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

After learning the truth from Lan Tingzhou, Gan Cai'er suddenly became quiet. She leaned comfortably against the soft pillows, propped her head up, and began to silently make a list in her mind.

A pardon from death is needed, but the Gan family are just ordinary businessmen in a remote town; they can't have committed any major crimes or caused any great chaos. His Majesty should grant that, right?

Also, I'm thinking of opening a shop in Kyoto. Can I ask for another shop? It doesn't need to be too nice, just one on Qianmen Street will do.

Oh, right, I also need a house, a three-courtyard house with three entrances. I can pay for it myself, but it needs to be in a good location and reasonably priced.

Uh... isn't that asking for too much? Gan Cai'er frowned.

How about we help them a few more times? We can charge them for each time we help them? If that's not possible, we can offer a 20% or 10% discount.

Gan Cai'er pondered.

Although she remained quiet, her bright eyes darted around rapidly. Lan Tingzhou immediately knew what mischief she was up to, so he lowered his eyes and shook his head helplessly.

If he knew that Gan Cai'er had imagined Emperor Jinghe as a turtle in a wishing well and made a list of wishes... he would probably be choosing a burial plot for the two of them right now, and then figuring out which direction to bury them in.

The carriage slowly returned to the Lan family's old residence as Lan Tingzhou closed his eyes to meditate and Gan Cai'er drifted into thought.

Lan Tingzhou and Gan Cai'er returned home smoothly, but after the Fragrance-Seeking Banquet, the Yao family was plunged into a delicate, stormy night.

"The old lady had been ill for over two months and only recently began to recover. Physician Zhang repeatedly instructed her to rest quietly, avoid drafts, and not be startled."

"How dare you! You dare to send people to disturb the old lady without prior notice! Are you afraid that the old lady is too healthy?"

"Guards, slap her in the face! Beat her until she realizes she's wrong!"

Madam Yao sat in the hall and sternly rebuked him.

Kneeling in the very center of the hall, sobbing with tears streaming down her face, was none other than Madam Yao, the Second Young Master.

"Madam, I didn't mean to, I really didn't mean to..."

Upon hearing this, a woman who looked like a steward stepped out from behind Madam Yao, walked straight up to Madam Yao, and slapped her across the face.

With a sharp, resounding "slap!", the slap was crisp and loud.

The second young mistress of the Yao family was slapped to the side, her crying stopped abruptly, and then a trickle of blood spilled from her lips.

The head maid remained expressionless as she continued to raise her hands and strike Yao Er Shao's face from both sides.

"Slap! Slap! Slap!" A series of rapid slaps echoed in the hall, urgent, vicious, fast, and heavy, making onlookers feel pain just by listening to them.

Before long, Madam Yao's face was slapped red and swollen, looking like a pig's head, with no trace of her former fair complexion remaining.

Just then, someone suddenly stood up and grabbed the housekeeper's hand.

"Madam, my second sister-in-law did something wrong today, but you have already scolded and punished her. Please forgive her. If you continue to hit her, she won't be able to take it."

After that, the man also knelt down before Madam Yao.

This person was Gao Yang, the third daughter-in-law of Madam Yao. She and Zhuang Yan, the second young mistress of Yao, were cousins.

"Ha, since you feel sorry for her and your sisterly bond is so strong, then let them be punished together. Guards, take both of them to the ancestral hall and make them kneel there. They are not to be released until dawn!" Madam Yao's face was icy cold.

At this moment, inside Rongde Hall, a maid had already informed Old Madam Yao of what had happened in Shaohua Courtyard.

Madam Yao, with her prayer beads in her hand and her eyes closed, said, "Go tell the eldest son's wife not to make it too ugly, just a little tapping will do. I'm fine here."

"Alright, this old servant will go right away." Zhang Mama replied and quickly left Rongde Hall.

In less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, she returned to Rongde Hall.

Madam Yao was slightly surprised: "It's been resolved so quickly?"

Zhang Mama laughed and said, "The First Madam is a woman of principle; she only slapped them a few times. When I arrived, the Second and Third Young Madams had already been taken to kneel in the ancestral hall as punishment."

Madam Yao sighed, "Alas, it's really tough on her. For so many years, she's been swallowing her anger. Neither of her two daughters-in-law is easy to deal with. She's really had a miserable marriage."

"Everything will be alright," Granny Zhang comforted her softly.

"The child who came today is quite good," Madam Yao suddenly said.

"Oh, Madam, how did you figure that out?" Granny Zhang asked with a smile.

"His eyes, that child's eyes were so clear, without any scheming or ulterior motives, and even had a touch of chivalry, just like mine when I was young."

"Hehe, we've only met a few times today, and we're even separated by half a room, yet you can see so clearly?" Granny Zhang teased with a smile.

"You old fool, you're just making fun of me! I may be old, but I'm not blind! I'm not so old that I can't even see a person clearly."

"Oh dear, how could I dare laugh at you? No matter how old you are, you're still my young lady. Once you're in armor, your heroic spirit will be just as impressive as ever!"

"You're so good at making me happy! I don't know if my health will allow me to see Yun'er again." Old Madam Yao smiled and then sighed.

"Madam, this person is already in Kyoto, are you worried about not being able to see him?"

"I've persevered for so many years, so I'm not in a hurry. However, I'm really worried that Ji'er might lose her composure at this crucial moment."

"The last time she saw Lord Lu, she cried uncontrollably. If it weren't for her crying, which aroused suspicion, there wouldn't have been any trouble later."

"Try to go to the palace and persuade her when you have some time. Tell her that it is precisely at times like these that she must not be hasty, for a small act of impatience can ruin a great plan."

"Let her think about how that child in the palace died."

At this point, Madam Yao suddenly fell silent, slowly turning the prayer beads in her hand. After a long while, she finally let out a long sigh.

"It was our fault for not protecting that child; ultimately, we are the ones who have let the Du family down."

"We must not repeat the same mistake."

"Yes, this old servant understands."

The next day, Gan Cai'er went to Wangjing Restaurant to get several bowls of osmanthus cheese and went straight to the Du Mansion in Baihua Lane.