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

Lan Tingzhou didn't rest at home for long. Once his injuries were mostly healed, he went to work. On his first day of work, after the grand court assembly, he didn't go directly to the Hanlin Academy, but instead went to Jinhua Palace in the imperial city.

Jinhua Palace was the residence of Princess Pingyao, and she was imprisoned there after Gongsun Yi was executed.

"I didn't participate in the treason, so why am I locked up here?!"

"You lowly servants, how dare you stop me! I'll have my uncle, the Emperor, kill you all! Kill you all!!"

"If you don't let me out, I'll kill myself right here!"

As soon as Lan Tingzhou entered the palace gate, he heard Cheng Yanran's sharp and angry shouts.

"She certainly has a lot of energy," Lan Tingzhou scoffed lightly.

"Lord Lan, you flatter me. The princess has always had a fiery temper. For the past month or so, she's been cursing and yelling like this every day. But she's never actually tried to kill herself," the eunuch beside him said with a smile.

Everyone knows now that Lan Shidu has been promoted to Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince and is the most favored person in the Emperor's eyes.

Lan Tingzhou smiled upon hearing this, neither agreeing nor disagreeing. He gestured to the imperial guards to open the palace gates, and then slowly entered.

Upon entering the hall, all she saw were fragments everywhere, a scene of utter chaos. The display cabinet was completely empty; everything that could be smashed had been destroyed. Her two personal maids huddled in a corner of the room, too afraid to even breathe.

Upon seeing the palace gates opened, Cheng Yanran's cursing abruptly stopped. She looked up at the entrance and was quite surprised to see that the person who came was Lan Tingzhou.

"Princess, how have you been?"

"Lan Tingzhou, it's you? What are you doing here? Is His Majesty finally going to let me out?" Cheng Yanran jumped up suddenly, running all the way over, her eyes revealing a strong desire.

More than a month of confinement had transformed the once glamorous and arrogant princess into a disheveled and filthy woman, resembling a madwoman.

Lan Tingzhou shook his head and looked at her indifferently: "My visit has nothing to do with His Majesty. I just want to collect a debt from the Princess."

"Debt, what debt? When did I ever owe you any debt?!" Cheng Yanran's voice suddenly became shrill.

Looking at the shards scattered on the ground, Lan Tingzhou smiled faintly: "I heard that the princess wants to die? Then this humble official can lend you a hand."

Having said that, he drew the knife from his waist; the blade gleamed coldly and was exceptionally sharp.

Seeing that Lan Tingzhou's expression was calm and his face serious, not like he was joking, Cheng Yanran panicked and suddenly broke down, crying out loudly.

"Lord Lan, I truly had no idea you were injured in your fall from your horse last time! I have always admired and loved you, how could I possibly do anything to hurt you?"

"It was all done by the maids in my palace! They saw that I couldn't eat or drink anything because of you, so they came up with this plan to get revenge for me."

"If you're still angry, I can hand them all over to you. You can beat or kill them as you please!"

The kingfisher feathers and damask, huddled in the corner, trembled involuntarily.

“Princess, you seem to have misunderstood me.” Lan Tingzhou smiled gently.

"The person I'm looking for is you, not your slave."

With that, Lan Tingzhou raised his hand and swung the blade straight at Cheng Yanran's neck. With a "pfft," a stream of warm blood spurted from Cheng Yanran's neck cavity and splattered on the ground.

Diancui and Diandai covered their mouths tightly, trembling all over, swallowing their screams.

Cheng Yanran stared wide-eyed at Lan Tingzhou in disbelief. She couldn't believe that Lan Tingzhou actually intended to kill her!

A mere sixth-rank official dared to assassinate the reigning princess in broad daylight!

Cheng Yanran died unable to rest in peace.

Seeing Cheng Yanran gradually breathe her last in terror, Lan Tingzhou sheathed his sword and left Jinhua Palace.

He has to take back his child's life with his own hands.

The eunuchs who were with him were trembling with fear and kept silent.

Inside the imperial study, Gongsun Rui was handling memorials with a vermilion brush.

"Your Majesty, Lord Lan requests an audience," Zhang Dezi reported.

Gongsun Rui paused, his pen stilling, and looked up from the official document.

"Is Pingyao really dead?"

"Your Majesty, the princess is indeed dead," Zhang Dezi replied respectfully. "Xiao Pingzi said that Doctor Lan killed her with his own hands."

Gongsun Rui remained silent for a long time, finally sighing, "Scholars have always produced ruthless individuals."

"Show him in."

A moment later, Lan Tingzhou entered the Imperial Study.

“Minister Lan, you once asked me that if the matter was accomplished, you would ask me for one person’s life in exchange for one more favor.”

"Now that you've taken one life, what is this matter?"

"Your Majesty, I wish to have that house in the East City."

Gongsun Rui barely managed to spit out the mouthful of tea he was holding!

Eliminating the rebels, quelling the rebellion, and reclaiming imperial power for him—for such a tremendous achievement, he didn't want any official rank or imperial edict; all he wanted was a small house?!

Gongsun Rui almost had a heart attack!

But is that house so easily given away?

Gongsun Rui slowly put down his teacup and said very gently, "Minister Lan, why don't you change your request?"

"Your humble servant will not exchange," Lan Tingzhou said calmly, his eyes lowered.

Gongsun Rui sighed and summoned Meng Yu to the palace the next day. Then, he indirectly proposed to acquire Meng Yu's house in the eastern part of the city, saying that the price and conditions were negotiable.

However, Meng Yu raised a thin lip and looked at him with a half-smile.

"Your Majesty, during the chaos in the capital, my brother led 10,000 heavy cavalry to hold off 150,000 elite troops sent by Gongsun Yi outside the city, right?"

When Gongsun Rui heard him mention this, he had a vague premonition of something bad, but he could only nod.

"I led two hundred Xuanying Guards in a fierce battle against the Kyoto Military Command for more than ten days, right?"

Gongsun Rui nodded again.

"On the day of the palace coup, it was the Black Eagle Guard who captured the traitor Gongsun Yi, right?"

"Was I seriously injured because of this?"

"His Majesty promised to reward me handsomely after the matter is accomplished, didn't he?"

Gongsun Rui looked at him expressionlessly: "So? How does my beloved minister wish for my reward?"

Meng Yu twitched his eyelids and yawned calmly and slowly: "With so much credit, all I want is a house in exchange, is that alright?"

Seriously, are these two determined to cause trouble for this house?!

Gongsun Rui was furious, but only for a moment. He flung his sleeves and stormed out of the imperial study in a huff.

He knew a little about the entanglement between Lan Tingzhou and Meng Yu.

But why should they bother him when they can have their own troubles?! Gongsun Rui was so angry that he didn't even eat dinner.

Upon hearing the news, Yao Ji had someone prepare a late-night snack and then personally brought it to see Gongsun Rui.

Gongsun Rui silently ate his late-night snack, his brows furrowed and his face full of annoyance.

Yao Ji chuckled lightly: "Your Majesty, I don't think this matter is difficult to handle."

Gongsun Rui paused, then looked at her: "Zitong, what are your thoughts?"

"What General Meng and Lord Lan are fighting over is not a house; they are fighting over a person."

"So, wouldn't it be better to just bestow this house directly upon Madam Lan?"

"Hahaha, wonderful, wonderful, wonderful!" Gongsun Rui clapped his hands and laughed, the worries in his heart instantly dissipating.

The next day, Gongsun Rui summoned Meng Yu to the palace again and told him that he had requisitioned the mansion to reward Gan Cai'er, and that the mansion would be registered under her name as her private property.

No matter whose wife or mother she becomes in the future, the ownership of this house will always belong to Gan Cai'er herself.

Meng Yu finally nodded.

However, he said that Gongsun Rui didn't need to spend money to collect it; he could just send it directly.

Five days later, Meng Yu knocked on the Lan residence's door again. He was there on imperial orders to deliver the land deed.

"This, this isn't the person I want to see! Don't be angry!" Gan Cai'er protested, grabbing Lan Tingzhou's hand.

Lan Tingzhou glanced at her indifferently, without saying a word.

"Or, I won't see him. You can go see him for me."

"Ha, General Meng is here on imperial orders. The person to be written on the house deed is you, not your husband."

Only Meng Yu would do something like trading military merit for a legitimate opportunity to meet someone.

"Go ahead, you still need to make things clear to him."

"Oh."

"So you're really not angry anymore?"

Lan Tingzhou glanced at her, said nothing more, and left. Uh, she's still angry...

Gan Cai'er saw Meng Yu again more than a month after the palace coup. Meng Yu had lost a lot of weight, and his temperament was much more composed and dignified. His features even showed some sharpness, making him look more and more like Meng Yan.

Meng Yu handed over the land deed, which Gan Cai'er accepted. The two looked at each other and remained silent for a moment.

"Are all your injuries healed?" Gan Cai'er asked.

"You still care about this?" Meng Yu smiled sarcastically.

During the days that Meng Yu was in a coma and then regained consciousness, Gan Cai'er didn't visit him once. Her mind was entirely focused on Lan Tingzhou, and there was no room for anything else.

She opened her mouth as if to say something, but in the end she said nothing and just sat there silently.

“Next month, I’m setting off for the northern frontier,” Meng Yu suddenly said.

“In the past, my brother was always the one guarding the border. This time, he stayed in the capital to get married and have children, to be filial to his parents, and to help the Meng family prosper.”

Gan Cai'er felt a pang in her heart. She understood Meng Yu's unspoken meaning: once he went to the northern frontier, he would never return.

"You're not going back to Kyoto?" Gan Cai'er asked.

“If you want me to come back, I will.” Meng Yu glanced at her sideways.

Gan Cai'er choked, but still patiently tried to persuade him. From the bottom of her heart, she still hoped that Meng Yu could be alright.

"Ah Yu, there are so many good women in this world, and even in your past life, there were many women who were deeply in love with you. The relationship between us is nothing but a karmic entanglement, so why are you so attached to it?"

"Both Lantingzhou and Xiaoxiao once said that I was blinded by the things of my past life, and that I was too entangled in the past. I was blinded by a leaf and missed the meaning of rebirth."

"Ah Yu, let go of the past. Look more at this life, look around you, and you will surely meet someone you truly love."

"I know what I want. Do you think I'm as stupid as you?" Meng Yu sneered.

Gan Cai'er could only remain silent once more. Meng Yu, covered in sharp thorns, was a stranger to her, leaving her feeling lost and helpless. While she was still in a daze, a flash of light appeared before her eyes, and a short knife shot straight at her head. She let out a short scream, her whole body tensing.

A moment later, several strands of hair were seen fluttering and falling from the top of her head.

Meng Yu was holding a short knife in one hand and a large clump of her hair in the other.

"What are you doing?!" Gan Cai'er was still in shock.

“My dear, the day that old scoundrel Lan Tingzhou dies, I will come back to marry you.”

Meng Yu tucked the tuft of hair into his pocket, then stood up and strode out.

"I'm leaving." He raised his hand and waved without turning his head.

"My dear, you are my wife, and always will be."

From then on, every year at the end of the year, Lan Tingzhou would receive a greeting from the northern frontier. It was a thin piece of paper with only a few words on it, asking him when he would die.

Lan Tingzhou remained calm and would always reply with a thick stack of papers. He would tell the other person in detail how many bowls of rice he ate each day, whether he slept soundly, what the doctor said about his health, and whether Gan Cai'er had given birth to another child for him.

Finally, at the end of each letter, he would always add a sentence, saying that he would surely live to be a hundred years old.

Meng Yu never returned to the capital. He guarded the northern frontier and stubbornly kept Gan Cai'er's promise: if he returned safely, she would marry him.

It was as if, as soon as he returned, she would be wearing a bright red wedding dress, sitting at home waiting for him. As long as he didn't return, this dream would never be shattered.

Year after year, he wrote to Kyoto and waited for her reply. From the words in those thick stacks of letters, he tried to guess her joys and sorrows.

In fact, he wrote to Gan Cai'er every year, describing the scenery of northern Xinjiang, his experiences there, and especially his life there. But Gan Cai'er never replied to a single letter.

He knew what she meant.

But he kept waiting.

One day, the boat at Lanting Pavilion will perish.

One day he will be able to go back and marry her.

Actually, if possible, he wouldn't want to wait any longer. He also wanted to find a lovely, beautiful, and deeply loved woman in this life, just as she said, and live happily ever after.

Unfortunately, his heart was empty, and he could no longer offer a sincere heart.

He once deceived a sincere heart, thinking he had gained something, but he never imagined that in the end he would completely lose himself.