Chapter 86 - 85: The Eldest Miss as a Substitute Bride 1

Chapter 86: Chapter 85: The Eldest Miss as a Substitute Bride 1

"Song, you’ve completed your missions in three worlds, and both the Star Lord of Destiny and the other Immortals are very pleased. Previously, every time you transmigrated, your personality was influenced by the original host, preventing you from being yourself. Your memories were also wiped clean. From this world onward, you are free. You can retain your memories from every lifetime and act according to your own character."

Rongrong eagerly told Ji Xiaosong this the moment her previous life had ended.

At this moment, Ji Xiaosong had returned to her true form. On a sun-drenched hillside, a vast expanse of thin snow thousand-year-old grass blanketed the entire slope like a carpet.

Rongrong floated over the hillside, but she had no idea which one was Ji Xiaosong.

"Don’t bother looking. All of the thin snow thousand-year-old grass is me. You can talk to me from anywhere, and I’ll know."

"Oh my gosh, does that mean you can communicate with plants too?"

"Of course. It’s just that most of the worlds I transmigrated to before had restrictions on me. Being able to use a little Spiritual Power was the absolute limit."

"Don’t worry. From now on, aside from specific worlds, your abilities won’t be so heavily restricted. This is a sign of the Immortals’ trust in you. You must not do anything that would have too great an impact on the world. Otherwise, if the world shatters, the two of us will be burdened with a heavy karmic debt."

"I know I need to be restrained in using my abilities. I didn’t use them frequently in the previous worlds for that very reason. So, tell me, what’s the next world?"

"For the next world, we’re going to an ancient world. This time, to give you a fresh start, the Star Lord of Destiny has arranged for you to be reborn as an infant."

"Reborn as an infant? So, you’re saying I’ll be transmigrating as a baby?"

"Yes. It’s an ancient world, one ravaged by widespread famine. If you’re ready, let’s begin the transmigration."

"Let’s go. I’m always ready."

A flash of light flared, and Ji Xiaosong and Rongrong arrived in the new world.

*

「The Night of the Lantern Festival」

"My lady, just one more push! We can see the baby’s head. It’s almost out!"

"AAAH!"

In the delivery room, Mother Ji used her last ounce of strength, and finally, Ji Xiaosong was born.

However, the very instant she let out her first cry, a shocking scene unfolded. The entire Ji Mansion seemed to fall under a terrible curse.

The courtyard, once full of life and blooming with flowers, suddenly withered. The once-lush blossoms instantly shriveled, and the verdant leaves rapidly turned yellow and dry.

The birds in the mansion, as if terrified, flapped their wings and scattered, never to return.

The fish in the pond turned belly-up, floating on the water’s surface. Even the usually lively crickets stopped their chirping, lying stiff and lifeless in the grass.

Waiting outside the delivery room, Mr. Ji watched this scene unfold, completely frozen in place.

"My lord, the mistress has given birth! It’s a girl."

The midwife came out holding Ji Xiaosong. The joyful expression on her face vanished when she saw Mr. Ji’s increasingly ashen face, and she stumbled back a few steps in fear.

"A cursed star! She’s a cursed star! Kill her! Kill her right now!"

Without even a single glance at Ji Xiaosong, Mr. Ji ordered a nearby nanny to take her away.

The next morning, as soon as the city gates opened, an old nanny dressed in coarse linen took Ji Xiaosong and left on an ox-cart, heading south.

She hurried along, as if afraid someone was chasing her from behind.

Held tightly in the nanny’s arms, Ji Xiaosong sighed. Last night, during her birth, she had discovered that Mother Ji was gravely poisoned. A forced delivery would have meant death for them both. In order to save her mother, Ji Xiaosong had used her Spiritual Power to perform a healing. But she was unaware of this world’s restrictions, and using too much Spiritual Power had caused all the plants, fish, and insects in the Ji Mansion to die. This was why Mr. Ji had branded her a cursed star. Thankfully, the old nanny ordered to kill her had a soft heart. Since the nanny happened to be scheduled for transfer to the estate in Nanxing City hundreds of miles away, she was able to secretly take the baby with her, avoiding any suspicion from the Ji Mansion.

"From now on, the young miss of the Ji Mansion is no more. This old woman has never had children of her own, so I’ll raise you, little one, as my own granddaughter."

Ji Xiaosong couldn’t speak yet, so she could only gurgle in response.

The two of them traveled intermittently by ox-cart for a month, but they had only covered half the distance.

Along the way, the parched land was strewn with the bodies of those who had starved to death.

The old nanny thought she wouldn’t survive several times, but she always found a stroke of luck just when things seemed hopeless.

Not only did they never encounter bandits or robbers, but even the starving refugees never tried to steal their food.

Whenever they got hungry, they would always find suitable food in the most unexpected places.

"Who says you’re a cursed star, little one? To Old Mrs. Chen, you’re a lucky charm! I don’t know if the heavens have taken pity on us, but for the two of us, grandmother and granddaughter, to have traveled safely for a whole month is a miracle."

Ji Xiaosong gave a toothless smile, silently taking credit for their good fortune.

She had been carefully testing her abilities during this time and discovered that now that she was away from the Ji Mansion, using her Spiritual Power no longer caused plants to wither or creatures to die.

So she had been secretly using her powers in various ways to make the journey comfortable for Nanny Chen and herself.

Nanny Chen had been a coarse-labor servant and was surprisingly fond of cleanliness. Throughout the journey, she took excellent care of Ji Xiaosong, never letting her suffer the slightest bit of hardship.

After three months of traveling on and off, the two finally arrived at the estate in Nanxing City.

Ji Xiaosong was now three months old. She could lift her head and had some control over her limbs.

They both stared at the dilapidated estate, rendered speechless.

"The mistress told me to come to this estate to supervise the tenant farmers, but this... SIGH..."

Ji Xiaosong gave Nanny Chen a kiss and flashed a toothless smile.

Nanny Chen immediately broke into a smile. "Oh, well. With my little lucky charm here, I’m sure I’ll figure out a way for the two of us to live comfortably."

*

「Eighteen years later, in the summer.」

It was already past 7:00 AM, but on the carved sandalwood bed, Ji Xiaosong was still fast asleep.

Sunlight streamed through the latticed window, casting mottled patterns into the room. It fell gently on her face, highlighting her fair skin and delicate features. Her eyelashes trembled slightly, as if her sweet dreams were being disturbed by the intrusive light.

Beside the bed, a jewel-encrusted golden hairpin lay askew on the floor, next to a few scattered pieces of exquisite silk clothing.

Smoky pink gauze curtains hung around the bed, and a thick Persian rug covered the floor, making the entire room look even more opulent.

A handmaid entered the room, cautious and light on her feet. She kept her head bowed, her gaze fixed on the floor, her expression reverent and careful.

She first knelt down and gently gathered the items scattered on the floor.

Then, she took out several sets of clothes in different colors and styles from a wardrobe, held them with both hands, and hung them with extreme care on a nearby clothing rack.

A short while later, Ji Xiaosong finally woke up and rang the small bell by her bed.

Instantly, a group of maids and nannies filed into the room.

Two quick-witted maids hurried forward and gently tied back the bed curtains.

Two other nannies, one holding a copper basin and the other a cloth, attended to Ji Xiaosong’s morning ablutions.

One maid used a small jade ladle to scoop warm water from the basin and pour it slowly over Ji Xiaosong’s outstretched hands, while another gently wiped them with a soft cloth.

Next, another maid brought over a toothbrush and tooth powder of Ji Xiaosong’s own making to help her brush her teeth and rinse her mouth.

Once she had freshened up, several maids escorted Ji Xiaosong to her vanity.

One opened a jewelry box for Ji Xiaosong to choose her accessories for the day, while another took a comb and gently brushed her waterfall of long hair.

Another maid laid out various rouges and powders, awaiting Ji Xiaosong’s command.

Meanwhile, the nannies were busy making the bed and changing the brocade sheets and quilts.

For a moment, the room was a flurry of activity, yet everything was orderly, showcasing a life of wealth and grandeur.

"Is Grandmother feeling any better today?"

Ji Xiaosong parted her ruby lips to ask, and the head maid beside her immediately replied, "The old madam’s complexion is much better today. She even had two bowls of minced meat congee for breakfast."

"That’s good. I’ll go see her after I finish my meal."

The "Grandmother" Ji Xiaosong spoke of was Nanny Chen, the woman who had brought her here eighteen years ago.

Before Ji Xiaosong could go look for her, Nanny Chen walked in.

"Song! Hurry, we need to hide all the valuables in the residence. Someone from the Ji Mansion is here!"