Mo was no longer a virgin, he wouldn’t need to persist in his original scheme. ‘To think I wanted her to submit willingly—how laughable! A grave miscalculation!’ He was already filled with regret.

Understanding the unspoken implications, Xu Qingzhu shook his head with a light chuckle, feigning helplessness. ‘Happiness, indeed, it is happiness, but my strength sometimes fails me.’ As he finished speaking, he glanced at Xiao Yao’s darkening expression, a flicker of satisfaction in his eyes. He had believed he’d long abandoned such malicious pleasures. Yet, provoking Xiao Yao and watching him fume brought him immense joy! In this regard, Su Mo truly was a ‘perfect’ wife, bringing him no small amount of amusement.

‘Please excuse me, Junior Brother, the sect has suddenly transmitted a message summoning me.’

‘Senior Brother Xiao Yao, please go quickly; it’s no matter.’ Xu Qingzhu waved him off, yet made no move to stand. These subtle details, which Xiao Yao would once have noticed, now completely escaped him. His mind was solely consumed by Su Mo. ‘Su Mo! This time, I won’t let her escape!’ Behind others’ backs, Xiao Yao smirked malevolently, heading towards the apothecary. A single, seemingly idle move, and Su Mo had been lured out. ‘It’s time to get to work, my dear brother.’

In the tea room.

‘Clink…’ Setting down his teacup, Xu Qingzhu shook his head with a soft sigh. Rising, he drew a longsword from his storage ring, twirled his wrist, and executed a swift sword flourish before exiting through another door. A gust of wind stirred with his strides, and Xu Qingzhu narrowed his eyes. ‘Xiao Yao, so you truly intend to lay hands on my virtuous wife?’