Just as Chai Qingyan was about to kick the stool over, she suddenly realized what had happened. Chai Zhengguan and the Shen family were in cahoots, and their goal was to force her to death. Otherwise, how could so many bad rumors about Wang Yi have reached her ears so continuously, when she was surrounded by people from the Shen family?

Only if she died before getting married could the dowry left by Qin Hui Niang remain in the Chai family, and all of them would be surnamed Chai. Moreover, Princess Nanyang and Prince Consort Chai could not be blamed for standing idly by.

Chai Zhengguan was a bastard's son, and received little of the family fortune when the estate was divided. Although he had served as an official in Jiangnan for twelve years, earning considerable wealth through collusion between officials and businessmen, he returned to Beijing as a poor official, accustomed to extravagance. The Qin family in Jiangnan, seeking to provide a comfortable life for their daughter and granddaughter, gave him two thousand taels of silver annually, a sting that barely filled his stomach. Shen, also a bastard, did not have much of a dowry...

Chai Qingyan even suspected that even if she didn't hang herself, she would be "hanged." She was so ashamed and angry about Wang Yi's scandal that she hanged herself, and the Chai family became the victims, with people blaming the Beiyang Princess's Mansion and Wang Yi...

From this point of view, her mother's death is not that simple.

After figuring it out, Chai Qingyan no longer wanted to die. Why should she fulfill their wish? She thought, since she couldn't keep the money, she should find a way to save her life.

The next day, the Princess Beiyang's residence sent a betrothal gift, which included property and silver totaling 30,000 taels of silver.

Chai Zhengguan and Shen smiled and told the people watching the ceremony that they would not keep a penny and would give it all to Yan to accompany her to her husband's house.

Chai Qingyan suggested going to Niangniang Temple at the foot of Xiangshan Mountain tomorrow to burn incense and eat vegetarian food for Aunt Qin for three days, so that she could get married when she came back. Chai Zhengguan and Shen agreed very happily.

She was very well behaved in the nunnery. The next night, Chai Qingyan took the more than 100 taels of silver and some jewelry she had with her and secretly escaped. She wanted to go to Wuyang in Jiangnan to find her grandfather and uncle.

Only after fleeing to Nanping County did she realize that the Chai family would undoubtedly be keeping an eye on the Qin family, thousands of miles away. Even if they found her grandfather and uncle, they couldn't afford to offend the Chai family or the Beiyang Princess's residence, and couldn't bring trouble upon them for no reason. Furthermore, she didn't have a travel permit, and without one, she would be arrested at many important checkpoints.

While she was hesitating, a thief stole her money. Later, she was spotted by two bad men who claimed she was their sister and forced her to be sold to a brothel.

While they were arguing, they happened to meet Xu Qingyan who was going back to his hometown to visit his relatives.

She had met Xu Qingyan before.

Two years ago, she went to the Zhou family of the Protectorate Mansion to attend the plum blossom banquet. When she was strolling in the plum grove with a few sisters, she was pushed by her half-sister and fell out of the plum grove and landed in front of a pair of black boots.

Several girls' faint laughter could be heard from the plum forest. Chai Qingyan climbed to her feet, tears streaming down her face. Standing in front of her was a young man in guard uniform. This man was none other than Xu Qingyan. He was so frightened that he took two steps back and lowered his head. Because he was much taller than Chai Qingyan, she could see him lower his head clearly.

Next to the guard stood a young man of eight or nine years old.

The young master also heard Merlin's laughter, and when he saw the girl in tears and full of shame, he knew that she was being bullied and framed.

He said, "Sister, you shouldn't be the one to be ashamed, but those who harmed you." He snorted coldly and said, "Some young ladies are very vicious once they become evil."

Merlin's laughter suddenly died down, and the sound of scattered footsteps gradually faded away.

Chai Qingyan knelt down to the young master and ran into the plum forest.

Xu Qingyan also recognized Chai Qingyan. This beautiful face would appear before his eyes many times in his dreams at midnight.

He chased the two bad guys away without saying a word.

After listening to Chai Qingyan's sobbing, Xu Qingyan thought for a moment and said, "Wang Yi is a beast with a very bad reputation. If you marry him, your life will be worse than death." He then said with great embarrassment, "I'm just a small secret guard. I can't help you with anything. Otherwise, I can find a way to get you a travel permit in Nanping County and ask the escort agency to send you to Jiangnan to visit your maternal grandparents. It's a thousand miles away from Beijing and is safer there."

Chai Qingyan shook her head and said, "The Chai family knows that I'm not dead, so they will definitely pay attention to my maternal family. I don't want to implicate them."

Xu Qingyan thought for a moment and then said, "How about you change your name and temporarily live in the countryside? I can help you rent a yard and get you a household registration."

Chai Qingyan took another closer look at Xu Qingyan. He was young, tall, handsome, had a strong sense of justice, and was a master of martial arts. Blushing, she boldly declared, "Brother, are you married yet? If not, I am willing to marry you, and from then on, I will wear a thorny hairpin and a cloth skirt, and never leave you. If you are married, please accept me as your sister and find me an honest and kind man in the countryside. I would rather be a peasant woman all my life than return to the Chai family or marry Wang Yi."

Xu Qingyan's face flushed. He had never imagined marrying such a beautiful girl; it felt like a dream. He hurriedly said, "I'm not married, but I'm willing to marry you." Then, sheepishly, he added, "I'm just a secret guard, my identity shady. Besides carrying out missions, I practice martial arts in secluded places. That time I escorted the young master to the Zhou residence, it was a last-minute assignment. Normally, I hardly even show my face... Oh, I get one month of home leave every two years. When I'm forty and still alive, if the master shows mercy, I can return home and live my own life... I, I'm not worthy of you, young lady."

Chai Qingyan said, "I know you are a good person, and you saved me from the fire pit. That's enough."

Chai Qingyan changed her name to Qin Yan, changed her age to one year younger, married Xu Qingyan, and moved to Xiaozao Village.

…

Qin Shi sobbed as she told Xu Lanyin about her life story, and she felt very sad for her and her grandmother whom she had never met.

Shen is bad, but Chai Zhengguan is even worse.

In this world, there are still men as wicked and conscienceless as Gu Wangchen, who, in order to make money, force girls from good families to be concubines. They kill women and even their own daughters.

It was fate that Qin Hui Niang, like the original owner, unfortunately met such a scumbag.

Xu Lanyin knew about it. No wonder Qin was so scared. She was not only afraid of the Chai Mansion, but also the Princess Beiyang Mansion.

Qin was actually running for her life, but on the surface it looked like she was escaping from her marriage.

The Princess of Beiyang's residence had already paid the betrothal gifts, legally making Qin Wang Yi his wife. In ancient times, marriages were based on the agreement of the parents and the matchmaker; if the betrothed wife became a concubine, if discovered and reported, Qin's marriage to Xu Qingyan would be annulled. If Wang Yi insisted on recognizing her, Qin would still be his woman under the law. Furthermore, Qin could be convicted and imprisoned. If Xu Qingyan survived, he would also be charged with kidnapping, making the three siblings illegitimate... unless the Princess of Beiyang's residence and Wang Yi voluntarily dropped the charges.

Qin's use of the phrase "irreparable" to describe the exposure of her life story was not an exaggeration at all.

Regardless of the basis, Qin's background must be kept secret.