In the early autumn of the thirty-first year of Delong’s reign, the weather was warm and perfect for idle chatter.
In the rear courtyard of the Third Branch of the Qin Manor.
The maids were discussing Second Miss from the First Branch of the Qin Manor, who had been married for eight years: “How many guests saw with their own eyes Second Miss and the steward on the bed together—and that was on the very day of Old Madam Lu’s birthday celebration! If it weren’t for Third Miss pleading for her, how could Second Miss still be alive? Have you all heard? Young Master Feng isn’t Second Brother-in-law’s biological son, but a bastard of unknown origins. Second Brother-in-law was truly kindhearted enough to even set up a separate courtyard for Second Miss and Young Master Feng to live in. Even Heaven couldn’t stand watching it anymore and sent down retribution—that’s why Young Master Feng died of illness, and why Second Miss was burned to death in the fire.”
“What Second Brother-in-law, Second Brother-in-law—soon we’ll have to change our words and call him Third Brother-in-law.”
That’s right, Lu Changxuan originally married Second Miss, but Second Miss died, burned to death in a fire. Now, Third Miss was going to marry Lu Changxuan, so wouldn’t Lu Changxuan become Third Brother-in-law?
The maids giggled and continued: “…Throughout the entire Qin Manor, who doesn’t know, who isn’t aware?”
“Those words are wrong—there’s still someone who doesn’t know, someone who isn’t aware!”
All the women asked together: “Who?”
That person played coy, but finally couldn’t escape everyone’s interrogation. She burst into laughter and said: “Second Miss!”
All the women suddenly understood: “Of course! Only our most, most clever Second Miss doesn’t know!”
Doesn’t know what? Doesn’t know that Second Brother-in-law actually had his eye on Third Miss all along, not Second Miss? Doesn’t know that as a concubine-born daughter, Second Miss’s entire life was actually a tragedy?
They left behind a string of mocking laughter.
Second Miss was Qin Yaoyao, the concubine-born daughter of the First Branch of Qin Manor, and Third Miss was Qin Feifei, the legitimate second daughter of the First Branch of Qin Manor. This being the case, after Second Miss’s death, Third Miss Qin Feifei, who had been widowed for several years, was about to take her place and become the legitimate wife of Lu Changxuan, a Fifth Rank Secretary. For a woman who had been widowed for many years, such a marriage was naturally as good as it could possibly get. Lu Changxuan was not only handsome and elegant, but also had bright prospects in his official career. Most importantly, he currently had no legitimate sons or daughters, so if Qin Feifei married him, any children she bore would be legitimate heirs.
…
And Second Miss Qin Yaoyao, whom the maids spoke of, at this very moment lay on the bed, clutching the corner of the quilt in her hand. From exerting too much force, her knuckles had turned white and the veins on the back of her hand bulged.
For this entire day and night, she had been lying in bed, dazed and confused, dimly remembering having conversations with people, and also seeming to have been helped to move around the room. When she woke up today, there wasn’t a single person in the room. She examined the furnishings in the room and discovered that this was indeed a standard young lady’s chamber—layers of bed curtains, elegant tassels, exquisite furniture, refined and fresh.
She had never seen this room before.
Especially when she saw her own delicate, white hands, she couldn’t help but be utterly astonished—these were absolutely not her original hands that had developed thick calluses from excessive toil. In confusion, Qin Yaoyao gritted her teeth and gently got out of bed, supporting herself on the furniture as she moved step by step to the dressing table.
In the mirror was a thirteen-year-old girl with refined and elegant features, but with a frail body, pale complexion, red and swollen eyes, and a gaze as cold as an ancient abyss. Her resentment had almost distorted what should have been an innocent face. Combined with her weak body, plain white house clothes, and hair flowing over her shoulders, her entire person appeared pale and cold, like a female ghost.
This was the orphaned daughter of Third Uncle Qin Yongzhou—Seventh Miss Qin Shuying!
Having endured mental torture and devastation during this period, even seeing such a terrifying scene, she felt no fear whatsoever, but instead began to think carefully.
After pondering for a long time, she finally accepted this fact: the twenty-four-year-old her, Second Miss Qin Yaoyao of the Qin Manor, had died in the great fire at the Lu residence three days ago.
Perhaps her resentment was too heavy, or perhaps even Heaven felt it had been too unfair to her—that’s why she was reborn in the body of her thirteen-year-old cousin, Qin Shuying, the only daughter of Qin Yongzhou from the Third Branch of the Qin Manor. Those shadowy memories from her unconscious state also belonged to Qin Shuying. In this cousin’s memories, aside from deep grief for her deceased father and mother, there was nothing particularly special.
If there was anything that made her feel strange, it was that the deaths of Third Uncle Qin Yongzhou and his wife didn’t seem so simple.
However, she couldn’t figure out the details for now.
Qin Yongzhou was the outstanding one among the three sons of the Qin family. He achieved success at a young age, was valued by the Emperor, and at a young age took on the position of Third Rank Salt Commissioner, originally serving in the prosperous South. Three years ago, after catching a cold, Qin Yongzhou unexpectedly passed away. Third Aunt Long Shi died shortly after from excessive grief, leaving only the lonely Qin Shuying.
Qin Shuying had escorted the coffins home, her heart filled with sorrow, and had been ill for a long time. Although she gradually recovered later, from then on her constitution became extremely delicate—she couldn’t bear the wind, especially during weather changes when she would be bedridden for days. So she lived in quiet recovery in Spring Garden for extended periods, rarely going out. Qin Yaoyao had only seen her once when Qin Shuying was seven or eight years old, which was why she could recognize her in the mirror.
Once again turning her gaze toward the window, the maids were still whispering among themselves. There wasn’t even a single servant in the room to attend to her—who would still care about an orphaned girl who was about to die?
Seeing a plate of pastries on the table, Qin Yaoyao—no, now it was Qin Shuying. A strange smile appeared at the corner of her lips, carrying a kind of sinister expression of rebirth from hell, and within that sinister expression was barely concealed heartbreak—My child, Feng’er!
Forcing herself to support her body, she moved step by step to the table, slowly sat down, took a piece and ate it slowly, then poured herself a cup of hot tea and drank it slowly. Fortunately, no one came in during this time. After a long while, she finally managed to consume the pastries and hot tea through her tears, then lay back down on the bed.
Eight years ago, when Qin Yaoyao married Lu Changxuan, he had nothing. She sold all her dowry to support the household, managed domestic affairs, served her mother-in-law, raised her sister-in-law, and supported his studies as well as his younger brother’s. For the sake of livelihood, she had no choice but to show her face in public and manage business affairs, transforming the originally destitute Lu family into the quite wealthy Lu Manor. Only then could Lu Changxuan seek opportunities and connections without worrying about money, and navigate social situations with ease. Lu Changxuan was promoted to Fifth Rank Secretary at twenty-two and had held the position for three years now.
Although Qin Yaoyao wasn’t skilled at composing poetry, playing musical instruments, chess, calligraphy, or painting, she possessed an innate business acumen inherited from her maternal uncle’s family. She frequently dealt with people in business transactions and always knew more about current affairs than ordinary women, with more accurate judgment. Therefore, Lu Changxuan often consulted her on important matters. Qin Yaoyao lived up to Lu Changxuan’s trust—while her suggestions weren’t one hundred percent accurate, the vast majority served as valuable counsel. Her participation in social activities in the inner quarters was also like a fish in water, establishing great merit for Lu Changxuan’s official career.
However, no matter how diligently she managed the household or how intelligent and capable she was, Lu Changxuan had always been indifferent toward her, hardly what one could call enthusiastic. But in her eyes, this was what her legitimate mother Xu Shi called “mutual respect between husband and wife,” and she was very content with it.
In the sixth year of their marriage, Qin Yaoyao was bringing personally prepared soup to Lu Changxuan in his study. The book boy happened to be absent, and she momentarily forgot Lu Changxuan’s rule that “women are not allowed in the study.” She walked straight into the study and actually heard sounds that made one’s ears burn and heart race. In her panic, she assumed it was some chambermaid, but then a cry of “Feifei, my darling, my precious” struck her like thunder from a clear sky, and she dropped the porcelain bowl in her hands.