Chapter 1 — Riding on the Wind

The cold moonlight filtered through the dim, amber glow of the oil lamp as my mother-in-law handed me a warm bowl of porridge.

Yun Niang, my eldest son has been away in the capital for the imperial examinations for quite some time now. I am getting old, and your second brother has a crippled leg, making even the simplest task of getting out of bed a struggle. The entire household rests entirely on your shoulders, and I see all of your hard work. Drink up this bowl of porridge and rest early. I will take care of the dishes tonight.

In my past life, she had spoken to me with these exact words. Back then, I had only felt a sense of profound relief, believing that my mother-in-law was finally acknowledging all the sacrifices I had made for this family. It was a rare display of gentleness from her, and naturally, I was moved to tears, drinking the warm porridge without a single trace of doubt. Little did I know that very night, shortly after finishing the bowl, my limbs would turn entirely limp, and a searing heat from deep within my lower abdomen would spread rapidly across my entire body. I could only watch helplessly as the bedroom door was pushed open by my husband's younger brother. I watched with horrified eyes as he dragged his crippled leg toward my bed, tore away my garments, and forced himself upon my body, while I remained utterly devoid of the strength to resist. In the end, the deed became an irreversible tragedy, and I lost my purity.

At the break of dawn the very next morning, my mother-in-law flung open the door to my room, feigning shock and disgust at the sight of my brother-in-law and me lying unclothed on the bed.

You shameless harlot! How could you possibly commit such an utterly depraved act?

The incident had unfolded with such terrifying suddenness that I was left with a hundred mouths yet unable to offer a single word of defense, knowing only how to cover my face and weep. My brother-in-law, however, immediately scrambled out of bed and dropped to his knees, kowtowing frantically before my mother-in-law.

Mother, it was her! The sister-in-law seduced me! I have never touched a woman before, and in a moment of weakness, I simply could not restrain myself!

I did not!

I raised my voice, shouting with sharp indignation.

It was clearly he who broke into my room in the middle of the night!

You... you shameless whore!

Refusing to believe a single word of my truth, my mother-in-law lunged forward, ripped the blanket from my body, and struck me across the face twice.

Things have already reached this point, I am going to drag you to the village pond and drown you!

Clutching my arm tightly, she hauled me down from the bed. Desperately struggling to find my garments to cover my nakedness, how could I possibly overpower her vicious strength?

Mother!

My brother-in-law lunged forward, wrapping his arms around her legs.

Since the sister-in-law and I have already shared the union of man and wife, why not simply let her remarry and become my bride? To throw her into the pond now would be such a terrible waste.

My mother-in-law slowly loosened her iron grip upon my arm. Standing tall, she looked down upon me with an expression of chilling coldness.

Since you have already brought such disgrace upon this family, you might as well follow the second brother. Otherwise, death is the only path left for you.

Terrified of dying, yet utterly unwilling to accept such a absurd and forced remarriage, I cried out in despair.

No! My husband will never agree to this!

My husband was a scholar of exceptional brilliance. When our two families were first arranging the match, the matchmaker had assured me that he was a man of utmost integrity, well-versed in virtue and righteousness, and possessed a deeply reasonable heart. The matchmaker had not deceived me. After we were wed, though my mother-in-law was harsh and demanding, and my brother-in-law frequently subjected me to cold, mocking remarks, only my husband understood the grueling labor I endured from dawn till dusk. He would leave a lamp burning late into the night to await my return, keep a portion of food warm in the pot for me to reheat, and shield me whenever my mother-in-law hurled her bitter sarcasm my way. Whenever I returned from my grueling toil, he would lay aside his books and gently massage my aching shoulders.

Yun Niang, you have suffered greatly because of me. Yet the path of scholarship cannot be neglected for even a single day. My mother is aged, and my younger brother is crippled; this entire household depends solely upon you. I see how they bully you, but alas, I am currently powerless and unable to shield you properly. Wait until I achieve success in the capital and earn my official rank; then, both my mother and my younger brother will have to obey me. When that day comes, they will never dare to raise their voices against you again.

With his strikingly handsome countenance and such gentle, soothing words, he understood my hardships and genuinely considered my well-being. Because of this, I had never truly felt that my bitter days were unbearable. In the face of today's catastrophe, I was utterly certain that he would understand my profound grievance. Clinging to that desperate hope, I declared.

I must write a letter to my husband and explain the entire truth!

Neither my mother-in-law nor my brother-in-law attempted to stop me. They allowed me to send that letter off to the capital. Day and night, I yearned and prayed for his reply, but the only thing that eventually arrived was a formal letter of repudiation from a husband casting off his wife. He wrote:

Since Yun Niang has already found mutual affection with my second brother, I shall gracefully grant you both my blessing. I only ask that for the remainder of your days, you never show your face before me again.

Clutching that letter of abandonment amidst the vicious jeers and cruel threats of my mother-in-law and brother-in-law, I had no choice but to resign myself to my wretched fate. From that day onward, I served the two of them like a beast of burden for thirty long years.

During those three decades, Yuan steadily climbed the ranks of officialdom, basking in boundless glory and prestige. Meanwhile, I spent thirty years enduring the vicious taunts of villagers pointing at my spine and branding me a loose woman. It was not until the day my mother-in-law fell gravely ill that Yuan sent word from the capital, announcing his return to the countryside to visit her. Even then, I naively believed that perhaps back then, due to worn brushes and dried ink, I had simply failed to fully convey the depths of my innocence, which was why Yuan had doubted me. On the day of his return, I sat before the bronze mirror, carefully smoothing my sparse, thinning eyebrows, neatening my dry, snow-white hair, and donning a dark indigo tunic that had faded from countless washes. Thirty years had slipped away, leaving me frail and standing at death's door, while Yuan remained as dignified and youthful as ever. Upon setting his eyes upon me, he merely took a cautious step backward and uttered a single, distant address:

Sister-in-law.

I desperately wanted to seize that fleeting opportunity to clear away the injustices of the past, yet he avoided me as though I were some venomous serpent. A few days later, amid a howling, violent gale of wind, fearful that the sudden downpour would ruin the laundry drying outside, I rose from my bed to gather the garments from the courtyard. As I passed, I caught sight of the flickering lamplight still glowing inside my mother-in-law's bedchamber.

My eldest son, Yun Niang was originally promised to the second brother. I was simply terrified that she might despise his crippled leg, which was why I forced you to trick her into our household first. Though she never hindered your remarriage, her presence became a burden to me, preventing me from ever traveling to the capital to enjoy the blessings of your success. After I breathe my last, you must find a way to drag Yun Niang down into the netherworld with me. Without her serving my every need, I simply cannot endure it.

Do not worry, Mother. I will certainly see to it.

Yuan replied in a soft, steady tone, devoid of the slightest tremor of hesitation or guilt. Hearing those words felt like plunging straight into an abyss of freezing ice. After enduring half a lifetime of endless torment, I had never once suspected Yuan. I had always regarded him as an upright, noble gentleman of unblemished character. Even when he misunderstood and abandoned me, I had never held a single shred of resentment toward him. How foolish I had been. That entire family was cut from the exact same cloth; every single one of them was a bloodthirsty demon in human skin! From the very beginning, their sole intent had been to suck dry every drop of blood and marrow from my bones!

The howling storm surged once more, thick dark clouds completely swallowing the pale moonlight, plunging the dead of night into an even deeper, more terrifying abyss. Awoken thoroughly by a monstrous, towering hatred, I reached for a wooden fire starter, strode straight to my mother-in-law's chamber, and set the building ablaze. Fueled by the violent winds, the hungry flames consumed the structure in the blink of an eye. With chilling detachment, I listened to the shrill, desperate screeches and venomous curses echoing from within the blazing inferno, and burst into a fit of ecstatic, gleeful laughter. Yuan desperately fought his way through the roaring fire, bursting out into the courtyard only for me to drive a heavy farming hoe straight into his skull, sending him tumbling down to face the king of the underworld without delay. Dragging his crippled leg, the younger brother crawled toward the opposite side of the barrier of flames, weeping bitterly as he begged me to pull him to safety. Watching his pathetic display, I offered a silent, hollow smile. It was only a bitter pity that my entire life had been so utterly buried within this vicious wolf's den.

Yun Niang, what on earth are you daydreaming about? Drink your porridge and return to your room to rest.

The phantom sensation of burning flames slowly faded away, replaced once more by the sight of my mother-in-law's face contorted into a sickeningly sweet, false smile. In that terrifying instant, I realized I had been granted a second chance at life, reborn from the ashes of my past. I looked straight into my mother-in-law's eyes and offered a faint, chilling smile.

Many thanks, Mother.

What a strange child, why speak of thanks? Since you have married into our family, I naturally cherish you as though you were my very own flesh and blood. Now, drink your porridge.

Once again, she pushed the bowl toward my hands. I reached out as if to take it with both hands, but suddenly feigned a violent tremor, sending the entire bowl crashing down onto the stone floor, shattering it into pieces.

Oh! Mother, I am truly sorry! Today while chopping firewood up on the mountain, I accidentally injured my hand, and now it trembles uncontrollably.

You clumsy wretch!

My mother-in-law's expression instantly darkened into a mask of pure fury. She opened her mouth as if to unleash a torrent of abuse, but managed to swallow her rage with visible difficulty.

Fine, go rest early then.

With a harsh huff, she slammed down the remaining utensils, spun around on her heel, and stalked back to her room. Staring at her departing back, I clenched my teeth until my jaw ached, whispering fiercely beneath my breath.

You old witch, just wait. In this lifetime, I will ensure that not a single one of you ever knows a single day of peace!

The following morning, I no longer leaped out of bed at the crack of dawn to labor away over the kitchen stove as I had in the past. Instead, I slept soundly until the sun climbed high into the sky. Unable to contain her fury any longer, the old witch stomped over to my door and pounded furiously on the wood.

Yun Niang! Why on earth are you still lying in bed?

I rolled over lazily and replied.

Mother, my hand hurts terribly.

Such a useless, fragile creature!

The old witch spat bitterly onto the ground and hissed.

Get up and cook the meal right now! Do you intend to starve me and the second brother to death? With such boundless laziness, the moment your husband returns, I will personally order him to cast you aside!

Discarding all pretense of reason, she violently shoved my bedroom door wide open, ripped the heavy quilt entirely off my body, and reached out to pinch viciously into the flesh of my arm. How could I possibly remain the submissive, helpless fool I had been in my past life, quietly enduring her physical abuse? The moment she lunged forward, I smoothly twisted my body to the side, causing her to lunge wildly into empty air.

Why is Mother so furiously angry? I am getting up to cook right now.

With those words, I plastered a look of aggrieved misery across my face and ambled slowly toward the kitchen. The instant I stepped out into the courtyard, I collided squarely with the younger brother.

Sister-in-law is truly becoming more useless by the day. Is there any other wife in this entire village who behaves like you? The pile of unwashed garments in my room has been sitting there for three whole days, and you haven't even bothered to fetch them!

It had been precisely like this in my past life. I had been forced to wash the garments of every single member of this household single-handedly. Having long reached the age of marriage, the younger brother's undergarments frequently carried a strange, stale odor. No longer an innocent, sheltered maiden, I was well aware of what those stains implied. I had always felt that lines of propriety must be drawn between men and women, and that tending to his intimate garments was entirely inappropriate. Once, I had even attempted to tactfully raise the issue with my husband.

Your younger brother has a disability, and Mother is getting on in years. As the eldest sister-in-law, you are akin to a mother to him; just treat it as washing clothes for your own younger son. Once I pass the imperial exams and secure my official rank, I will hire a servant girl specifically to wait upon him.

A bitter lump had risen in my throat back then, and I had choked out a reply.

His leg may be crippled, but his arms are perfectly sound. He is entirely capable of washing his own...

Enough, Yun Niang! Do not disturb my studies.

Seeing him hunched over his desk in bitter, relentless study, I understood that he had no desire to ever revisit the matter. Even I had foolishly convinced myself back then that as the eldest sister-in-law acting as a mother figure, I should simply endure it as though I were raising an extra son.

Living through this life a second time, however, my mind was entirely clear. The younger brother was deliberately seeking to humiliate and torment me! Remembering this, I fixed a cold, unyielding stare upon him and spoke with icy finality.

My hands are severely injured these past few days. If you have clothes that need washing, wash them yourself.