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

"Be careful of the second young mistress."

This sentence made Gan Cai'er completely give up waiting for Ding Peilan and Zhao Cen to appear, and she decided to leave early. It seemed that she had stumbled upon some incredible secret again.

After leaving Rongde Hall, Gan Cai'er became unusually silent. Xiao Hong asked her two or three times in a low voice, but she only shook her head each time. Later, she mingled with a large group of women and sat for a while before taking her leave of the Yao residence, citing feeling unwell.

Lan Tingzhou, who was in the front yard, heard that Gan Cai'er had left early, so he also bid farewell to Minister Yao and said that he would leave first.

The story of Lan Tingzhou winning first place in the imperial examinations four times and then becoming the top scholar in the provincial examinations had already reached the capital. Therefore, he became the focus of everyone's attention at this banquet. Thus, Yao Yong tried his best to persuade him to stay.

"A servant just reported that my wife is suddenly feeling unwell. I'm worried about her and need to go see her," Lan Tingzhou insisted on leaving.

Seeing that he could not persuade Lan Ting to stay, Yao Yong instructed his steward to personally escort Lan Tingzhou out of the mansion.

Just as they were about to leave the mansion, the steward suddenly stopped and looked at a bare sycamore tree, saying, "Alas, there isn't a single leaf left. A few days ago, when I passed by, there were still four or five leaves."

“My old lady once looked at this tree and sighed, saying that the family should have many more branches and leaves, and that it would be good if there were many children and grandchildren in the house.”

"When people get older, they like lively atmospheres and they especially adore children."

Lan Tingzhou slowed his pace and looked at the sycamore tree that had not retained a single leaf.

He smiled slightly and said, "When spring comes, the tree will naturally be lush and verdant again. Madam Yao really doesn't need to worry."

"Do we really have to wait until spring?" the old butler seemed to be muttering to himself.

Lan Tingzhou seemed not to hear, and left the Yao residence without saying another word.

As soon as Lan Tingzhou boarded the carriage, he saw Gan Cai'er sitting inside, staring blankly, while Xiao Hong sat beside her, looking worried.

Lan Tingzhou frowned slightly and asked Xiao Hong.

"What's wrong? Is your young lady feeling unwell?"

Xiao Hong shook her head, about to say something, when she heard Gan Cai'er speak softly.

"Xiao Hong, you go out first. I have something to say to my husband."

Xiao Hong looked at Gan Cai'er with even greater worry, but in the end she listened to Gan Cai'er and turned to leave the carriage, then closed the door behind her.

"What happened?" Lan Tingzhou asked.

"Old Madam Yao's nanny told me to be careful of Second Young Mistress Yao," Gan Cai'er said.

Lan Tingzhou lowered his eyes and said calmly, "Then we should have less contact with the Yao family."

"The relationships within powerful families are inherently complex, so it's best for us to stay away from them. Whether it's Old Madam Yao, Madam Yao, or Second Young Madam Yao, we should all keep our distance."

Gan Cai'er suddenly stared at Lan Tingzhou: "Do you know something?"

Lan Tingzhou was slightly surprised and looked up at him: "What makes you say that?"

Gan Cai'er paused for a moment, then curled her lip and scoffed, "Tch, I'm not as stupid as you think."

Lan Tingzhou remained silent, only looking at her.

Gan Cai'er then told Lan Tingzhou about Yao Er Shao Madam's strange behavior of suddenly coming to see her today.

Finally, she lifted her sleeve and compared it to a spot two inches to the left of her wrist, saying, "When Granny Zhang pulled me, I saw a plum blossom mark here, a very light red one, like a birthmark."

"But I know that's not it."

"Because Granny Huang also has an identical plum blossom seal here."

Lan Tingzhou remained silent for a long while before slowly saying, "People can look alike, and things can have similarities. What's more, a small trace might just be a coincidence."

"Lan Tingzhou!" Gan Cai'er glared at him, a hint of anger in her eyes. "Do you really think I'm that easy to fool?!"

Lan Tingzhou sighed softly: "There are some things that are better left unsaid."

"Ha, I don't think so! Didn't you see people coming to our door? If I really didn't know anything, I might not even know how I died one day!!" Gan Cai'er said angrily.

After thinking for a moment, Lan Tingzhou finally spoke up: "Du Ke's surname is not Du, but Gongsun."

"Huh?!" Gan Cai'er looked shocked.

"Du Ke's mother is not Zhao Jiao'er."

"Huh?!" Gan Cai'er was even more shocked.

"The current Empress's surname is Yao, and she is the eldest daughter of Minister Yao." Lan Tingzhou didn't say anything more, but just gave Gan Cai'er a deep look.

Gan Cai'er's mouth gaped open, and she was so shocked that she couldn't close it for a long time. Her stunned expression was as if she had been struck by lightning.

A smile flashed in Lan Tingzhou's eyes. Then, he reached out and gently closed Gan Cai'er's mouth.

"Madam, you're practically drooling." Lan Tingzhou chuckled.

While sitting in the carriage, Gan Cai'er had been thinking about all sorts of possibilities, such as long-lost sisters, secret sects, and even feuds and massacres in the martial arts world.

But even the most outrageous possibility she could think of was less than a fraction of the truth.

Gan Cai'er wasn't truly stupid; she just didn't like to use her brain. From Lan Tingzhou's few words, she had already guessed Du Ke's true identity.

Thinking of Du Ke's fate in his previous life, Gan Cai'er couldn't help but shudder. She grabbed Lan Tingzhou's sleeve and asked...

"Who wanted to harm him?!"