In the dead of winter, under the cold moon, blood flows and freezes.
Shen Zhiyi was whipped to death, and when he died, there was not a single piece of good flesh on his body.
Because her father and brothers betrayed the country and committed treason, 80,000 soldiers died tragically on the frontier, and the entire Zhenguo Duke's family was wiped out, leading to the family's downfall in one fell swoop.
After her death, chains were pierced through her collarbone, and she was hung on the city gate to be cursed by thousands.
Her soul wandered, and she watched as Song Yuxiu stepped over the Shen family's corpses to be ennobled and appointed prime minister, and married his beautiful wife with a grand wedding procession, leading his two children, making everyone envious.
On their wedding night, he and his beautiful wife made love, and he mocked her: "Shen Zhiyi is a fool. Does she really think that falling off the horse back then was an accident? It was something I deliberately arranged to save her, which made it difficult for me to have children, so that she would feel guilty and become a slave to my Song family."
"Yuxiu, you're so naughty," Lin Yaoyao said coquettishly.
Song Yuxiu pinched her waist, "After we got married, she was willing to be scolded for being unable to have children, just to protect my reputation."
"But if it weren't for her, I wouldn't have been able to get close to the Shen family so easily!"
"What an idiot, he never knew until his death that I was the one who ruined the Shen family."
Only then did she realize that the claim of having no heir was a lie.
It's a lie to say I like her.
Surprisingly, the Song family was fully aware of the situation and even used her dowry to help Song Yu support his mistress and two children.
Her body was left unclaimed, and she became a wandering ghost. For ten years, she watched the Song family host banquets, their house filled with distinguished guests, and witnessed the tragic deaths of every member of the family, none of whom met a peaceful end...
It is only regrettable that the blood feud of the entire family has not yet been avenged.
Heaven took pity on her and she was brought back to life.
She was reborn in the second year after marrying Song Yuxiu.
**
In late spring, April, the sky is clear and the breeze is warm.
The chill that seeped into his very bones caused Chen Zhiyi to be extremely afraid of the cold after his rebirth. Even though it was already spring, there was still a charcoal fire burning indoors.
The maid Cuilan knocked on the door and entered the room. "Young Madam, it's time to take your medicine."
Shen Zhiyi nodded, looking at the dark-colored medicine, a slight sneer appearing on her lips.
"Please drink it quickly, I still need to report back to Madam." Cui Lan was her mother-in-law's maid, here to supervise her.
It was simply because she was unable to have children.
Her mother-in-law searched everywhere for folk remedies and forced her to drink various tonics every day.
Three years ago, during a spring hunt, she accidentally fell off her horse and was rescued by Song Yuxiu, while he was kicked in the abdomen by the horse, resulting in him losing his fertility.
He comforted her, saying, "As long as you're alright, I'd be willing to give up my fertility, or even my life, for you!"
He vowed that if he could marry her, he would never take a concubine and would be with her for life.
She was deeply moved and married him.
After the marriage, there was no sign of pregnancy for two years. Her mother-in-law searched for all sorts of folk remedies, and outsiders naturally assumed that she was infertile. In order to protect Song Yuxiu's reputation, she tacitly accepted the matter.
So even though she was disliked and made things difficult by her in-laws, she endured it.
Unexpectedly...
The fall from the horse was all an act; the feigned childlessness was a way to better utilize her.
Before he married her, the Song family, though hereditary marquisate, had fallen to a third-rate family in the capital. But she was the only legitimate daughter of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion, and her father and brothers had distinguished themselves in battle. It was she and the entire Shen family who helped him climb the ladder to success step by step!
What they got in return was the extermination of their entire clan, the confiscation of their property, and exile.
“Zhiyi.” Song Yuxiu entered the room from outside.
He was handsome, with a face like jade, and had a gentle and affectionate appearance. When he saw the medicine on the table, he frowned and said, "I told you, Madam can't stand bitterness. Don't send these medicines to her anymore!"
Cui Lan looked troubled. "Young Master, this is what the Madam ordered. I was just following orders..."
"Forget it, don't make things difficult for her." Shen Zhiyi picked up the medicine and drank it all in one gulp.
Song Yuxiu dismissed all the maids, put his arm around her shoulder, and said gently, "You've worked hard. If it weren't for protecting my reputation, you wouldn't have to take medicine every day."
"You did this to save me..." Shen Zhiyi pretended to feel sorry for me, "What is my little sacrifice?"
"Zhiyi, you are so good to me. Don't worry, I will never let you down in this lifetime."
Shen Zhiyi leaned against him, but a cold glint flashed in her eyes.
"The weather has been nice these past few days, and the peach blossoms on the back mountain of Dajue Temple are in full bloom. I've been busy with official duties lately, but once I'm done, I'll take you to see the peach blossoms."
"good."
Song Yuxiu then spoke a few more intimate words to her, telling her that his colleagues had invited him for drinks that evening and that he would be back late.
After he left, the maid Hongrui came in and said with a smile, "Miss, the young master really dotes on you."
A cold smile appeared on Shen Zhiyi's lips. She picked up the hand warmer on the table and said, "Have Lühe go to the Duke's mansion to find a reliable, capable, and discreet person to secretly follow the young master's carriage and report all his movements to me."
Although Hongrui didn't understand, she still did as instructed.
After dark, the news came back that, apart from his daily official business, he finally rested in a courtyard in the suburbs.
Hongrui looked on incredulously: "Didn't the young master say he was going drinking with his colleagues tonight? How come he went to the outskirts?"
"Why don't you go and see for yourself?"
——
suburban house
"Your Highness, please try this. It's my newly brewed peach blossom wine this year." Lin Yaoyao, dressed in a light spring dress, spoke in a high-pitched voice, leaning against Song Yuxiu as if she had no bones.
Her fingers slipped inside his shirt, and Song Yuxiu pinched her waist. "Behave yourself."
"It's a bit cold, Your Highness is warm. Let me lean on you."
"Who told you to wear so little?"
The clothes were so thin that the embroidered mandarin ducks and lotus flowers could be vaguely seen through the bodice.
"It's all your fault! I always tell you to be careful, but you always tear my clothes. You're so mean!" Lin Yaoyao said coquettishly.
"Can't you wear any of these anymore?" Song Yuxiu was very receptive to this. After taking a few sips of wine, he pressed her down on the table, ripping off her dress. The woman pouted coquettishly, and he breathed heavily, "It's torn. I'll buy you new ones later."
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