Chapter 1

The biting winter wind howled beside her ears as Yuan Qingyi awoke from excruciating pain, dressed in a bright red wedding gown. Her beautiful eyes flew wide open, filled with terror and agony, while her cherry-red lips parted slightly. Where was she? Hadn't she died miserably on that freezing winter night? In the next instant, a vicious-looking face appeared before her. The man's hand closed around her neck without hesitation. “Miss, don't blame me. If you want someone to blame, blame yourself for not knowing your place and standing in Second Miss's way!” It was Zhou Shengquan, one of the steward's most trusted men! Yuan Qingyi's pupils constricted as the hatred buried deep within her heart came surging back. She had been reborn! She had returned to the day she was married in her previous life! In her previous life, she had grown up in the countryside. By chance, she discovered that she was actually the legitimate daughter of the Minister of War and was brought back to the Yuan family. Although her wet nurse had switched the babies at birth, the fake heiress had already formed a deep bond with the family, so they continued raising her alongside their own child. Although the Yuan family never publicly revealed her true identity, she was showered with affection and even given a marriage contract! But who could have imagined that on her wedding night, she would be knocked unconscious and dragged out of the bridal sedan, while the fake heiress was ordered to take her place and marry into the Marquis's household! Crystal-clear tears slid down her pale cheeks as Yuan Qingyi whispered hoarsely. “Brother Zhou, please don't kill me... I don't want anything...” Her beauty was breathtaking, and her frail voice stirred pity in anyone who heard it. She weakly raised her slender hand, trying to grab the corner of his clothes, but in the end, her strength failed and her hand dropped limply. Zhou Shengquan's expression flickered, and his hand paused for a moment. But in the next second, a chill spread through his eyes. Only when Yuan Qingyi was truly dead would Second Miss's identity remain hidden forever. Only then could she continue to serve as an ally to Second Madam! Yet before he could react, a silver hairpin suddenly plunged into his eye. A wave of excruciating pain surged through him. Zhou Shengquan cried out in agony and covered his eye, just as he was about to scream. But a slender hand suddenly thrust into his mouth and brutally tore out his tongue. Yuan Qingyi grabbed a stone from the ground and smashed it down onto him with all her strength. Zhou Shengquan felt the bones throughout his body shatter. Before he could even let out a single scream, he completely lost consciousness. A foot mercilessly stepped onto his body. Yuan Qingyi's pale face remained utterly expressionless. In her previous life, Zhou Shengquan had not only tried to take her life—he had also cruelly destroyed her face. Fortunately, people from Prince Yi had intervened and saved her, allowing her to barely survive. In order to stay alive, she joined the organization under Prince Yi and trained herself relentlessly, honing her strength while living every day on the edge of blades and swords. She even changed her appearance, impersonated others, and entered the palace to carry out missions. Yet no one knew that she had used every means necessary to seduce the emperor and claw her way upward without restraint, not to complete her missions or become the seductive concubine who would bring disaster to the kingdom. She had done it all for one reason—to reunite with her family! But she never expected that after risking her life to leave the palace and reveal her true identity to the Yuan family, what awaited her was their merciless slaughter. On that bitterly cold winter night, the bones throughout her body were broken one by one, while pieces of flesh were sliced away from her body... Yuan Qingyi laughed hysterically. So-called family affection had been nothing more than a wish she had foolishly clung to. From the very moment she stepped into the Yuan household, they had already sentenced her to death. “Zhou Shengquan, are you done yet? We should be heading back!” Steward Zhou's impatient voice came from nearby. Just then, a flickering torchlight appeared, illuminating the two figures. The frail woman stood above a bloodied, mangled body, her foot planted firmly upon it. Was that... Zhou Shengquan's corpse? Who could have imagined that their gentle and obedient eldest miss could become so utterly deranged that she would turn a person into such a gruesome state? Had she gone mad? Steward Zhou looked at Yuan Qingyi's slightly raised face in horror. The woman licked the blood from her lips with a sinister smile. “Steward Zhou, long time no see.” On the desolate mountain, the woman revealed a strange smile, resembling a deadly ghost emerging from the darkness of night. Steward Zhou's heart trembled. The next moment, he recovered and barked an order. “Kill her!” Not to mention that Zhou Shengquan was his own nephew and his life or death was still unknown. Just the fact that the eldest miss must never be allowed to return alive was enough. Otherwise, none of them would survive! The attendants beside him immediately drew their long blades and charged toward Yuan Qingyi without hesitation. She kicked Zhou Shengquan's body toward them, forcing the group of attendants to instinctively dodge. By the time they reacted, Yuan Qingyi had already flashed behind one of them. The silver hairpin plunged downward. The man let out a pained scream as Yuan Qingyi snatched the long blade from his hand. During her time in and outside the palace, she had learned countless ways to survive. The woman she was now was no longer the naive girl who had first entered the Yuan household. She was a revenant who had returned from the edge of blades to exact her revenge! Blood trickled down the long blade as Yuan Qingyi slaughtered her enemies in a frenzy. But there were simply too many attendants brought by the Yuan family. Before she could dodge, a long blade slashed across her back, sending blood splattering through the air! Yuan Qingyi's expression did not change. She kicked one man away and leaped onto a horse. Although she possessed the experience of her previous life, this body was far too weak to hold out for long. She had to save herself as quickly as possible. Gripping the reins, the young woman urged the horse forward at full speed. The violent movement pulled at the wound on her back, causing her body to sway slightly. The sounds of her pursuers drew closer and closer behind her. Yuan Qingyi's vision blurred repeatedly. Could it be that she was truly destined to die here today? Just then, a brilliant glow of firelight appeared in her beautiful eyes in the distance. Through the darkness, she could faintly make out a convoy moving quietly along the road. Sure enough! She had bet correctly. Prince Yi's carriage really was nearby! Yuan Qingyi clamped her legs around the horse's belly. Then, without hesitation, she raised the bloodstained silver hairpin in her hand and viciously drove it into the horse's back. The horse let out a pained neigh. It kicked violently against the ground and charged forward. Dawn was just breaking. Along the winding mountain road, a carriage moved slowly forward. The carriage was not adorned with excessive ornamentation. Only subtle, distinctive patterns traced along its corners, exuding an understated sense of luxury. A gentle breeze lifted one corner of the curtain, revealing the profile of the man seated inside. Ling Mochen sat calmly within the carriage, dressed in a dark blue robe that wrapped around his tall figure, his bearing elegant and imposing. His features were cold and stern, like frost beneath a winter night. His sharp brows swept toward his temples, while his deep, star-like eyes carried an intimidating authority. A fierce aura of slaughter surrounded him, as though a demon from the underworld had descended into the mortal realm, making anyone who saw him tremble and instinctively avert their gaze. The general, Zhang Qi, rode close beside him, fully alert and prepared for anything. Just then, the sound of galloping hooves rang out. A flash of red tore through the darkness, blazing like a raging flame! “Who goes there?” His voice was as cold as ice, shattering the silence of the frozen night. Ling Mochen raised his head and looked directly toward the source of the sound. His imposing aura erupted in an instant, and he was just about to order his men to kill the woman on the spot. Yuan Qingyi tightly gripped the reins with one hand, her hurried voice piercing through the air. “I've been chased here by bandits! Please, noble sir, save my life...” Prince Yi was the Third Prince of the late emperor. He had always been gentle by nature. In her previous life, it was his people who had saved her. She believed that as long as someone was in danger, Prince Yi would surely lend them a helping hand. Yuan Qingyi slowly raised her beautiful eyes. Then, she suddenly met a pair of cold, proud, and unruly eyes set within an exceptionally handsome face. For a moment, her heart suddenly lurched.