Chapter 3: Collapse

Chapter 3: Collapse

A gentle breeze carried the noise of the crowd through the window, and Ying Shi felt a strange sensation in her heart upon hearing the question. She was stuck and could only nod, choking back a sob.

Liang Yun gazed at Liang Ji's coffin, seemingly pondering. After a moment, he suddenly instructed the others, "Unseal the coffin."

As soon as his words fell, several servants doubted their ears.

Unseal the coffin?

Unseal Third Master's coffin?

That was Third Master, the younger brother of the family head!

The crowd looked at the coffin, then secretly glanced at the family head, who had just been deeply grieved by his brother's death, only to see his serious expression, not at all like a joke.

The hall fell suddenly quiet. A nephew from another branch of the family hesitated before speaking, full of disapproval, "Third Uncle's body is already in a state of decay. Although it's been preserved with ice, the smell... it's not pleasant..."

Upon hearing this, Ying Shi nearly gasped for air.

Everything was going differently than she'd expected, leaving her completely baffled. How could it be that, just because of her two sentences, they were really going to unseal the coffin?

What about fraternal affection? Was it no longer important?

What about the Liang family's honor? Was that also to be discarded?

With so many people inside and outside the hall watching, were they really going to view Liang Ji's remains up close?

Ying Shi, catching on too late, felt her legs give way, "No... no need..."

She explained to Liang Yun, "It was my rash decision to come and see him. Now that I've offered incense, I feel a bit better. It was my impulsiveness; I should let him rest in peace..."

Maybe she'd spent her past life in endless grief, honing the ability to shed tears at will. Tears streamed down her face as she spoke, evoking pity in those who saw her.

"Shun Gong is to be buried the day after tomorrow. If you wish to see him one last time, do not worry about others."

Liang Yun's expression remained unchanged, but upon careful listening, one could detect a hint of compassion in his voice.

His brother's body was too horrifically disfigured, and even Liang Yun couldn't bear to look closely when they were hastily gathered.

But seeing the girl's frail yet resolute form, Liang Yun swallowed his words of dissuasion.

Thinking it over, the woman who'd defied convention to marry a spirit tablet must have been incredibly strong-willed.

She was probably a woman of exceptional strength, unlike others, so why would she fear a mere body?

"Unseal the coffin," Liang Yun said, his sleeves billowing in the breeze. He held back his sorrow and spoke with forced calm.

As the patriarch of the Liang family, Liang Yun wielded immense authority. His reiterated command made the servants exchange glances and not dare to delay. Four of them hurried to the coffin and began to lift the lid.

The coffin lid had not been nailed down at the corners, allowing for the placement of ice several times a day. Now, with each servant lifting a corner, the heavy ebony coffin was easily opened.

The heavy coffin creaked with a sound that set teeth on edge. As the lid was lifted slightly, Ying Shi seemed to catch a glimpse of the skeletal remains inside.

At that moment, Ying Shi's heart leapt into her throat, silently cursing Liang Yun for meddling in matters that didn't concern him.

How could he dare to have them unseal the coffin?

Although the body had been found over a month later, it was more accurate to call it skeletal remains. Even a great immortal wouldn't be able to tell if it was Liang Ji.

But how could she take such a risk? If her accidental meddling caused the coffin to open and everyone discovered that the remains inside were not Liang Ji's, would it lead to Liang Ji being found earlier?

Would it mean being dragged back into her doomed relationship with Liang Ji?

Ying Shi was so horrified by her own thoughts that her face turned ghostly pale, almost unable to stand.

She was terrified, and worse, utterly repulsed.

The despair from her past life’s end, the agony of enduring wave after wave of pain and revulsion.

Would it be like her past life all over again, where her cries to heaven and earth went unanswered...

At this thought, Ying Shi was frantic with anxiety. She hardened her resolve, went limp, shut her eyes, and cried out in anguish, "Shun Gong!"

She gave up entirely, collapsing like a wilted flower straight toward the half-open coffin lid.

Her fall slammed the coffin lid shut again, sealing it tight.

Her act was half-genuine, half-pretense, and the emotional tension was beyond her control. Ying Shi suddenly went limp, her vision blurring.

She thought she might take a nasty spill, praying she wouldn’t be seriously injured.

Even if it wasn’t Liang Ji’s body, the coffin held the remains of some unknown soldier. She’d already disturbed the dead, and she couldn’t let her blood defile this sacred space.

But the pain Ying Shi braced for never came.

As she fell towards the coffin and was about to collapse to one side, Liang Yun, behind her, moved swiftly, reaching out to steady her.

No, he caught her... by the back of her neck.

It was noon in April.

Ying Shi had been in a frenzy, and her neck was slick with sweat, carrying a slight, sticky dampness that clung to Liang Yun's palm.

Liang Yun’s calm expression tightened, barely noticeable.

Suddenly, the room erupted in shock.

"Madam!"

"Oh no! Madam has fainted from sheer grief!"

"Good heavens, what do we do?"

"Hurry, get the doctor!"

The incense hall descended into chaos, people scrambling, some to spread the word.

Liang Yun placed Ying Shi to lean against the coffin, and as he withdrew his hand, he inadvertently wiped it on his sleeve, removing the damp sweat.

"Everyone, step outside and let the women handle this."

In the midst of everyone's confusion, the head of the Liang family had already avoided the major taboo of men and women, quickly stepping out of the incense hall to distance himself.

...

The commotion in the incense hall quickly spread beyond its walls.

"It is said that Madam, knowing that Third Master would be buried in two days, forcibly entered despite being stopped! Inside, she hugged his coffin and cried, fainting from crying..." someone quickly spread the news they had just heard.

The women outside listened, their hearts tightening with sorrow, and they all became deeply moved.

Everyone has a heart of flesh, and while they once considered rules as sacred as the heavens, now, they could only blame fate for its cruelty.

Many attendees didn’t know the full story, so the kind-hearted ladies filled them in: "Everyone knows that Third Madam and Third Master were childhood sweethearts, inseparable since they were young, and they were about to get married. Third Master was almost twenty, and it was said that he didn’t even keep a concubine, waiting only to marry this Third Madam. Who could have imagined Third Master’s untimely death, and Third Madam marrying into the family while holding his memorial tablet..."

"Is that really what happened? I hadn’t heard of it before," the crowd exclaimed in surprise.

Some outspoken individuals, upon hearing the whole story, couldn’t help but shed tears: "What kind of cruel fate is this? It seems it can’t stand to see lovers in this world! Why couldn’t some worthless man have died instead? Why did it have to be Third Master of the Liang family?"

Everyone was deeply moved by Third Madam’s unwavering loyalty.

An unmarried girl insisted on marrying into the Liang family, even if it meant marrying a spirit tablet, and now, she insisted on seeing him one last time, crying until she collapsed...

If this isn’t true love, what is?

Everyone outside was moved to tears. Even the older ladies secretly wiped their tears, praising Madame Wei repeatedly: "Madame, you’ve gained such a wonderful daughter-in-law. A woman like this is truly one in a million!"

"The Ruan family is truly noble, raising such an outstanding lady, putting the rest of us to shame!"

Madame Wei, hearing the praise, could only respond with half-hearted compliments: "After Ji'er's accident, she was willing to marry into our family. We will always remember her kindness. I am deeply grateful. I didn’t have a daughter, so from now on, she will be like my own daughter, and I will never let her suffer any injustice..."

She played the part of a concerned, loving mother, wiping her tears and personally leading the maids to take care of her daughter-in-law, earning more praise from others.

...

Her body was utterly exhausted. In her past life, Ying Shi had become a shadow of her former self since learning of Liang Ji's death.

Every day, she couldn’t eat or sleep, merely dragging out her existence.

Now, mentally drained, exhaustion overwhelmed her.

She surrendered and closed her eyes, falling into a deep sleep.

Later, she vaguely remembered more commotion, being carried onto a sedan chair, having her face wiped repeatedly with a handkerchief, and being fed honey water.

When she opened her eyes, it was already very dark.

The doors and windows were half-open, and a slight breeze came in, ruffling the curtains. Ying Shi’s eyes met a plain white curtain.

She gently rolled up the curtain and vaguely saw the inner room lit with candles, surrounded by simple carved bed curtains and a wooden canopy cabinet with hollowed-out auspicious cloud patterns.

This was the Liang residence, the Daybreak Garden.

This place, which she had longed to escape in her past life—

Daybreak Garden was the courtyard the Liang family had renovated for Liang Ji and Ying Shi’s wedding, a small garden within the Liang estate.

Originally prepared for the young couple’s future decades together, two pavilions at the back had been demolished, and three spacious rooms on the east and west sides had been specially renovated, along with an entire veranda.

Inside, there was a lotus pond, a study, and a music room.

Originally intended as a bridal chamber, everything was in festive colors, but later, the joyous occasion turned into a funeral, and the bright red carpets and curtains were all replaced with plain white.

Ying Shi was too familiar with everything here; it had trapped her for a full eight years in her past life.

Eight years—she could recognize it even with her eyes closed.

She sat alone by the bed, lost in thought for what felt like an eternity, truly unable to understand why the heavens had made her reborn at this moment.

She racked her brain trying to remember, but couldn’t recall where Liang Ji had been rescued in her previous life. She only knew the time when news of his survival had come from the Heluo region—six years later, in autumn.

As for where Liang Ji had wandered? Where he had lived during those six years? She was completely in the dark.

The man she once thought she could trust with her life had already died in her heart the moment he returned.

She wept and buried her feelings deep inside. How could she muster the energy to care about anything else?

Looking back now, Ying Shi was filled with regret.

Had she known more back then, had she been more attentive, she wouldn’t be so troubled now.

By her reckoning, Liang Ji had been missing from the battlefield for more than two months.

His future wife had already saved him.

They might have already tied the knot.

What on earth should she do?

Could she really go through the same ordeal again, waiting for them to return and trample her dignity once more?

Ying Shi heaved a deep, weary sigh.

“When did you wake up? Why didn’t you call me?” Hearing her sigh, someone outside entered with a candle.

The familiar voice left Ying Shi momentarily stunned.

She stared, unblinking, at the petite figure, never expecting to see Gui Niang, who had passed away two years ago.

Yes, Gui Niang was still alive at this time.

Still alive and well.

“What’s the matter? You didn’t answer me. Did something upset you today?”

Gui Niang had been Ying Shi’s mother’s maid, having come to the Ruan family with Ying Shi’s mother at an even younger age than Ying Shi.

She was tasked with caring for Ying Shi from birth.

Her parents died young, and the few old servants they left behind had all passed away. Now, only Gui Niang remained.

Gui Niang always feared Ying Shi would face hardship.

While she lived, Ying Shi rarely suffered, as Gui Niang always had her back, fought her battles, and fretted over her.

Even when Ying Shi insisted on marrying into the Liang family, Gui Niang quietly handled everything for her.

But Gui Niang never knew the pain her beloved girl endured after she was gone.

Ying Shi dared not blink, afraid that if she did, the person before her would disappear. Afraid that if she blinked, tears would fall.

She felt that in her previous life, she had brought it upon herself, being so foolish and dull, causing the person who loved her the most to worry herself to white hair and ruin her health.

Gui Niang hadn’t had a single comfortable day while alive, and before she died, she had even witnessed Liang Ji returning with a new woman.

She still remembered that day, how Gui Niang had held her hand and urged her to leave the Liang family, how she had died with unclosed eyes.

Ying Shi quietly brushed away the tears welling in her eyes. “In my dream, I saw you still angry with me, blaming me, and leaving me behind.”

Gui Niang didn’t know whether to laugh or cry at her words.

"It’s just a dream—why are you crying over it? I raised you, and even if I scold you, would I ever really leave you? You were the one who insisted on marrying here, and didn’t I pack up and come along?"

This reminded Ying Shi of her past life, when she and Gui Niang were at odds.

Gui Niang had tried to stop her from marrying here, but Ying Shi had insisted. This made Gui Niang so angry that she stopped speaking to her and stayed mad every day.

Back then, Ying Shi was stubborn. If Gui Niang ignored her, Ying Shi would stubbornly do the same, even going out of her way to avoid her.

They held onto this grudge all the way from Chen County to the capital, and even after days in the Liang residence, they still hadn’t spoken.

This left the two maids who’d come with her stuck in the middle, feeling awkward.

But now, Ying Shi’s sudden fainting scared Gui Niang, who held her tight, forgetting their earlier fight.

"You’re a new bride, coming to a place where you don’t know anyone. Why do you have to throw yourself into funeral duties and make yourself sick, worrying me like this?"

Ying Shi listened to Gui Niang’s endless chatter as if it were from another life.

After Gui Niang finished, Ying Shi said, "Don’t worry, I was foolish to be so hung up on Liang Ji. From now on, I’ll be smarter and won’t waste my energy on thankless things. I won’t cry anymore—I’ll eat well, sleep well, and take care of myself."

"Talking sweet to butter me up again!" Even as she said it, the smile lines around Gui Niang’s eyes gave her away.

Just as Gui Niang finished, laughter rang out from outside.

Chun Lan, with young Xiang Yao in tow, peeked into the room, hands over their mouths, giggling.

They laughed at the mistress and maid making up, relieved they were no longer stuck in the middle.

Caught up in their genuine laughter, Ying Shi couldn’t help but smile too.

Seeing this, Gui Niang made a show of grabbing a feather duster, scolding, "You little rascals! The whole courtyard’s watching us, and here you are laughing during a funeral, like you want the whole world to hear!"

Ying Shi quickly reached out, saying, "Don’t hit them!"

"If you shout like that, the whole place will know by morning!"

Many people worked in Zhoujin Garden, but only Gui Niang, Xiang Yao, and Chun Lan had come with her from Chen County.

Chun Lan was the same age as Ying Shi, and Xiang Yao was two years younger.

In her previous life, the four of them had come to the capital, but within eight years, the once lively courtyard was left with only Chun Lan.

Gui Niang died on the 18th of July in the sixth year of Chengping.

Xiang Yao died even earlier, reportedly at the end of the year.

The girl, two years younger than her, had already found her lost family, but how she died remained a mystery.

It was far away, and amidst the chaos of war, she couldn’t even gather any useful information.

This time, everything must be well.

I have already wronged you once.

This time, I will ensure you live in luxury and longevity.