Chapter 004: A New Journey

Mrs. Fu staggered unexpectedly!

Liang Ning, who was in the midst of the joy of meeting a benefactor by chance, instinctively supported her, then sharply turned to Fu Yun—

Everything she faced after waking up was distressing, except for the presence of this gentle and kind lady, which brought comfort to her heart.

She didn't expect to suddenly be slapped, let alone that the slap and the scolding came from the man earlier!

He was her husband, and he actually hit her?!

If earlier Liang Ning was still reluctant to engage with him due to unclear circumstances, now, with a slap like that, it was as if she got slapped herself, igniting her fury!

She kicked high, aiming at the man's chest with force!

—What nerve! Daring to act violently before her!

Nobody could predict this scene, hence, amidst a startled shout mixed with panic-stricken screams, the man was sent flying three to five steps back!

The servants screamed in shock, rushing over to support him.

"Zhen Er!"

"Wow! This sister is amazing!"

Just as Mrs. Fu exclaimed in surprise, several small heads popped out from behind a tree not far away, a line of three or four children aged six or seven clapping vigorously, their voices overpowering her exclamation and Fu Rou's screams.

Only then did Liang Ning notice that, at some point, a few people were already watching the scene from a distance. Among them, two gazes were particularly sharp, but it was too far to discern their true features.

"You unfilial daughter!"

The man who had already sat up pointed at her, cursing tremblingly. Hearing this address, Liang Ning couldn't help but take it seriously.

They weren't speaking nonsense; they genuinely regarded her as "daughter" and "sister"!

How could this be?

Her mind was pounding like a drum!

Gazing at the ancient temple at the foot of the mountain, she suddenly dashed downhill!

"Zhen Er!"

Mrs. Fu called hoarsely, then immediately pursued after her.

Those distant gazes gradually retracted as well, amidst low murmurs, a detached voice spoke to the little heads behind the tree: "Alright, time to go."

Liang Ning recognized this cliff, naturally familiar with the temple's terrain.

She went downhill into the temple and rushed directly to the Zen temple where she used to stay!

The Zen temple door was already locked, dust coated the windows and doors, and dust had accumulated in the eaves' corners, where newly sprouted weeds had taken root, swaying lushly in the wind.

She swallowed hard and took a step forward, finally reaching the Buddha hall where she awaited Xu Yin that night.

The sunlight piercing through gaps in the flourishing flowers stung her eyes like needles.

A row of three rooms, originally enshrining Buddha, with tables, couches, and portraits of the Liang Family's heroes, but now it's all turned to scorched earth. No, even the original appearance of the scorched earth has been blurred by dust and sand!

Liang Ning lifted her feet, just stepping over the former threshold, she heard Mrs. Fu's shrill shout from behind: "Zhen Er, stop!—"

Liang Ning did not stop.

She walked around the room, tracing her steps. Memories resurfaced inch by inch with her footsteps.

The wind brushing her face turned into the fierce fire of that night.

The rustling of the mountain trees became chilling, bone-penetrating words lingering in her ears.

It wasn't a dream, not an illusion; she had indeed been burned once, and now her soul inexplicably resided within Fu Zhen's body!

"Come out! Come back with me!"

Mrs. Fu rushed in, forcefully pulling her out.

This place was ultimately not somewhere to roam freely, especially for someone with a declared death date; it was even more ominous!

But Mrs. Fu couldn't move someone capable of kicking a robust man into the air. Ultimately, she broke down in helpless tears.

Liang Ning unconsciously supported her, looking at the red handprint on her face, muttering, "What happened to the person in the fire?"

Mrs. Fu raised tearful eyes, taking a while to suppress the turmoil within her: "That night, the fire engulfed the sky, half her body turned to charred remains… only the face and chest pressed face down against the ground somewhat preserved their appearance.

"...Zhen Er, why did you suddenly run here?"

Liang Ning did not speak.

After her death, only the front remained intact, meaning it was enough to identify the true self. Therefore, her body was incinerated by that fire while her soul inhabited Fu Zhen's body.

Even if she hadn't died, she couldn't return to the Liang Family.

She had become the Fu Family's eldest daughter, subject to being killed or cursed at will, and just moments ago, she had personally kicked her father into the air!

Liang Ning clutched her head, which felt tightly congested with a tangled mess.

The prior headache surged up again.

"It's not my fault..."

As this nonsense statement slipped out of her mouth, as she realized it was her own words, Liang Ning widened her eyes in astonishment!

All of a sudden, numerous images gushed into her mind!

These images were surprisingly familiar, as if deeply embedded within her soul...

They chronicled everything from "Fu Zhen" starting to remember events until the moment before her fall from the cliff, countless people and events now burst like a carousel, cycling before her eyes!

Liang Ning held her head, struck speechless by shock.

In extreme sorrow, the body that had been infused with Liang Ning's soul ended up releasing Fu Zhen's memories. At this moment, Liang Ning was thoroughly acquainted with Fu Zhen's entire life!

"Mother!"

She looked up at Mrs. Fu, her emotions nearly uncontrollable.

It was unimaginable that she had become someone else...

By utilizing Fu Zhen's five senses, she now possessed a boudoir girl's understanding of her current situation.

She knew this was still the empire established by the founding emperor of Great Zhou, it was the 22nd year of Shengyuan, six years after her death.

She also knew the prolonged northern border war had ended last winter; the court won, and peace prevailed throughout the realm.

She saw everything the mother and daughter experienced in the past, and she understood all of Mrs. Fu's sorrows! She knew all the ugliness hidden beneath the Fu Family's prestige!

She also learned that the original was born with an illness, and since childhood, was deemed to live a short life. Her half-sister bullied her weak and disabled body secretly all the time.

All the bizarre conflicts earlier now had explanations...

Her "father," Fu Yun, might as well have had the words "favor concubine, destroy wife, treacherous" plastered on his forehead!

It took being burned once to realize there were so many scumbags in the world!...

"Zhen Er," Mrs. Fu wiped her tears, panic on her face, "We should head back, earlier you... he's your biological father, in any case, you shouldn't have acted impulsively earlier. Just one word of filial piety is enough to take your life!

"If we don't leave, it's only going to get harder to clean up the mess!"

She didn't know why frail Fu Zhen suddenly had the strength to knock down the robust Fu Yun? Or where the guts came from to hit her own father?

But now wasn't the time to explore these questions; she needed to quickly handle the situation to avoid further infuriating Fu Yun and bringing more trouble to Fu Zhen!

Seeing her so terrified, Liang Ning had a sudden pang of sympathy.

She wanted to say it was because the wretched man hit you first, even if he's the father, she wasn't afraid of him! He was wrong; she wouldn't be afraid even if she broke both his legs!

But she held her tongue, after all.

If she were still Liang Ning, she could easily take care of Fu Rou, ensuring she'd never do evil again, then give Fu Yun a beating, even report him to the Imperial Censor for failing to maintain family order, making him suffer on the court; it was no big deal.

But she was no longer Liang Ning.

She didn't have the identity of Miss Liang anymore, nor the achievements she made in the Northwest, which, although weren't outstanding, still earned some praise in the palace and court. She no longer had the foundation to be arrogant.

Similarly, she couldn't act as recklessly as before, dealing with villains according to her own will.

Now she only had her remaining martial arts to rely on. Naturally, she could just leave and distance herself from the Fu Family's mess. Even if she couldn't return to the Liang Family, her future days wouldn't be too bad.

But if she left, what would become of Mrs. Fu?

The fire had already burned Liang Ning's body to ashes, and "Liang Ning" couldn't live again.

It's only thanks to Fu Zhen's physical body that her unwilling soul had somewhere to reside, preventing it from becoming a wandering soul.

Mrs. Fu was the mother of this body; henceforth, she would be her biological mother as well. Could she really leave her mother behind?

Mrs. Fu, with her fragile strength, was the one who bravely sheltered the unfamiliar Liang Ning during that perilous night!...

This wasn't just someone who needed her protection; it was someone indebted to her in both lifetimes.

Liang Ning raised her arm, embracing the grief-stricken Mrs. Fu beside her, as if sheltering a drifting leaf in the wind.

"Don't be sad, Mother! I have a plan for this; even if he's my father, I'm no longer who I was."

From this moment on, she was truly Fu Zhen.

She would shoulder the responsibilities of an eldest daughter and sister, taking care of her mother and younger brother, mired in the quagmire.

She would obviously also protect herself to ensure scumbag men and vile women wouldn't take the slightest advantage!

She would vow to fulfill Liang Ning's last wish, exacting vengeance on that dog Xu Yin! She would wipe away the thick dust covering justice and kindness, allowing them to shine once more!

Liang Ning is dead, but her indomitable soul will not perish! Even if she embarked on a different path, she would continue to tread it resolutely and fearlessly.