Dong Zhaohui's emotions were complicated.

  If this suddenly appearing woman is a stepmother, and Mother tries to make an issue out of her identity, she will probably be greatly disappointed.

  Her stepmother's surname is Wang, her maiden name is Yingxue, and she is the daughter of Wang Xingyi.

  Wang Xingyi, also known as You Sheng, was a native of Nanwa Township, Lingshou County, North Zhili. He passed the imperial examination in the 36th year of the Zhi De era (AD 999) and became a jinshi. Initially, he served as the main affairs officer of the Ministry of Personnel, later promoted to the rank of vice director of the Department of War's Chariot and Cavalry Division. During this period, the Mongolian Anda Khan repeatedly led troops to invade the northern border, and Shi Duanlan, the general-in-chief of Datong, requested to open a horse market to appease them. Wang Xingyi submitted a memorial, "Request to Abolish the Horse Market", strongly arguing that Shi Duanlan was "ten times wrong and five times mistaken". The eunuch Chen Dong, who held the pen in the Imperial Censorate, protected Shi Duanlan, and Wang Xingyi impeached Chen Dong for "five treacherous crimes and fifteen sins". In the fourth year of the Yongming era (AD 1007), Wang Xingyi was flogged a hundred times and thrown into prison. He became famous among scholars for refusing to write a confession in prison despite being subjected to torture. After Chen Dong's death, through the efforts of his teacher, Grand Secretary and Minister of Personnel Zeng Yifen, and others, Wang Xingyi's sentence was commuted to exile in Xining Wei in the sixth year of the Yongming era (AD 1009).

  In the following years, the Mongols continued to harass the borders and the horse market was destroyed.

  In the fourth year of Chengping, which was also the third year after his stepmother remarried, Wang Xingzu was reinstated on the recommendation of Zeng Yifen.

  He was first appointed as the magistrate of Xintai County, Shandong Province, and then successively promoted to be the Main Affairs Officer of the Ministry of Justice, the Deputy Director of the Ministry of Rites, and the Wuqian Officer of the Ministry of War, being transferred four times within half a year.

  It has been ten years since he was exiled, spanning two dynasties.

  Afterwards Wang Xingyi rose rapidly through the ranks, and by the time Dou Zhaosi fell ill, he had accumulated offices as Grand Secretary of the Eastern Pavilion, Minister of Rites, and reached the pinnacle of power.

  The Wang family was originally a small surname in Nanwa, and they had been farming and reading for generations. After the incident with Wang Xingyi, his wife Xu Shi sold all of their property to save her husband. After Wang Xingyi's sentence was commuted to exile, the eldest son Wang Zhi Bing accompanied his ill and weak father to Xining Wei, while his wife brought their newlywed daughter-in-law Gao Shi, who had been married for less than a month, their second son Wang Zhi Gan, and their daughter Yingxue to make ends meet. Due to the family having no constant property, Gao Shi took the initiative to sell her dowry, earning 300 taels of silver, 30 of which were used to buy four mu of good land for daily expenses, while the rest was used to support Wang Xingyi and Wang Zhi Bing's living expenses in Xining Wei. The family lived a very difficult life.

  There are those like Gao Jia who understand justice, and those like Wang Yingxue's husband's family, the Lei family, who only pursue profit.

  In the eighth year of Yongming, the Lei family saw that Zeng Yifen was forced to retire and Wang Xingyi had no chance of being reinstated. The 14-year-old Wang Yingxue's engagement was also called off.

  Wang Yingshu gritted her teeth and sold the betrothal gifts from the Lei family. Through an intermediary, she started a business buying cotton, which barely supported the bottomless pit that was Xining Garrison, allowing Wang Xingyi to survive until he was reinstated.

  So when Third Aunt told Mother that Father had sent someone to bring that woman to Zhen Ding, she and Eldest Aunt discussed it and decided to meet the woman at Eldest Aunt's dowry estate. At this point, Du Zhao burst into loud wailing and grabbed onto Mother's skirt, refusing to let go.

  Her mother suppressed her anger and coaxed her.

  Third Aunt looked at her with a hint of a smile and said, "That's fine. If anyone asks, just say you brought Shougu to play at Eldest Sister's estate."

  The mother then gave up and absent-mindedly followed Third Aunt to Eldest Uncle's estate.

  The great aunt has been waiting at the second gate for a long time.

  She pulled her mother's hand and looked her up and down, nodding in approval: "I was worried that you wouldn't be able to handle it, but now it seems I was overthinking."

  Mother wore a crimson cheongsam with a large red peony pattern, her raven-black hair styled in a low bun, adorned only with a small pearl-encrusted peony flower the size of a lotus seed on the side of her bun. The bright green jade cuff sparkled like a spring morning on her slender wrist and the crimson sleeve mouth, exuding elegance and refinement amidst its stately grandeur.

  Third Aunt also praised: "Seventh Brother and Sister have always been good at dressing up, today they are especially beautiful."

  A faint bitter smile appeared at the corner of her mother's mouth and quickly disappeared.

  She knelt down and bowed to her aunts: "Please help me with today's matter, both of you."

  "This is natural." Eldest Aunt and Third Aunt simultaneously pushed Mother, looking at her with eyes as loving as Mother's, "We won't let Seventh Uncle do as he pleases."

  Mother's expression was slightly fixed.

  Great Aunt smiled and hugged Dou Zhao: "Shou girl, the camellias behind Great Aunt's house have all bloomed. Why don't you bring a few maids to help Great Aunt cut some branches later to put in a vase?" Her gaze fell directly on Tuo Niang and Xiang Cao who were following her.

  Dou Zhao tightly hugged the eldest aunt's neck: "I want, mother, want, eldest aunt, want, third aunt..." Crying loudly, startling the eldest aunt.

  Mother hastily took over Suo Zhao, blushing and annoyed, her face red: "This child doesn't know what's wrong with him, these days he's been following me closely, I take a step back, and he cries to the point of being unbearable..."

  The great aunt sighed and stroked Du Zhao's hair: "Old people often say that mothers and daughters are connected at heart. This child is clever, she knows you're suffering in your heart, so she's afraid!"

  A word made her mother's eyes brim with tears, and she held Du Zhao's hand much tighter.

  "Just let her follow you then!" Third Aunt sighed, "After all, she's still young."

  The mother murmured "uh-huh".

  A group of people turned past the main hall and went to the flower hall in the backyard.

  Heavy snow is falling, and the plum blossoms on the branches are in full bloom.

  A slender and elegant woman wore a crimson jacket, standing straight at the window, with the plum blossoms outside reflecting each other's beauty.

  Dong Zhaixin's heart tightened.

  It's stepmother!

  This figure, she will never forget!

  She had stood like this by the window when her grandfather and grandmother passed away one after another, and her third uncle sent her to Kyoto to reunite with her father; she had stood like this by the window on the evening when the Hou Mansion of Jin'ning formally proposed to the Duan family; she had stood like this by the window during the Spring Festival when she returned to her mother's home for New Year's greetings, after her maid was taken in by Wei Tingyu and then given away by him again; she had stood like this by the window, with a ferocious expression, when she wanted to marry Duan Xiao off to Zeng Yifen's granddaughter but was rejected...

  Dou Zhaoming stared intently at the figure without blinking.

  From being terrified to bursting into laughter, she had been through a journey as if walking barefoot in purgatory.

  Who else has pitied their own pain and wailed?

  Her mother's footsteps slowed down.

  Heavy rain falls like willow catkins.

  That figure turned around.

  Smooth forehead, high nose bridge, clear eyes, and a beautiful face like a landscape painting.

  Her mother jumped up like a cat whose tail had been stepped on: "How is it you? Wang Yingshuang, how is it you!"

  She was on the verge of collapse, holding onto Du Zhao's arm as she weakly fell downwards, and Du Zhao had to hug her mother's waist tightly to prevent herself from being thrown off.

  The two elder aunts stared at each other, and the third aunt quickly hid Little Swallow in her arms.

  Wang Yingshu walked out calmly and composedly.

  She stood under the veranda on her knees and saluted her mother, softly calling out "sister".

  "Our Zhao family only has one daughter, me. I don't know when I got another sister?" Mother sneered coldly, although she tried her best to maintain the calm and elegance from earlier, but couldn't hide the embarrassment between her eyebrows, "Are you mistaken about who I am?!"

  Wang Yingxue lowered her eyelids, knelt on the cold bluestone bricks under the eaves, and expressed a humble and humble expression, just like the respect she showed in front of the elders of the Duan family: "Sister, our two families are neighbors, I have no sisters, and sister only has one brother. Growing up together like hands and feet, my temper is the clearest to sister. Although my family is declining, I am not that shameless. The Gao family knows that my family is in trouble, but they still married their daughter over. Auntie and brother were married for less than a month, but they took the initiative to let brother serve his father in Xining Wei. Now nephew Nang Ge'er is seriously ill, even if we sell the four acres of good land that our family relies on for survival, we can't afford the silver for medical treatment. I originally thought that as long as someone was willing, I would be a slave or a servant, but I didn't expect to meet brother-in-law." She said, heavily knocking three heads to her mother, "The mistake has been made, and I have nothing to say. Can only ask the young master, if sister agrees to let me in, I will forget the past and serve sister with all my heart. Sister..." Her eyes flashed with tears, "If you want to blame, it's just the fate of being a human," she knocked her head again, "I will definitely serve sister well from now on!"

  "Ha!" Her mother let out a snort of laughter, her eyes gleaming as she stared at Wang Yingshuang, raising an eyebrow to say, "What if I don't agree?"

  Wang Yingshu was taken aback for a moment, then smiled self-deprecatingly and said, "Then I'll ask sister to give me a white ribbon."

  Her mother didn't say a word, pulled down the big red sweatband from her waist and threw it on the ground, smiling and asking Wang Yingshuang: "Is it long enough?"

  Wang Yingxue looked at her mother with determination, slowly stood up, walked to the front of her mother with a smile on the corner of her mouth, bent down and picked up the red handkerchief, lightly said "thank you sister", turned around and walked towards the flower hall.

  The heavy snow fell between her raven-black hair, and soon disappeared without a trace.

  This is the village where Eldest Maternal Aunt's dowry was given, if a homicide case were to occur here, her reputation would be completely ruined.

  The great aunt became afraid and hastily said: "Seventh brother's wife, who is this girl? How do you know her?"

  Her mother stared at the flower hall, which was closed with a loud "bang", and muttered in a daze: "She is Wang You Sheng's daughter, living in Nan Wa... My father and her were classmates, our two families had dealings from time to time... She is two years younger than me... When I got married, she gave me a handkerchief with twin lotus flowers embroidered by my parents... I didn't expect... I never dreamed... No wonder Yuan Wan refused to say who it was... They set up a trap to deceive me..."

  The two elder aunts were startled: "Wang You Sheng, isn't that the Wang Yi Xing who was exiled for offending Chen Dong?"

  Her mother nodded gently and shed two lines of clear tears.

  "Seventh Uncle, how can you be so muddled? His father was a jinshi in the year of Gengzi, and he's from the same class as your fifth uncle." Eldest Aunt hurriedly turned around, "No, I have to go tell Young Uncle about this..." Then she instructed Third Aunt, "You quickly stop Miss Wang, I'll go call someone!"

  Because it was not glorious for a young man to take a concubine, the maids serving inside and outside the flower hall had been dismissed by Eldest Maternal Aunt.

  Third Aunt also realized the severity of the situation.

  The Duan family is not afraid of offending the powerful, but they are afraid of being accused of driving a poor and humble fellow student to death.

  She lost her voice in promising, and ran towards the flower hall with her skirt lifted.

  The mother stood quietly on the bluestone bridge, letting the snowflakes flutter and pile up on her body, turning into a snowman.

  The only one accompanying her was Xiao Xiao's Duan Zhao.

  ※

  Still ranked fifth today!

  O(∩_∩)O~

  Thank you for everyone's support.

  P.S.: The publication of "The Strategy of a Reborn Lady", I am asking the relevant editor, and will give you an accurate news tomorrow.

  ※