To divorce his wife, the top scholar preferred being cuckolded to wearing a red hat.

Madam Ruan wasn't angry at her words: "What are you saying? No matter what, we are family. We may argue and quarrel, but we still hope you are safe and sound. If anything happens to you, your father will be very sad."

Su Ziyu stood behind Madam Ruan, her usual arrogance gone, quiet as if she were invisible. Su Mingyue looked over and saw a hint of darkness in her eyes.

Su Mingyue smiled faintly.

“While you were away, I made sure the servants kept the courtyard clean for you.” Madam Ruan smiled obsequiously. “We’ve all heard about what happened to you in Qingzhou. We never imagined that you spent those ten years away from the Su residence studying medicine, and that you were so skilled. You made a great contribution during this epidemic in Qingzhou, and I’m truly happy for you.”

Of course, Madam Ruan understood that she couldn't afford to offend Su Mingyue at this time.

Su Mingyue is currently enjoying the Emperor's favor due to the epidemic in Qingzhou City.

Moreover, she is a skilled doctor, and Ziyu's health is poor; she might need Su Mingyue's help to check on her somewhere.

"There's no need for those empty words. Aunt Ruan and my sister have something to discuss. If so, just get to the point."

Madam Ruan pulled Su Ziyu forward: "You know Ziyu's health. She suffered two incisions in her abdomen and lost her child. She's been recuperating lately. Could you check on her and see how she's recovering?"

Unlike before, Su Ziyu no longer howled like a dog with its fur standing on end whenever Su Mingyue was around.

"Quickly call for help!" Madam Ruan pushed her.

Su Ziyu took a few steps forward, the coldness in her eyes lessening slightly, a faint smile playing on her lips: "Sister, you must be very proud of how I've become. Even if I'm like this now, I'll still live a better life than you in the future, just you wait."

"Ziyu, what are you saying? Let your sister take a look at your body. She's a renowned healer; maybe she can help you get better." Upon hearing Su Ziyu's words, Madam Ruan nudged her.

"Mother, what's the point of looking at my broken body? I can't have any more children anyway." Su Ziyu said indifferently.

“You child,” Ruan said, utterly speechless.

“Fu Jingsheng is dead, the old lady is dead, and I’ve ended up like this too. Su Mingyue, are you satisfied now? Tell me, if Fu Jingsheng hadn’t divorced you and had become a real couple with you, he probably wouldn’t be dead now. Unfortunately, we are both pitiful people, just pawns in someone else’s game. We are just pawns, how can we control our own lives?”

"Take the Second Miss away quickly." Madam Ruan thought that Su Ziyu was stimulated by seeing Su Mingyue's current glory, which was why she said such outrageous things: "Mingyue, she is recovering from her physical injury, but her mood is sometimes good and sometimes bad. Don't take her words to heart."

“I’m telling the truth. I only realize now that leaving back then was a wise choice.” Su Ziyu smiled sinisterly: “Su Mingyue, you’re really lucky.”

“You’re not bad either.” Su Mingyue smoothed her hair. “It’s a good thing he died early. If he had died a few years later, he would have been even more devastated to find out that the children he was raising weren’t his.”

“He’s not worthy of me having his child. If my beloved man hadn’t suddenly had an accident and couldn’t marry me, do you think I would have listened to my father’s advice and married him? It’s his good fortune that I can marry him, and he should be willing to risk his life for me. He’s the one who’s incompetent and tried to climb up to me; I didn’t force him.”

Madam Ruan quickly covered Su Ziyu's mouth and ordered the servants to take her away: "Take the second young lady away quickly."

He turned to Su Mingyue with a forced smile and said, "Mingyue, she's been traumatized and isn't thinking straight. She's talking nonsense. Don't take it to heart."

Su Mingyue looked at Madam Ruan.

Back then, Ruan was a great beauty and quite shrewd. If not for that, she wouldn't have been able to rise to power after her mother's death.

"Aunt Ruan, what are your thoughts on Fu Jingsheng's death?"

Madam Ruan sighed softly, "He did something wrong and deserved to be punished. He was quite sensible, and he didn't implicate Ziyu and the others. When Miss Fu came to our door, I had someone give her one hundred taels of silver so that she could properly bury Fu Jingsheng."

Ruan did indeed give Fu Jingying silver.

"Madam is truly generous." Su Mingyue smiled and said, "I have recently purchased a house on Xuezhi Road. When you have time, Madam, you can bring Ziyu to visit and take a look. I can also give Ziyu a good look."

Ms. Ruan did not understand what she meant by suddenly saying this, but since she had been invited, it meant she was sincere: "Yes, we will definitely pay a visit."

After leaving the house, Madam Ruan pondered the meaning behind Su Mingyue's words to her: "Shuangjiang, what do you think she meant? Did she mean to make peace with us?"

"Madam, it's highly likely. The eldest young lady is engaged to Prince Zhan. Prince Zhan has a distinguished military record and is the ideal husband for many women. If it weren't for the Su family's backing, Prince Zhan probably wouldn't even look at the eldest young lady. The eldest young lady knows that only by cultivating a good relationship with the Su family can her marriage to Prince Zhan be secure."

"You're right," Madam Ruan nodded in agreement. As a woman herself, she naturally understood the importance of one's family background. With a good family background, one's husband's family would not dare to treat one with disrespect.

Su Mingyue's sudden show of goodwill towards her may well indicate an intention to reconcile.

“If she wants to reconcile, I’m not against it. With Ziyu in her current state, it might not be easy for her to marry into a good family in the future. If Su Mingyue could marry Prince Zhan, it might not be a bad thing for Guanzheng.”

Compared to her daughter, her son was her true love.

As long as it benefits his son's future, reconciling with Su Mingyue is a good thing.

When Su Sihai returned home and learned that Mingbai had come back, he was so happy that he sent someone to call her.

Su Mingyue arrived at Su Sihai's study: "Greetings, Father."

Seeing that she was more well-mannered than before, Su Sihai happily gave her a helping hand: "Your deeds in Qingzhou City greatly pleased the Emperor, and you have been greatly rewarded."

"I am flattered and never expected the Emperor to bestow upon me a pardon from death."

Su Sihai knew that the Emperor had bestowed honors upon Su Mingyue, but he had not expected the Emperor's honors to be so generous.

The pardon was a privilege reserved for those with outstanding military achievements who had fought alongside the emperor through thick and thin.

Su Mingyue only went to Qingzhou, yet the Emperor valued her so much that he bestowed upon her a pardon from death.

"really?"

Su Mingyue took out the gold medal: "Father, please take a look."

Su Sihai took it and examined it carefully; it was indeed a get-out-of-jail-free card.

Dressed in a purple official robe, he squinted at it for a while before returning it to Su Mingyue: "You must keep this precious item safe. Losing it would be a serious crime."

"I was worried that I wouldn't be able to keep such a valuable thing safe, so I brought it here to Father and asked him to keep it for me." Su Mingyue winked at Su Sihai, revealing a bit of girlish playfulness.