She truly could not understand.
Back then, everyone had advised her master to leave. The Heir had even given her the He Li1He Li (和离) refers to a separation by mutual consent in ancient China, particularly in the context of marriage. Unlike a unilateral divorce initiated by the husband (休妻, xiu qi), He Li was a more dignified and mutually agreed-upon way for a husband and wife to end their marriage. letter to prevent her from being implicated if something happened to the Earl Manor. But her master had stubbornly insisted on staying.
Now, with the Heir’s bright future ahead and everyone envious of her master, she was choosing to leave instead.
“Are you really going to watch that woman take your place?!”
At the mention of Gu Qing, Shi Yu gritted her silver teeth in hatred. She had just found out about this and had immediately turned pale with anger, wanting to confront Gu Qing, but had been stopped by her master.
Gu Lanyin lowered her eyes to look at Shi Yu’s tear-filled ones. Thinking of the girl who, in her past life, had been so consumed with hatred that she had wished to personally kill Xiao Ye, she let out a soft sigh in her heart. She did not speak, merely raising a hand to gently stroke her head.
Then, she turned to the silent Ting Yun beside her. “What about you?”
Ting Yun was silent for a moment before asking, “Do you have no regrets?”
Gu Lanyin was briefly taken aback, then smiled. “None.”
“I understand.” Ting Yun bowed respectfully. “Your dowry has always been managed by Mama Sheng. She has returned home, but the account books are still here. I will take some people to verify them immediately.”
As she finished speaking, she turned to leave, but Shi Yu grabbed her sleeve.
“You’re insane!”
Shi Yu was so furious that her cheeks puffed out. “Not only are you not persuading the Master, but you’re also helping her with this madness!”
“When have you ever seen the Master act recklessly?” Ting Yun asked her.
Shi Yu froze.
Watching Gu Lanyin’s retreating figure as she entered the inner chamber, she fell silent.
Ting Yun also gazed at her departing back. Only when she disappeared from view did she sigh. Patting Shi Yu’s hand, she said, “The Master is serious. If you truly care for her, then let her be happy.”
“I believe… the Master truly wants to leave this place.”
She remembered earlier in the Flower Hall—after the Master had spoken those words, the gloom between her brows had completely lifted.
At the time, she had asked, ‘Is it because of the Heir that you are so happy?’
The Master had not answered. Ting Yun had thought she was simply shy.
Only now did she understand.
It had never been because of the Heir.
She was happy because she was finally breaking free from this cage.
Perhaps she had wanted to leave long ago—only none of them had noticed.
Watching Ting Yun walk away, Shi Yu stood frozen in place for a moment. In the end, she bit her lip and, under the hopeful gazes of the younger maids, wiped away her tears and ordered them to continue packing.
So be it.
If master wants to leave, then let her leave.
As long as the master is happy, that’s all that matters! Hadn’t she always wished for her master to live in happiness and joy?
Both Shi Yu and Ting Yun had been personally trained by the maternal grandmother. Once they made up their minds, everything else became much easier. By the time Gu Lanyin changed into a fresh set of clothes and stepped out, the two had nearly finished packing.
When the maids caught sight of the beautiful woman dressed in a blue cape over an orange long dress, her hair styled in a high round bun adorned with only two jade hairpins, they were momentarily dazed. Gu Lanyin, however, remained perfectly at ease, as though she had long been accustomed to dressing this way.
“All set?” she asked them.
The two quickly snapped out of their thoughts and nodded. Ting Yun stepped forward with a ledger in hand and reported, “Everything has been accounted for. Except for the items you gave away to help the Heir in the past, the rest are all here.”
Gu Lanyin nodded.
She took the ledger and flipped through it.
A year ago, Xiao Ye’s father—her father-in-law—had offended a powerful court official and was imprisoned. The Xiao family had nearly exhausted half their fortune just to get him out of jail. But in such a large manor, where was money not needed? The entire Earl Manor had been in turmoil, teetering on the edge of collapse. Back then, Gu Lanyin had still loved Xiao Ye dearly, so she had handed over her dowry without hesitation.
However, for all that Xiao Ye had failed her emotionally, he had at least tried to compensate her financially.
Over the past year, he had gained the emperor’s favor and risen from an ordinary imperial guard to the prestigious position of Commander of the Palace Guards. As for the dowry she had once handed over, he had returned whatever he could. What couldn’t be recovered had been compensated with shops and silver.
And it was precisely because of the He Li Shu (Separation Agreement) he had once given her—meant to protect her from being implicated in the Xiao family’s downfall—that she could now walk away so decisively.
Xiao Ye was not a bad person.
But he was not her fated person either.
That—Gu Lanyin had always known.
Her gaze fell upon a black lacquered wooden box on the table—the very thing she had once thought she would never have to use. Yet in this lifetime, she had unexpectedly been given the opportunity.
She wasn’t sure what she felt in her heart.
She simply sat quietly for a moment before speaking, “Go call Steward Xu and the other supervisors. I need to give them some instructions.”
Even though she was leaving, she wouldn’t just walk away and leave behind a mess.
That wasn’t her nature.
Besides, even if Xiao Ye had wronged her, the rest of the Xiao family had always treated her well.
“Yes.”
Ting Yun left to summon them.
This delay lasted until dusk.
Since the properties she had brought into the marriage had been sold to help the Xiao family, she now planned to temporarily stay at an estate in the outskirts of the city. To avoid getting caught outside after the city gates closed, she had the carriage prepared and then led the maids who had originally followed her from her parental home toward the exit.
Outside, a crowd of maids and old servant women had gathered.
Though they were all servants of the Xiao family, they had grown attached to Gu Lanyin over the years. Now, as she prepared to leave, tears streamed down their faces, unwilling to part with her.
“Your Ladyship, rest assured, no matter what happens, in this lifetime, we will only recognize you as our Heir’s Wife.”
“We know you have suffered grievances, but if you leave like this, aren’t you just falling into their trap?” They genuinely respected Gu Lanyin, which gave them the courage to speak so boldly. “Why not wait until the Old Madam returns and let her decide for you? If you suddenly leave like this, the Old Madam and the Young Miss will surely be heartbroken.”
Gu Lanyin’s brows and eyes carried a faint smile, yet she did not respond.
Only when she was escorted all the way to the carriage did she finally glance at the large crowd surrounding her and say, “Alright, all of you should go back now. Don’t neglect your duties.”
Shi Yu watched this scene, feeling a dull ache in her heart.
Especially when she thought about that culprit still sitting comfortably inside the manor, she became so furious she wanted to lash out.
Even servants with no blood ties knew to come and plead for their master to stay. Yet Gu Qing, who had come from the same mother’s womb, could shamelessly remain inside without saying a word.
Truly disgraceful.
But then again, if she had any shame, she wouldn’t have returned with the Heir in the first place.
She cursed her inwardly, and in the process, her anger toward Xiao Ye deepened as well.
She said she wanted to leave, and he simply let her go.
Gu Lanyin had said she wanted to leave, and yet he had let her go just like that—casually sending her off before going about his business.
Even if it had been words spoken in anger at the time, several hours had already passed, and he still hadn’t come back to check on her!
Truly…
Shi Yu clenched her silver teeth in frustration.
“Let’s go.”
After finishing her instructions, Gu Lanyin lowered the carriage curtain.
Shi Yu and Ting Yun boarded the carriage as well. Before long, the wheels began to roll, and the carriage steadily made its way out of the estate gates.
Dusk fades, night falls.
By the time Gu Lanyin arrived at the countryside estate, it was already deep into the night.
Meanwhile, along the official road leading to the city, the moon shone bright against the sparse stars. A group of riders was making their way toward the city gates.
Before they could approach the entrance, the distant sound of galloping hooves echoed through the night.
Immediately, the guards escorting the carriage tensed, their hands moving instinctively to the hilts of their swords as their eyes fixed warily on the approaching figure.
But the moment they caught sight of the man’s face, their tension eased.
One of them turned toward the carriage behind them and respectfully reported, “Master, it’s Zhusheng.”
As he spoke, Zhusheng had already tightened his reins and dismounted.
He strode swiftly toward the carriage, preparing to bow in greeting.
Just then, a slender yet powerful hand lifted the stone-blue silk curtain from within.
Under the moonlight, the hand gleamed like jade, its fine joints distinct and strong.
Just by looking at that hand, one could tell its owner was a young man.
And yet, on his exposed wrist—beneath the sleeve of his gray robes—was a string of Buddhist prayer beads, an accessory far too solemn for his age.
At this moment, the main bead’s tassel swayed lightly in the night breeze.
Zhusheng had only just managed to say, “Master—”
When from inside the carriage, a cold, low voice cut through the stillness of the night—
“What happened to her?”