Chapter 1: Rebirth on the Wedding Night

Thunder rumbled across the sky, accompanied by gusts of wind and rain that slapped against the windows, causing them to rattle incessantly. In the blink of an eye, the corridor was soaked, and even the hibiscus flowers that had been gathered in the corner the night before were scattered by the wind.

At this moment, a soft cough came from the eastern chamber. The maid, who was in the midst of closing the window, quickly dropped her task and lifted the curtain to peek inside.

"Second Mistress, do you need water?"

Cheng Yian leaned against the soft couch beneath the sandalwood screen adorned with birds and flowers. Her pale eyes stared directly at the window frame, and instead of answering, she asked, "Did I faintly hear the cry of a baby?"

She had been ill for some time and had not left the house since the beginning of autumn. The sisters-in-law who used to visit frequently had disappeared, and even her husband, Fan Yulin, had not been seen for several days.

Hearing this, the maid became furious and stepped inside, her face twisted with resentment.

"Indeed, that mistress gave birth to a son three days ago, and now the entire Fan family is doting on the child."

Cheng Yian's expression turned wooden. She had long known this and gradually accepted it. After a moment of silence, she asked in a low voice, "Have you completed the task I assigned you?"

The maid poured her a cup of tea and replied confidently, "Everything is in order."

Cheng Yian said nothing more.

But the maid was unwilling to let it go. "Miss, we can't let them off so easily. The Fan family is despicable. They're just throwing us aside after using us!"

At the mention of "throwing us aside," Cheng Yian's eyes grew slightly distant.

It wasn't just throwing them aside; it was outright ingratitude, heartless and treacherous...

Speaking of this marriage, it was supposed to be a match made in heaven, a union of love. In reality, it had been nothing but a calculated scheme by the Fan family from the very beginning.

Cheng Yian hailed from the most prestigious family in the Great Jin Dynasty, with disciples and former officials spread across the land, renowned throughout the realm. The Fan family, originally from Yizhou, was of little renown. Fan Yulin's father had passed the imperial examination and moved to the capital, renting a house next to the Cheng residence. Cheng Yian and Fan Yulin had known each other since childhood, growing up together.

Fan Yulin had always admired Cheng Yian, to the extent that even after she had been married and suffered a miscarriage, he insisted on marrying no one but her.

After Cheng Yian divorced her former husband, Lu Xusheng, Fan Yulin knelt before the head of the Cheng family and vowed never to take a concubine, pledging to remain devoted to Cheng Yian for life. Having experienced Lu Xusheng's cold indifference, Cheng Yian, moved by the sincerity of her childhood friend, agreed to remarry under the arrangement of her elders.

After the marriage, her in-laws were kind, treating her like their own daughter. Her sisters-in-law were affectionate, sharing everything with her. Fan Yulin was gentle and considerate, painting her eyebrows, adorning her hair with pins, playing the qin, and composing poetry for her. Even though she had not conceived for many years, Fan Yulin never once raised his voice at her, always comforting her and urging her not to worry. With such a husband, what more could a woman ask for?

With this affection, how could Cheng Yian not strive for her husband's success?

Using the connections of the Cheng family, she secured a lucrative position for Fan Yulin as the Salt Administration Commissioner of Yizhou. The Fan family was large, and their residence was modest. It was Cheng Yian who used her dowry to purchase a grand estate. One year, when Fan Yulin fell seriously ill and was on the brink of death, it was Cheng Yian who, braving the harsh winter winds and snow, trekked to Chufeng Ridge with a letter of introduction from the Cheng family to seek the renowned physician Li Shiji for treatment.

Through her efforts, the Fan family rose from an obscure local household to become one of Yizhou's most prominent families.

She had thought that the entire Fan family would be eternally grateful to her.

But once the Fan family had firmly established themselves, her mother-in-law, who had once been kind, began to scorn her for being a second wife, berating her for her inability to bear a son. Her sisters-in-law secretly mocked her for being a second-hand bride, claiming she had no choice but to cling to the Fan family.

Only Fan Yulin remained by her side, comforting her and suggesting that they could always adopt a child.

But this was nothing more than a deceitful lie. The unfaithful man had long since arranged for a mistress, waiting only for her to become pregnant before bringing her into the household.

Cheng Yian was so furious that she didn't sleep a wink that night.

The affection from back then was just a ploy to deceive her. The true intention of the Fan family was to marry into the Cheng family, riding on the Cheng family's coattails to rise swiftly.

To have met such a person, this life is truly not worth living.

At that moment, footsteps echoed from the corridor outside. Moments later, the soft gauze curtain was lifted, and a tall figure stood beneath it. He was strikingly handsome, with an impressive presence, holding a crimson swaddling blanket in his arms, his face beaming with a smile. It was Fan Yulin, who had just become a father.

Cheng Yian slowly narrowed her eyes.

Fan Yulin, gentle and refined, carried the child inside and brought it close for Cheng Yian to see.

"Yian, look, this is our child. From now on, he will be raised under your care, recognizing you as his mother. Shall we teach him well together?"

Cheng Yian gazed at her husband, who remained calm and composed, and suddenly let out a strange laugh.

"Register him under my name, make him my son, is that it?"

Fan Yulin's face was full of tenderness.

"Yes."

If you hadn't seen through his schemes, you might have thought him the most considerate husband.

Cheng Yian stared at him coldly for a long time.

"Fan Yulin, even now, you still want to scheme against me, don't you?"

"Register him under my name, rightfully take over my mansion, fields, shops, and use my connections to bridge ties with the Cheng family. In the future, you can even flaunt the title of being the Cheng family's grandson when traveling... isn't that right?"

This five-courtyard mansion they stood in was bought by Cheng Yian for the Fan family back then. Although it was allowed for the entire Fan family to live together, it was registered under Cheng Yian's name.

To covet her dowry,

"In your dreams!" Cheng Yian glared at him fiercely, gritting her teeth.

Fan Yulin's expression darkened, a flash of resentment in his eyes, but he patiently advised,

"Why must you be like this? Countless legitimate mothers raise their husband's children from other women as their own. I'm doing this for your own good... and to keep you from going crazy over a child..."

Going crazy? She had been wholeheartedly trying to conceive a child for him, seeking doctors and praying to Buddha, and in his eyes, she was going crazy...

Cheng Yian had no interest in arguing and coldly cut him off,

"Accepting him would just be letting you off easy, wouldn't it?"

Fan Yulin's face showed a hint of embarrassment. He simply walked past her, stood up, and handed the child to the nanny, coldly instructing,

"From today on, the young master is the legitimate eldest son of the lady, to be raised in the west wing."

The maid, seeing Fan Yulin's overbearing behavior, was furious and about to curse, but Cheng Yian stopped her.

She stared at Fan Yulin's back and slowly spoke,

"Fan Yulin, let's divorce."

Hearing this, Fan Yulin didn't get angry but instead laughed, turning around with a sarcastic smile,

"Silly An An, where would you even go if we divorced?"

"Naturally, I’ll return to the capital..."

"You can't go back to the capital..." Fan Yulin interjected abruptly.

Cheng Yian's body trembled, and she looked up at him sharply.

"Why?"

Fan Yulin watched her with interest, hands behind his back, and said,

"The Crown Prince has staged a rebellion, plunging the capital into chaos, and the Great Qi Dynasty has taken advantage of the turmoil to march south, leading an army straight to the Cheng family's ancestral home in Hongnong. The male members of the Cheng family have been slaughtered almost to the last man, and your once prestigious Cheng family has now completely collapsed..."

"Impossible!"

Cheng Yian's heart pounded fiercely. Though she verbally denied it, deep down she believed most of it. No wonder there had been no news from the capital for months, and the monthly allowances had stopped for several months.

No wonder Fan Yulin had the audacity to betray her so brazenly.

All her efforts to manage the household, tend to his parents, and repeatedly write letters to the capital, asking the Cheng family to pave the way for him and bring glory to the Fan family, had all been in vain. In the end, she had merely been used as a pawn for others' gain.

Cheng Yian's heart was filled with hatred, her eyes blazing with fury. "So, you knew all along and deliberately plotted against me, didn't you?"

Fan Yulin remained silent. He wasn't foolish. If the Cheng family hadn't fallen, he wouldn't have dared to bring his mistress into the house.

Seeing Cheng Yian on the verge of collapse, Fan Yulin tried to persuade her again,

"Yian, listen to me. Accept the child. It will be your blessing."

Even a dying camel is still bigger than a horse. The Cheng family still had some use.

Cheng Yian looked at Fan Yulin's smug expression and sneered coldly,

"Is that so? Then I'm truly sorry, but I can't let you have your way."

"What do you mean?"

Cheng Yian looked at him calmly. "Ever since you brought that mistress into the house, I've secretly recorded all your bribery accounts. That ledger has already been delivered to the judicial office. I suppose the authorities will come for you soon."

Fan Yulin's face turned pale, and he jumped up in panic.

"After all we've been through, Cheng Yian, how could you be so heartless?"

Sure enough, the steward outside was shouting that officials had arrived. Fan Yulin, too anxious to argue with Cheng Yian, rushed out.

"You're insane, you're insane!"

Cheng Yian knew that once he left, he wouldn't be coming back. She was tired and just wanted to sleep for a while...

After some time, probably after hearing that Fan Yulin had been taken away by the authorities, the mistress, overwhelmed with anxiety and ignoring her postpartum recovery, barged into Cheng Yian's room. She stood boldly in front of Cheng Yian, hurling insults,

"You’re just a barren woman, what are you trying to achieve?"

"The Cheng family has fallen, and you've lost your backing..."

"What good does it do you to bring Fan Yulin down? Oh, you're not still thinking about Lu Xusheng, are you?"

She spared no effort in mocking Cheng Yian.

"I forgot to tell you, that Lu Xusheng has achieved great merit at the border and has been promoted to Grand Commander. He's now the youngest Duke of the State of our Great Jin Dynasty. How does it feel, Your Grace? Full of regret?"

The words were as sharp as knives, infuriating the maid beyond endurance. She rolled up her sleeves and lunged at the mistress in a fit of rage.

"I'll fight you!"

Both of them tumbled backward, grappling with each other.

The mistress, still recovering from childbirth, was no match for the maid. Soon, she was disheveled and suffering, yet her mouth remained unyielding.

"Oh dear, look at my slip of the tongue. I called you by the wrong title. The rightful Your Grace has been usurped. You, you just don't have the destiny!"

Don't have the destiny?

No, she shouldn't have this destiny.

She was the eldest daughter of the Cheng family's fourth branch, a high-born lady meticulously raised by her grandmother. She had both beauty and talent. She should have married a man of equal stature, living in marital bliss and tranquility...

How did her life come to this?

This life... shouldn't be lived this way.

.......

In a daze, the sound of firecrackers echoed, like a tightening curse around Cheng Yian's head. Her head throbbed painfully. Though awake, she felt as if drowning, unable to open her eyes. Until someone gently tugged at her sleeve and whispered,

"Your Grace..."

Your Grace?

Wasn't Fan Yulin arrested? How is he back?

Cheng Yian suddenly opened her eyes to see a blurry face hovering above her. A long arm reached out as if to help her up. Without thinking, Cheng Yian raised her hand,

"Slap!"

A sudden slap struck the other's face, the sharp crack echoing in the room.

In the darkness, their eyes met.

Those piercing eyes evoked a long-forgotten sense of familiarity and unease in Cheng Yian. She jolted awake, looking around. The heavy curtains of the canopy bed obscured the outside, with only a faint red glow flickering within.

Where is this?

The man opposite, after being slapped, looked somewhat embarrassed. He stepped back, and the red curtains were half-drawn, revealing his face under the candlelight. With sharp eyebrows and narrow eyes, his features were strikingly handsome yet cold.

Is this... Lu Xusheng?

Cheng Yian's head felt as if struck by a stone.

Was she so provoked by the mistress that she dreamed of Lu Xusheng?

"Why are you here?" Cheng Yian asked bluntly through the curtains.

Hearing this, Lu Xusheng's brow twitched.

On their wedding night, Cheng Yian was questioning his presence. It was absurd.

Recalling the resentful slap earlier, a strange thought crossed Lu Xusheng's mind.

Could it be that she also had been reborn?

Lu Xusheng's heart instantly turned cold.