Chapter 1 Reincarnation as a Concubine
Yunxi never imagined that Shi Qingchen would not only use her prescription to seek high-ranking official positions and generous salaries, but also burn her alive on the day he was to marry a noblewoman.
Inside the room, Yunxi's hands were tightly bound to the bedpost with hemp ropes as thick as a thumb.
Both of her arms were dislocated from struggling, and now they could only lie there helplessly at an odd angle.
At this moment, thick smoke invaded her lungs, and the fire had spread to the bed, engulfing her body and scorching her skin.
Yunxi's breathing became increasingly difficult, and she was too weak to move. Her consciousness gradually faded. Yet, scenes from the past flashed rapidly through her mind.
When they first met, Shi Qingchen was just an illegitimate son living in a dilapidated ancestral home. It was she who accompanied him through the most difficult days, and he even personally promised her the rest of her life.
Later, Shi Qingchen used his modern knowledge to gain the appreciation of the family head, and in just three years he became the young family head, and also planned a better marriage.
At this point, his attitude changed drastically. He said that his status was too low to be the young master's wife, much less the future mistress of the Shi family. She could only stay in his courtyard as a bed warmer.
Just as she was about to leave, he presented her with a confession and forced her to sign it. He then used this to blackmail her, demanding that she sell herself into slavery or he would send her to prison at any time.
Shi Qingchen's countless faces eventually intertwined, forming the image of him desperately rushing into the sea of fire, his expression one of unprecedented panic and regret.
Filled with resentment, Yunxi closed her eyes in unwillingness. She felt her soul being gently pulled out of her body and then drifting in an endless world of darkness.
After an unknown amount of time, Yunxi's body was suddenly pulled away by a powerful suction force and fixed in one place. Then, a long-lost soreness came from all over her body.
After she struggled to open her eyes, a piece of the original owner's memory naturally appeared in her mind. The original owner's name was Zhao Yunxi, and her father was the lowest-ranking official in the Ministry of Revenue, an inspector.
Although her father was merely a ninth-rank official in the capital, the original owner of this body was still the legitimate daughter of a family. Even if she couldn't marry into an official's family, marrying a commoner and becoming a principal wife wouldn't be a problem.
Not long ago, when the original owner went out with his mother to offer incense at Fahua Temple, he was noticed by the Empress Dowager and Princess Yong. Later, they sent someone to the mansion to give him some hints.
Zhao Yunxi was immediately rushed into the Yongwang Mansion by her father in a small sedan chair and became the concubine of Gu Nanxiao, the infamous eldest son of the Yongwang and commander of the Jinwu Guard!
Yunxi was so angry that she trembled uncontrollably as her body was possessed by a concubine.
To think that she, the heiress of the prestigious Yun Group, a business tycoon, would find herself in such a lowly position after transmigrating to this unknown feudal society.
Just then, the door creaked open, and a young maid in a green dress walked in, carrying a tray with a pot of water and a plate of snacks on it.
Upon seeing that Yunxi had woken up, the young maidservant rushed joyfully to the bedside, tightly clutching Yunxi's sleeve, and tearfully pleaded:
"Miss, you're finally awake! You scared Zisu to death. You'll never do something as foolish as drowning yourself again."
"Try to take it easy. Even though she's just a concubine, she's still a concubine for a young master of the Prince's mansion. Think about the hardships you're facing in this household, and just accept it."
Yunxi had no feelings for the original owner's family, and naturally no feelings for that adopted mother she had never met. She said calmly, "I know."
Then her eyes glanced at the tray placed to the side, and Zisu immediately understood and handed over the food and water on the tray.
Yunxi reached out and took the snack, calmly asking as she ate, "What year and month is it today?"
Although Zisu was puzzled, she did not ask and immediately replied, "Today is the 10th day of the 13th year of Xuanhe, the month of Tiger."
Yunxi realized that more than a month had passed since the day she was burned to death. She took another sip of tea, swallowed the pastry in her mouth, and continued to ask Zisu with a blank expression:
"The current Grand Secretary, Shi Qingchen, who got married a month ago, have you heard any news about him?"
Zisu knew that her young mistress had been thinking about the young master of the Shi family ever since she caught a glimpse of him at the lantern festival that year, but how could she still be thinking about him now? She strongly disapproved and advised her:
"Miss, you should give up on this idea. Back then, the young master invented many miraculous remedies, and now he is the most outstanding young talent in the entire capital. He also married a noble lady from a family that is his equal."
Despite the countless young women who secretly admired him, he remained steadfastly devoted, declaring after his marriage that he would only ever have one love and would never marry again.
Yunxi sneered inwardly. What a promising young man, what a man who only has one heart! Those scumbags and bitches want to climb the social ladder and live happily ever after by stepping on her corpse? Dream on!
She didn't intend to stay in this world, so she needed to find the two hibiscus trees from which she had traveled to and return to the modern world. But before that, she had to do one thing: take revenge on Shi Qingchen.
Yunxi was determined to drag him down from his lofty position and into the mire, to make him return to being someone with nothing. Otherwise, this matter would become a knot in her heart, one she would likely never be able to untie even after returning to the modern world.
After finishing a plate of pastries, she sent Zisu out first. When she came to the bronze mirror, she was shocked by the appearance of the original owner, Zhao Yunxi.
The person in the bronze mirror was so beautiful that even she, a woman, couldn't take her eyes off her. Her face was both alluring and innocent, both delicate and dignified.
So many opposing qualities come together in one person, not only naturally blended together, but each quality is brought to its fullest potential.
Yunxi's original appearance was on the brighter side, giving a first impression of being imposing and aggressive. A woman with that kind of look is well-suited for the business world, making others hesitant to underestimate her.
The original owner of this body, Zhao Yunxi, possessed a delicate and charming appearance that instantly evoked a protective instinct in those who saw her. A woman with such looks was born to captivate men; even the most hard-hearted man would likely succumb to her tears.
Yunxi lay back down on the bed, seemingly resting with her eyes closed, but in reality, she was scheming in her heart about how to weaken and divide the powerful Shi family.
Just past noon, two old women pushed open the door, leading a group of maids and servants. These servants all had obvious disdain in their eyes. After entering the room, they began to silently wash and dress Yunxi.
Yunxi saw everything, but she didn't care. As a person with a modern soul, she didn't value chastity as much as people in ancient times.
For her, chastity was less important than life, and life was less important than revenge. She had to find a way to win the eldest prince's favor so that she could have the right to freely enter and leave the palace.
Jinwu Health Department
At the end of the dark dungeon, a group of people emerged. The man at the head of the group wore a scarlet, fitted outfit with a golden sun embroidered on his chest.
Gu Nanxiao took the handkerchief handed to him by his subordinate and casually wiped the bloodstains off his face. His sword-like eyebrows, which were slanted upwards, were slightly furrowed, and his usually affectionate peach blossom eyes were filled with a chilling coldness.
His handsome, almost demonic face was filled with impatience. This was because a panting chief eunuch was following behind him, relentlessly trying to persuade him.
"My dear ancestor, please don't make things difficult for this old servant. The Empress Dowager has given a strict order that you must favor that concubine tonight."
"As long as you don't accomplish this, this old servant will stay with you. Only after you drink the wine bestowed by the Empress Dowager and display your prowess can this old servant return to report."
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