Later, he ran away again, and this time Yu Ning didn’t stop him.

Some people are simply meant to be let go.

Soon after, war broke out on the border.  It was said that the Emperor of Dayan personally led the troops into battle, and the situation was tense.

The war spread to the county where the mountain stronghold was located, and the elders decided to relocate and find a new place to settle.

Yu Ning disbanded the stronghold and didn’t leave with the villagers. She went in the opposite direction, to the city closest to the battlefield.

She inquired about a general named Jing Tuo.

That was his name.

But Yu Ning searched for a long time without finding any trace of him.

There was no such person in the army.  She didn’t know if Jing Tuo had lied or if she was looking in the wrong place, but Yu Ning ultimately found nothing.

She didn’t know why she was looking for him. The man hated her, and their next meeting would likely be a confrontation. Perhaps it was because she had learned she was pregnant, holding onto an unrealistic hope of sharing the good news with him.

She hadn’t done anything terribly wrong to him; she had even saved his life.  She had only forced him to consummate their marriage a few times, and she felt he had enjoyed it later.

Perhaps he might even be willing to be her husband, especially since they had a child.

Unfortunately, Yu Ning didn’t find him. Before her belly grew too large, she left the war-torn border and settled in Qingyun City…

Two months passed in a blink of an eye, spring rushing into the heat of summer.

Marchioness Huo resided in Hua Fang Courtyard. Her maids held luxurious fabrics and jewelry, standing in rows in the hall for her to choose from.

“These silks are tribute offerings from the southern vassal states, incredibly precious. The peacock silk is gorgeous and lustrous, while the light cloud gauze is soft and perfect for this season.

Ning’er, see if you like any of them. I’ll have the family’s embroiderers make you some dresses.”

Huo had lived among silks and brocades most of her life and was extremely knowledgeable about these rare fabrics and precious jewelry. She personally explained them to Yu Ning with patience and gentleness.

“They’re all beautiful. There are so many fabrics, I’m overwhelmed.  My clothes and food for a whole year probably wouldn’t cost as much as one bolt of this fabric.”

Yu Ning hadn’t been exposed to the lives of nobles and didn’t understand the extent of their wealth.  Only recently, living with Huo, had she begun to understand.  She marveled at each item she saw.

She was very interested and curious about these things, so she listened attentively and asked questions, acting as if she had never seen such things before.

“If you like them, take them all.  These things were specifically prepared for you.” Huo came from a humble background and didn’t have much dowry, but she was good at managing her finances. Over the years, she had accumulated a significant amount of private wealth, more than enough to support her daughter.

“I know you’re good to me, trying your best to compensate me, but the Marquis Manor is a large family with many members.  What if others gossip…” Yu Ning had lived in the Marquis Manor for a while and realized that the old lady didn’t like Huo, and Huo wasn’t entirely happy there.

“The manor’s possessions have their own allocations. I know what I’m doing and won’t touch the public funds. Ning’er, don’t worry. 

These are my personal savings. I don’t control the household accounts. We can live our lives however we want without caring about what others think.”

As the mistress of the Marquis Manor, Huo didn’t control the household accounts because she had spent years searching for her daughter, wasn’t interested in the affairs of the Manor, and had a strained relationship with her mother-in-law, preferring to avoid the family’s affairs.

Huo patted Yu Ning’s hand, increasingly pleased with her daughter.

“Let’s dress you beautifully. The Empress Dowager’s birthday banquet is coming soon. Mother will take you. Let everyone see that my daughter has returned to the Marquis Manor, as beautiful as a celestial being.  No one in the capital will dare to underestimate my Ning’er.”

“Okay, I’ll listen to Mother.” Yu Ning smiled, agreeing with everything Huo said.

“Mother also heard that there are many handsome scholars among this year’s new jinshi. I’ve inquired about a few, and the most handsome is the tan hua lang a third-ranked scholar chosen by His Majesty. He’s from Suzhou, handsome and elegant, with a gentle and refined personality.  Most importantly, he’s an orphan, making him ideal for marrying into our family.”

“Mother means you want me to marry him?”

“Yes, Ning’er, what do you think?”

Yu Ning smiled, blinking her eyes. “Let’s see. If we like each other, it’s not impossible.”

Half a month later, the Empress Dowager’s birthday banquet arrived.

The Xie family of the Yongning Marquis Manor was the Empress Dowager’s maternal family and naturally among the honored guests.  Except for the old lady, who was unwell, almost all the Xie women attended.

Yu Ning stayed by Huo’s side, introduced to many noble ladies.

“Third Miss Xie is beautiful and well-mannered, truly possessing the grace of Marchioness Huo.”

“Yes, Marchioness Huo is blessed.  Her children are all successful.”

Yu Ning heard similar compliments over ten times in half an hour.

After the rounds of greetings, Huo, satisfied, pulled Yu Ning to sit down.

The Xie women were seated behind them, according to seniority, with Huo and Yu Ning at the front of the Yongning Marquis Manor’s seating area.

“Mother, where is Sister?” Yu Ning asked.

Xie Wanyu had entered the palace with the other Xie women, but she wasn’t present at the banquet.

“She said she went to report to His Majesty. She wouldn’t say what task she received, being all mysterious,” Huo sighed, not considering her eldest daughter’s secret mission a good thing.

The current Emperor was not someone to be trifled with.  Furthermore, the Xie family’s position was precarious.  They were the Empress Dowager’s maternal family, but the Emperor had ascended the throne at a young age, and the Empress Dowager had controlled the court for many years.

Now the Emperor held complete power, and the Empress Dowager’s influence was waning. The Xie family’s future depended entirely on the Emperor’s will.

Compared to Xie Wanyu’s ambitious approach of cooperating with the Emperor, the Xie elders preferred to go with the flow, abandoning their political aspirations, withdrawing from power struggles, and becoming low-profile officials.