The brilliant sun hung high, its scorching heat flowing like fire in the seventh month.
Shen Yanxi tilted her face up almost greedily, exposing herself completely to the sunlight.
The feeling of the sun shining on her was so good, so warm!
Only at this moment did she truly, tangibly believe that she had really been reborn!
In her past life, she had schemed and striven for her family her entire life.
Her father, originally an ordinary merchant, became an Imperial Merchant, rising to become the wealthiest man in Da’an in a single leap.
Her eldest brother, a man of mediocre talent, became the top scholar in the imperial examinations and even ascended to the position of prime minister, second only to one and above all others, all because she had kowtowed three times and spent countless riches to hire renowned teachers and advisors for him.
Under her planning, her second and third brothers also rose to prominence; one was appointed Protector-of-the-Nation General, while the other firmly controlled the entire economic lifeline of Da’an.
Later, she even used the resources from her portable space to place the cheap husband she had picked up onto the throne of The Most Exalted.
She had thought that from then on, she could ascend to the position of empress, become the mother of the nation, and receive the glory she deserved.
But it was only then that she learned the truth: she was the legitimate youngest daughter of the Champion Marquis Family, but had been deliberately swapped at birth by this merchant family.
The Shen family had originally wanted their own daughter to go to the Marquis Family to enjoy a life of splendor and wealth, but fate was unpredictable—the Marquis Family’s home was confiscated, and they were exiled.
The daughter the Shen family had swapped over died a violent death on the road to exile, and because of this, the Shen family hated Shen Yanxi to the bone.
They also coveted the Supreme Treasure of the space she possessed.
Finally, at her own coronation ceremony as empress, her father and brothers accused her of practicing witchcraft to curse the emperor.
Her husband, The Most Exalted, without listening to a single word of her defense, threw her into the great prison.
From the empress’s throne to the great prison, only then did she realize that this had all been a joint scheme by her good father and brothers and her good husband.
Her husband, who had once promised her a lifetime of monogamy, said, “Your belly full of schemes and calculations truly frightens Us. But out of consideration for our time as husband and wife, as long as you hand over the Supreme Treasure, I will spare your life and send you to a Buddhist temple for quiet cultivation, to refine your character.”
Her father, who had once said she was his pride, said, “You are not my biological daughter. All these years, you have usurped the glory and wealth that belonged to my real daughter, while she died a miserable death on the road to exile. Now, you are merely paying back a life for my daughter.”
Her three brothers said, “For the sake of your own glory and wealth, you forced us to study relentlessly through the harshest summer heat and bitterest winter cold. Now that you’ve enjoyed all the blessings you were meant to, you should have paid with your life for our real sister. But His Majesty is merciful. As long as you hand over the Supreme Treasure that originally belonged to our sister, he will spare you. What more are you dissatisfied with?”
Shen Yanxi’s gaze swept over them, and she suddenly laughed.
“Hahahahaha…”
In the empty prison, her laughter sounded particularly horrifying.
Her second brother, the Protector-of-the-Nation General, picked up a whip soaked in chili water and lashed it viciously across her body. “I told you to hand over the Supreme Treasure! What are you laughing at!”
Her icy gaze swept over them. “I’m laughing at how ridiculous you all are, a bunch of sanctimonious hypocrites, cowards! You want my Supreme Treasure? In your dreams!”
The whip fell like raindrops. She was beaten until her skin split and her flesh tore, yet she continued to laugh out loud.
Finally, her good husband could bear it no longer. He ordered his men to chop off her hands and feet, cut out her tongue, and gouge out her eyes, turning her into a human pig.
After her body was gnawed away by rats, she finally died in the sunless dungeon.
When she opened her eyes again, she had returned to the age of sixteen. A great drought plagued the land, and her biological father, the Champion Marquis, had angered the old emperor by advocating for opening the granaries to provide disaster relief. The entire Marquis Family was about to be exiled.
“Miss, this is bad! A young lady has come from outside with many officials and soldiers, saying that you are not our master and madam’s daughter, but she is.”
The maid, Xiao Tao, rushed in to report.
Shen Yanxi’s heart skipped a beat. This hadn’t happened in her previous life.
Could it be…
That person had also been reborn?
Suppressing the astonishment in her heart, Shen Yanxi said, “Let’s go. We’ll go out and see.”
“Liu Bantou, that’s her! Look at her face, isn’t it a spitting image of the Marquis’s wife? I’m not from their Champion Marquis Family. The one who should be exiled is her. I’m innocent!”
As soon as Shen Yanxi stepped outside, a pampered young lady, dressed head to toe in silks and satins and adorned with the most fashionable jewelry in the capital, pointed at her and spoke.
She understood in an instant. This was the Shen family’s biological daughter, the one who had been swapped with her and had died on the road to exile in her past life.
“What’s happening?”
At that moment, the head of the Shen family, Shen Hongxing, having heard the commotion, hurried out and asked with trepidation.
As minor merchants, what they feared most was dealing with the government.
The moment Su Qingyan saw Shen Hongxing, her eyes immediately reddened, and tears welled up.
With a thud, she knelt. “Father! I am your real daughter!”
Shen Hongxing was stunned, his eyes darting away.
They had long heard about the Champion Marquis Family’s home being confiscated and their subsequent exile.
They had considered whether to swap their daughter back, but they were afraid that doing so would get them implicated with the Champion Marquis Family.
Who would have thought that this daughter would actually return on her own, and with officials in tow.
For a moment, Shen Hongxing was indecisive, not knowing if he should acknowledge his biological daughter at this time.
“Su Qingyan, my Marquis Family raised you with fine clothes and rich food. Now that the family is in trouble, is this how you treat us?”
Seeing Su Qingyan’s attitude, a member of the Champion Marquis Family couldn’t help but get angry.
The second young master of the Marquis Family, who had the most fiery temper, was so enraged that his fists cracked as he clenched them.
Su Qingyan immediately took a step closer to Shen Hongxing.
As if the people from the Marquis Family were something filthy, she immediately distanced herself. “Don’t talk nonsense. What do you mean you raised me? That was only because you thought I was your sister. You didn’t raise me for who I am. What does the cost of raising your own sister have to do with me?”
Su Qingyu was so angry his beard bristled and his eyes widened, his chest heaving violently. “Su Qingyan, you ungrateful wretch, you…”
Su Qingyu wanted to say a few curses, but this was, after all, the sister he had raised in the palm of his hand. When the words reached his throat, he couldn’t bring himself to say them.
The heir of the Champion Marquis, Su Qinghe, promptly stopped Su Qingyu. “Second Brother, to each their own. Don’t force it.”
After speaking, Su Qinghe’s cool gaze swept over Shen Yanxi before finally landing on Shen Hongxing.
Though his expression was cold, his words were still polite and reasonable. “Master Shen, since my family’s adopted daughter is your biological child, we will return her to you today. We shall take our leave.”
With that, he pulled on Su Qingyu. “Second Brother, let’s go.”
Su Qingyu shot a glance at Su Qingyan, his eyes filled with anger and unwillingness. He gritted his teeth but still turned to leave with Su Qinghe.
“Stop!”
At that moment, two voices called out to them at the same time.