Rebirth: Marrying the Great General in Ancient Times

Su Fu, the eldest daughter of Vice Minister Su Zhe, lived a tragic life defined by betrayal and loss. In her previous existence, she was manipulated by her stepmother, Madam Zhou, and her half-sister, Su Qing, into a life of quiet suffering. The pivotal tragedy occurred when Xiao Junhe, the young and brilliant General of the Xiao family, died in battle in the eighteenth year of Jingwen. He had sacrificed his life to secure ten years of peace for the nation of Nansang. Su Fu only discovered the depth of Xiao Junhe’s devotion after his death, finding a hidden diary and a painting of herself in his study. The diary revealed that he had saved her as a child, loved her silently for years, and used his military merits to secure an imperial marriage decree for her, bypassing her father’s attempt to marry her to the notorious playboy Wu Yuan. However, the political landscape shifted violently. The Crown Prince, colluding with the enemy state of Xiling, rebelled and seized the throne. He falsely accused the Xiao family of treason, leading to the execution of all Xiao men and the exile of the women. Su Fu died on the road to exile, learning only in her final moments that her own father and half-sister had betrayed the Xiao family to curry favor with the Crown Prince. Su Qing, now the Empress, revealed that Xiao Junhe had not died by enemy hands but was murdered by the Crown Prince’s schemes.

Upon waking, Su Fu found herself reborn in the sixteenth year of Jingwen, two years before the catastrophic events of her past life. Her maids, Qiushuang and Qiuxue, were alive, and she had a second chance to alter her fate. Her primary objective was to protect Xiao Junhe and prevent the destruction of the Xiao family. She also needed to safeguard her own independence, which in this era depended heavily on her mother’s substantial dowry, currently mismanaged and appropriated by her stepmother and step-sister. Su Fu immediately shifted from her previous passive demeanor to a calculated and assertive stance. She confronted her family, demanding the return of her dowry inventory. She exposed her stepmother’s hypocrisy regarding household expenses, forcing Madam Zhou to punish a loyal maid who had been mistreating Su Fu, thereby establishing her authority within the residence.

The conflict escalated when Madam Zhou and Su Qing plotted to ruin Su Fu’s reputation. They attempted to frame Su Fu’s maid, Qiushuang, for an illicit affair with Qi Chuan, the steward’s son, by drugging Qiushuang and placing her in a room with Qi Chuan during the Old Madam’s birthday banquet. Su Fu, anticipating such treachery, had switched the drugged Qiushuang with another maid, Xiao Chun, who had betrayed her. When the family discovered the couple in the room, Su Fu calmly revealed the truth, exposing the plot. Qi Chuan was forced to marry Xiao Chun, and Su Fu successfully defended her household’s honor while dealing a blow to her enemies.

With the army’s return to the capital, Su Fu seized the opportunity to reconnect with Xiao Junhe. She attended the public welcome at the city gates, where their eyes met across the crowd. Xiao Junhe, unaware that she remembered their childhood meeting, felt an inexplicable pull toward her. Su Fu then secured permission to attend the palace banquet, defying her family’s expectations. There, she encountered He Minzhu, the daughter of the Duke of Zhenguo, forming a new alliance. At the banquet, Su Fu and Xiao Junhe exchanged subtle gestures of recognition. While Su Qing sought the attention of the Crown Prince, hoping to become Empress, Su Fu focused on Xiao Junhe, determined to uncover the truth behind his death and prevent the impending rebellion. The story concludes with Su Fu navigating the dangerous political waters of the capital, armed with foreknowledge, ready to challenge the Crown Prince’s conspiracy and save the man she loves.