My Husband Faked His Death So I Remarried — The Aloof Grand Secretary Stops Pretending

Xue Zhi lived a tragic life in Fu Family Village, married to Fu Lin, a soldier who was conscripted and reported dead. For two years, she endured abuse from her mother-in-law Li Honghua and sister-in-law Fu Rong. On their wedding night, Fu Lin had been taken away, and she was blamed for his death. The Fu family accused her of infidelity and pushed her into a river, causing her to drown. After her death, she discovered the truth: Fu Lin had survived, risen through military ranks, and fallen in love with a noble lady disguised as a man. They conspired to kill her to erase her existence. Her soul lingered, watching the Fu family prosper in the capital, filled with hatred. Fortunately, she was reborn at the moment she was pushed into the river, saved by Fu Shiyue, a scholar in the village.

Upon being rescued, Li Honghua immediately accused Xue Zhi of seducing Fu Shiyue. Xue Zhi, retaining memories of her past life, turned the tables by accusing Li Honghua of having an affair with a widower named Diao Si. She claimed that Fu Rong had pushed her into the river to silence her. The villagers, suspicious of Li Honghua’s aggressive behavior, pressured the village chief to intervene. Xue Zhi demanded a divorce, citing the danger to her life. The village chief, fearing scandal and the involvement of a scholar, approved the divorce to protect the village’s reputation. Fu Shiyue helped draft the divorce papers, allowing Xue Zhi to leave the Fu family.

Xue Zhi returned to her dilapidated childhood home, which was uninhabitable. Fu Shiyue, whose house was next door, offered her shelter in his parents’ empty room, citing a debt to her late mother. Rumors spread that they were having an affair, but Fu Shiyue maintained his distance, returning to the academy after a month. Xue Zhi used her knowledge of future trends from her previous life to start a business. She sold embroidery designs to Jinxiu Tower, a rival of the dominant Huayi Pavilion, securing a profitable contract. She also helped Bai Shanshan, an embroiderer exploited by Huayi Pavilion, organize a strike to demand fair wages. The strike succeeded, forcing Huayi Pavilion to pay daily wages and sign contracts.

Meanwhile, the Fu family faced internal turmoil. Xue Zhi had exposed that Sun Xiaoqian’s son, Da Dan, was not the child of Fu Qiang, causing chaos in the household. Fu Qiang, harboring illicit desires for Xue Zhi, sneaked into her home at night with intentions to assault her. Xue Zhi, prepared with a wooden stick, beat him unconscious. The commotion woke the villagers, who found Fu Qiang injured. Li Honghua and Sun Xiaoqian accused Xue Zhi of seducing Fu Qiang and causing his injuries. Xue Zhi defended herself, claiming he was a thief. The village chief intervened, but the Fu family’s reputation continued to deteriorate. Xue Zhi began planning further revenge, aiming to dismantle the Fu family completely while building her own wealth and influence with Fu Shiyue’s indirect support.