Chapter 1 — Xuan Vu Nhiem Nhiem

Verdict: The Emperor expressed his gratitude and decreed the release of a group of officials. The ladies all tried their best to find a way out. Hong Ngac was seriously ill, slightly exhausted, and asked me: "Why don't you go?" I replied: "All of my family members are dead." She took out a piece of jade pendant from her chest and stuffed it into my hand. "When I was young, I had an engagement contract with the Thoi family. Your body is still pure, and now you have no place to rely on. How about you come and perform the engagement contract on my behalf." In my previous life, I carried that piece of jade pendant with me and went through countless times. After many hardships, he reached the capital and knocked on the door of the Thoi family. Cui Tuan is as gentle as jade and values his promise above all else, so he overcame countless obstacles to fulfill the engagement contract and marry me as his first wife. After getting married, he did not accept concubines and treated me very well, giving me face all my life. However, I always feel that there is still an invisible distance between him and me. Until one day, I accidentally caught him standing silently in his study, absent-mindedly looking at a painting. The person in the painting... is Hong Ngac. Only then will we awaken. Later, when he was dying, I was still not satisfied and softly asked: "If there is an afterlife... will you still marry me as your wife?" Cui Tuan did not look at me once. He only told his descendants to bring Hong Ngac's painting and put it in the coffin to bury with him. That... That was the answer he gave me. When I opened my eyes again, I was back to today. I returned the jade pendant to Hong Ngac. "My body is no longer pure. Or should you change to Luc Dao? She is still young, looks the most like you, she should be able to fool the Cui family."... Hong Ngac lay on the hospital bed, coughing violently. "A Vu, do you really not want to go?" Seeing me lower my eyes, shaking my head slightly, she gasped, her eyes filled with confusion. "A Vu, this is my only way to live." You. Just come to the Thoi family, you will become the mother of the family..." "Your whole life will be peaceful, free from the dirty world... Cough... cough... Don't you want to change your luck?" If you want, that's why in my previous life, I was like a drowning person who grabbed a straw to save his life and received that jade pendant. I traveled thousands of miles, went through many births and deaths to knock on the gate of the Thoi family. Cui Tuan is a prince of a noble family in the capital. He is a dignified and respectful person who values his promises more than his life. He is not afraid of slander, nor does he care about my lowly status. He even personally took the blame, breaking off his engagement with a famous lady, just to marry me as his main wife. Decades after getting married, he has never accepted a concubine, treated me with full courtesy, and given me enough dignity. Outsiders all admire me when I meet good people and live a peaceful life. Only I know... he respected me, respected me, but never loved me. I was alone in my bedroom for decades, until one night when I brought tea into the study, I accidentally saw him standing in front of a desk, his fingertips gently caressing a painting. The person in the painting has delicate eyebrows and gentle eyes. That was Hong Ngac of his youth. That moment... half of my peaceful life instantly disappeared into thin air. Only then did I understand that I was just a substitute, a tool for him to keep his promise, a substitute for the bright moonlight that he couldn't pray for, a promise from his youth... also a regret because of his lifelong obsession. When he was dying, I suppressed all the sadness I had accumulated for half my life, softly asking: "If there is an afterlife... can you honestly marry me just once?" But from beginning to end, he never looked at me, but only indifferently told his children and grandchildren: "Bury this painting with me." That one sentence... cut off all remaining delusions during that time.

the rest of my life. When I opened my eyes again, the jade pendant in my palm was hot, as if reminding me of my tragic past life. I calmly said: "My body is no longer pure, I am not worthy of entering the Thoi family." Without waiting for further advice from Hong Ngac, I raised my head and looked out into the hallway. Luc Dao was sitting huddled in the corner, his eyes full of self-pity and unwillingness. I suddenly remembered the day Luc Dao ran to the capital with resentment, revealing that I was not Hong Ngac in my previous life. That sister blamed Hong Ngac for favoritism, blamed that such a good opportunity was not given to her cousin sister, but was instead given to an outsider like me. However... that same girl rushed forward to block the flying stone when I was hit by people pointing at me and kicking me. In the end, she also died from loss of blood. Thinking of this, I spoke again: "Luc Dao is young, beautiful, and most similar to you. Instead of letting her return to her hometown and miss out on her whole life, it would be better to come to the Thoi family to try and bet on her future." Hong Ngac looked at me in silence for a long time. The snowy wind in mid-winter penetrated through the bars of the door, blowing her pale cheeks red. She sighed softly. "Luc Dao has a simple personality. The capital is thousands of miles away, what if..." "It's okay." I interrupted her. "I will personally take her to the capital. After she meets Cui Tuan, I will leave." Then... the grudges of the past life will be considered erased. … The next morning, the snow had just melted, Hong Ngac tried to fight off his illness and sent us on our way. Small boat dock, happy and sad people. Yen T. Tu of Xuan Hy Lau always looked at me with displeasure. Seeing me following Luc Dao, she immediately looked disdainful. "The Cui family is the top family in the world, how can they marry a fallen prostitute with an impure body as his wife? Some people really don't know their own strength. Be careful and fall dead in the middle of the road, when the time comes, no one will pick up the body." Hearing that, Luc Dao blushed and looked at my hand holding her complainingly. "A Vu, why are you stopping me? She's just nothing." Just being a concubine for a foreigner, she's so arrogant. I have to tear her mouth out!" I quietly looked at the boat in front of me. Although the Emperor has granted us grace and allowed us to erase our lowly status, the fact that we once worked as mandarins cannot be exposed. If you argue with Yen T. Tu right at the wharf, making the nobles on the boat disgusted... then the next boat will have to wait another month. I think too much of one thing is better than one less thing. I pulled Luc Dao aside. "When going out, you have to be careful with every word you say. If you don't have the ability to kill your life in one blow, then there's no use in fighting over or losing with your tongue." "Yen T. Tu has a poisonous mouth, but behind her she has rich business backing her." "And what do we have?" "Only a little self-respect?" Luc Dao shook my hand away sharply. "Is my self-respect not enough?" "A Vu, you have to understand." Let's be clear. Even though I'm a prostitute, I'm still pure and will definitely become the mother of the Thoi family in the capital. Why do I have to endure her humiliation because I'm not clean? "..."I gently squeezed my hand. At that moment... a shrill scream ripped through the sky. Yen T. Tu had just followed the rich merchant onto the boat when a long spear was thrown into the lake. On the deck of the boat. Several princes dressed in precious clothes were surrounding a young man in red. "This old prostitute dares to loudly ask this young master to give up his seat?" "Where are you? Pick it up, cut your tongue!" A figure appeared from somewhere and pulled Yen Tu up. As soon as the blade flashed, a piece of tongue flew straight out of her mouth and landed right in front of my feet. Luc Dao was still angry, but now his face was pale.