After transmigrating into the book, I helped my mother reconcile with her divorced husband.

"Fang Zhi!" Imperial Physician Jiang stared at her, his eyes filled with hatred: "If Yun Niang dies, you won't live either."

"Kill me? For Xie Chaoyun?" Fang Zhi sneered, "Does she even know how deeply you love her?"

"What does it matter to you whether she knows or not?" Imperial Physician Jiang grabbed her neck. "Who I marry or not has nothing to do with you! Fang Zhi, remember this: Yun Niang's trip to the border was all because of you. If anything happens to her, I will take you and the entire Fang family down with her."

Fang Zhi was terrified; she had never seen the Imperial Physician Jiang so ruthless. In her memory, he was always kind, gentle, and like a spring breeze. Even after his neck was released, she remained stunned, unable to recover for a long time.

Does he really like Xie Chaoyun that much? What is it about her that he doesn't like?

"Is Sister Fang alright?" A voice came from behind, three parts concern and seven parts teasing: "Being treated like this by your sweetheart, Sister Fang must be very sad. If you ask me, Sister Fang is much better than that divorced woman, Xie Chaoyun. Physician Jiang is blind and doesn't recognize your goodness."

Fang Zhi turned around, her eyes slightly focused.

Before me stood a little girl, elegantly dressed, seemingly a young lady from some noble family. Yet, I searched my memory but couldn't find a single piece of information about her. My gaze fell upon her wrists, and I felt a sudden sense of revulsion. Young ladies from aristocratic families usually wore gold or silver, and those past the age of marriage would wear jade or agate. I had never seen a young lady so ostentatious at such a young age, as if she wanted to cover both her wrists with jewelry.

"Who are you?" Fang Zhi raised her chin. "I've never seen you before, so don't try to associate yourself with me."

"Sister Fang has never met me, but I have met Sister Fang before." Lu Jinyao narrowed her eyes: "On the tenth day of the eighth month, at the East Gate, Jinyao and Sister Fang met once, and it can be said that we became acquainted through a fight."

"I remember now, you're the one who came to the capital with Lord Lu!" Fang Zhi scanned him up and down, a hint of disgust in her eyes: "You're Xie Chaoyun's daughter? The age doesn't match, and her daughter wouldn't have called her a divorced woman. Who exactly are you? Why are you here?"

“Lu Zhiyuan? How could I be that sickly woman who’s barely alive?” Lu Jinyao’s eyes were cold. “My mother’s surname is Ji. She and Lord Lu were childhood sweethearts, but the Xie family was too powerful, forcing the Lord Lu to marry her.”

"Are you the daughter of that mistress? No wonder you behave so frivolously." Fang Zhishen glanced at Lu Jinyao: "I have no interest in your Lu family's private affairs! I am the legitimate daughter of the Fang family, and it would be a laughing stock for you to call me 'elder sister'."

Lu Jinyao's lips twitched. Her status as a concubine's wife made her ashamed in this city. Suppressing her anger, she smiled and curtsied to Fang Zhi: "I'm here to help Miss Fang! In Jinyao's opinion, both Miss Fang and my mother were harmed by that Xie Chaoyun! My mother and Lord Lu were deeply in love, but because of Xie Chaoyun, she was a concubine without status for ten years, subjected to ridicule and mockery. Miss Fang is deeply in love with Imperial Physician Jiang, but because she always flirts with him, she is disliked by him. Can Miss Fang swallow this insult? Jinyao cannot, and wants to seek justice for my mother."

"How do we get revenge? Are we supposed to kill her?" Fang Zhi said with a sneer. "Xie Chaoyun is not only a member of the Xie family, but also a female general who has fought on the battlefield. Let alone me, a young lady from a humble family, I can't beat her. Even if I could, the Xie family would not let me go."

Fang Zhi sighed.

Although the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Rites are both among the Six Ministries, and the Vice Ministers of the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Rites are on equal footing, one has real power while the other only sounds good and looks good. They cannot be compared at all, not to mention that General Xie also has military power, and the Fang family's shops need to rely on Young Master Xie for survival.

She only had one path: to marry someone she didn't love, to share a bed but not dreams, and to grow old together.

Lu Jinyao handed over a handkerchief: "It's an arranged marriage by parents and matchmakers, and it's a marriage to the Jiang family, so Miss Fang can't refuse. But is Miss Fang really willing to accept this? Doesn't Miss Fang want Xie Chaoyun to experience the pain of losing a loved one?"

Fang Zhi raised her eyes, gritting her teeth: "You want me to kill Lord Lu?"

Lu Jinyao choked on her saliva and gently rubbed her forehead: "How could Miss Fang think like that? Xie Chaoyun has already divorced Lord Lu, and she no longer cares about his life or death. Perhaps Miss Fang's actions have actually helped her, giving her daughter the opportunity to inherit the entire Pingnan Marquis's Mansion."

Fang Zhi stared at her: "You mean..."

"Lu Zhiyuan, Xie Chaoyun's only daughter!" Lu Jinyao's smile deepened. "Xie Chaoyun is gone, but Lu Zhiyuan is still here! Jinyao heard some news that Lu Zhiyuan is going to enter the palace and will be personally taught by the Empress. The palace is a deep and secluded place, and unexpected situations are bound to occur. Miss Fang, how long do you think a sickly person can survive in the palace?"

Fang Zhi's eyes darkened.

My aunt is a concubine in the palace. Although she is not favored, she is still the head of the palace. If my aunt were to... get rid of Lu Zhiyuan, it would be easy. If killing her doesn't work, then destroying her spirit will. If Xie Chaoyun doesn't let her have an easy time, she won't let Xie Chaoyun have an easy time either!

Seeing that Fang Zhi had taken the bait, Lu Jinyao gently curled her lips.

Xie Chaoyun set off late at night, without disturbing anyone in the manor except Qingzhi. She couldn't bear the thought of parting, especially from her daughter. Qingzhi saw her off at the city gate with reluctance: "Miss, please let Qingzhi go with you. It'll be good to have someone to look after you on the way."

Xie Chaoyun stroked the horse's forehead and said softly, "I can't leave Yuan'er alone in the capital. There are also my shops that need someone to manage. You are the one I trust the most, and I can only feel at ease entrusting them to you. Qingzhi, promise me you will take good care of yourself."

"Qingzhi will definitely protect the young lady, and a letter will be sent to the border town every few days." Qingzhi said anxiously, "Perhaps I am worrying too much, but I always feel that someone will harm the young lady along the way. Young lady, please let Qingzhi go with you. I will come back as soon as I reach the border town, and I will not delay on the way."

“Silly girl, more people means a bigger target. It’s easier for me to act alone.” Xie Chaoyun took out a brocade box and handed it to her: “I’m not a young lady from a wealthy family. I’ve traveled this road countless times before I got married. I know which channel is smoother and which path is easier to walk. In the ten years I’ve been in the Marquis’s mansion, although I haven’t personally gone to the border city, grain, cloth and medicine have been sent there every year. I know this road well.”

"Miss--"

"Open it and see, it's a gift for you." A smile played on his lips. "I know you and Manager Qiu are in love, and he's a man you can entrust your life to. I originally planned to arrange your marriage after the Marquis's affairs were settled, but plans change, and I have to go now. I've entrusted the marriage arrangements to my elder brother, and he'll take care of them next spring. I've also prepared your dowry, it's in the storeroom. The booklet is under your pillow; you can take the key and get it yourself. This is your wedding gift, take a look and see if you like it."

Inside the brocade box were two bracelets, one gold and one silver. The gold one was a bracelet with alternating leaves and flowers, lifelike in its design. Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be her favorite iris. The silver one was a bracelet with a bell encircling the wrist, a bracelet she had seen on the young lady's wrist before.

My eyes stung, I covered my nose, and my eyes instantly turned red.