The Rise of Ning Recap, Plot, Synopsis

The Rise of Ning Synopsis

Luo Yining, a daughter of the Luo family who grew up in a separate mansion, was never bound by strict rules and customs. She couldn't bear to see the bullying faced by "Third Brother" Luo Shenyuan and extended her help multiple times. Gradually, she discovered that Luo Shenyuan, despite appearing down and out, was actually talented in both literature and martial arts.

Having suffered from emotional pain, Luo Yining no longer wanted to be confined to the mansion or controlled by others. She aspired to break free from old norms and use her own strengths to open a shop and become independent.

In the dire circumstances of the Luo family, Luo Shenyuan, who had been seeking the truth behind his mentor's false accusation, tragically passed away. He had always been on the quest for justice.

Grateful for the warmth that Luo Yining brought to his life, Luo Shenyuan wholeheartedly supported her when she faced difficulties in her business venture. Luo Yining also gradually understood the significance of the mentor to Luo Shenyuan. As their relationship deepened, love blossomed between them.

With Luo Shenyuan's help, Luo Yining not only brought the culprit who harmed her birth mother to justice but also managed her shop with great efficiency. Encouraged by Yining, Luo Shenyuan participated in the imperial examinations and emerged as the top scholar, uncovering the truth behind the past injustice.

In the end, the two successfully cleared their mentor's name, brought the mastermind to justice, and embarked on a worry-free and peaceful life together.

The Rise of Ning Recap

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Luo Yining, the eldest daughter of the Luo family, finally came of age. She received the news about her grandmother's 60th birthday and hurried back from the other estate. On the way, her maid asked if Luo Yining would be staying permanently this time, as the eldest daughter of the Luo family should not always live in the other estate. However, Luo Yining, who had been accustomed to her freedom since childhood, did not like staying in the main house.

Since she could remember, she had been bullied by her stepmother. After her mother had just passed away, the stepmother instigated Luo Yining's father to convert her mother's courtyard into a large pond. At that time, young Luo Yining climbed a tree and saw many people moving things out of her mother's room. She immediately tried to stop them, as this courtyard was the only thing her mother had left her. But the stepmother refused to back down.

In order to ensure that Luo Yining wouldn’t ruin her plan, the stepmother even went as far as to fake a miscarriage and framed Luo Yining for it, claiming that she had caused the loss of the child. Her father was furious, immediately demanded to know if Luo Yining understood her mistake, and then sent her to live in the other estate. Luo Yining’s grandmother had also been part of the decision to send her away.

Knowing that the stepmother was no easy person to deal with, she made the difficult choice to protect the young Luo Yining by keeping her away from the stepmother. The day of her return was both her grandmother's 60th birthday and the day to fulfill the engagement promise made between the Luo and Jiang families when Luo Yining was a child. Grandmother specifically called Luo Yining's father over to ask about the wedding arrangements for the day.

However, her father intended to marry off Luo Yinian’s younger sister, Luo Yilian, who was born of the stepmother, to the Jiang family instead. Grandmother was furious, pointing out that Luo Yining, as the eldest daughter, should marry first. However, the stepmother had been frequently whispering sweet nothings to sway her father, and he had already made up his mind to favor the stepmother’s daughter.

As soon as Luo Yining arrived at the Luo residence, the servants barred her from entering, unaware that the family had a seventh young lady who was the legitimate daughter. Luo Yining didn’t get angry and patiently waited for a few minutes. The housekeeper soon came and immediately welcomed her into the house. The Jiang family had come this time to congratulate the elderly grandmother on her birthday, but they had no intention of proposing marriage.

In fact, they came to call off the engagement. When Grandmother heard the Jiang family’s refusal, she was visibly displeased. The ladies of the family were chatting when the housekeeper announced, “The seventh young lady has arrived! ”Everyone turned to look and was instantly impressed. Luo Yining had grown into an elegant and graceful young woman, pure and refined, like a lotus flower freshly risen from the water—noble and otherworldly.

Luo Yining had prepared a special birthday gift for her grandmother: a large hand-cut paper artwork she had made herself, depicting "Ma Gu Offering Longevity," a symbol of good fortune and blessings. Everyone marveled at Luo Yining’s skill, and even her grandmother nodded in approval. Soon after, Luo Yining’s father arrived.

Luo Yining also presented a carefully prepared gift for him: a collection of precious calligraphy and paintings left by her maternal grandfather, which she had arranged and mounted in a meaningful order. The gift was thoughtful and well-timed. That evening, several children were setting off fireworks. A maid, acting suspiciously, slipped a firework out of her sleeve and placed it on a tray to be handed to Luo Yining. Luo Shenyuan happened to notice this scene.

Seeing that the maid was about to give the firework to Luo Yining, he quietly approached and warned her to be careful with the firework, as he had briefly met her earlier that day. Luo Yining nodded in thanks and joined her sisters to happily watch the fireworks in the sky. Luo Yilian saw the firework in Luo Yining's hand and immediately grabbed it. However, as soon as it was lit, they realized it was scorching and sparks flew everywhere.

Luo Yilian hastily threw it away, but it landed right by the feet of Madam Jiang, who was so frightened that her face turned pale. Fortunately, Luo Yining acted quickly, running over to stomp out the firework with her foot, putting an end to the chaos. Madam Jiang, still furious, stormed out of the Luo residence. Luo Yining’s father began scolding the children, and harshly rebuked Luo Shenyuan, who was supposed to be confined to the house, for leaving. Luo Yining had intended to speak up, but she too was punished and ordered to kneel in the ancestral hall all night.

In the early morning, Luo Shenyuan gently watched Luo Yining, who was sound asleep on a cushion beside him. This girl was quite different from the other young ladies of the Luo family. Even though she had been punished to kneel, she accepted it peacefully and was able to fall asleep on the cushion. Before long, Grandmother personally came to the ancestral hall to bring Luo Yining back.

Luo Yining pleaded with Grandmother to also pardon Luo Shenyuan, and then followed her back home. On the way, Luo Yining asked about Luo Shenyuan's background. Grandmother explained that although he was presented to the outside world as a son of the Luo family, he wasn’t related by blood. He was born out of a secret relationship between one of the Luo family’s maids and a servant.

To keep the family scandal quiet, Luo Yining’s father had adopted him as a foster son. So that’s how it was. Luo Yining recalled seeing scars on Luo Shenyuan’s wrist. After learning that they were old wounds, she took some time to bring her maid, Qingqu, to help with acupuncture treatments. In fact, Luo Shenyuan’s wrist injury was caused by Luo Yining herself.

When they were young, Luo Yining had asked Luo Shenyuan to climb a tree to pick dates for her. He had accidentally fallen, injuring his wrist. Luo Shenyuan chose to endure in silence. For years, he had been living under someone else’s roof, bearing humiliation, mainly for the purpose of clearing his master’s unjust conviction. Over the years, he had been collecting evidence and discovered that it was related to several paintings owned by Luo Yining’s grandfather.

He had been trying to find a way to see her collection. After Qingqu administered acupuncture to Luo Shenyuan, she noticed that he didn’t react at all. Upon returning to Luo Yining’s residence, Qingqu frankly told her that if the acupuncture didn’t cause pain, Luo Shenyuan’s condition should have left him bedridden by now. Yet, Luo Shenyuan moved about with ease. This raised Luo Yining’s suspicions.

She had just heard Luo Shenyuan mention the paintings, and now she wondered if he was trying to see her artwork. Before the matter became clear, she decided to proceed with caution. After returning from the Jiang residence, Luo Yining was filled with frustration. The Jiang family had openly declared during the day that if the engagement wasn’t canceled, they would take the Luo family’s legitimate daughter as a concubine. This was an obvious insult to the Luo family.

The stepmother, listening nearby, was secretly pleased. If Luo Yining married into the Jiang family as a concubine, she would never have any future prospects. She immediately whispered to Luo Yining’s father, suggesting that it could be a good thing, as the Jiang family was currently quite powerful, and it would be beneficial to form such a connection. To everyone's dismay, Luo Yining's muddle-headed father actually agreed.

Initially, Luo Yining planned to return to the other estate after celebrating Grandmother’s birthday, but Grandmother begged her to stay for a few more days. Seeing how serious Grandmother’s illness had become, Luo Yining decided to move back to the Luo residence to take care of her. Luo Yining knew that Grandmother had a heart condition, and if she heard about her joining the Jiang family as a concubine, it would surely cause a relapse.

She repeatedly instructed the maids to take good care of Grandmother and not allow her to move around unnecessarily. However, the stepmother, being sly, arranged for the servants to leak the news. Upon hearing it, Grandmother fell ill. After diagnosing Grandmother, the doctor warned the Luo family not to agitate her further. However, if Luo Yining were to become a concubine in the Jiang family, it would inevitably worsen Grandmother’s condition.

Understanding the events surrounding Grandmother’s relapse, Luo Yining realized that the stepmother was behind it again, so she came up with a plan.

Luo Shenyuan often dreamt of clearing his teacher’s name. He secretly rented a tavern where he and his fellow students would gather to exchange information. One day, he woke up late and stumbled upon quite an interesting scene. Luo Yining had devised a plan to lure out Luo Yilian, making her believe that Luo Yining had personally gone to discuss canceling the engagement with the eldest son of the Jiang family.

Luo Yilian then called their father to the tavern, hoping to embarrass Luo Yining. However, when their father hurried to the tavern after receiving a note, what he witnessed was Jiang’s eldest son discussing marriage with Luo Yilian, declaring that he would marry no one else but her. Furious, Luo Yining's father stormed into the private room. Luo Yilian, seeing her father arrive, panicked, realizing there was no way to explain herself now.

Jiang’s heir directly pleaded for the marriage to be approved, while Luo Yilian tearfully refused. Unable to bear seeing Luo Yilian so distressed, Luo Yining’s father decided to annul the engagement on the spot. Returning home, Luo Yining felt deeply disappointed. Her father, in the end, was still biased. The moment he saw Luo Yilian in tears, he immediately canceled the engagement. Luo Yining realized she would have to be extra cautious in the future.

Reflecting on everything, she discovered that one of the servants had gone to the Jiang family and exaggerated stories from her childhood, leading to the Jiang family’s proposal to take her as a concubine. Not only did this servant gossip to the Jiang family, but they also exacerbated Grandmother’s illness. Upon investigating the relationships surrounding this servant, Madam Lü, Luo Yining instructed Qingqu to search Madam Lü’s room for evidence.

Sure enough, they found a bag of silver containing over ten taels. How could a simple servant possess such a large sum of money? With solid evidence in hand, Luo Yining called for the matron of the house, her stepmother, and her father to confront them. In the face of the evidence, even her father, as biased as he was, could do nothing.

He punished the stepmother with a month of confinement and transferred control of the household finances to the legitimate wife, Lin Hairu. Lin Hairu was overjoyed when she returned to her room. Although she had been the main wife for over ten years, she had never been in charge of the household and had always suffered under the oppression and humiliation from the stepmother. The servants even blurred the lines of respect between the mistress and the maids.

Luo Yining reminded Lin Hairu that since the household authority had changed, new rules had to be established. With Luo Yining’s advice, Lin Hairu immediately set new rules for the concubines, such as mandatory morning and evening greetings and assisting the main wife with daily tasks like massages and back-rubbing. She personally handed the rulebook to the stepmother, whose face twisted with anger upon reading it. Lin Hairu couldn’t have been more pleased.

With her newfound authority, Lin Hairu was delighted and naturally grew more fond of Luo Yining. When Luo Yining asked if she could personally deliver the monthly allowance to Luo Shenyuan, Lin Hairu readily agreed. Luo Yining brought the monthly allowance to Luo Shenyuan, warmly addressing him as “Third Brother,” as if they were true siblings.

Luo Yining knew that it was Luo Shenyuan who had secretly instructed the servants to inform Qingqu, which led to them uncovering Madam Lü’s betrayal. This proved that Luo Shenyuan wasn’t their enemy. While she came under the pretense of delivering the allowance, she was really there to express her gratitude. Luo Shenyuan was finally treated as an equal, and he was overjoyed. His servant asked why he hadn’t mentioned borrowing the paintings.

Luo Shenyuan simply smiled and shook his head. There was no need to bring it up—they could just “look” at them quietly when the time was right.

Luo Shenyuan heard that Luo Yining would visit Lin Hairu after dinner, so he quietly led his servants to Luo Yining’s study to search for the paintings. However, upon entering her room, he saw Luo Yilian's maid, Ying’er, sneaking in and pouring the contents of an entire sachet into the water jug. Luo Shenyuan gave his servant a signal, and the servant immediately pretended to "accidentally" run into Ying’er, then snatched the sachet from her hand.

When Luo Yining returned to her room, her sharp senses detected movement. The intruder was quick, but Luo Yining cleverly grabbed some white lime powder and sprinkled it near the window. She then hid on the other side. Taking advantage of the moment, Luo Shenyuan swiftly escaped through the window, leaving behind a footprint in the lime powder. Luo Yining examined the footprint and noticed that the scroll case had been disturbed.

Recalling that Luo Shenyuan had mentioned her grandfather’s paintings a few days earlier, she suspected that the intruder was none other than Luo Shenyuan. With Lin Hairu now in control of the household finances, Chen Lan from the main branch also began to stir. Her two daughters were dissatisfied with Lin Hairu managing the household, and when Chen Lan scolded them, she punished them by making them copy Buddhist scriptures.

When Luo Shenyuan saw the paintings by Luo Yining’s maternal grandfather, he couldn’t help but remember his childhood. Back then, he secretly listened outside the window, absorbing the knowledge his teacher imparted. After the noble students finished their lessons, Luo Shenyuan would sneak in to practice reading and writing from their books. His teacher noticed his diligence and praised him, encouraging him to be patient and resilient.

A true man could endure humiliation and hardship, and one day, when the time was right, he would soar high. Luo Shenyuan admired his teacher's integrity and wisdom, and he swore to clear his teacher’s name after being framed and wrongfully killed. Luo Shenyuan had his servant place Ying’er’s sachet in a conspicuous spot in Luo Yining’s courtyard. When Luo Yining discovered it, she had her maid inspect it carefully and found that the powder was toxic.

Even the slightest contact with it would cause a rash to break out all over the skin. Luo Yining realized that this was another plot by her stepmother. Over the past few days, she had been diligently reviewing the household accounts and uncovered numerous discrepancies.

For instance, the quantities of bird’s nest and valuable ginseng didn’t match the records, and many of the Luo family’s lands had been rented out at prices far below market value, though the exact reason was unclear. Lin Hairu had been struggling to find an excuse to confront the stepmother, but with Luo Yining’s discoveries, she immediately grabbed the account books and went to question her.

The stepmother had more maids in her quarters than the main household, even more than Lin Hairu’s own maids. Luo Yining took this opportunity to ask Lin Hairu for one of the older maids from Ying’er’s quarters. Although the master of the house had originally agreed, Ying’er begged for mercy in front of him and then fainted. Overcome with sympathy for Ying’er, the master relented once again. Ying’er only wanted to keep Zhang Mama by her side.

Luo Yining knew that when her stepmother married into the Luo family, Zhang Mama had always been with her. Later, when the stepmother had a miscarriage, it was Zhang Mama who found the doctor. Many strange coincidences involved her, and Luo Yining decided it was time to retaliate. Since Ying’er made things difficult for her, she would not take this lightly. Luo Yining purposely went to greet Lin Hairu while the stepmother was present.

She had Qingqu secretly sprinkle some of Ying’er’s powder onto the stepmother’s neck. Pretending to be itchy, Luo Yining began scratching her own neck. Soon after, the stepmother also started scratching. Qingqu deliberately said that this illness could be life-threatening, causing Luo Yilian to blurt out in shock that it would only cause a rash and was not fatal. With that one sentence, the truth was exposed.

Lin Hairu reported the matter to the master, who slapped Luo Yilian’s hand and dismissed all her servants. Luo Yining had once again achieved her goal.

Luo Yining successfully brought Li Mama into her courtyard. At first, she instructed her servants not to trouble Li Mama and let her stay peacefully for a few days. She was confident that her stepmother would make a move soon, and when that happened, Luo Yining would be ready to counter.

The sixth young lady had always loved good food, but when the first wife noticed that she was starting to gain weight, she immediately ordered the maids to serve her a light diet. They were also instructed to measure her waist daily to monitor her weight. However, the sixth young lady secretly moved all her cooking spices into Luo Yining’s room, pleading with her to keep them safe.

Once her waist size met her mother’s expectations, she planned to retrieve the spices. Luo Yining remembered that Luo Shenyuan had recently snuck into her room, likely seeking her grandfather’s paintings. Since the paintings were of no use to her, she decided to help him out. She carefully packed the treasured paintings and sent them to Luo Shenyuan. Luo Shenyuan was overjoyed to receive the paintings.

In gratitude, he gifted Luo Yining a hairpin he had found over ten years ago, which had belonged to her mother. Both were delighted with their exchange, but on the way back, they ran into Luo Chengzhang. Luo Chengzhang had always regarded Luo Shenyuan as a thorn in his side. When he saw Luo Yining so generously gifting the paintings, he ordered his men to take them back. Luo Yining, even though she defied her father, couldn't change his decision.

Hearing that Luo Shenyuan had spoken kindly of her in front of her father, she felt even more indebted to him. The sixth young lady, forced to diet and walk many steps each day, was famished. She wandered to the pavilion to rest and happened to see a fat, white goose by the pond. Thrilled, she immediately envisioned cooking a delicious stew with it.

Just as she was about to instruct her maid to catch the goose, a young man, elegant in demeanor, approached. This handsome young man was Lin Mao. He excitedly asked the sixth young lady if she liked the goose too. When he heard her describe it as "plump and juicy," Lin Mao's face turned red with anger. Someone had set their sights on his pet! His feelings instantly soured.

They began mocking each other—Lin Mao teasing the sixth young lady for her round figure, and she retorting that Lin Mao was so ugly, he ruined the view of her courtyard. Neither was willing to back down. Not long after, Lin Xiaoniang schemed to lure Li Mama away and planned to kill her to silence her. Qingqu, who had been following in secret, realized that Li Mama was in danger and rushed out to save her.

However, Qingqu alone wasn’t strong enough to rescue Li Mama. Fortunately, they encountered Luo Shenyuan, who happened to be searching for a witness to prove his teacher’s innocence. Luo Shenyuan helped Qingqu save Li Mama. Luo Shenyuan had been tracking a man named Li Yinglong, who had been under surveillance for some time. When he learned that another group intended to kill Li Yinglong, he arrived just in time to save him.

During the rescue, Luo Shenyuan discovered that the group trying to frame Li Yinglong belonged to the Imperial Guard. Qingqu secretly relocated Li Mama to a safe place. From her, Luo Yining learned that when she was a child, she had been falsely accused by her stepmother of causing her miscarriage. In reality, Lin Xiaoniang had lost the baby by accident a few days before even encountering Luo Yining, but, fearing Luo Chengzhang's anger, she had blamed Luo Yining.

Now, Luo Yining finally had a witness to prove that the miscarriage had not been her fault. Qingqu also told Luo Yining about the benefactor they had encountered along the way. Luo Yining found it strange; she had only recently arrived at the Luo residence and hadn’t made any friends. Who could have been so kind to help her? She immediately packed a few garments and used the pretext of delivering them to Luo Shenyuan.

Sure enough, at Luo Shenyuan’s residence, Luo Yining made an unexpected discovery. In his room, she found a set of nightclothes, identical to what Qingqu had described. Luo Yining was even more intrigued by Luo Shenyuan. He usually appeared reserved and silent, but he possessed impressive skills and even had nightclothes. He was truly extraordinary!

Lin Mao was temporarily staying with the eldest sister. Since he had already been paid, he found life at the Luo residence quite boring. Luo Yining approached Lin Mao, telling him that Luo Shenyuan was also a fun young man in the household. She mentioned that Luo Shenyuan often found all kinds of entertainment, and if Lin Mao spent time with him, he was sure to have fun every day.

Simple-minded Lin Mao believed her and swore not to tell anyone that it was Luo Yining who had told him this. Soon after, he began frequently seeking out Luo Shenyuan for amusement. One day, Lin Mao saw Luo Shenyuan heading to Liuhe Tavern and quickly greeted him, hoping to join in on the food and drinks. Luo Shenyuan, upon hearing that Lin Mao was Lin Hairu's younger brother, naturally didn’t dare to be impolite.

He ordered several bottles of fine wine and summoned two beautiful women to accompany them. With beauties by his side and good wine in hand, Lin Mao unknowingly drank himself into a stupor! Luo Shenyuan had the women accompany Lin Mao while he went into another room to inquire about the recent investigation on Li Yinglong.

His subordinates reported that Li Yinglong had been frequenting Yuanjing Pavilion and had been searching for a rare medicinal herb called "Longyan Incense," which seemed to be intended for the Imperial Consort's medicine. That night, Lin Mao staggered home drunk and was scolded by Lin Hairu, so he didn't dare to go out for a while. The next day, Luo Yining asked Lin Mao what he had been up to the previous day.

When she heard that he had gone with Luo Shenyuan to Liuhe Tavern, she was quite surprised. Luo Shenyuan was usually a low-key person who didn’t like drawing attention—why would he go to a place like Liuhe Tavern? Soon after, Luo Yining heard from her maid that Luo Shenyuan had gone to Yuanjing Pavilion. The place was bustling with activity that day, as the Shen family had invited an opera troupe to perform, and all the guests were prominent officials.

Luo Yining was puzzled as to why Luo Shenyuan had gone there when her sixth sister came to invite her to join in on the excitement at Yuanjing Pavilion. At Yuanjing Pavilion, Luo Yining began looking for Luo Shenyuan. The sixth young lady told her that one of the guests was the famous local handsome man, Cheng Lang, whose looks captivated many young women. Luo Yining overheard that Cheng Lang had an uncle named Lu Jiaxue, which startled her.

Her face turned pale, and she quickly found an excuse to leave. Lu Jiaxue had once caused her to fall off a cliff, and it was a miracle she survived. Thinking of Lu Jiaxue, Luo Yining's heart began to race. She needed to leave. Yuanjing Pavilion was quite large, and as she walked, Luo Yining got lost.

In fact, when she and the sixth young lady had arrived, Lin Yuexian had already hired assassins, instructing them to find an opportunity to kill Luo Yining. Several assassins closed in on Luo Yining, and just when it seemed she would be captured, she remembered the powder in her pocket. Quickly, she threw it at the assassins and fled.

On the other side of Yuanjing Pavilion, Li Yinglong knelt before Lu Jiaxue, begging for his life and revealing that the testimony about Sun Chengwu was hidden at the Luo residence. Lu Jiaxue was unmoved and ordered his men to leave no loose ends. Luo Shenyuan, who had been listening in the shadows, immediately brought his men to save Li Yinglong. However, Lu Jiaxue had many skilled fighters with him, and Luo Shenyuan personally engaged in a fight with him.

Their martial skills were evenly matched. After Li Yinglong managed to escape, Luo Shenyuan quickly led his men in retreat. Luo Shenyuan noticed Luo Yining observing from the shadows and immediately grabbed her, pulling her along to escape. However, because he was injured and they were being pursued, it became difficult for them to get away. Luo Shenyuan urged Luo Yining to leave quickly, warning her that if she didn’t, the Luo family could be implicated.

Luo Yining had already fled, but when she saw how much blood Luo Shenyuan was losing from his wound, she hurried back to help him. Late that night, Madam Luo was anxious as Luo Yining had not returned home. Lin Hairu wanted to take people to Yuanjing Pavilion to look for her, but Qiao Xiaoniang mentioned that assassins had attacked Yuanjing Pavilion that day, and it was not safe to enter.

Lin Hairu, having learned the general situation from Luo Yixiu, suspected that their stepmother was involved. After everyone left, Lin Hairu secretly brought a few maids to their stepmother’s courtyard. She closed the door and began questioning their stepmother, demanding to know where Luo Yining was being kept.

Late at night, Luo Shenyuan took Luo Yining to hide in a cave. Luo Yining helped Luo Shenyuan bandage his wounds and then asked him about what had happened earlier that day. Luo Shenyuan explained that in his youth, he had received guidance from his mentor, and now that his mentor had been wronged and killed, it was only right for him to clear his mentor’s name.

Luo Yining didn’t oppose Luo Shenyuan's desire to repay his mentor, but she made it clear that she would not allow the Luo family to be implicated. Luo Shenyuan assured her that no innocent people would be harmed. Early the next morning, Luo Yining returned to the Luo residence.

Instead of showing concern, Luo Chengzhang scolded her for not coming home the night before and reminded her that, as the legitimate daughter of the Luo family, she needed to consider the family’s reputation. Luo Yining explained that she had gotten lost and spent the night in a small forest, but their stepmother was relentless, refusing to believe that a young woman could stay in the woods all night.

Luo Shenyuan soon arrived and claimed he could vouch for Luo Yining’s story. With Luo Shenyuan as a witness, no one could say anything further. Although Luo Chengzhang was angry and wanted to punish both Luo Yining and Luo Shenyuan by making them kneel, Lin Hairu stepped in, and Luo Chengzhang backed down. Their grandmother’s heart condition worsened, and this time it was severe. After diagnosing her, the doctor said that only Doctor Du from the palace could save her.

Luo Shenyuan also heard this and knew that Doctor Du had recently been searching for a particular medicinal herb. Since Luo Shenyuan had just obtained some Longyan Incense, he quickly disguised himself and went into the city to find Doctor Du. Luo Yining waited for a long time at the entrance to Doctor Du’s residence.

Doctor Du’s apprentice informed her that the doctor had been exhausted after several days of work in the palace and was currently too weak to even lift his acupuncture needles. Luo Yining had no choice but to send her maid back home while she stayed at Doctor Du’s residence, determined to wait for him to recover so she could bring him to the Luo residence to treat her grandmother.

The reason Doctor Du had not responded to Luo Yining was that he also needed Longyan Incense to extend his life. At this time, Luo Shenyuan met with Doctor Du and presented him with the Longyan Incense, begging him to treat the elderly Madam Luo. Relieved by Luo Shenyuan’s timely gift, Doctor Du agreed and immediately went to the Luo residence. Under Doctor Du’s care, the elderly Madam Luo quickly regained consciousness. The stepmother’s plans were foiled again.

She had been hoping that the old lady would pass away soon, so she could take over the family's wealth. When she heard the doctor declare that the old lady was out of danger, she hurriedly ordered her servants to dispose of the funeral clothes and coffin that had been prepared. Some of the servants, acting suspiciously, crossed the courtyard just as Luo Yining and Lin Hairu were passing by.

The two women quietly followed them, confirming that it was indeed their scheming stepmother behind this. Luo Yining had already suspected that the person behind the attempt on her life at Yuanjing Pavilion was the stepmother. Although she had no concrete evidence yet, Luo Yining warned her that those who commit too many evil deeds will eventually meet their downfall, advising her to be careful. As night fell again, Luo Yining rested by her bed, repeatedly organizing her thoughts.

The Luo residence, where she now lived, was filled with hidden dangers. First, there had been the plot at Yuanjing Pavilion, and who knew where the next scheme would arise? She summoned her maid and instructed her to keep a close eye on Bi Yi, one of the stepmother’s maids. Since the stepmother’s plot had been exposed during the day, she was sure that the woman would try to destroy any evidence that night.

Meanwhile, Luo Shenyuan had captured Li Yinglong and was interrogating him about the secret meeting at Yuanjing Pavilion. Initially, Li Yinglong refused to speak, but when he learned that Luo Shenyuan only wanted to clear the name of his mentor, Chen Jiuheng, he revealed the truth. Years ago, Sun Chengwu of the Imperial Bureau, along with several officials, had been involved in smuggling tea and had profited greatly from it.

When Chen Jiuheng received an imperial decree to provide disaster relief, Sun Chengwu and the others, fearing that their tea trade would be exposed, falsely accused Chen Jiuheng of embezzling the relief funds. Lu Jiaxue also knew the full story and had been hunting for a secret ledger, which contained important codes related to the case. This was why Lu Jiaxue had been relentlessly pursuing its whereabouts.

At dawn, Luo Shenyuan happened to see Luo Yining's maid rushing out in a hurry. He asked her what had happened, and the maid explained that Luo Yining had developed a high fever. Luo Yining had ordered her not to make a fuss, only to fetch some cool water. Since Luo Shenyuan had a personal connection with Doctor Du, he told the maid to go back, and he sent his own people to summon Doctor Du.

After diagnosing her, Doctor Du not only confirmed that Luo Yining had symptoms of typhoid fever but also noticed that her physical weakness was something she had been born with. He deduced that her mother must have taken a large amount of strong labor-inducing drugs, which would have caused premature labor and posed a great risk to the mother.

Luo Shenyuan vaguely remembered that Luo Yining's mother had suffered greatly during childbirth, and after delivering the baby, she had died from massive blood loss. Now Luo Shenyuan understood that Yining's mother, Madam Gu, had also been an unfortunate woman. Doctor Du added that Luo Yining's weakness would worsen unless they could find the dangerous drug that had been used on her before birth.

Otherwise, this condition would become increasingly apparent, and if she were ever to give birth in the future, it would put her life in serious danger. Determined to uncover the root cause of Luo Yining's condition, Luo Shenyuan immediately ordered his men to investigate the servants who had attended to Luo Yining's mother at the Luo residence. After several days of searching, they finally found a clue.

Luo Shenyuan sent his men to threaten the maid from that time, and the maid confessed that Luo Yining's mother had not had a good relationship with Luo Erye, Luo Yining's father. After their stepmother got involved, Luo Yining's mother was sent to live in a separate courtyard. She had gone missing for a time after an encounter with bandits, and when she was found again, she was already pregnant.

Fearing the scandal would be exposed, Luo Yining's mother had secretly taken an abortion drug, but Luo Yining was born prematurely as a result. Therefore, Luo Shenyuan and Luo Yining were not biological siblings. After the maid finished her confession, Luo Shenyuan sent her far away, warning her never to return. Luo Shenyuan had uncovered a shocking secret and immediately ordered his men to keep it absolutely confidential.

When he saw Luo Yining again, she had regained her healthy complexion and her fever had subsided. Luo Yining knew that Luo Shenyuan had gifted Doctor Du the precious Longyan Incense, and she was grateful for his help during her illness. She not only thanked him but also decided to organize a lively birthday celebration for Luo Shenyuan.

Realizing she couldn’t do it alone, Luo Yining enlisted the help of her sixth sister and Lin Mao to make it more festive. Luo Shenyuan had never celebrated his birthday before, and now seeing that Luo Yining had carefully planned this event and even invited friends to join in a game of drinking orders, he was touched by the warm and lively atmosphere.

The sixth sister and Lin Mao drank too much during the game and soon fell asleep on the couch. In the end, only Luo Yining and Luo Shenyuan remained sober. They continued playing the drinking game, and Luo Yining reminded Luo Shenyuan to always protect himself no matter what happened and to avoid putting himself in danger at the Luo residence.

Luo Shenyuan agreed to everything and added that even if Luo Yining weren’t the seventh lady of the Luo family, he would still treat her like a sister. Luo Yining was moved by his words but did not fully grasp their deeper meaning. Meanwhile, Lu Jiaxue had been thinking about Sun Chengwu’s testimony.

Upon hearing that Li Yinglong had mentioned the testimony being hidden at the Luo residence, he sent his nephew, Cheng Lang, to the Luo residence to investigate the matter. The sudden visit from the young master of the Cheng family, who claimed he had come to visit the elderly Madam Luo, surprised the Luo family.

However, since Cheng Lang was known to be as handsome as Pan An and came from a wealthy family, the grandmother, who had been hoping to arrange good marriages for her granddaughters, happily invited Cheng Lang to stay at the Luo residence for a few days.

Luo Shenyuan's sister-in-law, Chen Lan, discussed with the grandmother about marrying Luo Yiyu to Cheng Lang. However, the grandmother wasn’t optimistic about Cheng Lang. She shared some of his background with Chen Lan: as a child, Cheng Lang had been bullied by his two older brothers. He didn’t retaliate at the time, but after his uncle rose to power, Cheng Lang sought revenge.

One of his brothers died, and the other was forced to live far away, showing that Cheng Lang was not to be trifled with. His uncle, who had achieved a high position at a young age, clearly had his own means. The grandmother did not approve of marrying Yiyu into such an unpredictable family. She preferred Liu Jing, from a scholarly family. However, Chen Lan thought that Liu Jing’s family, being only of the sixth rank, was too lowly.

Luo Yining had just overheard Cheng Lang mention to her grandfather that Lu Jiaxue also enjoyed paper cutting but was afraid of being discovered. Worried about this, Luo Yining hurried back to her room and quickly threw all her previous paper cuts into the fire. The maid didn’t understand Luo Yining's anxious expression but obediently carried the brazier away. After the maid left, Luo Yining fell into deep thought. She recalled the time she was sent to a separate courtyard.

One day, her kite landed in the neighboring residence. She climbed a ladder to the wall and called out several times, but no one responded. So, she jumped over the wall to retrieve her kite. At the time, Lu Jiaxue seemed to have an eye injury. Feeling sympathy for his blindness, Luo Yining often brought him snacks and flowers, and even gave him a few of her paper-cut designs.

It must have been from that time that Lu Jiaxue developed feelings for her. Later, she also brought him ointment for his eyes, and eventually, Lu Jiaxue regained his sight. Luo Shenyuan, as usual, tended to flowers and sent them to others. Though the people of the Luo family treated him like an outcast, Luo Shenyuan, who never cared for fame or fortune and avoided conflict, was gradually ignored.

Luo Yining saw the white peonies that Luo Shenyuan had sent to her room, each one blooming proudly and beautifully. She couldn’t resist seeking him out to ask if Cheng Lang had ulterior motives in visiting the Luo residence. Luo Shenyuan nodded but did not reveal any specifics. Hearing Luo Shenyuan promise that he wouldn’t let anything harm the Luo family, Luo Yining finally felt at ease and left.

That evening, the Luo family steward came to report to the elderly lady that assassins had attacked the Muxi Hall. The elderly lady clasped her prayer beads and sighed, “The thing I’ve feared all these years has finally come to pass. ”Lin Mao, wanting to thank Luo Yixiu, specially prepared a recipe for digestion and weight loss. He presented it to her that night.

At the same time, Luo Yixiu noticed that Luo Yilian had been frequently visiting Luo Yiyu lately, and she couldn’t help but wonder what scheming thoughts she had. Sure enough, soon after, Luo Yining discovered that Luo Yiyu was using unopened lotus buds to pass love poems to Cheng Lang. The passionate words were so bold they were hard to look at directly.

Luo Yining instructed her maid to keep the matter a secret, as revealing it now would surely provoke Luo Yiyu’s wrath. Luo Yining discreetly disposed of the note. She thought it would be best to quietly stop her eldest sister, as Luo Yiyu was already engaged to the young master of the Liu family. If this scandal were to spread, it would affect the reputation of all the unmarried girls in the Luo family.

The next day, Luo Yining found an opportunity to approach her eldest sister. She pretended to have found a handkerchief belonging to Yiyu and suggested that it would be lovely to embroider a poem on it. As she spoke, she recited the love poem she had seen the day before. Realizing she had crossed the line, Luo Yiyu immediately promised not to act privately again.

Cheng Lang, having learned from Luo Yiyu that the elderly lady often spent time in Yixin Studio, believed the crucial item must be hidden there. Seizing a moonless, windy night, he snuck into the studio, intending to steal the testimony. However, Luo Shenyuan appeared to stop him. A fierce fight broke out between the two, with Yixin Studio engulfed in flames. The fight was evenly matched, and in the end, both men escaped.

After the fire was finally extinguished, the Luo family servants found a body among the debris. Cheng Lang's men identified the deceased as Li Yinglong. They assumed that Li Yinglong had also been searching for the testimony in Yixin Studio and believed that the fire had completely destroyed it.

Cheng Lang's objective in coming to the Luo family had been achieved, and after a few days, he came to bid farewell. The grandmother discussed with the family about hosting a farewell banquet for Cheng Lang. Luo Yining heard that a charred corpse had been found in Yixin Studio and guessed that the incident must be related to Luo Shenyuan. After greeting her grandmother in the morning, she went to Luo Shenyuan’s separate courtyard to seek confirmation.

Luo Shenyuan admitted that he had set the fire the previous night but explained that he did it for the good of the Luo family and urged Luo Yining not to pursue the matter further. He told her the less she knew, the better. Trusting Luo Shenyuan’s words, Luo Yining decided not to ask any more questions. Qingqu had already brought the doctor who treated the miscarriage years ago to a location near the Luo residence.

Luo Yining arranged for the doctor to stay at a tavern, where she asked him for details and confirmed that he would testify. She then had her subordinates take good care of him. However, as soon as the doctor entered the city, he was spotted by one of the informants working for the concubine, who carefully followed him.

Luo Shenyuan, watching from the upper floor of the tavern, also noticed the tail behind Luo Yining and immediately sent word to warn her. The concubine, aware that Luo Yining was investigating the truth behind her miscarriage, decided to strike first. She and her daughter schemed to frame Luo Yining. Taking advantage of the farewell banquet being held for Cheng Lang by the grandmother, they bribed a performer.

The performer secretly took Luo Yining’s belt and then knocked her unconscious, locking her in a room. Soon after, Luo Chengzhang and the grandmother went to attend the farewell banquet. A maid, bribed by the concubine, acted suspiciously, arousing Luo Chengzhang’s suspicion. When the maid claimed that Luo Yining was alone in a room with a man, Luo Chengzhang forced the door open. Inside, a disheveled performer called out Luo Yining's name.

However, emerging from the opposite side was none other than Luo Shenyuan! It wasn’t Luo Yining after all, indicating that things were more complicated than they seemed. Luo Shenyuan claimed he had been in the room the entire time, and it was clear that Luo Yining was about to be framed. Luo Yining immediately questioned the performer, asking for evidence that they had known each other for some time. The performer then presented a belt embroidered with orchids.

With both the witness and physical evidence present, Luo Chengzhang furiously accused Luo Yining of being shameless and was ready to punish her. However, Luo Yining reminded her father to carefully examine the orchid on the belt, noting that it wasn’t one of her personal belongings. Upon closer inspection, Luo Chengzhang realized that the belt wasn’t her mother’s but belonged to Qiao Yuechan.

Years ago, he had given orchid belts to both Luo Yining’s mother and Qiao Yuechan—Luo Yining’s mother’s belt had six orchid leaves, while Qiao Yuechan’s had seven. The performer’s testimony was full of holes, and it became evident that someone was manipulating things behind the scenes. The belt alone was enough to prove that Qiao Yuechan was the mastermind behind everything. Qiao Yuechan tried to argue, but Luo Yining was already prepared.

She presented evidence proving that the miscarriage years ago wasn’t caused by her, then brought forth witnesses like Nurse Li and Old Master Zhang. These people testified that Qiao Yuechan had not only framed the young Luo Yining in the past but had also continuously schemed against her since she returned to the Luo family. With all the evidence laid out, Luo Chengzhang finally saw the true face of the woman he had shared his life with.

Despite her outward appearance of being pitiful, she was insidious and cruel behind the scenes. Even though Qiao Yuechan tearfully pleaded for the years she had devoted to the Luo family, Luo Chengzhang had already become completely disheartened.

The grandmother instructed Luo Chengzhang to make the decision. In front of their ancestors’ memorial tablets, Luo Chengzhang announced that Qiao Yuechan would be punished with fifty lashes and then sent to work on the family estate. Ever since Luo Shenyuan was injured at Yuanjing Pavilion and then sustained additional wounds from his fight with the intruder at Yixin Studio, his old injuries worsened, and he nearly succumbed to illness.

Fortunately, Lin Mao, who had a knack for working with medicinal herbs, was quietly brought in by Luo Shenyuan's subordinates. Lin Mao used a special wound medicine he had developed, and Luo Shenyuan eventually regained consciousness. Although Luo Yining won against the concubine this time, she narrowly escaped a dangerous situation herself. Her grandmother punished her by having her reflect on her actions in the ancestral hall, asking if she realized her mistake.

Earlier, the concubine had fiercely argued and even overturned much of Luo Yining's evidence. It was only thanks to Luo Yining's thorough preparations that she was able to escape the crisis. Despite the risks she faced, Luo Yining admitted that she had no regrets. After the grandmother left, Luo Shenyuan visited Luo Yining in the ancestral hall.

Her face was pale, but she stubbornly insisted that clearing her mother’s name was her only goal, and she was willing to make sacrifices for it. Even if given the choice again, she would never submit. Luo Shenyuan admired her tenacity, but as he was about to leave, he suddenly heard the sound of her collapsing. Touching her forehead, Luo Shenyuan found it burning hot. He immediately carried her back to her room.

Hearing the news, the grandmother hurried over and ordered someone to fetch the best doctor in the city. Luo Shenyuan wanted to leave when the grandmother arrived, but Luo Yining was holding tightly onto his clothes, making him feel a bit awkward. The grandmother told him to go back. The doctor diagnosed her with a cold, so the grandmother ordered more blankets to be placed on Luo Yining to help with her high fever.

However, Luo Shenyuan remembered that Doctor Du had once told him that Luo Yining’s weak health stemmed from an illness she had since birth. If they wanted to cure her completely, they would need to know the exact recipe of the medicine her mother drank during labor. He stopped the grandmother's plan, explaining that adding more blankets wouldn’t help Luo Yining, as her body wouldn't be able to release the heat, and her fever wouldn’t break.

Luo Shenyuan insisted on removing some blankets and even swore to the grandmother that if he couldn’t lower Luo Yining’s fever, he would accept any punishment. After a night of careful nursing from Luo Shenyuan, Luo Yining’s fever finally broke, and her condition improved. Cheng Lang returned to report to his uncle, Lu Jiaxue.

He mentioned that he had met the seventh girl of the Luo family, whose paper-cutting skills were excellent, but he wasn’t sure if she was the “Meimei” girl his uncle had been searching for. Lu Jiaxue remarked that this young woman seemed intriguing and planned to find time to meet her in person. As Qiao Yuechan was sent to labor on the family estate, Lin Hairu went to her old room to audit the accounts.

Several boxes of gold, silver, and jewelry were found, along with many land deeds and store certificates. Qiao Yuechan had come from a poor background, so how could she possess so many deeds and jewels? Lin Hairu checked the account books and discovered that Qiao Yuechan had sold off all of Luo Yining’s mother’s jewelry and secretly kept the money for herself.

Lin Mao, while preparing medicine for Luo Shenyuan, was also persuaded by him to make a health tonic for Luo Yining. Although Luo Shenyuan paid for all the medicines, he pleaded with Lin Mao not to reveal that he had requested the tonic for Luo Yining. When Lin Mao delivered the medicine, he noticed Luo Yining’s maid bringing over a bowl of Huangqi Peony Soup.

Since Luo Yining didn’t like drinking the tonic, Lin Mao casually poured it into a nearby potted plant, remarking that the Huangqi Peony Soup had mild properties and was very beneficial to plant growth. The next day, during a meal with her grandmother, Lin Hairu had the servants bring Luo Yining more Huangqi Peony Soup, thinking it would be good for her cold recovery. Luo Yining playfully poured the tonic into the nearby potted plant.

Seeing her mischievous behavior, her grandmother commented that she looked just like her mother back then—her mother also didn’t like drinking that tonic and had poured it into a potted begonia, which soon died afterward. Luo Yining was surprised. Lin Mao had assured her that the tonic had mild properties and wouldn’t harm plants, so how had it killed the begonia?

Luo Yining overheard her grandmother mention that her mother often drank Huangqi Peony Soup while she was pregnant, and later, when she poured the soup into the begonia plant, it killed the tree. This struck Luo Yining as odd, so she grew a begonia herself and regularly used the leftover dregs of the Huangqi Peony Soup as fertilizer for it. To cover up the truth, Luo Chengzhang bribed officials at the magistrate's office to let Master Cui take all the blame.

As a result, the charges against the concubine were quietly erased. Lin Hairu summoned Luo Yining to hear her father’s final decision. When Luo Yining learned that the concubine had been cleared of wrongdoing once again, she felt deeply saddened. She confronted her father, asking why he always protected the concubine for the sake of the Luo family’s reputation, allowing her to commit such cruel acts. But Luo Chengzhang did not listen.

He even advised Luo Yining to put the family's interests first and not tarnish the Luo family’s name. Lu Jiaxue sent people to investigate the whereabouts of Luo Yining and Luo Shenyuan on the day of the incident at Yuanjing Pavilion, but no clues were found. The Luo family kept silent about what had happened that day. Lu Jiaxue decided to investigate personally to find out who Luo Yining and Luo Shenyuan really were.

With a few peaceful days passing, Luo Shenyuan took Luo Yining out for some fresh air and found her a task at a place named "Minglan Hall," after Luo Yining's study. Luo Shenyuan explained that when he was young, Luo Yining's mother had cared for him, so he had donated some silver to support the school, allowing Luo Yining to come here and work on projects whenever she liked. Luo Yining was delighted.

Lately, she had been feeling stifled at the Luo residence, and her father's favoritism toward the concubine had left her disheartened. She had quietly ordered her servants to find a quiet residence for her. She gave herself one year to uncover the real cause of her mother's death. Once the truth was uncovered, she planned to move out with her grandmother. Luo Shenyuan took Luo Yining to a small shop to eat wontons, and they talked about their futures.

Luo Yining asked Luo Shenyuan what his plans were. He only smiled without answering. Luo Yining suggested that he pursue a career in government service, as men should aim high, and earning a title through the imperial exams would be a legitimate path. However, to take the exams, one needed household registration, and Luo Shenyuan still wasn’t included in the family registry. Luo Yining decided to help her third brother solve this issue.

After finishing their meal, the two strolled through a nearby market. Lu Jiaxue spotted Luo Yining, and from just one glance, he couldn’t take his eyes off her. The woman before him was the "Meimei" he had longed for day and night. At that moment, Luo Yining was standing at a paper-cutting stall, examining various designs. Cheng Lang, who was next to Lu Jiaxue, greeted Luo Yining. When Luo Yining saw Lu Jiaxue, she was shocked.

It was because of him that she had fallen off a cliff, and even now, thinking about it made her heart race. She repeatedly reminded herself that back then, she had helped the blind Lu Jiaxue by giving him medicine and cheering him up. Since he could only hear her voice and couldn’t see her, she had to remain silent. Luo Yining covered up by coughing. Before long, Luo Shenyuan arrived. When he saw Lu Jiaxue, he immediately sensed danger.

Luo Yining, unable to speak due to her coughing, was helped by Luo Shenyuan, who quickly led her away. On their way back, Luo Yining and Luo Shenyuan were ambushed. The attackers consistently aimed for Luo Shenyuan’s back, leading him to conclude that the spies were sent by Lu Jiaxue. As a result, Luo Shenyuan refrained from using martial arts and hurriedly escorted Luo Yining back to the Luo residence.

When Lu Jiaxue's men reported that Luo Shenyuan didn’t know martial arts, Lu Jiaxue remained suspicious. He planned to find another opportunity to test him further.

Luo Yining had always wanted to find the doctor who treated her mother years ago. Eventually, she discovered that the doctor had long since passed away, leaving behind only an apprentice who was still practicing medicine. Luo Shenyuan took Luo Yining to find this apprentice, who still kept his master’s medical notes. The notes recorded the conditions and pulse diagnoses of each patient, along with the corresponding prescriptions.

According to the records, the doctor had indeed prescribed Luo Yining's mother a remedy, but it was just a mild tonic. For days, Luo Yining had been using this medicinal soup to water the begonia plant, yet the flowers bloomed beautifully, and the branches grew sturdier. This convinced her that the issue must be connected to the concubine. She encouraged Lin Hairu to take her along the next time she went to inspect the farm's accounts.

At first, Lin Hairu was reluctant to visit Qiao Yuechan, but Luo Yining eventually persuaded her. When Luo Yixiu heard that Luo Yining would soon be going to the farm with Lin Hairu, she feared that her mother would be bullied. So, Luo Yixiu went to visit her uncle first. Seeing her uncle laboring as a manual worker, she couldn’t help but complain.

She said that ever since Qiao Yuechan had been sent to the farm, the gold and silver valuables in her room had been taken by Lin Hairu, leaving only the monthly allowance. Luo Yixiu’s uncle held a grudge, and upon hearing that Luo Yining would be coming to the farm soon, he began plotting mischief. On the day of the outing, Luo Shenyuan also asked Lin Hairu if he could join them. Lin Hairu gladly agreed.

Fortunately, Luo Shenyuan came along, because someone had secretly tied a rope in the woods, startling the horses and causing the carriage to bolt forward in a panic. Luo Yixiu’s uncle had prepared a large number of rocks on the mountain and began hurling them at the carriage. Luo Shenyuan desperately steered the carriage, narrowly avoiding disaster. Although they dodged the falling rocks, they almost fell off a cliff. Luo Shenyuan fought to keep the carriage stable.

Luo Yining and Lin Hairu quickly got out, but the carriage lost balance and teetered on the edge. Luo Shenyuan’s foot was still caught in the rope attached to the carriage, and he was about to be pulled over the cliff. Luo Yining immediately used a knife to cut the rope, saving Luo Shenyuan from falling into the abyss. Grateful to have survived, Luo Yining tightly embraced Luo Shenyuan.

Lin Hairu injured her leg, and the carriage had fallen off the cliff. Luo Shenyuan carried Lin Hairu all the way back to the farm. Lin Hairu was deeply moved. She had often ignored Luo Shenyuan’s presence, not realizing how loyal and kind he was. Back at the farm, Luo Shenyuan examined the horse that had died during the day and discovered it had been poisoned.

Luo Yixiu had also left the house earlier that day, and her uncle hadn’t gone to work. This gave them both plenty of time to carry out their scheme. Luo Yining used this as leverage to pressure Qiao Yuechan into revealing the truth about her mother’s death. She threatened to report Luo Yixiu and her uncle to their father if Qiao Yuechan did not confess. Qiao Yuechan denied harming anyone.

She explained that after she discovered Luo Yining’s mother had lost all hope in Luo Chengzhang, she hadn’t done anything cruel since. Besides, Luo Chengzhang was cold-hearted by nature. He kept Luo Yining's mother's position as the legitimate wife because he was after her dowry, which he intended to use to buy himself an official post. Qiao Yuechan even swore on her children's fortunes, making Luo Yining believe she was telling the truth.

If that were the case, who could have harmed her mother? Other than Luo Chengzhang, there was no one else to suspect. The next day, Luo Shenyuan brought Luo Yining more news. He had questioned Luo Yixiu’s uncle, who admitted to preparing the rocks and the rope but denied poisoning the horse. This indicated that a third party was involved in the plot that day. Who could it be?

Without concrete evidence, Luo Shenyuan advised Luo Yining not to jump to conclusions. Meanwhile, Lin Hairu had originally wanted her younger brother to stay in the Luo family and study hard so that he could take the imperial exams in the future. However, Lin Mao had little interest in this path. Instead, he preferred to research medicinal formulas and invent small things like perfumes and scented soaps. The maids in the household often bought his newly mixed perfumes and soaps.

It was around this time that Lin Hairu came to see him. She scolded her brother for not focusing on his studies and preparing for the exams, while Lin Mao felt deeply wronged.

Luo Shenyuan led his men to Dali Temple to rescue his senior brother Daoyan. However, Lu Jiaxue had already surrounded the temple with his forces. The corridors of Dali Temple were winding and complex, and despite Daoyan's efforts, he couldn't shake off his pursuers. When Luo Shenyuan heard the clash of cold weapons, he immediately rushed over with reinforcements, and they managed to rescue Daoyan. Lu Jiaxue blocked Luo Shenyuan's path.

At the time, Luo Shenyuan was wearing a black mask. The two men were evenly matched in martial arts, but Lu Jiaxue's attacks were deadly, and with more and more soldiers closing in, Luo Shenyuan quickly set the nearby firewood ablaze. Using the cover of the smoke, he managed to escape. That evening, Lin Mao was in low spirits because his sister had scolded him earlier in the day.

Luo Yixiu saw Lin Mao drowning his sorrows in alcohol and couldn't help but go over to comfort him. Lin Mao knew he wasn’t cut out for scholarly pursuits, yet his entire family had pinned their hopes on him. Luo Yixiu also lamented that she wasn’t as talented as her elder sister, but their mother always encouraged her to lose weight in hopes of becoming more like her. Hearing this, Lin Mao couldn’t help but laugh.

He joked that if losing weight was just to find a good match, whoever married Luo Yixiu would have quite a challenge ahead. What began as mutual sympathy between the two ended in lighthearted teasing, and they both ended up laughing together. Lu Jiaxue led his men to search the city for the fugitive who had just escaped, eventually tracing the investigation back to the Luo residence.

The fire at Yixinge last time had also been linked to the Luo family. So, Lu Jiaxue surrounded the Luo residence with his guards and began searching room by room. Luo Yining was deep in thought in the pavilion when a maid came to report that Lu Jiaxue was leading a search. Her heart began pounding—Lu Jiaxue was practically her worst nightmare. She overheard that Lu Jiaxue’s investigation yielded nothing, and he was preparing to head toward Luo Shenyuan’s quarters.

Luo Yining asked her maid, "How should one face their fears? " The maid didn’t quite understand what Luo Yining was referring to and merely mentioned that when she was little, she was afraid of chickens, but her mother threw her into the chicken coop for half a day, and after that, she wasn’t scared anymore. Inspired by the maid’s story, Luo Yining gathered her courage. Yes, the more you fear something, the more it seems to come at you.

It was better to face it head-on. At the time, Lu Jiaxue was punishing Luo Shenyuan. Gathering her courage, Luo Yining stepped forward to stop him, questioning why he was punishing members of the Luo family without any evidence. Lu Jiaxue’s heart skipped a beat upon hearing Luo Yining’s voice—it reminded him of the girl named "Meimei" who had once saved him, and her voice was exactly the same.

Lu Jiaxue sighed, noting how Luo Yining resembled someone from his past. Luo Yining met his gaze and reminded him that with so many people in the world, it’s natural for there to be similarities. She pleaded for Luo Shenyuan, but Lu Jiaxue was unrelenting, even when Luo Yining threw herself over Luo Shenyuan to shield him, refusing to spare him from the punishment. In the end, it was the old matriarch of the Luo family who intervened.

She was a titled lady officially recognized by the court, and thus had the authority to oppose Lu Jiaxue's orders. Reluctantly, Lu Jiaxue withdrew with his men, but as he left the Luo residence, he instructed his subordinates to conduct a thorough investigation into Luo Yining's past. It was already late, and the old matriarch didn’t question what had happened that day. However, the next day, Luo Shenyuan took the initiative to meet with her.

He explained that he had been working to clear his master’s name for years. His master was highly respected, and Luo Shenyuan was confident that he could prove his innocence. The old matriarch knew that Luo Shenyuan’s years of enduring hardship in the Luo family were all for the sake of obtaining a crucial testimony.

Luo Shenyuan expressed his hope that if he could emerge as the top scorer in the imperial examination this time, the old matriarch would hand over the testimony. He also asked to be included in the family genealogy, so he could legitimately take part in the examination. The old matriarch had long been searching for someone who could help restore the family’s honor, and now she saw hope. She gladly agreed to Luo Shenyuan’s requests.

Preparing for the imperial examination required more than just studying diligently—it also involved understanding your competitors. Luo Yining suggested to Lin Hairu that they should hold a literary banquet in the house. Ever since the death of the old patriarch, it had been a long time since such an event had been organized. Not only would this help improve their scholarly skills, but it would also give the young women of the house a chance to meet renowned scholars. Lin Hairu immediately went to discuss this with the old matriarch, but the old lady simply said she would consider it.

After Lin Hairu left, the old matriarch of the Luo family sighed, thinking that someone must be planning things behind the scenes. She had just heard that Lin Hairu had gone to see Luo Yining, and now she knew about Luo Yining's plan. It was quite a coincidence. Not long ago, Luo Shenyuan had also begged the old matriarch to hold a literary banquet, assuring her that he had a way to bring great prestige to the Luo family.

The old matriarch decided to personally invite Mr. Song to preside over the event. Lin Mao took Luo Yixiu for a stroll through the marketplace. Luo Yixiu ate her way through the streets, even shouting that she wanted some pastries. Lin Mao reminded her that she had just eaten roast lamb leg and other foods, and suggested that she exercise some restraint to avoid indigestion, which would later require medicine to treat.

While Lin Mao catered to Luo Yixiu's cravings, he also made sure she didn’t overindulge, showing how considerate he was. Lu Jiaxue heard from his subordinates that Luo Shenyuan had been frequenting the academy lately, probably cramming for the upcoming imperial examination. He didn’t let his guard down. The Luo residence had already been secretly surrounded by the Imperial City guards, making it impossible for even a bird to fly in.

Upon hearing about the literary banquet at the Luo residence, Lu Jiaxue guessed that Luo Shenyuan might use the crowd to create a distraction and smuggle Daoyan out. Luo Yining went to see Luo Shenyuan and also suspected that he had something planned. Luo Shenyuan borrowed someone from her. Finally, the day of the literary banquet arrived, and Lu Jiaxue attended in person.

His subordinates noticed that one of Luo Shenyuan’s attendants was sneakily following someone, thinking that person must be Daoyan. They quickly followed, only to capture the wrong person. Angrily, they demanded to know where Daoyan was hidden. Before the banquet started, Luo Yixiu had secretly taken some ingredients meant for the feast and made sizzling tile-grilled meat. She was so engrossed in cooking that she lost track of time.

Lin Mao rushed over to remind her, and in a hurry, Luo Yixiu shoved two half-cooked pieces of meat into her and Lin Mao’s mouths before rushing off to play her instrument. Luo Yixiu was skilled at playing the pipa, while her elder sister, Luo Yiyu, excelled at the guzheng. However, because Luo Yixiu had eaten the undercooked lamb, she suffered from severe stomach pain and had to leave the stage midway through her performance.

The warm-up music couldn’t stop, so Luo Yining had no choice but to step in and take over her sister’s pipa. In an urgent situation, Luo Yining only knew one song, so she had to play it. At that time, Lu Jiaxue was carefully searching Luo Shenyuan's quarters for any trace of Daoyan when he suddenly heard a familiar melody. It was a song that the girl named Meimei had once begged him to teach her.

Could it be that Meimei had reappeared? Lu Jiaxue immediately followed the sound, leaving Luo Shenyuan’s residence. The song Luo Yining played was fast-paced and intense. Luo Yiyu could keep up with the first part, but later it turned into Luo Yining’s solo. Luo Yining was sweating, and suddenly, a string on her pipa snapped. By this time, Lu Jiaxue had rushed to the front of the screen and saw Luo Yining holding the pipa.

Meanwhile, Qingqu had already hidden Daoyan in a gift box and secretly transported him out. She reached the riverbank, where a boat was already waiting. Lu Jiaxue was extremely agitated. He immediately asked Luo Yining how she knew how to play that song.

The old matriarch, knowing he wasn’t to be trusted, quickly stepped in to remind him that he was here for the literary banquet, and since it wasn’t official business, it was inappropriate for him to speak with the women of the Luo family. Lu Jiaxue tactfully left and returned to the Luo residence’s academy. The participants in the literary banquet were all talented young men, but Lu Jiaxue held the highest rank among them.

He suggested that the essay topic be based on the character "seek" (寻), and the teacher nodded in approval. The scholars then began composing their essays. When it came time for the evaluation, Luo Chengzhang first had Chen Lan’s son from the first branch submit his essay. The teacher criticized it for being forced and unoriginal. Then, Luo Chengzhang intentionally asked Xuanyuan to present his work, but Xuanyuan fainted before finishing!

Embarrassed, Luo Chengzhang felt ashamed, and the guests began mocking the younger generation of the Luo family for lacking the talent of the old patriarch. At this moment, Luo Shenyuan sternly reminded the murmuring crowd, and after much urging from Luo Yining, Luo Chengzhang finally agreed to let Luo Shenyuan submit his essay. After reviewing it, Mr. Song was full of praise and immediately accepted Luo Shenyuan as his prized student.

At the literary banquet, Luo Shenyuan impressed everyone with a poem, earning their admiration. Lu Jiaxue, who had spent the whole day searching the Luo residence without finding any evidence against him, was informed by his subordinates that there were still some gift boxes for the Cheng family that had not been searched. Lu Jiaxue realized that Luo Shenyuan was no ordinary opponent.

Luo Shenyuan, confident that Lu Jiaxue’s men wouldn’t dare inspect gifts meant for the powerful Cheng family, disguised his senior brother as a servant and hid him in the Cheng family’s sedan chair. It was a bold and risky move, showing how ruthless Luo Shenyuan could be. When Lu Jiaxue encountered Luo Yining again, although he had developed some feelings for her, Luo Yining, with her sharp tongue, never pandered to him and even had the courage to embarrass him.

Lu Jiaxue couldn’t quite figure out if Luo Yining was the same Meimei girl from his past acquaintance. That evening, Luo Chengzhang went to his son’s room, questioning him about his fainting during the poetry contest earlier in the day. Luo Xuanyuan, looking timid and fearful, later lashed out at his elder sister, blaming her for constantly urging him to stay up late studying, which left him too exhausted during the exam.

Finally, Luo Yining awaited the arrival of Zheng Rong, the old servant who had cared for her mother. Zheng Rong had served Luo Yining's mother until her death, and then left for the south. Luo Yining had gone through great trouble to have Qingqu invite her back. When the old matriarch saw Zheng Rong, her expression changed, and she scolded Zheng Rong for coming without an invitation.

Luo Yining quickly explained that she missed her mother and had asked Zheng Rong to stay for a few days. When no one else was around, Zheng Rong confided in Luo Yining that her mother’s death was highly suspicious. Back then, the concubine had been very cunning and had completely manipulated Luo Chengzhang. Luo Yining’s mother had originally wanted to divorce him, but for the sake of her children, she endured it.

For several years, Luo Chengzhang hadn’t visited her mother. But one day, he suddenly came to her courtyard and brought her a block of tea. Soon after, Luo Yining’s mother learned that Luo Chengzhang had come to covet her dowry. Heartbroken, she threw the tea under the crabapple tree, which eventually died from it. Luo Yining was shocked. Could it really be the tea her father gave that caused her mother’s death?

She rummaged through a small box containing her mother’s belongings and found half of the tea block still there. Unable to face the inevitable conclusion, she took the tea to Luo Shenyuan’s courtyard. Together, they witnessed a small white mouse die after eating food contaminated with the tea. That night, Luo Yining was overcome with anger and sorrow. She took the tea, determined to confront her father.

However, when she finally faced him and their eyes met, she found herself unable to speak. At that moment, Luo Shenyuan arrived and diffused the tense situation. Luo Shenyuan advised Luo Yining that while they now knew the tea was poisoned, they couldn’t yet prove that Luo Chengzhang was the one who had poisoned it. They would need solid evidence. Only after a doctor examined the tea to determine its exact contents could they make any conclusions.

Luo Yining began to consider the idea of having Luo Shenyuan added to the family genealogy. She went to discuss it with Lin Hairu, who had been childless since marrying into the Luo family. Luo Yining suggested that they could adopt Luo Shenyuan under Lin Hairu’s name. If Luo Shenyuan were to pass the imperial exams and become a scholar, Lin Hairu would be recognized as the mother of a scholar. Moreover, Luo Shenyuan was pure-hearted and grateful; he would certainly remember this kindness in the future.

Lin Hairu, after hearing Luo Yining's suggestion, recalled how Luo Shenyuan had once carried her on his back to another courtyard when she twisted her ankle, showing that, despite his cold demeanor, he had a warm heart and was someone who knew how to repay kindness. Lin Hairu then went to Luo Chengzhang and proposed officially adopting Luo Shenyuan as her son. Luo Chengzhang immediately opposed the idea.

He had never thought highly of Luo Shenyuan since childhood, and now, the idea of making him the heir seemed like pure luck. Luo Chengzhang was about to summon Luo Shenyuan to harshly criticize him, saying things like "not knowing his place. " But at that moment, Luo Chengzhang’s teacher arrived. Luo Chengzhang quickly stood up to greet him. His teacher had come specifically to express gratitude to Luo Shenyuan.

Recently, Luo Shenyuan had helped Master Sun and Minister Wang write a few articles, which had been well received by the emperor, who even rewarded them. Both teachers praised Luo Chengzhang for having such an excellent son and suggested that Luo Shenyuan should take the imperial exams this year. With his teacher’s recommendation, even though Luo Chengzhang was unwilling, he had no choice.

After the two teachers left, Luo Chengzhang called Luo Shenyuan in and unceremoniously accused him of being scheming by involving his superior to put in a good word. He demanded that Luo Shenyuan take the exams this year, or else the teacher would criticize him for not being broad-minded and for not being a good father. Luo Shenyuan, however, remained calm and composed.

He openly stated that he didn’t necessarily want to take the imperial exams, and if Luo Chengzhang didn’t agree, he wouldn’t force it. After Luo Shenyuan left, the old matriarch arrived. She knew that what Luo Shenyuan cared most about was Luo Xuanyuan. However, despite many years, Luo Xuanyuan had shown little academic progress.

Now, with Luo Shenyuan already displaying great literary talent, once he was included in the family genealogy and succeeded in the exams, he would certainly bring honor to the Luo family. Luo Chengzhang finally agreed to let Luo Shenyuan be added to the family genealogy. For the first time, Luo Shenyuan sat down for a meal at the same table with Luo Yining, Lin Hairu, Luo Yiyu, and others.

After the formalities, Luo Shenyuan’s name was officially written into the family genealogy. While wandering the streets, Luo Yining took an interest in a shop and, after some bargaining, decided to finalize the purchase the next day. Lin Mao, who noticed Luo Yining’s interest in the shop earlier, guessed that she wanted to go into business.

Since Lin Mao typically worked with making fragrances and cosmetics, he suggested that, if Luo Yining wanted to run a business, it would be inappropriate for an ordinary woman to be out in public. He offered to partner with her in the venture. The next day, Luo Yining and Lin Mao went to negotiate with the shop owner.

Just as they had agreed on a price, a representative from Longquan Trading entered, determined to buy the shop, offering to pay double what Luo Yining had negotiated. Luo Yining didn’t have that much money and was feeling stuck. Suddenly, she noticed Luo Shenyuan standing at the door, looking a bit awkward. Luo Yining observed that he and the representative from Longquan Trading seemed to exchange glances.

Hoping that Luo Shenyuan would help her persuade the buyer to back off, she asked him for assistance. Luo Shenyuan, pretending to be unaware, asked the other party what they intended to do with the shop. In reality, the representative was one of Luo Shenyuan’s men, who had planned to acquire the shop. But seeing that Luo Yining was interested, Luo Shenyuan ultimately made a compromise.

That evening, one of Luo Shenyuan’s attendants couldn’t help but comment on Luo Yining’s plan to buy the shop, expressing doubt about women running businesses. However, Luo Shenyuan disagreed, stating that Luo Yining was not an ordinary woman, although he acknowledged that she would likely face some difficulties after opening the shop.

Chen Lan, Luo Yixiu's mother, received some pastries from someone in the palace and was overjoyed. Word from the palace suggested that they were very pleased with Luo Yixiu. Now that someone important from the palace had taken a liking to her, Chen Lan decided to stop being so strict with Luo Yixiu and even allowed her to have pastries in the future. Luo Yixiu was extremely happy and shared some of the pastries with Lin Mao.

When Lin Mao heard that she was no longer restraining herself from eating sweets, he assumed that she had given up on herself. He encouraged her not to lose hope, saying that although she might be a bit fuller, she was kind and pure. He compared her to himself, noting that just as he wasn't good at studying, everyone has their strengths and weaknesses and shouldn’t belittle themselves. Lin Mao found himself growing more and more fond of Luo Yixiu.

Lin Hairu, watching from the window, saw the two of them chatting and laughing together. She frowned slightly, having noticed them laughing together several times now, sensing a growing bond between them. Lin Hairu reminded Lin Mao to keep his distance from Luo Yixiu. Though she and Chen Lan didn’t speak much, they had a mutual respect for each other. If Chen Lan found out about any relationship between Luo Yixiu and Lin Mao, she would definitely be furious.

Lin Mao, caught by his older sister, quickly defended himself, claiming he only liked slimmer girls and had always seen Luo Yixiu as a younger sister, with no improper intentions. Luo Yixiu, who had already left, suddenly remembered that she had prayed for a good fortune sign a few days ago. Wanting to give Lin Mao a lucky charm, she turned back, only to overhear the conversation between Lin Mao and Lin Hairu. This left her feeling a bit disappointed.

Meanwhile, Luo Chengwen, the eldest son of the Luo family, returned home after obtaining an official position. On his journey, he encountered a young woman who had lost her silver and was being pressured by the innkeeper for payment. The moment Luo Chengwen saw the young woman, he was struck by her resemblance to Luo Yining’s mother. He ordered his men to stop the carriage and paid the woman’s debt.

The young woman was deeply grateful and not only asked for his name but also requested his contact information so she could repay him later. Luo Chengwen initially didn’t mind, but after her insistence, he gave her the address of the Luo residence. Luo Yining invited Luo Yixiu for some almond pudding, and the two chatted happily.

When the conversation turned to the delicate taste of pufferfish, Luo Yixiu casually mentioned that she had eaten pufferfish several years ago, when her uncle had come to the Luo family and cooked it. She hadn’t had it since. Luo Yining was secretly surprised. Could this be related to Chen Lan?

The tea leaves that had poisoned her mother were tainted with pufferfish toxin, and it seemed that the only person in the family who could cook pufferfish was somehow connected to Chen Lan. The next day, the young woman Luo Chengwen had helped, Liu Qinghua, came to repay her debt. When the old matriarch of the Luo family saw her, she was struck by how much Liu Qinghua resembled Luo Yining’s mother.

Feeling a sense of affection for her, the matriarch, after hearing about Liu Qinghua’s tragic background and her search for relatives, decided to take pity on her. She offered to let Liu Qinghua stay at the Luo residence until her relatives could be found. Although Chen Lan wasn’t happy about it, she outwardly agreed to let Liu Qinghua stay. Lu Jiaxue, having learned that Luo Yining was out, immediately set out to find her.

Lu Jiaxue had been keeping a close eye on the Luo family, initially instructing his men to monitor Luo Shenyuan, but now he had developed a special interest in Luo Yining. This time, he happened to catch Luo Yining pushing Young Master Xu into a small river after he tried to harass her. Her swift and brave actions showed she wasn’t like other women who might have panicked. She didn’t fear the powerful, and her courage was rare.

Lu Jiaxue stepped forward, reprimanding Young Master Xu for harassing women in broad daylight. With his status as a marquis, Xu had no choice but to leave in embarrassment. Lu Jiaxue then approached Luo Yining with a friendly demeanor, trying to strike up a conversation, but Luo Yining remained guarded, speaking little. After thanking him, she tried to leave. However, Lu Jiaxue insisted and almost ordered Luo Yining to come to his residence to learn how to play chess.

Luo Yining had no choice but to comply. After losing a few moves on purpose, she again asked to leave. But Lu Jiaxue refused to let her go, even proposing a wager over their game. Luo Yining, in no mood for this, firmly declined, reminding him that his chess skills were excellent, and she wasn’t a match for him. Lu Jiaxue grew suspicious. This was his first time teaching her chess—how did she know his skills were so advanced?

Lu Jiaxue, in a fit of emotion, grabbed Luo Yining's arm and asked how she knew he had a gambling problem. There was only one person in the world who thought that of him, and that person was Meimei! Luo Yining, looking into his eyes, realized that he wouldn’t let her go until he got an explanation, so she made up a lie. She claimed that the "Meimei" girl Lu Jiaxue mentioned was actually her maid.

Back then, this maid had helped care for a blind man at a villa and had shared her story with Luo Yining. Originally, Luo Yining had intended to return the maid’s indenture contract when she got married, but one day, the maid returned covered in blood! Luo Yining went on to say that this Meimei had true feelings for that man but tragically died at his hands.

Before her death, the maid gave Luo Yining a white jade pendant with the character "Lu" engraved on it, and now it seemed like the man was indeed Lu Jiaxue! Desperate to know where Meimei had been buried, Lu Jiaxue asked Luo Yining for the location. Luo Yining, word by word, told him that she was buried at the villa and that no tombstone was erected to forget the past.

Lu Jiaxue felt as if his heart was being torn apart, and seeing Luo Yining’s expression, he believed she wasn’t lying. As Lu Jiaxue was lost in thought, Luo Yining quickly left the marquis' residence. That night, Luo Yining, drinking away her sorrows in the pavilion, encountered Luo Shenyuan, who was returning late. She had already had quite a bit to drink, and at this point, she didn’t care about the rules and restrictions of the day.

She threw herself into Luo Shenyuan’s arms, asking if he would always protect her, and if bad people came, would he stand by her side? Luo Shenyuan gently patted her shoulder, reassuring her that they would always be there for her. Luo Yining nodded, thinking they were just brother and sister, unaware of the thoughts in Luo Shenyuan’s heart—this was the girl he cared for deeply, and he would never fail her!

With the imperial exams approaching, Luo Yilian noticed her brother Xuanyuan growing more and more anxious. Ever since Luo Shenyuan had been added to the Luo family’s genealogy and began studying alongside Xuanyuan and the others, Xuanyuan had been feeling immense pressure. To help her brother eliminate any obstacles, Luo Yilian had her maid prepare a few items.

Then, taking advantage of Luo Yining's lack of caution, she tampered with some of the things Luo Shenyuan would need for the exam. Luo Yining, observing how Luo Yilian had been diligently delivering snacks to her brothers' courtyards over the past few days, knew she was up to something. She preemptively instructed her maid, Xuezhi, to be on alert the next time Luo Yilian visited. As expected, Luo Yilian did visit Luo Shenyuan’s study, Jimo Pavilion.

Luo Yining carefully inspected the items Luo Shenyuan would take to the exam and quietly informed Lin Hairu of her findings. As the Luo family’s scholars prepared to enter the examination hall, Lin Hairu deliberately suggested to Luo Chengzhang that he check what the children were taking with them, just to avoid any mistakes. Luo Chengzhang inspected each person’s belongings and paid special attention to Xuanyuan’s bundle. He found that Xuanyuan’s bag contained two extra candles.

Upon closer inspection, he discovered that someone had hidden cheat sheets inside the candles! If the examiners found out, Xuanyuan would face severe punishment, losing his qualification to ever take the exams again. Furious, Luo Chengzhang demanded to know what was going on. Trembling, Luo Xuanyuan knelt down, insisting he had no idea how it happened. Luo Yilian, pale-faced, immediately knelt before their father, claiming that her brother was completely innocent.

Luo Yilian, with tears streaming down her face, knelt before her father. Upon hearing that her father was about to punish her brother and forbid him from taking the imperial exams, she deeply regretted her actions. She begged her father, pleading that since Xuanyuan had studied diligently for many years, he should be allowed to take the exam. In the end, Luo Chengzhang was moved by sympathy and agreed to let Xuanyuan participate in the exam.

Luo Yining escorted Luo Shenyuan out of the house, and Luo Shenyuan whispered that they had ultimately spared Luo Yilian. Luo Yining smiled, acknowledging that Xuanyuan was innocent. After studying hard for so many years, it would be a shame if he lost his chance because of his elder sister's poor decisions. Finally, Luo Shenyuan secured the top position—he became the Jieyuan (the highest rank in the provincial exams).

On the day the results were announced, Luo Yining was overjoyed to see his name in first place. Lin Hairu was genuinely happy for Luo Shenyuan as well. Despite not showing much favoritism towards him in the past, and never giving him any special treatment in his studies, she was surprised and proud that he had succeeded! When those who had come to check the results learned that Luo Shenyuan had become the Jieyuan, they immediately began proposing marriage alliances.

Lin Hairu, proudly leading Luo Shenyuan back home, felt this was her moment of glory. Ever since she married into the Luo family, she had endured the scorn of concubines and suffered the pain of not having children. But since Luo Shenyuan was adopted into her care, good fortune had followed. Now, she was the mother of the Jieyuan! When Luo Chengzhang heard that Xuanyuan had passed the exam, he was very pleased.

But upon learning that Luo Shenyuan had taken the top spot, the smile disappeared from his face. Luo Shanyuan did not pass the exam, and Chen Lan felt deeply troubled. She did not attend the celebration banquet that night.

Lin Mao also failed the exam, and fearing his elder sister's wrath, he cried and wailed before Lin Hairu, expressing deep regret and vowing to work hard in the future to make up for his failure and not disappoint his sister and parents. Seeing her brother in tears, Lin Hairu nearly believed that he had truly changed. She deliberately instructed the maid to close the door.

Lin Mao, thinking his sister had left, pulled out the wine and meat hidden under his bed, feeling smug that he had once again deceived his sister. Little did he know, as he looked up, his sister’s stick was already coming down! Lu Jiaxue took his men to the villa Luo Yining had mentioned and found the unmarked tombstone. Inside was a woman’s corpse.

His subordinates also reported the results of their investigation: years ago, a maid named Meimei, who had been by Luo Yining’s side, had indeed died. Lu Jiaxue, devastated, left with a heavy heart and ordered his men to give the woman a proper burial. After Luo Shenyuan became the Jieyuan, the old lady of the Luo family kept her promise and handed over the evidence written by the old master Luo.

Luo Shenyuan took this precious and heavy piece of evidence, vowing to clear the injustice while ensuring no harm would come to the Luo family. Daoyan still decided to strike the Dengwen Drum (a drum used to seek justice), despite Luo Shenyuan's strong objections. Luo Shenyuan, now the Jieyuan, urged him to wait a bit longer. Once Luo Shenyuan had passed the higher-level exams and obtained an official position, it would be easier to handle things.

Daoyan, though appreciative of his younger disciple’s good intentions, couldn’t wait any longer. Now gravely ill, the only thing Daoyan wanted was to present his petition and draw the attention of the court officials. Lu Jiaxue had also noticed Daoyan but didn’t immediately arrest him. Instead, he planned to use Daoyan as bait to catch all those who supported Chen Jiuheng. Luo Shenyuan had guessed Lu Jiaxue’s intentions.

Although his elder brother had already resigned himself to life and death, Luo Shenyuan still quietly spread the word, hoping his fellow disciples could secretly protect Daoyan.

After Daoyan struck the Dengwen Drum, he knelt outside the yamen, hoping that the court officials would investigate the case. While Daoyan swore to seek justice at all costs, his fellow disciples transcribed the injustice onto paper and distributed it to every passerby. People were shocked to learn that Daoyan was seeking justice for his master, with both witnesses and evidence available.

The crowd buzzed with conversation, and the officials involved began to panic, secretly urging Lu Jiaxue to eliminate the problem quickly. That night, Lu Jiaxue sent assassins to kill Daoyan, but Luo Shenyuan secretly protected him and decisively dealt with the would-be assassins without mercy. Under the protection of his senior and junior brothers, Daoyan remained unharmed. By the next morning, the crowd had gathered around Daoyan, discussing the matter.

Unable to withstand the public pressure, the court ordered local official Wang Yuan to reopen the case. However, Wang Yuan had been part of the corrupt group involved in the embezzlement back then, so the case was still downplayed. Luo Shenyuan pondered that to truly clear his master's name, they needed someone with enough authority to challenge the local officials. They thought of the Duke of England, who was currently in charge of the tea tax.

If he found out that there had been embezzlement related to the tea tax, he would surely not let it slide. To give the Duke some motivation, they found out that his soldiers on the front lines were lacking medical supplies, so they sent him a large chest full of what was needed. The Duke of England received the account books and the medicinal supplies.

Luo Yining and Luo Shenyuan, watching the supplies being carried into the Duke's mansion, finally breathed a sigh of relief. If the Duke was a just man, he would surely reopen the case. Lu Jiaxue, hearing his subordinates' report, saw Luo Yining and Luo Shenyuan’s sedan chairs nearby. He deliberately rushed over. Luo Yining and Luo Shenyuan noticed traces of blood on his wrist.

Lu Jiaxue wiped off the blood and casually explained that he had spent the entire night interrogating Daoyan, using all eighteen forms of punishment, but Daoyan was a tough one. However, he assured them that he would eventually find a way to make him talk. Hearing how his senior brother had suffered in prison, Luo Shenyuan’s hatred for Lu Jiaxue grew. Knowing how sinister Lu Jiaxue’s intentions were, he maintained a calm façade and prepared to leave with Luo Yining.

Lu Jiaxue specifically requested a private conversation with Luo Yining. Although Luo Shenyuan tried to excuse it by claiming they had urgent matters at home, he did not stop them. Luo Yining had no choice but to stay behind and face Lu Jiaxue alone. Lu Jiaxue mentioned that he had recently visited the villa and found the unmarked grave. Indeed, there was a female corpse inside, but he had a feeling that it wasn’t "Meimei" herself.

Looking at Lu Jiaxue’s face, Luo Yining was reminded of how she had once been pushed off a cliff because of him, sending chills down her spine. Just as the tension between them reached a peak, Luo Shenyuan arrived and took Luo Yining away. The two of them sat in the sedan chair in silence as they returned to the Luo residence.

Seeing Luo Yining’s pale face and sensing her silence, Luo Shenyuan knew that something must have happened between her and Lu Jiaxue. However, he chose not to press further and only reminded Luo Yining that if she needed his help, she should let him know. Previously, Luo Yixiu had complained to Lin Mao about her favorite snack being unavailable.

Lin Mao had pounded his chest, promising to find it for her, just so she wouldn’t pursue the matter of him telling Lin Hairu certain things. Since then, Luo Yixiu had not seen Lin Mao in the house, and word had it that Lin Hairu was anxiously searching for him everywhere, with no sign of him. Lin Hairu believed that her brother, upset after failing the imperial exams and being scolded by her, had run away out of anger.

However, Luo Yixiu suspected that Lin Mao had returned to their hometown to find the pastry she had requested. That evening, Yang Qinghua saw the eldest son of the Luo family stumbling back home drunk, his steps unsteady. She quickly went forward to help him, but unexpectedly, the eldest son mistook Yang Qinghua for Minglan. He grabbed her hand, calling out Minglan’s name and clinging to her desperately, as if in a delirious state, unwilling to let go. Yang Qinghua struggled to free herself, just as Chen Lan witnessed the scene unfold.

Chen Lan was prone to jealousy, and seeing her husband entangled with another woman, her jealousy flared up. Her servant asked if she wanted to take action, but Chen Lan shook her head. Though from the first time she met Yang Qinghua, she felt this woman would bring trouble, she decided to patiently wait until Yang Qinghua left the Luo residence before making her move. The next day, Yang Qinghua bid farewell to Luo Yining.

Although she had not yet found her brother, what happened the previous night made it hard for her to stay any longer. Luo Yining suggested she temporarily stay at Minglan Hall. One day, while the two were chatting, someone mentioned seeing Yang Qinghua’s brother in the refugee area. Since Yang Qinghua had sprained her ankle, Luo Yining went in her place but ended up being kidnapped.

When Luo Shenyuan heard that Luo Yining had been taken, he immediately sent Qingqu to the Luo residence to ask for reinforcements from Chang’an, while he rushed off to find Luo Yining himself. He finally rescued her at a desolate graveyard. However, just as they were about to leave, someone threw a pile of realgar powder at them. Luo Shenyuan inhaled the realgar powder, which made his head swell and his vision blurry.

Yet, through sheer willpower, he managed to fend off two bandits and escaped with Luo Yining. After narrowly avoiding the pursuers, Luo Shenyuan collapsed from exhaustion. Luo Yining desperately called out to him. The night was deep, and the area was pitch black with not a soul in sight. Luo Yining feared that Luo Shenyuan might not wake up, but fortunately, Chang’an arrived shortly afterward. Luo Shenyuan was brought back to the Luo residence to recuperate.

Luo Yining asked Qingqu to carefully examine him, and Qingqu remarked that inhaling realgar powder was highly toxic and that he would need to rest for a while. Yang Qinghua finally found her brother and bid farewell to Luo Yining. Before leaving, she told her about how the eldest son of the Luo family had mistaken her for Minglan that night. Luo Yining finally began to understand what had happened—it seemed that the two kidnappers had targeted the wrong person.

Once Luo Shenyuan had recovered, he immediately tracked down the two kidnappers, who admitted that someone had paid them to kill. Luo Yining suspected it was Chen Lan. The kidnappers had sealed her in a coffin, clearly intending to kill her. Such vicious methods could also explain how they might have dealt with Luo Yining's mother. However, they still lacked evidence and would need to investigate further. After Luo Shenyuan recovered, he and Luo Yining returned to the Luo residence.

When the elderly Madam Luo heard that they had submitted their testimony to the Duke of England, she praised their wisdom. The Duke was a mortal enemy of Wang Yuan and Song Yingshan, and now that he had this leverage, he certainly wouldn't let the matter go easily. Lin Mao finally returned. He appeared at the entrance of the Luo residence, covered in mud, his hair disheveled, looking like a beggar.

Lin Hairu was shocked at his appearance and quickly sent him off to clean up. After bathing and changing into clean clothes, Lin Mao immediately sought out Luo Yixiu and delivered the condiments and snacks she had been craving. At that time, the gifts sent by the Princess piled high. Lin Mao knew his status couldn’t compare, so after handing the items to Luo Yixiu’s maid, he turned and left.

The maid delivered Lin Mao’s items to Luo Yixiu, and upon seeing them, Luo Yixiu immediately went out to find him. She candidly expressed that although the Princess had sent many delicacies, nothing compared to what they ate at the Liuhe Tavern. The two of them always had endless things to talk about, their faces glowing with joy and their eyes full of sparkle.

This time, Lin Mao returned from his hometown, deeply affected by the chaotic scenes of war along the way. He told his elder sister that he no longer wished to take the imperial exams, as he was not good at it and had no passion for it. He wanted to go into business and even persuaded her not to force him anymore.

Lin Mao said he wanted to earn a lot of money, some of which he would use to support soldiers on the front lines, while the rest would go to disaster relief, so that starving refugees could have something to eat. Lin Mao spoke with great emotion, and Luo Yixiu found his ideas admirable. Lin Mao wanted to produce cosmetics but feared his elder sister wouldn’t agree. So, he asked Luo Yining and Luo Shenyuan to help convince Lin Hairu together.

The Duke of England, carrying evidence of Wang Yuan’s embezzlement, went to meet the emperor. On the way, he was spotted by Wang Yuan, who pulled him aside and spoke many flattering words. Wang Yuan had learned that the emperor had entrusted the case of Chen Jiuheng to the Duke of England, leaving him puzzled by the emperor’s decision. However, the Duke pretended to be unaware of it, leaving Wang Yuan no choice but to depart in frustration.

Wang Yuan, who had once been a favorite in the emperor's court, had treated the Duke poorly, especially regarding the supply of provisions to the front line. Now that Wang Yuan had fallen out of favor, the Duke harbored a deep grudge and would not easily let him off. Lin Hairu organized a grand celebration banquet for Luo Shenyuan, and people came in droves to offer their congratulations.

Ever since the passing of Old Master Luo, the Luo family had fallen into decline, but now that the second son of the Luo family had passed the provincial examination as the top scorer, many believed that the family would rise again. Especially those with daughters of marriageable age, who eagerly visited the Luo residence, hoping to arrange a marriage with Luo Shenyuan. Suddenly, the Luo family was filled with beautiful young women.

Even Luo Shenyuan’s teacher introduced his own daughter to him. Miss Liu, from a family of scholars, was not only beautiful and fair-skinned but also had an air of elegance. When Luo Shenyuan exchanged courtesies with her, it seemed as though Miss Liu might have developed a fondness for him. Luo Yining noticed that many of the young women visiting were casting lingering glances at Luo Shenyuan. Smiling, she teased him to pick one quickly. However, Luo Shenyuan remained unmoved.

He openly admitted that he did not like Miss Liu and was not interested in any of the beauties Luo Yining had selected for him. He even asked her to stop trying to find him a match, as he already had an image of his ideal woman in mind. Luo Yining, intrigued, asked him who the lucky woman was, but Luo Shenyuan only smiled without answering. Among those who came to offer congratulations was also the Princess.

Her only son, Han Zhao, who usually had little interest in food due to digestive issues, had recently developed an appetite after meeting Luo Yixiu. Watching her eat with relish had piqued his interest in food, and since then, Han Zhao often visited Luo Yixiu. The Princess had taken note of this, and during her visit, she told Chen Lan that as long as Han Zhao was happy, she would be willing to accept a marriage between the two.

However, Luo Yixiu did not show much enthusiasm toward Han Zhao, even when he brought her pastries. Instead, she spent her time sightseeing with Lin Mao. Chen Lan, noticing this, became very angry and immediately warned Luo Yixiu to keep her distance from Lin Mao. She even went so far as to lock Luo Yixiu up for a few days to reflect on her actions.

Lu Jiaxue also came to the Luo residence to offer his congratulations, bringing with him the adopted daughter of the Duke of England. Upon arrival, she immediately picked up a brush and invited Luo Shenyuan to demonstrate his calligraphy. Luo Shenyuan’s writing was bold and powerful, and Luo Yining, watching nervously from the side, knew that the visitors had ulterior motives. Lu Jiaxue must have seen her handwriting and was now deliberately testing her.

Fortunately, Luo Shenyuan had been teaching Luo Yining calligraphy for some time. She carefully imitated a few characters, making her writing style resemble Luo Shenyuan’s. Lu Jiaxue was surprised, as the writing did not match what he had seen at the other residence. After the calligraphy competition, Lu Jiaxue privately invited Luo Yining to cut paper designs with him. He also asked about Miss Mei Mei. Although Luo Yining answered cautiously, Lu Jiaxue wasn’t easily fooled.

He suddenly grabbed her hand, claiming he remembered what it felt like to hold Miss Mei Mei's hand. Startled, Luo Yining accidentally cut herself with the scissors, drawing blood. Luo Shenyuan quickly stepped in to defuse the situation and played a game of chess with Lu Jiaxue. During the game, Lu Jiaxue casually remarked that overturning Chen Jiuheng’s case would be extremely difficult and mentioned that the case would soon be handed over to the Court of Judicial Review.

He hinted that even Daoyan’s ability to intervene might be in question. This reminded Luo Shenyuan that he could not let his senior brother die unjustly in prison. He rallied his fellow disciples to plan a prison break.

Before departing, he entrusted all the silver notes, property deeds, and the token for the Liuhe Tavern that he had saved up over the years to Chang’an, instructing him that if he didn’t return safely, these items should be handed over to Luo Yining. These assets had been prepared as part of Luo Yining’s dowry, but to avoid any unforeseen events, he arranged everything in advance.

He even purchased elegant new shelves and display cabinets for the store Luo Yining had recently opened, so he could leave without any regrets. Finally, Luo Shenyuan went to see Luo Yining.

At the Anbei Marquis' residence, Lu Jiaxue was carefully carving a wooden sculpture. He knew something would happen soon, so after tidying up, he prepared to escort Daoyan to the Court of Judicial Review. Luo Yining sent Qingqu to investigate Luo Shenyuan's whereabouts over the past few days. Upon hearing that Luo Shenyuan was neither at the other residence nor the academy so late at night, she sensed that something was going to happen.

She immediately went to Luo Shenyuan’s courtyard and asked Chang’an what had occurred. Chang’an gave her the items Luo Shenyuan had entrusted to him before leaving, along with a letter. After reading the letter, Luo Yining realized that Luo Shenyuan was prepared to die while attempting to rescue the prisoner!

Luo Yining rushed towards the direction of the Anbei Marquis' residence, but on her way, she saw masked men in black, led by Luo Shenyuan, fighting fiercely with Lu Jiaxue’s soldiers near the Liuhe Tavern. The scene was brutal. Lu Jiaxue’s soldiers wore golden armor, and their weapons were sharp. Luo Shenyuan and his fellow disciples were at a disadvantage.

Luo Yining noticed someone secretly aiming an arrow at Luo Shenyuan, so she quickly took a detour, throwing a porcelain bottle to deflect the arrow. Just as Luo Shenyuan was about to be captured by Lu Jiaxue, Luo Yining hastily came up with a plan. She gathered a large number of firecrackers and fireworks. At the moment when Lu Jiaxue and Luo Shenyuan were at a stalemate, the Duke of England arrived!

Daoyan, in a desperate attempt to force the Duke to punish Lu Jiaxue, committed suicide by cutting his throat on Lu Jiaxue’s sword. Lu Jiaxue was shocked, and with the Duke present, the situation became even more complicated. With Daoyan dead, Luo Shenyuan was both furious and heartbroken. He found himself in a difficult position. At that moment, Luo Yining threw down fireworks from the tavern, causing a burst of sparks and loud noises.

Taking advantage of the chaos, Luo Shenyuan and his fellow disciples made their escape. Lu Jiaxue looked up and clearly saw that the person throwing the fireworks was Luo Yining! She watched until Luo Shenyuan’s companions had safely left before leaving the tavern. As she crossed the bridge, Lu Jiaxue caught up with her. His eyes were filled with fury as he grabbed Luo Yining by the neck.

He despised her for once again ruining his plans and letting Luo Shenyuan escape. Gripping her tightly, he taunted her, saying that despite all her efforts to protect Luo Shenyuan, she should see if her beloved third brother would come to rescue her tonight! Luo Shenyuan, hidden in the shadows, saw Luo Yining in grave danger, held hostage by Lu Jiaxue.

He wanted to rush out and save her, but his senior brother stopped him, reminding him that acting rashly would only fall into Lu Jiaxue’s trap and put Luo Yining in further danger. Luo Yining knew that Luo Shenyuan would risk his life to save her, so to protect him, she pulled out a dagger and stabbed Lu Jiaxue in the arm. Then, without hesitation, she turned and jumped into the rushing river.

Luo Yining believed she was surely going to die, but when she woke up, she found herself back in the Luo residence, lying on her bed. Qingqu informed her that it was Luo Shenyuan who had brought her back. Luo Yining recalled the terrifying dream she had just had, in which Lu Jiaxue had once again pushed her off a cliff.

She wasn’t sure if Lu Jiaxue now suspected her even more, as when she jumped into the river, she had shouted that even if she were to die again, she would never allow him to threaten Luo Shenyuan! Chen Lan, upon hearing that Luo Yining had fallen ill again, lamented that despite her intelligence, the girl seemed to have little good fortune. A nanny remarked that Luo Yining’s frail health made her resemble a premature baby.

This aroused Chen Lan’s suspicions, and she began considering investigating the circumstances surrounding Luo Yining’s birth. After Luo Yining's health improved slightly, Luo Shenyuan came to apologize to her, admitting that he shouldn’t have hidden the plan from her during the operation. Luo Yining candidly told him that if anything had happened to him, she would never have been able to return to her previous happy state.

She also urged Luo Shenyuan not to build any more walls around himself, even if it was for her sake as his sister. Afterward, Luo Yining recounted her past experiences with Lu Jiaxue to Luo Shenyuan.

Luo Yining told Luo Shenyuan about her past with Lu Jiaxue. Luo Shenyuan was deeply saddened to learn how much Luo Yining had suffered. He realized that if Luo Yining hadn’t been lucky when she was pushed off the cliff, he might have lost her forever. Silently, he made up his mind that from now on, he would protect Luo Yining well, and no one would be allowed to bully her. That night, Lu Jiaxue entered his bedroom.

Surprisingly, the room was decorated like a bridal chamber, with many red candles lit. The room was filled with paper cutouts and a mohe doll, things that Meimei had liked. Ever since Lu Jiaxue’s sister had fallen off the cliff, he had been overwhelmed with grief and had decorated the room as if it were his and Meimei’s wedding chamber. Every night, he would think about the memories they shared and fall asleep in those comforting thoughts.

Lin Mao felt sad thinking about how Luo Yixiu was confined to her room every day. One of his servants suggested that perhaps Han Zhao was only attached to Luo Yixiu because of the meals. If Han Zhao’s anorexia was cured, he might no longer be interested in Luo Yixiu. This idea struck Lin Mao like a revelation. He immediately developed a medicine to treat Han Zhao’s anorexia and sent it to him.

Han Zhao, upon hearing that Luo Yixiu was being grounded because of him, figured out what was going on. Combined with the effective medicine from Lin Mao, Han Zhao’s appetite improved, and he no longer longed to see Luo Yixiu. Meanwhile, Chen Lan brought pastries to visit the Princess, who mentioned that the children's own wishes should be respected. Chen Lan sensed there was something more to this.

When Chen Lan returned to the Luo residence, she discovered that Luo Yixiu had been using a goose to secretly exchange messages. This time, she received a note from Lin Mao and couldn’t help but smile. But Chen Lan caught her red-handed. Enraged, Chen Lan wanted to kill the goose on the spot, but Lin Mao intervened, forbidding anyone from harming his pet. Luo Yixiu also shouted that her mother shouldn’t always control her life.

Furious, Chen Lan went to find Lin Hairu, who once again reminded Lin Mao not to harbor delusions—Chen Lan had high standards and wouldn’t look favorably upon a merchant’s family. Not long after, Luo Yining received an invitation from Zhao Mingzhu of the Duke of England’s mansion. Last time, Zhao Mingzhu had attended a celebratory banquet at the Luo residence, where she practiced calligraphy and chatted with the girls from the Luo family, all while following Lu Jiaxue.

Luo Yining knew this invitation wasn’t a good sign, but if she didn’t accept this time, she would have to face the invitation again later. So, she gathered her courage and went. Sure enough, soon after Luo Yining arrived at Zhao Mingzhu’s place, a servant intentionally brushed against her with dogtail grass. Lu Jiaxue approached from a distance, keenly observing as Luo Yining began to scratch her neck and wrists.

During his time of blindness, he had overheard that Luo Yining was allergic to bulrush, and now he was testing her again. Luo Shenyuan went to participate in the provincial examination and unexpectedly won first place again. However, the son of his stepmother failed this time. Lin Hairu was delighted and prepared to host another celebration, but Luo Chengzhang reminded her to keep a low profile.

Luo Shenyuan also agreed with his father's suggestion, as he needed to prepare for the upcoming imperial examination. Luo Yining personally made a piece of clothing for Luo Shenyuan, embroidered with ginkgo leaves, hoping he would succeed in the exam. Luo Shenyuan treasured this garment like a prized possession from that moment on. Lin Mao took Luo Yixiu boating, and the scenery was beautiful. When their eyes met, both had looks of regret on their faces.

Luo Yixiu knew her mother wouldn’t approve, so she told Lin Mao that it was best for them to keep their distance in the future. Hearing this directly from Luo Yixiu, Lin Mao gave up hope. Not long after, an accident occurred while boating, and both Lin Mao and Luo Yixiu fell into the water.

A nanny by Lin Mao's side, understanding his feelings, shouted for help, causing many people to witness Lin Mao rescuing Luo Yixiu from the river, which affected her reputation. When Luo Yixiu returned to the Luo residence, Chen Lan urged her to marry into the Princess's household quickly, so the incident of falling into the water wouldn’t tarnish her reputation. However, Luo Yixiu refused to agree.

Luo Chengzhang overheard the argument between mother and daughter and stepped in, telling Chen Lan not to interfere with the children's marriage decisions.

Chen Lan was eager to seize the opportunity to connect with the Princess. Now that her daughter had fallen into the water and rumors were spreading, she only wanted to marry her daughter off as quickly as possible. However, Luo Yixiu refused, as she did not like Han Zhao. Shortly after, Luo Yining arrived. Chen Lan asked her to chat with her sister while she went to visit the Old Madam of the Luo family.

Luo Yining discreetly sent Luo Yixiu’s maid away, and then brought Lin Mao to see her. Upon seeing each other, Luo Yixiu and Lin Mao immediately embraced, for they were truly in love. Luo Yixiu complained that she did not like Han Zhao, and Lin Mao wanted to take her away immediately. Luo Yining stopped them, advising against rash actions.

She told them they needed to think things through carefully, reminding them that Lin Hairu was still in the Luo residence and they would need to face her in the future. Luo Yining reassured Luo Yixiu not to worry, promising to find a way to help them. Chen Lan then brought Luo Yixiu and Lin Mao to meet with Han Zhao. Han Zhao could see that the two had deep feelings for each other.

Being a soft-hearted person, he agreed not to force anything since Luo Yixiu didn’t like him and agreed to follow through with what they had discussed. Sure enough, not long after, Chen Lan took Luo Yixiu to visit the Princess. During the visit, she intentionally brought up the incident of Luo Yixiu falling into the water. Han Zhao was also present, and he deliberately mentioned that it wasn’t him who saved Luo Yixiu that day, but rather Lin Mao.

Chen Lan was caught off guard, despite knowing that it was Han Zhao who saved her daughter, but now he was denying it. Back at the Luo residence, Chen Lan slapped Luo Yixiu and completely locked her up. Meanwhile, Luo Yining received a report from her subordinates, informing her that Qiao Yuechan’s illness had worsened.

Luo Yining still had unanswered questions in her heart, so she set off for the countryside estate to ask Qiao Yuechan if she had known about Minglan’s early death. However, Qiao Yuechan, disheartened by her son’s failure to pass the imperial exams and filled with despair, was stricken with anger and showed no kindness to Luo Yining when she arrived. She didn’t reveal the truth to Luo Yining either. Chen Lan's informant secretly reported Luo Yining's visit to the estate.

Fearing that Luo Yining might uncover the truth of the past, Chen Lan ordered her informant to poison Qiao Yuechan. That very day, Qiao Yuechan died under suspicious circumstances. After Qiao Yuechan’s death, word quickly spread to the Luo family. Luo Yilian immediately suspected Luo Yining and, without bothering to find out the details, ran to Luo Yining’s courtyard and began hurling insults. Luo Chengzhang was surprised by the situation.

Even though Qiao Yuechan had once mistreated Luo Yining, it didn’t seem like Luo Yining was someone who would resort to underhanded tactics. He ordered his subordinates to keep the news contained and not report it to the authorities until the truth had been investigated. Seeing that no stir was caused, Chen Lan kidnapped the parents of Xuezhi, the maid serving Luo Yining, and forced her to go to the authorities to falsely accuse Luo Yining of murder.

Xuezhi had no choice but to comply, and soon the officials arrived at the Luo residence and arrested Luo Yining. That night, Luo Yixiu overheard the news of Luo Yining’s arrest. She sneaked out of her room, intending to ask her mother what had happened. Suddenly, she saw her nanny rushing sneakily toward her mother’s room. Out of curiosity, Luo Yixiu eavesdropped by the window and heard her mother ordering her servants to kill Luo Yining in prison. Horrified, Luo Yixiu ran to inform Lin Mao that very night.

In the dead of night, a prison guard quietly released an assassin. The assassin unlocked the door to Luo Yining’s cell and used an iron chain to strangle her. She was on the brink of death when another guard heard the commotion and rushed over, stopping the assassin just in time. Upon hearing Luo Yixiu’s words, Lin Mao hurried to the provincial capital to find Luo Shenyuan. At the time, Luo Shenyuan was still preparing for the palace exam.

When he heard about the trouble at home, he immediately asked his teacher for leave. His teacher reminded him that this was a critical moment for his exam preparations, but Luo Shenyuan insisted on taking time off. Luo Shenyuan rushed back to the Luo residence without delay and retrieved the clues he had previously gathered.

He immediately took them to the county magistrate, but the magistrate maintained that there were witnesses and evidence, and thus, he couldn’t release anyone for the time being. However, given Luo Shenyuan’s standing as the top provincial scholar, the magistrate agreed to grant him some face and allowed Luo Yining to be bailed out under Luo Shenyuan’s guarantee. Lu Jiaxue, having heard that Luo Yining was imprisoned, found Song Ziyun, who had once forced Luo Yining off a cliff.

He brought Song Ziyun to the prison to identify whether Luo Yining was "Meimei. " Song Ziyun had forced Luo Yining off the cliff because she wanted to marry Lu Jiaxue herself, but she underestimated Lu Jiaxue’s resolve. After learning that the woman he loved had been forced off the cliff, he sent Song Ziyun and her entire family to prison. Upon seeing Luo Yining, Song Ziyun immediately recognized her as "Meimei," but she deliberately claimed otherwise.

However, her expression betrayed her. Lu Jiaxue had his men take Song Ziyun away, now certain that Luo Yining was indeed Meimei. Lu Jiaxue bent down and saw the marks on Luo Yining’s neck from the attempted strangling. Furious, he berated the prison guards and then picked her up, intending to take her away. Luo Yining, still shaken from the earlier attack, saw Lu Jiaxue as a nightmare and struggled desperately, refusing to leave with him.

At that moment, Luo Shenyuan arrived and ordered Lu Jiaxue to put Luo Yining down. Enraged, Lu Jiaxue drew his sword and pointed it at Luo Shenyuan, warning that anyone who stood in his way would meet a fatal end. Yet, Luo Shenyuan stood his ground. Luo Yining grabbed Lu Jiaxue’s sword and pointed it at herself, threatening him. She declared that if he harmed Luo Shenyuan even slightly, she would end her life right there.

Lu Jiaxue, unwilling to hurt Luo Yining, let go and allowed Luo Shenyuan to take her away. Back at the Luo residence, Chen Lan, still intent on eliminating Luo Yining, pushed her into a pond, hoping to drown her. However, she didn’t realize that Luo Shenyuan had been secretly guarding Luo Yining all along. Just as Nanny Liu was about to strike, Luo Shenyuan grabbed her arm, stopping her. Luo Shenyuan had also uncovered the poison from the pufferfish.

Luo Yining immediately reported to her father, Luo Chengzhang, that it was Chen Lan who had poisoned Qiao Yuechan and had repeatedly tried to harm her, as well as her mother, Minglan. Chen Lan demanded proof. At that moment, Qiao Yuechan appeared—she had not died after all. It turned out that when Chen Lan had instigated several nannies to poison Qiao Yuechan, Luo Yining and her maid had intervened halfway through.

The news of Qiao Yuechan’s death had been released to lure out the culprits. Luo Yixiu also testified, saying she had witnessed her mother ordering Luo Yining’s murder in the prison. Enraged and humiliated, Chen Lan slapped Luo Yixiu and, in front of everyone, deliberately revealed Luo Yining’s true lineage, claiming that she was not Luo Chengzhang’s biological daughter.

At the time, Luo Chengzhang felt it best to keep family scandals from spreading, so he temporarily dismissed everyone. Luo Yining, upset, returned to her courtyard. Soon after, Luo Chengzhang summoned her to the ancestral hall. Luo Shenyuan, suspecting things wouldn’t be that simple, immediately set off up the mountain to ask the matriarch, Grandmother Luo, to take charge of the situation.

When Luo Yining arrived at the ancestral hall, she found Luo Chengzhang, Lin Hairu, Chen Lan, and her eldest uncle Luo Chengwen present. Chen Lan produced love letters Luo Chengwen had once written to Luo Yining's mother, revealing that Luo Chengwen, too, had once admired her. Now, with old secrets laid bare, Luo Chengwen explained that he had only harbored a secret love.

In their youth, Minglan had grown up with him and Luo Chengzhang, and later, Grandmother Luo had arranged her marriage to Luo Chengzhang, after which Luo Chengwen gave up any inappropriate thoughts and even swore an oath to that effect. Meanwhile, Luo Shenyuan had found Grandmother Luo and brought along the old midwife who had assisted with Minglan's delivery years before. That night, Grandmother Luo questioned the midwife in detail about the circumstances of Minglan’s child.

The midwife revealed that, at the time, Luo Chengzhang and Minglan had written a divorce agreement, and Minglan had been living alone in a separate courtyard. One day, some soldiers broke into her quarters and took her away, claiming she was needed to care for a wounded general. Later, Minglan returned home safely, and gradually, people forgot about the incident. However, a few months later, she showed signs of pregnancy, and soon after, Luo Yining was born.

All that was known of Luo Yining’s biological father was that he was a general, with no further information. Grandmother Luo, hearing the truth for the first time, was stunned, and Luo Shenyuan, listening in the shadows, also heard the entire story. He had long harbored suspicions, but with Chen Lan now slandering Luo Yining, he knew the need to protect this secret was more important than ever.

Grandmother Luo dismissed the midwife and called forth Luo Shenyuan, asking him to swear an oath to protect Luo Yining for the rest of his life. Understanding the gravity of this, Luo Shenyuan solemnly took the oath. That same night, Luo Shenyuan rushed back to the Luo residence and went to the ancestral hall. Gazing upon Minglan’s portrait, he knew that Luo Yining was about to face a turbulent storm, and he silently prayed that Minglan’s spirit would protect her.

By morning, Luo Chengzhang questioned the midwife about the past. She firmly maintained that Minglan had been blameless and that Luo Yining was indeed the seventh young lady of the Luo family. However, Chen Lan had already bribed another old servant, convincing Luo Chengzhang that Luo Yining was not his biological daughter. Not wanting the elderly midwife to be beaten, Luo Yining volunteered to return to the woodshed and accept punishment.

After enduring a severe beating, the midwife was left in the woodshed, gravely injured. As she lay near death, she told Luo Yining that Minglan had loved her deeply and gave her a pendant that Luo Yining’s biological father had gifted Minglan. With these final words, the midwife lost consciousness. At the same time, Luo Shenyuan investigated near the separate courtyard the midwife had described. Some locals still recalled events involving displaced people from those days.

Luo Shenyuan focused his search on Taoyuan Courtyard, where a general had once resided briefly before returning to the frontlines. To prevent Chen Lan from causing further trouble, Grandmother Luo personally reported her to the authorities. Chen Lan angrily accused Grandmother Luo of favoring the second branch of the family, but Grandmother Luo pointed out that Chen Lan had caused the deaths of two people and deserved no sympathy.

Grandmother Luo reminded her that the Luo family still had her three children, and that spreading rumors about the family’s disgrace was unimportant. Seeing the children, who were either preparing for marriage or civil service exams, Chen Lan regretted her actions. Finally, Luo Shenyuan found Luo Yining’s biological father, who turned out to be the Duke of Ying. Now middle-aged and never having taken a wife or concubine, he had kept Minglan in his heart all these years.

Luo Shenyuan brought Minglan’s portrait to the Duke’s residence, and upon seeing it, the Duke understood everything. He immediately followed Luo Shenyuan to the Luo residence. Meanwhile, Luo Yilian seized the opportunity for revenge. She went to her father and exaggerated events, suggesting that while Grandmother Luo was unwell, it would be best to drive Luo Yining out as soon as possible.

Consequently, Luo Chengzhang ordered Luo Yining to be taken out of the family residence at night, gave orders for her to receive twenty lashes, and banished her from the family. As Luo Yining fainted from the lashes, the Duke of Ying arrived. He quickly surrounded the ancestral hall and ordered those delivering the lashes to stop. Upon seeing a jade pendant that had fallen to the ground from Luo Yining, he recognized her as his daughter.

He then reminded Luo Chengzhang that Minglan had been divorced at the time, so there had been no breach of morals. Luo Yining was now his legitimate daughter, and no one was permitted to harm her.

Luo Shenyuan carried the unconscious Luo Yining away and quickly found a doctor. Lin Mao applied a secret medicine of his own and worked tirelessly to save her. After a long while, Luo Yining finally awoke, groggy but safe. Opening her eyes, she saw Lin Hairu and Grandmother Luo by her side. Tearfully, Luo Yining asked if she could still call her "Grandmother.

" Grandmother Luo comforted her, saying they had already found her biological father—the Duke of Ying—who was waiting outside. She asked if Luo Yining would be willing to meet him. Luo Yining, knowing the Luo family could no longer accommodate her, agreed to meet the Duke. The Duke, both surprised and overjoyed, felt as if the partner he had long searched for had left him a child.

He tidied his clothes before seeing her, gently encouraging Luo Yining to rest well and respecting whatever decision she would make. He expressed his hope that she would give her father a chance to make amends and wanted to take her to his residence to care for her properly. However, Luo Yining did not give an immediate response.

When her injuries finally healed enough for her to walk, Luo Yining told Luo Shenyuan that wherever she was, she felt like a floating plant, never in control of her own life. She didn’t want to live as someone dependent on others. Luo Shenyuan respected her choice, holding her hand and reassuring her that no matter where she was, there would always be people who loved her by her side.

Luo Yining went to the ancestral hall and told both the Duke and Luo Chengzhang that she wished to leave the Luo family and did not want to go to the Duke's residence either. She had recently rented a small shop and planned to start her own small business. The Duke, thinking she was short of funds, immediately assured her that he would ensure her financial security.

But Luo Yining wanted to rely on herself and asked Lin Hairu if she would continue teaching her, to which Lin Hairu nodded in agreement. Meanwhile, Luo Yixiu, Luo Yiyu, and their brother visited Chen Lan in prison. Instead of showing any remorse, Chen Lan urged Luo Yixiu to quickly seek help from Han Zhao, suggesting that marrying him might be her way out.

Luo Yixiu was saddened that her mother only cared about escaping unscathed and climbing social ranks for the family’s benefit, never caring if Luo Yixiu would be happy. Luo Yiyu, unable to bear her mother’s suffering in prison, took gifts to Madam Shen, hoping to gain her sympathy. However, Madam Shen's daughter looked down on her as the daughter of a criminal and mocked her, shutting the door in her face.

In the Duke's residence, the Dowager Han disapproved of her son's public acknowledgment of Luo Yining. The Duke confirmed that she was indeed his daughter and felt deeply remorseful for the harm Minglan and the child had suffered. The dowager, who had always regretted that her highly-ranked son had no children, was delighted at the idea of a granddaughter and urged him to bring Luo Yining home immediately.

The Duke, feeling somewhat awkward, explained that Luo Yining needed time to gradually accept him as her father. Meanwhile, Zhao Mingzhu, the Duke's adopted daughter, became anxious, realizing that if Luo Yining entered the Duke’s household, she would no longer have all the attention to herself. Lin Mao and Luo Yining opened a cosmetics shop together.

Business was slow at first, and Luo Yixiu, Lin Mao, and Luo Yining encouraged each other to stay calm, as every new shop faced challenges at the start. Soon, the shop began to attract a good number of customers, and Lin Mao and Luo Yining enthusiastically attended to them. In the midst of the crowd, Luo Yining noticed a familiar figure—Lu Jiaxue!

Now aware that her father was the Duke of Ying, Luo Yining felt less intimidated by Lu Jiaxue, who still wore a fawning smile. He asked her if she needed anything and assured her he would help in any way he could. Realizing that the recent customers had come because of Lu Jiaxue, Luo Yining politely but firmly reminded him not to interfere in her life anymore.

Lu Jiaxue helped Luo Yining attract business, but she resisted strongly, showing no gratitude. Lu Jiaxue’s subordinates suggested that he should clarify the events that led Luo Yining to fall off the cliff years ago. Helpless, Lu Jiaxue felt that since Luo Yining refused to acknowledge his identity, it would be nearly impossible to get a chance to explain things to her. Back then, it was Song Ziyun who acted on her own and pushed Luo Yining off the cliff.

Lu Jiaxue came up with an idea to release Song Ziyun from prison to see if she would seek out Luo Yining, which might force Luo Yining to acknowledge the truth. Lu Jiaxue agreed to this plan. Previously, the Luo family had arranged a marriage between the Luo and Liu families, but Chen Lan disapproved, feeling the Liu family wasn’t a good match. However, since Chen Lan was imprisoned, many people began avoiding Luo Yiyu.

At this time, Young Master Liu showed no disdain and even sent his mother to the Luo family to arrange the engagement. During hardship, true feelings were revealed; Luo Yiyu, who once ignored Young Master Liu, finally saw his noble character and accepted his proposal. Chen Lan was convicted and sentenced to exile at the frontier. At her departure, Luo Yiyu, Luo Yixiu, and their brother came to bid her farewell, tearfully urging their mother to stay strong.

The Duke of Ying arrived at Luo Yining’s shop with numerous treasures to protect her safety, accompanied by a team of skilled guards. The shop was soon filled with boxes. Luo Yining politely declined, saying she didn’t need these items and that her maids already knew some martial arts. However, the Duke insisted, saying it was only right that he fulfilled his daughter’s needs to her satisfaction.

Just then, Lin Hairu arrived, and while Luo Yining was away, the Duke discreetly bribed Lin Hairu, asking about Luo Yining’s preferences—what styles of clothing she liked and the kind of jewelry she favored. Hearing Lin Hairu’s suggestions, the Duke had someone record them so he could prepare another set immediately. Luo Shenyuan attended the imperial examination and unexpectedly took the top honor. The announcement arrived at the Luo family, filling everyone with joy.

Luo Shenyuan, who had often been looked down upon, had succeeded in the top three, and now his position as Chief Justice was even higher than Luo Chengzhang’s. In the midst of the crowd, Luo Yining looked at Luo Shenyuan, feeling deeply moved. Now dressed in the vibrant red robes of the highest-ranking scholar, he was beaming. Luo Yining’s eyes welled up with happiness for him.

Spotting her in the crowd, Luo Shenyuan dismounted his horse and walked directly to Luo Yining, smiling at her. Envious looks from young women around them seemed to pierce through Luo Yining, who felt embarrassed and called out "Third Brother" to remind him to restrain himself. That evening, Luo Yining visited Luo Shenyuan at the Luo residence, finding him still honoring the memory of his wrongfully deceased master.

Concerned, Luo Yining urged Luo Shenyuan to be extra cautious in his new role. Song Ziyun kidnapped Luo Yining, resenting her for capturing Lu Jiaxue’s heart, and blamed her for the downfall of the Song family. Luo Yining explained that this was due to Lu Jiaxue, who sought power from the beginning. The downfall of the Song family was also due to his desire for influence.

Song Ziyun, unwilling to believe her, attempted to stab Luo Yining, but Lu Jiaxue arrived just in time. Realizing that Song Ziyun was acting on Lu Jiaxue’s orders, Luo Yining knew there was no point in denying her identity as his “sister” anymore, as Lu Jiaxue had overheard everything. Determined to take her away, Lu Jiaxue confined her in a sedan chair.

Fortunately, Luo Shenyuan received word and rode ahead to block Lu Jiaxue’s path, standing as her brother to bring Luo Yining back. Now that Luo Yining held the title of the Duke of Ying’s daughter, Lu Jiaxue dared not act impulsively. As the New Year approached, the Duke of Ying came to Luo Yining’s shop, hoping to take her back to the Duke’s residence for the celebration. Seeing her father nervously sweating, Luo Yining agreed.

To welcome Luo Yining, the Duke of Ying specially prepared the largest room in his residence, decorating it lavishly and filling it with rare treasures. He also assigned many maids and attendants to the room. Mingzhu, the Duke’s adopted daughter, began to feel a sense of crisis, realizing that her foster father, now that he had found his biological daughter, would naturally hold her in high regard.

Luo Shanyuan was preparing to join the military, and the entire Luo family gathered to see him off. Lin Hairu provided him with a generous travel fund for his journey, and Luo Shenyuan gifted him a handmade wound salve crafted by Lin Mao. Luo Shanyuan had never been interested in taking exams for an official career, and now that his mother had been exiled, he was finally free to do what he truly enjoyed.

Luo Yiyu had gone to the Liu family, leaving Luo Yixiu alone in the main house. With the Lunar New Year approaching, Luo Yixiu felt a sudden loneliness in the large courtyard. Turning a corner, she noticed that many large red lanterns, fresh flowers, and candles had been arranged around the pavilion. For the Lantern Festival, Lin Mao set up a proposal scene, and amidst a crowd of well-wishers, he proposed to Luo Yixiu.

Hearing Lin Mao declare that he would love her alone for the rest of his life, Luo Yixiu was moved to tears. After all the challenges they had faced together, they were finally stepping into happiness. Luo Yining spent her first Lunar New Year at the Duke of Ying’s residence. At the reunion dinner, she witnessed the elderly Lady Han boldly drinking, her demeanor truly embodying the spirit of a strong military woman.

Suddenly, an imperial decree arrived, announcing that the emperor had granted Luo Yining the title of Lady of Qingcheng County, an incredible honor. Lady Han felt that now that Luo Yining had been given a title, it would be inappropriate for her to continue running a shop and advised her to close it. Reluctant to give up the business she had worked hard to build, Luo Yining gracefully replied that managing the shop was her labor of love.

If being titled as Lady of Qingcheng County meant she couldn’t continue her business, she would rather forgo the title. Lady Han was displeased by Luo Yining’s defiance on her first day there. At that moment, Mingzhu added fuel to the fire, saying that Luo Yining was being disrespectful to Lady Han. Lady Han’s adopted son, Ting Ge, also commented that merchants were not of noble standing.

The Duke of Ying immediately reprimanded Ting Ge, asking why he would insult Luo Yining, who made an honest living and earned her own way, a quality many others couldn’t match. Ting Ge left in tears, complaining that it was Mingzhu who had influenced Lady Han’s view of Luo Yining. Lady Han, feeling upset, scolded the Duke for scolding Ting Ge during the New Year’s meal, which had spoiled the festive atmosphere.

She left the banquet, leaving Luo Yining feeling embarrassed. The Duke of Ying stood by Luo Yining, encouraging her to pursue what she loved and assuring her that he would support her unconditionally. Touched by his support, Luo Yining expressed a desire to return to the Luo family residence to visit her grandmother, and the Duke readily agreed.

The Duke of Ying went to apologize to his mother, explaining that Luo Yining was concerned about the grandmother who had raised her and so had gone to the Luo residence. The Dowager felt that Luo Yining was a bit stubborn, but the Duke admitted he had missed out on much of his duty to his daughter growing up and that she needed time to adjust.

Since Luo Yining was the legitimate daughter of the Duke of Ying's household, Madam Han was willing to show understanding. During the New Year's Eve dinner, Luo Shenyuan respectfully served Luo Chengzhang more food and expressed his gratitude, saying that no matter his future rank, he would always remember his place and his father’s kindness.

Luo Chengzhang advised him to let go of his former teacher's case, and while Luo Shenyuan appreciated the concern, he quickly changed the topic when Teacher Sun inquired about his marriage plans. After dinner, Luo Shenyuan went for a walk outside with his servant, wandering to Yanrong Pavilion, where Luo Yining had once prepared a place for him to stay. Luo Shenyuan had just arrived there when he saw Luo Yining.

Their eyes met, and Luo Shenyuan immediately sensed that she had been wronged at the Duke’s household. With reddened eyes, Luo Yining rushed into his embrace. Luo Yining confided that ever since she had become the Duke's daughter, she no longer felt at home in the Luo residence, nor did the Duke’s household feel familiar. It was as though she no longer belonged anywhere.

Luo Shenyuan, deeply moved, unhesitatingly offered her a home with him, then was about to profess his affection. Sensing what he was about to say, Luo Yining quickly covered his mouth to stop him. At dawn, Luo Yining prepared to go to the Luo residence to pay New Year’s respects with her maid, only to find Lu Jiaxue standing at the door. Snow had accumulated thickly on his clothes, showing he had waited there for a long time.

Ever since finding Miss Meimei, each meeting with Luo Yining had brought a smile to his face. He spoke of recalling the times they had spent together each year at New Year’s Eve and keeping watch with her through the night, but Luo Yining showed no interest, simply advising him to forget everything that had happened between them and then left with her maid. Later, Luo Yining went to pay respects to Lady Han at the Duke’s residence.

Lady Han asked if she had thought about closing her shop, to which Luo Yining thoughtfully replied that she didn’t want to live her life dependent on others like most women—first relying on parents and later on men. She wanted to support herself with her own abilities. Lady Han, pleased by her answer, admired Luo Yining’s spirit, recalling how she herself once fought alongside men in battle with a spear and shared Luo Yining's outlook.

After some consideration, Luo Yining decided to move back to the Duke's residence. The Duke was thrilled and arranged for a private tutor for her. The renowned tutor he contacted recommended his star pupil, who turned out to be none other than Luo Shenyuan. Overjoyed to have the chance to study with Luo Shenyuan again, Luo Yining could hardly contain her excitement.

That day, Luo Shenyuan spotted Lu Jiaxue at the Duke’s residence and, concerned that he might pressure Luo Yining into marriage, took the initiative to confess. He revealed that he had long known they were not true siblings and that his feelings for her went beyond that of a brother. With the upcoming Flower Festival, Madam Han decided to host it at the Duke’s residence.

Jealous of Luo Yining’s success in winning her grandmother’s affection, Zhao Mingzhu lured her to Lu Jiaxue’s residence, claiming they could pick flowers for the occasion. Initially, Luo Yining intended to make an excuse to leave, but when Lu Jiaxue's servant approached to say he was not home, she let her guard down.

While Luo Yining and Zhao Mingzhu were choosing flowers, a maid accidentally dirtied Luo Yining's clothes. Following the maid to change, Luo Yining was led to a room that Lu Jiaxue had years ago specially prepared for Miss Meimei. Inside, Luo Yining noticed many familiar items, such as her favorite paper cuttings and delicately crafted Molhe ceramics. It seemed as if the room’s owner understood her tastes perfectly. Puzzled, Luo Yining suddenly spotted a small portrait of herself.

Startled, she turned to find Lu Jiaxue standing behind her. Lu Jiaxue took Luo Yining’s hand, asking if they could start over. Luo Yining tried to break free, but Lu Jiaxue pressed her against the wall, preventing her escape. He spoke in his usual domineering, commanding tone, which Luo Yining found off-putting. Although she understood his feelings, she was certain they were fundamentally different people. Continuing to pressure her, Lu Jiaxue questioned if her heart was now with Luo Shenyuan.

Luo Yining did not hide her admiration for Luo Shenyuan, and upon seeing Lu Jiaxue’s intense jealousy, she felt even more afraid. Just then, someone called her from outside. Seizing the moment when Lu Jiaxue was momentarily distracted, she quickly ran out but twisted her ankle. When Luo Shenyuan heard that Luo Yining had injured her ankle, he rushed over to check on her. Concerned, he examined her injury and questioned Lu Jiaxue’s actions.

Luo Yining, not wanting Luo Shenyuan to worry, chose not to give details. Madam Han later visited the Luo residence, expressing her gratitude to the Luo Dowager for raising Luo Yining. The Dowager, fondly remembering the connection she shared with Luo Yining, was pleased with her granddaughter’s intelligence and cherished their time together. With the Flower Festival approaching, Luo Yining saw an opportunity to rejuvenate Yanrong Pavilion and had Lin Mao create twelve unique perfumes.

Her plan was to gift the perfumes to noble ladies and princesses, hoping that if they liked them, they would become natural endorsers for Yanrong Pavilion. Lin Mao initially felt reluctant to give away the perfumes for free, but upon hearing about the potential endorsement, he agreed with her plan. On the day of the Flower Festival, Luo Yining donned a dress her grandmother had prepared for her, looking as radiant as a lotus emerging from the water.

When she opened the door, she saw Luo Shenyuan, who presented her with the names he had written for the twelve perfumes and adorned her with a flower hairpin. As he placed it on her hair, Luo Yining’s cheeks flushed, and in return, she attached a flower to his hat. As the Festival’s chosen maid of honor, Luo Yining led the other young ladies in a ritual to honor the Flower Goddess.

Her graceful demeanor and the noble aura of the Duke’s household impressed Madam Han, while Zhao Mingzhu looked on with jealousy as Luo Yining occupied the position she desired. After the ritual, Luo Yining showcased the perfumes by spraying them onto silk flowers for the ladies to admire. Enthralled by the enchanting fragrance, the ladies eagerly requested samples. Among the crowd, Miss Sun spotted Luo Shenyuan, admiring his talents. She approached Luo Yining, hoping she would help facilitate a connection.

When Luo Yining learned that Teacher Sun intended to propose a marriage between his daughter and Luo Shenyuan, she was surprised but replied politely, explaining that she was no longer part of the Luo family and thus could not comment on Luo Shenyuan’s marriage plans.

During the Flower Festival, many ladies gathered to enjoy the flowers. Suddenly, a group from the palace arrived at the Duke’s mansion, and Luo Yining noticed that Lu Jiaxue was among them. She wondered how he had come since no invitation had been sent to him. Lu Jiaxue paid his respects to Madam Han and presented the lotus flower gifted by the Empress to Luo Yining.

Madam Han, pleased, placed the lotus token in a high spot, encouraging the gentlemen to compete for it. Whoever won would receive the token as a prize. Luo Yining wanted the token for Yanrong Pavilion to attract future customers, so she signaled for Luo Shenyuan to help her obtain it. However, Lu Jiaxue was also determined to win. The two competed intensely, each matching the other in skill and wit, and ultimately, they both retrieved the token.

Together, they offered it to Luo Yining, stirring jealousy among the other ladies. Zhao Mingzhu, unwilling to let Luo Yining be the center of attention, deliberately dirtied Luo Yining’s skirt, prompting her to change clothes. Soon after she left, the ladies began feeling uncomfortable, complaining of itchiness and developing red bumps on their necks and wrists. Zhao Mingzhu secretly reveled in her success.

One lady speculated that Luo Yining’s flower lotion might be to blame, as everyone except her seemed affected. Luo Yixiu quickly silenced them, cautioning against spreading rumors. She vouched that she had used all Yanrong Pavilion’s cosmetics without any issues. Luo Yining also explained that the flower lotion was made from pure plant extracts, without any allergenic ingredients. Yet, some were skeptical, especially when a doctor mentioned that excessively concentrated extracts could cause allergic reactions.

When Luo Shenyuan heard from a servant that doctors had quietly entered Han Mansion, indicating some trouble, he felt it was improper to enter the women’s area himself, so he sent for Qingqu. Qingqu reported what had happened in the front hall and discreetly investigated the allergen source. He eventually discovered that the towels the ladies had used were tampered with, as they contained yam extract.

Luo Yining realized Zhao Mingzhu’s involvement but, given the situation at Han Mansion, decided to avoid escalating the issue while also clearing the flower lotion of suspicion. She publicly explained that the towels had been accidentally contaminated with yam extract but refrained from naming the culprit. This way, she preserved both Yanrong Pavilion’s reputation and protected Zhao Mingzhu from public disgrace.

Late that night, Zhao Mingzhu heard that Ting Ge had also developed a rash and, mistakenly thinking she had caused him harm, felt extremely guilty. She prepared to visit him, but Luo Yining intercepted her, assuring her that Ting Ge was fine. Luo Yining advised Zhao Mingzhu not to worry about being neglected, reminding her that, beyond blood relations, other forms of affection were equally valuable.

She pointed out that Madam Han had raised her as if she were her own granddaughter. Moved by Luo Yining’s words, Zhao Mingzhu decided to stop competing for attention and accepted Luo Yining as a friend. Now of marriageable age, Luo Yining received numerous proposals from noble families, including from the Shen Marquis household. However, the Duke disapproved of the Shen son, having learned he was a libertine. Hearing her father and grandmother’s conversation, Luo Yining spoke up, declaring that she already had someone in her heart.

The Duke asked Luo Yining what qualities she sought in her ideal partner. Luo Yining explained that he must be talented and courageous, possess both scholarly and military skills, understand and care for her, and be someone with whom she could walk side by side, cherishing each other. The Duke sighed at the difficulty of finding such an extraordinary man. Just then, Luo Shenyuan entered the room to continue Luo Yining’s reading and calligraphy lessons.

The Duke, upon seeing him, realized that Luo Shenyuan fit the image of the man his daughter had in mind, and he happily approved of Luo Shenyuan teaching her. On the way, Luo Shenyuan reassured Luo Yining that once he completed the matters he had in hand, he would certainly have his family arrange a marriage proposal.

When Luo Yining heard that Luo Shenyuan had visited Teacher Sun’s residence earlier and that matchmaking talks had begun, she pretended to be upset. Understanding her reaction, Luo Shenyuan laughed, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and teasingly asking if she was jealous. In truth, he had already declined the proposal, declaring that he would only recognize Luo Yining as his lifelong partner.

Luo Yining personally painted a picture of the events of the Flower Festival, where everyone was wearing flowers and drinking in joy. She deliberately included an image of Luo Shenyuan, as he had been there, helping her wear the silk flower she had chosen. Upon seeing the painting, Luo Shenyuan added a poem himself, wishing that Luo Yining would always be as happy as those depicted in the artwork. Meanwhile, Lu Jiaxue soon captured Yang Ling.

Despite Luo Shenyuan's efforts to assist, Minister Wang intervened, carrying the Emperor’s decree that Yang Ling’s case would be judged jointly by the Dali Court and the Left Minister. Luo Shenyuan understood that the situation was dire; although he believed Yang Ling had been framed, Minister Wang left no loopholes, with all witnesses eliminated. Finding a way to clear his fellow disciple’s name would require substantial effort. The Lin family matriarch opposed Lin Mao marrying Luo Yixiu.

Although Lin Hairu sent multiple letters to the family, they refused to allow their son to marry a Luo family woman. They even sent an elder maid to convey this message publicly, in front of Lin Mao, Luo Chengzhang, and Lin Hairu. Upon hearing his family’s rejection of his marriage to Luo Yixiu, Lin Mao was so upset that he swore he would marry no one but her.

Luo Yixiu overheard this, and tears welled in her eyes at the door. She felt shame, knowing she was now the daughter of a convicted criminal and even the Lin family had turned their backs on her. Lin Mao immediately went to see Luo Yixiu and, seeing her red-rimmed eyes, felt even more distressed. Holding her hand, he urged her not to worry, assuring her he already had a plan.

Luo Shenyuan, meanwhile, was occupied each day overseeing Yang Ling's trial at the Dali Court, where time was of the essence. Lu Jiaxue relentlessly flogged Yang Ling, and if no intervention was found, Yang Ling would not last much longer. Not only did Lu Jiaxue personally whip Yang Ling, but he also handed the whip to Luo Shenyuan, with Minister Wang standing by.

At that moment, any sign of sympathy toward Yang Ling would make Luo Shenyuan a target of Minister Wang’s enmity, so he had no choice but to continue the whipping. Several days passed without Luo Yining seeing Luo Shenyuan. Learning from Luo Chengzhang that the matter was extremely difficult, she couldn't resist the urge to go to the Dali Court. At the entrance, she encountered Lu Jiaxue, who deliberately led her into the interrogation room.

Inside, Luo Shenyuan was pressing a red-hot iron to Yang Ling’s leg, causing him to let out a blood-curdling scream. Luo Yining was shocked, never having seen Luo Shenyuan so ruthless. Luo Shenyuan, noticing her arrival, coldly rebuked her for coming to such a place as a woman. But Luo Yining, understanding the message in his gaze, promptly got up and left.

Lu Jiaxue attempted to sow discord, questioning if Luo Yining hadn’t seen this side of Luo Shenyuan — how he suffered in silence and endured hardships at the Luo family, making it unlikely that he would cherish or protect the Seventh Miss of the Luo family. Luo Yining was disgusted by Lu Jiaxue’s words and unhesitatingly reminded him that he was the least qualified to make such comments.

Due to the Yang Ling case, the fleet that Wang Yuan and Lu Jiaxue had painstakingly built was destroyed. Lu Jiaxue presented the final verdict to Wang Yuan, who, upon seeing Yang Ling’s confession, felt relieved, believing the hidden danger had been eliminated. Since Lu Jiaxue had also been involved in the Tea and Horse case, he insisted that Wang Yuan burn all evidence in his presence. Reluctantly, Wang Yuan complied and burned the documents.

The Duke assessed Luo Shenyuan based on Yang Ling’s case, concluding that he was not trustworthy. Yang Ling was Luo Shenyuan's fellow disciple, and their master, Teacher Liu, had also been implicated, forced to resign and return to his hometown. Luo Shenyuan not only failed to protect his teacher, but now, with Yang Ling sentenced to be executed after autumn, he showed no reaction. Deciding that Luo Shenyuan was unreliable, the Duke instructed Luo Yining to stay away from him.

Luo Yining wanted to explain but held her tongue, knowing Luo Shenyuan’s true intentions and viewing this as a temporary measure. Wang Yuan had previously taken an order to deliver goods by a certain date, and with his fleet gone, he had to find a reliable candidate. Now suspicious of Lu Jiaxue, he decided to test Luo Shenyuan.

Soon after, Wang Yuan’s men raided Luo Shenyuan’s tavern and searched his ships, discovering a box of exotic jewels and high-quality spices onboard—both forbidden goods. Seeing his shop raided and his jewelry confiscated, Luo Shenyuan understood Wang Yuan’s intentions and went to the Wang residence, humbling himself and pleading for leniency, promising his unwavering loyalty in the future. Now holding leverage over Luo Shenyuan, Wang Yuan asked him outright if he was a disciple of Chen Jiuheng.

Anticipating Wang Yuan’s suspicions, Luo Shenyuan openly admitted it, explaining that he had felt unappreciated in the Luo family, so he secretly learned from the teacher at the door, unaware that the teacher was Chen Jiuheng. Regarding Chen Daoyuan, he only wanted to repay his teacher’s kindness.

Luo Shenyuan’s response left no room for suspicion, so Wang Yuan then tasked him with killing the Duke, stating that if he wanted to join his side, he had to sever all ties with the Duke. Luo Shenyuan was alarmed, understanding this as Wang Yuan’s first test. He agreed to the task, then began strategizing. The Duke planned to take Luo Yining to make offerings, and Wang Yuan learned of this.

However, on that day, the Duke was detained by official matters, leaving Luo Yining to go alone. During Lu Jiaxue’s routine city defense inspection, he overheard rumors about the Duke’s carriage being startled, nearly causing it to fall off a cliff. Alarmed, and fearing Luo Yining might be in the carriage, he swiftly rode towards the scene. Suddenly, Luo Yining’s sedan was ambushed by an assassin who, wearing a black mask, pierced the sedan with a sword, nearly killing her.

Looking up, Luo Yining recognized the familiar eyes of the attacker—it was Luo Shenyuan. Time seemed to freeze for a moment until Lu Jiaxue’s carriage approached. Luo Shenyuan continued his assassination attempt, ruthlessly striking at Luo Yining. In the chaos, he injured her shoulder, but Lu Jiaxue, determined to protect her, fiercely fought back, severely injuring Luo Shenyuan and killing all of Wang Yuan’s men who had been secretly guarding him.

Following this incident, the Duke severed ties with Luo Shenyuan, and Luo Yining never saw him again. This was exactly what Luo Shenyuan intended, hoping to prevent his actions from implicating them. Luo Shenyuan successfully passed the test, earning Wang Yuan’s trust, who even planned to grant him the position of Assistant Minister of the Dali Court. Observing Luo Shenyuan’s dual strategy, Lu Jiaxue warned him not to become overly confident.

The Duke received an imperial edict to go to the front lines. Before departing, he called Luo Yining to his side, asking her to take good care of her grandmother and the family while he was away. Luo Yining agreed, preparing some items that her father might need in battle, including medicinal balm and a protective amulet she had obtained from a temple. In the past, whenever he received an edict, he would quickly head to the front without hesitation.

However, this time, he felt reluctant. When the elderly Madam Han noticed something unusual and questioned him, the Duke admitted that now, with a daughter, he no longer wished to go to war. In order to gain Wang Yuan’s full trust, Luo Shenyuan began frequently bribing him. On one occasion, he brought a box of jewels and fine wine and, after drinking, fell asleep at the table.

Wang Yuan had him taken to a guest room to rest and instructed his servants to keep a close eye on him. In the middle of the night, Luo Shenyuan quietly changed into dark clothes and snuck into Wang Yuan’s study, searching for evidence. Suddenly, he heard footsteps and realized Wang Yuan was approaching. Luo Shenyuan quickly climbed onto the roof, where he saw a soldier hastily delivering a letter and an official seal to Wang Yuan.

After reading the letter, Wang Yuan immediately burned it. Luo Shenyuan, watching from the roof, memorized the letter’s contents and the design of the seal, later instructing his men to forge it. News soon came from the front: the Duke’s forces were trapped by the enemy, with half of the twenty-thousand-strong army either dead or wounded. Due to a violent storm on the battlefield, the Duke’s body was missing.

Upon hearing this, Wang Yuan was informed by his men that although the body hadn’t been found, the Duke was surely dead. Taking advantage of the Emperor's unclear grasp of the situation, Wang Yuan framed the Duke as a traitor and prepared to confiscate the entire Duke’s household. When Lu Jiaxue heard the news, he immediately rushed to the Duke's residence to take Luo Yining and the elderly madam to safety. However, Luo Yining refused.

As the Duke’s legitimate daughter, she would not flee and disgrace her father’s name. Resolute, she remained in the residence, while the elderly Madam Han quickly went to the palace to appeal to the Empress Dowager. As Wang Yuan’s men arrived at the Duke’s gates, Luo Yining bravely stepped outside to face the armed guards. Zhao Mingzhu called for Lu Jiaxue, who, determined to protect Luo Yining, prepared to confront Wang Yuan, even if it meant an open conflict.

Wang Yuan then ordered Luo Shenyuan to resolve the situation. With sword in hand, Luo Shenyuan commanded Luo Yining to open the door and submit to the confiscation. Lu Jiaxue, in response, drew his sword against Luo Shenyuan, ready to fight to the death if he took a single step forward. The situation was incredibly tense when, at that moment, an imperial decree arrived.

Luo Shenyuan presented all the evidence he had gathered on Wang Yuan’s smuggling and treasonous activities to the authorities, leading the Emperor to issue a decree condemning Wang Yuan. Wang Yuan, full of regret, realized too late that the person he had thought was his loyal subordinate was actually an undercover agent all along.

Before being taken to prison, Wang Yuan hinted to Lu Jiaxue that he still held something incriminating against him and advised him to think carefully about his allegiances.

The Duke finally managed to bring down Wang Yuan, feeling refreshed and clear-headed. When he saw Luo Shenyuan visiting the estate again, he understood his intentions. He joked that he used to dislike scheming individuals, but Luo Shenyuan was different; young and accomplished, he excelled at bearing humiliation and biding his time. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been able to topple the cunning old fox, Wang Yuan. Now, the Duke tacitly approved of Luo Shenyuan’s relationship with Luo Yining.

When Luo Shenyuan met with Luo Yining, he apologized for previously injuring her. She didn’t take it to heart; avenging her mentor's wrongful conviction was something Luo Shenyuan had been striving for his entire life. Seeing how much he had planned over the years, Luo Yining naturally wished to lend him her support. Elder Madam Han invited Luo Shenyuan to dinner and specifically mentioned wanting to betroth Zhao Mingzhu to him.

Luo Shenyuan smiled but didn’t respond, intending to propose to the Duke once he resolved Wang Yuan’s case. Returning to the Luo residence, Luo Shenyuan seized the opportunity to tell Elder Madam Luo and Luo Chengzhang of his wish to unite with Luo Yining. Lin Hairu couldn’t help but smile; everyone had witnessed the bond between Luo Shenyuan and Luo Yining over the years. Now that they were no longer siblings, there was a hope for a future together.

Meanwhile, Lin Mao had communicated with his family, and the Lin family was finally set to marry Luo Yixiu. Lin Hairu carefully prepared the dowry for Luo Yixiu, adding several boxes of gold, silver, and jewels. Despite her previous grievances with Chen Lan, Lin Hairu held no bias against Luo Yixiu. When Elder Madam Luo saw Luo Yining, she lamented that now both Luo Yiyu and Luo Yixiu were married, leaving only Luo Yining’s marriage to consider.

Lin Mao continued to show unyielding care for Luo Yixiu, as always favoring her. When he heard she hadn’t been sleeping well, he specially concocted a soothing herbal remedy. On the wedding day, the Luo household personally escorted Luo Yixiu to the door. Lin Mao, dressed in a bright red wedding robe, waited respectfully, nervous yet excited, finally marrying Luo Yixiu. This fulfilled a dream he had long cherished.

The tea-horse case involving Wang Yuan was still under review, but the opposing party denied any wrongdoing. The Duke and Luo Shenyuan discussed the case, believing Wang Yuan’s calmness indicated he had a backup plan. Perhaps Lu Jiaxue and he were in a precarious situation now that Wang Yuan held leverage over Lu Jiaxue, who surely wouldn’t sit idle.

Luo Shenyuan took out his proposal letter but the Duke didn’t agree; since Wang Yuan's case was unresolved, letting a tiger return to the mountain could have dire consequences. Luo Shenyuan reviewed all the clues and decided to take the initiative.

Before acting, he planned to create a diversion and went to the prison to inform Wang Yuan that he was no longer willing to wait and intended to hand him over to the authorities, as Wang Yuan’s current charges meant he wouldn’t escape punishment. To buy time, Wang Yuan quickly provided Luo Shenyuan with the list of his accomplices that he sought. Luo Shenyuan ordered the immediate capture of any remaining criminals.

That night, all of Wang Yuan's aides and supporters in the capital were apprehended. Lu Jiaxue, upon receiving this news, realized he was the next target and, after pondering all night, personally went to see the Emperor. He actively exposed Wang Yuan's crimes and, taking advantage of his disclosure, requested a marriage decree from the Emperor. When Luo Shenyuan heard that Lu Jiaxue had gone to the palace, he guessed it was a desperate bid for survival.

However, he was puzzled as to why the Emperor summoned the Duke again. Fearing that Lu Jiaxue might pull some tricks, he hurried to the palace to investigate. Fortunately, he had prepared the marriage contract in advance. The Duke, knowing that Luo Yining didn’t like Lu Jiaxue and was also dissatisfied with his treacherous nature, declared that Luo Yining and Luo Shenyuan had been betrothed since childhood.

When Luo Yining heard about the Duke’s meeting with the Emperor, she broke out in a cold sweat. If Luo Shenyuan hadn't prepared in advance, she might have been forced to marry Lu Jiaxue. Luo Shenyuan was scheduled to visit the Duke’s residence today, and Luo Yining was already waiting at the gate, asking if he had covered every possible risk. She worried that if the Emperor discovered their deception, it would be considered a crime against the throne.

Luo Shenyuan had anticipated Lu Jiaxue’s desire for Luo Yining and had forewarned Elder Madam Luo. The members of the Luo family kept silent about the prior relationship between Luo Yining and Luo Shenyuan. When Lu Jiaxue heard that Luo Shenyuan was about to marry Luo Yining, he was furious, pushing all the little carved likenesses of Luo Yining off his table. He had always been confident about attaining what he wanted, especially someone he loved.

He vowed not to let Luo Shenyuan marry Luo Yining so easily. In the Luo household, the past few days had been filled with a joyful atmosphere. Lin Hairu was busy preparing the dowry for Luo Yining. The cosmetic shop managed by Luo Yining had been doing exceptionally well lately, and she was planning to open a branch soon.

The Duke provided most of his assets for her dowry, and Elder Madam Han fully supported this, even gifting her own gold jewelry to Luo Yining. Seeing the abundance of Luo Yining’s dowry, the young servant Chang’an anxiously reported it to Luo Shenyuan, as custom dictated that the groom's betrothal gifts should be twice as valuable. Concerned that Luo Shenyuan might not have enough, he was relieved when Luo Shenyuan took out his collection of shops and property deeds.

The business at the Liuhuo Tavern had been highly profitable over the years, and he had been saving these assets for a long time. While Luo Yining was speaking with her maid, someone suddenly asked if she truly wanted to marry Luo Shenyuan. She looked over and saw Lu Jiaxue walking towards her with a heavy expression. Luo Yining explained that she had once treated Lu Jiaxue sincerely, but he had intentionally approached Song Ziyun for his own future.

This led to the day when Song Ziyun forced her to the cliff’s edge. Lu Jiaxue was always focused on his own interests and had never considered her; they were simply not suited for each other. Even without the imperial marriage decree, she would have chosen to marry Luo Shenyuan without hesitation. Seeing the determination in her eyes, Lu Jiaxue knew he had lost her forever. In secret, Lu Jiaxue visited Wang Yuan in prison, and they schemed once more.

His recent report of Wang Yuan to the authorities had raised the Emperor’s suspicions, and he had received an imperial order to go to the frontier to fight, a promotion in name but truly a demotion. Lu Jiaxue had hoped to take one last risk to earn an imperial marriage decree, hoping that marrying Luo Yining would still be possible.

Realizing now he had only paved the way for someone else’s happiness, he couldn't sit idly by and decided to obstruct Luo Shenyuan’s wedding plans. On Luo Yining’s wedding day, her bridal procession extended for miles, filled with spring colors and happy faces all around. The Duke personally placed the red veil over her head, his love for his daughter evident.

Sitting in the bright red wedding sedan, she saw Luo Shenyuan, her groom, riding a majestic horse adorned with red flowers. At that moment, Luo Yining felt like the happiest person in the world. Meanwhile, Lu Jiaxue sat alone in the bridal room he had prepared for Luo Yining long ago. The vivid red wedding decorations stung his eyes, and the bed was arranged with colorful celebratory fruits and handcrafted ornaments he had made for Luo Yining.

Reflecting on their past memories and how everything had ended, he felt deep regret and tears filled his eyes as he silently mourned the relationship he had with her. Luo Yining finally entered the Luo household, stepping over the fire basin, bowing with her husband, and drinking the cross-cup wine, leading to their wedding night. But then news arrived from the prison that Wang Yuan and his associates had escaped. The Emperor was furious, and Luo Shenyuan had to immediately leave for the capital to apprehend them.

The men escorting Wang Yuan out were under Lu Jiaxue’s command. To divert the pursuing soldiers, they created a distraction. However, Luo Shenyuan did not fall for the ruse. He went in the opposite direction and, after great difficulty, found Wang Yuan, only to fall into Lu Jiaxue’s trap. At that moment, only Wang Yuan, Luo Shenyuan, and Lu Jiaxue were present. Lu Jiaxue suddenly pushed Wang Yuan onto Luo Shenyuan's unsheathed blade.

When the troops returned, they saw that Wang Yuan had been killed by Luo Yining’s sword. Killing a high-profile criminal of the court was severely punishable. Luo Shenyuan was shocked by Lu Jiaxue’s ruthlessness, and his mind went blank. At that moment, flames lit up in the eastern part of the city, and someone shouted that the Luo household seemed to be on fire.

Luo Shenyuan quickly mounted his horse and rode back, but Lu Jiaxue shouted that Luo Shenyuan was attempting to flee to avoid punishment and led soldiers in pursuit. When Luo Shenyuan arrived at the Luo residence, the courtyard around the bridal chamber had become a ruin. Several charred bodies were carried out, matching the number of maids. Luo Chengzhang noticed a jade bracelet on one of the female corpses, the same bracelet that Luo Yining loved, and was horrified.

The Duke and Elder Madam Han arrived swiftly; they had been overjoyed earlier that day to send their daughter off but were now confronted with a charred corpse. In his grief, the Duke slapped Luo Shenyuan hard, unable to forgive him for leaving his bride alone. Overcome with sorrow, the Duke returned home and collapsed, coughing up blood.

Luo Shenyuan was unable to accept the situation until he noticed the position of the jade bracelet on the body, realizing it wasn’t Luo Yining. Luo Yining always wore the bracelet on her left hand, but this person had it on the right. Recalling all that had happened that night, Luo Shenyuan deduced that Lu Jiaxue was behind it. Following wedding customs, fireworks were set off that night. Lu Jiaxue had tampered with them, setting the bridal chamber on fire.

He had arranged Wang Yuan’s release to distract Luo Shenyuan, then staged bodies to give the impression that all inside had died, a meticulously planned deception. Luo Shenyuan had underestimated Lu Jiaxue’s obsession with Luo Yining. To rescue Luo Yining quickly, he needed to find the item Wang Yuan entrusted him before his death, so he hid away to prepare. Lu Jiaxue, furious that his men hadn’t obtained Wang Yuan’s evidence, realized the wily man had deceived him to the end.

That evidence could reveal Lu Jiaxue’s involvement in tea and horse smuggling years ago. When Lu Jiaxue learned that Luo Yining had refused food, he went to her, trying to persuade her to eat. Luo Yining disdainfully threw off the cloak he had put on her, angrily reminding him not to overstep, as she was now Luo Shenyuan’s wife.

Picking up the cloak from the ground, Lu Jiaxue draped it over his arm and offered Luo Yining a bowl, urging her to eat if she wanted information. Luo Yining, hoping to see Luo Shenyuan, reluctantly complied. Meanwhile, Luo Shenyuan was packing up, preparing to take Luo Yining to the borderlands. The imperial edict was unbreakable, and since he was leaving the capital, Lu Jiaxue found comfort in having his beloved by his side, with no regrets.

When Luo Yining realized Lu Jiaxue planned to take her to the border with him, she sadly collapsed onto the table in tears. Seeing her like this before leaving, Lu Jiaxue felt a pang of regret, remembering the carefree and vibrant Luo Yining at the villa, her laughter filling the courtyard. He hadn't wanted to see her in such distress. That night, Luo Shenyuan found Luo Yining and attempted to take her away.

But at the door, Lu Jiaxue’s men stopped him. Luo Shenyuan warned them not to act rashly, as he had Wang Yuan’s evidence. Lu Jiaxue agreed to meet the next day at Wuwang Cliff and told him to bring the evidence then. Returning to discuss rescue plans with the Duke, Luo Shenyuan awaited daybreak. The next morning, Lu Jiaxue, Luo Shenyuan, and Luo Yining met at the mountaintop.

Luo Shenyuan handed the evidence to Lu Jiaxue, hoping he would release Luo Yining. But Lu Jiaxue broke his promise, determined to take Luo Yining away. Just then, Wang Yuan’s remaining forces ambushed them, trying to eliminate Lu Jiaxue. Seeing Luo Yining in danger, Lu Jiaxue immediately shielded her with his body, protecting her, but he was fatally struck. As he bled out, Luo Yining held him, a glimmer of sorrow in her eyes.

Seeing her look of forgiveness, Lu Jiaxue’s eyes reddened as he tenderly asked, “When you were forced off that cliff, did it hurt? ” He found solace in having accompanied her until now, satisfied to see her in front of him one last time. With that, Lu Jiaxue passed away peacefully.

The Marquis Anbei's household was confiscated, and Cheng Lang arranged for Lu Jiaxue to be buried at the villa where he had first met Luo Yining, the place filled with his most cherished memories. It seemed the place Lu Jiaxue would have most wanted to rest. With the storm finally over, Luo Shenyuan was able to clear his master’s name and married Luo Yining.

The hardships they had once endured were in the past, and they treated each other with respect, building a peaceful life together. A year later, Luo Shenyuan welcomed a son. Now, with a child, Luo Shenyuan found fulfillment as he returned to Luo Yining’s side after a busy day, playing with their chubby little boy and chatting softly with his wife.

The Yanrong Pavilion’s business thrived, and when Luo Yining was overwhelmed, Lin Mao would bring his wife, Luo Yixiu, to help. On the day of Luo Shenyuan’s son’s one-month celebration, many guests arrived to congratulate them, including Luo Yiyu and Luo Yilian. The old unhappy stories were beginning to fade, and Luo Yilian gifted a longevity lock to Luo Yining’s son as a blessing.

Although Luo Yining and Luo Shenyuan had faced many struggles in their youth, they held on to each other with steadfast hearts, overcoming obstacles. Wishing them a long, happy life together.

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