01 Rebirth
In the dead of night, the bright moon hung high in the sky, bathing the entire scholar's mansion in its light. The refraction of the light caused the mansion to flicker between light and shadow, making it appear exceptionally mysterious. At this moment, faint whispers could be heard coming from near the back gate, which were quite clear if one listened carefully.
“Yan’er, just bear with it for a few more days. The midwife has already been bribed. She will be declared dead in childbirth after she gives birth. After that, I can ask my father-in-law for your hand in marriage and we can be together legitimately.”
"Okay, Brother Feng, I'll wait for you."
"Well, Yan'er, it's getting late. Let me take you home first."
The two strolled hand in hand down the quiet street. The beautiful woman would occasionally look up at the man beside her, a happy smile on her face. Their shadows appeared exceptionally long in the moonlight.
The early winter morning was bitterly cold, and everyone was fast asleep. As the sun slowly rose and the first rays of dawn pierced the sky, a scream suddenly erupted from the scholar's residence. Servants rushed around, bringing out basin after basin of bloody water, while heart-wrenching cries echoed from the master bedroom. It turned out that the scholar's wife was about to give birth.
After an unknown amount of time, amidst shouts and noise, the loud cry of a newborn baby finally rang out, followed by the panicked voice of the midwife from the master bedroom:
"My lord, something terrible has happened! The lady is bleeding continuously from her lower body, and we can't stop it. It looks like she's having a hemorrhage, and she might not make it through. My lord, please come in quickly and see her one last time."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Feng, who had been waiting outside the door, quickly came to the bedside. He glanced at the woman on the bed who was on the verge of death, and a look of disdain flashed in his eyes, but he quickly concealed it. He tightly grasped her hand, tears welling up in his eyes, and appeared extremely grief-stricken.
Lying on the bed, Leng Qingli knew her days were numbered. Looking at her husband before her, tears streamed down her face. With a sorrowful smile, she softly asked:
"My lord, before you die, is there anything you want to say to me?"
"Li'er, you must be in a lot of pain. Just go in peace. I'll take care of the child!" Xiao Feng said dismissively.
"Ahem. As expected, even now you're still unwilling to tell the truth? Ahem... that ginseng soup was poisoned, wasn't it? Ahem. After three years of marriage, I want to know why?"
"You...you know why you still drank it..."
"Ahem. For the sake of the child, I had no choice, did I?"
Seeing that his scheme had been exposed, Xiao Feng stopped pretending to be affectionate.
"Indeed, whether you drink it or not, the outcome is the same: you must die!"
"Cough cough cough. Before I die, I want to know why..."
"Haha, since you want to know, I'll tell you everything clearly. You think I married you for that laughable love? Don't dream. What's it worth? I spent a lot of time investigating you to catch this big fish. From our first meeting to the end, everything was under control. I thought your stubborn old man was just talking and would take you back soon, but it's been more than three years, and he hasn't even seen you. Since you're no longer of any use to me, I might as well find someone else to rely on!"
"You...cough cough...it was all a lie all along! You've been lying to me the whole time! Cough cough, I can only blame myself for being so blind and trusting you! Cough cough..."
"Haha, too bad, you know too late. I'm just one step away from success. Once I marry Yan'er, I'll be rich and powerful, and my future will be bright. How could I let you become my stumbling block? So you'd better disappear! Haha, by the way, Yan'er has always wanted to see you. While you still have a breath left, why don't you meet her?"
After a while, he came to the bedside with a richly dressed young woman in his arms. The woman glanced at her disdainfully and said weakly:
"Brother Xiao, she's so ugly!"
"How can a dying man resist Yan'er's beautiful face?"
"Ugh, Brother Xiao, all you do is tease Yan'er!" The woman nestled into his arms, feigning shyness, but still gave him a provocative look at her weakened state.
Seeing the couple constantly showing affection in front of her, she became so angry that she coughed violently.
"Sister, don't get agitated. I've discussed it with Brother Xiao, and we'll have your son come down to keep you company soon. You won't be lonely. You and your son can talk properly down there."
The woman smiled, uttering vicious words that enraged Leng Qingli, causing the poison to spread rapidly and resulting in her spitting out mouthfuls of black blood.
"Xiao Feng! He's one too. Your own flesh and blood! Cough cough, how could you! Cough cough. You'll die a horrible death!"
Looking at Xiao Feng in front of her, Leng Qingli suddenly felt very unfamiliar and horrified. Even tigers don't eat their cubs, yet he didn't even spare his own son. Was he even human? He was worse than an animal!
"Hehe, it's a pity you won't be able to see it. But don't worry, I think it won't be long before your family comes down to join you! Haha."
Hearing Xiao Feng's words, she felt her blood boil and died with resentment in her heart. Before she died, she was filled with hatred.
"Father, your daughter is unfilial! I'm sorry! If there is an afterlife, I will never be involved in love again, and I vow to avenge the grudge of this life!"
Upon realizing the man was dead, Xiao Feng feigned deep grief and shed tears, prompting the servants to sigh at the scholar's profound affection!
Meixiangyuan
Inside the master bedroom, all kinds of furnishings are arranged in a pleasing and orderly manner. At a glance, the bed made of purple gold wood and the screen carved from purple gold wood complement each other, which is luxurious yet elegant.
As the rising sun shines into the room and onto the screen, it immediately catches the eye and makes one exclaim, "What a beautiful landscape painting!"
On the purple-gold wooden bed, there seemed to be a woman in purple clothes, pale-faced and with her eyes closed, displaying a different kind of sickly beauty that aroused people's protective instincts.
Not long after, a maid in green came to the bedside with water, sighed, lifted the purple gauze curtains and hung them on both sides, and then began to carefully wipe the unconscious woman on the bed while talking to her.
"Your Highness, when will you understand that no matter how much you give in, the concubine will never be satisfied. The more you yield, the more she will bully you."
"Ten days have passed since that day. Have you seen her come to see you? Your Highness, you must make up your mind. You can no longer be soft-hearted. If this continues, the palace will become the domain of the concubines, and there will be no place for the princess to stand."
The maid in green was so engrossed in wiping the body that she didn't notice the person on the bed had moved.
The woman on the bed slowly opened her eyes, adjusted to the light, and reflexively murmured softly:
"Water, I need water."
Upon hearing the sound, the sharp-eared maid in green widened her eyes in surprise, then burst into tears of joy. She helped the woman on the bed up, placed the pillow behind her back, and then happily poured hot water for her to drink.
"Your Highness, you've finally woken up! You've been unconscious for ten days! If you hadn't woken up, Chunxiang wouldn't have known what to do."
The woman looked quietly at the maid who called herself Chunxiang, without saying a word, and instead looked around.
"Is the Princess looking for the Prince?" Chunxiang asked bluntly, thinking she had guessed the Princess's thoughts.
"Princess? Prince?" The woman repeated blankly, images flashing through her mind, a memory that didn't belong to her suddenly surging in.
This woman's name is Liu Hanruo. She is the eldest daughter of the Yongle Marquis. Due to her stepmother's malicious slander, she became a notorious poisonous woman and was ignored by everyone.
Everyone thought she was willful and capricious, insulting her stepmother, beating her stepsister, and using any means to achieve her goals, even sacrificing her stepsister and plotting against the Prince of Xiaoyao so that she could marry him as his principal wife. But who knew that her stepsister was ruthless and cruel? If it weren't for a twist of fate, her innocence would have been ruined long ago, and she would never have been able to marry the Prince of Xiaoyao.
The carefree prince, unaware of the true situation, believed her to be heartless and venomous. Since their marriage, he never set foot in Plum Blossom Garden again, leaving her a figurehead princess. She suffered constant humiliation from her concubine's younger sister, was ridiculed by her aunt, and even the servants disregarded her. The only saving grace was that the carefree prince maintained a clear distinction between public and private matters, ensuring her food, clothing, and daily necessities were never lacking, still provided according to the standards for a first-rank princess.
Slowly, she digested the memories of the original body. She silently told herself that from now on, there would only be Liu Hanruo in this world, no more Leng Qingli. She would live well, and for the sake of the original body, she would avenge every debt owed to her, and she would never let those who had bullied her get away with it. Xiao Feng! Heaven has eyes! The debts of the past life! You will surely repay them with interest in this life!
---Aside---
This story starts with a little angst, but then becomes an absolute sweet romance. Hehe, if you like it, please accept it, thank you.
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