Remarried to a top-tier playboy, her reborn ex-husband is filled with regret.

The hanging flower gate of the Yong'an Marquis's mansion was smashed open with a loud "bang".

The officers and soldiers filed in, their black uniforms over their constable uniforms, long swords hanging straight at their waists. The sound of their footsteps on the bluestone slabs startled the sparrows roosting under the eaves.

Su Yuyan cowered in the guest room of the Marquis's mansion, hoping to escape this calamity.

The moment the soldiers burst in, she trembled with fear and couldn't think of any way to react.

"Who are you? How dare you trespass into the Marquis's residence?"

Her hair ornament swayed with her trembling body, yet she still questioned him with a fierce but inwardly weak tone.

The head constable flashed his badge, his voice cold and hard as iron.

"By imperial decree, arrest the suspect. Su Wenbin's daughter, Su Yuyan, is hereby brought to justice."

"Take me?"

Su Yuyan's voice trembled, and her feet retreated uncontrollably.

"You've got it wrong. My cousin is Gu Jinghuai, the heir of the Yong'an Marquis's mansion. I'm going to be his concubine. I'm no longer a member of the Su family."

Before she could finish speaking, Gu Jinghuai strode over from the moon gate, the hem of his gray brocade robe sweeping across the stone steps, his face showing urgency.

"What happened?"

"Cousin Jinghuai!"

Su Yuyan rushed over and grabbed his sleeve as if she had seen a savior.

"They said they would arrest me, but if you take me as your concubine, they won't be able to arrest me, right...?"

"Let go!"

A deep shout came from behind the screen wall.

Marquis Gu Yan of Yong'an stood with his hands behind his back, his dark blue casual robe embroidered with subtle patterns. Although he was not wearing court attire, his imposing presence was overwhelming.

His gaze swept over Su Yuyan and finally landed on the constable.

"Su Yuyan is not a concubine of the Marquis's household. You can proceed according to the rules."

"Father!"

Gu Jinghuai panicked and stepped forward to block Su Yuyan.

"Yu Yan is innocent. She has always lived in the manor and has never interfered in her uncle's affairs..."

"Foolish!"

Gu Yan interrupted sharply.

"Su Wenbin is a criminal who has been convicted of smuggling military rations and selling inferior goods as superior ones!"

Do you want the entire Yong'an Marquis's mansion to be implicated?

His eyes were sharp as knives, and when he swept over Gu Jinghuai, they carried an undeniable authority.

"The affairs of the Su family have nothing to do with my Marquis's mansion."

"Get out of my way!"

Gu Jinghuai's hand froze in mid-air, his knuckles turning white from the force.

He looked at Su Yuyan and saw that the color had faded from his cousin's face and her eyes were full of panic. He felt a pang of pity.

"cousin……"

Su Yuyan pleaded, her voice trembling with tears.

"Don't let them take me away! I can be your concubine, just say the word and I can save Yu Yan! Cousin, say something!"

"They say I'm your concubine, they say I'm from the Yong'an Marquis's mansion, cousin..."

Although Gu Jinghuai couldn't bear to see Su Yuyan end up in a brothel, he didn't dare to openly disobey his father's orders.

Faced with Su Yuyan's tear-streaked face, he simply stood there, unable to utter a word.

Gu Yan waved his hand impatiently.

Without further hesitation, the head constable gave a wink to the officers behind him.

The two stepped forward and each took Su Yuyan's arm from either side.

"Let me go!"

Su Yuyan struggled, causing the gold hairpin to be pulled askew, and pearls to fall to the ground.

"Cousin! You just stood by and watched them take me to a place like that? Couldn't you even say a word for me?"

Gu Jinghuai's Adam's apple bobbed, but he ultimately turned his face away.

Su Yuyan was dragged outside, her cries shrill and piercing, making his eardrums ache.

As they approached the gate of the mansion, Su Yuyan suddenly began to struggle violently.

She abruptly turned to look at Gu Jinghuai, her panic turning into a venomous madness.

"I know! It's Yun Shuyao! It must be her!"

Gu Jinghuai's heart skipped a beat.

"The Qin family members are imprisoned because of the military rations case. Who else can stand up for them?"

Besides her, who else has the ability to dig up these things?

She only tried to harm me to save her maternal grandparents' family!

Su Yuyan's voice was hoarse with excitement.

"She's disliked me for a long time. She's the one who wanted to harm me. Cousin, believe me, it must be her!"

The constable impatiently grabbed her and scolded her:

"Get out of here, or I'll break your legs!"

Su Yuyan was staggered as she was dragged out of the Marquis's mansion, but her venomous scream pierced Gu Jinghuai's heart like a needle.

He stood there, watching the gates slowly close, shutting out the girl's cries.

The voice of his father, Gu Yan, rang out behind him.

"Go back to your room and stay there quietly. Don't cause trouble for the Marquis's mansion."

Gu Jinghuai didn't move.

After a long while, he asked in a low voice.

"Father, is the Su family... truly beyond saving?"

Gu Yan snorted coldly.

"If even the Wing King has abandoned his pawns, who would dare to protect them?"

"Don't meddle in other people's business. The Yong'an Marquis's mansion must not be implicated, and we must not offend the Wing Prince."

The footsteps faded into the distance, but Gu Jinghuai seemed to be rooted to the spot.

He recalled Su Yuyan's last words, and Yun Shuyao's always calm and unwavering eyes.

Perhaps... it really is her?

The thought had barely formed in my mind when I couldn't suppress it any longer.

After an unknown amount of time, he suddenly turned around and rushed out of the mansion.

Even though I can't save Yu Yan, I still have to smooth things over with the officials so she can suffer less.

On the street, all members of the Su family had been captured.

The men, wearing shackles, were pushed and shoved forward with their heads down.

The women wept and wailed, and were sternly reprimanded by the constables as they followed.

People gathered on the street, pointing and commenting.

"It was them who dared to try and steal military rations!"

"That's right! While the soldiers on the front lines are risking their lives, these people are just parasites in the rear!"

"Serves them right! Their house deserves to be raided!"

Foul language came flying at us like pebbles.

Su Yuyan mingled among the women, her hair disheveled, her lotus-colored dress covered in dust, and she had long lost her former delicate charm.

As if sensing something, she suddenly looked up and met Gu Jinghuai's gaze from outside the crowd.

"Cousin! Help me!"

She tried to rush over like a madwoman, but was held down firmly by the constables.

"I don't want to go to the brothel! Please save me!"

Gu Jinghuai felt as if his heart was being squeezed tightly by a hand, the pain making it hard for him to breathe.

He immediately reached for the money pouch at his waist, intending to hand it over to the constable for better care.

But as soon as he raised his hand, he was given a cold glance by an old constable next to him.

"Young Master Gu, this is a case personally selected by the Emperor; no one dares to show favoritism."

The money bag was never handed over.

Gu Jinghuai watched as Su Yuyan was dragged along, gradually merging into the group of prisoners, heading towards the Jiaofangsi (a type of entertainment venue).

Su Yuyan's cries grew fainter and fainter until they finally disappeared completely into the clamor of the crowd.

He stood there, his fingertips icy cold.

Su Yuyan's words echoed in his mind once again.

"That's right, it must be Yun Shuyao!"

Gu Jinghuai turned around abruptly, the last trace of hesitation in his eyes replaced by a fierce look.

He was going to find Yun Shuyao and get to the bottom of things.