She remarried a cold-faced, powerful man, and the scumbag regretted it and cried his heart out.

Chu Xiangling said she saw Chunlan that day.

On the street corner opposite the beaded curtain, the person was still alive at that time, but it was getting dark and the distance between us was not close, so it was really hard to see if there were any scars on her face.

"Is she alone?" Shen Jingshu asked.

Chu Xiangling thought for a moment and replied, "Although she was standing there alone, she must be waiting for someone."

"Why are you so sure?"

“The carved windows of Leya Pavilion face this street.” Chu Xiangling got up and walked to the platform, pointing with her round fan. “Everyone on the street is in a hurry, but she keeps pacing back and forth, looking around.”

Shen Jingshu sensed that something was amiss.

In both her past and present lives, she had never heard of Chunlan having any acquaintances outside the mansion. Who was she waiting for?

Did Fu Zijin send her?

Upon further questioning, but without any further information, Chu Xiangling said, "She doesn't seem to be forced. Perhaps you could investigate the people around her."

Cheng Wenhao, who was listening from the side, was completely confused. He nudged Gu Changyi and asked him, "What happened? Who died?"

Gu Changyi replied, "Your wife's personal maid."

"..."

As dusk fell, Chu Xiangling intended to go back with Shen Jingshu, but Shen Jingshu was startled. "If my mother finds out that I brought a courtesan back with me, she'll skin me alive."

If they were to question her, the yamen would ask. She redeemed Chu Xiangling because she remembered a courtesan in the capital who had been given to the Crown Prince as part of a honey trap. Shen Jingshu didn't know if this courtesan was Chu Xiangling, but she redeemed her on a whim.

Chu Xiangling looked at Jiang Jin'an with some panic, "But the master said that the young lady also needs me. The young lady saved me from dire straits, and I will definitely follow the young lady for the rest of my life. I am willing to be a servant or maid."

Jiang Jin'an lowered his eyes and did not look at her.

Gu Changyi said, "As the top courtesan, you are famous throughout the capital. Countless people spend a fortune just to see you. How could you be in such a predicament?"

"If we had a choice, who would willingly choose this lowly status?" Chu Xiangling sighed with a bitter smile. "The title of courtesan is just a nice-sounding one."

The beauty sheds tears, and I feel pity for her.

Gu Changyi wished she could slap herself.

After thinking for a moment, Shen Jingshu said to her, "You don't need to be a slave. Once you go to the government office to have your lowly status removed, you will be a free citizen. I own a cosmetics shop; would you like to go there first?"

Chu Xiangling covered her face with a fan and quietly shed tears.

Shen Jingshu pointed out the location of the shop. Lin Yu took Chu Xiangling and left first, while Gu Changyi volunteered to go with them.

As she was leaving, Shen Jingshu called out to Cheng Wenhao, curtsied, and said to him, "Thank you for your righteous help today, Young Master Cheng. I will have Wuchen transfer the money for the ransom to you in a few days."

Cheng Wenhao waved his fan impatiently and said, "Alright, alright, a mere five thousand taels isn't even enough for me to go to the gambling den. Stop talking about it."

Shen Jingshu reminded him again, "The betrothal letters will be exchanged in two days, so don't forget."

Cheng Wenhao froze, and just like that day, he went back with a bitter face and a sigh.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Jin'an's eyes darkened. He seemed lost in thought the entire way back to Shen Jingshu's residence. Shen Jingshu assumed he was thinking about the case and did not disturb him.

Upon arriving at the entrance of the Marquis of Pingyang's residence, Shen Jingshu was about to enter when Jiang Jin'an called out to her from behind.

Shen Jingshu turned to look at him, her eyes crinkling with a smile, "What's wrong?"

Jiang Jin'an pursed his lips, remained silent for a moment, and said seriously, "We haven't exchanged birth certificates yet."

Shen Jingshu then suddenly remembered that although the emperor had bestowed the marriage upon her, the procedures for a woman's marriage were still indispensable.

But there are no elders in the Jiang family, so who will handle the exchange of birth certificates?

Jiang Jin'an also thought of this, and he said, "I will go to the palace."

Before he could finish speaking, and without waiting for Shen Jingshu's response, he hurriedly turned and left.

He first returned to the Commandant's Mansion, changed into a python robe, and headed straight for Xuanqing Gate.

Upon arriving outside the Hall of Mental Cultivation, a young eunuch went in to announce their arrival, and Li Delu came out to greet them with a beaming smile, "My lord, please."

Jiang Jin'an thanked Li Delu and stepped into the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

Upon entering the hall, Emperor Hui did not allow him to perform the proper court etiquette, but instead asked with a smile, "I didn't see you at court today. I asked the court attendant, and he said you had taken leave. Where did you go?"

Jiang Jin'an replied, "I went to investigate how to exchange the marriage certificates."

Upon hearing this, Emperor Hui was taken aback at first, then realized what he had done and laughed heartily, saying, "It was my oversight. Jin'an, have you considered having the Jiang family handle this matter?"

"I do not wish to."

Emperor Hui said, "Then I will have the Imperial Observatory choose an auspicious day and have Lu Ming handle this matter for you!"

Jiang Jin'an pondered for a moment, then said with a serious expression, "April 21st is an auspicious day."

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

On the 21st of April, red lanterns were hung at the Pingyang Marquis's residence.

At 9:00 AM, Madam Cheng and Madam Bai arrived at the door.

Xie Wanqing was, after all, a member of the Xie family. After much deliberation, Song Wan sent a letter to the Xie family, and the Xie family matriarch came with Xie Da Madam.

Biyi and Feiyun woke Xie Wanqing before dawn and gave her many instructions according to the lady's wishes.

Xie Wanqing was unwilling to accept this, so she specially chose a scarlet brocade robe embroidered with butterflies and a gilded peony hairpin, making her look extremely wealthy.

The Cheng family looks down on her? She looks down on the Cheng family too!

When she arrived at the front yard, the two people's marriage certificates were already placed on the incense table. Bai Shi watched Xie Wanqing walk over from afar, her thoughts quite complicated.

Although he also wanted his youngest son to marry Xie Wanqing, the Xie family's social standing was simply too low.

Judging from the Xie family's behavior today, they clearly didn't care at all. Old Madam Xie's eyes never left the decorations in the Marquis's mansion, and the eldest Madam Xie was even more of a sharp-tongued, monkey-faced, and mean-spirited woman, completely unfit for polite society.

Bai was unhappy. If the Xie family continued to ignore Xie Wanqing in the future, that would be fine, but she was afraid that they would set their sights on the Cheng family.

"Wanqing, quickly greet your grandmother, Madam Cheng, and the First Madam," Song Wanxian said.

Xie Wanqing's father was the third son in the Xie family. He had two older brothers and a younger sister. When the third branch of the family had an accident, no one was willing to take her in. Her grandmother didn't care at all. It was Song Wan who couldn't bear to see her like this and took her back to the Pingyang Marquis's Mansion.

Over the years, there has been little contact between the Marquis's residence and the Xie family.

Upon seeing them today, Xie Wanqing felt only disgust and gave them a curt bow.

The two elderly ladies, Xie and Cheng, didn't say anything. One didn't want to get involved in her granddaughter's affairs at all, so as not to have the Xie family provide a dowry. The other felt that she was too old and should let the younger generation handle their own affairs; they wouldn't cause any major problems.

Madam Xie was displeased and immediately said, "Fifth Miss really doesn't consider herself a member of the Xie family. We only found out about such a big matter when the betrothal gifts were being exchanged."

Fifth, Xie Wanqing's birth order in the Xie family.

Xie Wanqing gritted her teeth. This matter was not exactly honorable to begin with, and after so much time had passed, everyone had gradually forgotten about it. But Madam Xie brought it up now, wasn't that a public slap in the face?

Shen Zizhong, not one to tolerate the Xie family, replied, "Marriage is a matter of parental arrangement and matchmaker's words. Wanqing has lost her parents and has lived in my Marquis's residence for many years. Can't I arrange her marriage?"

Madam Xie twitched her lips. "Your Excellency misunderstands. How could I have meant that?"

Bai forced a smile and said, "This is all my fault. My son is in love with Miss Xie and begs me every day to marry her as soon as possible. I couldn't stand his nagging, so we had to rush it."

Xie Wanqing then feigned a shy demeanor and lowered her head, saying, "Young Master Cheng is so devoted to me, and I am deeply grateful."

Madam Xie suddenly said, "The betrothal gifts should still be sent to the Xie family; that's the custom."

Xie Wanqing was furious.