This was...
Her kept Concubine.
Song Lianhe stared at him blankly, as if she hadn't yet escaped the terrifying nightmare. Scenes from her dream filled her mind, and she slowly began to recall the novel's plot.
In the original story, the events at Li Zong Pass happened after the food crisis in Sui Ning, which was also when he had fallen head over heels in love with Song Xilan! Their arrival at Li Zong Pass now must mean the plot was accelerating.
To put it bluntly, this part of the plot existed solely to torment the villain!
That woman, Zhen Niang, was the daughter of a disgraced official whom Zhou Junlin had saved. He had her stay at Li Zong Pass, where she was then responsible for gathering intelligence for him at Huaxu Square.
Her gratitude toward Zhou Junlin blossomed into adoration. Knowing he liked Song Xilan, she began to imitate her in every way. Coupled with the fact that she bore a slight resemblance to her, she truly became a convincing substitute.
