Love, hate, passion, and grudges

The shadows of the trees swayed in the wind. Sui Zhixu's eyes were filled with tears, but she smiled faintly. In the past half month, she had thought of many things, from when she was a child, she grabbed Sima Xian's robe, to the entanglement at Tianque Tower after she took revenge.

Thirteen Sister didn't have a name at first; she was taken in by Jiang Li. Lu Kou also didn't have a name at first, but no one took her in.

Her earliest childhood memories are from when she was four years old. She spent her days in an empty courtyard, where the only other person besides her was a mute old woman.

She couldn't speak, but she could climb trees, and she often climbed to the highest branch of the tree in the yard to enjoy the breeze.

However, even the highest branch of the tree couldn't reach the top of the wall, so she still hadn't seen anyone else.

But she knew that people outside could talk, and after listening to them a lot, she learned a little bit about it.

It seems everyone should have parents, but she had never seen any. She tugged at the mute old woman's clothes and asked, "Mother?"

The mute old woman was terrified and hurriedly waved her hand.

The little girl lowered her head. Okay, she wasn't her mother.

Where is her mother?

After this incident, people came to the courtyard that had been closed for many years. The little girl was full of curiosity and grabbed Sima Xian's robe.

He raised his round eyes and asked in confusion, "Father?"

Even if it's not my mother, my father will do!

“I am not your father.”

Noticing that the robe he had been clutching had loosened slightly, he looked down at her round head, sighed softly, and reached out to pick her up.

Her gaze was drawn upwards, to the same height as the trees in the yard.

"I'm your uncle."

The young man's voice was gentle, making people feel close to him involuntarily. She blinked, not understanding what an uncle was.

Sima Xian didn't say much, but instead asked for his name.

She tilted her head in confusion, "Name?"

What is it?

Sima Xian paused for a moment, then smiled and said, "If you don't have a name, I'll give you one. Your surname is Lu, your given name is Kou, and from now on I'll call you Aling."

She was in her prime; I hope she lives to see that time.

Lu Kou blinked. She was young, and after speaking, she climbed onto Sima Xian's shoulder and fell asleep.

The Princess of Runan, who had rushed up behind him, bowed and greeted him, "Your Majesty."

"I'm taking the person with me."

"yes."

The cold, authoritative words, reserved for superiors and subordinates, were spoken between the siblings.

Lu Kou's life underwent a dramatic change. She was surrounded by many, many more people, too many to count.

Sima Xian was the first outsider she had ever met, and she was always filled with curiosity about him, imitating his voice and calling out, "Uncle, Uncle?"

"Is this the child you were talking about? Sima Xian, I'm not raising your child."

The silver ornaments on the woman's chest jingled, instantly attracting Lu Kou's attention, who stared intently at her.

The woman noticed her gaze and instead smiled. The smile was faint, but the joy in her eyes was obvious. Sensing the woman's unusual emotions, she pretended to grab Sima Xian's robe.

He pulled the child into his arms. "Jiang Li, don't scare her."

"I can't raise such a young child."

"Then let's wait another year."

After a year of hard work, Lu Kou finally learned to speak and communicate with people, only to be taken away to the village by Jiang Li.

Before leaving, Sima Xian gave her many instructions, telling her to listen to Jiang Li and eat and drink more. Jiang Li was so annoyed that she didn't want to take him with her anymore.

Have you nagged enough?

Her expression was one of irritability. Sima Xian was worried that she might accidentally raise the child to death. The once quiet Xuanping Prince's Mansion was finally experiencing some turbulence, and he didn't want the child he had raised with his own hands to die.

"The conditions in Miao areas are tough, so please take good care of them."

Jiang Li waved his hand, picked her up, and weighed her in his arms. "You've gained so much weight in just one year?"

She reached out and pinched Lu Kou's cheek; it felt so plump and soft. Lu Kou stared at her with her big, watery eyes, occasionally fiddling with the silver ornaments on her body.

We finally met!

Upon arriving at the Miao village, the incoherent Miao language completely disrupted Lu Kou's newly learned vocabulary.

This caused Lu Kou to speak in different languages, sometimes in the Central Plains language and sometimes in Miao language.

Jiang Li didn't pay much attention to her at first. Rumors circulated in the village that Lu Kou was her child born outside, but she didn't care. It wasn't until Lu Kou kept hugging her legs and calling out "A-Niang" that she stopped paying attention.

"Annoying."

After calling out for a while, Jiang Li thought she was quite cute. When she encountered children bullying her because she didn't have a companion Gu, Jiang Li simply placed her own next to her.

Sima Xian always worried that she wouldn't be able to raise the child well. How could that be? She would definitely raise the child very well.

My child is clingy; he always hugs his pillow and tries to sleep with her at night.

"Ah Niang, hug me."

Jiang Li felt that she couldn't spoil her like this. Looking at her wet eyes, she thought, "Oh well, she's still so young. I should be more lenient with her."

Jiang Li was busy with her own affairs and needed to go into seclusion. She was worried that no one would keep Lu Kou company at night, so she planned to find someone to accompany her.

As luck would have it, Jiang Li ran into people buying children as soon as she came down the mountain, but she thought they were all ugly, and the boys were useless and annoying. Jiang Yun was enough.

Jiang Li picked and chose, and saw Thirteen Niang huddled in the corner. He straightened his face, thought she was alright-looking, and took her away directly after exchanging money for goods, completely ignoring the crying Thirteen Niang.

She handed the person over to Lu Kou, saying that she had picked him up to play with her.

From then on, Lu Kou had a little shadow by her side. She didn't have a name, and since she was the thirteenth child in her family, everyone called her Thirteenth Sister. That year, Lu Kou was seven years old. Jiang Li took over Jiang Yun's territory and gave her a large portion of it to grow flowers.

When Jiang Li learned that she liked flowers, he sent his men to search all over the world. He even went to the Prince's mansion to steal many flowers from Sima Xian and brought them back to Miao territory. Recently, Lu Kou just got her hands on a flower called Bai Xian.

Lu Kou glanced at her and then at the flowers. "Don't cry. I'll show you something."

The aroma of white sage when lit is wonderful, like citrus, sweet and clean, just like her.

After that, Thirteen Sister got her own name, which was given to her by her older sister. It was called Lu Xian.

While Jiang Li was in seclusion, she led Lu Xian to commit all sorts of misdeeds and cause trouble everywhere. She openly occupied Jiang Yun's territory to grow flowers, taking advantage of the fact that Jiang Li did not allow Jiang Yun's insects to bite her flowers.

Jiang Yun wanted nothing more than to throw her down, but he didn't dare.

He finally understood: if Lu Kou was unhappy, Jiang Li was unhappy, and if they were unhappy, he would be the one to suffer.

Never mind, it's just a bit small.

“Anah, sleepy.”

Lu Kou not only occupied his territory but also went to play on it. Jiang Yun was feeding his insects when he heard this.

"Go back to your room and sleep if you're tired."

"I haven't eaten yet."

Jiang Yun gritted her teeth, "No one brings you food?"

"It doesn't taste good, I don't want to eat it. Ah Na, make me something delicious."

Jiang Yun gritted her teeth, wondering how she could calmly utter such shameless words.

Lu Kou was holding Jiang Li's snake, or rather, the snake was crawling on her shoulder. The thick snake took up almost half of her body. It was obedient to her but had its jaws wide open to him.

Jiang Yun dared not provoke them, but he also wouldn't. He took Lu Kou and Shisan Niang's hands and led them to town for a meal.

Behind the ten-year-old Radish Head are another ten-year-old Radish Head and an eight-year-old Radish Head.

But because of the snakes coiled around Lu Kou's body, no one passing by dared to provoke her.

Lu Kou ate her fill and then slept, looking very listless. Jiang Li felt it was because of the Gu worm in her body. It was the first time she had encountered a Gu worm inherited from her mother. She had only kept her out of interest, but now she was finding it incredibly troublesome.

Jiang Li started having her practice martial arts to suppress the Gu worms in her body. She was very talented and learned very well.

Jiang Li held her with a proud expression. Lu Kou quietly nestled in her arms, listening to Jiang Li reward her with various dresses and jewelry, and she was never short of pastries and delicacies.

Lu Kou really liked Jiang Li; she liked her from the first time they met. She was a beautiful girl.

Jiang Li adored Lu Kou and often thought that a young lady was better than a disobedient child, especially referring to Jiang Yun. When Lu Kou was twelve years old, she learned that Sima Xian was going to take her back. She didn't want to at all, but Xin Yi from Tianque Tower was better at martial arts. A Ling could learn martial arts from her to better suppress the Gu worms.

Jiang Li still sent everyone away, including Thirteen Sister. Jiang Yun was initially very happy, but dared not laugh out loud in front of Jiang Li.

Gu Qingyi had a headache every single day since she took over Lu Kou's job. She threw the calligraphy Lu Kou had written in front of Sima Xian.

"Look at her handwriting! What is it? Even a dog could write better with a couple of paw paws."

Sima Xian took it, his throat bobbing and his eyebrows twitching, but he still racked his brains and said, "Childlike innocence and fun."

Gu Qingyi was going crazy. Lu Kou had been studying Miao language and writing in Miao. She couldn't even recognize all the characters in the Central Plains script, let alone write them legibly.

She subjected Lu Kou to strict education and even arranged all of Sima An's future itinerary in advance to prevent the Xuanping Prince's Mansion from having a second illiterate young lady.

Class was so boring. Lu Kou and Shisan Niang were both drowsy when Gu Qingyi caught them and made them copy the poem "Zheng Bo Ke Duan Yu Yan" fifty times as punishment.

“Teacher…” Lu Kou hugged Gu Qingyi, just as she had done to Jiang Li countless times before.

"Stop! It won't work on me."

Lu Kou's ears drooped, and she dared not sleep anymore. She not only didn't want to copy, but she also didn't want to be punished by Gu Qingyi's ruler.

In contrast, she preferred Sima Xian to teach her; her uncle was gentle, polite, and kind, with a strong sense of morality, despite their family's awkward social status.

"The common people..." Lu Kou searched for Sima Xian's words in the book, lost in thought.

She hadn't figured it out yet and decided to think about it later. Right now, she was very distressed because her clivia wasn't growing well and had died. Waaah!

In the dead of night, Lu Kou felt like running to Sima Xian's greenhouse to take a look, just like Jiang Li.

She sneaked in, only to find Sima Xian behind her. "You've come to steal my flowers again."

She wasn't good with words and wasn't good at lying. She cried for a while. Ah Niang used to do all the moving, and this was her first time, so she had no experience.

"Um."

Sima Xian: "..."

How dare they steal his flowers so openly and brazenly? And with such self-righteousness! He asked which pot they wanted to steal.

It's a great choice; it's Sima Xian's recent favorite because he's been successfully cultivating the clivia, which gives him a great sense of accomplishment.

Sima Xian's gentle face showed shock. This child really knows how to choose.

Considering that she had just returned and had just started studying, he tried to reason with her and appeal to her emotions, but Lu Kou shook her head.

Sima Xian: ?

He felt that Gu Qingyi was right; jade must be carved to become a gem, and her teaching should be strengthened.

While absorbing the knowledge taught by Sima Xian and Gu Qingyi, she also practiced martial arts. When Lu Kou was first brought before Xin Yi by Sima Xian, Xin Yi said that she was a promising talent, while Thirteen Sister was just ordinary.

Lu Kou gripped Shisan Niang's hand tightly, looked up and met her scrutinizing gaze. Xin Yi laughed heartily, immediately taking her on as a disciple and leaving Shisan Niang to be taught by others.

Xin Yi publicly addressed the people practicing martial arts below, saying that Lu Kou was her new apprentice.

Lu Kou stood on the wooden building, receiving the gazes of the crowd, some kind and some hostile. Most of them were wary and fearful, while a few were resentful of her.

Lu Kou was taken in as a disciple by Xin Yi, and Wen Ke was the first to be accepted. As the master of Tianque Tower, Xin Yi had always wanted to take in another disciple, but only one.

With more monks than meat, everyone in the building fought and struggled. Wen Ke was one of the best among them, but in the end, the peach was easily picked by Lu Kou.

Faced with the aggressive Wen Ke, Lu Kou remained unusually calm. "Oh, what's wrong?"

Cao Ning, who was accompanying Wen Ke, stared at her with wide eyes upon hearing this. After a moment of surprise, she tried to smooth things over before Wen Ke could get angry and quickly pulled her away.

"We'll know how strong she is when we go through the trial at the end of the month. Maybe she really has something special that made the Lord take notice of her."

Wen Ke sneered and said viciously, "She'll see."

Cao Ning wanted to persuade her, but she was too angry to hear her, so she didn't say anything more. However, Wen Ke was still careless. On the day of the trial, Lu Kou yawned with one hand and pressed Wen Ke to the ground with the other.

Lu Kou moved lightly, as if she hadn't used much strength. Wen Ke struggled desperately on the ground, but could not break free from her grasp until the time was up, when Lu Kou won easily.

"Is anyone else here? I'm so sleepy, can you guys come with me?"

Everyone: "..."

She's so sharp-tongued! Even after winning, she's still so arrogant.

Unexpectedly, Lu Kou was genuinely asking the question, but unfortunately only Sima Xian could understand it. The young lady's eyes were moist, and at only twelve years old, she was already a beauty in the making.

She looks very much like her mother, Sima Xian thought to himself.

Lu Kou walked up to him and threw herself into his arms, muttering, "So sleepy."

"She should undergo more intensive training; only with a more refined internal energy can she suppress the Gu worms."

Xin Yi's words were met with Sima Xian's approval, which led to Lu Kou spending more time practicing martial arts and less time studying with Gu Qingyi.

After finally recognizing all the characters, their handwriting was so ugly that Gu Qingyi's eyes went black, and Lu Kou's eyes went black as well.

So she ran back to Tianque Tower.

Gu Qingyi, who came to give a lecture early in the morning only to find that the person had run away: "..."

She began to indiscriminately attack Sima Xian, Xin Yi, and Jiang Li, who was in seclusion. Jiang Li had gone into seclusion because Lu Kou left, but Gu Qingyi, in order to scold her, roasted centipedes and other insects that Jiang Li loved outside her room, which made her come out.

The group was in a great deal of commotion. Lu Kou, who was staying at Tianque Tower, dug up some bamboo and planted it outside. While planting, she said to Thirteen Sister, "This place is so ugly."

Wen Ke, who was practicing her skills diligently, was furious when she saw Lu Kou neglecting her duties. Lu Kou felt that they needed more manpower, so she pulled people over to plant bamboo.

Cao Ning thought it was a good idea, and pulled Wen Ke to get started. To ease the tension, she told interesting stories while planting.

Cao Ning: Cool Talk

Aling: Shocked

Wen Ke: Disdain.

Thirteen Sister: Dig a hole.

Like bamboo shoots after a spring rain, two planted in a few years have grown into a vast field of bamboo shoots, far more than can be eaten, with one crop after another growing.

Lu Kou originally just wanted to eat bamboo shoots, but then she thought the place was too bare. Now she didn't want to eat any at all; she was really going to throw up, and Sima Xian was going to eat dirt too. Only Xin Yi was very happy, looking forward to the bamboo growing taller every day. She turned the bamboo forest into a training ground for the disciples of Tianque Tower to train.

As time passed, Lu Kou undoubtedly became one of the seven treasures among the golden bells of Tianque Tower—Agate.

Wen Ke and the other two were ranked among the Golden Bells. After the rankings were completed, Thirteen Sister hugged Lu Kou and cried, "Waaaaah, this is really, really great... Waaaaah, all my days and nights of practicing were worth it... I'm so exhausted... Waaaaah—"

Lu Kou hugged her and patted her back gently, "It's fine."

Cao Ning: "..."

This adds another piece of evidence that Lu Kou is not good at speaking.

After the rankings ended, Tianque Tower would gradually assign tasks. When Jiang Li found out, she would go with Lu Kou on her missions, turning the missions into a trip.

Lu Kou adapted well to this. Anyway, the task was completed within the allotted time, so what's wrong with her playing a little longer?

When Lu Kou and Jiang Li returned, they were carrying large bags and small packages, mostly Lu Kou's clothes and jewelry.

Lu Kou dared not take them back to Tianque Tower, so she took them all back to the Xuanping Prince's Mansion. Sima Xian sighed when he saw this and ordered his servants to open up the courtyard next to hers so that she could store her clothes and jewelry.

If you think about it carefully, Lu Kou didn't suffer much before she turned seventeen; she didn't have any unpleasant experiences.

Getting married is a first for her.

"I won't look at you, I won't marry you! You're just taking advantage of Ah Niang's seclusion to bully me, I want to go back!" Lu Kou threw the unopened scroll on the ground and glared at Sima Xian.

Sima Xian picked up the scroll. “He is generous and cheerful, with a free and unrestrained personality, yet he is always polite. My uncle has inquired about him and found out that he is proficient in the six arts of a gentleman, including music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. His appearance is also a good match for you. Apart from the fact that he is a merchant, he is not bad at all.”

"He has a low status, and with the Xuanping Prince's Mansion around, you can order him around and manipulate him at will. What's wrong with that?"

The tone trailed off in a low voice, clearly indicating displeasure. He was displeased, and so was Lu Kou.

She kept quiet, and Sima Xian sealed the date for the matchmaking with a single punch.

Lu Kou wanted to run away, but she didn't expect her yard to be full of people.

"Madam, please don't make things difficult for us. If you leave, the King will surely punish us."

Lu Kou was stunningly beautiful, with upturned eyes that seemed to hold a gentle, affectionate quality, yet at this moment they appeared cold and frosty.

She stood in the courtyard, her light blue dress simple and pure. Beside her were blooming crabapple blossoms, their pale pink petals carried by the wind and landing on her shoulders. She was more beautiful than the flowers, but her unfathomable black eyes made people afraid to look into them.

The servants only breathed a sigh of relief when Lu Kou returned to her room.

Lu Kou waited calmly until the day of their meeting. She stood in the pavilion, the gauze curtains at the four corners fluttering in the breeze, and gazed at him through the gaps.

He's good-looking, but he's a clueless idiot.

His cheeks flushed, and the Xuanping Prince's mansion burst into laughter, teasing him as everyone did so, but he just kept smiling foolishly.

Lu Kou was even more unwilling, and no matter how much Sima Xian tried to persuade her, she refused to budge and was determined to return to Miao territory.

Sima Xian sighed, "I can't persuade you; you should have your teacher come."

Lu Kou turned her head away and ignored him. He sighed repeatedly and left alone.

After he left, Sima An peeked at her and called out to her in a soft, sweet voice, "Are you unhappy, sister?"

More than unhappy, Lu Kou now wanted to draw her sword and kill someone. She desperately suppressed her anger and invited the person in.

"Anniang, do me a favor. Sister, write a few letters and send them out for me."

"good!"

Lu Kou had a good plan. Wen Ke was good at light footwork, Cao Ning was good at disguising herself, and Thirteen Sister was the best at covering for her. She would also bring Jiang Yun over, and if all else failed, she would knock them unconscious.

With so many people around, she didn't believe she couldn't escape this marriage.

Unfortunately, he died before he could achieve his goal, and the person his uncle sent was his master.

She can't beat Xin Yi yet.

A few days before the wedding, she even tried to run away. Gu Qingyi said bluntly, "Your uncle and I have been teaching you for so long, can't you even see this? Or do you have to tell me before you're satisfied?"

Lu Kou stood in the courtyard, her eyelashes fluttering, pursing her lips to suppress the bitterness in her heart.

She knew that her uncle, aunt, teacher... and even the servants of the Xuanping Prince's Mansion were mostly people left over from the previous dynasty, living in the present but with their hearts still attached to the past.

"I know."

She just didn't want to face the fact that she had really become a pawn on the chessboard. Entering the game was her destiny, the destiny of her being born here. She had always known this. She just wanted to wait a little longer and enjoy more of the time she spent with Jiang Li and the others.

Lu Kou turned around and went back into the house. Gu Qingyi opened her mouth, but in the end, she didn't say anything.

Sima Xian, who was in the distance, was also focused on Lu Kou, his first and most outstanding child. He was calculating the rules of the system in his mind and ignoring the constant broadcasts from the system in his ears.

This feeling never stopped the moment he learned that Lu Kou had returned, and she was fortunate enough to live past her teenage years. He hadn't originally intended to keep her until now, but as he raised her step by step and indulged her, he realized that no one is without feelings.

As long as she is content to marry and this move is completed, he will plan a good future for her.

From then on, Lu Kou stayed in the house, and she couldn't even see Thirteen Niang anymore.

She suddenly thought of Thirteen Sister from last year's Autumn Festival. After the age of twelve, they would only return to Miao territory during festivals.

The Autumn Festival is a major festival in the village. She doesn't like to join in the festivities, so she lies peacefully on Jiang Li's lap, eating grapes and casually watching Thirteen Sister.

Thirteen Sister was dressed in Miao attire, and the silver crown on her head did not hinder her movements. The jingling and fluttering silver ornaments made her look like a lively little bird. With martial arts skills, climbing the ladder of knives was just a matter of time.

She was hanging upside down at the top of the ladder, arms outstretched, as if she were about to take off and fly into the sky at any moment.

At that time, Lu Kou only admired it, but now she herself is trapped in Chang'an and cannot get out.

When Lu Kou first met her mother, her mother combed Lu Kou's hair with a blank expression, her thoughts flashing through her mind as she looked down.

If Jiang Li were here, that would be great.

After going through the whole process, Lu Kou sat in the bridal chamber, feeling that today was strange.

When he lifted the veil, Lu Kou finally saw his face clearly. He was good-looking, that was his only redeeming quality.

He pressed his face close to hers, his posture almost pious, his earlobes turning a deep red, as if licked with cinnabar.

Why is he so shy? Who is the bride anyway?

Less than half a month after the wedding, Lu Kou was driven crazy by the troubles. Being forced into marriage was already annoying enough.

She felt that all the advantages her uncle mentioned were not advantages at all.

He was flamboyant and arrogant, always sitting in front of her with an air of superiority. He would come over and hug and kiss her for no reason at all.

She was also unable to practice martial arts, and her days were filled only with playing musical instruments, chess, calligraphy, and painting...

And he keeps calling me "wife, wife" all day long, like a parrot...

"My wife!"

Lu Kou covered her ears with her shawl, turned her head, and there it was again.

She was lying on a deck chair sunbathing when Fan Lingzhang took her hand and knelt down in front of her.

"My wife!"

"What?" Lu Kou opened her eyes to his incredibly brightly colored clothes. Oh, right, she wondered why he had so many colors in his clothes.

Red, yellow, green, blue, black...

The clothes had more colors than rainbows.

It's so annoying. The only thing my uncle said that's true is that his family is poor and he only has a kind-hearted mother-in-law.

Fan Lingzhang took her hand and said, "I own an estate where the lotus flowers are in full bloom. Let's go pick lotus pods together."

Picking lotus pods? That would require taking a boat.

"Hubei University?" Lu Kou stood up, which was unusual for her.

Fan Lingzhang pretended to think, and before his wife could get impatient, he said, "It's very big, enough to satisfy you."

"Okay." Lu Kou lay back down. Go away, she was already fed up with being here anyway.

The shawl fell into his hand, and he wrapped it around his wrist. Perhaps she didn't realize that she hadn't let go of his hand.

Half a month later, Fan Lingzhang was deeply hurt. His love at first sight was only one-sided; his wife did not feel the same way.

Newlyweds, like most couples, would fool around for a long time, but his wife was cold and indifferent and always kicked him out of bed.

Was it his fault? He needs to admit his mistake; he was indeed inexperienced on their wedding night and was kicked off the bed by his wife.

He lamented that knowledge gained from books was ultimately superficial, but was he really so bad that his wife completely ignored him?

It's alright, he'll definitely win his wife's heart.

This is a major step forward.

The small boat swayed gently, surrounded by tall lotus leaves that completely concealed them among the flowers, suppressing their tender and ambiguous feelings.

Lu Kou pushed Fan Lingzhang away from above and scolded him, "You're shameless!"

"Dirty!"

The lotus in the water before him echoed his face, and the layers of water engulfed her in the sea, the moist and warm touch stimulating and captivating.

"I would like to hear the details."

When they came ashore, Lu Kou was holding a large cluster of lotus flowers and seed pods in her hands. The pale pink petals were almost identical to the rouge on her wife's face.

Fan Lingzhang draped his outer robe over Lu Kou's shoulders, and the servants, keeping their eyes and ears down, all lowered their heads.

Lu Kou lowered her head, her face darkening. She was determined to make sure he was never allowed to enter the house again.

Fan Lingzhang was all smiles, little did he know that his wife had given him an ultimatum.

Like Jiang Li, he liked to buy her all sorts of clothes and jewelry. Oh well, I'll reluctantly forgive him.

I miss Jiang Li so much. Has she come out of seclusion yet?

Definitely not, otherwise she would definitely come looking for me.

But what's the use of looking for her? She's stuck in this game.

When Fan Lingzhang saw that she was depressed when she returned, he took her to various places to play and even set up a larger greenhouse for her to grow flowers.

Lu Kou's attitude towards him improved considerably, all thanks to Fan Lingzhang's coaxing.

One day, the two were playing chess. Fan Lingzhang was playing terribly. She tolerated him for the first game, and then tried to find the tactful advice that Cao Ning had once given her.

He didn't understand; his mind was filled with his wife talking to him. The second round continued.

The third time...

Lu Kou couldn't hold back and grabbed the chessboard, swinging it at him. She only withdrew her hand sheepishly when she saw him fall to the ground, and then quickly called for a doctor.

Fan Lingzhang was seriously ill with a head injury, and all the account books for his businesses, including the restaurant and the incense shop, fell into her hands.

I'd never seen any kind of abacus before—a golden abacus, a jade abacus—before I even started weighing it. I casually tossed it away.

"ah!"

When she gasped in surprise on the bed, she was embarrassed and turned her head away to touch her nose.

Fortunately, she had swung at Jiang Yun before, so she still had the strength she used to have and didn't really hurt him. This time, however, she really didn't hold back.

I shouldn't have picked up this bad habit from my teacher.

Fan Lingzhang is now injured in the head and in the leg. Lu Kou's eyes darted away, and she felt genuinely guilty.

Sima Xianzhi had come specifically to see Xiao Furong and said it was still too light. He thought to himself, "No one is as heavy as me; Gu Qingyi's touch is much heavier."

He cried and sobbed while he was sick, trying to coax Lu Kou with all sorts of sweet words, and she almost stopped thinking that it was her fault.

Also, he looks really beautiful when he cries, like a lotus flower wet with water.

So, she tried making soup and ended up blowing up the kitchen. Shen Huaiyu heard about this and came to visit her, telling A-Ling to be good at managing people, that she had a lot of people under her and didn't have to do any work.

Lu Kou listened attentively to her aunt's teachings, nodding no matter what she was told.

Fan Lingzhang discovered her hobby and hugged her tightly, saying, "Wife, I'm in so much pain, please comfort me."

"Can I have a kiss?"

Lu Kou looked into his eyes. Perhaps, perhaps she, as a pawn in her uncle's arranged marriage, was a good husband who could bring him money and help him achieve his grand ambitions.

Of course he was good; he held his wife in his arms and did whatever he wanted.

He's got the hang of it now. His wife is soft-hearted, and if he's pitiful and shameless, she'll definitely take notice of him.

For example, if his wife kicks him out of bed, he can secretly run back in the middle of the night; as long as he's shameless, he can do it.

After Fan Lingzhang recovered from his illness, he suddenly had a whimsical idea: to build a swing in the yard. He wanted to build it himself, but he failed.

Lu Kou: "Silly, I'll try."

Unsuccessful.

In the end, it was the servants who did it.

She lay there leisurely, basking in the sun to hide her embarrassment.

As spring turned to winter, Fan Lingzhang brought home a kitten to keep her company.

Days passed, and Lu Kou barely adapted; he was still quite good-looking.

Her beauty surpasses all others, even the lotus flower blushes with shame.

Hibiscus is a good match for him.

The delicate fragrance of jasmine lingered around her when Fan Lingzhang suddenly appeared and hugged her.

"Huh, they weren't scared at all."

Pshaw, she knew all along.

"Here, jasmine." Lu Kou took a flower and tucked it behind his ear, smiling faintly. "Not bad."

Jasmine... Mo Li!

Fan Lingzhang's eyes gleamed as he nuzzled her cheek, saying, "I like it, I like it a lot."

Lu Kou: ?

What is he doing?

Lu Kou met with Wen Ke and the others, watched Thirteen Sister and Cao Ning having fun, and listened to their jokes. She felt that life was not bad if it continued like this. She really wanted to wait for Jiang Li to come out of seclusion.

Let's go through customs and see how she lives now.

As Yuenu grew bigger, the milk carcass became quite heavy on her.

Meow~

Never mind, it's not that heavy.

Unfortunately, the good times didn't last long.

One day, Lu Kou was lying on the swing sunbathing as usual, stroking Yue Nu in her hand. Fan Lingzhang had been very busy lately and rarely bothered her, so she was enjoying her leisure.

The sun shone warmly on her, when suddenly a bell rang on the wall. She turned her head and saw it was a message from Tianque Tower.

Tianque Tower?

Why are you suddenly contacting her?

She got up and took out the letter. After a while, the letter was floating on the ground. She was stunned for a moment, then realized what she had done and burned the letter.

Something's happened!

She was in a panic and rushed to the Xuanping Prince's Mansion, but she couldn't find her uncle anywhere.

Upon unexpectedly seeing Gu Qingyi, she stepped forward and took Gu Qingyi's arm, "Teacher! They...they really had an accident?"

Gu Qingyi gently comforted her, knowing the importance of Thirteen Niang in her heart.

"Ah Ling, the deceased is gone, and Thirteen Niang would rather you be well."

How could that be?

Thirteenth Sister? She didn't believe it! Just a few days ago they were discussing the future together, and she even said that she would find a way to get Thirteenth Sister out of Tianque Tower when she was two years older.

Then there's Cao Ning. Cao Ning is resourceful and intelligent; she was able to successfully complete even the most difficult tasks in the past.

She found her home.

Wen Ke, even Wen Ke has disappeared...

How come she only found out now? Did her Thirteenth Sister hope her sister would save her even in her dying moments?

What was she doing when they were in trouble?

How come she's all alone all of a sudden?

No!

Lu Kou's vision went black, and she fainted in Gu Qingyi's arms.

"Ah Ling! Ah Ling!" Gu Qingyi quickly caught her and shouted frighteningly in the surroundings.

"What are you standing there for? Hurry up and find a doctor! Where is the imperial physician?! Someone come here right now!"

"...The Gu worms have flared up, and my internal energy is unstable... I don't have much time left."

Lu Kou listened vaguely, "What do you mean by 'not much time left'?"

"Get out of the way!"

Gu Qingyi shouted sharply, then turned to her and smiled, "It's nothing, you just woke up and misheard. Your internal energy is unstable, you'll be fine after some rest."

"Thirteen Sister...where are their bodies? How...did they die?"

Lu Kou was panting heavily, leaning against the bed railing, her breathing unsteady, and she almost fainted again. Startled, Gu Qingyi quickly summoned the family physician.

Gu Qingyi didn't dare to tell her at all, but Ye Taoyao appeared and leaned against the door frame, saying, "The corpse, left to rot in the wilderness, was probably eaten by a passing stray dog."

"Ye Taoyao! Shut up!"

"Tch." Before Ye Taoyao could say anything more, Gu Qingyi slapped her across the face.

"Gu Qingyi! How dare you hit me!"

"Shut up! If you say another word, I'll slap you again."

Ye Taoyao's chest heaved with anger, and she pointed at him, unable to speak for a long time. "Hmph, you just wait. When my cousin comes back, I will definitely have him punish you properly."

A dark glint flashed in Gu Qingyi's eyes. Inside, Lu Kou coughed up blood upon hearing that the corpses had been left to rot in the wilderness.

"Cough cough—"

Thirteen Sister is the younger sister she raised, and Cao Ning and Wen Ke are her close friends who have been with her for many years.

Although she had parents, it was as if they were both dead. As a child, she lived in a small, cramped space and couldn't even speak.

The day her uncle took her out, she learned that she had a mother, but her mother didn't like her, didn't want to see her, and didn't even want her.

It's okay, those who don't like Ah Ling, Ah Ling doesn't like them either.

Ah Ling found herself Ah Niang, a younger sister, and an older brother; she already had a family.

She also has her uncle and aunt, teachers and mentors, and her close friends from Tianque Tower who have been with her for many years and shared life and death.

Jiang Li always thought that she was accompanied by others on all her missions, but that wasn't the case. Once, the four of them almost died in a mission.

It was through their joint efforts that they broke the deadlock and found a way out.

We promised to live together, so how come she's all alone now?

Lu Kou collapsed onto the bed, grabbing Gu Qingyi's hand, "How...did they die?"

Gu Qingyi dared not tell her the truth, and only told her a brief account with half the truth and half the truth. It felt as if a huge hole had been ripped out of her heart, and the wind passed through it, taking away her flesh and blood.

"He clearly promised me..."

Lu Kou cried out, blood mixed with her mouth, her voice barely audible, so much so that Gu Qingyi couldn't hear her even when she got close.

Her tears mingled with blood, dripping onto her pale blue dress like blood-red flowers blooming on flat ground, strikingly conspicuous.

She finally couldn't hold on any longer and fainted again.

In the last second before losing consciousness, she wanted to say that he had promised to protect them.

My uncle broke his promise; almost all of them died.

No wonder the imperial examinations have been causing such a stir lately; my uncle was probably behind it all.

When Lu Kou woke up again, she was unusually calm. She said goodbye to Gu Qingyi and returned to the Fan family. She had been looking for Wen Ke.

She placed almost all her hopes on Wen Ke. Gu Qingyi also sent people to search, but they couldn't find them. They couldn't find their bodies, and they couldn't find Wen Ke either.

It's like they vanished into thin air.

This almost became the last straw that broke Lu Kou's back.

Fan Lingzhang returned home in high spirits after successfully closing several major business deals.

"My wife, I'm back. Let me tell you about my experience this time..."

"Let's get a divorce."

"Wh...what?" Fan Lingzhang immediately panicked, meeting Lu Kou's calm gaze; she didn't seem to be joking at all.

"Wife, you can't say things like that. Are you upset that I haven't spent enough time with you lately...? I... I've settled my business. I won't be away from home for so long again, you..."

"Enough! Didn't you hear me say we should get a divorce? This marriage was a mistake from the start. I never wanted to marry you. Didn't I tell you to stay away from me? Did I ever say anything nice to you? Didn't I clearly tell you to stay away from me? I hate you! I've really had enough of this life."

"Why do you like me? Did I seduce you? Or do you beautify your lust as love at first sight? Or are you after the power and wealth of the Prince's Mansion, using its convenience to make your business thrive?"

"Why do you have... Why should I stay by your side to make you fulfilled?!"

Why did someone close to me disappear?

"go out!"

“Ah Ling…”

"I told you to get out, didn't you hear me?!" Lu Kou shouted angrily, her voice filled with heart-wrenching pain.

Fan Lingzhang had never seen her so out of control before, and he dared not linger any longer.

Yet they dared not actually leave.

He stood alone at her door, weeping.

Ah Ling said she hated him, she hated him.

Tears streamed down my face like a broken string of pearls, unstoppable.

Why does A-Ling dislike him?

"puff--"

Fan Lingzhang heard something strange and his vision blurred with tears. He only saw a group of maids rushing into A Ling's room. He quickly wiped away his tears and rushed into the room.

The scene was a mess, and the bright red blood on the ground stung his eyes.

"Doctor! Someone come quick!"

The Fan family was thrown into chaos, and Fan Lingzhang's heart was filled with turmoil. How did he fall seriously ill?

How could you be so sick?

When Gu Qingyi and Shen Huaiyu heard that she had an accident, they came to visit her. They wanted to ask her questions, but she was so distraught that they couldn't get anything out of her.

He took Lu Kou's hand and asked, "Did I make you sick?"

Her lips moved, and her voice trembled with tears, "Do you really hate me?"

"I'm sorry, Ah Ling, it's all my fault. I didn't ask for your consent before marrying you, I've been bothering you..."

Lu Kou's health deteriorated rapidly, and Fan Lingzhang's prayers to heaven had no effect whatsoever. She slept for longer and longer periods, sometimes not waking up for days and nights.

"Please wake up! If you hate me, we can get a divorce. As long as you get better, I'll do anything you want. If you're unhappy, you can stab me twice. Don't... don't let yourself become like this, Ah Ling, I beg you, please wake up, okay?"

Perhaps Fan Lingzhang's prayers had worked, or perhaps it was a final burst of energy before death, but Lu Kou unusually wanted to go to the restaurant for a stroll.

She stepped through the door and scanned the crowd. All the people discussing this year's imperial examination cheating case were talking about.

Lu Kou had excellent hearing; the court had uncovered many remnants of the previous dynasty… Someone had died at the palace gates, demanding that the Emperor conduct a thorough investigation…

A closer voice reached her ears. She looked up and saw her drunken husband running up to her, spouting nonsense. Unfortunately, she had no strength left.

She staggered and nearly fell into Fan Lingzhang's arms.

It seems that Xiao Furong has dealt with that person, but she doesn't care about that anymore; she seems to be really on her last legs.

She still couldn't hold on until Ah Niang came out of seclusion. Why did Ah Niang's seclusion last so long this time?

She really can't hold on any longer.

She felt that her uncle was different now, and she didn't want to be trapped in Chang'an anymore; she wanted to go home.

She returned to the home she had chosen.

Lu Kou sat on the bed, lifting her eyelids. "Between you and me... it truly is a tragic fate. Forget me, Little Hibiscus. I'm the one who wronged you. Forget me—"

Fan Lingzhang placed her raised hand against her face, and she slowly closed her eyes, her hand losing its strength.

"Ah Ling?"

"Ah Ling?" Fan Lingzhang reached out to touch her face, but her body collapsed under the weight, as light as a leaf falling into his arms.

"Ah Ling, I beg you, wake up, don't sleep."

Fan Lingzhang hugged Lu Kou and called her name repeatedly, tears streaming down his face onto hers, but no matter how much he called, she didn't react at all.

Upon seeing this, Afu exclaimed that her husband had gone mad and invited Fan Lingzhang's mother and people from the Xuanping Prince's Mansion to persuade him.

Fan Lingzhang firmly believed that A Ling was just asleep, which angered Gu Qingyi so much that she slapped him and began to arrange Lu Kou's funeral.

She arranged Lu Kou's funeral and got Ye Taoyao out of Chang'an immediately. She wouldn't allow anyone to interfere with A Ling's funeral arrangements.

Thus ends half a lifetime spent in the Buddhist temple.