Chapter 24 Rebirth This is not her body

The surroundings were inky black.

There was no pain, no disturbance, only boundless silence, which was the peace that Shen Zhiwei had longed for for too long.

Perhaps this is the world after death.

Okay.

She allowed herself to indulge in it, her consciousness spontaneously sinking, slowly falling into eternal sleep.

However, there was always something that wouldn't let her go.

A faint but persistent sound penetrated the thick silence, buzzing like a fly, very far away at first, but gradually becoming clearer.

It was a man's voice.

The tone of voice is just right: gentle, steady and reassuring.

"...That's all that's needed. Your Highness is still young and can't stand being frightened. Just put it down and leave. No one will notice."

Shen Zhiwei frowned.

The voice sounded familiar, but it didn't belong to someone I knew every day. Rather, it was from a distant, almost forgotten corner of my memory, covered in dust and difficult to identify.

Isn't she dead? Why can she still hear the sound?

Moreover, the voice mentioned His Highness.

The chaotic thoughts were like bubbles rising from the bottom of the water. As soon as they emerged, they were dispersed by stronger perceptions.

warmth.

An unfamiliar warmth enveloped her, her blood flowed smoothly in her veins, her heart beat steadily and powerfully in her chest, and every breath she took was deep and easy, without the tearing suffocation and pain anymore.

Terribly light.

Shen Zhiwei moved his fingertips subconsciously.

The touch was real, she could clearly feel the delicate and smooth fabric, and the warm skin beneath it.

This wasn't her battered remains.

The horror instantly dispelled all chaotic sleepiness.

She opened her eyes suddenly.

Opening her eyes had been difficult in the past, but now it was so smooth that it startled her. Her long hair was black and lush, falling over her shoulders. Her vision was clear and bright, and there was no familiar stagnant pain in her chest.

This is not her body.

Looking around, the room was elegantly furnished, completely different from the luxury of the East Palace in her memory or the simplicity of her later residence. A middle-aged man in a dark blue brocade robe had his back to her.

The air was filled with the scent of ink from books and a delicate sweet fragrance, which came from a celadon covered bowl on the small table beside her, with steam rising from the rim of the bowl.

She was sitting with her hands folded steadily on her knees, and in one of her hands, she was holding a small, cold, hard object.

She lowered her head and spread out her palms.

It was a porcelain vase no bigger than a thumb, with a plain white base and no patterns. The stopper was tightly closed, but it emitted a faint bitter smell of almonds.

Old acquaintance.

For more than ten years in her previous life, every bowl of medicine she drank contained this soul-haunting aura.

The man with his back to her seemed to sense something and slowly turned around. He had a handsome face and gentle eyes. He looked slightly younger than she remembered, less worn-out.

The Prince's Tutor, Lin Wenyuan.

Lord Lin's gaze fell on her open palm. The porcelain vase shone coldly at her fingertips. An indulgent smile played at the corners of his lips, as if he were looking at a sulky child.

"This matter concerns your and An Yu's future, the Shen family's ability to restore its reputation, and even more so, His Highness. His Highness the Crown Prince is kind and lenient towards the Third Prince, but the Third Prince needs someone who knows him well... Add this tranquilizing powder to his diet, so he can sleep peacefully and relieve himself of many worries. This will also be a good thing for him."

If Xiao Wangqing drinks this, he will be free from worries and be buried directly.

Shen Zhiwei's gaze slowly moved from the porcelain bottle to Lin Wenyuan's face.

She recognized this look. In her previous life, he looked at her and Xiao Lingjun with this look.

These hands, this body were unfamiliar, yet Lin Wenyuan was admonishing them in such a familiar tone.

Many fragments of memories crashed into his mind. Lin Chuyu's face that looked so similar to his own, Xiao Lingjun's secretive attitude, Lin Wenyuan's words at that moment...

She was reborn.

Reborn into a woman who had a close relationship with Lin Wenyuan, she was now being instigated by him to poison the young Xiao Wangqing.

It's ridiculous.

Seeing that she was just staring at him without saying a word, Lin Wenyuan's kind smile faded a little: "Zhiwei? Is there anything else you don't understand?"

He called himself Zhiwei.

"Wei'er, are you scared again?" She heard Lin Wenyuan's voice become even slower. "Don't be afraid. Your uncle would never harm you. This matter is known to heaven and earth, and to you and me. After this is accomplished, the Eastern Palace will have a good place for you."

He mentioned the East Palace.

"Once this is accomplished, your uncle will speak well of your Shen family in front of His Highness. An Yu will also be able to receive more care in the palace in the future. You..."

His words stopped abruptly.

Because Shen Zhiwei moved.

No warning, no hesitation.

The hand holding the porcelain bottle suddenly turned up, not to attack, but to reach upwards, with her five fingers grabbing the pulse point on Lin Wenyuan's wrist.

Lin Wenyuan's gentle smile froze on his face in an instant.

He had no time to react. He felt his wrist bone suddenly go numb, and a force that was absolutely not meant for his delicate niece was squeezing into his tendons and veins. The pain was piercing, and his whole arm instantly became sore and weak.

He groaned, subconsciously trying to break free, and quickly raised his other hand to block.

But Shen Zhiwei's movements were faster.

The fingers holding his pulse were rooted and motionless. Taking advantage of his instinctive backward movement, she spun out of the chair and slammed her other elbow into his ribs.

The movements are clean and neat.

"Ugh!" All of Lin Wenyuan's strength was lost in an instant, his breathing was choked, his vision went dark, and his body staggered forward uncontrollably.

Shen Zhiwei turned sideways and pressed and twisted the hand holding his pulse downwards.

A soft sound.

Lin Wenyuan's arms had been twisted behind his back, and he was pressed facedown against the hard armrest of the wooden chair she had been sitting on. The cold wood ridges hurt his cheekbones, and half of his face was squeezed and deformed.

All this happened in a flash.

The current Grand Tutor, who had been talking and laughing just now, was now restrained in a humiliating and awkward posture, unable to move.

Shen Zhiwei’s mind was confused and annoyed.

She didn't really want this to happen. In her memory, Lin Wenyuan was still the elder who would smile and gently stroke her hair. But she had arrived so suddenly, and had stumbled upon the scene of incitement to a crime, so she had to ask for clarification.

Master Lin tried to struggle, but found that the hand pressing on his back seemed slender but was frighteningly strong. The fingers pinching his pulse point controlled the flow of energy throughout his body, making it impossible for him to even raise a trace of internal energy.

You could hear a pin drop in the study, with only Lin Wenyuan's suppressed heavy breathing remaining.

Shen Zhiwei leaned over, her breathing steady. She had just been woken up, and she leaned close to his ear in a not-so-good-tempered manner.

"Master Lin. Now, I ask questions, and you answer them."

Lin Wenyuan's body trembled violently.

"...You," he struggled to turn his head, trying to see the person who restrained him from a distorted angle, his eyes filled with surprise and horror, "Who are you?"

Shen Zhiwei didn't answer, but put more pressure on his pulse with his fingertips.

Cold sweat instantly broke out on Lin Wenyuan's forehead, and he gritted his teeth to swallow the groan of pain.

"I ask, you answer." She tilted her head to think for a moment, her peripheral vision catching a glimpse of the tassel earrings dangling from her shoulders. "Let's start from the beginning. Who am I? Where is this place? Who are the Highness and An Yu you mentioned? And why did you use me to poison the Third Prince, Xiao Wangqing?"

With every word she spoke, Lin Wenyuan's face paled. His pupils constricted, and his face showed confusion, but the excruciating pain in his wrist was unbearable.

Shen Zhiwei didn't have the patience to waste time with him.

She loosened her free hand, and the plain white porcelain bottle fell from her fingers, hanging right in front of Lin Wenyuan's forced upward gaze, the bottle swaying slightly.

"Lord Lin is a wise man," she said slowly, her tone impatient. "You should know that I can subdue you in an instant, and I also have many ways to make you speak. However, those methods are not very decent, and I believe that Master Taifu is unwilling to try them."

Her fingertips brushed the cool bottle.

"For example, how about feeding the contents of this bottle to the Master? I'm sure the Master knows the medicinal properties better than anyone else."

Lin Wenyuan froze and stared at the porcelain vase close to him for a while.

"This is the West Garden of the Lin Mansion, my study. You are naturally Shen Zhiwei. Your father, Shen Yan, was the former Governor of the Grand Canal. He was convicted of embezzlement in the Jiangning Prefecture Treasury and his entire family was executed," he said, his voice strained between his teeth. "Because your mother is from the Lin family, I am here to protect you and your sister, Shen Anyu."

"His Royal Highness is kindhearted and, mindful of our old friendship, occasionally inquires about An Yu. A few years ago, An Yu was sent to the palace and is under the care of the Empress." He paused, glancing at her. "You have always... admired His Highness and have repeatedly begged me to introduce you."

Who do you admire?

The Shen family was still executed, but her relationship with Lin Wenyuan made An Yu's younger sister admire her.

Shen Zhiwei tightened the fingers that were pressing on his pulse point, causing Lord Lin to cry out in pain that he couldn't suppress.

What the hell is going on.

"As for the Third Prince," Lin Wenyuan continued, speaking more quickly, his voice agonizing. "His mother was of humble origins, and his temper was sinister. Yet, he has somehow caught the eye of His Majesty recently, and has been rewarded repeatedly. Your Highness the Crown Prince is magnanimous, but as a subject, I must share His Highness's concerns and prevent potential problems before they arise."

"So, to prevent this from happening, let me, an orphan girl who admires the Crown Prince, poison him and kill two birds with one stone. If I succeed, I will remove the obstacle for the Crown Prince; if I fail, it will be the remnants of my Shen family holding a grudge and seeking revenge, which has nothing to do with you, Grand Tutor."

Shen Zhiwei finished for him and smiled: “What a good plan.”

Lin Wenyuan's cheek muscles twitched, but he did not deny it.

Shen Zhiwei loosened her grip and took a half step back. Lin Wenyuan immediately stumbled, leaning against the back of his chair, breathing rapidly. A circle of crimson fingerprints quickly appeared on his wrist. He stared at her in disbelief, as if he were looking at a demon that had suddenly emerged from a painted skin.

She ignored his gaze, lowered her eyes and weighed the porcelain bottle, then flipped her wrist and threw it into the corner.

Lin Wenyuan didn't make any more sound.

Without even glancing at the pile of debris, Shen Zhiwei turned and walked towards the closed door. Her fingertips just touched the cold doorknob and she paused.

A dark mass appeared on the low couch by the window without anyone noticing.

It was a small, jet-black cat, curled up in a dark brocade cushion, almost blending into the shadows. Only its eyes, gilded like two pieces of solidified amber, stared at her intently.

It was almost identical to the strange cat statue in her memory that Xiao Wangqing had presented to her like a treasure, but she had casually dismissed.

Shen Zhiwei's gaze lingered on the cat for a moment. The cat didn't react at all, didn't meow, didn't move, didn't even wag the tip of its tail, just stared.

She withdrew her gaze, turned the doorknob, and walked out. The corridor outside the door was deserted, with no one guarding it. Lin Wenyuan must have dismissed his attendants long ago to conduct his affairs in secrecy.

She glanced aimlessly around, then headed towards a more secluded area of ​​the mansion. Her footsteps landed on the polished bluestone, making almost no sound. This body was young, lithe, and filled with an unfamiliar vitality, a world away from the shabby shell of her previous life.

Good thing.

After wandering around the Lin Mansion Garden for a while, she found the side door, stopped, and turned around slightly.

The black cat followed her out at some point and stopped three steps behind her.

Shen Zhiwei looked at it for a moment and pulled the corners of his lips.

"Why are you following me?" She was much stronger than in her previous life. Her voice fell into the silent courtyard, clear and abrupt. "I don't have the karma you seek, nor do I have other people's lives for you to toy with."

The cat naturally didn't answer.

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The author has something to say: Shen Zhiwei's younger sister who died in her previous life was not named Shen Anyu

Little Lady Shen has a good memory, but she has been ill for too long and is not very clear about the details of her past life.

Fortunately, in this new life, nothing else matters except her happiness.

The author has something to say:

There are many new customers visiting the restaurant these past two days ＞＜ Thank you for your support, in my experience, it may be because of the frequent diners who recommended it or avoided it.

Thanks to this boss, thanks to all the bosses who patronized the small restaurant, thanks for your company, thanks for your encouragement, it is my blessing to have you, the chef is stirring the spoon in the backstage [kiss]