Chapter 1: Selling His Wife for Glory

“Marquis, everything is ready. In two days, we can send Madam to the palace.”

Dawn barely broke, and the steward’s voice faintly echoed. In the dim room, the woman on the bed snapped her eyes open, filled with terror.

Staring at the mandarin duck and hundred blessings canopy above, Xie Jiu was momentarily stunned.

Wasn’t she dead?

“Madam has a fiery temperament and surely won’t comply willingly. We must ensure she doesn’t break protocol and ruin the Emperor’s mood.”

The voice came again—her husband, Marquis Weiyuan, Wu Que.

Hatred surged from the depths of her heart, flooding her limbs, making Xie Jiu tremble uncontrollably.

At this moment, Xie Jiu finally confirmed she was alive again, waking just before Wu Que forced her into the palace.

The conversation outside continued, the steward’s voice rising once more.

“Rest assured, Marquis. This servant has prepared the aphrodisiac powder. Before entering the palace, we’ll have Madam take it. With her beauty, renowned throughout the capital, and the powder’s effects, she’ll surely satisfy the Emperor.”

His tone was considerate, truly a loyal servant easing Wu Que’s worries.

“Jiu’er is my first wife. How could I bear to send her to another man’s bed? But if I don’t, how can I win the Emperor’s favor, preserve the Weiyuan Marquisate’s remaining title, and protect the lives of everyone in the household?”

Wu Que’s voice came again, laced with deep guilt and reluctance.

“My father died in battle, and with the new Emperor’s ascension, I surrendered to secure temporary peace. But I fear it’s hard to dispel his disdain. I’ve heard he loves beautiful women. I only hope Jiu’er catches his eye, justifying my painful sacrifice. Yet, I’ve let her down!”

“No need to blame yourself too much, Marquis. You’re doing this for the future of the household,” Chen Shun consoled softly.

Wu Que sighed. “Fine. No matter how reluctant I am, I must consider the bigger picture. Arrange it. Five days from now, on the Qiqiao Festival, send her to the palace.”

Inside, Xie Jiu listened to it all, her eyes cold as frost.

In her previous life, at this time, Wu Que suddenly insisted on sending her to a suburban villa to escape the heat. Behind her back, he plotted with the steward to send her to serve the new Emperor.

When she overheard, Wu Que dropped all pretense and immediately tried to force her back to the capital.

She fought to escape, only to be driven to a cliff’s edge, falling to her death.

The agony of shattered bones, the fear of bleeding out, the despair of crying for help—though reborn now, Xie Jiu still remembered it vividly.

How tragic and unwilling her death had been! Yet she never imagined it was all Wu Que’s premeditated plan!

Now, hearing his hypocritical words, feigning guilt and affection, Xie Jiu felt nauseated, her chest burning with ever-hotter hatred.

At that moment, the door creaked open.

Xie Jiu’s heart tightened. She didn’t dare move, suppressing her emotions and closing her eyes.

Then came the sound of a man’s deliberately soft footsteps, approaching the bed.

Wu Que glanced at the bed, saw Xie Jiu still asleep, and left reassured.

Unbeknownst to him, under the brocade quilt, the woman’s hands were clenched into fists, nails digging deep into her palms.

Once certain Wu Que was gone, Xie Jiu sat up and got out of bed.

A noise came from the door, startling Xie Jiu. She gasped and turned, only to see her dowry maid, Chun Rong.

“Madam, you’re awake. The Marquis has already left for court,” Chun Rong said.

Seeing someone she trusted, Xie Jiu exhaled in relief. She quickly stepped forward, grabbed Chun Rong, and shut the door.

“Quick, call Qing Fang. We’re returning to the Xie family immediately!”

In her past life, the incident happened suddenly, leaving her no escape. Now, reborn and forewarned, she couldn’t sit idly by. She had to leave the marquisate at once.

Seeing Xie Jiu panic like a startled bird, Chun Rong didn’t dare ask more and nodded.

She called the other dowry maid, Qing Fang, and the three hurriedly left the marquisate.

At this point, Wu Que hadn’t yet grown suspicious of her, allowing Xie Jiu and her maids to leave the marquisate easily.

At the Xie family’s gate, before the carriage even stopped, Xie Jiu practically jumped out, lifted her skirt, and ran into the Xie residence.

On the way, Xie Jiu had told her maids about ‘overhearing’ the plot, so Chun Rong and Qing Fang were now tense and resentful.

The three fled as if their lives depended on it, rushing straight to Xie Jiu’s mother, Yang Shi’s, courtyard.

“Mother!”

Before even entering, Xie Jiu called out urgently.

Inside, Yang Shi was having breakfast with Xie Jiu’s father, Xie Ming Shen.

Hearing her daughter’s voice, Yang Shi’s face lit up with surprise.

“Jiu’er? Why are you back at this hour?” Yang Shi put down her chopsticks and hurried outside.

As she stepped out, her daughter threw herself into her arms.

“Mother!” Xie Jiu had never longed to be at her mother’s side as she did now. The grievances of her past life and the fear of narrowly escaping now, reborn, merged into tears streaming down her face. “Mother!”

Reborn from death, a thousand words choked in her throat. She could only repeat the most comforting title, filled with grievance.

“Oh, Mother’s here, Jiu’er. What’s wrong? So upset this early? Did your husband bully you? Let Mother take a good look!” Seeing her daughter like this, Yang Shi’s heart ached.

She gently patted Xie Jiu’s back, comforting her softly.

At that moment, Xie Ming Shen’s voice came from beside them.

“Why are you back?”

Xie Jiu looked up to see her father emerging from the room, his brows furrowed as he stared at her, showing no trace of concern, as if she shouldn’t be there.

Her usually doting father’s sudden coldness stunned Xie Jiu, leaving her speechless.

“Father, I—”

“Look at you, all flustered. Where’s the demeanor of a marquisate’s lady?” Xie Ming Shen scolded sternly. “Go wash your face and tidy up before speaking.”

Sensing something off about her father, Xie Jiu felt unease creeping in.

Yang Shi, noticing her husband’s harsh tone, tried to mediate, but a glance from Xie Ming Shen silenced her.

Seeing this, Xie Jiu’s suspicions grew, and she swallowed her pleas for help, not daring to act rashly.

The three left the main hall, following a maid from Yang Shi’s courtyard to a side hall to freshen up.

As they left, Xie Jiu’s peripheral vision caught her father summoning the steward, whispering something before the steward hurriedly left the courtyard.

His rushed demeanor suggested he was delivering a message to someone.

At this thought, Xie Jiu’s steps faltered, a chilling realization hitting her.

She turned and called over a maid from her mother’s courtyard.

“Has my husband visited the residence recently?”

“He has, twice,” the maid replied. “But he only sat with the master in the study and left without paying respects to Madam. Madam was quite upset. Didn’t you know, Miss?”

Hearing this, Xie Jiu’s grip on her handkerchief tightened.

She hoped it wasn’t what she feared.