After being reborn, I hugged the villainous boss tightly.

Madam Mu dislikes Ye Fuyao and has been looking for a suitable wife for Mu Zichen. She heard that Miss Zhang Lingyue from the Duke's mansion was still unmarried, so she rushed to propose marriage.

If Ye Zhuxi was considered willful and capricious, then Zhang Lingyue perfectly embodied arrogance, domineering nature, and ruthlessness.

It was common for maids in the household to be beaten to death or disfigured if they did anything to displease the family.

People in the capital often say that whoever marries her is bringing home a tyrant; you can't scold her or say anything to her, it's like asking for trouble!

Even though people spoke ill of her, suitors kept coming to her mansion, because she was the youngest and most favored daughter of the old Duke, and marrying her was like marrying a huge, inexhaustible gold mine.

When Mu Zichen heard that his mother was going to propose marriage to such an unruly young lady, he was the first to object. No matter how willful and capricious Ye Zhuxi was, she was still very obedient to him. He could just marry her to vent his anger. But Zhang Lingyue was not so easy to fool!

"As long as you marry Zhang Lingyue, the entire Duke's Mansion will be yours. What are you afraid of?" Madam Mu was exasperated with him.

Mu Zichen's face darkened: "Mother, you know Zhang Lingyue's personality. If she marries into the family, the Mu household will be in complete chaos!"

Madam Mu was always self-centered, and when she heard her son deny it, she became unhappy and glared angrily at Ye Fuyao, who stood aside without daring to speak.

"But she's still much better than someone who can't lay eggs. She has neither an outstanding background to help you, nor has she given you a single child. Tell me, what's the use of marrying her!"

"Although Zhang Lingyue is a bit arrogant, she has the right to be arrogant. Her father is someone even the emperor respects. If you marry her, who in the court will dare to look down on your father!"

"..."

Mu Zichen knew he couldn't win an argument with his mother, so he simply shut his mouth.

Madam Mu wanted to say something more, but when she caught sight of Ye Fuyao's pitiful appearance, she was instantly filled with anger.

"Get out of here, don't get in my way!"

Ye Fuyao's eyes reddened from her words. She looked pitifully at Mu Zichen, but seeing that he ignored her pleas for help, she bit her lip and turned to leave.

After she left, Madam Mu lowered her voice and said, "I've inquired. Duke Zhang's health is failing, and he's just holding on until Zhang Lingyue gets married. After the wedding, you should tolerate her for a few days. Once the old Duke passes away, Zhang Lingyue will have no one to rely on. At that time, everything will be yours. As a woman, what can Zhang Lingyue do to you?"

"..."

Mu Zichen thought about it and realized that it didn't seem to make sense. But when he thought of Ye Fuyao, he still felt a little reluctant.

Given Zhang Lingyue's personality, Ye Fuyao is bound to suffer if she marries into the family.

"But what about Fuyao?"

Seeing that her son was still worried about Ye Fuyao, Madam Mu angrily threw down her teacup: "She can't help you with anything. It's a blessing for Zhang Lingyue to get revenge!"

Mu Zichen was silent for a moment, then nodded slightly.

"...I will follow Mother's arrangements!"

Outside the door, Ye Fuyao, who overheard the conversation between the two, clenched her fists. Knowing her lowly status, she had always thought that even if she didn't become Mu Zichen's wife, being a concubine would be fine, as long as he was willing to treat her well. But now, listening to Mu Zichen's words, she only found them laughable.

She looked at the two scheming men in the room, her eyes filled with ruthlessness and cruelty, her fingers digging into her flesh: Men's words are indeed not to be trusted.

……

When Zhang Lingyue first met Mu Zichen, she was attracted by his gentle and refined temperament. Seeing that he was handsome and refined, she shyly hid behind her father.

Everyone knew that things had gone well just by looking at her. Madam Mu quickly smiled and said, "Zichen, take your little sister Ling for a stroll in the streets. She hasn't been to the capital for a long time!"

Mu Zichen gave a stiff smile: "Yes."

Zhang Lingyue isn't ugly, but she's more of a fresh-faced beauty, and she's of average height.

She was bold and didn't feel shy at all, so she dragged Mu Zichen along, eating, drinking, and playing all the way.

Ye Zhuxi, watching from afar, noticed the forced smile on Mu Zichen's face and the intense disgust in his eyes. She could sense it even from a distance, but Zhang Lingyue seemed oblivious, happily following behind him.

Mu Zichen's ideal type is someone like Ye Fuyao, who is gentle, weak, and obedient. He doesn't like Zhang Lingyue because she's too lively; in fact, he dislikes her.

"Miss, are we going to follow you the whole time?"

Under the scorching sun, Lotus Leaf spoke softly.

"No need. You should immediately find someone to monitor Ye Fuyao's actions."

"Yes!"

Just as He Ye finished speaking, a drunk man walked over and accidentally bumped into Zhang Lingyue, who was picking out hairpins. The woman, who had been blushing, lost her smile instantly and angrily kicked the man to the ground.

Then several burly men ran up behind her and beat the drunk man who had hit her. His screams were heard by almost everyone on the street.

Seeing the man beaten so badly he couldn't scream, Mu Zichen frowned, unable to bear it any longer: "Alright, he just did it on purpose!"

"No way! There's no such thing as an accident when it comes to me, only intentional acts!" She then continued, "Take them away and beat them up somewhere else, so they don't disturb my ears!"

Seeing Zhang Lingyue's fierce gaze, Mu Zichen's face turned ashen.

Seeing this, Ye Zhuxi knew that Mu Zichen's life would never be peaceful again, and Ye Fuyao's good days were over.

North

Having been here for more than ten days, Fu Jingyuan discovered that the people here are extremely lazy. The relief supplies they are given are immediately eaten after they are taken back, and even the crops they are given to grow are all eaten.

Pushing open the door, Fu Jingyuan frowned as he looked at the large, dark mass of refugees outside.

At this rate, the food they brought this time will not be enough to feed them at all.

He wanted to lead the people here to farm and become self-sufficient, but very few people came to farm; they preferred to go hungry rather than come.

"Sir, don't bother, nothing can grow on this land!" At this moment, an old man kindly came over to remind him.

Fu Jingyuan frowned: "Why?"

The old man shook his head: "I don't know either. We've tried everything, but we just can't grow any crops, and we can't even keep the livestock alive!"

As he spoke, he sighed helplessly, "Perhaps we have angered God, and He is punishing us!"

"..."

A few days later, Fu Jingyuan also saw that the crops he had planted with his own hands had all died. He pursed his lips and picked up the crops to examine them carefully.

Suddenly the door was pushed open, and Luo Chuan brought in a thin, small man.

"Sir, I've been observing this person for a long time. He's been lurking around our gate lately, I wonder what he's up to."

Fu Jingyuan turned around, and when he saw the person who had come, he frowned deeply.

"Li Wenyue, what are you doing here?"

Seeing that he recognized her, Li Wenyue smiled smugly: "Surprised? Surprised? I've come to keep you company!"