Chapter 2

The last rays of the setting sun spilled into a young woman’s bedchamber…

Lying on the bed, Zhao Qingzhi raised a hand with difficulty and touched her neck. After feeling it a couple of times, she suddenly stopped, as though sensing that something was wrong. Her eyes flew open, and she stared blankly at the canopy above her, lying perfectly still. Just then, she clearly heard voices coming from beyond the bed curtains.

“Mother, Little Sister has already taken two doses of medicine, but she still hasn’t woken up. Should I summon Physician Shen again to examine her?” Zhao Ninglang, Zhao Qingzhi’s second elder brother, asked anxiously.

Hearing this, Zhao Ningbo, her eldest brother, said, “Second Brother, don’t be so anxious. Before leaving, Physician Shen confidently assured us that Little Sister would wake up after taking two doses of medicine. His medical skills have always been reliable. Besides, she’s only just taken her medicine. Let’s be patient and wait a little longer.”

Their mother, Madam Xu, paced back and forth across the room. “Then we’ll wait another half an incense stick’s time. If she still hasn’t woken up by then, we’ll have no choice but to summon him again.”

Zhao Ninglang was naturally impatient. Hearing his elder brother and mother’s words, he sat down helplessly and fumed, “That Song Ziyou is truly despicable! The Song family has gone too far in bullying us! If I ever see that Song Ziyou again, I’ll give him a good beating!”

Hearing the conversation outside, Zhao Qingzhi suddenly jolted. She turned her head and looked at the bed she was lying in. Pink bed curtains, a nanmu wooden bed carved with orchids, and a decorative endless knot she had woven with her own hands, still hanging from one of the carved flowers.

This was clearly her bedchamber in her maiden home! Could it be that she hadn’t died after all, that someone had saved her? But if that were the case, why wasn’t she at Prince Jing’s residence? Why was she back at her maiden home? And where were Jiang Jingqiao and their daughter, Xiao An? Why weren’t they by her side?

Zhao Qingzhi was filled with questions. Her throat felt terribly uncomfortable, so she raised her hand and gently pressed it again. In an instant, the scene of Zhao Ziyou and Song Ziyou strangling her to death flashed through her mind, sending a chill down her spine. The people she had believed were close to her had been cruel enough to strangle her to death, while the person she had always tried to avoid had filled her entire heart in the moments before she died.

At the thought of Jiang Jingqiao, Zhao Qingzhi’s eyes instantly grew moist.

Just then, a middle-aged woman entered the room and gave Madam Xu a slight curtsy. “Second Madam, according to the usual arrangements, it’s your turn to attend to the Old Madam during dinner tonight. The Old Madam waited for quite some time without seeing you, so she sent me to find out what could possibly be more important than attending to her.”

Madam Xu was startled. She rose to her feet and said, “Matron Yang, Zhi’er fell into the lotus pond and still hasn’t regained consciousness. ​unauthorized copy​I was so worried that I completely forgot about my duties. Please trouble yourself to explain the situation to the Old Madam. Once Zhi’er wakes up, I will personally go and apologize to her as her daughter-in-law.”

Matron Yang gave a cold snort. “Of all virtues, filial piety comes first. How can you forget about the Old Madam simply because something happened to your daughter? Second Madam, you’ll have to explain this to her yourself. If you refuse to come with this old servant now, I’m afraid you won’t be able to bear the consequences when the Old Madam loses her temper.”

Zhao Ninglang sprang to his feet at once. “Who do you think you are, speaking to my mother in that tone?!” As he spoke, he rolled up his sleeves and clenched his fists.

“Second Brother, don’t be impulsive.” Seeing this, Zhao Ningbo hurriedly grabbed his younger brother. “Father isn’t home right now. If we offend Grandmother, it’ll be Mother who suffers the consequences.”

Zhao Ninglang glared with bloodshot eyes. After a long moment, he brought his large fist down hard against his own thigh.

On the bed, Zhao Qingzhi weakly pushed herself into a sitting position. Fallen into the lotus pond? Hadn’t Zhao Ziyou strangled her to death? How had that turned into falling into the lotus pond?

Matron Yang had initially been so frightened by Zhao Ninglang’s threatening posture that she hadn’t dared say another word. Now that she saw him back down, she raised her chin and declared, “Hmph! At least you know what’s good for you. I came here on the Old Madam’s behalf. Striking me would be the same as slapping the Old Madam in the face. Not only would Second Madam suffer, but even you, Young Master Ninglang, would be punished.”

Hearing Matron Yang’s words outside, Zhao Qingzhi felt a surge of indignation. At the same time, she was startled by the realization that everything she had just heard seemed to have happened before. Terror welled up inside her. With great effort, she pulled aside the bed curtains. When she saw her mother’s back, her eyes reddened. She could actually see her family again. Zhao Qingzhi slowly opened her mouth. “Mother…”

That single word emerged hoarse and choked with tears. Madam Xu and her two sons immediately turned toward the bed. In an instant, they crowded around her, their faces filled with joy.

“Oh, my precious daughter!” Madam Xu was overwhelmed with excitement and immediately pulled her daughter into her arms. “You’re finally awake! You frightened your mother to death! How do you feel? Is there anywhere that hurts?”

Zhao Qingzhi wrapped her arms around her mother in return. At that moment, she could feel the warmth of her mother’s embrace and smell the familiar scent that belonged to her alone. Yet she still remembered with perfect clarity the suffocating sensation and despair she had experienced just before dying in Peach Blossom Garden. What on earth was going on?

“Mother…” Zhao Qingzhi’s throat was dry and hoarse. Before she could say anything more, tears began streaming down her face.

“Oh, don’t cry, don’t cry. Mother knows you’ve been wronged, but there’s nothing so wonderful about the Song family anyway. Once you’ve recovered, Mother will find you a good husband ten times better than Song Ziyou. You needn’t worry [read the original at bailiantales.com]about finding someone to marry.” Madam Xu lowered her head and gently wiped away her daughter’s tears as she spoke.

Zhao Qingzhi froze completely at those words. The Song family? No need to worry about marriage? A good husband? Wasn’t she already Princess Consort Jing?

Looking at the living, breathing family members before her, Zhao Qingzhi parted her lips and cautiously asked, “Mother, has the Song family only just broken off my engagement?”

“They’re the ones who are blind. Zhi’er, don’t think about those things anymore, all right?” Madam Xu coaxed her softly.

Hearing her mother’s confirmation, Zhao Qingzhi was utterly shaken. What was happening? Why had she opened her eyes to find herself three years in the past? After her initial bewilderment, boundless joy surged through her heart. Could it be that Heaven had taken pity on her unjust death and granted her another chance at life?

“The moment they broke off the engagement, you tried to take your own life! Are you trying to anger your second brother to death?” Zhao Ninglang’s eyes were filled with heartache, but his words carried a strong sense of frustration at her foolishness.

Madam Xu glared at her second son. “Enough, enough! Your sister has only just woken up. Why are you being so harsh with her? If you upset her, just see if I don’t skin you alive!”

Matron Yang had been standing to one side for quite some time. Seeing that everyone was treating her as though she didn’t exist, she raised her voice. “Second Madam, since Miss Qingzhi has awakened, shouldn’t you come with this old servant to attend to the Old Madam now? If you’re any later, I’m afraid your knees will have a rather unpleasant time of it.”

Madam Xu’s heart sank at those words. The Old Madam, the Duchess of Qin, was not her husband’s birth mother. Her husband, Zhao Dongxi, was a concubine-born son of the Duke of Qin, and his birth mother had passed away long ago. The Old Madam had always treated their branch of the family harshly. If she went over now, she would probably have to endure some torment. Madam Xu sighed inwardly, pressed her lips together, and prepared to stand.

Zhao Qingzhi hurriedly caught her mother’s arm. Turning toward Matron Yang, she naturally assumed the commanding bearing she had developed over her years as a princess consort. “Matron Yang, you’ve served Grandmother for many years. You should understand the meaning of proper etiquette. My mother is the daughter-in-law of the Duke of Qin and the wife of a Vice Minister of the Court of State Ceremonial, an official of the lower fifth rank. Who taught you the rules of conduct that allow you to speak to my mother in such a manner?”

A flicker of astonishment crossed Matron Yang’s eyes. For some inexplicable reason, her hands trembled slightly beneath Zhao Qingzhi’s gaze.

Zhao Ninglang had been holding back his anger all this time. Now, hearing his younger sister’s words, he felt immensely satisfied. “Well said! That’s exactly what this kind of servant is like, a snob who looks down on others!”

Madam Xu stood up at once. “Ninglang, be quiet. Matron Yang, ​Read on BaiLianTales​the children don’t know any better. I’ll come with you now.”

Matron Yang rolled her eyes and replied in a sarcastic tone, “Oh, how would this old servant dare say otherwise? Second Madam, please come along with me.”

Hearing this, Zhao Qingzhi recalled how her mother’s hands had looked when she returned in her previous life. They had been scalded, and her knees had been terribly red and swollen. Zhao Qingzhi tugged at her mother’s sleeve and said, “Mother, Father and Third Brother should be able to return tonight. Why don’t you wait a little longer before…”

Madam Xu patted her daughter’s hand. “You’ve only just woken up, and your body is still weak. Get some more sleep. Mother will be fine. All these years, the Old Madam has never punished me too severely. Don’t worry about me.”

Seeing her mother’s determination, Zhao Qingzhi knew she would not refuse to go. More importantly, she couldn’t refuse. Reluctantly, she let go.

After Matron Yang led Madam Xu away, Zhao Qingzhi turned toward Zhao Ninglang. “Second Brother, go and fetch my maid, Meng… Mengqing. Once I’m dressed, we’ll go to Yisong Hall together. I’m afraid the Old Madam might subject Mother to family punishment.”

Hearing this, Zhao Ninglang said, “Mother hasn’t done anything seriously wrong. You were unconscious, so it’s only natural that she forgot to attend to the Old Madam. She might get scolded a little, but surely it won’t go so far as to invoke family punishment?”

Zhao Qingzhi pressed her lips together and said slowly, “If someone happens to be standing nearby, adding fuel to the fire, it won’t be as simple as a few harsh words. Second Brother, hurry and go.” At that moment, it was as though Zhao Qingzhi had suddenly gained a new understanding of the world. Some people simply possessed that kind of ability. They could speak words that seemed considerate and sympathetic, yet somehow achieve precisely the opposite effect. They could deliberately torment someone almost to death while making everyone believe they were kindhearted. Even after leaving a person covered in whip marks, they could still make that person feel genuinely grateful to them.

Zhao Ziyou was exactly that kind of person: hypocritical, deceitful, and utterly ruthless.

“All right, I’ll go get Mengqing for you.” Zhao Ninglang hurried out.

Zhao Qingzhi braced herself against the bedframe and anxiously rose to her feet. As she lifted her eyes, she happened to glance out the window. It was pitch-black outside, and the only things visible were the red lanterns hanging along the corridor, swaying in the wind. They looked strangely eerie. Watching those flickering red lanterns, she suddenly remembered what Zhao Ziyou had said just before her death.

“Only after you die will I have a chance to marry Prince Jing. Once I have a child of my own, I’ll send your daughter Xiao An down to join you.”

Zhao Qingzhi gripped the bedframe tightly, her fingertips turning white. A thought flashed through her mind. After her death… had Zhao Ziyou succeeded? At that thought, her heart tightened. In her previous life, would Jiang Jingqiao have forgotten her and married Zhao Ziyou as her next wife?

Thinking back on her previous life, Zhao Qingzhi felt a sharp pain in her heart. She had been far too cold toward Jiang Jingqiao. She had wanted to be a docile wife who kept her heart out of the marriage, deliberately ignoring all the kindness Jiang Jingqiao showed her. Sometimes, she had even wished Jiang Jingqiao would take several other wives and concubines and completely neglect her. Looking back now, she realized just how deeply hurtful that must have been.

Zhao Qingzhi raised a hand and wiped away the tears gathering at the corners of her eyes. When she had been alive, she had never treated Jiang Jingqiao well or given her genuine affection. How could she possibly expect Jiang Jingqiao to remain unwaveringly devoted after her death? If Jiang Jingqiao really had married Zhao Ziyou afterward, she wouldn’t blame anyone. She was simply worried about her daughter. With a stepmother who harbored murderous intentions toward her, how could her little Xiao An possibly grow up safely?

Just then, a flurry of footsteps sounded outside, and Mengqing came running into the room.

“Miss, you’re awake!”

Zhao Qingzhi looked at Mengqing and nodded. In her previous life, she had dragged Mengqing into her fate, causing the maid to lose her life in Peach Blossom Garden as well. Seeing Mengqing alive again, she felt as though fate had opened another path of light for her, allowing her to walk through life once more. In this lifetime, she would protect her mother and fulfill her filial duties, cherish and care for her family, treasure the woman who shared her bed, and lovingly raise the daughter she had carried in her womb for ten months before giving birth.

“Mengqing, we must hurry.” These were the first words Zhao Qingzhi spoke to Mengqing after her rebirth.