After rebirth, she became the favorite of the powerful minister.

Time seemed to be infinitely stretched, and the feeling of the tip of the wooden hairpin rubbing against my scalp was clearer and slower than ever before. The tingling sensation was chilling.

Hong Lan couldn't help but shiver.

Zhan Yanfeng seemed not to notice it at all. His fingertips gently stroked the hairpin, and his smile was slow and calm.

"It's time to return it to its original owner." He said, "After we parted that night, I have been looking for you for many years, just to ask if it was you who took away the wooden hairpin I carved with my own hands. Now that it has been returned to its original owner, we are even now. Your livelihood in Shengjing City was not my intention, and you have to bear the consequences yourself. Sister Hong, you and I have known each other and worked together for a while, even though it ended in vain... but except for this wooden hairpin, we are even now."

He spoke softly and leisurely, and there was a hint of tenderness in his eyes when he lowered his eyes.

Back then, she was addicted to such tenderness - the man who was cold and reserved to everyone else was gentle only when he spoke to her. No one could stay awake with such special treatment, right? She thought she was his "exception", but he became her exception. She had planned for many years just to fulfill his wish, but in the end, she was just "cleared".

How heartless!

Hong Lan slowly lowered her head, smoothed her long hair, and said softly, "Third Master, the night I escaped from Shengjing City was New Year's Eve, the day when all families reunited, but I was the only one who set out on the road of escape... Behind me were fireworks that were dazzling enough that could not be seen anywhere else. I stood at the fork in the road outside the city gate and hesitated for a long time. This world is so big, and I am not a murderer. If I hide my identity, I am afraid that the court will not send a large army to arrest me... On the contrary, this Zhixuan Mountain, with many talented people and students from aristocratic families, is not a good place to go."

"But I still came..."

She slowly took half a step back to put some distance between them, but still kept her head down - she was afraid to look up and meet that man's gentle eyes, and she couldn't express the aggrieved feelings she had felt when she tossed and turned in her dreams at midnight.

"I killed two horses and took a shortcut back. I was afraid that when the government followed the clues and found Zhixuan Mountain, you would know nothing and make a mistake in your response, implicating yourself... Now it seems that I was worrying too much." Hong Lan frowned and smiled softly, then slowly took a step back, and then looked up at the other person. She slowly stroked the long hair behind her ears, while looking at the other person with affection, and said softly, "We haven't seen each other for many years and haven't had time to reminisce about the past, but I was told that you and I have already made peace... Let's make peace over there."

She put down her hands that were stroking her long hair, still tilting her head and smiling softly, with a bit of playfulness and charm in her calmness.

She said, "I haven't used the name Hong Jie'er for many years, and I'm not used to hearing it now. Now my name is Hong Lan, the mama-san of the largest brothel and tavern in Shengjing City, known as Hong Mama. Next time we meet, Third Master, please don't call me by the wrong name. Hong Lan is old, and it's not appropriate to call her 'Jie', Jie'er' anymore." After saying that, she nodded slightly and walked away calmly.

Zhan Yanfeng, the third elder of Zhixuan Mountain, fell in love with a girl who was almost old enough to be his daughter. From then on, he refused to hear any words related to age, and refused to celebrate his birthday. He insisted on taking care of his health and going to bed early every day to keep his appearance youthful... even though the girl had passed away many years ago.

Sometimes even Hong Lan couldn’t tell whether it was because that person had forever remained at the most beautiful age of a flower that Zhan Yanfeng was almost madly afraid of “getting old”.

She couldn't explain it clearly, but after seeing her today, she understood it more clearly. It is true that everyone will grow old, even Zhan Yanfeng who obviously ages slower than others is no exception... She even sighed a little "maliciously". If she were to say how much Zhan Yanfeng liked that woman, she felt that it was nothing more than that... After rolling in the quagmire of the mundane world, looking back on this relationship that touched her so much at that time, she always felt that it was still just some kind of self-touching of a selfish and heartless man.

If it is true love, you should be together through life and death.

But even though she understood it better than anyone else, even though the affection she had given was thrown to the ground, she was still like a moth that flies into the fire, without looking back...Hong Lan stood outside the courtyard gate in a corner where the man couldn't see her, and said something helplessly. At that time, she raised her head and pretended to be nonchalant, but it was just the last bit of self-esteem that she was trying to maintain... "Clear" is really a very heartless word.

When the time came, Zhan Yanfeng pushed her out without hesitation... With such a clear plan, there was no need for an accountant.

……

Not long after Hong Lan left, someone came from the Second Elder's side. It was Zhuang Lichuan's first wife, Ma. Ma was born a peasant woman, illiterate, cheerful and loud, very hospitable, and a good cook. Over the years, she had taken care of Zhan Yanfeng, who lived alone, or "widowed" in Ma's words. Therefore, Zhan Yanfeng could be polite to anyone, but always smiled and called this woman "Second Sister-in-law", showing a little warmth.

Ma was still wearing a festive flowered jacket, with her sleeves rolled up, rushing in hurriedly, with flour still on her hands. The messenger could only jog after her.

"Third brother! Third brother!"

Zhan Yanfeng called her "Second Sister-in-law", so she also called him "Third Brother" in a very familiar way, which was different from Zhuang Lichuan's concubines. She called "Third Brother" all the way into the yard and ran to Zhan Yanfeng's room as if she was familiar with the door. She blocked Zhan Yanfeng, who came out after hearing the noise, in the corridor in front of the door, "Third Brother! Third Brother, do you know what's wrong with your second brother? The doctor has been here, and Feng Qingtan has also come. They all said that the second brother is tired and will be fine after sleeping for three to five days, but I thought that someone would have to take care of him. The servants are not as careful as we are, right? But who knew that we couldn't get in! What's the reason? I am husband and wife with the second brother, why can't I take care of him when he is sick?"

"That's true." Zhan Yanfeng nodded, and after thinking for a moment, he asked Ma, "I heard that it was my eldest brother's order. Has my second sister-in-law asked my eldest brother?"

"I went there!" Ma stamped her feet. "As soon as I heard about this, I went to see the elder, but I didn't see him. A little girl came out and said that the elder was ill and couldn't see anyone... Ill? His health is better than that of young people, what could be wrong with him? And that little girl, is she the maidservant beside Nan Yin? I heard from the second brother that these people might have bad intentions. What do you think, could they be the emperor or some princes?"

"Hold the emperor to command the princes."

"Yes, yes, yes! That's it! Hey, do you think they have held the Great Elder hostage?" Ma suddenly lowered her voice and looked around for a while before leaning closer to ask, "Do you think the Great Elder is now just an obedient puppet?"