The front courtyard of the Zhennan Prince's Manor was bustling with guests. Congratulations and laughter filled the air, creating a lively atmosphere that sharply contrasted with the silent back courtyard. It was as if someone had cleaved the front and back yards in two with a knife, the sense of division was palpable.
Inside the Brocade Pavilion, Shen Lanxi lowered her head, gazing at the Double Phoenix Playing with Pearl design embroidered on the wide sleeves of her wedding gown, where her hands were clasped together.
In the Great Zhou Dynasty, social hierarchy was rigidly enforced. Only on the day of a woman's wedding was she exceptionally permitted to wear a wedding gown adorned with phoenix patterns.
She had returned to her wedding night!
In her previous life, her groom, Zhou Ruyuan, never returned on their wedding night. She sat alone in the bridal chamber all night. The next day, an arrogant old woman brought her two pieces of news.
The Shen Family had been seized overnight, and everyone was imprisoned in the Imperial Prison. Her husband, Zhou Ruyuan, had spent the night in his concubine's room, calling for water three times.
She wanted to enter the palace to understand what had happened, but as soon as she stood up, she began to cough up blood. From then on, she was like a bird whose wings had been clipped, confined to her sickbed, unable to rise again.
Ten days later, the verdict came down. Her entire family was exiled to Ningguta, to be slaves to the Armored Servants for all eternity. Upon hearing the news, she vomited blood again. During that time, she intermittently heard news from the outside, all of which seemed to be deliberately told to her.
Until she was at the end of her rope, she only then realized that the one who had harmed her was Zhou Ruyuan's concubine, the beloved woman he had brought back from the southwest.
Harboring immense resentment, she was reborn in the modern era. Simultaneously, the awakened Personal Space also followed her to the modern world. From the Space Spirit's mouth, she learned that she should have died on her wedding night. It was the power of the space that had shielded her from a portion of the poison. Because of this, it had fallen into a deep slumber. Only after she was reborn in the modern era, in a body free of poison, did it awaken.
Inside the space was a Grotto-Heaven, along with a miniature mountain and river landscape crafted over three to four hundred acres. Two books were placed within the Grotto-Heaven: the Qi Cultivation Technique and the Sword Control Technique. She had practiced these two techniques since childhood. Because she had access to the internet, and considering the power of the two techniques within the space, she consciously hoarded supplies.
She didn't waste the land within the space either, planting it all with fruits, grains, and other crops. Based on her sudden death in her previous life, she understood the importance of being prepared. Unexpectedly, what awaited her wasn't the apocalypse, but a return to the Great Zhou Dynasty!
Her mother was Princess Minrou, the only daughter of Princess Jialing. Princess Jialing had died young, and Princess Minrou had been raised by the Empress Dowager. She, in turn, had been doted on by the Empress Dowager since childhood. Although the Emperor of the Great Zhou was not born of the Empress Dowager, he was extremely filial to her. She was bestowed the title of County Princess from birth, living a more carefree and comfortable life than even ordinary princesses.
Thanks to her uncle, the Emperor, the villains hiding in the shadows dared not openly reach out to harm her, but could only try to provoke and anger her in various ways, hoping to drive her to death.
Those with malicious intentions had sent her a lot of information, including the time that the Shen Family would be seized.
Yin Hour, three quarters past!
It was now Hai Hour, or just past ten o'clock. There were still five hours until Yin Hour (past three o'clock). After subtracting the time for travel back and forth, there were less than four hours remaining.
After adjusting her emotions, Shen Lanxi's eyes were as calm as a deep pool as she watched the door. Within three breaths, the sound of footsteps came.
Just like in her previous life, the matchmaker who was to serve the Union Wine arrived with her maids.
"Your Highness, we are entering!"
The door creaked open, and the matchmaker entered with four maids, each holding trays with cups and saucers.
"Greetings to your Highness. Today is your wedding day with the Prince. There are so many guests in the front yard, the Prince hasn't returned yet!"
Return? He won't be returning. Zhou Ruyuan wouldn't step into the bridal chamber all night!
Shen Lanxi calmly instructed, "You may leave first. As a Prince and the Great Zhou Dynasty's God of War, it's normal for the Prince to have many well-wishers. You may rest first, and I will send someone to call you when the Prince returns!"
The matchmaker repeatedly bowed and flattered, "Your Highness is truly considerate of us servants. It is the fortune of our entire Zhennan Prince's Manor that the Prince could marry such a wonderful person as you."
Fortune? Here, take this fortune. Want it?
Using the red veil to conceal her face, Shen Lanxi couldn't help but reveal a mocking smile.
"Go ahead, there will be rewards for you tomorrow!"
The matchmaker kept chattering auspicious words, her face practically cramping from smiling.
The moment the door closed, Shen Lanxi immediately ripped off her red veil. With a few quick movements, she removed the phoenix crown that was hurting her neck and tossed it onto the wedding bed. With a wave of her hand, a black tracksuit and a pair of black sneakers appeared on the bed!
I have to hurry!
Quickly changing into the clothes, she called out, "Chunxue, Qiushuang, you two guard the door and don't let anyone in. I need to rest!"
Qiushuang: "Miss, what if the Prince wants to come in?"
"The same applies!"
"Understood, Miss!"
Chunxue and Qiushuang were her dowry maids, having grown up with her. They were fiercely loyal. While she was trapped in the Zhennan Prince's Manor, they stayed by her side, taking care of her. When she was on the verge of death, the manor had them executed, claiming they hadn't taken good care of her.
Now that she was back, the first thing she needed to do was protect her family and the lives of those closest to her, and then find that pair of dogs to avenge herself!
The Shen Family had fallen too quickly; even a fool could see there was something wrong. Even though she had lived two lifetimes, she couldn't see through the conspiracies behind it all. Fortunately, the Shen Family was only sentenced to exile. She had to prepare before the exile, before anyone could react!
With a few leaps, Shen Lanxi disappeared from the Zhennan Prince's Manor like a hawk.
Today, the Zhennan Prince's Manor was holding a wedding, and the Shen Family was giving away a daughter. Both families had guests.
Shen Lanxi took advantage of the Shen Family's banquet, when the back courtyard was empty, like a no-man's-land, and entered the Shen Family's treasury.
"Nubai, keep watch!"
The space spirit's milky voice sounded.
"Alright~"
The Shen Family's ancestral land was in Jiangnan. Her ancestors had once been salt transport officials, but they had gradually declined. It wasn't until her father, Shen Congwen, passed the imperial examination and became a Third Place Scholar, and was betrothed by the Empress Dowager, that the family moved to the capital. Therefore, the Shen Family could at best be considered nouveau riche, lacking a deep foundation.
All the items in the treasury were partly from her maternal grandmother, Princess Jialing's dowry, partly from her mother's dowry, and the rest came from imperial rewards, mostly from the Empress Dowager.
Shen Lanxi quickly opened the treasury lock and collected everything inside into her Personal Space. After leaving the treasury, she locked the door and continued her plunder.
Besides the storeroom, Shen Lanxi also knew that behind the Buddhist hall her mother had built for her grandmother was a secret room. It was filled with treasures and a large amount of gold and silver. She had been taken inside by her mother when she was a child. According to her mother, the treasures were also part of the Empress Dowager's dowry.
Later, after her younger brothers were born, her mother never took her in there again.
Gently rotating the Buddha statue, the mechanism opened. Shen Lanxi went in and out, but the treasure room was so clean that not even a single nail remained.
"Nubai, check if there are any other places where treasures are hidden?"
"Yes, with Nubai here, whether it's in the heavens or under the earth, nothing can escape Nubai's eyes!" The Space Spirit, Nubai's, proud voice rang out.
"Master, Master, I found a lot of shiny things in your parents' room, and there's a treasure chest under the bed!"