After rebirth, Song Chuyu once again heard the clamor of drums and gongs.
She knew.
It was Kang Rui, the impoverished scholar living in the firewood room of Jingke Inn, who had achieved the title of Number One Scholar.
The humble son whom everyone could bully now would become the powerful minister holding sway over the empire in the future.
But in this life, it had nothing to do with her.
She would not marry him again, nor did she covet his future glory.
…
Inside the private room of Jingke Inn.
The sixteen-year-old Song Chuyu quietly lowered her head, her youthful face showing no trace of curiosity about the commotion.
In her previous life, on this very day, tired from playing with her friends, she had waited in the private room of Jingke Inn for her family to pick her up. Suddenly, there was an uproar downstairs, and curious, she leaned out to look.
That was when she saw Kang Rui, elegant as jade bamboo.
Surrounded by the crowd, he emerged, embodying every description of an ideal man from the books.
The usually arrogant manager personally wrapped silver coins and politely offered them to the young man, suggesting he reward others.
Kang Rui declined courteously. His face showed neither the joy of sudden success nor the bitterness of twenty years of arduous study.
Standing among the crowd, he seemed to possess composed wisdom and unshakable calm as if he had just entered the world of splendor.
It was then, in that fleeting glance and distant scene, that he took root in her heart and began to grow.
Later, at the Spring Banquet, her aunt the Empress Dowager asked, “Are you willing?”
She nodded shyly.
Not long after, with a grand dowry and vast fertile lands, she married her ideal husband.
Everyone in Shangjing City mocked her—the Empress Dowager’s own niece, the legitimate daughter of Anguo Duke Mansion—for marrying a son of humble origins, willingly degrading herself.
Yet she believed Kang Rui was a dragon among men, worthy of it all. Moreover, it was rare to find a devoted heart, to stay together till old age.
History proved her judgment right.
Kang Rui rose from a seventh-rank Hanlin to a second-rank official, achieving illustrious merits and silencing all his critics.
By then, people changed their tune, praising her foresight and discernment. Not only was her husband capable, but he also doted on her. Her former companions regretted not having the insight to recognize his potential themselves.
Song Chuyu sneered disdainfully.
How shameless of them to think that way. The court was fraught with treacherous forces; many had slandered Kang Rui, claiming he relied on his wife’s family to advance, and his official career had faced numerous hardships. Even then, there were still factions in the court opposing him.
Song Chuyu did not deny that Kang Rui had avoided many detours with her father’s support, but she believed even more in Kang Rui’s own efforts.
For over a decade, he had never ceased his scholarly pursuits, diligent and conscientious in everything, never slacking. Every honor he received was well-deserved. Even without her, given time, Kang Rui would have achieved fame and success.
What moved her most about Kang Rui was that when her aunt the Empress Dowager returned power and Anguo Duke Mansion fell into trouble, he disregarded all advice to protect himself and resolutely helped her rescue her eldest brother, who was addicted to gambling, and saved her second brother, who had privately mobilized troops.
Even if it meant transforming from an upright loyal minister to a corrupt official shielding his wife’s brothers, he stood unwaveringly by her side.
This was the root of why women in Shangjing City gnashed their teeth in jealousy—his unwavering devotion.
Song Chuyu had thought so too, grateful for his sacrifices.
If not for that incident, if it hadn’t been exposed, she might have continued to believe her marriage was happy and her life without regrets.
But she found out.
It turned out Kang Rui’s rescue of her eldest and second brothers came with conditions—it was bought with endless silver from Anguo Duke Mansion, the result of her brothers pandering to Kang Rui by offering her as a bargaining chip! Moreover, it was all an act Kang Rui put on with the Emperor!
Ha!
Gratitude? She ought to be grateful indeed!
The sister-in-law she respected as a mother, the elder living in the rear courtyard, was actually Kang Rui’s former wife.
The renowned tutor she had exhausted all her connections to invite, the nephew she had cultivated as a great scholar, turned out to be Kang Rui’s biological son.
Hah!
What a grand spectacle.
Now that woman’s son had become a Recommended Man, and Kang Rui stood second only to the emperor, Qin Lianxiu felt emboldened to confront her. Kang Rui had paved the way, and the truth could finally be revealed, hadn’t it?
On the day Kang Sixian passed the imperial examination, Qin Lianxiu knelt behind Kang Rui, gazing pitifully at Song Chuyu with a trembling voice: “Keeping it from you was for your own good. Why must you be so angry? Don’t you know how much the master cares for you? I’ve already stepped back. If you keep quarreling with him like this, how can you face all these years of affection between you?”
Affection? When had she ever noticed Qin Lianxiu being so eloquent, and possessing such a charming face!
She could twist right and wrong with such conviction. Back then, natural disasters were relentless, and refugees were everywhere. Kang Rui’s hometown was severely affected, making it impossible to verify his background. Yet the few witnesses he brought all testified he had never been married.
She had even asked Kang Rui before their wedding if he had anyone he loved. He said no.
What did this mean now? His son and wife had been right under her nose, receiving her respect as sister-in-law, and she was supposed to be grateful? Thank her for yielding?!
The person she had supported with the highest standards was a sister-in-law, not a vile woman!
She had pitied her back then, fearing this refugee sister-in-law would be looked down upon. She hired etiquette tutors for her, afraid her work-worn hands would cause insecurity, she requested the Imperial Hospital to prepare flesh-regenerating cream. Worried she wouldn’t know Shangjing City’s customs, she let her live in the Princess Manor.
She had nurtured a viper!
“Sister! How can you speak so hurtfully! When has the master ever wronged you? Has Sixian ever failed to call you aunt? You come from noble lineage, too exalted to be offended. How could the master have disobeyed you back then? Now you’re the matriarch of the Kang family, respected by all. Even when your son proves disappointing, the master considers sacrificing my son’s future to pave his way. What more could you want? Must you make this public to be satisfied! How can you face the master!”
Song Chuyu nearly laughed aloud.
Who was making a scene! She simply refused to let half a lifetime’s efforts benefit another woman’s son!
And—
Her son was disappointing!?
Her son was Kang Rui’s eldest, nephew to the Anguo Duke Mansion. Even if he were worthless, every official position in Shangjing City would be his for the taking! Who needed to pave any way for him!
“Master, my heart aches. You should resolve matters between yourselves.” Qin Lianxiu left with willowy fragility.
Song Chuyu nearly fainted from rage. She never knew the woman could be so delicate.
Yet Song Chuyu clearly understood why Qin Lianxiu dared “endure humiliation” for twenty years before “accidentally” revealing the truth.
Because Kang Rui had pleaded for her eldest and second brothers at court! However unwilling she was, she had to swallow this bitter pill, or she’d be branded ungrateful and unreasonable!
And swallow it she did. Kang Rui had protected her brothers. If she made a fuss over another woman and child with the man who’d shown her family great kindness, what would that make her?
No matter how furious she was, she couldn’t vent it on Kang Rui, only take it out on her disappointing brothers.
When her brothers grew weary of her complaints, she finally learned the truth: they had bought Kang Rui’s favor! And in doing so, they had betrayed her.
Song Chuyu couldn’t help but want to laugh! How wonderful—the grievances she endured for her brothers’ sake ended up being destroyed by those very brothers in the end.
Song Chuyu wiped away her tears. Since it was the glory she had preserved, why not just adopt her son and let him inherit the Anguo Duke Mansion!
As long as her son or daughter became the future Duke of Anguo, she could refrain from killing them!
Her sister-in-law and eldest brother vehemently disagreed.
If they disagreed, then get out! What right did they have to say no to her when their future prospects were built on wrongdoing!
While she vented her anger at her parents’ home, her eldest and second brothers had her kidnapped, warning her that if she dared cause trouble again, it would be her own fault if Kang Rui took three wives and four concubines.
They even shouted that if it weren’t for Kang Rui’s current power and influence, she might not even be allowed to set foot in the Anguo Duke Mansion! If there was a next time, they wouldn’t be polite!
Hah, now even returning to the Anguo Duke Mansion depended on Kang Rui’s favor!
But Kang Rui was no longer the Kang Rui of the past. He exuded authority without anger, his gaze intimidating. He sent someone to abduct her: “An’an, you’re not young anymore. Stop making a scene.”
This was “making a scene”!
Indeed, to him now, these were indeed trivial matters: “I want the Anguo Duke Mansion! Since they want to sell it, let them sell it outright! We’ll take the Anguo Duke Mansion for our son!” Since Kang Rui had already played the villain, he might as well go all the way! All the benefits should go to their own family!
“Nonsense! What will the world think of me!”
“Why care about the world! It’s not the first time you’ve done this!”
“Ridiculous talk!”
Hypocrite! Lacking the courage to fully embrace villainy! Song Chuyu turned and left, bitterness weighing on her heart, ending up with nothing at all!
She forbade Kang Rui from entering her courtyard again.
Her “eldest sister-in-law” came to see her, sniveling and hesitant: “Sister is so fortunate. With just a few tears and a bit of fuss, the master doesn’t even look at the new maid I just acquired, only worrying about whether Sister is happy or not. Sister should be more considerate of her husband.”
“Get out!”
Qin Lianxiu showed no fear. Her son had passed the imperial examination, and her husband held power. Why should she fear a toothless princess? “Fine, fine, I’ll leave. Why is your temper still so fiery? You used to listen to me the most—whatever I asked you to do, you did. Has the Princess forgotten?”
“Get out!” That was a humiliation.
Qin Lianxiu flicked her sleeve and left! “Who cares!”
Song Chuyu collapsed on the couch, her gaze empty, almost unable to recall how Qin Lianxiu had bowed and scraped, flattering her when she first arrived in the capital.
She had truly raised her too well.
…
Song Chuyu fell ill.
The imperial physician said it was a sickness of the heart.
It sounded like an overly sentimental ailment, but she was truly too ill to get up, even lacking the strength to preside over her son’s wedding.
Her son thought she was feigning illness to anger Kang Rui and urged her not to make things difficult for his father, saying that many things were kept from her for her own good.
Song Chuyu looked at her son dressed in red wedding attire and suddenly felt his voice seemed distant.
Her eldest and second brothers told her to be sensible, saying it was for her own good; Qin Lianxiu said not telling her about the wedding was also for her own good! Her son also said it was for her own good.
Everything was for her own good.
Song Chuyu suddenly didn’t know what “not good” was anymore.
…
Song Chuyu’s illness grew worse. Strangely, everything happening around her was trivial, none of it life-threatening, yet it felt as if her vitality was being drained bit by bit, a knot of depression in her heart with no way to release it.
If things continued like this, she felt she would soon die. This wasn’t like her.
So, Song Chuyu calmly proposed a divorce.
Kang Rui casually dismissed her tantrums, confined her to the courtyard, and stayed with her every night. When she struggled, he simply saw it as her throwing a fit!
Day after day in confinement, Song Chuyu began to feel she was truly losing her mind.
She even wished her elder and second brothers would be imprisoned rather than endure the once-envied favor.
Her shameless elder brother came to visit, mentioning his worthless son and her daughter’s marriage prospects. She slapped him across the face!
He called her insane!
She thought perhaps she was indeed going mad, yet her daughter’s wedding was imminent, and her eldest son’s future hung in the balance.
How could she afford to truly lose her sanity?
…
The deep winter snow blanketed the streets of the capital.
In her twilight years, wrapped in fur, Song Chuyu stood beneath the long corridor, gazing at the withered courtyard. She understood all too clearly that in this household, Kang Rui was the ultimate authority—her own thoughts mattered little.
If she wished to preserve the last shred of dignity for her children and avoid becoming a laughingstock, she must remain docile, please Kang Rui, and become a mindless puppet.
But how could she, the esteemed Anguo County Princess, ever resign herself to such a fate?
After her youngest daughter’s wedding,
Song Chuyu petitioned the emperor under the pretext of missing her aunt, the Empress Dowager, to shave her head, become a nun, and devote herself to prayer for the nation.
This was the only path left to keep herself from madness and spare her children from becoming the capital’s ridicule.
…
She took monastic vows.
Thereafter, on every day of rest, Kang Rui would climb the mountain to see her.
She refused to meet him.
He would wait outside, speaking to her through the silence—much like those nights in their youth when he had coaxed her to sleep. Then he would sit through the night, leaving poems of longing etched upon the walls before stumbling away, aged and weary.
Song Chuyu stood coldly on the mountain path.
Those verses—capable of moving young maidens across the capital—disgusted her to even glance at.