After Working Herself to Death as the Marquess’s Madam, She Decided to Give Up

[Reborn feel-good story + a heroine who refuses to suffer in silence + both devoted only to each other + secret love comes true + loyal puppy-like young man + everyone’s favorite + lighthearted comedy]

Cui Jinnian was the eldest legitimate daughter of the Anyuan Marquis household, and by imperial decree, she married Xie Rongyu, heir to the Yongle Marquis title.

To keep up appearances in their sham marriage, she put the past behind her and raised the twins Xie Rongyu had brought back from his mistress as if they were her own.

Seventeen years later, one child was upright and accomplished, rising through the ranks, while the other was beautiful as a flower and married a fine husband.

But she had worked herself sick and was now bedridden.

She had thought she had fulfilled her duty as the mistress of the marquis household and could leave this life with a clear conscience.

But on the day she was dying, the two children stood by her bed. One sneered, while the other said in a childish voice:

“Father says our mother will soon be brought back from the estate. You can leave now.”

Xie Rongyu held Jiang Wan, the childhood sweetheart he had cherished above all else but could not bring into the household because she was the daughter of a disgraced official. He delivered his verdict to Cui Jinnian, whose life was hanging by a thread:

“All the happiness you enjoyed in the marquis household was stolen from Wan’er. Now it’s time to return it to its rightful owner.”

Heaven took pity on her and gave her the chance to live again.

This time, she couldn’t be bothered to play the virtuous wife.

The day the marquis household fell, she smiled at Xie Rongyu, whose eyes were nearly popping out of his head.

“You’re right, Lord Xie. I shouldn’t have taken someone else’s happiness. So this time, I don’t want this marquis household.”

Later, a man offered an empire as his betrothal gift and made her his empress.

On the night of their wedding, the famously cold and ruthless Xiao Yan personally shaped her brows, then sighed softly:

“I heard someone accused you of taking another woman’s place. As luck would have it, the place by my side has belonged to you alone from the very beginning.”

The entire Xie family was executed, every last one of them.

“My empress, do you feel avenged?”