The Full-Leveled Healer Transmigrates to a Real and Fake Rich Daughter

by Usui Takumii

not mine, novelbin dot novel.

1. 00 to 10

Gu Yanfei was reborn. In her last life, it was only after her death that she realized she was the real daughter in a story about a real and a fake rich daughter. She was supposed to be the daughter of a nobleman, but someone switched her with another child at birth and left her leading a wretched life — a cannon fodder from start to finish. The female lead was the fake rich daughter, but she was also blessed with good fortune and the affection of the Gu family, taking everything that was rightfully Gu Yanfei's.

In that life, Gu Yanfei lived as she died, with no rhyme or reason. However, after her death, she transmigrated to a cultivators' realm and became a healer… But after cultivating herself for 200 years, she failed her ascension trials. Then, one of the divine thunderbolts struck her and sent her back to her last life — back to the moment when the identity of the rich daughter was exposed. Upon her return, everyone in the nobleman's residence was laughing at her for being illiterate and uneducated, a far cry from the fake rich daughter blessed with good looks and a kind heart, who stood above the rest. They just did not know that Gu Yanfei was a fully-leveled character, reincarnated back to this moment!

Rebirth

Rumble—

Rumble—

The continuous loud sounds echoed in Gu Yanfei's ears.

Her eardrums were ringing and the ground beneath her was shaking violently.

Pain shot through her limbs and she felt as if carriages were running over her.

Gu Yanfei struggled to open her eyes. Blood covered her left eye like a veil, blurring her vision.

Gray dust filled the air.

Her surroundings were in chaos. The narrow and dilapidated carriage was on the verge of collapse.

"Second Lady…"

A low moan entered Gu Yanfei's ears, weak and powerless.

The female voice was both familiar and unfamiliar.

Gu Yanfei's pupils constricted, and her body trembled slightly.

Gu Yanfei slowly turned her head and saw a 13 or 14-year-old girl in an emerald green dress on her right. The girl's hair was messy and one of her arms was wrapped protectively around Gu Yanfei's waist.

The girl's face was facing down, so Gu Yanfei couldn't see her face clearly. However, from her figure, Gu Yanfei was certain that she recognized the girl.

It was Juan Bi, her former maidservant.

The physical pain Gu Yanfei felt reminded her that what she was seeing was neither an illusion nor a dream.

She had actually returned to the Great Jin Dynasty from the Bright Spirit Realm and returned to her previous life.

In her previous life, she had only lived for a short dozen years. It was only after she died that she realized that she was just a supporting character in the novel "The Phoenix Journey".

Her short life was simply a joke.

She was clearly the legitimate daughter of the Dingyuan Marquis Household and should have been the apple of her parents' eyes. However, the moment she was born, she was secretly swapped with someone else and grew up poor.

It was only when she was 14 years old that the Marquis Mansion found out the truth about the fake daughter's swap and sent a housekeeper to Huaibei to fetch her back.

Back then, she was filled with longing for her family and traveled all the way to the capital. How could she know that there was no place for her in the Marquis Mansion?

Gu Yunrong, the fake daughter who had grown up in the Marquis Mansion on her behalf, had been pampered by the Gu family. She was the apple of the Gu family's eye and the female lead of the novel, "The Phoenix Journey".

As the female lead, not only was Gu Yunrong a lucky girl, she was also resourceful, self-respecting, and had a reputation in the capital. She attracted a group of young talents to fall in love with her. The male lead, Kang Wang, even had a crush on her. After several twists and turns, the two of them finally got together.

In contrast, Gu Yanfei grew up in the countryside. She was dull and ignorant. Other than being of the Gu family's bloodline, she had nothing else. Her existence seemed to be only a contrast to the female lead's extraordinariness.

The fleeting past flashed through Gu Yanfei's mind…

In her previous life, she was a short-lived ghost. She was set up, framed, and trampled on… She was the stepping stone for Gu Yunrong to reach the peak of her life.

In the end, she ended up dead with a thousand arrows through her heart.

After her death, her soul floated in the world. She watched helplessly as the Gu family fell. She watched as Gu Yunrong helped Kang Wang win the struggle for imperial power. Kang Wang ascended to the throne, and Gu Yunrong was made empress.

As just a ghost, Gu Yanfei could only watch from the side and could not do anything…

Later, she finally reincarnated into the Bright Spirit Realm with the memories of this life.

The Bright Spirit Realm was completely different from the first world. It was a cultivation world filled with spiritual energy. There were also cultivators who relied on spiritual energy to cultivate. In that world, Gu Yanfei became a medical cultivator.

200 years passed in the blink of an eye. After much difficulty, she finally cultivated tto the Greatest Enlightenment realm. However, when she was trying to break through to the Nascent Soul realm, her mental demons acted up and she was struck back to her first life by the ninth bolt of lightning.

It had never occurred to her that she would ever be able to return to "this day" when she was 14 years old!

She still vividly remembered "this day". How could she forget!

At this moment, she had already left Huaibei and had yet to reach the capital. The housekeeper left her in Danyang City and told her to learn the rules first.

She had stayed in Danyang City for a full three months. During this period, the maidservant who served her was Juan Bi.

She clearly remembered that one afternoon, her carriage had fallen from a cliff thousands of feet high because of a landslide. Both the carriage and the horse had been destroyed. She was the only one in the carriage who had survived.

Back then, she had thought that this was just a sad accident, but she did not know that all of this was an elaborate scheme by the British Crown Prince, Fang Mingfeng, to take her life.

This was all because the person he liked was the fake Gu Yunrong, but because of his family's interests, he had no choice but to get engaged to Gu Yanfei.

He could not resist his family, so he could only eliminate the pushover.

"Pushover." Gu Yanfei pursed her lips and endured the discomfort in her body as she sat up. There was a violent surge of blood in her heart, as if a storm was brewing inside.

After she reincarnated into the Bright Spirit Realm, she had never been able to let go. Gradually, the unfinished wishes and regrets of this life became her mental demons.

Even though much of the past had faded and become irrelevant over the years, the "mental demon" remained in her heart.

It was probably because of this that she was unable to break through to the Nascent Soul realm…

It was probably because of this that Heaven's Will brought her back to this life.

Since she was here, she might as well stay and make the best of it.

Gu Yanfei quickly adjusted her breathing and calmed herself down.

"Juan Bi!" she cried, as she quickly flipped her tiny body round so that she was lying flat on the woolen carpet.

She was greeted by the sight of Juan Bi's round, rather silly face. It was as pale as paper, and her full lips had a faint grayish purple tint. A few strands of dark hair, stained with blood and dust, were scattered messily across her face.

Her breathing was extremely weak, and the movement between her nostrils was barely visible. Blood oozed from between her lips and ran down her chin and neck, as if she would stop breathing in the next moment.

Gu Yanfei placed three fingers firmly on Juan Bi's wrist and focused on the weak and slow pulse under her fingers.

Not only had Juan Bi suffered external injuries, she also had multiple fractures in her body. Furthermore, her spleen was bleeding. She was practically one foot in the grave. Even if Hua Tuo was reborn, he would be helpless to save her.

In her previous life, Juan Bi had died.

...

She couldn't save Juan Bi. She could only watch and sob as she took her last breath.

Tears would save no one.

Gu Yanfei pursed her lips and quickly tore a piece of paper from a book beside her. She bit her finger and forced out her blood essence. On the note, she drew a series of strange runes that looked like earthworms.

Then, she gently patted the rune on the acupoint on the top of Juan Bi's head.

"Wake up, Juan Bi," she said calmly.

In this narrow space, her voice was ethereal and holy, like the sound of nature.

As soon as she finished speaking, a bright orange flame suddenly ignited in the corner of the talisman paper written in blood and burned away in the blink of an eye.

Juan Bi's closed eyelids fluttered. Her eyelashes trembled, and a low moan escaped her lips.

White Shirt

Gu Yanfei felt a sweetness in her throat and vomited a mouthful of blood. Her forehead was already covered in sweat that trickled down her temples.

She wiped the blood from her mouth with her sleeve and muttered to herself, "Without spiritual energy… my hands are really tied."

Every world has its own laws. If she was in the Bright Spirit Realm, saving a mortal would be as easy as blowing off dust for her. However, the spiritual energy in this world was too weak. Her hands and feet were bound by the laws of Heaven's Will, and she could not use many methods.

In this world, the living dead were against the laws of Heaven's Will. She had to pay a certain price for it.

Juan Bi slowly opened her eyes. Her gaze was unfocused until the moment she met Gu Yanfei's eyes. Her eyes suddenly widened and she called out weakly, "Lady…"

Juan Bi tried to raise her right hand, but Gu Yanfei grabbed it to stop her.

"I'm here." Gu Yanfei subtly checked Juan Bi's pulse again and said in relief, "You'll be fine."

Gu Yanfei smiled, her blood-stained cherry lips as red as peony flowers.

From Juan Bi's angle, she could not see Gu Yanfei's swollen and bleeding left forehead. She could only see the uninjured right half of her face.

Her hair was dyed black, her lips were red, and her skin was fairer than snow.

The young girl in her prime was as beautiful as a lotus flower. She was so beautiful that one could not help but want to pile the most gorgeous words on her.

Her smile was devastatingly beautiful, enough to cause the downfall of a city.

Juan Bi was stunned and smiled foolishly. She vaguely felt that this quiet and reserved Second Lady seemed to have changed.

A cool wind suddenly blew, fluttering the tattered curtains and scattering the talisman dust that had been on Juan Bi's temples. In the blink of an eye, it dissipated, leaving only a faint burning smell in the air.

The tip of Juan Bi's nose twitched. Just as she was about to say something, Gu Yanfei said, "Juan Bi, we have to leave this place quickly."

Gu Yanfei held her cold hand firmly, her eyes as firm as a rock.

In her previous life, everyone else had died. She had been lucky to survive, but she had also fainted from the violent impact. The last memories she had of this carriage were of blood and corpses.

She had a high fever and was in a daze. When she woke up, she was already in Danyang City.

The events of the day had become a lifelong nightmare.

Fortunately—

She was not the same person she had been in her previous life.

"You're right, My Lady. It's too dangerous here. We have to leave quickly!" Juan Bi nodded without hesitation.

She packed a bag as quickly as possible, feeling more or less uneasy. Today, she had followed the Second Lady to Daxing Temple in the western suburbs to offer incense. She did not expect to encounter a landslide on the way back. This area was too remote and she did not see anyone for a few miles…

"Squeak…"

Gu Yanfei pushed open the shaky door on the carriage and got out.

Outside the carriage, dust flew into the air, forming a thick gray fog. Rocks of all sizes could be seen everywhere. There was also some scattered gravel that rolled down from time to time from high above the cliff. It was a scene of devastation.

The air was thick with the stench of blood, lingering and nauseating.

The horse pulling the wagon was dead. So were the coachman and the old female servant. Their bodies lay beside the wagon. The ground was stained with pools of blood, leaving little room for them to land their feet.

Looking at this tragic scene, Gu Yanfei's eyes gradually darkened like a bottomless pool. She bent down and personally closed the eyes of the coachman and the old female servant who had died with their eyes opened. She silently chanted the Rebirth Mantra.

A few lives were lost because of Fang Mingfeng's selfishness!

And this was only the beginning…

Some memories that had become a little blurry in two lifetimes gradually surfaced in her mind. Gu Yanfei's eyes gradually turned cold. Under the setting sun, the corners of her eyes were slightly red, as if they were dyed with blood.

The elegant and beautiful girl was a stark contrast to the devastation around her.

Gu Yanfei had just finished chanting the Rebirth Mantra when Juan Bi, who had packed her bag, alighted from the carriage.

She gasped at the sight of the coachman and the old female servant who had died so tragically. For the first time, she felt the fragility of human life.

"My Lady…" Juan Bi leaned towards Gu Yanfei uneasily, her face pale.

Gu Yanfei secretly calculated the direction with her fingers in her sleeve, then pointed in the direction of the setting sun. "Let's go that way."

According to the hexagram, West was the lucky direction.

Juan Bi quickly put a cloak on Gu Yanfei and supported her as they traveled to the west. As the ground was full of gravel and the road was bumpy, the master and servant walked very slowly.

The mountain breeze blew, and the cold wind blew Gu Yanfei's cloak, making it flutter.

The sun was setting in the west. Red-gold light poured over the mountains.

After the time it took to brew a cup of tea, they managed to circle out of the stone-strewn valley. When Juan Bi turned back, she could no longer see the carriage behind them.

Gu Yanfei stopped and quietly touched her abdomen. She felt a faint pain in her abdomen and an indescribable discomfort. She thought to herself, 'Could it be that she had suffered some internal injuries?'

Should she find some herbs nearby…

As she thought this, she heard a young man's high-pitched voice not far ahead.

"I was really right. Something fell down the hill. It must have been a carriage."

"Xiao Shi, maybe a rock slipped." Then, another steady male voice sounded. "If the carriage fell from such a height, I'm afraid it would be disastrous."

The sound of hooves approached as the two of them spoke, mixed with the sound of wheels and horse bells.

Soon, a plain green carriage entered Gu Yanfei and Juan Bi's field of vision. It slowly rode over, the horse bell on the horse's neck tinkling.

The driver was a plain-looking young man in his early 20s. Beside him was a dark-skinned young man who looked 13 or 14 years old.

The two of them also saw Gu Yanfei and her servant. The carriage stopped 20 feet away.

"What are you two girls doing here?" The young man called Xiao Shi had a rough voice as he sized up Gu Yanfei curiously.

"My carriage accidentally encountered a landslide and fell from the cliff over there. Only my maidservant and I were lucky enough to survive. The others…" As she spoke, Gu Yanfei pointed in the direction she came from and sighed faintly.

"Miss, you're really lucky," Xiao Shi exclaimed. He gave the young man beside him a smug look, as if boasting of being right about a carriage having fallen down the mountain.

...

"Grumble…"

A strange sound suddenly sounded. This sound was especially loud at the bottom of the quiet cliff.

The other three looked at Gu Yanfei in unison.

Gu Yanfei was speechless.

'This sound? Could it be…' Her expression was startled and strangely novel.

In the next moment, an unfamiliar male voice came from the carriage. It was cold and pleasant.

"I have some food here. If you don't mind, have some to fill your stomach."

The young man's voice was neither fast nor slow. It was like the strings of an ancient zither being plucked by a zither player, or a clear stream flowing over.

As he spoke, Xiao Shi opened the door of the carriage. A leaf happened to be blown into the carriage by the mountain breeze. It spun slowly and landed on a short boot embroidered with silver cloud patterns.

In the carriage sat a young master who had yet to be crowned.

His eyes were like stars and his nose was high. His lips were red and his black hair was as black as ink.

...

His exquisite facial features and angular lines formed a handsome face, making him beautiful, elegant, and extraordinary.

He wore a frost-white cloak trimmed with white fox fur. His figure was slightly thin, as if he would collapse if the wind blew.

Danyang

The young man in white smiled and brushed the leaves off his shoulder.

It was such a simple action, but when he did it, it seemed as beautiful as playing the piano. It was as elegant and graceful as snow on green bamboo. It had an aura that could be seen from afar but was not blasphemed.

"Miss, this is our Young Master," Xiao Shi said enthusiastically. "Our Young Master is very kind. I just saw a carriage fall, so he said to come over to see if he could help…"

"…" Gu Yanfei stood rooted to the ground in a daze.

She had stayed in the Bright Spirit Realm for 200 years. At the age of 18, she had drawn spiritual energy into her body. From then on, she had abstained from eating grains and no longer needed to eat. After so many years, she had long forgotten the feeling of hunger.

Earlier, she felt discomfort in her stomach and thought that she had suffered some internal injuries. Unexpectedly, she was hungry?

Was this "hunger"?

"Grumble…"

As if in answer to the question in her mind, her abdomen gave another of those gut-stirring sounds.

The young man in the carriage smiled with a hint of amusement in his dark eyes.

The ends of his eyes were slightly upturned, and a dark red mole under his right eye made his phoenix eyes even more seductive.

"Miss, do you live in Danyang City?" He bowed elegantly to Gu Yanfei. "We're going to Danyang City, so we can give you a ride."

Gu Yanfei asked with interest, "How did you know?"

The young man in white raised his hand and pointed to the sachet on her waist. "This is the sachet that is only produced every autumn in Danyang City's Pint of Fragrance."

Pint of Fragrance was the most famous perfume shop in Danyang City. Apart from selling all kinds of perfume, it also sold sachets, incense burners, and so on.

Gu Yanfei's perfume bag was only sold in September every year.

"Young Master has good eyesight." Gu Yanfei smiled and cupped his hands in thanks. "Please send us to the Gu Manor on Hua'an Street in Danyang City."

"Of course." The young master in white stroked his sleeve and smiled faintly. "Miss Gu, there's no need to worry."

This smile added some color to the clouds.

Xiao Shi immediately set up the horse mount. Juan Bi pursed her lips hesitantly and quietly tugged at Gu Yanfei's sleeve.

Gu Yanfei smiled reassuringly at Juan Bi and stepped onto the horse mount.

If it were her in her previous life, in order to be a qualified daughter of the Gu family, she would be careful with her words and actions, just to obtain the approval of the Gu family. But now, after her experiences in the Bright Spirit Realm and seeing a wider and more mysterious world, she had long been reborn.

There was no need for her to care about keeping distance from men.

The carriage looked ordinary from the outside, but the interior was very tasteful. The seats were covered with fox fur mattresses, and a small carved mahogany table was fixed in the middle. A soft Persian carpet laid on the floor. There was also a tea stove, a teapot, teacups, a chessboard, and so on.

After Gu Yanfei and Juan Bi sat down, the carriage slowly moved, shaking rhythmically.

"This pastry is still warm. Miss, try it." The young master in white nimbly took out a small plate of osmanthus rice cake from the food box beside him. He gently pushed it towards Gu Yanfei opposite him and gestured for her to help herself.

His right hand was as beautiful as he was. The knuckles of his fingers were distinct, white and slender, each one like jade. His nails were full, crystal clear, and neat.

The young master in flawless white clothes was handsome and elegant. He was well-dressed, and his handsome appearance almost seemed to be beyond the mortal world. In contrast, Gu Yanfei's hair was messy, and her skirt was muddy. She was in a sorry state.

If it were other girls, they would probably feel ashamed of their inferiority. However, Gu Yanfei did not even hesitate under the other party's gaze. She calmly reached out and picked up a piece of osmanthus rice cake.

A sweet smell entered her nose. The tempting fragrance of the food made her salivate involuntarily, and she felt even more hungry.

Gu Yanfei slowly bit into it. The rice cake was soft, sweet, and fragrant. Be it the sweetness or the texture, it was just right.

She savored the taste in her mouth as if she were eating a rare delicacy.

The young man in white picked up the teapot beside him and poured two cups of flower tea.

Gu Yanfei took another bite of the rice cake and caught a glimpse of the sword at his waist when he raised his elbow.

It was a short sword with a simple scabbard and a hilt carved from Hetian jade.

Taking the teacup from the other party, Gu Yanfei took a sip and asked, "May I know your name?"

"My surname is Chu."

As soon as he finished speaking, the young man in white looked uncomfortable. He tilted his head to cover his mouth with a handkerchief and coughed softly.

"Cough…"

Outside the carriage, Xiao Shi heard the cough and hurriedly lifted the curtains in front of the carriage. He asked worriedly, "Young Master…"

He had only said two words when he stopped abruptly. He was shocked to see Miss Gu holding his Young Master's left hand. His dumbfounded look was no different from Juan Bi's.

The coughing subsided.

Gu Yanfei calmly pressed twice on the acupuncture point below Young Master Chu's left thumb. His skin was like a piece of fine suet jade, and it was slightly cold.

In just a few breaths, Young Master Chu stopped coughing and his breathing clearly stabilized.

"It's fine now." Gu Yanfei smiled and retracted her hand.

Since she had taken action, the effect was immediate. He would not have a coughing fit again for a month.

"I didn't expect you to know acupuncture." Young Master Chu cleared his throat. The smile on his face was like a spring breeze. "If there's nothing else you wish to do on the way, do you want to play chess with me?"

Since playing chess wouldn't affect her eating, Gu Yanfei nodded readily.

Within moments, the car was filled with the crisp sound of chess pieces being placed.

Gu Yanfei held a black chess piece while Young Master Chu held a white chess piece. The two of them were very decisive when playing chess. They placed chess pieces one after another without thinking for too long.

The black and white pieces were engaged in a bloodless battle on the chessboard, each expanding their territory…

The carriage arrived at Danyang City before the sun set.

"Young Master, we've arrived at Danyang City!" Xiao Shi raised his voice and shouted energetically.

All kinds of noises mixed together on the official road. Conversation, shouting, hoofbeats, the wind… It was very noisy.

...

Juan Bi eagerly lifted the curtains and looked out. She saw the familiar city gate ahead. The words "Danyang City" were written above the gate, slightly mottled by the wind and rain.

It was currently dusk, and the commoners were all rushing to enter the city before nightfall. There were two long queues at the city gate that were more than a thousand feet long. The queues advanced slowly.

There were seven or eight bailiffs guarding the city gate. They were ordering the commoners who had entered the city to check them one by one. They searched the carriages, searched the commoners, and checked the goods. The surrounding atmosphere was tense and oppressive.

After waiting for half an hour, their carriage finally arrived at the city gate.

Outside the carriage, a rough and rude male voice shouted impatiently, "Who's in the carriage? Get out of the carriage!"

"Sir, the person in the carriage is our Young Master…"

The coachman answered politely, but before he could finish, a bailiff rudely opened the carriage door and let the cool evening air in.

There was no cover in the carriage. The fat bailiff saw Gu Yanfei and Young Master Chu in the carriage at a glance. His gaze swept past the two girls and fixed on Young Master Chu, sizing him up.

Xiao Shi could not stop him in time and said in defeat, "Officer, we're good citizens. You…"

"Xiao Shi!" Young Master Chu interrupted Xiao Shi calmly. Xiao Shi could only shut his mouth and purse his lips tightly. It was obvious that he was not convinced.

"Officer, my apologies." Then, Young Master Chu politely cupped his hands at the bailiff. "I've been suffering from a cold these past few days. I can't take the wind… Cough."

...

As he spoke, he turned his face slightly to the side, put his fist to his lips, and coughed violently. His pale cheeks were a rouge-like scarlet, and he looked frail and sick.

Gu Yanfei raised her eyebrows in amusement and looked at him.

He was quite the actor…

Engagement

The fat guard obviously did not have a good impression of a sickly person. He took two steps back in disgust, afraid that he would catch a cold.

"Go quickly…" He held up his hand for them to leave, but no sooner had he said it than they heard a commotion behind them, to their right, punctuated by the clatter of horses' hooves.

"How dare you stop our Young Master with just a few guards!" A sharp male voice berated impatiently.

Most of the guards and the surrounding commoners heard it and could not help but look over.

Not far away, a few guards stopped a group of men who were about to leave the city. Leading them was a handsome young man in blue, about 16 or 17 years old. He was dressed in fresh clothes and looked extraordinary.

The young man in blue was followed by four or five attendants. The big horses under them whinnied and paced, breathing heavily through their nostrils.

The square-faced young man who had just spoken continued to shout at the guard, "Do you know who our Young Master is? He is the British Monarchy's…"

"Jiang He!" the blue-clad young man chided, his lips pursed in displeasure.

The square-faced young man immediately fell silent. Only then did he remember that it was not appropriate for them to show off on this trip.

The commotion on their side had attracted too much attention, even from Juan Bi, who was inside the carriage.

Juan Bi looked at the young master in blue. She was stunned at first, but then she looked nervous. She lowered her voice and said to Gu Yanfei, "My Lady, that's the British Crown Prince Fang."

The Gu and Fang families were old friends. Crown Prince Fang often came to the Marquis Mansion. When Juan Bi was in the capital, she had seen him from afar several times.

Of course, Gu Yanfei also saw him. Her gaze was calm and deep, and her right hand hidden in her sleeve subconsciously clenched.

The face that had blurred over 200 years came back into focus.

The British Crown Prince, Fang Mingfeng.

Gu Yanfei had long known that they would meet again and thought that she would see him in the capital like in her previous life, not here.

It turned out that he had personally made a trip to Danyang City to kill her!

In her previous life, after discovering that she did not die in Danyang City, Fang Mingfeng did not give up. He was like a poisonous snake lurking in a dark corner, waiting to strike at any moment.

In an instant, mental demons spread like wildfire in Gu Yanfei's heart, and a bone-chilling coldness appeared in her eyes.

Her right hand clenched tightly in her sleeve, and her nails dug into her tender palm. Some memories that had once been engraved in her heart rushed over, flashing wildly in her mind.

"Miss Gu, do you recognize this Crown Prince Fang?" Young Master Chu turned the white porcelain teacup in his hand and revealed a gentle smile.

"Crown Prince?!" Outside the carriage, Xiao Shi raised his voice in alarm.

His shout was heard by the class leader and the fat guard beside him. Their expressions changed as they looked at Fang Mingfeng in fear and trepidation.

It turned out that this Young Master was not only from the British Monarchy, but he was also the heir!

The guards backed away silently, then back again, far away.

Fang Mingfeng and the others also noticed the commotion on the carriage's side and looked over in unison.

When they saw Gu Yanfei in the carriage, their expressions changed. Shock, suspicion, and contempt filled their eyes.

Their eyes were as if they had seen a ghost. Gu Yanfei was actually still alive!

Immediately, they noticed an unfamiliar young man in white in the carriage.

The young man was handsome and the young girl was beautiful. Just from their looks, they were both dragons and phoenixes among others. At this moment, they were sitting facing each other across the chessboard, as if they were old friends. The atmosphere was harmonious.

The attendants all frowned. They felt that Second Lady Gu, who had grown up in the countryside, was really shameless. An unmarried girl was actually in the same carriage as a man?!

Second Lady Gu was not worthy of their heir!

Fang Mingfeng's face was cold as he looked down at Gu Yanfei from his horse. His eyes darkened.

After the initial shock, anger burned in his chest like a flame.

Fang Mingfeng urged his horse forward. His figure was as straight as a bamboo, and there was a polite smile on his handsome face. He was noble, proud, and distant.

"Greetings." Fang Mingfeng held the reins and cupped his hands elegantly at Gu Yanfei. "My Lady, do you know me…"

As the heir to the British Manor who lived a comfortable life, he was born with the arrogance of a specially privileged person.

"Fang Mingfeng!"

A calm and indifferent female voice interrupted Fang Mingfeng. Gu Yanfei had already calmed down.

"…" Fang Mingfeng looked at her in shock, his eyes darkening.

No one had ever dared to interrupt him like this.

Gu Yanfei did not care about Fang Mingfeng's reaction at all. Her eyes were clear as she continued, "I don't like people like you."

"Our engagement is over."

The last sentence was shocking, but Gu Yanfei's tone was so calm, as if she was saying something insignificant.

The young girl was in her prime and was extremely beautiful. She was like a bright moon in the clouds and had a noble aura.

There was a dead silence.

A glint flashed across Young Master Chu's eyes as his ring finger gently rubbed the cup twice.

The class leader at the side was so shocked that his jaw almost dropped. His gaze swept back and forth between Gu Yanfei, Young Master Chu, and Fang Mingfeng.

The guards were all gossipy people and exchanged looks of interest.

"…" Fang Mingfeng was speechless. His thin lips pressed into a tight line and for a moment, his face turned green, then red, then black. The colors changed brilliantly on his face.

Of course, he looked down on this rude and unreasonable wild girl in front of him. Compared to his Fu'er, the difference was like heaven and earth.

But what right did she have to look down on him? And what right did she have to speak to him?

Fang Mingfeng had been favored by the heavens since he was young. He had never suffered such humiliation in his life!

His face darkened and he felt his face burn.

...

"Young Master Chu, let's enter the city."

Gu Yanfei no longer looked at Fang Mingfeng. The gaze she cast on Young Master Chu's face had a deeper meaning, as if she could see through him completely.

"Of course." Young Master Chu's voice was as still as water, his lips still maintaining a gentle curve. He instructed the driver, "Si Hai, let's go."

Si Hai, who was driving the carriage, responded and waved his horse whip. The guards quickly made way for them.

The surrounding officials and passers-by looked at Fang Mingfeng strangely, their eyes filled with sympathy.

So what if he was the heir of the royal family? Wasn't he still rejected in public!

Xiao Shi quickly closed the door of the carriage, blocking out the onlookers.

The carriage headed into the city, leaving Fang Mingfeng and the others frozen in place.

Two Worlds

In the carriage, Gu Yanfei lowered her eyes and drank tea elegantly. There was a faint smile on her naturally curved lips.

Fang Mingfeng had been a knot in her heart for many years.

She did not understand why he liked Gu Yunrong. Why did it have to be her?

Since he didn't like her, why didn't he just break off the engagement? Why did he have to kill her? Later, he even ruined her reputation and made the Gu family take the initiative to break off the engagement in shame. Meanwhile, their Fang family occupied the moral high ground.

She had never done anything wrong. The person in the wrong was Fang Mingfeng. Even if the engagement was to be broken off, she should be the one to end it.

At the side, Juan Bi looked at Gu Yanfei with a complicated gaze. Initially, she was afraid that Crown Prince Fang would misunderstand her and Young Master Chu. She did not expect that the girl would not even look at Crown Prince Fang.

Her lady was so smart and had a keen eye. Young Master Fang was probably a loser.

Yes, that must be it!

The carriage moved slowly through the gates with the sound of horse whips ringing in the air.

Gu Yanfei's hand that was holding the cup suddenly paused, and the tea in the cup rippled.

She put down her cup as if nothing had happened. There seemed to be a rock crushing her heart.

It was a familiar feeling…

Gu Yanfei lifted a corner of the curtain and looked out of the carriage.

The sun was halfway down, turning the western sky a rouge red.

On the other hand, the sky to the southeast was unusually dark. Layers of black clouds pressed down on the city, as if a storm was brewing. It exuded an ominous aura.

Gu Yanfei's other hand hidden in her sleeve quickly calculated…

However, just as her thumb brushed past two fingers, the pressure in her heart became even stronger. There was a metallic taste in her throat.

Before the blood could spill out, she swallowed it back.

Unperturbed, she withdrew her hand. Her pupils were hidden under half-lowered lashes. Only she knew that her heart was throbbing in her chest.

She was already very familiar with this feeling. She was once again suppressed by the laws of this small world.

From the divination calculation just now, she could barely predict that Danyang City would face a great calamity. Less than 30% of the people in the city would survive!

After passing through the gates, the carriage began to pick up speed.

Gu Yanfei lowered the curtains absent-mindedly. When she looked at Young Master Chu again, she was slightly stunned.

A dark aura lingered between the other party's handsome eyes.

Gu Yanfei's eyes were as deep as a black pool. She looked at Young Master Chu's glabella.

When she first saw him, she realized that there was a faint green-black aura between his eyebrows. Unexpectedly, after entering the city, this wisp of black aura became even richer.

In physiognomy, this meant that dark clouds covered the sky.

"Young Master Chu, thank you for giving me a ride." Gu Yanfei took out a red brocade pouch from her sleeve pocket and placed it on the table. "This peace talisman is for you."

From the not-quite-tightened opening of the silk bag, a folded beige note could be seen tucked inside.

"…" Young Master Chu put his right fist to his lips and chuckled, his eyes relaxing.

"We've arrived at Hua'an Street!"

From outside came the rough and clear voice of Xiao Shi again. The carriage stopped steadily outside a mansion.

Juan Bi led the way out of the carriage. Her pale and bleak face lit up in relief.

Xiao Shi looked at Gu Yanfei with a strange expression and felt that this beautiful girl was really strange. She actually gave their young master a peace talisman. Did she think that it was because of this peace talisman that she could survive the fall?

Gu Yanfei was about to get off the carriage when Young Master Chu suddenly took out the short sword by his waist and handed it to her.

"This sword is for you." He looked straight at Gu Yanfei with a hint of interest in his smiling eyes.

Gu Yanfei was stunned. She knew that the other party had misunderstood, but she still accepted it graciously.

This sword was quite handy. Gu Yanfei pulled the sword out two inches in satisfaction and put it back into the scabbard. She kindly advised the other party, "Danyang City hasn't been peaceful recently. If there's nothing else, it's better for you to leave early."

"This is goodbye."

Gu Yanfei held the scabbard and said goodbye to Young Master Chu with a smile.

Young Master Chu raised his beautifully shaped eyebrows and his eyes flashed. He nodded and said, "I'll remember it."

Gu Yanfei smiled slightly, knowing very well that the other party would not listen to her advice. He should have other motives for coming to Danyang City. If he did not achieve his goal, he would not leave.

She gave him this peace talisman as a form of repayment.

Thinking of this, Gu Yanfei subconsciously rubbed the scabbard in her hand with her fingertips.

When she first saw Young Master Chu's sword, she thought of something.

She had seen this sword before.

In her previous life, after she had been rescued from the bottom of the cliff, she had spent most of her time unconscious. She had only woken up once in a daze in the carriage and vaguely seen her savior.

At that moment, she did not see his face and only vaguely saw his sword.

She was sure it was the same sword.

In other words, Young Master Chu must have saved her in her previous life and sent her back to Danyang City safely.

Gu Yanfei sighed in her heart and got out of the carriage with Juan Bi's help. The taste of blood in her mouth had yet to dissipate, and her throat was burning.

Only Young Master Chu was left in the carriage again, as well as the unfinished chess game. The dense black and white chess pieces were evenly matched on the chessboard.

"Miss Gu, we'll meet again if fate allows."

Xiao Shi waved goodbye to Gu Yanfei. Their green-canopied carriage sped along the wide street and quickly disappeared into the heavy twilight.

...

The sound of hoofbeats faded. The empty street was silent and there were no more passersby.

Gu Yanfei stood quietly and looked up at the dim sky.

The clouds in the sky were thicker now, heavy and threatening to fall.

"Knock, knock…"

Juan Bi raised her hand and knocked on the corner door of the mansion. She shouted at the doorkeeper inside, "Old Li!"

A moment later, the corner door creaked open, revealing only an inch-long gap. The sallow face of the doorkeeper, Old Li, appeared behind it.

The door paused. Old Li's turbid eyes were filled with schadenfreude. His gaze swept past Juan Bi and Gu Yanfei, who was behind her, and he said meaningfully, "Second Lady is back!"

"Old Madam Zhang, hurry up and tell Granny Xu." Old Li turned around and shouted for the old woman to pass the message.

Seeing that the door was only slightly open, Juan Bi frowned and urged, "Old Li, open the door!"

Old Li blocked the door and sighed with a fake smile. He did not answer the question. "Granny Xu said that it's improper for girls to leave early and return late. She said that if the Second Lady doesn't return to the residence before the sun sets, she's not allowed to enter."

Hearing this, Juan Bi's eyes widened in disbelief.

...

She had lived here with the lady for three months and had been neglected by these servants who were used to bullying the weak. She did not expect them to be so overboard as to not let them in today!

Juan Bi was so angry that her face turned red. However, the situation was beyond her control. If Old Li insisted on not opening the door, there was nothing they could do.

She explained patiently, "Old Li, we had an accident on the way back to the city from Daxing Temple. The carriage fell off the cliff…"

"Juan Bi, step back."

As Gu Yanfei's calm and soft female voice sounded, Juan Bi obediently took two steps back.

"Swoosh!"

Gu Yanfei nimbly pulled out the short sword from its sheath. The narrow blade shone coldly under the setting sun.

Gu Yanfei slashed out without hesitation.

Her movements were light and skillful, like a pretentious flourish, but the blade split the door easily, splitting the thick door in two as if it were tofu.

The half-split door swung back and crashed to the floor, leaving the other half hanging from its hinges.

Blood Light

Old Li stepped back in shock at the sight of the gleaming short sword. His legs buckled and he fell on his backside.

Gu Yanfei sheathed the short sword without changing her expression. Her movements were clean and decisive. She thought to herself, 'It's indeed a good sword!'

Juan Bi stood rooted to the ground, dumbfounded.

"Let's go, Juan Bi." Gu Yanfei smiled sweetly.

She lifted her dress and crossed the high threshold, her posture still elegant and upright.

Juan Bi was slow to catch up.

As soon as the master and servant entered, they heard an old-fashioned and stern female voice reprimand them aggressively.

"Second Lady, look at yourself. You don't look like a noble lady at all!"

A short distance away, a housekeeper in a rust-coloured dark-striped duster came trudging towards them with three or four old women in tow.

The leader was a granny in her early 50s. The ends of her eyes were drooping, and there were deep grooves at the corners. A hint of arrogance rested between her brows.

Juan Bi greeted her. "Granny Xu."

Three months ago, it was Granny Xu who had received the orders of Marquis Mansion's matriarch to bring Gu Yanfei here from Huaibei.

Granny Xu walked straight to Gu Yanfei and had no intention of bowing. Her picky gaze swept over her from head to toe. When she glanced at her slightly messy hair and the mud on her skirt, she frowned. She felt that this Second Lady was really unruly. She was even inferior to the first and second-class maidservants in their Marquis Mansion.

If not for the marriage between the Marquis Mansion and the Fang family…

Granny Xu calmed herself down and said sternly, "Second Lady, Madam asked you to stay here temporarily to learn the rules. Where are the rules you've learned?!"

"You're almost at a marriageable age. A girl from a rich family should be reading 'Female Precepts' and 'Female Training' at home and doing needlework. Look at you now. Not only are you dressed improperly, you leave early and return late. Just now, you even… Sigh!"

"If this gets out, people will only laugh at the Gu family for not educating their daughter well."

"You've really let Madam down. To think that Madam specially wrote to ask how you've learned the rules and wanted to bring you back to the capital early."

Granny Xu shook her head in disdain. Her arrogant attitude and tone made it seem like she was the master and Gu Yanfei was a servant.

"Granny Xu, you've misunderstood." Juan Bi hurriedly told her about the carriage's accidental fall to the cliff. Her eyes were red when she talked about the dead coachman and the old female servant.

Granny Xu's frown deepened, and her expression became even colder. She reprimanded Gu Yanfei again, "Second Lady, if you didn't insist on going out, this wouldn't have happened!"

This sentence was equivalent to blaming Gu Yanfei for the death of the coachman and the old female servant.

Gu Yanfei raised her eyebrows and looked at Granny Xu.

In her previous life, it was already the next morning when she woke up from her coma. She had a high fever and her body was weak. There was no relief from surviving the calamity, only deep fear.

At that time, Granny Xu had also reprimanded her, claiming that she had caused the deaths of Juan Bi, the coachman, and the old female servant.

Back then, she believed it. Just as Granny Xu had hoped, she blamed herself for everything… After that, she spent many years in guilt and self-blame. She felt increasingly inferior and was always overcautious.

But she wouldn't be so stupid now.

She knew who was really wrong. She knew who really deserved to pay the price. She wasn't going to condemn herself for someone else's mistake.

"Granny Xu, how could you—"

Juan Bi wanted to defend Gu Yanfei, but Gu Yanfei stopped her. "That's enough, Juan Bi."

Gu Yanfei and Granny Xu looked at each other with deep eyes.

Granny Xu thought that she had the upper hand and smiled smugly. There was a hint of mockery between her brows.

Could she not control a girl from the countryside?!

Granny Xu casually brushed her sleeves and turned to Juan Bi. "Juan Bi, Madam asked you to serve the girl so that you can help her follow the rules, but instead, you encouraged her to not come home!"

"I'll punish you with 30 slaps."

A cold smile slowly appeared on Granny Xu's face as she planned to make an example of Juan Bi.

"Let's go, Juan Bi," Gu Yanfei said indifferently. She didn't want to waste her breath on Granny Xu and walked away.

Granny Xu's face turned as black as the bottom of a pot. She shouted, "You're not allowed to go!"

"What do you think of your body compared to the door?" Gu Yanfei glanced at the broken door on the ground as she walked forward. At the same time, she smiled, showing off her strength.

There was a moment's silence. Old Li and the old women were stunned.

"…" Granny Xu felt as if she had been slapped in public. The anger in her heart rose.

She had been in the Marquis Mansion for decades, and even the young masters and young ladies in the mansion would give her some face. However, she was humiliated by such an unpresentable country girl.

"Second Lady!" Granny Xu's voice was cold, and her gaze was like a knife. "If you continue to cause trouble, don't even think about returning to the Marquis Mansion!"

Granny Xu did not hide the threat in her words. She was certain that the other party would give in.

Unexpectedly—

Gu Yanfei was not moved at all. She shrugged nonchalantly. "Then I won't return."

The evening breeze blew a few strands of black hair by her cheek. The ends of her hair caressed the girl's beautiful face, giving off a distant and indifferent feeling.

Juan Bi obeyed and immediately followed.

Granny Xu's eyes were filled with bewilderment.

In the past three months, she had guided and suppressed her step by step. She had clearly completely controlled this slow and timid country girl. Why did this girl seem to have changed into a different person in just a day?!

When she brushed past Granny Xu, Gu Yanfei lightly said,

"I wish you bad luck. You're going to have a bloody accident."

"How dare you curse me?!" Granny Xu subconsciously raised her voice, her eyebrows rising.

Gu Yanfei had nothing else to say. She flicked her hair and left.

...

"Stop right there!" Granny Xu's face was tense, and her chest heaved violently. She was about to chase after her.

But she had forgotten about the broken door-panel at her feet and tripped on her right foot. Her bloated body lost its balance and she fell forward with a scream.

All of this happened too quickly. The others around didn't have time to help her at all. They just watched as Granny Xu fell to the ground.

She slammed her chin against the door panel, knocking blood from her mouth. She screamed and spat out a front tooth. The hairpin on her head was askew, and half of her thinning gray hair fell loose. She looked like a madwoman, battered and exhausted.

One of the old woman pulled at the other beside her, dumbfounded. She was practically on her knees.

The Second Lady had just said that Granny Xu would face a bloody accident, and it actually came true so quickly!

This, this, this… was too amazing!

"Granny Xu, are you alright?"

After a moment of silence, there was a commotion.

Someone quickly went to help Granny Xu, who had fallen to the ground. Someone rushed to get a doctor, and someone shouted for the doorkeeper to repair the door…

Gu Yanfei did not care about this.

...

When she returned to the house, she was alone in her room.

The boudoir was simple and elegant. Against the wall was a medium-sized lacquered bed with a sky-blue canopy hanging over it.

On the east side, against the wall, were a dresser and a black lacquer shelf. A large, dark red desk was set up by the east window, facing the small pond outside.

Gu Yanfei sat in front of the desk by the window. She lowered her eyes and looked down, focusing on sensing the surrounding spiritual energy.

Taoist Doctor

Gu Yanfei closed her eyes completely and her senses magnified several times.

The evening breeze was chilly, and the flowers and trees in the courtyard danced in the breeze.

She could clearly hear the wind rustling the leaves, the fall of flower petals, the rush of water, the flutter of birds… and the barely audible chirp of insects.

A moment later, she finally opened her eyes, certain of one thing—

The spiritual energy in this small world was thin, almost nonexistent. Even a genius with a heaven spiritual root would not be able to absorb spiritual energy into the body.

If she couldn't cultivate, she could only be a weak mortal.

A cool breeze from outside blew in through the window. A stack of white paper under the paperweight fluttered and rustled.

Gu Yanfei took a piece of paper and laid it flat on the table. Then, she slowly ground the ink. The ink stick circled around the inkstone, and the fragrance of the ink gradually became stronger…

The candlelight on the table illuminated Gu Yanfei's black eyes, making them look exceptionally bright, like the night sky filled with vast stars.

Confucius said, "Don't worry about not having a position. Don't worry about not knowing. Seek knowledge."

After experiencing two lifetimes, Gu Yanfei could deeply understand the meaning of this sentence. In life, if one wanted to gain a foothold, they had to have a skill.

Gu Yanfei picked up a calligraphy pen, dipped the tip of it in some ink, and wrote the words "Taoist Doctor" on the paper.

These two words were written as smoothly as flowing water. They were powerful and neat, giving people the feeling that it was written free and easy.

Gu Yanfei stared at these two words quietly.

The Tao of medicine was not the Tao of Taoism.

Taoist doctors were born with the benefit of Tao and used medicine to help the world. Not only were they good at using herbal soup and prescription acupuncture to treat illnesses, they also included the use of guidance, regulating breathing, inner core, fasting, and other ways to nourish one's health. In addition, there were also various methods such as Taoism, Virtue, Talisman, Zhan, curse, vegetarian, sacrificial, and prayer. They paid attention to the combination of body and spirit and formed a system.

When she was in the Bright Spirit Realm, she was a medical cultivator and joined the sect at the age of five.

Her master had taught her that all things led to the same destination. Everything had its own 'Tao'.

This small world naturally had its "Tao" as well.

Gu Yanfei smiled. Her smile was as bright as a peony blooming under the moon.

"My Lady."

Juan Bi's voice sounded outside the door.

After Gu Yanfei responded, Juan Bi pushed the door open and entered the room with a food box in one hand. Her delicate and round face could not hide her worry.

"Miss, the old woman in the kitchen told me that Granny Xu is returning to the capital." As she put down the food box, she reported, "Granny Xu said that you didn't follow the rules and that returning to the capital would be an embarrassment to the Marquis Mansion, so she won't bring you back."

Juan Bi frowned tightly, worried.

With Granny Xu's calculative personality, she would definitely complain to Madam when she returned to the capital. Madam's likes and dislikes would determine if the Second Lady could return to the capital…

Gu Yanfei didn't even flinch as she spat out three words, "Let her be."

"But…" Juan Bi wanted to say something, but Gu Yanfei interrupted her.

"Send someone to Xijiao Mountain to collect the corpses." As she spoke, Gu Yanfei stood up and walked to the dressing table. She took out a pair of pure gold earrings with pearls embedded in them from the dressing box. "Take these earrings. Find someone to sell it at the pawnshop."

Juan Bi took the earring. Her heart warmed, and then she felt a strong sourness.

Granny Xu wanted to put the young lady in her place. The people in the residence would definitely not listen to her, so they could only hire someone to collect the corpses outside.

Thinking of the tragic deaths of Old Wang and Old Madam Zhang, Juan Bi felt a weight on her shoulders.

"My Lady, don't worry. I'll do it now." Juan Bi nodded and left in a hurry. For a moment, she forgot that Granny Xu said she was leaving.

The news of Juan Bi going out immediately reached Granny Xu's ears.

An old woman in her early 50s with a face full of brown spots smiled apologetically at Granny Xu and said ingratiatingly, "I deliberately leaked the news to Juan Bi, scaring her so much that she almost dropped the food box. Just now, after she went to the Second Lady's place, she rushed out."

"I think the Second Lady knows her mistake and asked Juan Bi to go out and buy some good things for you!"

Granny Xu picked up the teacup and smiled calmly. She sighed. "The Second Lady grew up outside and has a strange personality… As servants, we can only be more tolerant."

Granny Xu had just lost a front tooth. When she opened her mouth now, there was a black hole between her lips. It was inevitable that her words sounded slurred.

The old woman bobbed her head in agreement and offered more flattering compliments.

At the side, two little maidservants were packing their luggage and came over from time to time to ask for instructions from Granny Xu.

"Granny Feng, go and keep an eye on the Second Lady."

Granny Xu casually dismissed Granny Feng. A hint of ruthlessness flashed across her eyes. The Second Lady had made her lose face in front of the servants. She would definitely not let this matter rest.

And yet—

An hour passed. Two hours passed. Four hours passed… When the candlelight burned out and the moon rose, Gu Yanfei still hadn't appeared.

"Granny Xu, the luggage has been packed. Old Li is here to ask when we will set off…"

After breakfast, the maidservant braced herself and came to ask for instructions from Granny Xu. She did not dare to look at her gloomy face.

After a sleepless night, the calmness on Granny Xu's face had long disappeared, replaced by embarrassment and anger.

She slammed the teacup down on the coffee table beside her. The impact made the little maid's heart flutter and her head drop even lower.

Granny Xu rubbed her temples in frustration.

Now, she only had two options. She could either embarrass herself and not leave, or she could leave the Second Lady behind and return to the capital immediately.

Of course, she could not wait to choose the second option. However, the problem was that it would be difficult for her to report back if she did not bring the Second Lady back to the capital.

She still remembered that in June, before she set off from the capital, Madam had specially instructed her to teach the Second Lady the rules. This concerned the reputation of the Gu and Fang families.

Madam attached great importance to the marriage between the Marquis Mansion and the British Monarchy and was waiting for the Second Lady to return to fulfill the engagement.

She could not afford to make any mistakes… To put it bluntly, if she did not do it well, there were still many people waiting to take over in the Marquis Mansion!

...

As she thought about it, Granny Xu felt waves of pain from her missing tooth. This pain seemed to have seeped into her bones.

"Granny Xu, oh no!" cried Old Madam Feng in alarm as she hurried into the house. Her round chin and bloated body shook as she ran.

Granny Xu despised Granny Feng for being indecent, but she still asked, "What's wrong?"

Granny Feng replied, "This morning, when Granny Qian passed by the Dou Family's Pawnshop, she was stopped by the shop assistant there. The shop assistant said that someone went to the pawnshop yesterday evening to pawn a pair of earrings. The earrings have the mark of our Marquis Mansion on them."

"Now, there are rumors outside that our Marquis Mansion is going to be demoted."

The last few words were spoken in a low whisper.

Mental Demon

Dou Family's Pawnshop?! Granny Xu's expression darkened and she almost jumped out of her chair.

"Go quickly to the pawnshop and redeem the earrings."

After instructing Granny Feng, Granny Xu brought four to five old women to look for Gu Yanfei in a fit of fury.

The sun was high in the sky, and the courtyard was covered in fallen leaves. From time to time, they would be swept up by the autumn wind. It was as lonely and desolate as yesterday.

Juan Bi, who had gone out, had yet to return. There was no one else in the courtyard. Granny Xu barged into Gu Yanfei's boudoir angrily.

Gu Yanfei sat leisurely by the window, her right arm leaning lazily against the window frame.

"Second Lady, are you crazy? You actually let Juan Bi pawn things at a pawnshop!" As soon as Granny Xu saw Gu Yanfei, she questioned her.

She looked imposing on the surface, but she was actually afraid.

The Dou Family's Pawnshop was one of the most famous pawnshops in the Great Jin Dynasty. It opened branches all over the country and also had branches in the capital. If the news of the Second Lady selling her jewelry spread to the capital, the entire Marquis Mansion would be embarrassed!

If things got to this point, Madam would definitely vent her anger on her. Then, her fate would be obvious.

Thinking of this, Granny Xu felt suffocated and clenched the handkerchief in her hand tightly.

Compared to the outwardly strong but inwardly weak Granny Xu, Gu Yanfei was so calm and relaxed. She casually grabbed a handful of fish food from the box and sprinkled it on the pond outside the window.

As the fish food rained down, the goldfish in the pond caught the scent and swam over. The clear water rippled and sparkled in the sunlight.

In Granny Xu's eyes, this was equivalent to adding fuel to the fire.

She said angrily, "Second Lady, don't be ungrateful. I'm doing this for your own good."

"Our Dingyuan Marquis Household is a century-old noble household. The rules of the Marquis Mansion are strict. All the young masters and ladies are knowledgeable and prudent."

As she spoke, Granny Xu's eyes swept disdainfully across the stack of paper in the corner of the desk.

On the paper was a copy of 'Female Training'. Every stroke was stiff and rigid. This handwriting could only barely be considered proper.

A country girl who could not read was not presentable at all.

"How are you going to return to the Marquis Mansion in this state?!" Granny Xu raised her voice and looked down at Gu Yanfei.

Gu Yanfei grabbed some fish food from the box and scattered it into the pond. She finally gave Granny Xu a look and said casually, "Didn't I say that I'm not going back?"

The sunlight from the window gave her a pale golden glow and a dreamlike quality.

Granny Xu was speechless.

Granny Xu seemed to have choked on something. Her face turned green, and she could not continue with the excuse she had thought of.

Indeed, the Second Lady had said in public that she would not return to the Marquis Mansion last night, but Granny Xu did not take her words seriously. She felt that the Second Lady was just being spiteful.

What she did not expect was that she was still being stubborn after the night had passed.

The veins on Granny Xu's forehead twitched. She instinctively wanted to flare up, but she suppressed it.

Since the hard way didn't work, she had to do it the easy way.

Granny Xu took a deep breath and raised her hand to gesture to the old women behind her.

The old women behind her tactfully left, leaving Gu Yanfei and Granny Xu alone in the room.

The surroundings became much quieter. Occasionally, a few goldfish would jump out of the pond and fall back into the water. Only the sound of splashing water could be heard.

Granny Xu revealed a seemingly amiable smile. Her smile did not reach her eyes as she said patiently, "Second Lady, you grew up outside and there are many things you don't know. Originally, Madam should have told you about this. Today, I'll overstep my boundaries to tell you."

"Second Lady, your grandfather is an old friend of the British Monarchy. As early as when you were born, the two of them had made an agreement to betroth the girl to the eldest grandson of the British Mansion. The two families became even closer."

As Granny Xu spoke, she observed the change in Gu Yanfei's expression. Gu Yanfei took a plain white handkerchief and slowly wiped her fair fingers.

Seeing that Gu Yanfei was listening, the corners of Granny Xu's lips curled up smugly. She thought to herself, 'This wild girl has become a phoenix by marrying into a family like the British Monarchy.'

A girl's life was nothing more than a good marriage. As long as she wanted something, she would naturally be subject to herself.

The smile on Granny Xu's face deepened as she continued, "Second Lady, the Crown Prince, Fang Mingfeng, is 17 years old this year. He's a famous young talent in the capital. Not only is he from a noble background, but he's also talented in martial arts. Even the current emperor has praised him personally."

"When you go to the capital in the future and see Crown Prince Fang with your own eyes, you will definitely…"

"We've already met." Gu Yanfei suddenly interrupted Granny Xu.

Granny Xu was speechless.

She was stunned and her first reaction was that it was impossible!

Gu Yanfei raised her eyebrows and commented calmly, "He's just so-so, not a very good match."

A few words summed up her evaluation of Fang Mingfeng.

Granny Xu's old eyes suddenly widened and she scolded angrily, "Second Lady, don't talk nonsense! If this matter spreads to the British public…"

This time, there was no need for Gu Yanfei to speak. Another clear female voice interrupted.

"What My Lady said is true!"

Juan Bi hurried in, sweating from the run and unable to hide her weariness.

Yesterday evening, after she went to the Dou Family's Pawnshop to pawn jewelry, she immediately hired someone to go out of the city to collect the corpses of the coachman, Old Wang and Old Madam Zhang. She had been busy until now before returning to the residence.

Juan Bi strode to Gu Yanfei's side and stood with her head held high. Then, she roughly explained how they had met Fang Mingfeng at the city gate yesterday.

Granny Xu listened to Juan Bi's explanation and felt that given Juan Bi's half-witted personality, she could not make up such a story. Thinking of this, her heart was in chaos.

Her mouth opened and closed without making a single sound. She wanted to say that the Second Lady must have hit her head. It was impossible to find such a good marriage. No matter how many young ladies in the capital begged for it, they could not get it. However, the Second Lady actually shamelessly said that she did not like the heir!

Mad. This country girl must be mad!

Granny Xu's chest heaved a few times before she recovered after a while. She said stiffly, "So, Second Lady, are you determined not to return to the capital?"

"If you want me to go back, fine." Gu Yanfei raised her hand and caught a red maple that flew into the house. She said casually, "Get Madam to pick me up personally."

...

"Second Lady, do you know what you're saying?" Granny Xu's voice forced its way through her teeth.

The Second Lady actually dared to put on airs in front of Madam. Wasn't she afraid of hurting her back?

How could Madam lower herself to pick her up in Danyang City!

"Granny, remember, it's not me who wants to go back. It's the Marquis Household who begged me to go back." Gu Yanfei gently waved her hand and ordered her to leave. "Granny still has to hurry, so I won't keep you back."

Gu Yanfei smiled faintly, her eyes as cold as ice.

Of course she would return to the capital and face all the causes of her mental demons in her previous life.

Only then could she break through her mental demons and be reborn.

Yunrong

"…" Granny Xu flicked her sleeve fiercely. She really couldn't stay in this damn place for a moment longer.

Just as she turned around, she heard Gu Yanfei say slowly, "By the way, Granny, remember to leave your monthly salary before leaving."

Granny Xu paused and turned back. She met Gu Yanfei's eyes and said sarcastically, "Didn't you refuse to return to the Marquis Mansion? I thought you wanted to cut ties with the Marquis Mansion!"

A country girl was indeed a country girl. She was simply greedy for money and was still thinking about the money in the Marquis Mansion!

Gu Yanfei took off a jade bracelet with a carved swallow pattern on it and stuffed it into Juan Bi's hands. "Take it and pawn it."

Of course, Granny Xu recognized this bracelet. All of the Second Lady's jewelry had been prepared by Madam, and every piece had the mark of the Dingyuan Marquis Household.

She had yet to redeem the pair of earrings that had been pawned. If he were to pawn this bracelet again, wouldn't it confirm the rumor that the Marquis Household had declined?!

Granny Xu gritted her teeth indignantly. "I'll get someone to get the monthly payment now."

"Juan Bi, accompany Granny Xu and withdraw my monthly salary for the next three months," Gu Yanfei instructed her with a smile.

Granny Xu's face was ashen, and veins appeared on her neck.

She'd thought a month's pay would be enough, but the country girl was greedy enough to ask for three months.

Those silver taels should have been hers!

Granny Xu's heart was bleeding as if a piece of her heart had been gouged out. She huffed and left in frustration.

She had to return to the capital as soon as possible to report to Madam. Otherwise, if anything really happened to the marriage between the Gu and Fang families, she would be finished!

An hour later, Granny Xu's carriage left Danyang City. They traveled at full speed, day and night.

As soon as she returned to the Dingyuan Marquis Mansion in the capital, she did not bother to wash up. The first thing she did was rush to the Benevolent Harmony Hall and cry aggrievedly.

"Madam, although I don't dare to say that I've racked my brains recently, I've really done my best to teach the Second Lady. However, the Second Lady misunderstood me and thought that I was deliberately making things difficult for her!"

"…"

"The Second Lady grew up outside and is used to the old days. She always likes to go out and not come home. That day, the carriage met with an accident. I only persuaded her a little, but the Second Lady attacked me…"

"This is how I lost my front tooth."

Granny Xu vividly described Gu Yanfei as a vulgar, ignorant, and ill-bred wild girl.

A cloisonné enamel incense burner stood in the east corner of the room, quietly belching smoke.

A graceful old woman in her 50s was sitting on a rosewood bed with a swastika pattern on it. She was wearing a purple brocade floral jacket and twisting a string of prayer beads in her hand. Her gaze swept across the black hole in Granny Xu's front teeth with an unreadable expression.

At the side, an old granny with silver hair advised gently, "Madam, calm down. The Second Lady is still young."

"Young? She's almost of age." Madam Gu sighed softly. "What an evildoer."

There was silence for a moment.

This matter was a scandal in the Marquis Household.

The Dingyuan Marquis Household had been martial artists for generations. The former Marquis, Gu Ce, was the eldest son of Madam Gu.

In the sixth year of the Reign of Ren and Xuan, Gu Ce and his wife, Xie Shi, guarded Qiushui County in Yangzhou. They did not want to be ambushed by the South Vietnamese. Xie Shi, who was seven months pregnant, was arranged by Gu Ce to leave Qiushui County.

It was unknown where the South Vietnamese got the news from, but they sent people to chase after Xie Shi and tried to threaten Gu Ce to surrender.

Xie Shi was frightened and gave birth prematurely. After giving birth to a baby girl, she died. The wet nurse, Mother Su, carried the baby girl and fled all the way back to the capital.

No one expected Mother Su to secretly pretend that her biological daughter was the legitimate daughter of the Gu family and exchange the fake for the real one. This secret lasted for 14 years.

It was not until half a year ago when Mother Su's gambling addict husband came looking for her and secretly blackmailed her that the truth was revealed.

"Madam." Granny Xu pretended to wipe the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief as she glanced at Madam Gu from the corner of her eye. She said uneasily, "There's something else about Crown Prince Fang…"

"Mingfeng?" Madam Gu stopped twirling the prayer beads and frowned.

"Yes, the British Crown Prince." Granny Xu swallowed her saliva and dropped the last bomb at the right time. "The Second Lady bumped into Crown Prince Fang in Danyang City. She… She actually went to tell Crown Prince Fang privately that the marriage between the two families is over!"

"The Second Lady also said that she won't be returning to the capital. Unless… unless you personally go to Danyang City to pick her up."

Granny Xu avoided the main point and pushed all the blame to Gu Yanfei. She lowered her head and clenched the handkerchief in her hand tightly.

"Slam!"

Madam Gu slammed her palm on the coffee table and pursed her lips. Her entire body was shrouded in a thick dark cloud.

Madam Gu could not say that she liked or disliked this second granddaughter whom she had never met.

To her, Gu Yunrong was the granddaughter she had personally raised and was proud of.

Gu Yunrong was good at everything. From her appearance, temperament, and talent, she was top-notch. She was praised by everyone in the capital and was even favored by Kang Wang.

Kang Wang was the son of the current Empress Dowager. After he ascended the throne, he would be conferred the title of Prince. If Gu Yunrong could become Princess Consort Kang, it would naturally be the icing on the cake for the Dingyuan Marquis Household.

However, the Gu family and the Fang family had long been engaged. When the Old Marquis was still alive, he had betrothed his eldest daughter to the British Crown Prince, Fang Mingfeng.

Once the engagement was broken off, the Gu family would inevitably be said to be treacherous for clinging to the powerful.

After thinking about it, Madam Gu decided to find the "real" eldest daughter of the eldest branch.

In this way, she could fulfill the marriage between the Gu and Fang families and also not implicate the reputation of the Gu family and Gu Yunrong.

Madam Gu had already thought about the pros and cons repeatedly and was mentally prepared. This second granddaughter of hers had grown up in the countryside. If she did not train her carefully for half a year or a year, she would probably not be able to meet anyone. She did not expect this second granddaughter of hers to be so vulgar!

It was fine if she was vulgar and stupid, but the problem was that this girl still did not know her limits. She actually dared to run to Fang Mingfeng and spout nonsense. She was simply an embarrassment to the Gu family!

Madam Gu looked up and said slowly, "I told you to take good care of the Second Lady. Is this how you do things?!"

Her voice was as cold as ice.

Granny Xu cursed Gu Yanfei a thousand times in her heart. She quickly knelt down and apologized, "I'm ashamed. The Second Lady is beyond my reach."

After that, there was an oppressive silence in the room. The air seemed to be frozen still.

...

The servants at the side all lowered their heads in silence.

At this moment, a servant girl's clear voice broke the silence. "Third… Third Lady!"

The air in the room suddenly relaxed.

In the next moment, the curtain was drawn from the outside and a beautiful, slender young woman entered from the main room outside, carrying a tray of tea.

The gentle lines outlined a well-defined oval face. Her skin was as fair as jade, her eyebrows and lips were pink, and even her eyes were as bright as stars. When she smiled, a pair of cute dimples appeared on both cheeks. Her temperament was smart and amiable, making people like her at a glance.

The girl's hair was combed into a double bun, and she wore a pair of ruby-embedded gold-threaded butterfly-pearl flowers on her head. She wore a red dress embroidered with branches of begonia. When she walked, her figure was slender and graceful, and her steps were light and elegant.

Her arrival was like a warm spring breeze blowing into the house that was originally as cold as the wind.

Destiny

"Grandmother." The young girl walked towards Madam Gu with a smile. Her voice was like the first cry of a black-naped oriole, melodious and pleasing to the ear.

"Rong'er, why are you back so early?" Madam Gu's expression turned from gloomy to bright. She looked at Gu Yunrong with a warm smile, and her aura softened.

Gu Yunrong was sent to the capital by Mother Su when she was only a few months old. Madam Gu personally named and raised her. She watched her grow from a delicate baby to a beautiful young girl.

They had been close for more than ten years. She loved Gu Yunrong, and she was also the most filial to her.

In comparison, that girl was just a stranger and had no relationship with the Marquis Household at all. She probably had a grudge against the Marquis Household!

A sinister look flashed across Madam Gu's eyes.

Gu Yunrong walked over to Madam Gu and sat down. She intimately held her arm and said coquettishly, "I missed you, Grandma."

Madam Gu felt as if she had been fed a mouthful of honey. She felt extremely at ease and asked lovingly, "Was the flower banquet at Prince Jing's Manor fun?"

At the mention of Prince Jing's Manor, Madam Gu smiled until wrinkles appeared at the corners of her eyes.

Ever since the death of her eldest son, the Dingyuan Marquis Household's position in the imperial court had been a little awkward. The old emperor had been a little cold to the Gu family and the powerful imperial family in the capital rarely sent letters to the Gu family over the years.

Half a month ago, when Gu Yunrong said that Princess Changqing of Prince Jing's Manor had invited her to attend the chrysanthemum viewing banquet, Madam Gu was overjoyed. Princess Changqing's chrysanthemum viewing banquet had been held for three consecutive years. All the young masters and young ladies who were qualified to attend were from noble families.

"Yes, it was fun. My pot of 'Ruffling Phoenix Feathers' was chosen as the runner-up of today's flower banquet." Gu Yunrong nodded with a smile. Her smile was like a flower as she stretched out her hand to let Madam Gu see the jade bracelet on her wrist. "This bracelet was given by the consort. Grandma, am I impressive?"

"Impressive, impressive. Our Rong'er has a discerning eye. Grandma will reward you with an emerald jade pendant." Madam Gu reached out and adoringly tapped Gu Yunrong's nose, smiling from ear to ear.

Madam Gu also knew the origin of Gu Yunrong's 'Ruffling Phoenix Feathers'. This pot of chrysanthemums was accidentally picked up by Gu Yunrong last month when she met a flower farmer in the suburbs.

Gu Yunrong had been kind since she was young and had good luck.

When she was six years old, she saved Kang Wang, who was still the seventh prince at that time, in the chaotic Yangzhou. As a result, she saved the Gu family's title.

When she was nine years old, she dug up a 200-year-old ginseng when she was hiking and pulled the sick Madam Gu back from the gates of hell.

When she was 13 years old, it just so happened that a rare treasure, the Nine-Curved Pearl, had been presented to the southwest. The envoy had provoked the imperial court with the stringing of the 'Nine-Curved Pearl', but the civil and military officials had been helpless. The previous emperor had no choice but to announce it. In the end, it was Gu Yunrong who shocked everyone by handling the matter with her wits.

There were countless such incidents.

Madam Gu had once brought Gu Yunrong to the White Dragon Temple to seek the abbot's help to tell her future. The abbot said that her fate was indescribably precious.

"I'm not here to ask for a reward from you, Grandma." Gu Yunrong tilted her head and smiled sweetly. "You can reward me the next time my chrysanthemum wins against His Highness Kang Wang."

"His Highness Kang Wang also went?" Madam Gu's eyebrows moved and the smile on her face deepened.

"Yes, His Highness sent me back." Gu Yunrong nodded. Her eyes were bright and moving. "Grandma, His Highness has recently obtained a few jars of high-grade Longjing tea. He heard that you like tea and asked me to bring one back for you."

Gu Yunrong's maidservant quickly handed over a silk enamel tea pot.

"His Highness is so thoughtful." Madam Gu sighed happily as her thoughts raced. There was no doubt that Kang Wang was sincere to Gu Yunrong. The problem was the Empress Dowager.

If she wanted to get past the Empress Dowager, Gu Yunrong had to cut ties with Fang Mingfeng as soon as possible.

"Granny Xu, you're back." Gu Yunrong looked at Granny Xu, who was kneeling on the ground, as if she had just noticed her existence. She said with surprise and concern, "Then is my Second Sister also back?"

Only then did Granny Xu raise her head and answer respectfully, "Third Lady, the Second Lady is still in Danyang City."

Meeting Gu Yunrong's puzzled gaze, Granny Xu continued to explain, "Third Lady, you don't know. The Second Miss is really too outrageous…"

Granny Xu chattered on as she criticized Gu Yanfei again.

Madam Gu's expression darkened. Anyone could tell that she was very unhappy about this.

"Grandma, Second Sister has had a hard time since she was young. She came all the way from Huaibei to an unfamiliar place. It's inevitable that she'll feel uneasy." Gu Yunrong comforted Madam Gu kindly and leaned on her shoulder affectionately. "Grandma, you've always been loving to us juniors. Don't be calculative with my Second Sister."

"Tell you what, Grandma. Why don't I go to Danyang City and pick up my Second Sister?"

Gu Yunrong considerately suggested. Be it her tone or her sweet and obedient smile, they were indescribably comforting.

Madam Gu's expression softened slightly after being coaxed by Gu Yunrong's few words. She patted the back of her hand benevolently, but she still shook her head and rejected it. "No. Aren't you going to the Huangjue Temple with Princess Changqing to offer incense in two days?"

Madam Gu weighed the pros and cons and quickly made a decision.

She sighed and said in a low voice, "Forget it. I think your Second Sister is full of grievances. My descendants are all my debts. It's better for me to make a trip personally."

"Grandma…" Gu Yunrong wanted to say something, but Madam Gu raised her hand and interrupted her.

"Rong'er, I know you're filial." Madam Gu stroked her head. "Alright, do as I say. Stay in the capital obediently. I'll get your elder sister to accompany me."

"…" Granny Xu was dumbfounded. She pinched her thigh. The pain told her that this was not a dream. Madam had actually agreed to the Second Lady's rude request!

Madam Gu naturally would not be careless when she went out. The servants of the Benevolent Harmony Hall hurriedly packed up and busied themselves for the entire night.

The next morning, the horse carriage of the Dingyuan Marquis Household drove out of the capital and headed south along the official road.

It took them four days to reach Danyang City.

"Knock, knock, knock…"

"Old Li, open the door. Madam is here!"

A gruff old woman banged on the front door, rattling the bronze knocker nonstop.

Old Li ran to open the door. At the same time, he sent a maidservant to the inner courtyard to inform Gu Yanfei.

In the carriage, Madam Gu closed her eyes and slowly twisted the prayer beads in her hand.

The carriage was silent, and the street outside the carriage was quite lively. Apart from the hawkers setting up stalls on the street, there were also passersby passing by from time to time.

"The guards are here to patrol again. Let's go another way," a rough, mature male voice shouted from nearby. His tone was filled with resentment.

Immediately after, another younger male voice said, "For some reason, the guards have been patrolling everywhere for the past two days. Even the city gate has been checked layer by layer. I was stuck at the city gate for almost two hours before I came in."

Their voices were especially loud, and Madam Gu, who was in the carriage, heard them clearly.

She waved for Granny Xu and instructed, "Find out what's happening in the city."

Granny Xu quickly nodded.