The Night Before Her Divorce, She Was Reborn

Ning Fu was the fourth daughter of the Duke of Ning, married to Zong Si, the heir of Prince Xuan. Their union was arranged, yet Zong Si’s heart belonged to Xie Ruyi, the second daughter of the Duke of Qing. For three years, Ning Fu endured a cold and distant marriage, spending her days in solitude while her husband spent most of his time away on military campaigns or in the company of a mistress in the North who resembled Xie Ruyi. The emotional toll of her unrequited love and neglect led Ning Fu to contemplate divorce, but her despair culminated in a fatal accident when she slipped and fell from a rock garden after overhearing rumors of her husband’s infidelity.

Upon regaining consciousness, Ning Fu discovered she had traveled back in time to six years prior, before her engagement to Zong Si was finalized. She found herself in her childhood home, alive and with her family intact. In her previous life, this was the period when her father’s concubine, Madam Yu, had orchestrated her fall into the water to silence her after Ning Fu discovered Madam Yu’s secret affair. That incident had previously led to a chain of events that destroyed her parents’ relationship and caused immense suffering for her family. Armed with foreknowledge, Ning Fu immediately exposed Madam Yu’s treachery to her father, preventing the domestic crisis that had plagued her past life. Her mother, spared the grief and anger that had once driven her to act rashly, was able to handle the situation with calculated composure, preserving the family’s harmony.

With her past regrets set right, Ning Fu resolved to change her fate. She no longer harbored feelings for Zong Si, whose coldness she now recognized as a source of pain rather than admiration. At a celebration banquet hosted by her family, she deliberately avoided Zong Si’s gaze, which remained fixed on Xie Ruyi. Instead, she found herself drawn to Lu Xingzhi, a quiet and upright young master from the Lu family who had also helped save her life in the past. Unlike Zong Si, whose beauty was sharp and intimidating, Lu Xingzhi possessed a gentle and refined demeanor that Ning Fu found appealing. She began to cultivate a relationship with him, accepting his guidance in riding and archery as she prepared for the upcoming Six Arts examinations for noblewomen.

Her shift in affection did not go unnoticed. Zong Si, perceiving Ning Fu’s interactions with Lu Xingzhi as flirtatious and manipulative, grew suspicious and cold toward her. He misinterpreted her actions, believing she was attempting to seduce his younger brother, Zong Duo, rather than seeking a genuine partner. Meanwhile, Zong Duo found himself unexpectedly intrigued by Ning Fu’s subtle charm and the lingering scent of peaches associated with her, though he struggled to reconcile these feelings with his disciplined nature. The political landscape also shifted, as the Emperor considered marriage alliances with the Northern Qi princess, testing the loyalty and ambitions of his nobles, including Zong Si.

The autumn hunt became a pivotal arena for these tensions. When a diplomatic dance performance risked offending the Northern Qi princess due to a cultural misunderstanding, Ning Fu stepped in to replace a missing dancer, ensuring the event’s success without revealing her identity. However, Zong Si discovered her involvement and used it as leverage, warning her to remain obedient or face scandal. Despite this threat, Ning Fu remained resolute in her new path. She further distinguished herself by volunteering to spar with the Northern Qi princess in mounted archery, a challenge most noblewomen avoided. Drawing on skills she had learned in her previous life, she performed admirably, earning the Emperor’s praise and solidifying her reputation as a talented and courageous young lady. Through these events, Ning Fu successfully distanced herself from her toxic past marriage and began building a future centered on her own agency and a potential partnership with Lu Xingzhi.