After being forced into a marriage with a wealthy family, the virtuous wife caused a huge uproar.

Why is she so kind? But when it comes to dealing with Gao Zhiyuan, she is ruthless. In order to prevent the prince's guards from winning the competition, she is even more ruthless in cutting down the drawbridge and killing bandits, etc.

He couldn't see her as the kind of woman who would sympathize with others.

"I've always believed in the principle of 'I won't offend others unless they offend me, and if they do, I'll retaliate.' So far, Qingwan hasn't offended or harmed me, so out of consideration for her calling me 'sister-in-law,' I don't want her to marry the wrong person. And I believe most in karma." Rong Yingluo spoke from the heart.

When her master guided her in cultivating Taoism, he often talked to her about cause and effect, what you sow and what you reap, everything is predetermined.

In her life, she has indeed seen many examples.

Gu Ce saw that she was speaking seriously, and at this moment she seemed like a hermit speaking Zen.

How could she have thought of cause and effect?

Rong Yingluo's gaze fell on the flickering candlelight, her eyes somewhat ethereal.

"When I was eleven years old, I traveled with my father and passed through a village in Huizhou. We stayed with a family surnamed Chen. That family had a daughter named Chen Xiniang, who was exceptionally kind, gentle, and compliant, and was also outstanding in needlework. At that time, she was betrothed to a scholar surnamed Liang in the town, and the wedding date had been set."

Rong Yingluo mentioned an incident she had encountered where she changed her master's name to her father's name.

"But just half a month before the wedding, Chen Xiniang accidentally caught Liang, the scholar, having an affair with another woman, who came from a better family. She went home and cried all night, and the next day she gritted her teeth and broke off the engagement, no matter how her parents and neighbors tried to persuade her."

Rong Yingluo stopped talking here; she had been lying down all afternoon and felt very uncomfortable.

Yinghong stepped forward to help her, but Gu Ce beat her to it and helped her sit up.

After she sat down, Rong Yingluo continued, "After she returned the betrothal gifts, she cut up the wedding dress she had embroidered for half a year and threw it into the stove. Half a year later, the scholar indeed married the woman he had been secretly meeting. With his father-in-law's help, his life became better than before, and the scholar began to lose his ambition."

Two years later, Liang Xiucai went to the prefectural city to take the imperial examination, but he failed.

He frequented brothels to drown his sorrows, got into a fight with someone over a woman, had his leg broken, and ended up with a lifelong disability.

His wife, seeing that his future was ruined, divorced him and returned home. Liang's elderly mother, heartbroken, suffered a stroke and was left bedridden with no one to care for her. Liang, the scholar, dragging his lame leg, eked out a living by copying books for others in exchange for a few copper coins.

Gu Ce brought her a cup of tea and told her to drink it before continuing.

"After Xiniang broke off her engagement, she happened to save a man who had passed the imperial examination. The two formed a good relationship. Her husband later went to the capital to take the imperial examination and passed it. She then became an official's wife."

Rong Yingluo smiled slightly as she said this: "Tell me, isn't this cause and effect? ​​She made a tough decision to sever her marriage, but ended up meeting a good man. On the other hand, that scholar Liang became complacent after getting a good life and ended up in such a bad situation."

If Liang Xiucai hadn't coveted wealth and status, perhaps he could have focused on his studies and maybe even passed the imperial examination.

"You're right. There is indeed cause and effect in this world. You've said so much because you don't want Qingwan to marry into the Gao family. You want to set a precedent in advance so that Qingwan might repay you someday?" Gu Ce understood her meaning after listening to so much.

He witnessed her kind side once again.

"I don't expect her to repay me; I'm just doing what I feel like. Sometimes, things turn out unexpectedly well." Rong Yingluo has lived for sixteen years and has never intentionally made enemies with anyone.

But if anyone deliberately makes things difficult for her, she will not tolerate it.

There were many fellow disciples in the sect, and naturally, conflicts arose. Since her master was protective of his own, she had never suffered a loss.

"Since that's the case, then I'll quicken my pace and shatter Minister Gao's dream of becoming prime minister before they're even engaged." Helping Rong Yingluo has become a natural thing for Gu Ce now.

The two smiled at each other.

"Do you know the name of the husband that Chen Xiniang you mentioned married?" Gu Ce asked, intrigued.

He was able to pass the imperial examination and become a scholar, so he didn't have to worry about not being able to marry a noblewoman. Even if Chen Xiniang saved him, he didn't need to repay her with his body. For a woman from a poor family, he could have just given her some money to get rid of her, but he chose to marry her, which shows that he was a good person.

He must have been a Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examination) two years ago.

"I heard my father say his name is Xie Huai'an," Rong Yingluo thought for a moment.

Actually, she only learned about what happened later when she met Chen Xiniang again.

"I remember him. He was selected as an official and went to Anyuan County to serve as the local magistrate. It was right below the prefectural city where my father was guarding the border." Gu Ce remembered.

"What a coincidence. It's already September. In two months, won't your Ministry of Personnel be conducting political examinations for the county magistrates?" Rong Yingluo had a deep memory of Chen Xiniang's bravery.

If her husband were capable, he might be highly regarded by the emperor and be able to serve as an official in the capital.

"I'll keep an eye out for it then." Gu Ce understood what she meant.

The ninth day of the ninth lunar month is the Double Ninth Festival.

On this day every year, the emperor would take the empress to the Imperial Ancestral Temple to worship the royal ancestors.

Today is no exception.

Members of the royal family, nobles with titles, and officials of the third rank or above were all required to participate.

Gu Ce specifically requested permission from the Emperor to bring his wife along, and the Emperor granted his request.

That day, Rong Yingluo got up early. Gu Ce went to the palace first to accompany the emperor, while she waited at the palace gate for the emperor and empress's entourage to leave the palace.

Women began to arrive one after another.

Princess Xuan and Princess Xiangyi of the Xuan Prince's Mansion, as well as two elderly princesses.

There were three princes in Emperor Taikang's generation. The other two went to their fiefdoms, but only Prince Xuan, who was Emperor Taikang's full brother, remained in the capital.

Emperor Taikang also appointed Prince Xuan to assist in governing the country.

This shows how much Emperor Taikang trusted and relied on his younger brother.

It wasn't until no one else came that Rong Yingluo realized that very few women were allowed to go to the Imperial Ancestral Temple.

Even the princesses who had married out were not qualified to go.

Perhaps it was because their husbands held sinecure positions and had no status in the court.

Rong Yingluo had no familiar people to chat with, so she could only sit quietly in the carriage and wait.

When the appointed time arrived, the emperor's imperial carriage left the palace, followed closely by the empress's carriage.

When Gu Ce saw Rong Yingluo's carriage, he came over and told her to follow the Empress for a while.

To Rong Yingluo's relief, Princess Jinyang also came with the Emperor's special permission.

Princess Jinyang greeted the other princesses and then pulled Rong Yingluo into her carriage.

Princess Xiangyi scoffed, "A princess like you, spending all your time with a merchant's daughter, aren't you afraid of disgracing the royal family?"

Yesterday marked one month since Rong Shi married Gu Shizi.

She waited in the mansion all day but did not receive any news of Rong's death. Now that she saw Rong coming to participate in the sacrificial ceremony in high spirits, she knew that nothing had happened to her.

It seems she's shattered the reputation of Prince Gu being a jinx to his wives. Well then, don't blame her for being impolite. Prince Gu is the man she's set her sights on; how could she allow him to marry another woman?

However, we should observe for a while longer before making any plans.

"Say less. Princess Jinyang is your imperial uncle's most beloved princess. Don't cause her any more trouble in the future," Princess Xuan scolded lightly.

"I understand, Mother." But the resentment in her eyes betrayed her unwillingness; she wished her father were the emperor.

They were all born to the Empress Dowager, but because their father was born later, they could only be princes.

She was also considered inferior in status.

Princess Jinyang was merely the daughter of a concubine, and her mother was also a concubine. Yet, just because she was the emperor's daughter, her status was higher than that of the legitimate daughter. It was truly outrageous.

"Are your injuries any better?" Princess Jinyang asked as soon as she got into the carriage, trying to lift Rong Yingluo's clothes.

"Princess, you mustn't. The good medicine you sent has already scabbed over." Rong Yingluo quickly pressed her hand down.

Although both were women, they were outside, and the curtains in the car window could be blown up by the wind at any moment.

"real?"

"Of course it's true. By the way, did the Crown Prince Xuan give you a villa as gambling stakes?" Rong Yingluo asked.