Chapter 18: The Boundless Inferno of a Past Life

Darkness gradually descended upon the sky.

The banquet at the Regent’s estate was in full swing, but the conflict between the two princesses and the new Regent’s Consort had caused unease among some of the officials. After the Empress Dowager and the Emperor left, many of the royalist officials followed suit.

Those who remained were mostly officials loyal to the Regent, with many young people among them. They toasted and drank, played finger-guessing games, and the atmosphere was lively and noisy.

In contrast, Golden Courtyard was much quieter.

After Ji Yucang left, he did not return to Golden Courtyard that night.

Shen Ning, sitting alone in the bridal chamber, did not bother to ponder the reasons why the groom did not enter the room.

Although she was now married to Ji Yucang, to her, he was still a somewhat unfamiliar stranger. There was no emotional bond between them.

Perhaps he was delayed by matters in the front courtyard, after all, the incident that occurred today was not trivial. It was quite serious within the imperial clan, and he needed to deal with the aftermath.

Perhaps he married her for reasons known only to him. He only wanted a wife, feelings, whether they shared a bed, or her chastity, were unimportant. He simply needed a wife.

Or maybe he was suffering from a bout of severe poisoning, enduring the torment alone, unwilling to let others see his pain and dishevelment.

Shen Ning did not know, nor was she interested in knowing.

Under the care of her maidservants, she washed off her elaborate makeup, let down her jet-black hair, and after changing into more comfortable clothes, she lay down on the bed alone.

Closing her eyes, the scene of her death involuntarily resurfaced in her mind.

It was also her wedding night, with the same phoenix coronet and red wedding garments, the bridal chamber illuminated by candles, the room filled with an air of celebration.

The man, his eyes brimming with deep affection, gently offered her a cup of wine. His gaze was tender, his smile warm and soft. But after drinking the nuptial cup, what followed was a sharp pain in her abdomen, and the strength in her body slowly faded away.

Blood continued to spill from her mouth, feeling like a countless needles piercing her internal organs, causing pain so intense she almost writhed on the bed.

The man’s gentle gaze gradually turned cold, his expression becoming complex and icy: “The war goddess, whose achievements overshadowed the ruler, will disappear from this day forth. After tonight, you will be nothing but a lowly prisoner, without power, without martial arts, without confidants, without an army, and without dignity…”

That night, she experienced a pain and despair she had never known before. The betrayal of her beloved sent her plummeting into an abyss, enduring torture that made life unbearable for an entire day, until she finally succumbed to exhaustion and fainted the next morning.

She thought she was dead.

Little did she know, that was only the beginning of her inferno.

The sharp whip lashed against her body, splattering blood, the excruciating pain of her fingers being crushed, and the helplessness after her tendons were severed.

Overnight, she fell from the lofty position of a war goddess into the depths of an inferno, becoming a worthless piece of meat to be slaughtered at will, subjected to humiliation… hundreds of days and nights of imprisonment, hundreds of days and nights of torture, trampling her dignity and pride into dust.

She was like a stray dog, barely surviving.

Shen Ning slowly opened her eyes, her gaze filled with desolation and solitude, then gradually giving way to boundless hatred.

In an instant, all drowsiness vanished.

Shen Ning took a deep breath, got up from the bed, and stood by the window, looking out into the dark night.

Lights flickered within the estate, with red lanterns hanging inside and outside the courtyard, signifying the day’s festive atmosphere.

Shen Ning looked down at her hands, gently caressing her wrists, which were intact, not pierced by a dagger, her tendons still unsevered.

This was the body of another person, new and unblemished.

Heaven had given her a chance to be reborn, not to continue living as Shen Ning, who was despised by her family, but to give her an opportunity for revenge, to one day, filled with hatred, overthrow that filthy dynasty, kill all the malevolent and treacherous betrayers, and to make all those who wronged her suffer a living hell.

It was not to let her continue to be lost in so-called romantic love, only to experience the taste of betrayal once again.

“Consort.” Shi Qin stood behind her, speaking respectfully, “The Prince Regent has just sent word that he has matters to attend to tonight and asks the Consort to rest first.”

Shen Ning did not speak, closing the window with her hand, her voice indifferent: “Who is Princess Jiahe?”

“She is the current Emperor’s elder sister, the legitimate daughter of the late Emperor, and the Empress Dowager’s biological daughter.” Shi Qin replied respectfully. “As for Princess Jiayu, her birth mother has passed away, and she was raised under the Empress Dowager’s care since childhood. Therefore, she has a good relationship with Princess Jiahe, always inseparable.”

No wonder they were so arrogant.

Unfortunately, they seemed not to have understood their situation.

Under the Regent’s control of the court, even the Empress Dowager and the Emperor were not free to act as they wished. How dare these two princesses behave so recklessly in the Regent’s estate?

“You may all leave.” Shen Ning said calmly.

“Yes.”

This night was destined to be sleepless. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw the moment of betrayal before her death. The man she had loved for ten years since childhood, when he betrayed her, was so cruel and heartless, destroying her both physically and mentally.

Emotions truly were the cheapest things in the world.

Shen Ning stood by the window all night, thinking the entire time, deepening her hatred with each recollection, discarding all emotions, freezing her seven emotions and six desires. From then on, she lived for only one goal.

…

After dawn, maidservants came in to assist with washing and dressing, and a dedicated wardrobe official presented several newly made outfits for Shen Ning to choose her preferred style and color.

Shi Qin and Shi Qi served Shen Ning with her change of clothes, their eyes downcast.

Once everything was in order, the dining official arrived with several attendants to serve the meal.

Changing clothes, washing, dressing up, eating, and living—the maidservants attended to her meticulously and without the slightest error.

It seemed as if in an instant, she had become someone of high status once again.

The breakfast was sumptuous, with a variety of steamed buns, fried dumplings, soups, and congees, both savory and sweet, all at the disposal of the Regent’s Consort.

From the meals, it was evident that the Regent treated his Consort with respect. Even though he had not come the previous night, the new Consort’s position in the estate was such that no one could afford to neglect or treat her casually.

Shen Ning sat at the table, silently eating her breakfast.

As long as the food was not poisoned, she did not care much about what she ate. Having spent ten years on the battlefield, she had grown accustomed to all kinds of hardships. She could enjoy delicacies from land and sea, and also adapt to simple fare.

Having grown accustomed to difficult environments, she was instead wary of places of comfort and luxury.

When faced with adversity, people could often muster a strong will, but comfort and luxury could corrode the heart, inflating desires and turning people into something neither human nor ghost.

“Regent Consort.” An older woman stepped over the threshold, followed by four maidservants, “According to imperial customs, on the second day of the grand wedding, the new Regent Consort should enter the palace to pay respects to the Grand Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager, listen to the Grand Empress Dowager’s rules, and then go to pay respects to the Emperor.”

Shen Ning looked at her expressionlessly, without saying a word.

The older woman’s face turned cold: “Princess Consort, did you hear what I said?”

“This is Mama Wu, also the Stewardess of the Regent’s estate.” Shi Qin stood to the side, diligently introducing Shen Ning, “She entered the estate when the Regent’s plaque was changed, following the orders of the Empress Dowager.”

The two simple sentences were full of significance.

The change of the Regent’s plaque naturally occurred after the late Emperor’s passing, when Ji Yucang was appointed as the Regent, and the old woman sent by the Empress Dowager would naturally be loyal to her.

Mama Wu thought that once Shen Ning learned of her identity, her attitude would become more respectful and courteous. She stood there arrogantly, waiting for Shen Ning to put on a smile and speak to her cautiously.

However, Shen Ning continued eating her breakfast, not even bothering to look up, her voice indifferent: “I don’t like that Empress Dowager, and I have no interest in meeting her.”

Mama Wu’s eyes widened, momentarily thinking she had misheard: “You… what did you say?”