The thirteenth year of Da Zong—so many things happened that year, it was the turning point of her fate. Everything seemed natural at the time, but now looking back, there were numerous suspicious points.

For instance, if Madam Zhou was truly well-behaved, how did she enter the household so soon after her mother’s death? Why was she kidnapped by mountain bandits when she went to worship Buddha with Yu-Shan? If the bandits truly wanted money, why didn’t they notify the royal mansion? If money wasn’t their goal, why did they do nothing and just wait for Madam Zhou to bring people to find her? With so many people in the royal mansion, how was this secret kept so well for all these years? How did eleven-year-old Brother Ming suddenly end up fighting over a courtesan and accidentally kill someone, landing him in prison?

Back then, she hadn’t thought about these things, only resenting heaven’s unfairness, relying on her father and Madam Zhou, living in her own world of sorrow. In the end, she gained nothing and caused those around her to lose their lives.

But now, having died once, looking back at the path she’d taken, everything was suspicious, yet she had believed it all then!

Everything felt like a nightmare as if the tragic wedding night was just a nightmare from when she was twelve, but Han Yan knew it wasn’t a dream.

Since heaven let her be reborn this year, it must mean she wasn’t destined to die! It gave her a chance to exact revenge on her enemies and reverse everything!

In the thirteenth year of Da Zong—everything would start changing from here. In this life, she absolutely wouldn’t let the events of her previous life repeat!

Zhuang Yu Shan, Madam Zhou, her father, and Wei Ru Feng—she had the patience to play a long game with them!

“Mother Chen, send someone to tell Father I’m awake.” Han Yan lowered her eyes, tucking her hands into her sleeves.

Ji Lan looked at Han Yan with surprise, wondering if it was her imagination, but she felt the Young Miss seemed very different after waking this time as if she had become another person.

The Young Miss had always been innocent and pure-hearted. After Madam’s death, she cried every day, as if she had lost her anchor. After the Master advised her several times and began to grow annoyed, the Young Miss became even more heartbroken, anxious, and insecure. This was natural—Madam had doted on the Young Miss extremely when alive, and the Young Miss was still young, understanding nothing. Suddenly facing such a huge change, she really couldn’t adapt. She and Shu Hong wanted to help but didn’t know how. A few days ago, when the Master said he would take a new wife, the Young Miss strongly objected, then caught a cold and fell ill after being scolded by the Master. Mother Chen was worried sick, could only angrily curse the incoming stepmother and the Master for forgetting conjugal affection, and sigh about the Young Miss’s bitter fate.

She and Shu Hong were extremely worried that the Young Miss might become seriously ill from depression. There were often such cases in large households where people with heavy thoughts became difficult to cure, developing serious illnesses that ruined their entire lives. They anxiously watched by her bedside for days and nights, and the doctor had visited. She finally woke up, but this time, she discovered the Young Miss was different.

Although she cried inexplicably at first, after calming down she was no longer panicked. Those black eyes were clear as before, but like a deep, still lake—bottomless, calm, and without ripples.

“Ji Lan.” Han Yan suddenly called her. Ji Lan startled, quickly withdrawing her gaze, silently cursing herself for spacing out at such a time.

“Shu Hong.” Han Yan continued: “You two are my maids, and I naturally trust you, but following me may not lead to a good outcome. I don’t want to deceive you. In the current situation, even I find it somewhat difficult to cope.” She smiled slightly: “If you… don’t wish to stay by my side, I can arrange for you to leave the mansion.”

She truly meant it—if Ji Lan and Shu Hong didn’t want to follow her, she could let them go. In her previous life, they had given their lives for her, and that was enough.

Shu Hong’s knees bent as she knelt straight down: “This servant is Young Miss’s maid, recognizing only Young Miss as a master in this life. Even in death, this servant wants to die by Young Miss’s side.”

Ji Lan also grew anxious: “Please don’t kill this servant with kindness, Young Miss. How could we be human if we abandoned Young Miss in the current situation? Don’t worry, Young Miss. Even if that Zhou woman enters the household, we servants will protect Young Miss from bullying. Please don’t send us away from the mansion.”

Han Yan’s eyes reddened slightly, touched by their loyalty. In life, for every betrayal, there is true devotion.

“Get up,” Han Yan smiled: “I meant that if you had someone you fancied, I would arrange for you to leave and marry. But it seems you don’t.”

Ji Lan and Shu Hong exchanged glances, both blushing: “Young Miss, please don’t tease us.”

Han Yan reached up to stroke her hair, twirling a small lock around her finger, speaking slowly: “Following me will be dangerous, but I will do my utmost to keep you safe.”

Shu Hong was startled—these words seemed strange, but coming from the twelve-year-old Young Miss, they somehow gave her a sense of security. Thinking about what was said earlier, could these be the words of an innocent, unworldly Young Miss? She looked up to see Han Yan’s clean, pure face bearing a composed and peaceful smile, suddenly showing a wisdom that seemed to contain valleys and peaks.

The Young Miss had indeed changed.

“Following me means you must listen to my instructions. Especially you, Ji Lan—your temperament is hasty, but from today on, you must change it, because the first thing we must do is: endure.”

Endure—endure what others cannot. Yu Shan could also hide her light and bide her time, but having lived another life, when it came to patience, the Zhou mother and daughter might not match her. As the saying goes, those who can endure become kings. Let’s see who can endure more.

“The Master is here.” Mother Chen lifted the crystal curtain and carefully walked in. Behind her followed a tall figure, that bright brocade cloud-patterned crimson robe stopping before the sickbed.

Han Yan couldn’t help but laugh coldly inside. Her mother had been buried for barely three months, yet he had the heart to wear red robes—truly boundlessly arrogant, did he really think no one could deal with him?

She raised her head, her small face beneath the black hair touching and beautiful, breaking into a tear-filled smile that softened everyone’s hearts.

“Father.” Han Yan spoke timidly.

Zhuang Shi Yang looked down at his legitimate daughter. His daughter’s delicate face struggled to maintain a smile, this ingratiating expression greatly satisfying his ego, and his tone softened somewhat: “Yan’er, are you feeling better?”

Han Yan lowered her head, answering in a soft voice: “Daughter is fine now, sorry to have worried father.”

Han Yan remembered that year—when father mentioned taking a new wife, she had been extremely upset and refused, then was scolded by Zhuang Shi Yang and carelessly caught a cold, falling ill in bed. This father hadn’t even visited her once. Their relationship had already grown strained.

“Yan’er has been thinking while ill, and realizes she was wrong before, shouldn’t have made father angry.” Seeing Zhuang Shi Yang’s gaze soften, she forced a smile: “After mother passed, the father has been working hard every day, the household indeed needs someone intimate to help.”