My elder sister forced me to become a concubine; I was reborn and remarried into the emperor's

It took Wei Nanxun a day to return to the capital. In order to get home as quickly as possible, she didn't even stop at the post station along the way and slept directly in the carriage.

She wanted to keep her mind busy so she wouldn't overthink things.

She knew very well in her heart that Pei Yuyan and Pei Ji were two completely different people.

Although both are strong and aloof, Pei Yuyan doesn't care about her thoughts and only wants to imprison her in the cage he has set for her, while Pei Ji will respect her.

At least he said he wanted her to calm down, and he really did turn around and leave without disturbing her again.

For safety, she hired two bodyguards to escort her, and fortunately, the journey was peaceful, and no one else dared to show up.

It would be a lie to say she wasn't tempted, but she was terrified of being deceived, especially by royalty and nobility. Having already died once, she really didn't want to return to that cold palace.

She wanted freedom, she didn't want to compromise anymore, and she wanted an equal and truly compatible man.

As for what happens next, she has no control over it, so she can only stay true to herself and take it one step at a time.

She returned to the capital early the next morning. Worried about her brother's injury, she didn't linger and rushed in as soon as the city gates opened.

As dawn broke, the servants outside the Wei residence were still yawning when a carriage stopped outside.

Seeing that the carriage had a green roof and was rather dull and unremarkable, they thought they had come to the wrong place and were about to send someone to drive the carriage away.

He saw a slender figure step out of the carriage. He rubbed his eyes, paused for a moment, then slapped his forehead: "Quick, quick, quick, go and tell the old lady and the madam that Seventh Miss is back!"

"Seventh Miss, you're finally back! Your absence these past few days has worried Madam terribly..."

Wei Nanxun didn't have time for small talk with others; she got off the carriage and went straight to the backyard.

Her younger brother lived with her in the West Garden, but they had both been studying at the academy. According to the timeline of this life, the siblings had only not seen each other for a few months.

But if we include our previous life, it's been four or five years since we last met.

Actually, she didn't have a very good relationship with her younger brother when she was young. Her mother had a difficult childbirth and risked her life to give birth to her brother.

She was too young to understand at the time and thought that her younger brother had killed their mother. In addition, Wei and Yu had been sickly since birth and were always weak. They would fall ill and call for a doctor at the drop of a hat, which made their grandmother even more disgusted with their family.

Therefore, even though they were siblings by blood, their relationship was always lukewarm, even less so than that between her and her older sister.

Until one time in her previous life, Wei Heyu got into a fight with a young man from her clan, which was the first time she had ever seen Heyu angry.

He was born frail, with a face no bigger than a palm, looking like a little girl. Yet, standing before a group of older brothers, he raised his head, his face and neck flushed, and loudly proclaimed, "My elder sister is very good, and you are not allowed to speak ill of her."

At that time, Wei Nanxun was only about ten years old. Although her features had not yet fully developed, she already had the appearance of a lotus flower just beginning to bloom.

There were a few unruly young men in the clan who followed the bad example of outsiders. One of them even went to the brothel and came back saying that Wei Nanxun looked like one of the prostitutes there.

Wei Heyu overheard this, and for the first time, he actually hit someone, something he never usually does.

It was only after that that Wei Nanxun realized how foolish she had been. The dead cannot be brought back to life, and she, her father, and her brother were the closest people in the world. She should cherish the people in front of her.

When she married Pei Yuyan, she was a concubine, not even a secondary consort. Naturally, she didn't have a phoenix coronet and wedding robes, or a bridal chamber. She could only be secretly escorted into the East Palace through a side gate in a small sedan chair.

Her younger brother then held her hand and earnestly advised her, "Sister, you must not wrong yourself."

“Even if it’s the Crown Prince, if he bullies you, just tell me, and I’ll rush into the palace and teach him a lesson for you.”

Despite being so protective of his younger brother, the Wei family promised to take good care of him and raise him to be successful. However, after Wei Mingzhao became pregnant, they allowed him to have his leg broken and even sent him to be humiliated and apologize to the other party.

In this life, no matter what, she cannot let her younger brother suffer such injustice again.

Thinking this, she quickened her pace.

After not returning for two or three months, Xiyuan felt somewhat unfamiliar.

At first, she didn't realize what was wrong, but it wasn't until she entered the main house on the east side that she realized what was happening.

All the servants in the courtyard had been replaced, and not a single one of them looked familiar.

They were all very well-mannered, and upon seeing her, they all bowed and said, "Greetings, Seventh Lady."

Was it her aunt's doing, or had Pei Yuyan already extended his reach directly into her house?

Neither of these is good news.

This isn't going home; it's like a lamb entering a tiger's den, and she's willingly jumping into a fire pit herself.

The things in the room hadn't changed. Wei Nanxun walked around the screen and immediately saw the boy on the bed. His face, which was already small, looked even more pale after his illness, as if the flesh on both sides had been shaved inwards.

But she was awake. Hearing the noise, she looked up and met Wei Nanxun's eyes.

Her eyes immediately lit up, and she exclaimed joyfully, "Sister? You're back!"

Wei Nanxun's heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally settled down the moment she saw that his life was no longer in danger.

But she was still worried, so she sat on the edge of the bed and checked him over thoroughly. Only after confirming that he really only had a leg injury and no other wounds did she breathe a sigh of relief.

"Ayu, what exactly happened?"

Wei Heyu lowered his head somewhat embarrassed. "A while ago, when I was studying at the academy, people kept asking me about your whereabouts, both openly and secretly. I found it strange. Where else could you be if you weren't at home?"

“Last time my eldest sister got married, all the brothers in the clan were allowed to have a holiday. When I got home, I found that my sister was not there.”

Seeing how thin he looked, Wei Nanxun couldn't help but feel guilty. She had left so freely and easily, but she hadn't considered Wei Heyu at all.

She left, leaving him all alone.

"I... I've run into some trouble. It's hard to explain in just a few words. I'll tell you in a few days."

Wei Heyu nodded obediently: "Sister must have her own reasons for leaving home. I won't ask. I'll tell you when you're ready."

“Then a few days ago, someone said some nasty things, saying that my sister had eloped with a man. I was upset when I heard that, so I hit him. I didn’t expect to fall off the artificial hill during the struggle.”

"The artificial hill? Did you bump into anything else? How could you be so careless? Whose brat is so rude?"

"I guess I was lucky. That artificial hill was really high. Just as I fell, someone happened to be passing by and said they were looking for our master. If someone hadn't caught me, it probably wouldn't have been just a broken leg. As for the other person, the master has already punished them. Sister, let's just let it go."

Wei Heyu was clearly afraid that if Wei Nanxun went to settle scores, she would end up suffering the consequences.

After all, the siblings had always held a lower status in the clan, and he was protecting her.

Just like in the previous life, even though she was the older sister, he, the younger brother, always protected her in his own way.

Wei Nanxun was filled with lingering fear upon hearing this; if someone hadn't happened to be passing by, the news might have become true.

But what a coincidence! It was someone from outside who went to look for the Master.

A bold guess popped into her mind: Could it be Pei Ji's doing?

Hesitantly, he asked, "Do you still remember what the person who saved you looked like...?"

Just as Wei Heyu was about to speak, she heard a maid outside the room call out loudly, "Greetings, Madam."

The Wang family arrived so quickly...