After the divorce, I was adorned in a phoenix robe, while my ex-husband's entire family dug up

Wei Zhaoning arranged Liu Xiang's funeral and sent someone to fetch Liu Xiang's younger brother to pay his respects. It was only with great difficulty that the funeral was settled.

Dongxu cried for several days and couldn't recover.

Her relationship with Liu Xiang had progressed to the level of close confidantes, and she had become accustomed to being close to Liu Xiang. Since childhood, she had followed her mistress, and besides her mistress, Liu Xiang was the only person in her life with whom she had a close relationship and a deep emotional connection. She dared not imagine what she would do if these two people disappeared from her life one day; she simply could not cope with it.

Although she was a maid, she followed Wei Zhaoning, and in a sense, she was well protected by Wei Zhaoning. She had never seen the wickedness of people's hearts, nor had she experienced profound life-and-death separations. This was her first experience.

Parting is always unforgettable, hurting people to the core.

Wei Zhaoning sighed, "Lu Jieyue and Lu Jieshuang were tortured to death by Meng Yun, so they deserved it."

Dongxu choked back tears, "But Miss, Liuxiang will be able to leave with us soon! She won't have to suffer under Wei Jiaruo's oppression anymore, and her life will finally get better!"

Wei Zhaoning lowered her head and remained silent for a moment.

There are always many unforeseen and unpredictable events in life, beyond our control. Humans are always insignificant in the face of fate, and can only continue on with regrets.

Lu Zhu has not been at the Marquis's residence these days. He must have gone to the Crown Prince's place. It seems to be very urgent. He hasn't come back to rest at night. Taking advantage of this gap, Wei Zhaoning moved away with Dongxu.

She returned to the general's mansion.

My maternal grandfather and eldest uncle are still at the border; only my aunt, cousin, and cousin's wife are in the household.

Wei Zhaoning hadn't been here for a long time. When he arrived, he saw that his little cousin could already babble and talk, and his cousin and his wife were newly married and very much in love.

In this life, cousin Wei Ling did not fall out with his sister-in-law because of Bai Yunxiao, and the wedding date arrived as scheduled. He did not become depressed, but instead worked even harder, joined the Imperial Guard, and made up for the regrets of his previous life.

Wei Zhaoning watched with a sense of satisfaction. No matter what brilliant tricks the Crown Prince had up his sleeve, she had at least succeeded in reversing the situation of her previous life and allowing many regrets from that life to have a perfect ending in this one.

"What's wrong with you? You didn't come when Niao Niao was born, and you didn't come to her first birthday party. Do you think you don't have this family anymore?" Aunt Wei scolded.

That's just how she is. She seems impulsive and quick-tempered, but she's actually soft-hearted. Most women from military families are like that, so it's no wonder people say that even though Wei Zhaoning thinks her mother is quite unconventional, she's still much gentler than her aunt.

Wei Zhaoning joked, "Now that I'm here, how could I forget my aunt? Come here, Niao Niao, let your cousin hug you."

Little Niaoniao was extremely beautiful. Even from a young age, you could tell she was going to be a beauty. She was well-behaved, never cried or fussed, and had soft, chubby little arms that smelled like lotus roots. She also had a milky fragrance all over her body.

"Urgent...urgent...Jie...Jie Jie..."

Little Niaoniao's speech was still not fluent, and she awkwardly called out "sister." Wei Zhaoning's heart softened at the sight; what an adorable child.

At this moment, Wei Ling arrived with his cousin-in-law, Madam Zhang. "She can't even speak clearly, all she knows is to act cute, little bean sprout," he said, looking at Xiao Niaoniao with a doting expression.

Wei Zhaoning saw the Zhang family's daughter and found her to be truly worthy of her reputation. She was a lady of high birth, with a poised and approachable demeanor, displaying the grace of a distinguished family.

"Sister-in-law," Wei Zhaoning greeted.

To be honest, although she hadn't been back here for a long time, no matter how long it had been since she returned, or what new faces she saw, she felt very familiar and at ease.

I've never felt this sense of belonging anywhere else.

Madam Zhang smiled and took out a jade bracelet, handing it to Wei Zhaoning. "Good child, look at the gift your cousin-in-law prepared for you."

Wei Zhaoning gladly accepted the gift, had a meal with her relatives, and settled in.

During this process, everyone tacitly agreed not to mention Lu Zhufeng or the Regent. As long as Wei Zhaoning was doing well, that was enough. It would be even better if she could live in the General's Mansion. They even complained that the General's Mansion was too deserted. It would be more pleasant if more people came and everyone gathered around to eat together.

It was late at night, and Wei Zhaoning was resting when her aunt knocked on the door.

"Come in."

Aunt Wei raised an eyebrow and smiled, "Are you hungry, Ningning?"

Wei Zhaoning understood immediately, "Eating hot pot?"

Aunt Wei's eyes lit up. "Everything is ready. We're just waiting for you."

Laoguo is a game where a group of people gather around and fry potatoes, zucchini, konjac tofu, and sometimes even pork ribs and beef.

The essence lies in the dipping sauce. The dry dipping sauce is fragrant, spicy, and rich, while the water-based sauce contains houttuynia cordata, scallions, and cilantro, along with chili peppers. A splash of hot oil completes the aroma.

The family sits around the stove, frying and eating, which always makes the delicious food even more appealing. After a meal, you feel the warm atmosphere, and both your body and heart can be warmed.

They used to love doing this: a group of people sitting around in the general's mansion, happily eating a hot pot meal, and all their troubles would disappear.

The potatoes were fried until golden brown and crispy in boiling hot oil, which sizzled and bubbled.

Wei Zhaoning hadn't eaten so heartily in a long time.

"Ningning, from now on, listen to your aunt and you can live a good life on your own. Do whatever you want to do. Our General's Mansion will support you. There are just a few good men out there."

Wei Ling was the first to disagree, "Auntie, don't condemn me so harshly. I'm a genuinely good man."

After saying that, he kissed his cousin-in-law's cheek. "Right?"

"Wipe your mouth clean!" my cousin-in-law said angrily.

Wei Zhaoning agreed with her aunt's idea; she even wanted to persuade her mother to get a divorce.

"Then you should keep up this good habit. If you dare to be like those men and flirt around, I'm sorry, cousin-in-law, just try it. You'll never be allowed into the General's Mansion again."

A burst of laughter changed the subject.

As Wei Zhaoning ate, she looked at her aunt's rosy complexion and wondered, why can't women stay single? Who decided that marriage is the only way to achieve fulfillment? She began to think that the rules set by society for women were not for their own good. Apart from the emotional aspect, the benefits of marriage were that men benefited more than women.

There are basically no advantages for women.

My aunt and that man have been divorced for over a year.

That man did the same thing as Li Changming during his aunt's pregnancy, so his aunt lost her father and kept her child.

Wei Zhaoning had seen her aunt when she was hysterical. At that time, she was pregnant and was very thin, with sunken cheeks and no light in her eyes. She was irritable to everyone and was lifeless all day long. To put it bluntly, she was like a resentful woman.