Chapter 1 A Gift to the Barbarians
"The appointed date is fast approaching. Are we really going to hand over Mingyan?"
"The Northern Di people are brutal and bloodthirsty. I heard that the general especially likes to torture young and beautiful women. How can Mingyan bear it?"
"Yes, but we can't withstand the wrath of the Northern Barbarians! The city gates have already fallen..."
"Wenyi, she looks somewhat like Mingyan..."
Xie Guidu's deep voice came from inside the room. Dou Wenyi huddled by the window against the wall, feeling a chill run down her spine.
Husband, brother... what are you saying?
Ten days ago, the Northern Di cavalry launched a lightning attack on the capital. The imperial relatives and nobles fled south in panic to avoid disaster. Xie Guidu, as the chief minister, led five thousand Tiger and Leopard Cavalry to defend Tianning City to the death.
Unable to capture the city, the Northern Di general proposed a peace treaty, demanding that the defending army hand over the renowned Crown Princess Dou Mingyan.
Although Dou Wenyi disliked this older sister, she couldn't bear to see her suffer such a calamity, so she gently advised Xie Guidu not to agree, and Xie Guidu calmly agreed.
So it turns out he really couldn't bear to sacrifice Dou Mingyan, but was willing to sacrifice himself?
impossible!
When Xie Guidu was poisoned, she tested the medicine on herself, repeatedly damaging her heart meridian, before finally developing the antidote.
He then held her hand and said that he would protect her from now on.
How could he...?
"Your fourth sister is your wife, how could you be so heartless?" The elder brother, Dou Mingxiu, asked in disbelief.
"You know, the only person I have ever loved is Mingyan... but we are destined to be apart in this life."
When Xie Guidu spoke of his beloved, a rare tenderness and affection appeared between his brows.
"Gui Du, watch your words! Third Sister is the Crown Prince's consort. The entire Great Zhou is now counting on His Highness the Crown Prince. How dare you speak such nonsense?"
"So I have never overstepped the bounds, and I even married Wenyi for her sake!" Xie Guidu's tone was momentarily agitated, but he immediately regained his composure.
"Someone has to sacrifice for us in this situation. As long as we can hold out until reinforcements arrive, I will personally rescue Wenyi. For the rest of my life, I will treat her a hundred times better."
An eerie silence fell over the room, so heavy that Dou Wenyi could hardly breathe.
"Okay, from now on, we'll treat her well together..."
Dou Wenyi closed her eyes in anguish, her hands clenched tightly beneath her wide sleeves, tears of blood silently streaming down her face.
Dou Mingyan... It's all because of Dou Mingyan again!
As an adopted daughter of the Dou family, she received special treatment from her parents and even her brothers because of Master Xuanming's prophecy that she was "incredibly noble".
Taking advantage of this "lucky fate," Dou Mingyan repeatedly framed herself. Even though she was the one who pushed people down and broke things, no matter how she explained, her family wouldn't believe her and turned her into a jinx who would bring misfortune to her family!
Only her elder brother would occasionally comfort her when she was sad, and only Xie Guidu pulled her out of the quagmire of the Dou family when she was in her most difficult time.
She believed that they were the only ones who hadn't been bewitched by Zhong Doumingyan, and that this was her salvation.
It turns out that all this help came with a price tag, and she was to repay Dou Mingyan with interest.
Even this marriage, which she cherished so much, was a bargaining chip!
Snowflakes, like dust, drifted onto her face. Dou Wenyi was in a daze. It was only autumn, how could it be snowing in Tianning City?
"Madam, what are you doing here?" The door suddenly opened as the servant called out.
"Xie Guidu, you bastard!" Dou Wenyi lunged at Xie Guidu like a madwoman and slapped him across the face.
The veins on her neck throbbed. "You are treacherous and hypocritical! I curse you to be betrayed by your loved ones in every lifetime! May you die a horrible death!"
Xie Guidu's face turned ugly, and he gripped her hand tightly. "Wenyi, you shouldn't have come back."
Dou Mingxiu was shocked and exclaimed, "Fourth sister, have you gone mad? Guards, seize her!"
With a snap, she was struck down by a palm. Before losing consciousness, she vaguely heard that familiar voice, "She is the Crown Princess, we have no choice but to sacrifice you... Don't blame me, blame fate for playing tricks on us."
The convoy left Tianning City and sped towards the Northern Di camp.
Many years later, people still do not want to recall the catastrophe of the third year of Tianyou. The Great Zhou paid a heavy price to finally reclaim the lost territory, but those who were harmed could never return...
——
"Girl, does it still hurt?" a voice came from beside my ear.
Dou Wenyi was dazed and confused. She raised her eyes and felt a sharp pain all over her body, as if her knee was about to shatter.
The maid, Cuizhi, carefully applied the milky-white ointment to Cuizhi's calves, which were covered in bruises. The cool sensation sobered Cuizhi up considerably.
“I brought you some steamed buns, have some to tide you over.” Cuizhi pointed to the plate on the offering table.
Dou Wenyi subconsciously glanced around. The ancestral tablets looked like vicious demons, staring at her menacingly.
"Master is so cruel! You were the one who was wronged, and he beat you so badly! It's been three whole days, and he won't even let anyone bring you food. It's just too much!"
The scene before me seemed familiar.
She was reborn, reborn into the most desperate time of her previous life.
A few days ago, she went to burn incense with her mother and Dou Mingyan. She was kidnapped by villains in the temple. She managed to escape after a lot of hardship, and was missing for a night before returning home in a sorry state.
She was met with her father's whip, her mother's scolding, and her brother's cold stares.
They all believed she had lost her innocence, so they gave her dozens of lashes and then locked her in the ancestral hall to make her kneel as punishment.
Cuizhi's eyes reddened slightly, her heart aching. "Fortunately, Young Master Xie will be coming to propose marriage today. Once you're married, everything will be fine..."
The young master Xie she spoke of was none other than Xie Guidu!
Dou Wenyi's head was buzzing, a chill ran through her body, and she couldn't listen anymore...
In her previous life, even though she had never lost her innocence, the matter still caused a great uproar.
Her feeble explanation was drowned out by the accusations and condemnations of the crowd.
Her reputation was ruined, and she regarded Xie Guidu's marriage proposal as her only lifeline. Holding onto her sincere heart, she loved him for a lifetime.
But what did they get in return?
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