Inside the hidden compartment lay a black velvet sachet embroidered with an unfamiliar pattern about the size of a fingernail. Upon closer inspection, the pattern seemed to possess a strange, almost hypnotic power that made her deeply uncomfortable.
Being cautious, Li Jinu didn’t directly pick up the sachet. Instead, she used two hairpins to carefully pry it open, revealing a golden key about the length of a thumb inside.
“City folks sure know how to play…”
She couldn’t help but roll her eyes and curse under her breath.
But upon second thought, since Ye Jintang had hidden it so carefully, this item must be extraordinary. To avoid alerting anyone, she restored the heated couch to its original state, planning to return later with dough to make an imprint of the key’s pattern. It might prove useful someday.
Having accomplished much over the past few days, even someone as tough as iron would feel exhausted. After quickly restoring the heated couch, she returned to her quarters and collapsed tiredly onto the bed.
Though she expected to fall asleep quickly, she found herself drifting into a hazy illusion. In this vision, she had just been poisoned by tainted wine, her soul filled with immense resentment as it was swept into a Buddhist hall.
Surrounded by statues of Buddha displaying various expressions—some angry, some smiling—all radiated solemn dignity. Kneeling upright before a meditation cushion was a man chanting incessantly:
“I vow to exchange my flesh and blood for your rebirth in this life; even if it means sacrificing a lifetime of merits, I shall have no regrets…”
Each word struck her like a scalding brand, searing into her very being. An overwhelming sorrow erupted from the depths of her soul, fueling an urgent desire to see who this person was.
Who was he?
But the more she tried to approach, the heavier her soul felt, as if some barrier firmly held her back, preventing any advancement.
‘Namo Amitabhaya, tathagataya…’
The rebirth mantra surged into her consciousness with irresistible force, each syllable repeating endlessly. She felt sorrow and resentment, yet her soul gradually grew transparent. Slowly, she could feel herself becoming lighter, drifting farther away until finally disappearing into a vast expanse of white mist.
When she opened her eyes again, a bluish-purple birthmark suddenly came into view.
Butcher Li!
Shock made her breath quicken, and intense resentment welled up within her. If the satisfaction of recent days had merely been an illusion, she wouldn’t hesitate to kill these villains a second time, a third time, until their souls were utterly destroyed!
Closing her eyes tightly, she once again bit down hard on Butcher Li’s arm and stabbed his neck with a wooden hairpin. The expected cry of pain never came. Suddenly opening her eyes, she saw faded lake-blue window curtains gently swaying.
It took her a long moment to realize that it had all been just a dream.
When she woke again, daylight was already bright. Frowning at the hazy sky outside, she felt displeased.
Had her vigilance diminished after being reborn? How could she have slept so soundly? This place wasn’t safe—she needed to move to the Ink Garden as soon as possible.
As if reading her thoughts, a servant knocked on her door, summoning her to the main courtyard at the madam’s request. She found it strange. Whether in her previous life or this one, her biological mother had always ignored her, their rare interactions filled with harsh scoldings. Why would she call for her today?
Thinking carefully, she hadn’t made any mistakes recently, so it likely wasn’t for punishment. Could it be about changing her name?
But what name had they given her in her previous life?
Oh, she remembered now. They had removed the “slave” character from her name.
Ye Ji.
How utterly thoughtless—such a wretched name. In her past life, she had been mockingly called “wild chicken” by servants countless times.
Did she like it? Of course not.
Who wouldn’t prefer the elegance of a blooming crabapple?
But she simply didn’t deserve it.
The two courtyards weren’t far apart, and they arrived quickly.
To her surprise, aside from the Marquis and his wife, Ye Zeyu and Ye Jintang were also present.
Wasn’t Ye Zeyu supposed to be kneeling in punishment? And wasn’t Ye Jintang too ashamed to show her face?
How did they still have the energy to join in the commotion?
So resilient!
And utterly shameless!
She inwardly cursed, though her expression remained composed.
She wanted Ink Garden and couldn’t afford to cause a rift just yet.
After respectfully bowing to her parents and brother, she spoke softly, like any dutiful daughter greeting her elders:
“May I ask why Mother has summoned me here?”
So gentle—this gentleness was like a blade, tearing Ye Jintang’s heart to shreds.
Ye Jintang clenched her fists, her carefully manicured nails nearly snapping from the pressure. Even so, she didn’t let go.
The pain briefly restored her rationality. Lowering her gaze, she began scheming once more.
A fleeting sense of calm allowed her expression to soften, and she even managed a faint smile toward Li Jinu.
The day before, when Ye Jintang had attempted suicide, Su Yun’s attention had been entirely focused on her beloved daughter, leaving no room to properly observe Li Jinu.
Now, seeing this girl whose features so closely resembled her own, she knew this was the child she had given birth to—the one she ought to cherish and protect.
Yet, for some reason, she felt no closeness to her.
Days earlier, upon learning that her biological daughter had suffered in the countryside, her heart hadn’t been filled with urgency or compassion, but with panic.
This panic was inexplicable, especially when she was near Ye Jintang, watching her cultured, gentle, and virtuous daughter—the feeling only grew more intense.
She feared the disruption of her life, the ridicule from noble ladies in the capital, and most of all, losing Jintang.
A persistent voice echoed in her heart:
“What does it matter if she’s your biological child? Did you raise her? Did you love her? She has her own parents—how could she ever grow close to you?”
“You don’t love her, not at all. You only love Jintang.”
“You only love Jintang.”
“You can only love Jintang!”
In the days since learning the truth, she had imagined meeting her biological daughter countless times.
Perhaps the girl would be coarse and vulgar, unfit for polite society;
Perhaps she would be timid and insecure, full of self-loathing;
Or maybe she would be resentful, losing control of her emotions, even disrespecting her elders.
If that were the case, Su Yun might have felt somewhat relieved.
Even if she felt disdain, she could reassure herself that her favoritism was justified.
After all, Jintang was exceptional—what harm was there in showing her a little extra affection?
But she never expected that a village girl, freshly returned from the countryside, would speak so softly and carry herself with such grace—and even gain her husband’s protection before stepping foot in the manor.
Su Yun had been pampered since childhood as a noble young lady, and after marriage, her life had been smooth sailing. She had never faced such a complicated situation.
It left her at a loss for how to interact with this daughter who had appeared out of nowhere, and her expression stiffened.
Li Jinu had no idea what her biased mother was thinking, but she was patient.
“May I ask if Mother has summoned me here to discuss changing my name?”
The question was perfectly reasonable—no respectable family would allow their daughter to keep a name like “Jinu.”
Yet, to her surprise, Su Yun felt intensely irritated by her biological daughter’s inquiry.
Once her name was changed, she would be added to the Family Tree.
This wild girl is the eldest daughter, so what about her Jintang?
She really is from the countryside—it’s only been a few days, and she can’t even hide her petty schemes.
If we indulge her now, she’ll surely turn the world upside down later! Would she still have any regard for me, her mother?
Indeed, a child not raised by one’s side is simply no good!
She maintained a superficial calm, but her words came out hurriedly:
“The name isn’t urgent. Let’s first decide on your living arrangements, and later—”
“Mother! Since your daughter has returned home, I beg you and Father to bestow a name upon me!”
She truly has no sense of propriety!
Su Yun, interrupted mid-sentence, grew impatient and could no longer restrain her temper. She snapped:
“How can you be so rude! I hadn’t finished speaking—how dare you interrupt me? Have you forgotten all decency?”
“Besides, it’s just a name. If I’m not in a hurry, why are you?”
Her face flushed red, clearly angered, but her agitation left the others somewhat bewildered.
Ye Siyuan had realized over the past two days that in this household, aside from himself, no one treated this girl kindly.
But she’s the Empress Dowager’s person! How dare these people act this way! Do they have a death wish?
At this thought, his tone also sharpened:
“The child has finally been found. What’s wrong with changing her name?”
Su Yun, already displeased, flared up at her husband’s questioning:
“I am her mother—what’s improper about my actions? Why is she in such a hurry to change her name? Don’t you understand?”
“Enough!” Ye Siyuan stole a glance at Li Jinu and noticed the child’s eyes were reddening.
“Every single one of you—do you even know what her name is?”
Su Yun dismissed it indifferently, “It’s just some vulgar name. She’s lived with it for over a decade—why can’t she bear it for a few more days?”
Ye Siyuan’s face darkened like Li Kui’s.
At that moment, a tear fell from Li Jinu’s eye, lingering on her cheek as if hesitant to drop, and her lips trembled as she spoke again: