Upon arriving in the new dimension, Tang Ning's consciousness had barely returned when she immediately felt a cool breeze carrying a faint fragrance rushing towards her.

She gently opened her eyes and found that there was a small lotus pond in front of her. It was probably the season when lotus flowers were in full bloom, and everything in sight was bright and vibrant.

The emerald green lotus leaves swayed gently in the afternoon breeze, like tiny jade umbrellas, while pink, white, and red lotus flowers were scattered among them, standing tall and graceful.

Looking at the beautiful scenery and smelling the refreshing fragrance carried by the breeze, Tang Ning couldn't help but smile slightly.

Just then, a clear and gentle voice suddenly rang out behind her.

"Girl, my dear girl, what are you doing hiding here? I've been looking for you everywhere."

Upon hearing this, Tang Ning subconsciously turned her head and saw a round-faced girl wearing a light yellow dress, with her hair in two buns, who looked only thirteen or fourteen years old. She was standing outside the pavilion with her delicate white hands covering her forehead. Whether it was from the heat or the sun, her cheeks were flushed, and even the tip of her nose had two glistening beads of sweat.

Seeing Tang Ning turn around, she immediately lowered her hand that was shielding her from the sun and smiled at Tang Ning with a charming and cheerful expression. "Miss, Prince Wei is here again today. Would you like to change your clothes now to see him? Chun Tan is already waiting for us in the garden. As soon as you arrive, she will quickly wash and dress you up. Would you like to wear that plain white silk dress again today?"

Perhaps it was the arrival of this Prince Wei that made the round-faced girl genuinely happy for Tang Ning. As a result, once she started talking, she was like a little bird, never stopping.

Hearing this, Tang Ning subconsciously raised an eyebrow, then covered her mouth and chuckled softly, "Why are you even happier than me to see Prince Wei here? Alright, hurry up and lead the way!"

As soon as she finished speaking, she saw the round-faced little girl in the pale yellow dress stick out her tongue at her, "I'm just happy for you, miss..."

The little girl only muttered that one sentence before leading the way forward.

Tang Ning, who was following behind her, took this opportunity to have 54088 directly transmit the plot of this world to her.

Judging from the little girl who wore a long dress and had her hair in a bun before, and the clothes Tang Ning is wearing now, this should be an ancient world.

Well, in this world, she is still called Tang Ning.

Originally, she was just the only daughter of a wealthy merchant in Jiangnan, and was pampered and loved like a precious jewel. But when she was fourteen, the merchant died unexpectedly. At that time, all sorts of relatives in the family were eyeing her family's huge fortune with covetous eyes.

At this time, the wet nurse of the wealthy merchant's wife, who had died young, found Tang Ning with her critically ill body and tearfully told her the truth about her origins.

Fourteen years ago, a wealthy merchant was away on business and hadn't sent any news home for three months. Rumors began to circulate that he might have met with some misfortune. To pray for her husband's well-being, the merchant's wife, despite being about to give birth, took her wet nurse, maids, and servants to a nearby temple that was said to be very efficacious.

Unexpectedly, he encountered a lady dressed in luxurious and elegant clothes on the way. They had a pleasant conversation and learned from the conversation that the lady's husband's surname was Qin and that he seemed to hold some official position in the army. She was originally from the frontier, but because she was pregnant and the frontier was a harsh and cold place, which was not conducive to pregnancy, she went to the capital to give birth with the help of her family's guards.

As the two were talking, a group of men in black suddenly descended from the sky. Under the protection of their loyal guards, the two managed to escape and hide in a cave.

At that time, apart from the wet nurse, all the other maids and servants of the wealthy merchant's wife had already lost their lives in the chaos, and the noble lady had no one else beside her except for a few young maids with tender faces.

In their panic, both women nearly went into labor at the same time. The maids, being completely ignorant, were left with only the wealthy merchant's wet nurse to help with the delivery, while the maids were sent aside to avoid causing any trouble.

Ultimately, with the help of the experienced wet nurse, the two ladies gave birth to two girls one after the other. Because the noble lady's pregnancy was better and her child was larger, she fainted from exhaustion almost immediately after giving birth.

The wealthy businessman's wife was so worried about her husband's safety during the first three months of her pregnancy that she couldn't eat or sleep well, and the fetus was also quite small. After giving birth, she was still relatively lucid.

Then, the pale-faced woman looked at her slightly thin daughter, and then at the girl born to the noble lady who cried loudly. Fueled by the fear that her husband was still missing, she inexplicably begged her wet nurse to switch the two children.

Because if the wealthy merchant dies outside, she, as a woman, absolutely cannot provide her daughter with a comfortable life. Her daughter's cries are so soft and weak; she's afraid she won't be able to support her. That woman is different; her husband's family is a general in the Great Lin Dynasty. If her daughter goes there, she will definitely be well taken care of, definitely!

The wet nurse couldn't bear to see the girl she had watched grow up crying so miserably, even kneeling before her. So, with a heavy heart and a trembling hand, she switched the two infant girls.

After the switch, no one expected that the wealthy merchant would return in just three days, not only having traveled a long way but also having made a fortune.

The wealthy businessman's wife, upon learning the news, was not happy at all. Instead, she was tormented by various emotions such as regret, worry, guilt, and self-blame. Within a few years, she was in critical condition and passed away without leaving a single word when Tang Ning was four years old.

After the wealthy merchant's wife died, the wet nurse also considered revealing the secret. Unfortunately, she was too timid and afraid of being blamed. So, only when she saw Tang Ning isolated and helpless and that she herself was about to die did she finally reveal the secret before she died, tormented by her conscience.

Tang Ning was shocked after hearing the secret of her past, but more importantly, she saw a way out for herself in it.

After all, the Tang family still has clan elders, and the wealthy merchant has cousins, so there's no way she'll inherit the property. What's worse, not only will she not inherit the property, but she's also most afraid of being married off to someone else at will. If that happens, she'll be left with no one to turn to for help.

Having made up her mind, Tang Ning finally withdrew some of her money and went to the capital alone, disguised as a man, as a scholar traveling to the capital to find his relatives.

Perhaps it was truly a mother-daughter bond; as soon as she arrived in the capital, she encountered the elegant and noble Madam Qin from back then.

If you ask her how she recognized her, it's simply because she looked so much like her mother. The way they looked at each other, plus that bit of telepathy, made her instantly certain that this Madam Qin was her mother.

With this expectation in mind, Tang Ning, who had changed back into women's clothing, knocked on the door of the General's Mansion.

Yes, Lady Qin's husband is none other than the Great General of Zhenbei of the Great Lin Dynasty.

The process of recognizing relatives was very simple. Tang Ning's face was already living proof. In addition, she also mentioned that she should have been the daughter of a wealthy merchant, but was switched and became the only young lady of the General's Mansion. She also mentioned the birthmark on Qin Qianqian's hidden part of her body and the various details that her wet nurse told her about the cave back then.

As soon as the family acknowledgment was completed, Madam Qin almost immediately hugged her and began to weep bitterly.

Although they doted on their daughter Qin Qianqian for fourteen years, their own daughter also suffered for fourteen years. How could a country gentry family compare to the life and upbringing of a general's mansion?

So they quickly announced that Tang Ning was Tang Ning's biological daughter. Since the wealthy businessman and his wife had both passed away, they had left behind Qin Qianqian and given her the status of an adopted daughter, intending to love both of them together in the future.

The relationships within the General's Mansion are quite simple. Because of their childhood friendship, General Qin and his wife have a very close relationship. For many years since their marriage, he has only ever been devoted to her. His backyard is kept exceptionally clean, and he has never even visited brothels. Over the years, the two have had four sons and one daughter, and they have always been loving and affectionate.

The four brothers who used to dote on Qin Qianqian all accepted this decision. Although they were not yet familiar with each other, they still tried to get on Tang Ning's good side in their own rough and awkward ways.

After all, their younger sister had been living away from home for so many years. Although they were closer to Qin Qianqian, in order not to upset Tang Ning, they should treat her equally in everything, and even be more biased towards Tang Ning.

The Qin family members are all very kind, and being recognized and returned to such a home is a kind of luck for Tang Ning.

The key point is that Qin Qianqian is almost of marriageable age, and most girls of this age are already engaged.

Qin Qianqian was no exception.

Her fiancé was none other than Wei Jing, the eldest son of the current Prince Jian.

The former King Jian, having fought alongside the old emperor to conquer the land, was granted the title of a king of a different surname by the old emperor at the founding of the Da Lin Dynasty, in recognition of his contributions.

The reason for choosing to marry into the Qin family was because of Qin Qianqian's status as the legitimate daughter of General Qin.

But now this legitimate daughter is a fake, and has become an adopted daughter. The real legitimate daughter of the Qin family has returned. Before Prince Jian could express any objection, Princess Jian was already indignant. She had never liked Qin Qianqian, who seemed overly naive and shrewish, and was quite boisterous. Her son was completely infatuated with her and had even disobeyed her more than once because of her.

Even his trip to the military camp to accumulate merits was all for the purpose of achieving great things and then marrying Qin Qianqian in a grand and glorious way.

It's already like this before she's even married into the family. If she were to marry into the family, her mother would probably have to step aside. Most importantly, Qin Qianqian has an almond-shaped face and a pointed chin, giving her a look of misfortune. Anyway, she just doesn't like her.

This dislike reached its peak after she met Tang Ning.

Because Tang Ning, after dressing up, had naturally red lips, naturally dark eyebrows, bright eyes and white teeth, fair skin, and smooth skin, she was poised and elegant. Standing next to Qin Qianqian, her overall demeanor made Qin Qianqian seem petty and unassuming.

This made Princess Jian even more unhappy.

Looking at Tang Ning, an absurd thought slowly began to grow in her mind.

Since she had arranged for her son, A-Jing, to marry the legitimate daughter of the General's Mansion, it was natural that whoever was the legitimate daughter would marry A-Jing. So she subtly mentioned this to the General's wife.

Before she could even finish speaking, and before Madam Qin could express her opinion, Qin Qianqian, who had unexpectedly overheard these words, jumped out and said that she was willing to give up the marriage contract to Tang Ning. She already owed Tang Ning far too much and shouldn't have clung to the marriage contract in the first place.

She covered her face and ran away, and the people behind her couldn't catch up with her in time.

Then, in less than a day, everyone outside knew that Wei Jing's fiancée had been changed to Qin Tangning, the true daughter of the General's Mansion.

This news alone infuriated Madam Qin.

After all, why should Ningning insist on this marriage? With the status of the eldest daughter of the General's Mansion, what kind of suitable husband could she not find? Besides, Wei Jing is already deeply in love with Qianqian. If he really marries Ningning, how could he treat her well?

But since things had come to this point, and Princess Jian was also eager to acknowledge the marriage, the General's Mansion could only swallow this bitter pill in the end.

Everyone knows how important a daughter's reputation is. Even if they went out and told others that Tang Ning wasn't engaged, no one would believe them, and Ning Ning might even be branded as having broken off the engagement.

Because of this, it was hard for Madam Qin not to be angry with Qin Qianqian, but seeing her eyes swollen like peach pits from crying, she couldn't bring herself to say anything angry.

So, without Tang Ning's knowledge, she had a fiancé.

When Wei Jing returned in high spirits, he was told that his beloved fiancée had been replaced.

He immediately went to the general's mansion in a fit of rage and met directly with Tang Ning.

Upon seeing each other, the two immediately widened their eyes in surprise.

Because they know each other.

This story begins on Wei Jing's journey to the army.

Before coming to the capital, Tang Ning had a fiancé, arranged for her by her wealthy merchant father. He was a village scholar, a seemingly perfect match for a merchant's daughter marrying a poor scholar. However, the scholar, who appeared refined and clean-cut, turned out to be a traitor. He took Tang's money and became the student of a good teacher introduced to him by Tang, but secretly had an affair with his childhood sweetheart next door, eventually getting her pregnant. If the girl hadn't come to Tang Ning crying, she and Tang's father would probably have been fooled by that hypocrite for quite some time.

She absolutely has to break off the engagement. Even if Master Tang doesn't, she'll still break it off.

She had never seen such a disgusting person.

But who would have thought that right after the annulment of the engagement, the scholar bribed her maid to lure her out. Because he couldn't bear to part with the wealth of the Tang family, he actually wanted to have sex with Tang Ning and force her to marry him.

If Wei Jing hadn't happened to pass by and noticed something was wrong, saving her in his time, Tang Ning's innocence would probably have been ruined by that beast.

Enraged, she immediately put her hands on her hips, pointed at the scholar's nose, and began to hurl insults at him. Her words were full of disgust and contempt for his poverty and slovenliness, and she declared that she had made the right decision to break off the engagement, saying she had never seen such a despicable person before...

At that time, Wei Jing just watched as this girl, as beautiful as a peony, cursed without stopping. He thought she was very fierce and domineering. Having grown up with Qin Qianqian, a sweet girl, he didn't show anything on the surface, but he didn't have a good impression of Tang Ning. He thought she was vulgar and unruly.

But Tang Ning was different. The power of a hero rescuing a damsel in distress was too great, and Wei Jing was dressed in full armor, exuding a heroic and dashing air.

She was immediately smitten.

Unfortunately, the other person was just passing by, and she probably will never have any further contact with him in her life.

But who would have thought that he would be her fiancé who fell from the sky?

Upon seeing Wei Jing, Tang Ning, who had initially thought she would break off the engagement despite her bad reputation, immediately decided not to.

But this fleeting moment of infatuation led her down a path of no return.

Wei Jing went to Qin Qianqian, but no matter how he tried to reason with her, he couldn't get through to her. Not only that, she also told him to go find his real fiancée, Tang Ning. Her extremely cold demeanor almost immediately pierced Wei Jing's heart.

So even though he disliked Tang Ning and even harbored some resentment towards her, he would still visit Tang Ning every day to spite Qin Qianqian, giving her all sorts of small gifts and inviting her out for various outings and picnics.

After several attempts, he finally saw Qin Qianqian hiding behind a pillar, tears streaming down her face. After a lot of commotion, Qin Qianqian was finally forced to admit that he still liked her.

But what can we do?

She's just an adopted daughter now. Given the situation back then, what other choice did she have but to give up the engagement? Most importantly, she discovered that Tang Ning seemed to like Wei Jing as well, so she decided to just let it go.

She was willing to calculate, but Wei Jing was not.

Thus began their days of chasing and fleeing, and more than once, he would use the excuse of inviting Tang Ning out to bring Qin Qianqian along as well. Then, behind Tang Ning's back, they would repeatedly lose control of their feelings in private, though of course, they would pretend to be perfectly respectable in front of Tang Ning.

until--

Madam Qin sensed something was wrong and began to discuss marriage for Qin Qianqian.

Wei Jing panicked immediately.

When people panic, bad ideas are more likely to come up.

He decided to find Tang Ning a good marriage.

How do I find it?

At the Princess's chrysanthemum appreciation banquet, he drugged Tang Ning, then locked her in a room with the son of the Minister of Revenue, whom he had long targeted. He then lured people to watch, so that his engagement with Tang Ning would be canceled.

Tang Ning has found a good husband, and he can be with Qianqian now.

However, during the implementation of the plan, an accident occurred. The son of the Minister of Revenue sensed something was wrong and fled early. He Lanruo, the son of the Princess and the grandson of the Duke of Guo, a notorious playboy in the capital, was tricked by the accident. He pushed open the door in a daze and lay down next to Tang Ning. The two of them were also captured.

In the end, Tang Ning married into the Duke's mansion in a very dishonorable manner.

Wei Jing and Qin Qianqian eventually became a couple.

After marriage, Tang Ning was never touched once by He Lanruo, who despised her.

That wasn't all; on the day of the third-day return visit, she unexpectedly overheard Qin Qianqian questioning Wei Jing.

It was only then that she realized that the reason she had this marriage was entirely due to the scheme of Wei Jing, whom she had been longing for. He didn't want to tarnish Qin Qianqian's reputation, so he had no choice but to target her.

But what did she do wrong?

This marriage was never what she wanted from the beginning, so why was she forced to accept such humiliation? Was Qin Qianqian the only one who was human, and she wasn't human either, and didn't her heart ache?

But without any evidence, even if she spoke out, probably no one would believe her. So, upon returning to the Duke's mansion, Tang Ning began to relentlessly push Helan Ruo to improve herself. She didn't want anything else, she just wanted to live a life of purpose, otherwise she would go crazy, she really would go crazy.

Unfortunately, this only made Helan Ruo dislike her more and more. In order to annoy her, he even took several concubines just one month after their marriage, including prostitutes. When the Qin family came looking for him, he was like a dead pig that doesn't fear boiling water.

Tang Ning wanted glory, so he insisted on smearing mud on her face.

After marriage, Tang Ning became increasingly distraught, but unexpectedly, things took a turn for the better. One day, He Lanruo seemed to have suddenly changed his ways, turned over a new leaf, and began to treat her well.

He wouldn't fight back when hit, wouldn't talk back when scolded, and even listened to Tang Ning's advice to go out and make a name for himself.

Therefore, he was fearless on the battlefield and became famous. When he finally returned victorious, he smiled and picked up Tang Ning.

When she was sick, he stayed by her bedside day and night to take care of her.

Tang Ning's heart wasn't made of iron either; under such an offensive, she quickly succumbed once again.

"Let's live a good life together from now on, okay?"

This was the first thing she said to Helan Ruo after she woke up from her illness.

One night, shortly after saying that, she was drugged, but the drug probably had little effect on her body.

In her dazed state, she unexpectedly overheard all of Helan Ruo's schemes against her.

The current emperor, Situ Yin, is a ruthless, tyrannical madman. He has countless beauties in his harem, yet not a single child has been born to him.

Often, if someone takes a fancy to a beautiful woman, they will immediately snatch her into the palace. Ji Muqing, the daughter of Prime Minister Ji and once the beloved of Helan Ruo, entered the palace for this reason. She was even once named Consort Chen. Situ Yin spent more than half the year in her palace. She was incredibly popular, and many people even suspected that she would be made empress by the emperor sooner or later.

Unfortunately, just a few years later, Consort Chen was banished to the Cold Palace by the unpredictable and erratic Emperor for a single act of disrespect before the Emperor.

He didn't know how many women lived in his cold palace. Many were driven mad by him or by the environment. How could Ji Muqing endure such a life? So she almost immediately thought of her former lover (backup plan) He Lanruo and begged him to save her. She was about to die.

Upon receiving Ji Muqing's message, he immediately became eager to act.

In particular, Ji Muqing explained to him that despite being in the palace for so many years, she was still a virgin.

It turns out that when the mad emperor Situ Yin was still the crown prince, because the late emperor had always favored the imperial concubine and her son, not only was his mother murdered, but he was also poisoned. This poison caused him to suffer from splitting headaches every day, and he could only fall asleep peacefully when he smelled the fragrance of a girl's body. Because she was weak when she was young, she had taken the warm fragrance dew that the old abbot of Qixia Temple had personally prepared for her. Since she was a child, her fragrance was stronger than others, which is why Situ Yin took a liking to her and doted on her for so long.

But in reality, nothing ever happened between the two.

Helan Ruo believed Ji Muqing's words.

He had always loved Ji Muqing, and even... he had gone so far as to present himself as a playboy for so many years just to avoid getting married. Now that Ji Muqing was coming back to him completely, his long-cherished wish had finally been fulfilled, and he couldn't care about anything else anymore.

But what is the reality?

Her entry into the palace was a scheme devised by Ji Muqing and her grandfather, Prime Minister Ji. She discovered Situ Yin's interest in her, and blinded by the prospect of becoming Empress, she abandoned her lover, Helan Ruo, and voluntarily entered the palace. Of course, in front of Helan Ruo, she naturally presented herself as a weak and helpless woman, accepting everything as fate.

But this also made her Helan Ruo's unforgettable love and the white moonlight in his bedside for so many years.

But after entering the palace, Ji Muqing discovered that things were completely different from what she had imagined. Although Situ Yin slept with her, he never touched her. Moreover, when she plotted to have a further relationship with him, she was almost killed by Situ Yin, whose eyes were bloodshot.

She was terrified, truly terrified, but the demon refused to let her leave, even forbidding her from communicating with the outside world.

But gradually, even the fragrance on her body could no longer suppress the mad emperor's headaches.

Often, when she woke up in the middle of the night, she would be horrified to find Situ Yin sitting at the head of her bed, his hand gripping her neck.

Finally, due to a minor breach of etiquette, she was banished to the cold palace.

At first, she was secretly pleased that she didn't have to deal with that madwoman, but she soon found that life in the cold palace was unbearable. She was surrounded by all sorts of crazy women who could hit her and hurt her terribly. There was nothing to eat or use. She suspected that if she stayed there any longer, she would die silently here one day.

So, with Situ Yin completely relaxing his surveillance on her, she managed to contact Helan Ruo through various means.

No one could have imagined that, by sheer coincidence, Helan Ruo would unexpectedly obtain a method for changing faces from a martial arts practitioner.

He tested it and found it to be true.

And then, by sheer coincidence, he received a message from Ji Muqing, the woman he had longed for and loved for so long.

An idea began to sprout in Helan Ruo's mind.

Stolen from the palace is difficult, especially since he's now married. With Mu Qing back, she has no place in the palace. Besides, if Situ Yin discovers her face, the entire Duke's mansion will likely suffer. He doesn't believe Tang Ning would be willing either, so the only way to eliminate future troubles is to send her to the Cold Palace in Mu Qing's place.

So he hardened his mind.

He Lanruo then prepared to completely switch Tang Ning's and Ji Muqing's faces.

However, since the medicine only works when taken in a calm and happy mood, and moreover, once Mu Qing returned, his suddenly good attitude would easily arouse suspicion from others, so he chose to restrain himself from being nice to Tang Ning.

Tang Ning told him that they should live a good life together. He Lanruo was touched, but he wanted to live with the woman he loved more than Tang Ning.

After her face was swapped, Tang Ning clung tightly to He Lanruo's clothes, but unfortunately, He Lanruo managed to pry them off little by little.

When she woke up again, she found that she had a different face and had entered the Cold Palace.

She endured six months of torment in Situ Yin's cold palace, suffering from cold, hunger, thirst, pain, and injury. She finally managed to escape, only to be confronted by Situ Yin in his black robes. Her eyes lit up, but before she could utter a single word of explanation, the man, experiencing a bout of headache, casually waved her hand.

“Kill him.”

Before she could escape, two pale-faced, beardless eunuchs immediately grabbed her neck. Her eyes widened as she watched the man in black walk further and further away. Her legs kicked and thrashed on the ground. In the instant she stopped struggling, a tear that had been building up in her eyes fell silently.