Divorced and Remarried to a Higher Rank: The General's Fierce Poison Consort

Cui Anru is the legitimate daughter of the Duke of Zhenguo, a military family renowned for its loyalty and service to the Great Xia Empire. She is also a disciple of the legendary Medical Immortal, possessing exceptional medical skills that she keeps hidden to maintain a low profile. Two years prior, she married Xiao Rang, the son of the Annan Baron, in a match arranged by her parents. For two years, she supported her husband and his family financially, using her substantial dowry to cover the Xiao family's expenses while they lived in relative poverty. Her father and elder brother, both high-ranking military officers, died heroically in battle, leaving Cui Anru as the sole survivor of her immediate family. Upon their return to the capital with their coffins, Xiao Rang, now promoted to Marquis of Annan for his military merits, shocked everyone by using his achievements to petition the Emperor for permission to take an Equal Wife. The chosen woman was Lin Zhiyin, a border medic who had saved Xiao Rang’s life and was pregnant with his child, conceived while escorting the coffins of Cui Anru’s father and brother.

The imperial decree arrived at the Xiao manor, ordering Cui Anru to accept Lin Zhiyin as an Equal Wife. The Xiao family elders, particularly the Old Madame and Lady Yang, were eager to welcome Lin Zhiyin, viewing Cui Anru as an obstacle due to her wealth and status. Cui Anru, realizing the depth of their betrayal and the humiliation inflicted upon her family’s memory, refused to submit. She publicly announced her intention to divorce Xiao Rang, a unprecedented act for a woman of her standing. She then proceeded to the palace to petition the Emperor directly. On her way, she encountered Lu Jingchen, the Prince Yi, who was secretly poisoned and suffering from a chronic illness. Recognizing his condition, she offered him a detoxification pill prepared by the Medical Immortal and struck a deal: she would provide him with medical aid in exchange for his help in securing her divorce and protecting a mother and daughter she had saved from a street incident.

At the Lin family residence, Cui Anru had already orchestrated a public demonstration where commoners beat gongs and drums to expose Lin Zhiyin’s pregnancy and the impropriety of her relationship with Xiao Rang during the mourning period. This public shaming damaged the Lin family’s reputation and put pressure on the Emperor. In the Hall of Mental Cultivation, Cui Anru presented her case with dignity and evidence, revealing that Lin Zhiyin was indeed pregnant and that the Xiao family had been living off her dowry. The Emperor, wary of Xiao Rang’s arrogance and the political implications, granted Cui Anru a consensual divorce and ordered the Xiao family to repay her 750,000 taels of silver within three days. The decree also allowed her to retain her noble title and property.

Upon returning to the Xiao manor, Cui Anru was met by her widowed sister-in-law, Liang Ziyu, and her young son, Cui Lang, who had come to support her. Liang Ziyu had physically confronted the Xiao family elders, defending Cui Anru’s honor. Together, they oversaw the packing of Cui Anru’s dowry and the expulsion of the Xiao family members who had mistreated her. Cui Anru returned to the Zhenguogong Mansion, her maternal home, which had been left in a state of disrepair and grief. She vowed to rebuild the family’s honor and protect her sister-in-law and nephew. The Lin family, humiliated and facing social ruin, plotted revenge, with Lin Zhiyin’s uncle, the Prime Minister, potentially involved. Meanwhile, Lu Jingchen began to take a keen interest in Cui Anru, recognizing her value as a medical expert and a resilient ally in the treacherous court politics. The story sets the stage for Cui Anru’s rise from a betrayed wife to an independent woman navigating political intrigue, medical mysteries, and familial loyalty.