After being reborn, her aloof ex-husband and her crazy deceased husband got into a fight.

The winter of Jinghe 20th year was particularly cold.

As the year drew to a close, Kyoto experienced seven days and seven nights of snow.

Snowflakes fluttered down, shrouding the entire capital city in ice and snow; as far as the eye could see, the world was a blanket of white.

Early morning, the sky was just beginning to lighten.

In a secluded alley in the south of the city, a wooden door creaked open, and a woman stepped out.

The woman looked to be in her early thirties, and her beautiful features still hinted at her former stunning beauty.

If any noble ladies from Kyoto were present, they would recognize this woman as Gan Cai'er, the infamous "good-for-nothing beauty" who was once the laughingstock of the entire Kyoto social circle.

But Gan Cai'er now can no longer be described as a "beauty".

At this moment, her face was covered with fine lines, her skin was rough and dry, and her complexion was dull, showing signs of aging far beyond her years.

A cheap blue-and-white floral headscarf wrapped her hair up, with a few strands of hair sticking out from the edge, their yellow and white color highlighting her poverty and distress.

She had to stop and catch her breath every few steps, looking very weak. Her clothes were also very thin, just a floral-patterned padded jacket, and she shivered incessantly when the cold wind blew on her.

Despite the cold and her discomfort, Gan Cai'er braved the wind and snow to go outside.

After seven days and seven nights of snow, the streets and alleys of Kyoto were covered with a thick layer of snow.

Gan Cai'er struggled to walk each step. It took her two hours to walk from the south of the city to the west.

Kyoto was described as "the east was rich, the west was noble, the south was lowly, and the north was poor." Those living in the western part of the city were either princes, nobles, or powerful families, all of whom were of high status and wealth.

Gan Cai'er followed the wall, turning east and west, and skillfully entered the back alley of a grand courtyard.

She walked straight to the end of the alley, squatted down and dug around with her foot a few times, and then saw a small dog hole peeking out from the corner of the wall.

She took a small piece of fresh cypress branch from her bosom, stuffed it into the dog hole, and then gently shook it.

A moment later, a voice came from the other side of the wall.

"Mother, is that you?" The voice was young, probably that of an eight or nine-year-old boy, still carrying a hint of childishness.

That cry of "Mother" broke Gan Cai'er's heart, instantly bringing tears to her eyes and causing them to fall in a steady stream.

"Xing'er, it's me." Her voice choked with emotion.

"Mom, can you take me away?" The little voice was full of hope.

Upon hearing this, Gan Cai'er felt as if her heart was being torn apart, and her tears fell even more fiercely.

That was her son, whom she had carried for ten months. How could she possibly want to be separated from her child?! But she was of lowly status and power; how could she possibly stand against the Duke of Wei's mansion?

She steadied herself and tried to sound cheerful: "Xing'er, when you're a little older, you can apply to the clan school to study at the academy. Then, we can meet again."

"No! My mother won't let me go out to study. She won't even let me go to the clan school anymore!"

"Mother, please take me out of here. You can take my sister with you, why can't you take me too?" The voice from the other side of the wall became anxious, with a hint of crying and a lot of grievance.

Her son's words were slowly slicing through Gan Cai'er's heart. She knew all too well that the vicious woman who had plotted to ruin her reputation and driven her to the brink of despair would never treat her son well.

but......

"Xing'er, you are the eldest son of the Duke of Wei's family, and you're listed in the family genealogy. Your mother can't take you with her~~~"

Gan Cai'er covered her mouth and burst into tears.

It wasn't that she didn't want to take her son with her, but that it was simply impossible.

Hearing her cry, the voices on the other side of the wall became panicked.

"Mother, don't cry, I won't leave, I won't leave."

"Mother, I will listen to you and study hard! If they won't let me study, I will study secretly. When I grow up, I will definitely get justice for you!"

While wiping away her tears, Gan Cai'er took out a purse from her bosom and stuffed it forcefully into the dog hole.

"There are many unruly servants in this household. Take this money. If the First Madam makes things difficult for you, use the money to bribe her. Don't be stingy. I don't ask for anything else, I only wish that you and your brother can live in peace."

"Mother, I understand."

A pair of small hands took the purse and held it tightly in their palms.

"Young Master, let's go quickly, lest someone find out." The servant's voice came from afar.

"Alright. Xing'er, hurry back inside. It's cold today, be careful not to catch a cold," Gan Cai'er urged.

"Mother, when will you come again?"

"How about the fifteenth of the first lunar month? I'll bring you a sugar figurine then."

"okay."

Meng Beihai stood up from the ground and tugged at his robe. It was made of fine brocade inlaid with fox fur, but it was too worn and obviously too small, not even covering his wrists.

Since his father died in battle and his mother was driven out of the Duke of Wei's mansion, his life in the mansion had become worse day by day. He pursed his lips, gripped the purse in his hand, and turned to leave.

As the footsteps on the other side of the wall faded into the distance, Gan Cai'er slowly straightened up, leaning against the wall for support. Suddenly, she felt dizzy and gripped the wall tightly with her fingernails to keep from falling into the snow.

Four years ago, she had a difficult childbirth when giving birth to her daughter, which left her with health problems. In the last two years, her health has deteriorated significantly, and she is extremely weak, constantly coughing and wheezing.

Gan Cai'er rubbed her numb, frozen hands and suddenly felt like crying. She had once been a beautiful and charming woman, the envy of everyone, the wife of a top scholar. How did she end up like this?