After her transformation and rebirth, she manipulates the innocent and ruthless to overthrow the wor

"Tomorrow is New Year's Eve," she murmured softly, her voice unusually clear in the quiet night. "I wonder how you are doing these days? Are you safe and sound..."

Her fingers unconsciously tightened around the purse in her hand, her fingertips turning slightly white, but her gaze never left the branches high up.

He remembered that on the day she came of age, he hid in this very pear tree, clumsily thinking she hadn't noticed him. She couldn't help but chuckle softly, her voice as gentle as if afraid of disturbing the tranquil night.

The moonlight seemed to understand her feelings, quietly parting the clouds and casting a soft glow.

The moonlight, like water, gently enveloped the pear tree in the courtyard, making her smile appear even more tender. She tiptoed and carefully tied her purse to a branch.

Looking back, the courtyard was empty, except for the purse embroidered with the character "安" (peace/safety) hanging quietly on the branch. Although the embroidery thread on the purse was crooked, it was firmly tied to the branch.

She stood under the tree, gazing up at the purse, a complex expression flashing in her eyes. After a moment, she sighed softly, turned and left, her footsteps gradually disappearing into the night.

In the courtyard, only the purse remained, swaying gently in the moonlight, as if waiting for someone's return.

……

The next morning, Xiao Ran's room became lively.

Xia He was combing her hair, while Chun Tao and Xiao Lan chattered away beside her, occasionally making her chuckle. Not long after, Madam He sent someone to deliver new clothes and jewelry.

Xiaolan opened the jewelry box, but her brows furrowed even more. Chuntao noticed her unusual expression and leaned closer to ask in a low voice:

"What's wrong, Xiaolan?"

Xiao Lan glanced at Xiao Ran, hesitated for a moment, and then spoke:

“Miss, the clothes are fine, but these jewelry…” She picked up one of the hairpins, her tone somewhat troubled, “I’m afraid this is the only one that I can barely wear.”

"Why?" Xiao Ran looked at the jewelry in the box with a puzzled expression. It was filled with gold hairpins, pearl earrings and jade bracelets, each of which looked very valuable.

Xiao Lan sighed and explained, "Miss, when I worked at Tianxiang Tower, I saw a lot of jewelry worn by noble ladies in the capital. These styles... are all old designs from several years ago. If a young woman like you were to wear these out, people would probably laugh at you."

Chuntao and Xiahe exchanged a glance, both feeling somewhat helpless, but neither dared to say anything more.

They didn't understand the intricacies behind these pieces of jewelry. Both Chuntao and Xiahe came from poor families and had struggled to make a living since childhood. Later, they worked in the general's mansion, where their lives became more stable, but they never had the opportunity to learn about the finer things these noble ladies wore.

"It's alright, I won't wear it," Xiao Ran said softly, casually closing the dressing case. She then turned to Xiao Lan and asked, "Xiao Lan, do you still have the jewelry I asked you to buy last time?"

Xiao Lan was taken aback, then remembered the ordinary jewelry she had bought from a stall to help the girl deal with Magistrate Shen last time.

She hesitated for a moment, then said in a low voice, "But Miss... those are just ordinary items. You are going to the palace, and these are probably even more... shabby than what Madam sent."

"Bring it here." Xiao Ran's tone was calm, yet carried an undeniable firmness.

Seeing this, Xiao Lan had no choice but to hurry to the storeroom to retrieve the jewelry. Xiao Ran took the box, opened it, and casually picked out a simple hairpin, gently inserting it into her hair.

"It's better than wearing nothing at all," she said calmly, her gaze fixed on herself in the mirror, her expression serene yet exuding composure.

Seeing this, Xia He couldn't bear it and quickly stepped forward, her voice filled with urgency and determination:

"Miss, I will definitely style your hair into a beautiful bun and accessorize it with these jewelry pieces. I promise you won't be left behind by anyone else!"

Xiao Ran smiled slightly and nodded:

"Okay, I'll trouble you then."