Rebirth and Rewriting Fate

The next day, Zhu Ling was standing at the entrance of the Prince's mansion, complaining to Nan Rao in a low voice, "What do you mean by inconvenient! The Prince is going too far."

Yesterday, upon hearing that the Prince was going to take Miss out, Zhu Ling decided to go along. This morning, after packing her luggage and preparing to board the carriage with her young mistress, she was stopped by Cheng Feng.

"What are you doing? I want to go up." Zhu Ling asked, puzzled.

“You can’t go.” Chengfeng refused without further explanation.

"Why?"

"It's inconvenient," Gu Ruoxiao replied, then stepped onto the carriage.

"Miss." Zhu Ling didn't dare to talk back and hurriedly called out from outside the carriage.

Yun Chu, who was inside the car, lifted the curtain and looked around. "It's alright, you can go back now." She figured Gu Ruoxiao wouldn't do anything to her.

"Giddy up!" With the crack of the whip, Chengfeng began his journey in the carriage.

Nanrao stood outside the gate of the Prince's mansion, watching the carriage depart, praying in her heart that the Prince could help her young lady and that everything would be alright for her.

“The journey is long, why don’t you take a rest?” Gu Ruoxiao said.

The carriage was lined with thick mattresses, making it warm and comfortable to sit on. Yun Chu leaned against the carriage and closed her eyes.

And so, Yun Chu didn't ask where they were going, and Gu Ruoxiao didn't say either. They just walked along like that. Most of the time, Gu Ruoxiao was reading or playing chess with herself, while Yun Chu was just spacing out.

At night, they either stayed at post stations, or Yun Chu slept inside the carriage, while Gu Ruoxiao and Chengfeng slept outside.

As time went on, Yun Chu vaguely sensed where Gu Ruoxiao was taking her. Her heart pounded, and she felt inexplicably uneasy.

Finally, at noon on the seventh day, they arrived at their destination, Xiyan Mountain.

Yun Chu got out of the car nervously, but when she saw the scene before her, she couldn't help but be moved.

Several months have passed since then. The fire, like a sudden disaster, mercilessly devoured every inch of greenery at the foot of the mountain. Under the raging flames, the once lush vines, weeds, and trees were reduced to scorched earth. The mountains seemed to have lost their splendor overnight, exposing their scarred skin.

As time flowed by, in that place where only ashes and desolation remained, tender green shoots bravely peeked out. Tiny blades of grass, undeterred by hardship, tenaciously grew from cracks and crevices, covering the scars of the past. The seemingly fragile vines were not to be outdone; they twined and climbed, searching for any place to cling to, weaving a new web of life.

And in those places that were completely destroyed, seedlings began to appear. They were either seeds brought by the wind or hopes inadvertently sown by birds, and they were growing at an amazing speed, stretching towards the sun.

Wildflowers, not to be outdone, dotted the landscape with their red, yellow, and blue hues, adding boundless vitality and color to this newly born land.

Although it is now winter, the snow has not yet fallen, and they are still full of vitality, proclaiming something with their tenacious life force.

Before me were still the same cemetery, but now there were neat rows of tombstones, each bearing the name of a resident of Xiyanshan.

Yun Chu stepped forward and stroked the names engraved on the tombstone, tears silently streaming down her face.

"The matter of Xiyan Mountain has been reported to the Emperor, and Xiyan Mountain has been exonerated. This is the imperial edict." Gu Ruoxiao's voice came, and he stepped forward and placed the document in front of the grave.

Yun Chu stood there silently, tears streaming down her face. In her heart, she cried out, "Grandma, people of Xiyan Mountain, your infamy as bandits has been vindicated."

Gu Ruoxiao watched Yun Chu's retreating figure. He recalled the old lady's words to him at Xiyan Mountain: "Child, I don't know what your relationship with Yun Chu is, but I can see that Yun Chu treats you differently. Yun Chu has been stubborn and headstrong since childhood, but she is extremely insecure. I don't know what the future holds for you two, but I only hope that she can live a peaceful and smooth life. I can see that you are no ordinary person. If Yun Chu ever encounters danger, I hope you can lend a hand. I thank you in advance." Her solemn expression moved him deeply.

The grass beside the grave has sprouted new shoots and is swaying in the wind, a lush green scene. A small bird lands on the grave mound and then soars back into the blue sky.

As the sun began to set in the west, the evening glow painted the horizon, and a chilly wind blew in.

She bowed to the grave, walked up to Gu Ruoxiao, and said, "Let's go, let's go back."

On the way back, the carriage traveled smoothly, and Yun Chu's heart calmed down. She fell asleep, and in her dream, her grandmother stroked her face and called her name, saying that she didn't blame her anymore.

Yun Chu woke up crying.

Looking up, she saw Gu Ruoxiao looking at her.

She reacted instinctively, grabbing Gu Ruoxiao's arm and saying, "Grandma said she doesn't blame me anymore, they don't blame me anymore." Her eyes held a sense of relief and liberation.

"You've been having nightmares and feeling guilty all the time?" Gu Ruoxiao noticed keenly.

"It won't happen again. Grandma and the others don't blame me anymore," Yun Chu said, lowering her eyes.

Half a month away from home, it was already mid-December when she returned. Gu Ruoxiao took Yun Chu directly to Qingfeng Courtyard, where Nanrao and the other three were eagerly waiting at the gate.

Upon seeing their young mistress return, they all gathered around her.

Gu Ruoxiao nodded to Yun Chu in the carriage and then left. Having been away from the capital for so long, Gu Ruoxiao needed to visit the palace.

The Qingfeng Courtyard has been completely renovated. Presumably, the four people in the courtyard haven't been idle during Yun Chu's absence.

"Miss, Miss, it's almost New Year's! Shall we go to the market tomorrow to buy some New Year's goods?" Zhu Ling chattered excitedly.

"This is my first time spending the Spring Festival in the capital. Is the capital especially lively?" Ping An asked with wide eyes, full of curiosity.

“There are a lot of things to prepare for the Chinese New Year,” Nan Rao said with a smile.

"Then I'll help. Just call me if anything happens," Xu Li replied.

Looking at the group of people in front of her, Yun Chu thought that this kind of life was not bad, peaceful, joyful and stable.

After Yun Chu returned, Luo Yan came twice, bringing some New Year's gifts. He said that the New Year was approaching, and he had to accompany his master to visit relatives and friends, so he wouldn't be coming for a while. He would come again in the spring to bring good fortune. Yun Chu smiled and agreed.

As the year draws to a close, every household is immersed in a busy and joyful atmosphere. People are busy cleaning their houses and washing their utensils, preparing for the New Year with a fresh look. Bright red lanterns hang above the doorways, exquisite paper-cut window decorations adorn the windows, and colorful ribbons and lanterns hang in the courtyards. The entire capital city is dressed in festive attire.

Today, Yun Chu, Zhu Ling, and Ping An had just finished shopping for New Year's goods and entered the house, calling Xu Li and Nan Rao to help carry things. Looking at the piles of New Year's goods in front of her, Yun Chu sighed, "Doing everything myself is really tiring, but it's worth it."

"Miss, today is the 26th of the twelfth lunar month, it's time to put up the Spring Festival couplets." As she spoke, Zhu Ling placed the brush, ink, paper, and inkstone in front of Yun Chu.

Yun Chu took an awkward breath, picked up her pen, then put it down again. "How about we ask Scholar Liu from the village entrance to write it?"

"Miss!" Zhu Ling stomped her feet in anger.

Helpless, Yun Chu shrugged and could only try to use her calligraphy skills to write something on the paper, but even she couldn't stand the mess she produced. She stared blankly at the mess before her.

"Miss, the Prince is here!" Ping An called out as she ran in.

Yun Chu had a sudden inspiration: reinforcements had arrived.