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  Ding Ruo sat in one carriage, while Liu Niang and Ling Xin sat in another. Ding Ruo had originally brought very few clothes and accessories to the Zhuangzi, and as a concubine's daughter, she didn't have many valuable items anyway. After selling some of what was left, there were even fewer now that they had silver coins. Ding Ruo had always planned to avoid the capital far away, except for buying some small trinkets here and there, she hadn't added anything new, and all the silver notes were kept close at hand. The luggage of Ding Ruo's group was not much.

  Madam Wang and Ding Ruo got into a horse-drawn carriage, with Madam Wang observing Ding Ruo closely to see if she would report back to their master. As they rode, Ding Ruo lifted the curtain and gazed out at the scenery, her eyes lingering on the view of the Zhuangzi estate. Madam Wang cleared her throat, waiting for Ding Ruo to share some news from the mansion, but after a while, she noticed that Ding Ruo had leaned back against the embroidered cushion, closing her eyes as if in contemplation, a faint smile playing on her lips. Madam Wang was taken aback by Ding Ruo's serene expression and couldn't help but notice the girl's delicate features: her arched eyebrows, long eyelashes, straight nose, and tender pink lips, all of which were reminiscent of fine porcelain. In just half a year, Sixth Miss had become even more beautiful than when she first left the mansion, especially with the dimples that appeared when she smiled, which made one feel drawn to her. However, Madam Wang knew that despite Ding Ruo's gentle appearance and smiling eyes, it would be a grave mistake to think that Sixth Miss was someone to be trifled with. With this thought, Madam Wang put aside her condescending attitude and sat back quietly beside Ding Ruo.

  All the way, Ding Ruo never asked a single question about the situation in the mansion. As the carriage jolted slightly, Ding Ruo seemed to be asleep. Ding Ruo was not unconcerned about her upcoming living environment, but when she asked Wang Mama, she would only say nice things, such as how much her sisters missed her, and how kind and loving the elder mistress was. She couldn't get any useful information out of her, anyway it's all going to be faced sooner or later, why bother asking Wang Mama and make herself look foolish?

  The sound of people coming and going was heard outside the carriage. Ding Ruo's eyes opened a slit, only at the entrance of the capital city would it be so lively. Just two days ago, Ding Ruo thought that she wouldn't come to the capital again for a while, but unexpectedly, she couldn't avoid being taken back to the Ding Mansion. Her lips curled up in a smile, and her words were even more sarcastic. As the saying goes, "It's easy to invite the gods, but hard to send them away." If Ding Min dared to scheme again, don't cry about it later.

  Without the permission of the first wife, Tinghui couldn't return to the Ting residence. The first wife's eyes sparkled with interest as she said, "Let her try being the mistress of a feudal noble family." Under adverse circumstances, Tinghui unexpectedly gained confidence. She recalled a joke she had read before: How did Monk Tang and his disciples alleviate their boredom on their journey to the Western Heaven? The answer was: Fight monsters and level up. Since the first wife hadn't given Tinghui an opportunity to die, Tinghui would try her hand against the first wife instead. Not all concubines were held in a tight grip; it took skill to make the first wife take a step back.

  For Ding Min, Ding Rou wouldn't underestimate her, but also wouldn't consider her the main opponent to be constantly on guard against. What Ding Min sought wasn't necessarily what Ding Rou wanted. She walked her own sunny path, as long as others didn't come to bother Ding Rou, Ding Rou was too lazy to care about reason or logic. Past events had dispersed with the scattering of Ding Rou's original soul, and the current Ding Rou occupying her body could take her place in being filial to the Liu family, protecting them, but avenging Ding Rou wouldn't do it. Ding Min had never been an obstacle on the path that Ding Rou wanted to walk, and after a few years, they would be even farther apart. Ding Rou didn't think she would ever see Ding Min again.

  The carriage came to a gentle stop, and Ting Ruo lifted the curtain. In front of her eyes was a large vermilion gate with two thousand-year-old stone lions on either side. The high-hanging plaque read "Ding Fu". Ting Ruo's gaze drifted further away, and from her understanding of the capital city, the left side belonged to the residences of noble marquises and dukes, while the right side was where powerful officials and military generals resided. The fact that Ding Fu was situated in a central position showed that it had great prestige, or rather, it was impartial and unprejudiced, being a clear stream in both the imperial court and the world outside. In any case, Ting Ruo thought that the ruler of Ding Fu was a person who could distinguish right from wrong - was it Old Master Ding or Old Madam Ding?

  Ding Ruo's interest in the mysterious Ding Manor increased. "Who says women can only be confined to the inner courtyard, fighting and being jealous over trivial matters?"

  Ding Ruo is not used to that kind of life, and since she can't leave the Ding family, for a better future, the Ding family must not be implicated in any crime. Ding Ruo's smile begins to bloom, and the struggle for the throne gradually rises. It's an opportunity as well as a challenge; how the Ding family avoids risk affects Ding Ruo's future, and it can't be said that Ding Ruo won't use some clever strategies.

  The main gate of Ding's mansion won't be wide open just because Ting Hui returns home, Ting Rou doesn't have that much face, the legitimate daughter is not so arrogant.

  Sister, apart from getting married and returning home, still walks out the side door. Ding Rou doesn't think it's excessive. Women in a feudal dynasty are in a subordinate position, even if they sit on the throne as an empress, the situation won't change.

  The horse carriage came to a complete stop, and Wang's mother lifted the curtain. The little servant girl had been waiting and put down the footrest. Although the journey was calm, Wang's mother couldn't explain why she felt anxious all along. Finally, they arrived safely at the Ding residence. Wang's mother let out a sigh of relief, "Sixth Miss, please get off the carriage."

  Ding Rou's hand grasped Wang Mama's wrist, and she stepped down from the sedan chair. The slaves standing guard bowed: "Greetings, Sixth Miss." Ding Rou saw that all the maids were wearing official green jackets, and the young men were dressed in dark blue shirts. She smiled lightly: "No need for formalities."

  The girls stood neatly aside, Ting Ruo looked towards the mansion, in her memory it was a five-room house. When the master of the house lived in Ningyuan Hall, taking from peaceful and quiet to far away. Although it was a five-room house, the Ding family's poetry and etiquette were passed down through generations, with a clear and simple quality, not luxurious but elegant. Under Ting Ruo's gaze, the courtyard and houses had removed their elaborate decorations, simple and elegant, most families of scholars were like this.

  Because the mansion was not very large, after passing through the second gate, there was no need to take a soft sedan chair, and Ting Ruo followed Wang Mama on foot to pay respects to the elder lady. The old lady did not usually interfere with matters, and in Ting Ruo's memory, it was only during festivals that she would go to pay her respects, and it was not easy to see her normally. The old lady also wouldn't specially summon Ting Ruo just because she had returned to the mansion; what concerned the old lady were her sons and grandsons, and being able to remember that there was a granddaughter named Ting Ruo was already quite good.

  Treading on the bluestone road, it was late autumn, and the yellow leaves fell, with many fallen leaves in the courtyard. However, there wasn't a single leaf on the road. It could be seen that the servants of the mansion often swept the floor, from which it could be inferred that the mistress of the house was very particular about cleanliness. As she walked through the hall, Ding Yu glanced at the arrangement of the furniture in the hall, and saw that they were not luxurious, but there were calligraphic paintings on the walls, including some by Su Dongpo of the Song Dynasty. Was it because this family loved literature and art, or was the Ding family actually quite wealthy?

  After passing through the hall, several maids in green jackets surrounded a young girl in a crimson jacket with a hundred folds, her hair styled in a bun and adorned with a sea buckthorn flower pin, from which dangled pearls the size of grains of rice. She smiled brightly before speaking, curtsying to say "Slave girl Ya Juan greets Sixth Miss." Then she turned to Madame Liu, smiling even more deeply, "Slave girl greets Madame Liu."

  "Is it... is it... Xiaohong?"

  Liu was taken aback, supporting Ya Ju, and smiled with joy: "It's been half a year since we last met, and you've become even more lovely. I almost didn't recognize you, Ya Ju... This name is nicer than Xiao Hong."

  "If it weren't for Aunt Liu's care at the beginning, how could I be a servant today? It was only two days ago that I caught the mistress' eye and was promoted to second-class maid. I think Aunt Liu is in trouble, the mistress has been thinking of her all along."

  Jasmine touched the corner of her eye, and Ting Rou watched from the side. The relationship between Jasmine and Liu Niang was much better than before. No matter whether Jasmine's words were sincere or not, just these few sentences were enough to warm people's hearts. Liu Niang indeed sighed repeatedly, saying that she had also been thinking about her mother-in-law all along. Ting Rou curved the corner of her mouth - Big Madam was thinking of Liu Niang but didn't mention a word about Ting Rou; was it telling her that she could come back thanks to Liu Niang? Was letting Jasmine welcome her a warning?

  Ding Rou asked: "Is mother in?"

  "Sixth Miss, please forgive me for not understanding things. As soon as I saw Madame Liu, I forgot the mistress's instructions. Sixth Miss, please hurry, the mistress and the young ladies are all waiting."

  Ding Rou smiled faintly: "It doesn't matter." She turned her head to look at Liu Shi, "Auntie, don't be sad. Haven't you seen Ya Juan? Living in the same compound, we'll naturally see each other often. If Ya Juan has time, she can keep Auntie company and chat with her." "Ah..." Ya Juan was taken aback for a moment before saying: "Yes, Sixth Miss."

  ”

  Ding Rou supported Liu Shi, feeling Liu Shi struggling. "Miss Xiao Liu, this won't do." Liu Shi was getting anxious. After Ding Ruo returned to the manor, she was the young lady of the Ding family. How could she still be supporting her aunt? Her aunt was half a mistress, while Miss was the legitimate and rightful mistress of the Ding family.

  "Aunt, be careful with your steps." Ting Ruo refused to let go, lowering her voice: "Mother, listen to me." Liu Shi didn't dare move too much, being supported by Ting Ruo as they entered the door. Ting Ruo glanced at Ya Juan, who was in a daze, wondering how to report to Madame. Ting Ruo first gave Madame an impression that she respected and cared for Liu Shi, so later when Madame went to visit Liu Shi again, she would get used to it. If Madame had any plans for Liu Shi, Ting Ruo wouldn't just stand by and do nothing. Madame wanted to see how Ting Ruo treated Liu Shi, didn't she? Ting Ruo accommodated her wishes, letting her see clearly.

  As soon as she entered the house, she heard laughter. Ding Ruo first took a look at the furnishings of the main room, which were more luxurious than what she had just seen. Before she could take a closer look, a maid in the house said, "The mistress is in the east wing."

  Finally going to meet Mrs. Tao? Ding Rou's footsteps slowed, a smile hanging on her face, the smile was the most capable of covering up emotions, Ding Rou put on her professional smile, meeting the big boss, how could she not smile?

  "This is no good, it's all wrong, only today did I realize that Mian'er is a monkey." "Mother, you're laughing at me, this won't do."

  The voice was very familiar, and Liu's eyes tensed as she looked at Ding Rou, opening her mouth: "Liu Xiao"

  "Sister." Ding Rou patted Liu Shi's hand reassuringly and smiled to indicate that everything was fine. "Madam, the Sixth Miss and Madame Liu have returned to the manor."

  Just now, Ding Min's smiling face gradually converged, her hands clenched in her sleeves, and her fingertips buried into the flesh. She was about to meet Ding Rou again. Diligent and hardworking Ding Min slightly raised her head, she was more skilled at playing the piano, chess, calligraphy, and painting than Ding Rou, more skilled at needlework and embroidery than Ding Rou, more loved by her father and mother than Ding Rou, and more aware of the major events of the next twenty years than Ding Rou. Ding Min could look down on Ding Rou, and would never kneel in front of Ding Rou again like in her previous life, begging pitifully. She had abandoned her nostalgia for her children from her past life, this life she wanted to live more nobly and better than Ding Rou, so as not to waste the blessing of heaven that allowed her to be reborn.

  The Empress's body leaned against the embroidered cushion, raised her eyelids, looked at Ding Ruo and Liu Shi, and a sincere smile appeared on the corner of her lips. Ding Ruo was somewhat different from before.

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