Chapter 20

"Where is this? Who are you?"

Lady Xiao Lin was still conscious. She remembered being nailed inside a coffin. When the nails were hammered in, her body had hurt unbearably, as if it had been burned by fierce flames.

That pain had tormented her for what felt like ages, until one day she caught a cool, refreshing fragrance. It soothed the burning agony in her body and gradually cleared her muddled thoughts.

Then she appeared in this strange place, with a white fox before her.

"You don't need to know who I am. Do you remember how you died?"

The fox, sitting on a stool like a person, suddenly spoke.

Lady Xiao Lin tried hard to remember. She recalled that during that period she had been dazed and restless, unable to sleep through the night, and plagued by terrifying hallucinations.

She had seen that what she carried in her belly wasn't a child but a strange fish, one that wanted to rip her open.

She had been so terrified that her mind seemed to have stopped working. Somehow, she had gotten hold of a dagger and cut open her own belly.

After that...

Lady Xiao Lin clutched her head and let out a piercing cry.

She remembered now. She had died.

After her death, her soul had never left her body. She had heard Zhao Ming say that he had fathered a child with another woman.

Her death had been planned, all so the child he favored could return to the Zhao family with a legitimate claim.

He had even found someone to seal her soul inside the coffin and torment her day after day.

Countless thoughts flashed through her mind. More and more black miasma rose from Lady Xiao Lin, and the resentment coursing through her threatened to overwhelm her.

"I remember. Zhao Ming killed me." Lady Xiao Lin's voice was hoarse, thick with hatred. "They killed me—it was the Zhao family!"

"Then go take your revenge." A Chan gazed at Lady Xiao Lin, her beastlike eyes indifferent.

"Revenge? Yes. I'll go find him and take my revenge." The resentment on Lady Xiao Lin's face dispersed, revealing her pitch-black eyes and deathly pale face.

"At midnight tomorrow, the incense protecting you will fade. Once it's gone, you'll become a vengeful ghost. Then you can settle every grievance and avenge every wrong. You'll have only that one night. At dawn, I'll send you to the underworld."

"Why are you helping me?"

Because you once helped me too, even if you only mistook me for Ji Chan. A Chan closed her eyes and did not answer.

When she opened them again, her consciousness had returned to her body. She was still sitting in the pitch-black room.

But A Chan knew Lady Xiao Lin had come.

Now she had left.

The first Incense Stick had burned down. A Chan replaced it with the second. Tonight would be another sleepless night.

Lady Xiao Lin didn't know how she had appeared on the street, just as she didn't understand why she had suddenly found herself in that strange place, facing a talking fox.

She didn't need to think about it too much. She was already dead.

Her body was like a wisp of fog, drifting through the darkness. The buildings in her field of vision grew more and more familiar, until a Vermilion gate stood in her way. The plaque above it bore the words Zhao Manor.

At some point, Door gods had been pasted onto the gate.

Lady Xiao Lin stared at the images glowing in her eyes and hesitated, afraid to approach. Just then, a crisp, cool fragrance swept over her and wrapped around her body. Riding on that wisp of smoke, she passed through the gate.

She looked back. The Door gods were still there.

This was the home where she had lived for more than a decade. Yet after being away for just a few days, it seemed to have become completely different.

Lady Xiao Lin drifted through Zhao Manor. First, she went to the Main courtyard. Seals had been pasted across its gates. She passed through them and entered the house. She still remembered clearly where she had died.

The scent of her blood still lingered here.

She wandered around her room for a long time, then sat for a while at the dressing table. The dust-covered Bronze mirror reflected nothing at all.

Then she went to Zhao Ming's study.

She couldn't read, so she had rarely gone into the study.

She remembered once catching a maid who served in the study nursing improper thoughts. But before she could do anything, Zhao Ming had sent the girl away.

She had asked Zhao Ming why he hadn't kept the maid. He said he didn't need a Red Sleeve Adding Incense.

Back then, Lady Xiao Lin had thought there was no better man in the world than Zhao Ming.

In the inner room of the study, she saw the man she had once loved with all her heart. Now another woman lay in his arms.

Of course she recognized that face. Su Yao—the concubine Old Madam Zhao had once chosen for Zhao Ming, and her husband's distant cousin.

Lady Xiao Lin sat at the foot of their bed, watching the two of them embrace intimately, until dawn broke.

When Zhao Ming woke, a sudden chill ran through him, and he couldn't help shivering.

"What's wrong?" Su Yao rubbed her eyes and sat up too.

She wore only a bellyband, and her exposed skin was covered in mottled red marks.

"Nothing. Don't catch a chill." Zhao Ming picked up the underrobe beside him and considerately helped her put it on.

Su Yao got up and helped Zhao Ming into his official robes, then tied his belt for him. The two lingered together by the bed for a long while before finally parting.

Neither of them knew that Lady Xiao Lin was sitting by the bed, watching them.

When Lady Xiao Lin was in a good mood, she had sometimes helped Zhao Ming put on his official robes too, but she had never tied his belt.

She remembered how Zhao Ming would always lift his arms unconsciously, as if waiting for her to tie it.

So his dear cousin was the one who had gotten him into that habit.

During all those nights when he went out with friends and didn't come home, had he been staying with this woman?

That was right. They had even had a child together, and that child was in the manor too.

After Zhao Ming disappeared from sight, Lady Xiao Lin followed Su Yao. She watched the manor's steward personally bring her food and address her as Madam.

That was the steward she had chosen with such care. He was a faithful dog, at least.

After Su Yao finished eating, she went to Hui'an Hall, where Old Master Zhao and Old Madam Zhao lived.

Hui'an Hall was lively at this hour, filled with children's chatter and the laughter of the old couple.

When they heard Su Yao had come to pay her respects, Old Madam Zhao warmly called for her to come in.

Lady Xiao Lin followed Su Yao into Hui'an Hall.

She saw her mother-in-law affectionately take Su Yao's hand and ask whether she had rested well.

When she saw Su Yao's face flush, Old Madam Zhao teased her, telling her to try harder and give her another healthy grandson.

After Su Yao sat down, the little boy who had been nestled beside Old Madam Zhao went over to her and called, "Mother."

"Good Qier. Have you been applying yourself to your studies lately?"

"Yes." Zhao Wenqi nodded vigorously. "Qier has been working hard. Father said he'll send me to study under Scholar Qi in a few days. Scholar Qi has already agreed."

Lady Xiao Lin remembered Scholar Qi. He was a longtime friend of Zhao Ming's. When Zhao Wensheng was ten, she had wanted Zhao Ming to send their son to study under Scholar Qi, but Zhao Ming had refused, saying Scholar Qi didn't take young students.

Su Yao was delighted. "Really? My Qier is so impressive."

Zhao Wenqi said proudly, "Scholar Qi said I'm clever and well-behaved, much better than Father's useless eldest son."

Hearing her grandson mention Zhao Wensheng, Old Madam Zhao snorted. "It's too early in the morning to bring up that ill-omened person, Qier. Don't sully your ears."

"Aunt, you can't say things like that in public," Su Yao reminded her with a smile.

"I know." Old Madam Zhao looked at Su Yao and her son with boundless affection, then sighed. "Thank goodness we didn't make you two stay in the manor all these years. Otherwise, that Lady Xiao Lin would have tormented you to death."

Zhao Wenqi chimed in brightly, "The books say evil deeds bring evil consequences. She monopolized Father and kept our family apart, so she got what she deserved."

"Oh, my Qier knows so much! He even knows how to say 'got what she deserved.' Hahaha!"

But Su Yao tapped her son's hand and admonished him in a sterner tone. "Don't say things like that again. Do you understand?"

"I understand. Mother, don't be angry." Zhao Wenqi quickly apologized. "I'll study hard, and when I grow up and become an official, I'll ask the court to grant titles to Grandmother and Mother."

"My good grandson already knows about Imperial Edicts. What a sensible boy!" Old Madam Zhao beamed, then turned to Su Yao. "Qier was only telling the truth. Why scare him?"

In the eyes of this family, Lady Xiao Lin had always been an unwanted, unwelcome presence. She deserved her horrible death.

Lady Xiao Lin stood by the table. Blood-red tears slid down her face and dripped onto the ground, leaving not a trace.

The day passed in the blink of an eye. Lady Xiao Lin wandered all over Zhao Manor, but she never went to see Zhao Wenyue.

She still remembered what Zhao Wenyue had said that day, before they nailed the coffin shut.

The sky gradually darkened, and the incense protecting Lady Xiao Lin grew fainter and fainter.

Zhao Ming finally returned to the manor, accompanied by Xue Mingtang.

Xue Mingtang was a Second Realm cultivator, with a vigorous life force. He should have easily sensed the presence of a ghost, yet he failed to notice Lady Xiao Lin, who was right beside him.

The two went to the study. Something about Xue Mingtang made her feel deeply threatened, so she could only listen from a distance.

She heard them mention the Forbidden Vault, then the Lin Family, but their voices were low and broken. She couldn't make out what they were saying.

They didn't stay in the study for long. Xue Mingtang soon got up to take his leave, and on his way out, he ran into Zhao Wenyue.

From afar, Lady Xiao Lin watched Zhao Wenyue blush shyly, and saw the trace of irritation between Xue Mingtang's brows when she drew near.

She had never wondered why Zhao Ming insisted on marrying his daughter to Xue Mingtang, or why Xue Mingtang was willing when he clearly didn't like Zhao Wenyue.

Her husband seemed to have many secrets she knew nothing about.

But it didn't matter. After tonight, there would be no more secrets.

Night fell.

Time passed, moment by moment. Lady Xiao Lin felt the fragrance that had kept her clear-headed slowly fading, while anger and hatred filled her consciousness.

She went to a side room in Hui'an Hall and entered the instant midnight arrived.

A child of seven or eight slept soundly on the bed. Zhao Wenqi had originally had his own courtyard, but Old Madam Zhao hadn't felt safe letting him live alone and had insisted he stay in her courtyard.

Lady Xiao Lin hovered over the clever, wicked child. Her long hair fell beside his face as she gazed at his peaceful sleeping expression.

What an endearing child. He was so young, yet already knew to look out for his mother.

Of course she would spare the child. Not only would she spare him, she would make sure he lived a long, long life.

The next moment, Lady Xiao Lin's body seemed to slip out of her control and sink into the bed.

Zhao Wenqi opened his eyes. His pupils were pitch-black.