Volume One Chapter 1: Rebirth

“Jinshu, Yunyin is frail. As her elder sister-in-law, you must protect her.”

“Remember, it was you who accidentally bumped into the young heir of the Yongning Marquis’ household, causing him to fall into the pond.”

“You and Yunyin are of similar stature and are both wearing the same color today. With the Princess backing you, at most the Lady of Yongning will scold you a few times, and the matter will be over.”

The man before her droned on, and Jiang Jinshu felt a splitting headache.

Seeing her sitting there, brows tightly knitted, Shen Nanxing strode forward with displeasure and seized her wrist.

“Jiang Jinshu, did you hear what I just said?”

“If you take the blame for this today, I will compensate you in the future.”

Only then did Jiang Jinshu come to her senses. Heaven had finally shown her mercy—she was back.

She had returned to the day at the Prime Minister’s banquet, when Shen Nanxing forced her to take the blame for Su Yunyin.

In her previous life, blinded and foolish, she had devoted herself entirely to Shen Nanxing.

With her parents dead on the battlefield and no one to rely on, she had grown estranged from her grandmother’s family under her mother-in-law’s instigation.

The Shen family had leeched off her, using her dowry to support them all, and in the end, calculated to have her take the blame for Su Yunyin.

She was thrown into prison, and the Shen family used her dowry to pave Shen Nanxing’s way, raising him from a mere fourth-rank general to the second rank.

In the end, Shen Nanxing opened the city gates to aid Prince Duan’s rebellion, gaining merit and was granted the title of a prince with a different surname.

She spent ten years in prison, and when she was finally released, there was no loving husband waiting for her, nor the position of princess; instead, her husband and Su Yunyin, who always called her “sister-in-law,” already had children of their own.

In her fury, she coughed blood and fainted, only to awaken locked in a woodshed, and in the end, starved to death.

Ha! A prince with a different surname? Was a traitor and usurper worthy of such a title?

Since Heaven had sent her back, she would drag all who had wronged her to hell.

If she didn’t grind the Shen family into dust, she would have wasted this chance Heaven had granted her.

Seeing Jiang Jinshu still silent and dazed, Shen Nanxing’s brows furrowed even deeper in displeasure.

At that moment, Su Yunyin’s eyes brimmed with tears. She reached out, pitifully clutching Shen Nanxing’s sleeve.

“Brother, if Sister-in-law is unwilling, so be it. We shouldn’t force her. Let me go and confess to the Marquis’s lady myself. At worst, I’ll be punished because of my humble birth. Only, my body is so weak that Mother will worry again…”

Her voice grew softer, tears falling one by one. With one hand she dabbed her eyes, the other resting on her belly, her whole bearing one of grievous suffering.

Shen Nanxing grew even more certain that Jiang Jinshu was being unreasonable. Her parents had died for their country, and the Princess was close to her mother—she would protect her no matter what.

He’d come to coax and reason with her, so why was she still so obtuse, unable to see the bigger picture?

“Jiang Jinshu, a wife’s duty is to her husband, to treat him as her heaven. For you to act like this…”

Jiang Jinshu suddenly looked up, arching a brow with a smile.

“If a wife’s duty is to her husband, then if the husband is unworthy, the wife may remarry. Did a dog eat the second half?”

Shen Nanxing was left speechless by this unexpected rebuttal—he hadn’t anticipated that the usually meek Jiang Jinshu would retort like this.

Su Yunyin was also stunned, tears clinging to her lashes, looking both surprised and innocent.

“Jiang Jinshu, must you be so aggressive? You know full well that Yunyin’s status is special, not like you with the Princess to protect you. If the Lady of the Marquis learns Yunyin was the one who pushed the young heir, it won’t end with a mere scolding. If you accept the blame, not only the Princess but I will plead for you. By then…”

Jiang Jinshu rose slowly, her gaze icy as it swept over the two before her, a cold sneer in her heart.

In her past life, she’d truly been blind to believe such a shoddy excuse.

But now was not the time for wrangling with them. She remembered well: the young heir of Yongning Marquis had died because of delayed treatment.

She had been accused of murder, nearly forced to pay with her life, and only the Princess’s intervention had seen her punishment reduced to imprisonment.

“I’ll go see the Lady of the Marquis first.”

Shen Nanxing was momentarily taken aback—why had she agreed so easily?

“At least you’re sensible. Don’t worry, Jinshu, I’ll plead on your behalf…”

Jiang Jinshu’s voice cut in sharply.

“Shut up. If you want me to handle this, stop yapping like a dog and wasting my time.”

Shen Nanxing was taken aback by her frigid tone. He sensed that the Jiang Jinshu before him was no longer the same—the eyes that once gazed at him with tenderness now held only resolve and distance.

Before he could react, Jiang Jinshu had already strode away.

Staring after her in bewilderment, Su Yunyin tugged at his arm.

“Brother, will Sister-in-law really help me? Is she angry? It’s all my fault…”

Shen Nanxing busied himself comforting Su Yunyin, giving no more thought to Jiang Jinshu’s attitude. So be it—this was all she was good for.

“Do not worry, Yuner. Since she’s agreed, she won’t dare go back on her word. Besides, I won’t give her the chance. She will take the blame, whether she wants to or not.”

At that moment, the Prime Minister’s wife anxiously watched as the Imperial Physician treated the young heir of Yongning. Though the maid said it was a lady in blue who pushed the boy, it had happened in her house.

The Lady of Yongning sat by the bed, her eyes brimming with tears as she looked at her son.

“Doctor Liu, how is my son?”

Doctor Liu shook his head.

“Prepare for his passing, madam. My skills are insufficient. The young heir was rescued too late—it’s hopeless.”

The Lady of Yongning felt her world collapse; this was her only son.

“No! Doctor Liu, please, there must be something!”

Her voice was hoarse, nearly collapsing before being supported by her maids.

Suddenly, a voice rang out.

“Madam, there may yet be hope for the young heir.”

Both the Lady of Yongning and the Prime Minister’s wife turned sharply toward the door.

Jiang Jinshu entered with calm composure.

How could someone who had already stopped breathing possibly be saved? Was this a challenge to his medical skill? Doctor Liu spoke with displeasure.

“Madam Shen, the dead cannot return. Why raise Lady Yongning’s hopes only to dash them?”

Jiang Jinshu stepped to the bedside, glanced at the young heir’s face, and ignored Doctor Liu. Her eyes went to the Lady of Yongning.

“Madam, do you truly believe there is no hope? I was fortunate enough to learn the Thirteen Needles of Life-Extension from a divine healer. Will you not try?”

Doctor Liu immediately interjected.

“Nonsense! Only the Ghost Doctor knows the Thirteen Needles of Life-Extension, and he wanders the world. How could you…”

Jiang Jinshu’s brow furrowed.

“Madam, if we delay further, all hope will truly be lost.”

Doctor Liu had already pronounced the boy dead, but the Lady of Yongning saw a glimmer of hope in Jiang Jinshu’s composed demeanor.

“If there’s even the slightest chance, I must try.”

Doctor Liu, seeing himself disregarded, grew more displeased.

“This is absurd…”

Jiang Jinshu looked at him and spoke slowly.

“Does Doctor Liu not wish to witness the Thirteen Needles of Life-Extension?”

A cup of tea’s time later.

Shen Nanxing arrived with Su Yunyin to find the Lady of Yongning silently weeping.

“Madam, it was my wife’s fault for pushing the young heir into the water. Rest assured, our Shen family will not shield her—punish her as you see fit. Even if you wish her to pay with her life, our family will not interfere.”

Su Yunyin, feigning guilt, added, “Madam, Prime Minister’s wife, it’s all my fault. If I’d stayed with Sister-in-law, this never would have happened. How could Sister-in-law bear a grudge against a child? Madam, let me apologize on her behalf. Please, do not blame her too harshly.”

Jiang Jinshu calmly withdrew the silver needles from the young heir and rose after kneeling to perform the acupuncture.

“I’ve seen shameless people before, but never to this degree—one lies without blinking, the other distorts right and wrong. Truly, a pair made in hell.”