our ape tribe before.""It seems your people have contracted their defensive perimeter, at least they should be safe for now."Ripples murmured words of comfort, then the beast mark on her brow shimmer..."Mother, I don't want to marry. He doesn't love me; he only has ulterior motives and wants to use me. Once I enter the palace, it will be like being trapped in an ocean. I won't even have a chance to see you again."

Gu Die'er was, after all, just a child. At this moment, she could no longer hold back her tears and cried out loud.

Mrs. Gu also had red eyes, taking her handkerchief and wiping her tears constantly, choked up and said:

"Butterfly, how could I ever let you suffer such a fate When Xin Yuan came looking for you, I started secretly finding you matches, hoping to marry you off before things became clear. Unfortunately, the Royal Family wouldn't give me the chance to prioritize my family!"

"Mother..."

Gu Die'er was already sobbing uncontrollably. She knew her mother had done everything for her, and she had never forced her to do anything she didn't want to do all these years. But now, if she refused to marry, it would be treasonous. Not only would she suffer the consequences, but the entire Gu family would as well.

And the royal family will take advantage of the situation to ransack and destroy the Gu family, with all their possessions going into the treasury. This is the accumulation of several generations of the Gu family; it cannot be destroyed because of one person.

As intelligent as Gu Die'er, she naturally knew the key to the matter. She cried her heart out, and after venting all her emotions, she wiped away her tears and said resolutely:

"Mother, I'm getting married! Not only for you, but also to take care of the family."

"Butterfly..."

Madame Gu embraced her daughter, heartbroken. Ripples saw that both the mother and daughter had vented their emotions, so she finally spoke:

"Madam Gu, Die'er, the Emperor valuing the Gu family is a good thing. You shouldn't cry for too long. It's understandable to be sad about being separated from each other, but you mustn't be heartbroken forever."

"Ling Yi is right, we need to think carefully now about how to handle things after you enter the palace."

Mrs. Gu, having weathered many storms in her life, immediately rallied and began making plans for her daughter.

Liàn yī shì zǔ dòng bāolǎn le yīxiē yào wán de zhìzuò, ràng Gù Dié'ěr yǐ bì bù shí zhī xū, liú xià de shì qíng tā zhǔnbèi děng Gù Dié'ěr chūfā qù Kìyù shí, zài hē r yuán xìnxì shuō yī shuō.

After the agreement was reached, Lianyi went back to the Liu family that night. Since Old Man Liu had passed away last year, the three Liu brothers had divided their property. And Liu Dashan had worked hard these years and had given Lianyi a younger brother and a younger sister.

Because the family had adopted a young boy, Lian'i also recognized Gu Fu-ren as her adoptive mother. Therefore, the Liu family settled in Fuan Village, which was closest to Youzhou City. Also, because of Lian'i's share, their family built a brick house and bought eight mu of prime farmland. They were considered a well-off family in the village.

Because there was family support and no one who didn't know how to behave bothered the Liu family, this outsider family had gradually integrated into Fu'an Village over eight years. And Lianyi, the skilled young woman who knew medicine, was even more popular with the villagers.

Every time Lian Yi returns home, the villagers bring their own produce the next day to consult her about their ailments.

However, this time the ripples didn't stay at home for long. She only briefly spoke with the Liu family parents and her older brother, Liu Shangen.

When Liu's mother learned about Gu Die'er's situation, she was also filled with sighs. Although she was just a village woman, some truths were universal. She said in a low voice:

Although it was the emperor's decree, she was still entering as a concubine. How could that compare to being a legitimate wife With Miss Gu's beauty, she could definitely marry into a suitable family as a main wife, with a generous dowry to support her. She wouldn't have to worry about anything for the rest of her life. So why...

Fate is a cruel trickster. Things have come to this, and there's no way to go against the decree. I can only make preparations in secret. I, along with her sisters, will also do our best for her.

Parents, have you guys been paying attention to these kinds of herbs lately Ask the villagers to collect more for me. I want to make some pills for Die'er to carry with her.

"Okay, let Shan Gen remember this. I'll tell the villagers tomorrow."

Liu Dashan readily agreed.

Liushan Gen was somewhat distracted, Lian Ri noticed all of this with her keen eyes. She patted her younger brother's shoulder and said in a serious tone:

"Shan Gen, you are a farmer's son. In the eyes of those old masters, you come from a humble background. You have to put in more effort than others to reach the ordinary level of those wealthy sons."

To stand out from the crowd, you must be better than them. Only then can you be free from constraints and decide your own destiny.

"I understand what my elder sister means. I can only protect my family and friends, and realize my ambitions, if I pass the imperial examinations."

Liushan pondered for a moment, then said.

"Yes, but don't put too much pressure on yourself either. There are people outside of people, and there are heavens outside of heaven. You are not a perfect person, just do your best and be worthy of your heart."

Gu Shan's head nodded heavily, storing the ripples' words deep in his heart.

The next day, Lianyi returned to Gu's residence. At noon, Xin Yuan arrived at Gu's house. Mrs. Gu could only force a smile and respond, chatting about family matters for a while, then hinted that Die'er was embroidering her dowry and shouldn't be seen before the wedding, thus sending Xin Yuan away.

As soon as Xin Yuan stepped out of the Gu family gates, his personal eunuch, Su An, said unwillingly:

"Grandpa, going to their house would be humiliating for our family. They won't even let you see Gu Die'er! This is clearly showing disrespect!"

"Alright, my visit is a demonstration of attitude, proving that I value this honorable woman. Their excuses are acceptable to me, we all just get what we need. Families need support, and I need to secure the family's wealth and status. That's all right."

"Grandpa said so."

Su An immediately replied.

"Alright, we've achieved our goal. Since they don't want us here, let's head back to the capital."

"Yes, my servant will arrange it right away."

Su An immediately turned his head and made the arrangements.

Gu Die'er also received the news of Xin Yuan's visit. She didn't bother to embroider a wedding dress anyway, and she couldn't wear a bright red or green one. She just left it to the seamstresses in the house, intending to put in a bit of effort only when it was time for the final stitching.

"

What a shame!

"

Gu Die'er slammed the book in her hand onto the table, her face turning very ugly.

Although she had gone out a few times after coming of age, she frequently encountered Xin Yuan. However, she was certain that she hadn't given him any chance to misunderstand her. She even subtly expressed her dislike for him.

I don't know why Xin Yuan made such a domineering decision that determined the rest of her life. She was truly stifled, feeling helpless and frustrated.

After ripples entered Gu Die'er's room, she saw the puffed-up little girl. She had also heard about Xin Yuan's visit and felt that the other party had made a blunder. Instead of expressing her importance, it seemed more like a show off.

This is just like something Xin Yuan, a straight man like him, would do. He's clueless about what's going on and has no idea that love is the hardest thing to force in the world.

"Don't be angry. Why would you punish yourself for other people's mistakes If you want revenge, it should be directed at Xin Yuan, not the people around you."

"I know, I just can't stomach it."

Gu Die'er said with grievance.

"Since it's already done, think on the positive side, but make the worst-case scenario plan."

Ripple hinted.

Gu Die'er fell silent for a long time, dismissing the maids and servants in the room. Then, she pulled Lian Yi to sit on the padded bed, lowering her voice and saying:

"Ripple, I want a kind of medicine that cannot be produced." Impassivity, and will no longer be troubled by emotions in the future. Her path to immortality might even become smoother.""It's my fault as a father that I haven't shown her enough care. Even after...