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

The Xiao residence.

"Who's outside?" Xiao Mengxi looked out the window and saw a fat man with big ears, who seemed to be looking for General Xiao.

The maid replied, "Yes, Miss, it is the Marquis of Pingyang, who is here as a guest."

Xiao Mengxi was very weak, but when she saw the woman following behind the Marquis of Pingyang, her eyes almost burned with fire.

That's Wei Zhaoning? How could Wei Zhaoning be with Marquis Pingyang? Didn't she go back to be a princess?

The maid seemed to have read her mind and immediately said, "Miss, please calm down. I'll go ahead and find out what's going on."

All of Xiao Mengxi's hatred was ignited. She was still unwilling to accept it. If it weren't for Wei Zhaoning, her relationship with Brother Yi would definitely be different.

She has lost her reputation and gained nothing, all thanks to Wei Zhaoning!

This despicable woman actually dared to show up at the Xiao residence so brazenly!

The maid returned quickly, panting, "Miss, it wasn't Wei Zhaoning. That person is the concubine of the Marquis of Pingyang, named Gu Xiaoran. She only looks somewhat similar. She used to be Wei Zhaoning's maid."

"Miss, she says she wants to see you."

Xiao Mengxi raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

Faced with a face that bore a striking resemblance to Wei Zhaoning, Xiao Mengxi couldn't bring herself to be amiable. She used almost all her strength to restrain herself and prevent herself from slashing Gu Xiaoran's face.

So what if she doesn't? She doesn't want to see anyone who even remotely resembles Wei Zhaoning.

"Miss Xiao." Gu Xiaoran tidied her hair, and a strong fragrance wafted over, causing Xiao Mengxi to frown.

She sized up Gu Xiaoran, who was dressed in gold and silver, looking as if he had two necks, with four or five gold chains hanging around his neck.

Why does he act like a nouveau riche?

"What's up?"

Gu Xiaoran smiled gently, "Miss Xiao, I'm here to share your burdens."

Xiao Mengxi looked at her suspiciously. "What worries can you possibly share?"

These words were spoken with a strong sense of disdain, and Gu Xiaoran could tell that this Miss Xiao in front of her looked down on her in the slightest.

She unconsciously tightened her grip on her sleeve, but for their shared goal, she endured it.

"Is Miss Xiao really withdrawing? Doesn't she want Wei Zhaoning and the Prince to never have peace again?"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Mengxi perked up and her expression softened slightly as she looked at Gu Xiaoran. "Why do you want to help me?"

Gu Xiaoran gritted her teeth, her face looking rather grim, but she knew that if she didn't tell the whole story now, Miss Xiao wouldn't stand on her side.

"I am the illegitimate daughter of the Duke's family."

"Because my mother was a maidservant who was favored by the Duke by chance, and I didn't have their family background, I had no official status, and my name wasn't even included in the family genealogy!"

Yes, if it weren't for Wei Zhaoning's mother being so unforgiving, only agreeing to take Wei Jiaruo's mother as a concubine, how could she have ended up as a cleaning maid?!

Watching Wei Zhaoning showered with love and acting like a pampered young lady every day, while she herself could only be a servant, and her mother was even kicked out of the mansion, never to see her again!

How has she survived all these years! She has noble blood, yet she has the life of a maid; how can she not hate!

Her appearance is so similar to Wei Zhaoning's, so why was Wei Zhaoning able to marry the Marquis, and even after being divorced and becoming a "second-hand" woman, she was still able to marry the most noble man in the world besides His Majesty!

In order to escape her fate as a maid, she plotted step by step, seducing the Marquis of Pingyang, and thus became a lowly concubine in his household, forever looked down upon by others!

She still couldn't escape her fate as a servant; she simply went from a cleaning maid to a servant who had to wait on men and live at their mercy.

She would never forget that day when her mother was kicked out of the mansion and froze to death outside in the freezing cold, while she was responsible for fetching water and watching Wei Zhaoning wash the Duke's feet, a scene of deep father-daughter affection unfolding.

The Duke, her father, didn't even glance at her.

While the family enjoyed a happy candlelight dinner, Gu Xiaoran was washing clothes for the young lady in the dead of winter, her hands covered in chilblains.

Wei Zhaoning even pretended to apply ointment to her, saying something like, "Poor thing, don't wash anymore, go do something else."

Who needs her pity! Who needs her!

Does not washing clothes and doing other things mean she's no longer a servant? Who does she think she is? What right does she have to give herself away?

Her current situation is entirely due to her and her mother; what right does she have to play the good person?

What a spoiled young lady! What a duke's legitimate daughter! She's done so many bad things yet acts all compassionate. How hateful!

Wei Zhaoning and her family are so warm and loving, but have they ever thought about her dead mother? Because of the Duke's selfish desires, her mother is gone.

Even if it costs her entire life, she will never let Wei Zhaoning get away with it!

Xiao Mengxi was slightly surprised after hearing this. Seeing this face, it was very convincing. Gu Xiaoran was not lying.

She chuckled sinisterly, "Tell me, isn't she a scourge? How many people has she ruined? Shouldn't we stand up for her and punish her?"

A strange light flashed in Gu Xiaoran's eyes. "Those who are not virtuous enough to hold their positions are destined not to last long."

Then, she said with some difficulty, "Miss Xiao, I am just a concubine. I don't have the power to do anything to Wei Zhaoning. But you are different. You are the legitimate daughter of the General's Mansion. All I can do is take you out of the General's Mansion."

Xiao Mengxi smiled slightly. "That's enough."

"I suddenly realize that I don't dislike your face as much anymore."

The two hit it off immediately. Xiao Mengxi changed into the clothes of Gu Xiaoran's maid and followed Gu Xiaoran out of the general's mansion.

She was going to finish off someone who deserved to die.

*

Wei Zhaoning didn't have much free time, as the Lantern Festival was just around the corner, and according to custom, every household would go out for a stroll.

Pei Yi was planning to annihilate the Crown Prince in one fell swoop, so he had been staying in the palace these days.

However, he gave Pei Ran a specific task: to accompany her sister-in-law to the lantern festival.

In his heart, Ningning was so wonderful that no one could dislike her, and Pei Ran was not the ungrateful type like the Lu family. If the two of them didn't get along, it meant they hadn't spent enough time together.

Xiao Rongwang is a typical example. He said before that he would never acknowledge his sister-in-law, no matter what, and he wouldn't listen to any punishment. Now he's looking for his sister-in-law all the time.

Pei Ran was naturally unwilling, but what could she do? She didn't dare to disobey her royal brother, so she had no choice but to bite the bullet and go for it. Anyway, it was just a few hours of disgust, what could Wei Zhaoning dare to do?

So on the day of the Lantern Festival, Wei Zhaoning and she went out the door staring at each other, both feeling awkward.