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

Blood splattered, and Lu Zhiyuan snapped back to reality, wanting to stop the bleeding. The little monk gently shook his head: "Killing is not my wish. If I don't die, I'll have to kill you, young lady. If I can't kill you, I'll end up being killed by you. What's the point? What a hassle!"

Lu Zhiyuan pursed her lips: "If you sincerely repent, I can help you brothers leave Huguo Temple."

The young monk laughed, blood gushing from his neck: "Girl, with such a kind heart, you're no match for the Empress Dowager! It hurts, kill me, give me a quick death."

Lu Zhiyuan turned her face away. Before she could act, she heard the little monk say in an extremely weak voice, "Abbot... meditation room..."

The dagger slashed forcefully, and the little monk fell silent.

Blood was splattered on the floor, and the small room was quickly filled with the stench of blood. Lu Zhiyuan rummaged through her small handbag and took out some bone-dissolving liquid. The upgraded bone-dissolving liquid not only quickly masked the smell of blood and the stench of corpses, but also had a faint floral fragrance.

In just a short while, the little monk's body turned into a puddle of thick liquid. After sprinkling some powder on it, the thick liquid turned back into water, leaving behind a seemingly ordinary water stain. Lu Zhiyuan came out and waited for the wind to dissipate the smell of blood on her body. Only after confirming that there were no accomplices of the little monk or the Empress Dowager's spies around did she leave to go to the front meditation room to find Liuying.

"Miss, why have you changed your clothes?"

"Where did I change? I just took off the dirty outer garment." Lu Zhiyuan turned around.

The original owner of this body was frail, so she would wear an extra layer of clothing when going out. She liked to wear clothes of the same color scheme, with similar patterns and textures. Apart from Liu Ying, no one could tell that what she was wearing now was different from the previous one.

It's thanks to this habit that she could be dealt with without the Empress Dowager having to come up with an excuse to get rid of her if she walked around the royal temple wearing a blood-stained dress.

Seeing that Lu Zhiyuan was unharmed, Liuying asked mysteriously, "Miss, guess who I met?"

Lu Zhiyuan tiptoed and flicked her nose: "Who did you meet? The abbot of Huguo Temple?"

Liu Ying curled her lips and said, "What's there to say about meeting the abbot? I met Lu Yun, who was with the second master. The second master said that he will return to the palace with us later. The emperor and empress have already given permission, saying that the young lady is too young and needs a caregiver."

The "Second Master" that Liu Ying mentioned was her second maternal uncle, Xie Yubai. She knew that the Empress Dowager would be accompanied by officials' families on this trip, but she didn't know that her second maternal uncle was also coming. Considering the assassination attempt earlier, she feared that her second maternal uncle's presence was intentionally arranged by the Empress Dowager.

"Second Uncle, are you here to protect the Empress Dowager's safety?"

If it's about the safety of the guards, she has to be careful. If the Empress Dowager gets herself into trouble and pins it on her second uncle, even if the Emperor wants to protect him, he'll still suffer. Her second uncle is a man of integrity and upright character; she absolutely cannot let that old witch, the Empress Dowager, harm him.

"Don't worry, Miss, Second Master will be back soon." Liu Ying blinked. "Second Master came here for two reasons: first, to escort the Empress Dowager, and second, to discuss the New Year's sacrificial rites with the abbot. Miss has been staying in the villa for a long time and is unaware of what's happening in the city. Every year, the Emperor invites the abbot of Huguo Temple to hold a Buddhist ceremony in the city to pray for blessings for the coming year."

"It's still a long way from Chinese New Year!"

"It's getting late." Liu Ying counted on her fingers: "We need to discuss the details, prepare things, and coordinate personnel. It won't be done in less than three to five months. In previous years, it was the Ministry of Rites that handled it, but this year it's been handed over to the Second Master. I heard that this year's Buddhist ceremony will be a grand one, and that there will be envoys, but I don't know which envoys they are from."

No matter where the envoys came from, their arrival at that time was destined to be turbulent.

After a moment's thought, he told Liuying to go find her second uncle and arrange to meet him at the same place they had just met in an hour. Liuying frowned and muttered to herself, "That's a place in the temple where people relieve themselves."

Inviting the second master to the outhouse was safe, but the smell was a bit strong.

Lu Zhiyuan jumped up and flicked Liu Ying's head: "The little monk has brought the wrong Lu. That's not a latrine at all. It's a place for people to face the wall and reflect on their mistakes. There's only a hard futon for people to kneel on."

Liu Ying rubbed her head and retorted, "Aren't we sitting? Even a monk has to kneel to admit his mistake?"

Firefly's thinking is even more agile than hers.

“That’s not the point. The point is that the hut isn’t a latrine. The real latrine is further up the mountain. You can arrange to meet my second uncle there for me. There won’t be any problem.”

"This servant is going to find the Second Master. Where did Miss go?"

"Go find Xiao Yebai. He's so handsome. I'm afraid he'll be snatched away by Lu Jinyao."

In the original text, Xiao Yebai was completely obedient to Lu Jinyao. If Lu Jinyao hadn't been officially paired with the Prince of Yue, she would very likely have been taken back to Southern Chu by him to become his queen. She had worked so hard in the palace for so long; she couldn't let Lu Jinyao steal her away.

Under the cypress tree in front of the main hall, A'luo watched Lu Jinyao warily, afraid she would snatch the bundle from her hands. The bundle was bulging with money, its contents unknown. Lu Jinyao grumbled at Lu Zhiyuan for being so unsophisticated, always carrying money when she went out, while simultaneously thinking resentfully why that money wasn't hers, why she wasn't Xie Chaoyun's daughter, or Xie Yuandao's niece.

Why does Lu Zhiyuan, that sickly girl, deserve all of this?

Noticing her unfriendly gaze, Xiao Yebai shifted his body and stood in front of A Luo.

"Tch, it's just a silver note, why are you making me act like I don't have any?" Lu Jinyao twisted her handkerchief hard and prepared to go find Prince Yue. She had only taken two steps when a branch fell from a tree and, by sheer coincidence, hit her right on the head.

Many tiny stars appeared before her eyes. Lu Jinyao shook her head, and some unfamiliar images floated into her mind. After those images disappeared, she suddenly turned around and looked at Xiao Yebai.

In the scene, Xiao Yebai returns to Southern Chu and becomes the King of Southern Chu.

That's not the point. The point is that Xiao Yebai was saved by her and confessed his feelings to her. After Xiao Yebai inherited the title of King of Southern Chu, he even wrote to her, expressing that he would support her no matter what. He would appear by her side immediately whenever she needed him.

It would be a lie to say she wasn't moved by such an outstanding man who would fall in love with her years later.

Lu Jinyao tidied her hair, and a tenderness that seemed completely out of place for her age appeared in her eyes as she looked at Xiao Yebai. Xiao Yebai noticed it and felt confused and disgusted—could it be that Lu Jinyao had been hit by that dead branch and had mistaken him for His Highness the Prince of Yue?

Lu Zhiyuan, unaware of Xiao Yebai's thoughts, feigned shyness and coyly called out, "Yebai..."

"I am not close enough with the girl to the point that she should call me by my name."

"It was Jin Yao's fault." Lu Jin Yao curtsied. "Your Highness may not believe it, but you and Jin Yao have a deep connection. If Your Highness needs it, Jin Yao can find a way to help Your Highness leave the palace and return to Southern Chu. Your Highness is born extraordinary and will surely be able to rule Southern Chu in the future."

Suddenly, the words Lu Zhiyuan had once said to him came to mind—others had ulterior motives towards him, but she was only attracted to him because of her looks.

His ears burned, and he looked at Lu Jinyao with a cold gaze: "Miss Lu, how do you plan to help me?"