Chapter 1 Returning to Youth

In the fourth year of Xuanren's reign, the first month had just passed, but the breath of early spring had not yet dispelled the chill of the previous year.

The snowstorm swept through the vast city of Shengjing, and all the former prosperity and hustle and bustle vanished.

The withered branches were broken by the wind, mirroring the decay of the palace.

Fifty thousand soldiers were buried in the wilderness, but the defeated Zhou dynasty was forced to kneel and sue for peace with its enemy.

Beneath the pristine white snow lies the princess's magnificent red bridal procession.

The officials and common people who crowded both sides of the street shouted "Long live the Emperor!"

On the same day, in a corner of the vast city of Shengjing, a carriage took advantage of the deep night to drive out of the city.

That carriage came from the residence of the Marquis of Dingbei.

The Marquis of Dingbei's residence suffered a defeat.

Most of the houses in Shengjing were tall and majestic, even the Taoist temples on the mountains outside the city were no exception.

The heavy snow blocked the road down the mountain, and the usually deserted Yuqing Temple suddenly became a hot commodity.

High-ranking officials who were unable to descend the mountain in time, or officials and merchants passing through the area on their way to Beijing, all gathered here.

This includes Wen Tongwen, who was transferred to the position of Junior Supervisor of the Secretariat at the end of last year, and his family.

Wen Lingzheng suddenly sat up on the bed.

The suffocating feeling before she was dying still lingered. She subconsciously gripped the bed curtains beside her and looked around at her surroundings.

The warm yellow candlelight flickered and swayed, while wisps of smoke rose from the burning sandalwood incense.

The dilapidated doors and windows creaked in the raging wind, eliciting a few disgruntled murmurs.

—This scene is surprisingly familiar.

The bed curtains, which had been stored for who knows how many years, ripped in two with a 'rip'.

The two young girls guarding the door were startled and hurriedly went inside.

"girl?"

Are you awake?

The layers of bed curtains were lifted, and the blinding white light made Wen Lingzheng instinctively raise her hand to shield her eyes.

She was somewhat bewildered when she saw who had come.

She actually saw Yao Guang?

The girl in front of me is very young, with the appearance of a young girl just beginning to show her graceful figure.

In her mind, Yao Guangming was already dead.

Even if Heaven took pity on them and allowed them to reunite in the underworld, Yao Guang's age is still not right!

Calming herself, Wen Lingzheng shrank further into the corner of the bed.

"Are you a human or a ghost?"

Yao Guang didn't think much of it, assuming the girl was just confused after recovering from a serious illness.

She chuckled softly and grasped the girl's cold hand in return.

"Does the young lady now know whether I am a human or a ghost?"

Warm?

It's warm?

Wen Lingzheng unconsciously gripped Yao Guang's hand tightly, stroking it back and forth.

"Has the young lady's fever returned?"

The familiar caring voice startled Wen Lingzheng, causing her to look up in alarm.

Yao Guang and Yu Heng both grew up with her since childhood and have always been loyal to her.

In Wen Lingzheng's heart, they were nominally mistress and servant, but in reality, sisters.

If Wen Lingzheng's meeting with Yaoguang can be interpreted as a reunion in the underworld.

What about Yuheng?

How could Yuheng, who had been with her for half her life, be here?

Wen Lingzheng reached out and touched her neck, the coldness of her palm startling her.

She hanged herself; her neck shouldn't be so smooth after death.

Coming to her senses, Wen Lingzheng asked anxiously, "Where is the Marquis?"

"Lord Marquis?"

"What Marquis?"

Yao Guang and Yu Heng exclaimed in surprise at the same time. Yu Heng even reached out to touch Wen Lingzheng's forehead to check her temperature, fearing that she was delirious from the fever.

Yao Guang, being observant, quickly signaled Yu Heng to go outside and take a look. Then she looked at Wen Lingzheng with some hesitation.

"Young lady, Shengjing is different from Lin'an."

"One blow of the hammer could create countless dukes and marquises."

"We've just arrived here, and the lord you speak of..."

Now that the mountains are blocked by heavy snow, there are many high-ranking officials and nobles in Yuqing Temple. If others hear the girl's cryptic words, it will surely cause a lot of trouble.

"Lin'an?"

Wen Lingzheng was taken aback.

What year is it this year?

"This year is the fourth year of the Xuanren era!"

Returning from outside, Yuheng shook his head at Yaoguang.

The fourth year of Xuanren?

Wen Lingzheng was somewhat incredulous, but Yuheng had no reason to lie to her.

Seeing the girl standing there in a daze, Yao Guang felt a little worried.

"What's wrong, young lady?"

"But where does it hurt?"

Wen Lingzheng shook her head.

She walked to the window on her own, and with a creak, pushed it open.

Although the snow outside the window was gradually stopping, some fine snowflakes still occasionally stumbled into her eyes.

It seems that she has not only returned to the past, but also to the time when she first entered Shengjing at the age of nine.

A heavy snow fell overnight, covering the entire mountain in a silver coat.

Wen Lingzheng gazed into the distance, shrouded in a thin mist.

At the end of the third year of Xuanren's reign, the Great Zhou suffered a defeat.

At that time, the Marquis of Dingbei, his wife, and their heir all perished in the northern border region, and none of them returned.

Even so, he was still accused of treason by his political enemies, and the Marquis's mansion was in a precarious situation.

"Yaoguang, let's go for a walk."

Wen Lingzheng looked out the window, desperately hoping the snow would stop soon.

Yao Guang hesitated for a moment, "Miss, it's still snowing outside! Shall we go tomorrow when the snow stops?"

Wen Lingzheng shook her head, and Yao Guang sighed as she fetched the cloak, knowing the girl's stubbornness.

After instructing Yuheng to guard the courtyard, Yaoguang followed the girl out the door.

Wen Lingzheng's courtyard was secluded and quiet, but because Yuqing Temple was not large, the two of them arrived at the liveliest place in the temple after walking for a short while.

Voices could be faintly heard coming from outside the wall.

Unwilling to talk to anyone, Wen Lingzheng stopped and pulled Yao Guang away, changing direction.

Before she could even take a step, the noise outside had already penetrated the courtyard wall and reached her ears.

"How dare you compare me to Pei Lin? He's nothing but the son of a disgraced official!"

"In my opinion, he should have been cut in half at the waist by the Yue people, just like his brother!"

The man's shrill roar pierced Wen Lingzheng's sensitive nerves.

She could only force herself to remain calm by pinching her own hands hard.

How dare they say that about him?

How could they do that!

Her thoughts seemed to be pulled back to the past, back to the sixteenth year of Xuanren, by that cry of 'cut in half at the waist'.

—The sixteenth year of Xuanren in her previous life.

In Wen Lingzheng's memory, the snow that year was just as heavy as this year's.

The withered branches accumulated an unbearable amount of snow overnight, and collapsed completely the moment the sun rose.

At that time, she was still sulking with him.

She refused to read the letters he sent, nor did she want to reply to them.

She locked herself in the square courtyard and refused to go out.

She hadn't heard from him for a long time until that day when she saw Yuheng stumble and run in.

That was the last time she saw Pei Lin in her past life.

That year marked their sixth year of marriage.

She was twenty-one, in the prime of her life;

He was twenty-seven years old, and his body was already cold.

The clear sunlight shone on the cold coffin, and despite everyone's objections, she insisted on seeing him one last time.

That night, she fumigated his clothes and cleaned his mutilated body.

But when she carefully placed him back into the coffin, she discovered that his body was so badly damaged that she could not piece it back together no matter how hard she tried.

The memory abruptly ended, and listening to the unrestrained conversation of the group behind the wall, Wen Lingzheng felt only grief and indignation.

Cut in half?

His fate in his previous life was far worse than being cut in half at the waist...

She turned and walked through the connected wooden corridor into the courtyard.

The few people in the courtyard were all outstanding members of the wealthy and powerful families of Shengjing.

When they gathered together, their verbal and written attacks were nothing more than against the Marquis of Dingbei's residence.

Wen Lingzheng stood still, listening silently.

They said—the Marquis of Dingbei's family is ungrateful and does not deserve the favor of three emperors;

They said—the people of the Marquis's mansion deserved to die, but it was a pity for the 50,000 soldiers of the Great Wu.

They said—the Pei family has committed treason, and it is the will of the people to exterminate their entire clan!

But only Wen Lingzheng knew.

No, that's not how it happened! The Marquis of Dingbei's family was framed!

"That's not how it is!"

"The Marquis of Dingbei's mansion will not betray the country."

"Pei Lin would never betray his country!"

Throughout history, there has never been a traitor who died on the battlefield.

Yao Guang was absolutely certain that Wen Lingzheng and Pei Lin had no prior relationship.

Last year's defeat caused quite a stir, and Yao Guang had heard about it as well.

But why would the young lady speak up for the Marquis of Dingbei's family? Could it be because of Pei Lin? But they clearly don't know each other!

Yao Guang was completely bewildered by Wen Lingzheng's actions and felt somewhat lost.

But seeing the group of spoiled young men turn around, Yao Guang's intuition told her that she had to quickly take the girl and run away.

Completely unable to move Wen Lingzheng, Yao Guang realized that the girl's stubborn temper had flared up again.

Yao Guang was both anxious and afraid, but the girl refused to leave, so she could only stand in front of her.

"Whose young lady are you?"

"How dare you speak up for the Pei family!"

It was the same sharp voice as before, but this time, Wen Lingzheng could see his face clearly.

An Xiangru, the heir of the Yongchang Marquis's mansion, is also Pei Lin's cousin.

Wen Lingzheng ignored the murderous stares of the group of spoiled young men.

She simply bypassed Yaoguang and walked towards An Xiangru.

"In the third year of Jianzhao, the Yue people invaded. Emperor Taizu personally led the expedition, but was ambushed by the enemy and trapped in Xiaoshan."

"It was the first Marquis of Dingbei who single-handedly stormed into the Yue army camp and beheaded the Yue general, which forced them to withdraw their troops and return to defend the camp."

"In the first year of Qinghe, the Yue people, still harboring treacherous intentions, sent a surprise attack on the border city."

"The one who held the border for three months is the Marquis of Dingbei, whom you call a traitor."

"The Marquis of Dingbei's mansion has a distinguished military record, and countless Yue people have died at their hands."

"You're telling me they committed treason?"

Wen Lingzheng looked at An Xiangru and smiled sarcastically.

This dynasty has been established for 28 years, yet it has already had three emperors.

Leaving aside the achievements of the first Marquis of Dingbei who followed the founding emperor in his campaigns to establish the Great Zhou Dynasty, the fact that the Marquis of Dingbei's family has guarded the northern border for three generations since the founding of the country is a unique honor.

The glory of the Marquis of Dingbei's mansion was forged with the blood of three generations, and she would not allow others to slander it at will.

As if his vital spot had been stepped on, An Xiangru suddenly flew into a rage, which was inexplicable.

He was already tall and strong, and was more than four years older than Wen Lingzheng.

He had several friends of similar age around him, while she only had Yaoguang.

He was about to take action and commit violence.

She has no way to escape.

Wen Lingzheng held her head in her hands and sighed inwardly.

She was truly reckless today.

But she doesn't regret it!

The pain she had imagined never came, which surprised Wen Lingzheng.

Suddenly, she heard the sound of several pebbles hitting the ground and cries of pain. She looked up in panic and saw that the group of spoiled young men were lying on the ground.

"An Xiangru".

"Try saying it again."

The swirling snowflakes seemed to freeze at that moment, and Wen Lingzheng looked in astonishment at the other end of the corridor.

The young man was tall and handsome, dressed in white with black hair, and his arrogance surpassed even the brightest sunlight.

His gaze pierced through the thick snow and landed on her, a faint sadness hidden between his brows.

Pei Lin?

A note from the author:

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The reference books used in this book are as follows:

A Dictionary of Official Systems in the Song Dynasty; A Study of Prices in the Song Dynasty

Experience the refined life of the Song Dynasty

Enjoy an interesting Song Dynasty banquet

"The Attire of the Song Dynasty" and "What I Wore in the Song Dynasty"

"The Grand Pavilions of the Song Dynasty" and "A Day in Bianjing"

"The Eastern Capital: A Dream of Splendor" and "The Song Dynasty Banquet"

Ladies of the Court and Commoners in the Song Dynasty

...To be continued...

………………………………………………

Guagua's upcoming novel, "On My First Day in Another World, I Called the First Emperor 'Dad'," and her friend NoahsArk's upcoming novel, "Dreaming of Me in the Long Night," are both available now.

——Pre-order Synopsis——

Mi Yuan was tricked into going home for a blind date right after graduating from university.

She pretended to be crazy and ruined the wedding, which made her father so angry that he collapsed on the sofa.

Mi Yuan, munching on a chicken leg, sat at the other end of the sofa. "Just letting you know, I found a job. I'm going to excavate terracotta warriors."

Old Man Mi, who had spent half his life digging graves, sat up abruptly, his face dark: "Say it again if you dare!"

Mi Yuan refused to believe it: "What's wrong with digging up the Terracotta Army? Who knows, maybe one day our ancestral graves will emit auspicious smoke, and the spirit of my charming ancestor will come to visit me!"

The words came true.

Mi Yuan was woken up by the cold the next day! As soon as she opened her eyes, she found herself lying in the snow, and a corner of black and gold appeared before her eyes.

She looked up in a flustered manner, only to meet the man's gloomy and cold eyes.

She couldn't help but shudder, lowering her head and murmuring—

"Dad."

"It seems like our ancestral graves are really emitting auspicious smoke."

**

Ying Zheng first met Mi Yuan at Huayang Palace.

In the pure, crystal-clear white, the little girl, wrapped up like a rice dumpling, slipped and fell headfirst to the ground.

He was about to help her up, but then he heard someone call out "Dad?"

The ruthless king's face darkened.

This daughter of the Chu family is not only stupid, but also blind.

Her face alone is truly beautiful.

Ying Zheng thought about it and decided to personally train her.

“This Qin seal script, practiced a hundred times.”

Mi Yuan: ...She'll be turned into a calligraphy master by this tyrant sooner or later...