Chapter 48 What a cruel heart a man can have!
Yao Qingling spent a few days recuperating in Tongluo Lane.
She was too weak to withstand any more stress.
She didn't want to see Zhan Xingzhuo, and she especially didn't want to see him and Zhou Zhining being all lovey-dovey.
At the same time, she thought that after suffering such great hardships and escaping death, her greatest wish now was to divorce Zhan Xingzhuo.
He had wronged her, and if he brought up divorce now, he would have no face to force her to stay.
She still had to go to the Grand Princess of Deyang to complain, because even the Duke's mansion could no longer smooth things over and use her to solve Zhou Zhining's problem.
Lin Qiao said that the city was also robbed by vagrants, and the robbery occurred in Mao'er Lane.
Zhou Zhining lived in Mao'er Lane.
What a coincidence!
Qing Ling narrowed her eyes slightly, calculating in her mind again and again.
After recovering, she returned to her new residence after making some arrangements.
She agreed to let Lin Qiao stay, but allowed her to remain in Tongluo Lane as before, and to be called upon only when needed.
The carriage swayed and rattled as it entered Hulu Lane. In the distance, two white lanterns and white banners could be seen hanging at the entrance of the new mansion.
Tao Ye was taken aback: "Who died in the manor?"
The new mansion only has two masters, the son-in-law and the young lady. These things are only needed when these two pass away.
Or perhaps one of the masters of the Duke's mansion has passed away? As an extension of the Duke's mansion, the new mansion also needs to display funeral items.
Taoye got off the carriage and was about to ask the gatekeeper when the gatekeeper was so frightened that he fell to the ground and scrambled inside, shouting that the young mistress's ghost had returned.
Qingling returned to the new residence in the evening, when the sun was about to set. It was unlikely that a ghost would be in such a hurry to eat a bowl of food on the seventh day after death.
Qingling glanced down at herself and chuckled. She then looked up at the white banner.
Did Zhan Xingzhuo think she was dead?
Didn't they even go to Yongning Temple to bring her "body" back?
Haha, what a cruel man's heart!
Qingling clenched her fingers, lifted her skirt, and stepped into the room.
She wanted to see how Zhan Xingzhuo would arrange her funeral!
Qingling walked steadily and quickly, bringing a sense of speed, and soon crossed the courtyard.
Inside the main hall, a large mahogany lacquered coffin was placed, surrounded by white banners that hung quietly and straight.
The white candlelight flickered dimly, and a little maid was kneeling, burning paper money.
Tao Ye spotted the memorial tablet in front of her at a glance, and upon seeing the words "Zhan Yaoshi Qingling" written on it, she angrily strode forward and threw the tablet into the brazier.
With a loud crash, the brazier was overturned, and the unburnt paper money flew up, burning in the air before burning out and turning into a ash-covered mass that slowly drifted down.
Qingling stared blankly at the ashes. In that instant, she felt like the paper money that had flown into the air, thinking that it burned brightly enough—but all that was needed was this part of its brightness.
No one cares what she was like or where she ended up.
At the same time, Zhan Xingzhuo, who had received a report from the gatekeeper, strode over and stared wide-eyed at Yao Qingling, who was quietly facing the coffin.
"Qingling? Is it really you?"
Yao Qingling slowly turned around, not even glancing at him, and coldly said to the two servants, "Open the coffin lid."
She wanted to see what was inside.
Was it a few pieces of clothing, or was it just a random corpse stuffed inside?
The two servants looked at her in terror: "Young...Young Madam—"
"I said, open the coffin lid!" Qing Ling shouted angrily, her red eyes glaring coldly at him.
At that moment, she truly resembled a vengeful ghost seeking revenge.
The servants were terrified and trembled as they went to open the coffin.
"Qingling—" Zhan Xingzhu strode up to her, grabbed her shoulders with both hands, and exclaimed excitedly, "It really is you!"
Held in her arms, Yao Qingling stiffened. Suppressing her nausea, she looked at him with a cold smile: "Aren't you afraid of me?"
If she becomes a ghost, she will seek revenge on him.
But clearly, Zhan Xingzhuo was unaware of this.
Even if Yao Qingling becomes a ghost, she won't harm him.
She loved him so much that even after becoming a ghost, she would only think of him and regret that she couldn't grow old with him.
But soon, Zhan Xingzhuo realized that Yao Qingling was solid, not a wisp of a soul. He exclaimed with delight, "You're not dead!"
At that moment, the coffin lid was also opened. Qingling flung his hand away, walked coldly to the coffin, and glanced coldly inside.
Inside were her usual clothes.
It's so old it's faded.
In the past two years, she has been saving money on household expenses. She started with herself, saving on clothing, cosmetics and face powder.
But even though she's "dead," he can't bear to give her a nice thing.
There wasn't even a decent burial item in the coffin.
Qingling picked up the old garment, looking at him mockingly: "Whether I'm dead or not, why don't you go up the mountain to check? Are you afraid? Afraid of running into bandits, or—"
Before she could finish speaking, her gaze turned to Zhou Zhining, who had followed her out.
Her pale face and pitiful eyes were still filled with tears, making her an eternally endearing sight.
She originally wanted to ask if she felt guilty and was too ashamed to approach her.
But seeing Zhou Zhining now, she should be asking... is there someone holding him back, someone he can't leave?
Ha, even after she "died," he couldn't bear to leave Zhou Zhining, and didn't even have time to "collect her body."
Qingling's gaze fell on the spirit tablet on the ground.
Zhan Yaoshi Qingling?
Oh, what a pathetic thing this wife did.
Zhou Zhining's choked voice rang out: "Qingling, you can't blame Brother Xingzhuo. It was the Imperial Censor's wife who said that you died on the mountain, and that your body was even roasted."
“Brother Xingzhuo sent people up the mountain to look for them, but Yongning Temple had already been cleared by the government. Because too many people died and it was soaked in rainwater, the government said they were afraid that transporting the corpses down the mountain would cause a plague, so they burned them on the spot.”
"The situation is too chaotic. The officials don't even know if you're among them, but that's what the Censor's wife said... Brother Xingzhuo is heartbroken, but there's nothing he can do, so this is the only way..."
"Qingling, it's a blessing that you're back. But if you're not dead, why didn't you come home? Where have you been these past few days?"
Zhou Zhining is good at shifting the blame; in one fell swoop, she pushed the problem onto Yao Qingling herself.
She's the one who doesn't go home, so she shouldn't blame others for treating her like she's dead.
Zhan Xingzhuo came to his senses: "Yeah, since you're not dead, why don't you go home? Where have you been these past few days?"
He saw that she had no injuries and spoke with a strong voice, showing no signs of danger.
So what did she do?
Looking at the two people singing in unison, Yao Qingling felt an indescribable anger and a tightness in her chest.
The feeling of suffocation was about to overwhelm her.
She clutched her chest, a cold smile on her face, and faced the man before her. She was so angry that she could barely speak, and could only ask in a trembling voice, "Yes, whether I'm dead or not, you didn't even bother to search carefully... The government is just trying to cover things up, and you actually believe it?"
"You believed what the Censor's wife said... People say you should see the person alive or the body dead... Zhan Xingzhuo, what am I to you?"
"Is she some insignificant maid or servant in the manor?"
Even if a maid or servant goes missing, the authorities should be notified to search for them.
He simply ignored her completely, took it seriously, and set up a makeshift mourning hall for her.
But at this moment, he's putting on an act with her, showing how much he cares about her.
"Zhan Xingzhuo, I am your lawfully wedded wife, and this is how you treat me?"
She clutched the old clothes tightly in her hands and held them up in front of him: "An old garment, just consider it me, and I can be buried..."
She is like that old garment, used to its fullest extent, now devoid of value, ready to be discarded at any time.
He couldn't wait to put on his "new clothes."
Qingling threw the clothes hard at his face.
"Zhan Xingzhuo, how dare you face me? Don't you feel ashamed?"
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