Best friends dressed up in ancient times to become mistresses? You run, I run too!

It's bulging inside; there should be quite a bit of dry food, enough to last us.

He didn't refuse anymore, reached out and took the pastry she offered, took a careful bite, and found it so crumbly and delicious!

As he ate, his eyes welled up with tears.

After three years, he finally got to eat something other than wild fruits and vegetables again.

Seeing him like this, Shen Ningzhu really couldn't connect his current gaunt appearance with the flamboyant, carefree young nobleman he was three years ago.

I could only silently look away.

At the same time, Jiang Yanche finally discovered that Shen Ningzhu was missing and immediately flew into a rage.

The magistrate and his wife, along with Li Jiaojiao and their children, were summoned to the backyard and knelt tremblingly on the ground.

"I'll ask you one more time: where is he?"

Li Mu was so frightened that cold sweat poured down his forehead. He banged his head on the ground and cried out his innocence, tears streaming down his face.

"Your Highness, please understand! This humble official truly has no idea what happened. Please, Your Highness, spare my life!"

Looking at his useless appearance, Madam Li's eyes flashed with deep contempt. She thought to herself, "How could I have fallen for such a good-for-nothing when I was young?"

The more I think about it, the more I regret it.

So he straightened his back and said,

"Your Highness, please calm down. I saw that woman yesterday and she seemed like a troublemaker. I think she must have run away."

"In my opinion, she's just a blind fool. Let her go. There are plenty of beauties in the world. Even if she's gone, there are plenty of men who admire Your Highness."

Li Jiaojiao quickly chimed in.

"Yes, Your Highness, I have long admired you, and I hope Your Highness will grant me your favor."

Li Mu was startled and quickly turned to the two of them, yelling, "Stupid woman, unfilial daughter, shut up!"

Lady Li had never seen her husband speak to her so harshly before, and her anger flared up instantly. Even with Prince Chen present, she could not suppress it.

"How dare you..."

"Shut up."

Before Madam Li could lash out, Li Mu interrupted her viciously. Seeing her good-for-nothing husband's eyes blazing with fury, she trembled with rage.

Madam Li was stunned, and was genuinely frightened.

When Li Jiaojiao saw that her mother had lost out, she was afraid that her father would ruin the good thing they had promised.

She quickly crawled to Prince Chen's feet, hugged his legs, and cried with tears streaming down her face.

"Your Highness, Your Highness, I truly admire you. I would gladly serve you as a servant if it meant being with you. Please, Your Highness, have pity on my infatuation and accept me into your life."

Li Mu: ……

Jiang Yanche looked at the people below with a mocking gaze, his eyes darting back and forth between them.

Finally, a half-smile landed on Li Jiaojiao.

"Even as a slave, you'll follow me?"

"Yes."

"What if I asked you to go through fire and water for me?"

"That would be my honor."

Li Jiaojiao's eyes were as determined as if she were joining the Party, and she spoke each word clearly. Li Mu was so angry he almost fell over. Just as he was about to stop her, he saw Jiang Yanche's indifferent gaze fall on him.

In an instant, it felt as if someone had grabbed his throat, and the words he had prepared were stuck in his throat, leaving him unable to utter a single word.

After a long while, he finally slumped his shoulders as if resigned to his fate, and his back visibly hunched over.

Madam Li looked at her husband in front of her, her eyes thoughtful.

Only Li Jiaojiao was still immersed in her beautiful dream.

She thought that as long as she could get Prince Chen to agree to take her, she would be his woman from now on, and being close to him would give her an advantage.

At that time, with her methods, would she still be afraid of not receiving the emperor's favor?

Prince Chen got up and left, taking Li Jiaojiao with him.

No sooner had he left than Li Mu collapsed to the ground, muttering to himself.

"Foolish woman, foolish woman, karma is coming, karma is coming."

Madam Li finally realized something was wrong, and she hurriedly stepped forward to ask Li Mu what he meant by those words.

Li Mu simply shook her off coldly, without saying a word.

The ship is already finished, and there is no point in talking more.

Jiang Xuan Yan has already arrived at the city walls; it's probably too late to find someone now.

His only prayer now is that he can fool Jiang Xuan Yan and not ruin His Highness Prince Chen's important plans. If sacrificing Li Jiao Jiao can save the rest of the household, it will be worth it.

Thinking of this, Li Mu took a deep breath, slowly stood up, brushed the dust off the corner of his robe, and his gaze gradually became firm.

Ever since Madam Li noticed Li Mu's unusual behavior, she had been keeping a close eye on his expression.

Her daughter was finally taken away, but she felt no joy at having climbed the social ladder; instead, she felt increasingly anxious.

Seeing him get up to leave, she rushed over and grabbed his wide sleeve, her voice trembling.

"Master...Master, did Jiaojiao and I cause you any trouble just now?"

"You...you know something, don't you? Tell me, sir, tell me quickly, what exactly happened?"

Li Mu was already furious, and the way she shook him made him dizzy. He had no mood to pay attention to her anymore. He forcefully shook off her hand, his eyes cold and devoid of any warmth.

His words were like shards of ice, making Madam Li feel as if she had fallen into an ice cellar.

"Hmph, ignorant slut."

"Remember this: if anything happens to Jiaojiao, she can't blame anyone else. Blame it on your greed as her mother. Everything she has is because of you."

"You're a wicked woman who defies the heavens and crows at dawn like a hen. I shouldn't have married such a wicked woman in the first place."

In the end, it even dragged down his Li family's descendants. It's true that marrying an unvirtuous wife brings disaster to three generations!

"What...what do you mean by that?"

Madam Li turned deathly pale with fright, and now, no one answered her.

Li Mu said coldly,

"Guards, lock the lady in the ancestral hall. No one is to let her out without my orders."

Madam Li was so frightened that she instantly lost her composure, shoving the servants aside and shouting at Li Mu. However, she was quickly gagged and dragged away.

Her dignity as the matriarch of the family, built up over twenty years, was completely shattered in that instant, yet she was powerless to change it.

Li Jiaojiao was taken to the room where Shen Ningzhu used to live. Jiang Yanche called over the maids and nannies to help her redo her makeup and change her clothes.

This time, she finally wore an exquisite dress made of luxurious fabric and repaired shoes made of Shu brocade. Her hair was adorned with a red gold filigree hairpin with ruby ​​pendants, swaying and dazzling in the air.

She definitely made the right choice.

In just one day, she had acquired so many wonderful things, something she never dared to dream of before.

Even the ancient-patterned double-disc cloud-shaped dress from yesterday was something she had begged her father for a long time before he finally agreed to buy it for her at a high price as a gift for her coming-of-age ceremony in a few days.

But she had all this wealth and honor from the very first day she married Prince Chen, so how could she not be happy?

The maids and servants were very efficient and quickly got everything ready.

Looking at her beautifully dressed and charming reflection in the mirror, Li Jiaojiao's heart couldn't help but beat faster.