The fake daughter of a fallen ghost is reborn

Chai Yue continued her movements with her hands. She fastened her narrow-sleeved shirt, closed her skirt, and used an apricot-yellow belt to bind her slender waist into a slender shape.

There are also regulations for makeup and hairdressing in the palace. While combing her hair, Chai Yue asked about Xue Zhiyi's age as if chatting.

Xue Zhiyi only replied: "I don't know the exact date of my birth. I only know that I was born seventeen years ago, in the thirty-second year of the late emperor."

In the bronze mirror, she saw Chai Yue with her brows lowered and her expression unclear. She moved skillfully, and in just three or five strokes she had tied her long black hair into a neat bun.

Xue Zhiyi also asked her: "Sister Chai Yue, what about you?"

Chai Yue said: "I am six years older than you, but I entered the palace when I was eight years old. If you count carefully, it has been fifteen years."

Eight years old? That's too young.

"Why would Sister Chai Yue's family send her to the palace when she was so young?"

Chai Yue just sighed silently: "I am just a family of officials from a small family. The palace selected me and I couldn't refuse. I was the least favored in my family, so they sent me here. After so many years, I have lost contact with them. I don't know how they are doing now."

Xue Zhiyi remained silent.

She could feel Chai Yue's kindness, but she was also curious why a man who grew up in the palace and was used to seeing the viciousness of people's hearts would talk about his past in front of her so easily.

While she was thinking, Chai Yue suddenly asked her: "Zhiyi, have you ever thought about looking for your relatives?"

Xue Zhiyi was slightly stunned, and said, "They abandoned me after I was born. Don't look for me anymore. Just like you, Sister Chai Yue, haven't you cut off contact with your family long ago?"

If she had not been abandoned by her biological parents, she might not have come to the Xue family and would not have to experience the suffering of her previous life.

No matter what, it is just a hypothesis after all. There is no point in thinking about it now.

After finishing her dressing, Xue Zhiyi looked around Jiangxuexuan. She had already thought about what to take away.

She used Xue Runing's share of the profits brought by Fulufang to buy a house and enshrined Xue Runing's tablet in it.

Her share was all exchanged for silver notes.

The capital of these profits came from the Xue family, and the Xue family could not escape the fate of being confiscated anyway. She was not a person of high moral character to begin with, and there would be places in the palace where money would be needed in the future, so of course she would take it with her.

As for the jewelry, most of it had been pawned by her long ago. She had spent most of it during her revenge, and the remaining ones were not worth much.

She was looking through the dressing table, but her hand suddenly stopped.

The red hairband was lying quietly in the dressing box. After hesitating for a moment, Xue Zhiyi took it out.

"Are you ready?" Chai Yue suddenly asked her.

For no reason, Xue Zhiyi felt guilty and quickly hid the hair ribbon in his sleeve before Chai Yue found out.

"...Okay, let's go."

Xue Zhiyi understood that this would probably be the last time he would set foot here in his life.

She had lived two lives in this place.

The maple tree in front of the window was full of birds in the spring, disturbing her sweet dreams in childhood. In autumn, the tree turned golden again, and the maple leaves fluttered and fell into the pond, creating ripples in her two lives.

At that time, although Fu Ling was unfamiliar with her, she always had the most natural dependence on Fu Ling. She always felt that after all, she was her mother, and no matter how unfamiliar she was, she still loved her.

At that time, in the dead of winter, she would ignore Mother Qiao's objections and pull Qiuyun and Suyue to sleep on the same bed, chatting warmly until they fell asleep.

But in the end, no matter how beautiful the memories of this place are, they are ultimately shrouded in lies.

No matter how beautiful the dream is, it is useless and people will wake up eventually.

She, Xue Zhiyi, is about to embark on a new journey.

……

The carriage to the palace stopped outside Xue's mansion. Huo Wuyou seemed to have something to say to her, so he specially arranged an extra carriage so that she didn't have to ride with Chai Yue.

The dress of a female official is different from that of a lady. It is neat and capable, yet not as cramped as that of an ordinary maid.

After all, she represents the face of the royal family. This short shirt with narrow sleeves makes her look even more wealthy and noble than that of ordinary women from official families.

She sat upright in the carriage. Outside, Huo Wuyou was still sitting alone on the horse, just like he did that day during the Spring Festival, looking at her through the window curtains.

However, Xue Zhiyi did not seem sad at all because of leaving the home where he had lived for seventeen years. Instead, there was a little more hope in his dark eyes.

This temporarily put Huo Wuyou's worries to rest.

The weather was fine that day, with a clear blue sky.

Somehow, Huo Wuyou raised his lips and smiled.

He thought for no reason: At this moment, in this situation, it was just like him marrying Xue Zhiyi.

However, it seems that Xue Zhiyi is no longer surnamed Xue, and the Xue family has fallen on hard times. Her so-called engagement with Gu Shichong might actually be cancelled.

If that is the case... then he will really have to marry Xue Zhiyi one day.

Glancing at Huo Wuyou, who was riding on horseback with a happy face, Xue Zhiyi had no idea what he was thinking at the moment. He just frowned and thought to himself: Why is he suddenly smiling like a fool?

She withdrew her gaze and tucked the hairband deeper into her sleeves.

In any case, her entry into the palace this time was certainly due to Huo Wuyou's help. She felt guilty for taking advantage of Huo Wuyou's feelings, so she was even more grateful for it.

"Marquis Lin'an, thank you for running around for me," she said.

Huo Wuyou came back to his senses. This time, Xue Zhiyi's expression was not as deliberate as usual. It seemed that this time, he was really grateful to him.

He raised his lips: "Are you touched?"

"I'm deeply grateful." Xue Zhiyi agreed with him.

"You have a conscience." Huo Wuyou, who was on horseback, looked proud.

Immediately, he asked, "Now that there is this kind of imperial examination fraud, Xue Zhentong participated in the conspiracy and abused his power. I am afraid he will not be able to escape death. As for the treatment of the other members of the Xue family, it depends on the will of Your Majesty and the results of the joint trial of the three courts. What extent do you hope to achieve?"

Speaking of this, Xue Zhiyi lowered his eyes and thought for a moment, then said, "We don't need to intervene in the outcome of this matter. The imperial examination is a serious matter, and His Majesty will not let it go easily. However, with the Zhao family of Yongping Marquis as our in-laws, this matter will not implicate the married daughter. The most serious consequence will be the execution of the entire Xue family, and other relatives will not be implicated."

"It seems that you really have no intention of sparing the lives of the Xue family?" Huo Wuyou said.

Xue Zhiyi just smiled: "After all, I am a vicious woman."

Huo Wuyou cupped his hands: "Well-deserved."

Xue Zhiyi did not continue the conversation, but asked him: "I wonder how the Marquis of Lin'an plans to deal with Lu Minchun?"

"This?" He leaned down, moved closer to the window, and lowered his voice, saying, "After knowing that Lu Minchun was planning to tamper with the Spring Examination, I have had people secretly monitoring him. As expected, Prince Cheng's original plan was to join forces with Lu Minchun, the Minister of Rites, to pin the crime of cheating in the Spring Examination on the Minister of Rites Fang Ou. In this way, Lu Minchun could be promoted, and Prince Cheng could also take the opportunity to control the Ministry of Rites."

After that, he sighed quietly, "Fang Ou is a good official. He has not been involved in factional disputes for so many years. He was also good friends with my father in the past. So I reminded him to be careful with Lu Minchun. In this way, Lu Minchun's crime cannot be framed. His end will not be much better than Xue Zhentong."

He sat up straight and said with regret: "In this matter, both Prince Gong and Prince Cheng suffered losses. Neither of them gained any benefit and suffered heavy losses."