The peach and apricot leaned on the red, and the light was verdant.
Wen Xingluo looked at the majestic and glorious Zhenbei Mansion in front of him.
In the previous life, his father and mother divorced, his mother remarried the king of Zhenbei, and his sister coveted wealth and chose to marry into the palace with her mother, recognized the king of Zhenbei as her father, and became a lady of the palace with fine clothes and food.
And she and her three older brothers live with the county commander's father.
Later, her father was recalled by the emperor to the capital as Shangshu, and she married the prince of the dynasty as Miss Shangshu, while her sister Wen Yueyin was hastily married to a rough envoy by the Zhenbei Wangfu, and suffered from her mother-in-law's family.
My sister was dissatisfied with the marriage and went home to cry to her father and brother.
So on the day she married into the East Palace, her father and brother tied her up and arranged for her sister to marry the prince.
Daddy said, "You and your sister were twins, but you robbed her of her nutrients in her womb and caused her to be weak and sick since childhood. You owe your sister a lifetime, so make up for it with this marriage! "
The eldest brother of Tanhua in high school said: "You are too utilitarian, and you always force me to study, and Yueyin is much more pleasing than you!" In the past, my father and I had low official positions and couldn't give the moon a good introduction, but now our family is rich and prominent, and we can finally send her to be the crown princess! In the future, your name and identity will be used by your sister! "
The second brother, who is a wealthy businessman, said: "Yue Yin is simple and naïve, unlike your city government who can calculate, every time I see you show up to talk about business for me, I feel ashamed!" So on the basis of the original dowry, I will give the moon a twenty-fold increase to ensure that she will be rich and prosperous for the rest of her life! "
The third brother who served as the deputy commander of Jin Wuwei said: "You are too strong, and you instigated my father to send me to the military camp for training, making me suffer a lot, far less gentle and lovely than Yueyin!" I'm going to call Jin Wuwei's brothers now, make a big show, and send the moon to lead the scenery to get married! "
My sister sobbed: "Although I don't want to rob my little sister's marriage, but the elders don't dare to resign, since my father and brothers say so, then I have to do it." Little sister won't blame me, right? "
Wen Xingluo looked at them quietly.
Over the years, she knelt down three times and knocked nine times to invite the great Confucian out of the mountain, tutored the eldest brother's knowledge, and made him explore flowers in high school.
She racked her brains to mediate and calculate in the business field to help her second brother become a wealthy businessman in Shuzhong.
She persuaded her father to send her third brother to the military camp for training, and learned a skill to enter Jinwuwei.
She also offered advice to her father to suppress bandits, quell floods and plagues, and so that he was recalled to the capital by the emperor.
She had done so much, but her father and brother still didn't like her.
On the day my sister returned from the East Palace to save her relatives, she was taken into the secret room.
The father and brother believed that only the dead would not reveal secrets, so they planned to kill her so that her sister could live in the world as her from now on.
When Wen Xingluo was dying, he used the poison smeared on the tip of the hairpin to send the whole family to the western sky.
Unexpectedly, when she opened her eyes again, she returned to the time when her father and mother had just left.
My sister preemptively said: "I'll still follow Daddy!" I will never admit a thief as my father for the sake of glory and wealth, what the king of Zhenbei and the king of Zhennan are not as good as my biological father in my heart! "
When my father and brother heard this, they were moved.
When I heard the stars, I knew that my sister had also been reborn.
She said calmly: "Then I will go to the palace with my mother." "
My sister leaned into her ear: "You don't think that Zhenbei Wangfu is a good place, right?" "
Wen Xingluo pinched the handkerchief.
In the previous life, my sister once came home and complained.She said the old princess dowager was a mean and difficult old hag, completely unmoved no matter how much she tried to please her. The gifts she received during holidays were no better than scraps thrown to beggars.
She said her stepbrothers were cold and devoid of any warmth or humanity.
She said the most detestable of all was the heir of the prince's estate—deeply scheming, vicious, and ruthless, with two completely different faces in public and private. He ignored all her efforts to win his favor, kept her at arm's length, as if she were something filthy!
Wen Xingluo feigned confusion. "A place so grand and luxurious, isn't it good?"
"You'll understand when you go there," her sister said meaningfully. "Silly sister, don't look down on our family just because we're down and out now, crammed into the county office with no money for decent rouge and powder. But three years from now, our family will surely rise to prominence! I, for one, will become the crown princess!"
Rise to prominence?
Wen Xingluo lowered her gaze.
In this lifetime, without her help, she was curious to see how her father would achieve outstanding political success and how her three brothers would make a name for themselves.
"Miss Wen," the maid from the prince's estate called out, "what are you daydreaming about? The dowager princess is still waiting to see you."
Wen Xingluo snapped out of her thoughts.
Her mother had been married into the family for two days now.
This was the dowager princess's first time summoning her.
Arriving at the Wansong Courtyard, the maid instructed, "Miss Wen, please wait here in the corridor for a moment while I go in to announce your arrival."
Wen Xingluo had excellent hearing.
Shortly after the maid entered, she heard an elderly voice from the inner chamber: "I come from a family of generals, with one son and four grandsons under my care. I've never raised a delicate little girl in my life. Tell me, how exactly should one go about raising such a young lady?""I reckon she needs to be pampered to thrive!"
Wen Xingluo clutched her handkerchief.
The speaker was likely the Dowager Consort. Judging by her tone, she seemed to hold Wen Xingluo in high regard—completely different from the "harsh and difficult" person her elder sister had described.
A clear, low voice of a young man followed closely, "Grandmother, the meeting gift you've prepared is too extravagant. She's just a young girl who has only just arrived at the residence. Giving her so much might make her feel burdened and unsure of how to conduct herself."
"Ziheng, you have a point. In that case, shall I put away this box of silver notes for now?"
The heir of the Wang family, Xie Guanlan, styled Ziheng, was precisely the person her elder sister had called the most detestable.
Perhaps the maid had already informed them of Wen Xingluo's arrival, as the conversation in the inner chamber came to a halt.
After a moment, the elderly woman added, "Ziheng, from now on, that young girl is part of our family. Since she's now your younger sister, you must treat her well."
"Grandmother, you jest. As the elder brother, it is naturally my duty to take good care of my younger sister. However, I have official matters to attend to at the yamen, so I must take my leave."
As the sound of footsteps approached, a maid lifted the felt curtain.
Wen Xingluo lowered her gaze and saw a pair of black boots embroidered with swirling cloud patterns step out.
The young man who emerged was dressed in fine robes and a leather belt, exuding an imposing presence. His crimson robe accentuated his elegant and noble demeanor. Though his features were strikingly handsome and deep-set, his brows and eyes carried an innate aloofness, like a barren mountain and cold waters in early spring.
As he crossed the threshold, a strong scent of sandalwood wafted over, pressing down on Wen Xingluo's shoulders along with his gaze, which felt almost tangible.
It was the natural aura of authority that came with being in a position of power.
Wen Xingluo surmised that this must be Xie Guanlan, the heir of the Zhenbei Wang Residence.
She curtsied and greeted, "Greetings, elder brother."
The young man replied slowly, "Miss Wen, there's no need for such formality. Your surname is Wen, mine is Xie—how could I possibly be your elder brother?"
His noble and distant demeanor was a stark contrast to the gentle and respectful manner he had displayed in front of the Dowager Consort just moments ago.