General Zhihe’s residence.
The maid Dong Qiao pushed open the door. Seeing that the woman before the dressing table had not moved an inch, she said, “Miss, the Wei Family has arrived. The General sent someone to urge you!”
Ye Shishu stared motionlessly at the bronze mirror before her and replied in a cool voice, “Tell my father that I’m feeling unwell and won’t be receiving guests today.”
Dong Qiao had noticed that something was wrong with her complexion ever since she got out of bed. Hearing her say she felt unwell, she asked, “Miss, where do you feel uncomfortable? Shall I call the Household Physician to examine you?”
“No need. I only want to rest quietly. You may go about your duties.”
“Miss, rest for now. I’ll report back to the General, then return to keep you company.”
Ye Shishu did not respond. She gazed at the bronze mirror like a cold stone stump.
Even without makeup, the woman reflected in the bronze mirror was breathtakingly beautiful, her features pure and ethereal. Yet the naturally gorgeous face reflected there brought scene after scene from her previous life stabbing into her mind. Her beautiful eyes shifted between scattered emptiness, seething resentment, and twisted ferocity—
She had been reborn.
Today was the day she and her childhood sweetheart and fiancé, Wei Yonghuai, had agreed upon their wedding date!
After Father returned victorious from battle and received the emperor’s rewards, he hosted a banquet at the residence for the capital’s noble families and young aristocrats. He would also discuss the marriage between the two families with the Wei Family, making it a double celebration.
In her previous life, she had married in splendor and fulfillment. Not only had she and her beloved finally become husband and wife, but after their marriage, her husband Wei Yonghuai had also shared a deep affection with her, remaining devoted until death.
From the time she first caught a chill until her illness became severe, a full two years passed. Wei Yonghuai never left her side. He prepared nourishing meals, boiled her medicine, and personally attended to everything, caring for her with the utmost consideration.
Because her illness prevented her from consummating the marriage, they remained childless for two years. To keep her from being slandered by gossip, Wei Yonghuai had taken the initiative to adopt the son of his sworn younger sister into her name, fulfilling her wish to become a mother.
Everyone praised Wei Yonghuai for his deep affection and righteousness. Everyone was moved by his infatuation and loyalty. Even she had been deeply consumed by that supposedly pure and unwavering devotion. At one point, she had even come to despise her own sickly body, wishing she could kill herself rather than continue being his burden.
Yet, just before her life finally burned out, she saw a scene that struck her like a bolt from the blue and shamed her to the point of death—
Wei Yonghuai and his sworn younger sister, Luo Lixian, were kissing without the slightest restraint beside her bed!
Only then did she learn that the illness that had suddenly struck her on her wedding night had been deliberately induced by Wei Yonghuai. The bowls of medicine he had personally fed her over those two years had not been healing remedies at all, but slow-acting poison that Wei Yonghuai had painstakingly prepared to send her to the grave!
She…
Had died without being able to rest in peace!
“Sister Shu, are you in your room?”
The delicate voice outside brought focus back to Ye Shishu’s eyes. All the emotions in them instantly transformed into icy, bone-piercing hatred.
The owner of that voice was none other than Wei Yonghuai’s sworn younger sister, Luo Lixian!
She drew two deep breaths and forced herself to remain composed. Then she lay down on the bed before calling toward the door, “Come in.”
The door opened, and a woman with pure features and a delicate figure entered her view.
Luo Lixian was the sworn daughter Madam Ge had taken in one year ago. It was said that Luo Lixian’s parents had once done Madam Ge a kindness. After both of them died, Madam Ge had pitied the girl’s loneliness and helplessness, so she brought her into the Wei Family and acknowledged her as a sworn daughter.
At first, Luo Lixian and Wei Yonghuai had been inseparable, appearing together wherever they went. Many people had even mistaken them for a couple. To prove that they were merely brother and sister, the Wei Family had arranged a marriage for Luo Lixian six months earlier and sent her off in a grand wedding.
No one had expected, however, that the husband she married would suddenly die of an acute illness not long afterward. Madam Ge had worried that Luo Lixian would be bullied by her husband’s family, so she had taken charge and brought her back to the Wei Family.
In her previous life, because her serious illness had prevented her from consummating the marriage with Wei Yonghuai, he had adopted the child Luo Lixian gave birth to into her name in order to make up for her regret at being unable to become a mother…
Ye Shishu’s gaze shifted from Luo Lixian’s pure face to her still-flat stomach.
By her calculations, Luo Lixian’s husband had been dead for two months. At this time, there should already be a “posthumous child” in her belly…
These two treacherous and vicious adulterers could have been together openly, yet they had insisted on creating so many schemes, deceiving Heaven and earth and treating human life as grass, all to achieve their unspeakable goal!
“Sister Shu, when I came over just now, Dong Qiao told me that you weren’t feeling well.” Luo Lixian walked to the bedside and examined her with a gaze filled with concern. “You really do look pale. What exactly is wrong?”
“It’s nothing. My father rendered such great service, and I was too excited. I went to bed late last night and feel out of sorts today. I was afraid people would laugh at me, so I wanted to be lazy in my room a little longer.” Ye Shishu struggled to force a faint smile onto her face. Nothing had happened yet in this life. No matter how much hatred and resentment she felt, she had to keep it buried.
The most important thing now was to find a way to make Father cancel her engagement to Wei Yonghuai!
Hearing her explanation, Luo Lixian covered her mouth and giggled. “Sister Shu, you aren’t excited because General Ye won a military victory. You’re excited about your marriage to Brother Huai, so you couldn’t sleep.”
Ye Shishu lowered her eyes, hiding the disgust in their depths.
But in Luo Lixian’s eyes, the lowered gaze meant that she had hit the mark. She sat down on the bed, affectionately took Ye Shishu’s hand, and teased, “Sister Shu, you don’t have to be shy. Not only are you looking forward to your marriage with Brother Huai, Brother Huai is looking forward to it even more. You have no idea—he talks about you constantly and can hardly wait to marry you. The Wei Family came to the General’s residence today to discuss your wedding date, and Brother Huai got out of bed before dawn. He spent several hours being nervous in his room before he finally dared to leave. He really cares about you so much!”
Ye Shishu tugged faintly at the corner of her lips. “Does he?”
“Sister Shu, would I lie to you?” Luo Lixian immediately replied. “You and Brother Huai have known each other since childhood. You should understand better than anyone what kind of person he is and how he treats you. For the sake of seeing you today, Brother Huai ordered the servants several days ago to scent his clothes again and again. Before leaving this morning, he applied who knows how much hair oil. He tidied himself until not a single hair was out of place. He looked so spirited!”
Her praise of Wei Yonghuai also represented her anticipation of their marriage. Ye Shishu remembered how she had been blinded in her previous life in precisely this way, mistakenly believing that she and Wei Yonghuai were truly nothing more than sworn siblings of different surnames.
Watching Luo Lixian’s eager yet sincere expression, Ye Shishu sneered inwardly while marveling at her. What kind of black heart, thick skin, and deep scheming did it take to be carrying a child while matchmaking the child’s father with another woman?
“Younger Sister Xian, go on out first. I’ve rested enough. I’ll change and then come find you in the front hall.” Ye Shishu made as if to get out of bed.
In her previous life, Luo Lixian had also come to see her in her room like this. Not only had she considerately helped her change and fix her hair and makeup, but she had also teased her until she was overjoyed.
And during that time, something had happened in the residence—
Prince Cheng had fallen into the water!
In her previous life, because she had been speaking with Luo Lixian in her boudoir, she had not had the chance to witness Prince Cheng’s fall.
In this life, a thought suddenly arose in her heart.
A thought that might change her fate…
“Sister Shu…” Luo Lixian still wanted to say something, but suddenly covered her mouth and began retching.
“What’s wrong, Younger Sister Xian?” Ye Shishu pretended not to understand as she looked at her.
“N-Nothing.” Luo Lixian shook her head and forced out an apologetic smile. “I may have eaten too much this morning and not digested it properly. I’ll go outside for a walk and won’t keep Sister Shu company.”
Watching her hurriedly retreating figure, Ye Shishu curled her lips into a cold, retaliatory smile.
She was determined to break off this marriage today!
Once she had ended the engagement with the Wei Family, she would settle the score with these two adulterers!
Before long, she left her boudoir. Avoiding the areas where the servants passed by, she took a small path toward the pond to the west—
…
Front courtyard.
Ye Gengxin, General Zhihe, was entertaining the officials who had come to the residence for the banquet. In the midst of their conversation and laughter, the old steward, Hao Fu, suddenly appeared in a panic and shouted loudly, “General! Prince Cheng has fallen into the pond! Third Miss jumped in to save him!”