Chapter 84 [V] From inseparable lovers to husband and wife...

If it weren't for the mechanical system voice suddenly sounding at that moment, Li Yan would have forgotten that she was accumulating beauty points.

Now, not only have I accumulated more points, but my beauty points have also reached the maximum.

Subconsciously, Li Yan raised her hand to touch her face. She was already quite satisfied with her appearance, and today she had accumulated some more points, so her appearance had naturally reached a new level. She didn't know what new heights of beauty her face would reach when she woke up tomorrow.

However, in Li Jiaojiao's eyes, this scene was interpreted as Li Yan being proud of her current appearance, which seemed to be a deliberate insult to her.

At this moment, Li Jiaojiao was filled with both hatred and resentment.

He hated Li Yan's smugness and was furious at the insults she had hurled at him.

When the last line of defense in her heart completely collapsed, Li Jiaojiao simply dropped all pretense. No longer bottling up her grievances and putting on a gentle and virtuous facade, she said sarcastically, "My sister... truly has a very beautiful face now."

Li Yan was lost in her own world when she suddenly heard Li Jiaojiao say this, and couldn't help but look at her. Then, whether it was her imagination or not, she felt that Li Jiaojiao's face had become even uglier in just a short while.

Li Yan's gaze lingered on Li Jiaojiao's face for a few moments, but only briefly before she looked away. A normal person wouldn't have paid attention to this, but at this moment, it was precisely when Li Jiaojiao felt most insecure and sensitive.

She only glanced at her a couple more times before she immediately raised her hand to touch her face and looked into Li Yan's eyes, revealing even more hatred.

Li Yan suddenly realized this. Although she didn't understand why Li Jiaojiao would become ugly as she gradually became more beautiful... as a woman herself, she could understand Li Jiaojiao's feelings at this moment. Therefore, she didn't engage in verbal sarcasm with her, but simply smiled and said, "Sister, are you also out shopping? Jiangning Prefecture is so big, it's really a coincidence that we met here."

However, Li Jiaojiao saw Li Yan's good intentions as a deliberate provocation.

Li Jiaojiao seemed to have lost her temper, and her retort almost came out: "This huge Jiangning Prefecture, is it only Second Madam who can explore it, but I can't?"

Hearing her say that, Li Yan felt there was no need to continue arguing.

She meant no harm, but Li Jiaojiao clearly came with malicious intent.

Therefore, Li Yan simply smiled and said no more: "I have other matters to attend to, so I'll take my leave now." After saying that, she left with Qingniang and Xing'er.

Li Jiaojiao didn't pester her to leave, but after Li Yan left, Li Jiaojiao didn't leave immediately. Instead, she stood still and watched the direction Li Yan had gone.

Cui'e was also furious at the sight, so she continued to fan the flames, saying, "Look at her smug look, she clearly doesn't take you seriously, Miss." She added, "She's a plague, she's here to bring bad luck to you, Miss. She's sucked away your good fortune, and now she's living a carefree and comfortable life, but your life is not going well."

A year ago, Li Jiaojiao would never have believed these things. But now, she completely agrees with Cui'e's words.

She came to subdue her; ever since her second aunt started acting strangely, her life had steadily declined. Until now, it had plummeted.

As for her... while her own life was declining, she rose to prominence and became a phoenix.

Li Jiaojiao was very unwilling.

But what can she do?

.

After the incident of the scholar beating the scholar, many of the previously arrogant scholars have gradually become more obedient.

They still go out in small groups to meet guests and pursue their studies, but they no longer speak their minds as freely as before. Now, when discussing court affairs or even anecdotes from within Jiangning Prefecture, they think twice before speaking.

For a time, the restlessness of Jiangning Prefecture subsided, and it became much quieter.

Now that the examiners from the capital have also come to Jiangning Prefecture, anyone with connections will prepare some small gifts and pay a visit to these examiners. Although they won't be given any special privileges, nor will they leak the exam questions in advance... just being able to show their face in advance can be beneficial to their future career.

If others didn't give gifts, Han Yue and Gao Yunhe wouldn't have considered it. But now that everyone else is giving gifts, it would seem inappropriate for them not to.

Even if one wanted to enter the gates of a high-ranking official in the capital, one needed connections. Those prestigious mansions were not places that just anyone could enter; one needed an introduction.

Because Han Yue, Gao Yunhe, and others had previously been close to Zhao Xiucai, who had assaulted people, their connections were naturally much more limited.

Seeing that others had found a way, Han Yue and Gao Yunhe naturally became anxious.

Finally, in desperation, Gao Yunhe said directly to Han Yue, "Isn't your sister-in-law General Xue's sister-in-law? Then you're General Xue's brother-in-law. With your status, if you go and ask General Xue for help, he'll surely give you face, right?"

If this were truly the only way, Han Yue would have already gone to the Xue family's door.

But he and Xue Yi were not on the same path.

He was also afraid that his shameless visit would only bring him humiliation.

But given the current situation, he doesn't seem to have time to think about whether he's humiliating himself. If he delays any longer, it could really affect his career.

Han Yue was undoubtedly a very proud person. Although he lowered himself to curry favor with Xue Yi that day, it was actually out of necessity. He wouldn't have lowered his head if he hadn't had no other choice.

It takes immense courage to lower one's head even once, let alone do it again.

Moreover, even if he were to beg, it might not be of any use.

But given the current situation, if we don't seek help, we'll just remain stuck here.

As Han Yue hesitated, Gao Yunhe suddenly said, "If you're having trouble, why don't you ask your sister-in-law to make the trip?" Gao Yunhe could understand Han Yue's dilemma. Scholars were proud and aloof, and although Han Yue and General Xue were brothers-in-law, they had never gotten along. If he were to completely abandon his pride and go to ask for help in person, he probably wouldn't be able to take that step.

Therefore, he suggested that his younger brother and sister-in-law go to see Madam Xue.

Upon hearing this, Han Yue remained silent on the surface, but his heart wavered.

Seeing this, Gao Yunhe didn't say anything more, but gave him enough time to think.

"I'm going back to study now," he said, reaching out to gently pat Han Yue on the shoulder.

Gao Yunhe lived nearby. The entire street and alley were almost entirely inhabited by scholars like them who had come to take the imperial examinations.

After Gao Yunhe left, Han Yue sat alone in the main room, lost in thought, as if he were making a final struggle within himself.

As the sun began to set and the room gradually darkened, Han Yue slowly got up. After standing still for a while, he strode towards another room.

These past few days, Li Jiaojiao has been in a low mood. Coincidentally, Han Yue is also entangled in many things and is unwilling to pay much attention to his wife. He even stays in the study to sleep every night after finishing his homework. Although the couple lives under the same roof, they have not seen each other for several days and have not spoken a word to each other.

Although they had only been separated for a few days, Han Yue felt somewhat uncomfortable when he stepped into the room again.

It's like... a couple who have been sleeping in separate rooms for a long time, not just for a few days.

Reaching the door, Han Yue raised his hand. After hesitating for a moment, he gently lowered his raised hand.

Just then, Li Jiaojiao was sitting quietly by the window, lost in thought, when she suddenly heard a knock on the door, which immediately pulled her thoughts back from outside the window.

Li Jiaojiao initially thought it was just her imagination, but when the knocking sounded again, a smile finally appeared on her face, and she immediately got up to open the door.

Outside the door, Han Yue raised his hand, preparing to strike for the third time, when the door creaked open.

Looking at the almost unfamiliar face in front of him, Han Yue was so frightened that he instinctively backed away.

"You..." He wanted to ask, "Who are you?" but upon closer inspection, the eyes and expression clearly resembled his wife's. Han Yue's heart was filled with curiosity. "How could you..."

At this moment, Li Jiaojiao suddenly remembered that her face had become ugly again.

Her self-esteem was hurt, and she immediately raised her hand to cover her face tightly, tears welling up in her eyes.

"Don't look at me!" Ever since she came back that day, Li Jiaojiao looked in the mirror and found that her face had become even uglier. She was both angry and anxious, and finally threw the mirror in the room away.

For the past few days, she has been hiding in this dimly lit little room, and Cui'e has been bringing her all three meals a day.

Her husband had just knocked on her door, and in her excitement, she had forgotten about her face.

Han Yue frowned and asked, "What's wrong?" How could this happen?

He still remembers the scene when he first met his wife. If she hadn't been so beautiful, he wouldn't have fallen in love with her at first sight and wouldn't have married anyone else.

But in the days that followed, he witnessed her appearance gradually deteriorate. How could her face have changed so drastically in just one year?

What exactly happened?

"Come on, I'll take you to see a doctor." Han Yue felt that they couldn't delay any longer. If they delayed any longer, he was afraid that his wife would become extremely ugly.

But Li Jiaojiao refused, shaking her head desperately: "I won't see a doctor, I won't go out and see anyone." To see people in her current state was worse than death.

At this moment, Cui'e came over upon hearing the noise. Cui'e had just gone to the kitchen to cook.

When Cui'e arrived, she immediately cried and complained to Han Yue, the master of the house, "Young master, someone is trying to harm my young lady. You must stand up for her. If you don't stand up for her, she won't know who to turn to for justice."

Han Yue was unaware that someone would secretly harm someone in this situation, but seeing that Cui'e spoke with such sincerity, he asked, "Who harmed your young lady?"

Cui'e then said, "It is Second Sister." She insisted that it was Li Yanhou, and added, "Young Master, you don't know, she is so beautiful now. She must have used some kind of witchcraft to transfer the beauty that originally belonged to my young lady to her. My poor young lady is kind-hearted and has no one to confide in."

Han Yue had initially thought that someone had truly harmed Li, but after hearing Cui'e's words, he couldn't help but find it absurd.

Confucius said, "I do not speak of strange phenomena, physical prowess, disorder, or spirits..." How could a man well-versed in literature believe in such things?

But speaking of that sister-in-law's appearance... I remember when I saw her at the prefect's office that day, she was indeed more beautiful than the last time I saw her.

Thinking back to the first time he met her... Han Yue couldn't help but fall silent.

But how could such a thing happen in this world?

Now the couple had long since drifted apart, so even though his heart wavered, Han Yue instinctively refused to believe Cui'e's words. He simply threatened her, "Don't talk nonsense!" After all, his second wife was now the wife of a fifth-rank official, and he dared not offend her.

Because he cared about Xue Yi, he would rather hurt his wife's feelings and disappoint her than show any favoritism towards her in words at such a time.

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Author's Note: Update is here~~~

I had some things to take care of in real life, so I haven't been able to update for the past few days, sob sob, I'm really sorry~

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