Chapter 2 Liang Yun

Chapter 2 Liang Yun

The woman behind her had a gentle demeanor and was dressed simply, appearing to outsiders as a dignified and loving noblewoman, but when Ying Shi saw her, she couldn’t help trembling.

The lady before her was Liang Ji's mother, also the mistress of the household, the former Duchess of the State.

Her maiden name was Wei, and people often respectfully called her Madame Wei.

Ying Shi was all too familiar with Madame Wei. For years, she had treated Liang Ji's mother, Madame Wei, as her own, attending to her daily needs and staying by her side.

In those past years, Ying Shi had humbly suppressed all her own nature, shaping herself into the ideal daughter-in-law, earning Madame Wei's endless praise.

During the years Liang Ji was dead, they were as close as mother and daughter, a story that spread throughout the capital.

But then, Liang Ji returned—

During that time, Ying Shi's faith shattered. Her only hope lay with Madame Wei.

Ying Shi hoped that, given their close relationship over the years, Madame Wei would help her once, allowing her to divorce Liang Ji and not make things difficult for her.

But Madame Wei, who had once wished she could treat her as her own daughter, turned her back and abandoned her without mercy.

The dignified and authoritative noblewoman fanned herself nonchalantly and advised Ying Shi indifferently, "In this world, which man doesn't have three wives and four concubines? Your husband, my son, has returned, which is already a blessing from heaven. You are the legitimate wife of the Liang family, why act like those jealous women?"

"You should yield and win back Ji'er's heart, and produce a legitimate heir for the Liang family!"

Madame Wei said that as long as she was alive, the Fu family would never rise to the position of the principal wife.

But later, she didn't want her only grandson to be illegitimate, so she went to great lengths to persuade Ying Shi to register the child under her name.

Ying Shi naturally disagreed, but before she could refuse, Fu's family came knocking, pointing at her face and calling her malicious, trying to steal someone else's child.

This incident later spread, further damaging Ying Shi's already fragile reputation.

Later, Madame Wei, seeing her only grandson's status diminished, secretly aimed to elevate Fu's status, intending to elevate Fu to the position of a co-wife.

But then she turned around and lamented to Ying Shi about her predicament.

She said it was because Ying Shi and Liang Ji were at odds, and a legitimate heir was nowhere in sight, and Liang Ji was about to return to the battlefield, that she had no other option—

"A Ruan?" Madame Wei saw Ying Shi staring at her face, as if haunted by a ghost, and couldn't help but frown, though she didn't suspect her.

At this moment, she was very close to Ying Shi. Seeing Ying Shi in a daze, she approached to remind her, "Ji'er's funeral, you were fine yesterday, so why are you so distracted today? The person who just came is a distant aunt, of high seniority, and her descendants are successful. If you neglect her, she might take offense. Later, if that aunt speaks to the old lady, it will be our oversight..."

Madame Wei rambled on, but Ying Shi only heard four words—Shun Gong's mourning rites.

No, isn't this my own funeral?

How did I come back to life?

How did Liang Ji die?

For a moment, Ying Shi was bombarded with questions, her head throbbing with pain.

In her great confusion and fear, she believed she had descended into the underworld, where these spirits, disguised as humans, were deliberately tormenting her.

Ying Shi pinched her arm hard under her sleeve.

It hurt, it didn't seem fake.

As she looked around the mourning hall, everything felt so real... but she refused to believe it!

With a numb expression, Ying Shi went around asking people, "Where is the coffin? Where is the coffin placed?"

Her bizarre questions startled those around her, but someone still pointed to the incense chamber and timidly said, "The Third Master's coffin is, of course, in the incense chamber..."

Madame Wei frowned, hurrying over to grab Ying Shi's sleeve, her tone much more serious, "Are you exhausted from this morning? Why are you speaking such nonsense?"

Ying Shi was deaf to their words. Hearing that the coffin was in the incense chamber, she immediately wanted to rush in without a second thought.

Madame Wei was repelled by her sudden antics, wondering how this daughter-in-law, who had been so well-behaved just a moment ago, suddenly seemed to have gone mad?

It was her son's funeral, and the incense chamber was sacred to their ancestors. It was a place only men could enter, how could a woman like her dare to barge in so recklessly!

She barked at the maids, "You girls, stop the young madam at once! Her noise is disturbing the mourning hall, making others laugh."

At the mistress's command, the maids sprang into action, grabbing Ying Shi with their hands and feet, "Third Madam! You must be out of your mind! This is not a place for you to make a scene."

The Liang family, a noble clan, was bound by stifling rules.

The incense chamber was where the Liang family worshipped their ancestors. What woman would dare enter? If they failed to stop her and Third Madam offended the ancestors, would Madame Wei let them off?

Ying Shi's youthful vigor was unlike her later frailty. Irritated by the tugging, she finally shook them off with a flick of her sleeve. As the maids closed in again, Ying Shi shoved the nearest one with all her might.

The lead maid stumbled, crashing into the one behind her, one after another, they all fell backward.

The tumbling maids toppled onto Madame Wei, nearly bringing her down.

"My back!" Instantly, there was a cry of pain outside the mourning hall.

The commotion, previously unnoticed, now drew all eyes.

Ying Shi ignored it all. Her face pale as death, she hiked up her skirt and crossed the thresholds, alone entering the incense chamber that no woman had stepped into since its renovation.

The chamber was filled with the soft glow of burning incense candles.

Above, the Liang family ancestors' black memorial tablets stood in solemn rows, arranged in order of seniority and respect.

Before the tablets of heaven and earth sat a censer, and below the incense chamber was a golden offering table. The coffin rested silently in the hall's center, a fresh memorial tablet atop it.

As she approached, she read the name on the coffin's temporary tablet: Liang Ji.

The spirit tablet of Liang Gong, posthumously named Shun Gong, aged twenty.

Shun Gong was Liang Ji's posthumous name.

Aged twenty? Aged twenty?!

The solemn and cold scene suddenly calmed Ying Shi's almost insane negative emotions.

Belatedly, it dawned on her—could this all be real?

Liang Ji had indeed died once at the age of twenty.

Or rather, this was that time...

She had... come back to life?!

Ying Shi felt a chill run down her spine, trembling so much she could hardly stand, her legs weak as she fell before Liang Ji's coffin.

After her death, she actually returned to the day of Liang Ji's death anniversary?

Heaven has eyes and brought her back to the past, but why now of all times?!

Must she continue to be Liang Ji's widow, waiting for his return to bring her shame?

If only it had been two days earlier, everything would have been fine.

Two days earlier... she would rather face the world's condemnation for being faithless and leave the Liang residence far behind, never to have any connection with the Liang family again.

But now? The news of her marriage to a dead man has spread far and wide, and the entire capital is praising her loyalty. Yet, she is about to turn around and refuse to continue...

Wouldn't the world laugh at her for treating marriage so lightly?

If she dared to speak out, not only would the Liang family not allow it, but even the Ruan family would find it hard to tolerate her behavior...

Where could she go, where could she possibly go?

Overthinking, Ying Shi was overwhelmed with a mix of sorrow and joy, and an uncontrollable sense of despair.

"Why must Third Madam break the rules and force her way in? What is she up to?"

"Who knows, I heard she caused quite a scene outside! She was demanding to open the coffin, insisting on seeing Third Master!"

"This is simply outrageous!"

"How did their family raise such a girl? So unruly! Acting so recklessly, what kind of behavior is this?!"

The sound of admonishments reached her ears, abruptly stopping Ying Shi's negative emotions.

She slowly raised her eyes, calmly observing the critical gazes of the men in the incense hall, only then realizing the seriousness of the situation.

If anyone were to notice her resurrection, they might think she was possessed by some ghost or monster, and she would be captured and burned alive...

What to do, what to do?

She stood up by the coffin, her trembling hands grabbing a few incense sticks, trying to keep her composure as she lit them in the nearby incense burner.

As she walked, she thought about how to explain her earlier madness. She could say she was overwhelmed with grief and desperately wanted to see Liang Ji one last time...

Yes, yes!

Ying Shi walked in a daze, her mind full of thoughts, and when she came to her senses, she was already by the incense burner. Suddenly, she noticed a tall figure standing very close to the burner.

It was nearly dusk outside, and the golden light on the ground extended to the black robe sleeves.

The man had an exceptionally handsome appearance, with a high nose and thin lips, and hair as smooth as satin. Dressed in a black robe, he stood amidst the swirling smoke of the incense burner, his eyes lowered and his expression cold and solemn.

For a moment, Ying Shi was somewhat dazed, only later realizing who this person was.

"Seeing the Liang gentleman from Hedong is like approaching a jade mountain, reflecting one's own image."

The man hailed by the world as the most elegant and talented of his time was none other than Liang Ji's elder brother, Duke Liang Yun.

Liang Ji and Liang Yun were brothers, naturally similar in stature and with some resemblance in their facial features.

But their personalities... were truly worlds apart.

Liang Ji was wild and arrogant, embodying the carefree spirit of youth.

As the eldest brother, Liang Yun had long since shed his youthful exuberance.

He stood there, exuding authority, stern and unsmiling, his presence commanding respect.

Ying Shi had little interaction with Liang Ji's elder brother in her past life.

In the prestigious families with strict rules, she, as a widow, seldom ventured beyond the outer residence, and this elder brother was often engrossed in official duties, rarely making an appearance even during festivals.

But Ying Shi hated Liang Ji, despised this corrupt family, and by extension, she loathed him as well.

Suppressing her resentment, Ying Shi averted her gaze and continued to light the incense in her hand, pretending not to notice him to avoid exchanging greetings.

However, the incense in her hand seemed to defy her.

Her trembling hands failed to light the incense several times, a truly ill omen.

Ying Shi almost wanted to toss the incense directly into the burner to quickly find an excuse to escape this troublesome place and seek a quiet spot to sort out all these bizarre events...

Before she could toss it in, a cold, jade-like, slender and immaculate hand reached out.

Liang Yun's fingers held the candle holder two inches up, offering her a new incense stick, deftly avoiding any skin contact as she took it.

Liang Yun pondered for a moment and said, "Shun Gong has passed, sister-in-law. Please accept my condolences."

His voice was deep, cold, and devoid of any emotional inflection.

Calling her sister-in-law was meant to comfort her, yet it was accompanied by a cold and distant demeanor, as if they were strangers.

This time, Ying Shi couldn't pretend not to see him.

She paused, slowly reached out to take the incense from his hand, turned her back to him, lit the incense, and placed it in the burner, her movements deliberate.

Ying Shi calculated in her mind, and when she turned around, her eyes were already brimming with tears.

She wept sorrowfully, explaining her earlier outrageous behavior to Liang Yun: "I know I shouldn't have barged in here, but I couldn't help it... I just wanted to be closer to him..."

Liang Yun looked up and saw her tear-filled eyes.

Under the light of the burner, her beautiful face was streaked with tears, silently conveying her grief for her lost husband.

*

Liang Yun was aware of his brother's past with Madam Ruan.

Childhood sweethearts, innocent and carefree, their bond unbroken.

After Liang Ji's death, the Liang family should not have continued to delay Madam Ruan. Although the two families had completed the six rites, the wedding ceremony had not yet taken place.

A clean break, annul the marriage, and remarry.

However, everyone has their selfish desires, and Liang Yun was no exception.

His brother Shun Gong was not yet twenty. Unmarried and without offspring, he could only lie alone in the cold ground.

Madam Ruan knew of Shun Gong's death but still willingly fulfilled the agreement between the two families, marrying into the family and becoming the wife of Shun Gong's memorial tablet.

Liang Yun was naturally satisfied with this outcome.

But when he saw this young sister-in-law, defying societal norms, breaking into his brother's mourning hall to pay her respects, just to see her brother one last time—that moment, a belated guilt clung to him like a festering wound.

It was his obstinacy that sent Liang Ji to the battlefield.

It was he who caused this young couple, who should have been loving, to be separated by life and death, to be torn apart.

He felt guilty towards Shun Gong, and even more so... guilty towards her—

.

In the silence of the room, he looked at her calmly and suddenly spoke, "Sister-in-law, do you wish to see Shun Gong?"