Chapter 20 Of course she would let the child go.
"Where is this? Who are you?"
Ms. Kobayashi was still conscious. She remembered being nailed into the coffin, and how her body felt like it was being burned by fire when the nails were driven in.
This pain continued to torment her until one day, she smelled a cool fragrance that calmed the burning pain in her body and gradually cleared her confused consciousness.
Then, she found herself in this unfamiliar place, with a white fox in front of her.
"You don't need to know who I am. Do you remember how you died?"
The fox, which was sitting on the stool like a human, suddenly spoke.
Ms. Kobayashi tried hard to recall. She remembered that during that time, she was in a daze, unable to sleep all night, and even had terrible hallucinations.
She saw that what was inside her belly was not a child, but a strange fish that wanted to cut her open.
She was so terrified that her mind seemed to go completely blank. She somehow found a dagger and cut open her stomach.
later……
Kobayashi clutched her head, letting out a shrill scream.
She remembered; she was dead.
Even after her death, her soul never left her body. She heard Zhao Ming say that he had a child with another woman.
Her death was orchestrated, solely to allow the child he favored to rightfully return to the Zhao family.
He even had someone seal her soul in a coffin and tormented her every day.
Countless thoughts flashed through her mind, and the black aura emanating from Kobayashi's body grew stronger and stronger, her resentment almost uncontrollable.
"I remember, Zhao Ming killed me." Kobayashi's voice was hoarse, filled with deep resentment. "They killed me—the Zhao family!!!"
"Then let's go take revenge." Achan looked at Xiaolin, her beastly eyes indifferent.
"Revenge? Yes, I'm going to find him and take revenge." The resentment on Kobayashi's face dissipated, revealing her pure black eyes and pale face.
"At midnight tomorrow, the incense on your body will dissipate. Once the incense is gone, you will become a vengeful ghost. At that time, you will seek revenge for your grievances and settle your scores. You only have that one night. I will send you to the underworld at dawn."
Why did you help me?
Because you helped me before, even if you only saw me as Ji Chan. A Chan closed her eyes and didn't answer.
When she opened her eyes again, her consciousness had returned to her body, and she was still sitting in the dark room.
But Achan knew that Kobayashi had already come.
Now, she's gone.
The first incense stick had burned out, and Achan replaced it with a second one. Tonight would still be a sleepless night.
Ms. Kobayashi had no idea how she ended up on the street, just as she didn't understand why she had just appeared in that strange place and seen a talking fox.
She didn't need to think that much, because she was already dead.
Her body was like a wisp of mist, moving through the darkness. The buildings in her sight became more and more familiar until a vermilion gate blocked her way, with the words "Zhao Mansion" engraved on the plaque above it.
Door gods have been pasted on the gate at some point.
Kobayashi looked at the door god statues that seemed to glow in her eyes, hesitating to step forward. Just then, a refreshing fragrance wafted over, enveloping her body, and using that wisp of smoke, she miraculously passed through the door.
Looking back, the door gods were still there.
This is the home she has lived in for over a decade. But after being away for less than a few days, it seems to have become completely different from before.
Xiao Lin wandered around the Zhao residence. She first went to the main courtyard, where the gate was sealed. She went through the gate and entered the house. She still clearly remembered where she had died.
The smell of her blood still lingers here.
She wandered around her room for a long time, and even sat in front of the dressing table for a while, but couldn't see anything in the dusty bronze mirror.
Then she went to Zhao Ming's study.
She was illiterate, so she almost never went to the study.
I remember once, a maid who served in the study had some inappropriate thoughts, which she discovered. Before she could do anything about it, Zhao Ming dismissed her.
She asked Zhao Ming why he didn't keep the woman, and he said he didn't need a beautiful woman to keep him company.
At that time, Ms. Kobayashi felt that there was no better man in the world than Zhao Ming.
In the inner room of the study, she saw the man she once loved deeply, now with another woman in his arms.
Of course she remembered that face: Su Yao, the concubine that Old Madam Zhao had chosen for Zhao Ming, and her husband's distant cousin.
Ms. Kobayashi sat at the head of their bed, watching the two people embracing intimately until dawn.
When Zhao Ming woke up, he suddenly felt a chill and couldn't help but shiver.
"What's wrong?" Su Yao rubbed her eyes and sat up as well.
She was only wearing a bodice, and her exposed skin was covered with red marks.
"It's nothing, don't catch a cold." Zhao Ming took the inner garment from the side and considerately helped her put it on.
Su Yao got up, helped Zhao Ming put on his official robe, and tied his belt. The two lingered by the bed for a long time before finally separating.
None of them knew that Ms. Lin was sitting by the bed watching them.
In the past, when Madam Kobayashi was in a good mood, she would dress Zhao Ming in official robes, but she would not tie the belt around his waist.
But she remembered that Zhao Ming would always subconsciously raise his arm, as if waiting for her to fasten his belt.
It turned out that it was his good cousin who had instilled this habit in him.
Did he stay with this woman during those nights when he traveled with friends and didn't come home?
Oh, and they also had a child, who is also in the household.
After Zhao Ming disappeared, Madam Lin followed Su Yao. She watched as the household steward personally brought her food, addressing her as "Madam."
That was the housekeeper she had carefully selected; he was indeed a competent dog.
After finishing her meal, Su Yao got up and went to Huian Hall, where Old Master Zhao and his wife lived.
Huian Hall was bustling with activity at this hour, filled with the sounds of children talking and the laughter of an elderly couple.
Hearing that Su Yao had come to pay her respects, Old Mrs. Zhao warmly invited her in.
Following behind Su Yao, Madam Lin floated into Huian Hall.
She saw her mother-in-law, who affectionately held Su Yao's hand and asked if she had rested well.
Seeing that Su Yao's face was flushed, Grandma Zhao teased her, telling her to work hard and try to give her another big, fat grandson.
After Su Yao sat down, the little boy who had been snuggling up to Grandma Zhao came over and called out, "Mom."
"Qi'er, my good boy, have you been studying hard lately?"
"Yes." Zhao Wenqi nodded emphatically. "Qi'er is very hardworking. Father said that he would send me to study under Master Qi in a few days. Master Qi has already agreed."
Kobayashi remembered Qi Daru, who was a close friend of Zhao Ming despite their age difference. When Zhao Wensheng was ten years old, Kobayashi wanted Zhao Ming to send his son to Qi Daru, but Zhao Ming refused, saying that Qi Daru did not accept young students.
Su Yao was delighted: "Really? My Qi'er is really amazing."
Zhao Wenqi said with some pride, "Confucius Qi said I am intelligent and sensible, much better than my father's good-for-nothing eldest son."
Hearing her grandson mention Zhao Wensheng, the old lady snorted, "It's so early in the morning, Qi'er, don't mention that unlucky person, lest you offend your ears."
"Aunt, you can't say that in public," Su Yao reminded her with a smile.
"I understand." Old Mrs. Zhao looked at Su Yao and her daughter with great affection and sighed, "It's fortunate that I didn't let you two stay in the mansion all these years, otherwise you would have been tormented to death by Madam Lin."
Zhao Wenqi also said crisply, "The book says that evil will be punished. She took my father away and prevented our family from being together, so she died a terrible death."
"Oh my, my Qi'er knows so much, he even knows that he'll die a horrible death, hahaha."
Su Yao slapped her son's hand and reprimanded him in a serious tone, "Don't say things like that again, understand?"
"I understand, Mother, please don't be angry." Zhao Wenqi quickly admitted his mistake. "I will study hard and when I grow up and become an official, I will ask for official titles for Grandma and Mother."
"My dear grandson already knows about imperial titles, how sensible he is!" Old Mrs. Zhao was overjoyed and then turned to Su Yao, saying, "Qi'er was just telling the truth, why did you scare him like that?"
In their family's eyes, Kobayashi was a superfluous and annoying presence, and she deserved to die a horrible death.
Ms. Kobayashi stood by the table, blood-red tears sliding down her face, dripping onto the floor without leaving a trace.
A day passed in the blink of an eye. Madam Lin walked all over the Zhao residence, but she did not go to see Zhao Wenyue.
She still remembered the words Zhao Wenyue said before nailing the coffin to the ground that day.
As darkness fell, the incense sticks wrapped around Kobayashi grew fainter and fainter.
Zhao Ming finally returned to the mansion, accompanied by Xue Mingtang.
Xue Mingtang was a second-realm cultivator with vigorous blood and energy, so he should have been able to easily sense the presence of ghosts. However, he failed to notice the nearby Xiao Linshi.
The two went to the study. Xue Mingtang seemed to have something on him that made her feel very dangerous, so she could only listen from a distance.
She heard them mention the Forbidden Treasury and the Lin family, but their voices were low and intermittent, and she couldn't understand them.
They didn't stay in the study for long before Xue Mingtang got up to take his leave. On his way out of the mansion, he encountered Zhao Wenyue.
Xiao Lin watched from afar as the shy Zhao Wenyue appeared, and as Xue Mingtang approached, a hint of annoyance flashed between his brows.
She had never thought before why Zhao Ming insisted on marrying his daughter to Xue Mingtang, and why Xue Mingtang was willing to do so when he clearly didn't like Zhao Wenyue.
Her husband seems to have many secrets she doesn't know.
But it doesn't matter, after tonight, there will be no more secrets.
It got dark.
As time passed, Kobayashi felt the fragrance that had brought her back to her senses gradually fade, and anger and hatred filled her consciousness.
She arrived at a side room of Huian Hall and entered the room at the stroke of midnight.
The seven- or eight-year-old child was fast asleep on the bed. Originally, Zhao Wenqi had his own courtyard, but Grandma Zhao was worried about him being alone and insisted that he live in her courtyard.
Ms. Kobayashi hovered over the clever yet wicked child, her long hair falling beside his face as she watched his peaceful sleeping face.
What an adorable child! So young, yet he already knows how to think of his mother.
Of course she would let the child go; not only would she let him go, but she would also let him live a long, long life.
The next instant, Kobayashi's body seemed to lose control and fell onto the tatami mat.
Zhao Wenqi, who was lying on the bed, opened his eyes, his pupils were pure black.
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