In the twelfth year of Emperor Yan's reign, during the depths of winter, heavy snow fell.

The newly-appointed Marquis of Loyalty and Courage held a grand feast, celebrating with his entire household.

Outside the city of Shengjing, before a solitary grave, a figure dressed in white was beaten and kicked by a group of black thugs, staining the ground red.

Chu Ruolan, who stood aside watching, said coldly, "Chu Xiyu, you actually want to stop the imperial carriage and file a complaint? Daydream! If I were you, I wouldn't have the face to live ten years ago. The fact that you can still drag on until now is truly impressive."

Chu Xi's jade body was stained with fresh, bright blood.

Ignoring the other's sarcasm, he only took one last look at that lonely tombstone, filled with grief and anger.

Ten years ago, my older brother was wrongfully killed.

Driven by the desire to save her brother, she was framed and fell from grace. From being a respected lady of a high-ranking family, she became a woman despised by everyone and was cast out of her home.

If it weren't for helping my older brother clear his name, if it weren't for taking care of my younger brother, I wouldn't be alive today.

After ten years of tireless effort, he finally uncovered the truth.

It is also no match for the enemy's overwhelming power.

A case that the yamen normally wouldn't handle...

Finally got the chance to complain when the emperor went on a tour, but was betrayed by a maid...

"I spared your life before, only because I didn't want to cause trouble. Now that my father has been promoted, no one will dare speak ill of me." Chu Rulan slowly turned around, looking at her with a light smile, "Fifth sister, let me send you on your final journey."

……

In the first year of the Yanhe era, it was a frost descent.

Shengjing, the small courtyard of Zhongyong Houfu.

"Miss, it's already dark. Wake up quickly." A very familiar voice sounded in her ear, "Tomorrow the master will be executed. Whether he can be saved depends entirely on you taking a gamble."

Chu Xi's eyes fluttered open, hazy and unfocused. As she saw the person standing by her side clearly, her gaze turned cold in an instant.

Chun Tao!

This is a maidservant who grew up together since childhood.

When she was driven out of the Marquis' mansion, this girl remained loyal and steadfast.

Chu Xiyu held [her] very dear, treating her like a real sister. But it wasn't until the thugs from the Marquis's mansion arrived that she realized...

Chun Tao has always been Chu Lao Taijun's eyes and ears.

Even though she had already been driven out of the Hou residence, the old matriarch was still not at ease and sent people to keep an eye on them.

How does he look so young?

And just now said... Lord, to be beheaded tomorrow?

Is my elder brother still alive?

Chu Xiyu stared in disbelief, her eyes widening. She looked around four times, and then realized that this place was actually the courtyard she had lived in at Houfu all those years ago, but now...

Ten fingers are green, not full of calluses from washing and mending. Eyesight is clear, not harmed by staying up late to copy books and embroider....

Chu Xiyu stumbled and crawled off the bed, nearly trembling as she threw herself onto the dressing table.

In the mirror, Zi Ming's eyes sparkled and her teeth were white. Her demeanor was spirited and radiant; she clearly still looked youthful.

This was how I looked at fourteen years old……

Mingming had already been beaten to death, but when he woke up, he was back ten years ago! Could it be that heaven pitied their family and gave him another chance at life?

That's great! My brother is still alive. It's not too late!

It's not too late for all of this tragedy!

Chu Xi's eyes welled up with hot tears, which fell one after another.

His biological father, Chu Zhiyuan, was a general stationed on the northern frontier. He died for his country at the age of four, and the former emperor posthumously awarded him the title of Marquis of Loyalty and Bravery.

But the biological mother died in childbirth when her younger brother was born.

Three orphaned children were left behind, the eldest being Chu Yan, who was only ten years old that year.

The court, according to law, will send the families of martyrs back to their homes in Shengjing.

This again brings up Chu Xiyu's grandfather.

Old Master Chu was originally a poor scholar. After passing the imperial examinations and becoming a top scholar, he married a woman from a wealthy family in the capital and settled down there.

Dīe Chǔ Zhìyuǎn was the eldest son of Chu Laotaiye, the original wife of Chu Laotaiye in the countryside.

Back then, Old Master Chu changed his wife to a concubine in order to secure this prestigious marriage.

The original wife refused. In order to protect her son's status as an heir, she ran headfirst into the Chu family ancestral hall and died there.

Since he had not committed any of the seven offenses that would lead to forceful dismissal, he could not be forcibly removed. Therefore, he was buried in the ancestral tomb according to the rites for a legitimate wife.

Only Madam Chu could be a concubine.

He treats the son left by his original wife as a thorn in his side.

In that year, Chu Zhiyuan left home and joined the army, traveling far to the northern frontier.

For decades, he endured hardship and wind and rain. He worked hard on his own, married and had children abroad. Until his death, he never returned home.

These things, Chu Xiyu was driven out of the Hou Mansion only then slowly found out.

The father thought he would never again have anything to do with the Shengjing Chu family, so he didn't tell the younger generation about what happened between the elders back then.

When I first arrived at the Chu family, I was only four years old.

The Chu family, for the sake of face, had long ago given a statement saying their great-grandmother had passed away from illness.

If only we had known this earlier, we could have definitely prevented it.

But it's too late.

(Editor in charge:graphic novels)