Chapter 3: Liang Yun

The woman behind her had a gentle temperament, her clothing simple, looking like a dignified and loving noblewoman. To others, she seemed like a noble, kind matron of the house. But when Ying Shi saw her, she couldn't help but tremble.

The woman in front of her was none other than Liang Ji's mother, the matron of the Liang family, the wife of the Duke of the State.

Her maiden name was Wei, and others respectfully called her Lady Wei.

Ying Shi was so familiar with Lady Wei, she had spent years treating her like a mother, asking after her health every day, and being by her side without fail.

In the years when Liang Ji was dead, the two of them had been like mother and daughter, with their bond being the talk of the capital.

But later, when Liang Ji returned—

All that faith Ying Shi had built with Lady Wei collapsed. She no longer had any hopes except for asking Lady Wei to help her.

Ying Shi hoped that, given their close relationship, Lady Wei would help her, let her divorce Liang Ji, and stop making things difficult for her.

But what did Lady Wei do? Despite treating Ying Shi like her own daughter, she immediately abandoned her without mercy.

The dignified and imposing matron of the noble family shook her fan and carelessly advised Ying Shi, "What man in this world doesn't have multiple wives? Your husband, my son, has returned, and that is a blessing from heaven. You are the legitimate wife of the Liang family. Why act like a jealous woman?"

"You should have softened early and reconciled with Ji'er to give birth to an heir for the Liang family!"

Lady Wei said that as long as she was around, Fu Shi would never be able to take the position of the legitimate wife.

But later, when she realized that her only grandson's status was not clear, she tried every way to convince Ying Shi to name the child under her name.

Ying Shi naturally disagreed, but before she could voice her refusal, Fu Shi came to her doorstep, pointing at her face, accusing her of malicious intentions to steal someone else's child.

This incident later spread, further staining Ying Shi's already precarious reputation.

Later, when Lady Wei saw that her only grandson's position was undermined, she privately worked to elevate Fu Shi's status, trying to raise Fu Shi to the rank of a concubine.

Then, she turned around and began to cry to Ying Shi about her own hardship.

She said that it was because Ying Shi and Liang Ji were at odds, the legitimate son had not yet appeared, and Liang Ji was about to leave for the battlefield again. That was why she had no choice but to act this way—

"Ah, Ruan?" Lady Wei, noticing that Ying Shi was staring at her with a dazed expression, furrowed her brows, but didn't suspect anything unusual.

At this moment, she was very affectionate towards Ying Shi, seeing her in a daze and stepping forward to remind her, "Ji'er's funeral... Yesterday, you were perfectly fine. Why do you seem absent today? The one who just arrived is the cousin from the next house, a respected elder, with successful children. You should have been more considerate; if she's left alone and upset, she might speak ill of you to the old lady later. Don't let her go and tell others that we neglected you…"

Lady Wei babbled on, but Ying Shi could only hear four words — "Shun Gong's funeral."

No, wasn't this her own funeral?

How had she come back to life?

Why was it Liang Ji who had died?

In an instant, Ying Shi was overwhelmed with a massive headache from all the questions.

With the overwhelming sense of confusion and fear, she thought this must be the underworld, with these spirits disguised as humans playing tricks on her.

Ying Shi pinched her own arm hard.

It hurt, and it didn't feel fake.

Looking around the mourning hall, everything seemed so real... but she didn't believe it!

Ying Shi, with a numb expression, began asking everyone around her, "Where is the coffin? Where has the coffin been placed?"

The people around her were taken aback by her strange words but still pointed to a nearby incense room, hesitantly replying, "The third master's coffin has been placed in the incense room..."

Lady Wei couldn't help but frown, walking up to grab Ying Shi's sleeve, her tone now more serious, "Could you be exhausted from the morning? Why are you talking nonsense?"

At this point, Ying Shi didn't hear anything else. As soon as she heard the coffin was in the incense room, she didn't even think and tried to rush in.

Her chaotic behavior made Lady Wei feel repulsed. She couldn't understand why this daughter-in-law, who had been so well-behaved, had suddenly gone mad.

It was her son's funeral, and the incense room was a sacred space to worship the ancestors, a place men could enter. How could a woman dare to enter and act recklessly?

Lady Wei sternly ordered the surrounding servants, "Hurry up and stop the young madam. Don't cause a scene in the mourning hall. It will make others laugh."

The servants didn't dare to delay, and they grabbed Ying Shi from all sides. "Third Young Madam! You're confused! You can't make a scene here."

The Liang family, with its long-established aristocratic status, had strict rules. The incense room was for the family's ancestors, and no women dared enter. If they failed to stop Ying Shi from entering, they would be in trouble.

Ying Shi, whose young body was still in good condition compared to her future frailty, grew extremely irritated. She shook off the servants with difficulty and, seeing them approaching again, pushed the nearest one back with all her strength.

The servant at the front lost her balance and collided with the maids behind her, toppling backward in a chain reaction, ending up crashing into Lady Wei, almost knocking her down.

"Ah! My waist!" A series of painful cries erupted outside the mourning hall.

Many people hadn't noticed before, but now the loud cries attracted their attention.

Ying Shi ignored them, her face as pale as a corpse, lifting her skirt and stepping over the stairs and thresholds, charging into the incense room, a place no woman had stepped into since it was repaired.

The room was filled with incense and candles, their flickering lights casting soft shadows.

The Liang family's ancestral tablets stood in order according to age and seniority. A large incense burner stood in front, and a golden offering table sat below. The coffin lay at the center of the room, with a new spirit tablet placed on top.

As she drew closer, Ying Shi saw the tablet placed on the black coffin, reading the name "Liang Ji."

Liang Gong, posthumously named Shun Gong, aged 20.

Shun Gong was Liang Ji's courtesy name.

Twenty? Twenty?!

The solemn and cold scene suddenly made Ying Shi's chaotic emotions calm down.

She belatedly realized... this was real?

Liang Ji had indeed died once at the age of 20.

Or, rather, this was the time...