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

That day, Gan Cai'er ultimately left by jumping out of the window. Meng Yu wrapped her in a cloak and leaped from the riverside window, managing not to disturb the people next door in the slightest.

When Meng Yu appeared in front of Xiao Hong carrying Gan Cai'er, Xiao Hong almost rushed over and fought with Meng Yu.

"Xiao Hong, go hire a carriage." Gan Cai'er stopped Xiao Hong, looking exhausted.

Since the purpose of this trip was to meet Meng Yu, Gan Cai'er did not ride in her own carriage. She had Xiao Hong hire carriages for both the trip and the return journey.

"Take my carriage, I'll take you back." Meng Yu tightened his grip on her arm and looked down at her.

"Are you only satisfied when you've driven me to my death?" Gan Cai'er calmly let him hold her, but closed her eyes, her voice weary, as if she were completely exhausted.

Seeing her like this, Meng Yu didn't dare to say anything more. After Xiao Hong brought the carriage, he personally carried her onto it, then took out a bone flute and handed it to Xiao Hong.

"If your young lady is in danger after you return to the manor, play this flute, and someone will come to your aid."

Seeing Meng Yu's serious expression, Xiao Hong felt the flute was burning her hands, and she hurriedly pushed it away, saying, "I, I can't play the flute."

"It's alright, you can take it first. Feng Zhao will teach you." With that, Meng Yu put the flute into Xiao Hong's hand.

Gan Cai'er, who had kept her eyes closed and remained silent, opened them and looked at Meng Yu: "You also think that Lan Tingzhou's appearance today was not a coincidence?"

Meng Yu remained silent and did not answer.

Lan Tingzhou has always been meticulous and shrewd; there is no coincidence in his actions.

However, Meng Yu thought that if Lan Tingzhou really discovered it, it wouldn't be a bad thing. Now that he had become the top scholar and met Shen Yunxi, it was time for everyone to go their separate ways.

Meng Yu was right; Lan Tingzhou's visit to Zhaixing Tower was indeed not a coincidence.

Today was a day he had arranged to have a drink with some of his classmates who had also joined the Hanlin Academy, and he was to host the banquet. But just before he was about to leave, he ran into Lu Qingning, who came looking for him.

Gongsun Yi has been acting strangely lately, seemingly interacting too frequently with military generals in the court.

The Great Yong Dynasty enjoyed a long period of peace, with no major wars for nearly a century. In addition, the emperor feared that military generals would become too powerful, so he deliberately emphasized civil officials over military ones. In the court, civil officials had a much higher status and more say than military generals.

Gongsun Yi's sudden show of goodwill towards military generals is something to be wary of. As a result, Lu Qingning has been visiting the Lan residence much more frequently lately.

After he finished reporting Gongsun Yi's recent movements to Lan Tingzhou, he casually mentioned, "By the way, didn't you tell me to keep an eye on Meng Yu's whereabouts? When I arrived, I received news that some brothers saw him heading towards Zhaixing Tower."

Lu Qingning left after finishing her business.

"Where is Madam now?" Lan Tingzhou summoned Mo Yun to inquire.

"Young master, Madam left home at noon," Mo Yun replied.

Do you know where she went?

"I don't know that. Madam didn't use the manor's carriage today. However, Madam has been going out to look at shops every day lately, so perhaps she went out to look at shops again."

After Mo Yun left, Lan Tingzhou sat in his study for a long time, remaining silent. In the end, he changed the location of the gathering to the Zhaixing Tower.

After leaving the Star-Picking Tower, Gan Cai'er did not return to the Lan residence, but went to Zhu Xiaoxiao's place instead.

Zhu Xiaoxiao was startled to see Gan Cai'er in such a disheveled state. She quickly covered her up and led her into the room.

"What happened to you?" Zhu Xiaoxiao asked anxiously.

"Huan'er, quickly go and boil some eggs! And get some wound ointment."

At this time, Gan Cai'er's eyes were swollen to the size of walnuts, her lips were red and swollen with many cracks and bleeding, and her neck was even more pitiful, covered in bruises.

"What else could it be? We ran into that beast surnamed Meng again." Xiao Hong wiped away her tears while carefully cleaning Gan Cai'er's wounds.

"Ah Cai, how did you get so injured? Did you fight with him?" Zhu Xiaoxiao asked.

"more or less."

Gan Cai'er didn't want to say much about what happened that day, and even when Zhu Xiaoxiao pressed her for details, she remained tight-lipped.

Gan Cai'er stayed at Zhu Xiaoxiao's place temporarily and sent someone back to the Lan residence to deliver a message that Zhu Xiaoxiao would soon be setting off to return to Danzhou, and that she wanted to spend more time with her before she left.

Lan Tingzhou did not express any objection to this.

Gan Cai'er rested at Zhu Xiaoxiao's place for four or five days. Under Xiao Hong's careful care, the bite marks and sucking wounds on her body were no longer visible.

Although her injuries had healed, she remained very silent.

These past few days, Gan Cai'er has been holed up in Zhu Xiaoxiao's courtyard, never venturing out, often staring blankly out the window. Her mind is in turmoil, her emotions are in disarray. The scar on Meng Yu's chest keeps flashing before her eyes.

The Meng Yu she was facing now was not the Meng Yu who was unrelated to her but had some memories of her past life; it was the Meng Yu who had actually lived with her. This realization left her somewhat confused and flustered.

"How long are you planning to hide?" Zhu Xiaoxiao walked into the room, interrupting Gan Cai'er's reverie.

Gan Cai'er glanced at her, then lay there listlessly again, saying nothing.

"Ah Cai, what are you struggling with? Since you want to divorce Lan Tingzhou, isn't it good to be with Meng Yu?"

Although Gan Cai'er was unwilling to say more, Zhu Xiaoxiao could guess the general idea.

"He killed me once, and I don't want to die for him again," Gan Cai'er said quietly.

Zhu Xiaoxiao sighed. Actually, she felt that Meng Yu wasn't as heartless as Gan Cai'er described. At least, that wasn't the case from what she had seen.

But no one but Gan Cai'er can untangle her inner knot.

"So what are you planning to do now? If you don't go back, aren't you afraid that Lan Tingzhou will become suspicious?" Zhu Xiaoxiao nudged Gan Cai'er.

"Let's wait two more days."

Gan Cai'er understands that no matter how messy things are, they still have to be faced; running away is not the solution.

Before Gan Cai'er could decide when to return home, she heard the news that Meng Yu would be going to war the next day.

Gan Cai'er was shocked. Wasn't she supposed to leave on the 5th of next month? How come she's almost a month ahead of schedule!

"I don't know. But my uncle said it was quite sudden; it seemed like we were supposed to leave next month," Zhu Xiaoxiao said.

Has something unexpected happened in northern Xinjiang? Gan Cai'er's heart tightened, and she couldn't help but feel anxious.

Gan Cai'er had an extremely vivid memory of that battle from her past life. Although few people knew about it at the beginning, the battle caused a huge uproar in Dayong after Meng Yan's death. Meng Yu also changed overnight after his brother's death.

Gan Cai'er remembers that the war lasted for six years.

Although she knew Meng Yu was reborn, and that he was confident in taking Meng Yan's place on the battlefield, he was simply too arrogant and reckless for his age; there was no risk he wouldn't take...

Meng Yan was so much stronger than him, yet they both died in that battle...

That night, Gan Cai'er didn't sleep a wink, staying awake until dawn.

The next day, just as dawn was breaking, Gan Cai'er left the mansion alone. She went to a nearby horse shop, rented a horse, mounted it, and headed straight out of the city.

In his past life, Meng Yan's departure for war was quiet and unnoticed. His 200,000-strong army assembled outside the city before setting off. In this life, Meng Yu's departure was grand and imposing. The army was mustered at the drill ground, the emperor himself was present, and then there was a great commotion as the entire city's populace saw him off.

It wasn't until they were twenty miles outside the city that the noisy crowds gradually dispersed.

Meng Yu was riding his horse in the middle of the group when a scout came to report.

"Report, Third General, someone is requesting an audience at the pavilion ahead."

"Who is it?" Meng Yu raised an eyebrow.

"The other party did not give her name; she was a woman in red."

Upon hearing this, Meng Yu's eyes flashed with a sharp light. He spurred his horse and galloped away like lightning.

Gan Cai'er, dressed in a striking red dress and riding a black horse, stood by the pavilion. She watched as Meng Yu, alone on horseback, galloped towards her.

"Darling, did you come to see me off?" Meng Yu grinned, a bead of sweat dripping from his chin.

Gan Cai'er's gaze meticulously traced every contour of Meng Yu's face. In this lifetime, she had never looked at him so intently.

"Ayu, if you come back safely, I will marry you."

Meng Yu suddenly kicked the stirrup, then leaped into the air, landing on Gan Cai'er's horse in the next moment. The horse, which Gan Cai'er had rented, neighed loudly in surprise.

He disregarded everything and pulled Gan Cai'er into his arms, kissing her deeply.

When the sun was high in the sky and Meng Yu's figure could no longer be seen, Gan Cai'er pulled on the reins and returned to the capital.

This time, she didn't go to Zhu Xiaoxiao's courtyard, but went straight back to the Lan residence.

When the servants of the Lan family saw Gan Cai'er riding back on horseback, they all stared wide-eyed. So their mistress could ride a horse?

Gan Cai'er handed the horse over to the gatekeeper, gave him the address of the horse inn, and asked him to lead the horse to cancel the rental agreement. Then she went back to her room.

As soon as she stepped into the room, she saw Lan Tingzhou sitting inside, brewing tea.

Gan Cai'er stopped abruptly, her heart filled with surprise and doubt. Why was Lan Tingzhou at home? Shouldn't he be on duty at the Hanlin Academy at this time?

"You're back?" Lan Tingzhou looked up at her.

Gan Cai'er nodded haphazardly.

"You went to see him off before he went to war?"

Lan Tingzhou's voice was calm, peaceful, and undisturbed. Yet, it was like a thunderclap that exploded above Gan Cai'er's head.