So what if she's my sister-in-law? You seduced me first.

A clinic not far from Huguo Temple.

Qinghe handed the clothes she had bought behind the curtain. Ningyu took them and put them on. Her wounds had been simply bandaged, and there was no blood on her outer clothes, so there was nothing unusual about them.

Ning Yu put on her veil and pulled Qing He out through the inconspicuous back door. She had just asked the doctor about the poison in her body, and he said that she was not poisoned and could not find anything. She planned to go back to the clinic in the capital to see a doctor.

The city gates were already open early in the morning, and there were many people coming and going. The two headed straight for the clinic.

Half an incense stick later, Ning Yu stood outside the shop on the street corner, her face sullen and silent.

Qinghe comforted her, "Could it be that the doctor's skills are not good enough and he can't find the problem?"

"No," Ning Yu said through gritted teeth, "I was lied to."

No wonder she didn't feel any discomfort; that scoundrel was lying to her, and what he fed her wasn't poison at all.

Thinking about the sins she had committed these past two days, she wished she could turn back time and give him a piece of her mind.

Forget it, let's just consider it good karma for that bastard's ancestors for eighteen generations. May he drown when he drinks water and choke to death when he eats meat.

Xie Jia Rong Antang.

"Madam, the Crown Princess has returned."

News of the burning of Huguo Temple reached the capital early in the morning. During the morning court session, the emperor was furious and ordered the Jingzhao Prefecture to thoroughly investigate the matter and send someone to fetch the crown prince.

Upon hearing the news, the family rushed to fetch the Crown Princess. The death was a minor matter; they didn't want any scandal to ruin the Xie family's reputation.

The coachman waited for a long time but didn't find anyone. Just then, a guard came to report that the Crown Princess had walked back on her own.

The Grand Princess, who was waiting outside the hall, glanced at him sideways. "Has any news spread?"

"No, the Crown Princess came down from the mountain with the Crown Prince's imperial guards. I guess she didn't know the manor would be coming to pick her up, so she walked back by herself."

Tell her to wash up, the old lady is very ill, and ask her to come and take care of her.

"Yes."

Ning Yu knew that once she returned to this mansion, she would be subject to all sorts of rules and regulations. Now that the young master was dead, she would have no one to rely on for the rest of her life.

She had no choice but to endure the pain, change into a clean and proper white dress, and head to the old lady's courtyard.

As soon as the news of the prince's death on the battlefield reached the Xie family, they hung up white mourning banners and walked in silence, with the faint sound of chanting coming from the mourning hall.

Upon arriving at the old lady's courtyard, they saw the Grand Princess standing under the eaves.

"Were you frightened in any way?"

Ning Yu walked over with her head bowed and said, "Thank you for your concern, Mother. I am fine."

"It's good that you're alright. Erlang just came out from inside. The old lady should be awake. You can go in and take care of her. Mother wants to go back and get some sleep."

Erlang?! Xie Yan's younger brother, Xie Xun, I heard he was serving as the Grand Commander in the court and went to Jiangdong to handle a case, but he's back so quickly.

Thinking of Xie Xun, a cold glint flashed in Ning Yu's eyes. She had heard that Xie Xun had a good temper, but she didn't believe that he could be a kind person who could sit in the position of Grand Commander.

Now that Xie Yan is dead, there are only two brothers left on the main branch of the family. The Xie family's title will probably go to his brother. Will he treat his widowed sister-in-law well?

"Oh, it's you, sister-in-law! Why aren't you hiding in the temple? You've come back instead!"

As soon as Ning Yu stepped across the threshold of the outer room, she saw Xie Ling, dressed in plain clothes, coming out of the inner room.

It's been a month since she married into the Xie family. Xie Lingsu has never gotten along with her. She usually dresses up in fancy clothes, but this is the first time she's seen her dressed so plainly. Her face doesn't look so bad anymore.

To be honest, the Xie family has a lot of illegitimate sons and daughters. If it weren't for Xie Ling causing trouble for her every day, she probably wouldn't even remember this person.

Unwilling to engage in a verbal exchange with her, Ning Yu lifted her foot to enter the house.

"Hmph, daughters from humble families are ill-mannered. How could they be worthy of Big Brother?"

Ning Yu wasn't deaf; he heard the muttering.

She sneered inwardly. At that time, Xie Yan was on the battlefield, his fate unknown. In the barbaric land of Shangliang, his life was uncertain for a month. Which good daughter would dare to marry into the family to bring good luck? Did they really think that all the noble ladies in the capital wanted to live as widows?

Ever since news came from the border that Xie Yan's body had been found, the old lady had fallen ill and never recovered, but now she seemed to be in much better spirits.

Ning Yu respectfully went inside and served tea.

"You don't need to serve this old woman. Go and keep vigil before your husband's spirit."

"Yes."

Xie Yan's body is still on the frontier. The coffin in the mourning hall is empty, and people are burning paper money in front of it.

Ning Yu stood under the corridor and glanced at the monks chanting sutras while striking the wooden fish. She then quietly slipped into the passageway and knelt on the prayer mat.

Perhaps because last night was too thrilling, she was feeling drowsy now that she had relaxed, and her head kept nodding off.

Her mind was a blur as she recalled the scene at the cliff, and the man's hateful face flashed through her mind. She gritted her teeth in anger, determined not to let him know who that dog was.

She was so sleepy, so very sleepy. She lowered her head and quietly closed her eyes to doze off.

She didn't know how much time had passed, but in her drowsy state, Ning Yu seemed to hear someone calling her.

She opened her eyes groggily and looked around, only to find that it was the Grand Princess's personal nanny who had come to call her.

"Princess Consort, please go back and change into some plain clothes. Come to Rong'an Hall for dinner later."

Eating?! She's been married into the Xie family for so many days, and she hasn't eaten with the masters of the Xie family yet.

She quickly got up, rubbed her aching and numb knees, and asked softly, "Why do you suddenly want to eat together?"

After news of Xie Yan's death reached the Xie family, a dark fog descended upon them, and the atmosphere became deathly still. The old lady fell ill and never recovered, let alone eat together.

"The governor is back, and the old lady says everyone should have a meal together."

Grand Commander Xie Xun.

Ning Yu nodded and went back to her own courtyard to change her clothes.

Because of Xie Yan's death in battle, the family had not held a banquet for a long time. A large group of people sat in the hall. Ning Yu sat listlessly in a chair, sipping her tea.

Only the Grand Princess and the Old Madam were talking in the hall; everyone else sat quietly drinking tea, and the young ladies and gentlemen of the mansion dared not interrupt.

Ning Yu glanced at the people in the hall. The Xie family was a prominent clan with generations of high-ranking officials. They were the head of the Elders' Council. After the death of the old patriarch, Xie Yan's father inherited his father's title, and the other uncles also stayed in the court to serve in high positions.

Because the old lady was still alive, they all stayed in the ancestral home for the time being, and a family banquet was held with a whole hall full of people.

Just then, the beaded curtain was lifted by a maid, and a tall figure walked in.

"Grandmother, Mother---"

Ning Yu looked in the direction of the sound, and her pupils widened instantly.

It was already dark, but the hall was brightly lit. By the light from under the eaves, she could clearly see the man walking in from outside.

The man was dressed in a white robe and black boots, with a white jade belt around his waist. The dim light under the eaves illuminated his tall and slender figure. Looking up, one could see his face, which was bathed in the pale moonlight, as if it were hooked and could entice one's soul out.

Xie Xun, that is Xie Xun.

"Please sit down. This trip to Jiangdong will last three months. You must be tired from the long journey."

When the old lady saw him, she was reminded of her eldest grandson who had died in battle. Tears welled up in her cloudy eyes, and she took his hand and began to murmur to herself.

Xie Xun sat upright on the stool and said gently, "I have already gone to the palace to report back. Thank you for your concern, Grandmother."

"My poor brother—" the old lady's voice choked with sobs, "his body is still nowhere to be found—"

Mentioning Xie Yan made the atmosphere in the hall even more silent and oppressive, and the Grand Princess's face showed even more pain.

"Why is my sister-in-law staring at my second brother?"

Suddenly, a voice, neither too loud nor too soft, rang out at the dining table, and in an instant all eyes turned to her.

Ning Yu lowered her eyelids slightly and said softly, "Fifth Sister, don't talk nonsense. I was just distracted when Grandmother mentioned my husband."

Xie Ling scoffed, "Your eyes are all on Second Brother."

Don't think nobody knows what she's up to. Her eldest brother is dead, and seeing her second brother's handsome appearance, she's set her sights on him again.

"Shut up!" The Second Madam said sternly, seeing the Grand Princess's unpleasant expression. "You child, you never speak properly."

Xie Ling was scolded and, displeased, grabbed the Second Madam's arm and shook it.

Xie Ling was born to a concubine of the Duke of Dingguo. Her birth mother died in childbirth, and because the second wife was weak and did not give birth to a daughter, Xie Ling was raised in her room from a young age.

Therefore, Xie Ling always felt superior to other girls and naturally didn't take her sister-in-law, who had married into the family to bring good fortune, seriously.

"Alright, your eldest brother's body is barely cold, and you're already gossiping about your second brother and sister-in-law in public. Don't you have a brain? Didn't you see how ugly the Princess and the Old Madam looked?" The Second Madam scolded her in a low voice, exasperated.

Seeing that everyone was laughing at her, and that the Grand Princess looked at her with such malice that she wanted to devour her, Xie Ling quickly shut her mouth in fear.

"This is your sister-in-law, whom your family arranged to marry for your eldest brother."

Hearing the old lady's words, Xie Xun looked at the woman opposite him, and smiled slightly, "Hello, sister-in-law."

Seeing that he remained calm and unmoved as if he had never seen her before, Ning Yu lowered her eyes and gave a faint reply.