Chapter 2 - Death

Yuxi sat on the ground, her entire body in a daze. The past half month, she had managed to hold on because she believed that once she returned to the capital, everything would be fine. But now, both the Duke's manor and the Jiang family had publicly announced her death. What was the point of holding on any longer? Even if she survived today, survived this disaster, what would happen in the future? To the world, she was already a dead person. The world was vast, but there was no place left for her.

After walking away, the man dressed in green finally spoke, "Big Brother, why did you say all that to her? Do you really believe she's the Jiang family's wife?" In truth, he had started to believe it himself. Despite the foul smell on her, her behavior and manners didn't seem like those of a peasant woman.

The man with the square face turned back and looked at the dazed woman sitting on the ground, shaking his head. "Does it matter if I believe it or not?" At this point, the truth was irrelevant.

Upon hearing this, the man in green realized that the woman was indeed from the Duke's manor. His curiosity got the better of him. "By the way, why was the Jiang family's mistress sent to the countryside?" If she had stayed in the capital, she wouldn't have ended up in such a miserable situation.

The man with the square face replied, "The Jiang family's mistress was sent to the countryside because she plotted against her own child. That happened a year and a half ago." This incident had caused quite a stir, and many people in the capital had heard about it.

The sympathy on the green-clad man's face vanished, replaced by disgust. How could someone do such a thing to an innocent child? "Such a malicious woman, she deserves death."

The man with the square face shook his head. "Affairs of noble families can't be explained in just a few words. There's a lot more going on than you think." When he saw the green-clad man about to ask more questions, he immediately said, "Let's get going. Knowing too much won't do you any good." It was fine to gossip a little, but digging deeper into this wouldn't be worth it.

The man in green saw that there was no point in asking further and kept quiet.

No one knew when it started to rain, but the fine misty rain fell onto Yuxi's face, cold and chilling, sinking deep into her heart.

Yuxi struggled to her feet and staggered back to the thatched hut. Unfortunately, the hut could block the wind but couldn't shield her from the rain. The rain seeped in through the cracks.

Yuxi curled up in a corner, motionless, staring blankly at the water droplets gathering on the roof, one by one, falling onto her. She didn't understand how she had ended up in this situation. Though she had lost her mother at a young age and had never been favored by her grandmother or father, and though her stepmother was no saint, she had been protected by her aunt and had lived comfortably in the Han family. When she reached the age to marry, her aunt had even found her a good match—her maternal cousin.

She had met her aunt's cousin before. He wasn't particularly handsome or talented, but she was satisfied because he had a kind personality, and his future mother-in-law was also kind to her. The Qiu family and the Duke's manor were a good match, and the engagement was well-received by both her grandmother and father. Just as the two families were about to finalize the marriage, Jiang Hongjin came to ask for her hand.

Jiang Hongjin was a renowned scholar in the capital, handsome and charming. It was said that he had a gentle temperament and was the most sought-after match for the unmarried ladies in the capital. However, she wasn't one of them. Though she wasn't particularly smart, she knew that she was worlds apart from Jiang Hongjin and that they weren't a good match. If he came to ask for her hand, it must be for some hidden reason. Knowing his intentions, how could she possibly want to marry him?

Her father, aware of her reluctance, threw her a piece of white satin and said, "Either you marry, or you die. Choose one."

She didn't want to die, so she married. Her premonitions were quickly confirmed. On their wedding night, Jiang Hongjin didn't even enter the bridal chamber. The shame of a groom refusing to consummate the marriage on their wedding night turned her into the laughing stock of the Jiang family.

Her mother-in-law's cold stares, her sister-in-law's harassment, her brother-in-law's ridicule, and the contempt from the servants made her life in the Jiang family extremely difficult. For six years, she endured all kinds of sneers and suffering, yet Jiang Hongjin never spoke a word on her behalf. It was as if she wasn't his wife, but an invisible person.

One time, she could no longer endure and went to the study to question Jiang Hongjin. "Why did you marry me? Why ruin my life? If it weren't for you, I would have married into the Qiu family and lived a peaceful life as a wife and mother." But Jiang Hongjin just looked down at her from above, offering no explanation, and had the servant throw her out of the study.

It was truly laughable—after six years of marriage, she was still a virgin, yet the maidservants around Jiang Hongjin had become pregnant. Even more absurd, when one of the maids lost her child, the Jiang family accused her of poisoning the baby.

She didn't cry out in injustice, nor did she defend herself. She only asked for a divorce. Even if she had to live in a nunnery, with only a blue lantern and a Buddha for company, it would be better than staying in the Jiang family. But Jiang Hongjin refused to write the divorce letter and instead sent her to the countryside.

A year or so in the countryside was the most peaceful time she had spent in the Jiang family. But she never expected that one day, while it was still daylight, robbers would raid the village. After a narrow escape, she barely made it back to the capital, only to find this cruel outcome.

Her body was growing colder, her eyelids heavy with each passing moment, her breathing more and more labored. Yuxi knew that she probably wouldn't survive the night.

She murmured, "Jiang Hongjin, why? Why did you come to marry me? Why treat me like an invisible person after marrying me? Why would you rather send me to the countryside than write a divorce letter? Why? Why?" Now, as she was about to die, she still didn't know the answers. Even in death, she would die a fool.

At that moment, she heard someone loudly shout, "Another one's dead here. Take her out and burn her along with the others." In the refugee camp, the dead were burned immediately, or the bodies would decompose and cause an epidemic.

Yuxi heard this and softly said, "I don't want to be burned." She wasn't afraid of death, but she didn't want to be burned and have her bones reduced to ashes.

The corpse handlers noticed that Yuxi had moved slightly. They murmured in surprise and then said, "Big headman, this woman isn't completely dead yet." "Not completely dead" meant she still had a breath of life.

The big headman glanced at Yuxi and said, "Burn her anyway." The bodies were handled once a day. If they didn't burn them now, they would have to wait until the next day, and they couldn't risk leaving anything behind that could cause trouble. The refugee camp had thousands of people, and they couldn't afford to be careless.

Pain. It hurt so much. The excruciating pain finally caused Yuxi to open her eyes. She saw a sea of flames in front of her, and in her eyes burned an overwhelming hatred. "Jiang Hongjin, if there is a next life, I will make sure you are reduced to ashes."