usatvline Chapter 1: Rebirth
Chapter 1: Rebirth
Lin Rusi stared at the gleaming golden imperial edict in her hand, feeling a surge of emotions within her, her mind reeling. How could this be?
"Miss!" Hongxiu stood to the side, her face beaming with joy, and said excitedly, "That's wonderful! Your wish has finally come true, and you're about to become the Third Prince's consort!"
The name "Hongxiu" stirred up waves in Lin Rusi's heart.
In the second year after she married into the Third Prince's household, this maid, at the instigation of her elder sister Lin Ruqin, replaced the birthday gift she had prepared for the Empress Dowager with a counterfeit one. As a result, she was convicted of disrespecting the Empress Dowager and was ultimately punished by being confined to her quarters for three years.
Wasn't this Hongxiu already beaten to death on her own orders?
"You wretched servant!"
Lin Rusi put the imperial edict aside, stood up, and without hesitation slapped him across the face: "Even if you die and become a vengeful ghost, I will never forgive you!"
Hongxiu was knocked to the ground by the sudden slap, staring at her in astonishment.
Seeing the hatred burning in Lin Rusi's eyes, Hongxiu felt a chill in her heart and immediately knelt down and kowtowed: "Second Miss, this servant does not know what wrong I have committed, I only beg Second Miss to spare this servant's life!"
Second Miss? Lin Rusi couldn't believe her ears for a moment; her thoughts rushed through her like a tidal wave. Shouldn't she be the Third Prince's Consort? Wasn't she already dead?
Yes, she's clearly dead!
She died at the hands of the Third Prince, Li Zeyan, the husband she once regarded as her heaven! In that desolate courtyard, she was confined for three whole years, her body thin and covered in sores, looking like a withered corpse, and finally collapsed on that cold night!
Even now, her hands are still as smooth as cream, her skin as white as snow, without a single scar.
And this room is no longer the desolate little courtyard in the Third Prince's mansion, but the Sixin Pavilion of the Lin family, her boudoir before her marriage!
"Second Miss, you..."
The way Hongxiu addressed her brought Lin Rusi to her senses. She stared intently at Hongxiu and asked in a low voice, "Tell me, what year is it now?"
Hongxiu was startled by Lin Rusi's unusual behavior. The Second Miss had been crying tears of joy when she received the imperial decree, and had even fainted from happiness. Why was she acting like this now...?
"Speak!" Lin Rusi slammed her hand on the table, her voice icy.
“It was the twentieth year of Emperor Shun of Taikang, in winter…” Hongxiu’s voice trembled, and she finally couldn’t help but cry: “Miss, please don’t frighten me, what’s wrong with you?”
Lin Rusi was in a state of confusion. She waved her hand, signaling Hongxiu to leave: "You can go now."
Hongxiu hesitated for a moment, bit her lip, and ultimately said nothing before turning around and leaving in a hurry.
The room fell silent again. Lin Rusi sat there blankly, her mind racing.
In the twentieth year of Emperor Shun's reign, in winter...
Memories of her past life flashed through Lin Rusi's mind.
She remembered clearly that she married into the Third Prince's household in the spring of the twenty-first year of Emperor Shun's reign.
He was confined to his quarters for offending the Empress Dowager in the spring of the twenty-second year of Emperor Shun's reign.
That autumn, Lin Ruqin, the eldest daughter of the Lin family, married the fourth prince.
Then, in January of the following year, the Lin family's home was inexplicably raided, and the entire family, young and old, was exiled and eventually starved to death in the wilderness.
In the summer of the twenty-fifth year of Emperor Shun's reign, Emperor Shun suddenly fell critically ill, and the fourth prince ascended the throne, with Lin Ruqin being made empress.
That same winter, Li Zeyan was demoted to commoner status and banished to the countryside for repeatedly offending the new emperor with his words.
After enduring three years of torment, she was killed by Li Zeyan's own hands.
But now, she's actually back? Back to the winter of the twentieth year of Emperor Shun's reign, back to the very day the imperial decree of marriage was issued?
Could it be that she was reborn?