Chapter 1 — Han Yen's Rebirth

Drink it.

I forcefully gripped Liu Jiang Yue’s chin, ignoring her frantic struggles, and poured the cup of wine directly into her mouth. Panic stricken, she shrieked, "What have you given me to drink?! You..." Before she could finish, a trail of dark, black blood spilled from the corner of her lips. "You poisoned me..." I curled my lips into a cold, derisive sneer. "You murdered my Jun'er; dying this way is far too merciful for you!"

"Older Brother Ruo An... he... he will never forgive you..."

The very instant the breath of life faded from Liu Jiang Yue, I raised the chalice and drained it in a single breath. I did not need his forgiveness; I had long since loathed him to the very marrow of my bones. A violent, twisting pain gripped my abdomen, causing my knees to buckle as my vision blurred into oblivion. I laughed softly; my dearest Jun'er, Mother has finally avenged you at last. Through my hazy, failing sight, my husband of seven years—Suo Ting—who had always treated me with chilling indifference, suddenly burst into the room and caught my falling body. The poison induced cruel hallucinations, for in his eyes, I somehow fancied I could see a profound, devastating grief. A frantic, maddened roar echoed in my ears: "Spit it out! Hurry, spit it out—" Ha... you who despise me to my very soul, why bother putting on this pathetic display of sorrow?

"If there is a next life... if there is a next life..."

I swear, I will never, ever marry you! That cup of poisoned wine had possessed neither color nor scent, yet it was a draught with no antidote, claiming the life of anyone who drank it. I knew full well that I could not survive. I had believed that this time, I was undoubtedly bound for the netherworld. Yet, the moment I fluttered my eyes open, a brilliant, dazzling sea of crimson greeted me. Mother stood right beside me, clasping my hands tightly, her eyes brimming with a poignant reluctance: "Yuan'er, once you cross the threshold of the Shen family as a bride, you must be a dutiful daughter-in-law to your parents-in-law and serve your husband well." I swept my gaze across the surroundings, feeling a sensation that was at once strangely unfamiliar yet hauntingly nostalgic. This was unmistakably the scene from seven years ago, the very day of my bridal procession. At that precise moment, Ming Yue lifted the beaded curtain and stepped inside. Her round face radiated pure joy, and her dimples flickered softly on her cheeks, breathtakingly lovely and full of life. She was utterly unlike the cold, pale corpse frozen in my memories. Seeing Ming Yue alive and breathing right before me, hot tears cascaded uncontrollably down my cheeks.

"Ming Yue!"

I lunged forward, wrapping my arms tightly around her, and sobbed uncontrollably. Only after weeping until I was choking on my own tears did I raise my head to look at Mother. Without pausing to think, the words slipped past my lips: "Mother, I do not wish to be married!"

The entire bedchamber plunged into a profound, suffocating silence, so quiet that one could hear the drop of a pin. Mother gripped my hand, squeezing so tightly it sent sharp pains shooting up my arm. "Han Yuan! Do you have any idea what you are saying?" I nodded, my gaze resolute and unyielding: "Suo Ting is not a good man, and I will not marry him." The Buddhists speak of Nirvana and rebirth. Though I am no believer in the Buddha, the wheel of reincarnation had truly spun for me. In my past life, marrying Suo Ting and enduring seven years as husband and wife had ultimately culminated in my ending my own life with a cup of poisoned wine. Living this life anew, I was determined to alter my destiny. To let go of Suo Ting was, in truth, to let go of myself. The inner courtyard of the Han residence was as chillingly quiet as a crypt because of me. The eldest young miss of the Han family was openly refusing to marry, sending the entire household into a state of nervous panic. Father delivered a resounding, vicious slap across my face. He believed that calling off the wedding on the very eve of the ceremony brought indelible shame upon the family name, and flew into such a rage that he bellowed he would beat me to death. Meanwhile, Mother knelt endlessly before Father, kowtowing repeatedly in desperate supplication.

"I beg of you, Master, please spare Yuan'er."

"Yuan'er, Mother begs of you, please agree to this marriage. Mother is begging you."

"Thud! Thud! Thud!"

After three heavy kowtows, blood was already seeping from Mother’s forehead. I surrendered to the silent defeat of Mother’s tears.

"Mother, stop kowtowing. I will marry! I will marry!"

I hurriedly reached out to support Mother, and the two of us embraced and wept bitterly. In the end, bearing a swollen, reddened cheek from Father's blow, I was hoisted into the bridal sedan chair. The sedan swayed rhythmically, carrying me through the grand gates of the Suo estate. We bowed to heaven and earth, bowed to the high ancestors, and exchanged bows as husband and wife before entering the bridal chamber. All along the way, Ming Yue kept a watchful eye on me, as if terrified that I might change my mind at the last moment and call off the wedding amidst the crowd. It was not until I sat properly upon the bridal bed that she finally let out a soft sigh of relief. The red matrimonial bed was strewn with red dates, peanuts, longans, and chestnuts, symbolizing the wish to "soon bear a noble child." Yet in this lifetime, I had already resolved never to bear children for Suo Ting. He was unworthy. I reached up and violently jerked off my red bridal veil, prompting Ming Yue to lunge forward in a panic to stop me: "Young Miss! The proprieties!" Before she could finish, I snatched a red date from the bed and shoved it straight into her mouth.

"Do not fret, Suo Ting will not come tonight. Not only tonight, but from this day forth until the day of my return visit home, he will not show his face before me."

Disbelieving, Ming Yue blurted out, "How could that be?" I offered a cold, mirthless laugh: "Why ever not? Suo Ting’s beloved is presently drowning in her own jealousy." My gaze drifted toward the western wing outside the window, where the Jiafu Quarters stood. In my past life, my bitter rival—Liu Jiang Yue—was residing in that very place.

True to my words, Suo Ting did not set foot in the bridal chamber that night. With time hanging heavy on my hands, I quietly reflected on the memories of my past life, searching for a way to thoroughly sever all ties with Suo Ting. Gradually, a tentative plan began to take shape in my mind. In my former life, I had been overjoyed to marry Suo Ting. On our wedding night, Liu Jiang Yue—who was staying at the Jiafu Quarters—feigned a sudden affliction of wind-cold, using it as an excuse to keep Suo Ting by her side and leaving me to spend the night alone in an empty room. Even back then, I had long since realized that the relationship between the two of them was utterly improper. Consequently, the very next morning, I threw caution to the wind and stormed straight to the Jiafu Quarters, determined to drag Suo Ting back. But what had been the result? Suo Ting accused me of harboring vicious intentions and even punished me by banishing me to the ancestral hall to copy the family precepts. In this lifetime, I had no desire to ever lay eyes on either of them again. The grudges of the past life had been settled; in this existence, I wished for nothing more than to walk away from Suo Ting entirely. Three days slipped by, yet Suo Ting never once appeared before me. Whispers gradually began to circulate throughout the estate, claiming that I had fallen out of favor and was destined to be cast aside. I paid them no heed. On the third day, the traditional day for a bride to return home for a visit, I stepped back into the Han residence entirely alone. When my parents saw me return unaccompanied, utter astonishment washed over their faces. I had no intention of covering up for Suo Ting, nor did I wish to spin falsehoods or utter empty, flattering words.

"In the past, Father once submitted a memorial impeaching corrupt officials, among whom was the Junior Vice Minister of Rites. That official's daughter, Liu Jiang Yue, happens to be Suo Ting’s childhood sweetheart. At present, she is residing within the Suo household. Lately, her health has been poor, and Suo Ting attends to her day and night. He is far too occupied to even step foot in our bridal chamber on our wedding night; how could he possibly have the time to escort me home?"

The moment those words left my lips, Mother’s tears began to flow freely: "My poor, pitiful daughter..." Father’s expression darkened considerably, and his sharp, piercing gaze swung toward Ming Yue: "Are the words spoken by the young miss true?" Frightened by that intimidating glare, Ming Yue lowered her head and replied, "Replying... replying to Master, the young master not only failed to spend the wedding night in our chamber, but ever since the wedding day, he... he has never once shown his face." Seething with rage, Father slammed his fist heavily against the table. I raised my eyes to look at Father: "Father, you have seen it for yourself; your daughter has found no peace whatsoever within the Suo family. I wish to seek a divorce—does Father grant his permission?" Father let out a heavy sigh, his voice dropping to a low rumble: "Since ancient times, a woman must abide by the three obediences and four virtues. Now, at the slightest provocation, you speak of divorce; what sort of decorum is this? Have you forgotten every rule of propriety I ever taught you?" Wiping away her tears, Mother gently attempted to console me: "Yuan'er, as a woman, this is simply your lot in life. Do not be afraid; you are the lawful primary wife, and no matter what, that woman surnamed Liu can never supersede you. Right now, the most crucial matter is to quickly conceive a child for Suo Ting. Once you have a child, the latter half of your life will be smooth and peaceful." I lowered my gaze, concealing the surging wave of bitter resentment churning in the depths of my eyes. In my previous life, when my discord with Suo Ting began, I initially tried to hide it from my parents, pretending that we were a harmonious couple. Yet eventually, they saw through the facade, and back then, they had lectured me in this exact same manner. I had believed them, I had obeyed them, but what was the outcome? In this life, I had harbored a fragile shred of hope that if they knew from the very beginning that Suo Ting was not a decent man, they might support my bid for a divorce. Yet their response still proved to be a bitter disappointment.