Chapter 1 : Why are you in such a hurry?

The setting sun melts into gold, the afterglow turns beautiful, and suddenly heavy snow begins to fall.

Inside the Hibiscus Palace, the heating cage crackles and the hot steam rose up.

The glass lamps cast a colorful of light, illuminating the beauty on the chaise longue, making her look gorgeous, with bright eyes, white teeth, and skin as white as snow.

Cui Yunzhao jade hand lightly turns a page of the book. Her dazzling eyes seem to hold the brilliance of countless stars, shining brightly.

By the side of the chaise longue, the plump and round-faced Tao Fei lit a new incense stick and said in a clear voice, “Madam, it’s snowing heavily outside. If you’re cold, I can have someone prepare another heating cage.”

Cui Yunzhao puts down her book, sits up slightly, and squints out the window.

The afterglow of the setting sun shine onto the window, casting a lingering shadow that just happens to reflect a tall, mottled figure.

Cui Yunzhao’s heart trembled slightly, and she focuses her gaze. There’s no tall figure there, only the quiet standing sycamore tree.

She presses her lips together and suddenly breaks into a beautiful smile.

“Girl Feifei, what kind of man do you like?”

The young maidservant, Tao Fei, who is currently attending to the tea, blushes and shyly looks at the smiling, beautiful lady.

“Madam, I, I like a cultured and gentle scholar.”

Madam Cui Yunzhao, known for her good temper and kindness to the servants around her, receives this answer with gentle warmth, allowing the young maid to speak freely.

Upon hearing this, Cui Yunzhao’s phoenix eyes lower slightly, and a casual smile spreads across her lips.

“Scholars?” Her voice carries a hint of indolence, “What’s good about scholars? They are skinny and have less than of flesh. They don’t look majestic at all.”

Cui Yunzhao, born into the illustrious Cui family of Bo Ling, a famous scholarly family. The young maid’s admiration for scholars was likely meant to please her.

Unexpectedly, the lady’s comment leaves the maid a bit stunned, and she instinctively asks, “Then what kind of man is good?”

Cui Yunzhao suddenly lifts her eyes, a trace of indescribable nostalgia in them.

Her voice, accompanied by the curling green smoke, was like boiling water, creating ripples in the little maid’s heart that could not be calmed down.

“For men, of course, the best are those tall and mighty generals,” Cui Yunzhao’s lips curl into a smile, her eyes sparkling with charm, “A good man naturally has strong arms and a slim waist, tall and long-legged, and especially that well-defined musculine, just a light touch, oh…”

At this point, she is interrupted by Tao Fei, who is now blushing deeply “Madam…”

Cui Yunzhao pauses briefly, glances at Tao Fei, and then bursts into a charming laugh.

“Alright, alright, I’m not teasing you anymore.”

The young maid’s face remains flushed, but she doesn’t dare to say more. Instead, she wonders to herself, Is Madam referring to the current Emperor?

It is widely known that the lady married His Majesty when she was eighteen, and they spent several years together. However, due to discord, they eventually divorced.

Yet, within two years after their separation, Huo Tan who was the governor at that time, ascended the throne, expanding the empire and establishing a vast territory.

Probably due to their shared hardships in the past, His Majesty bestowed the title of Lady An Ning upon Cui Yunzhao, granting her residence in the Changle Villa at the foot of Qingfeng Mountain in  Fulu, with a salary comparable to that of a prince.

Despite this, everyone in Bian Jing laughed at Cui Yunzhao for being blind and missing out on the throne of Queen.

The young maid, lost in thought, didn’t hear Cui Yunzhao voice.

Cui Yunzhao furrows her brows slightly and raises her voice, “Tao Fei, why aren’t you opening the door yet?”

The young maid quickly stands up and goes to open the door.

A cold breeze sweeps in, carrying with it the fresh scent of snow and a hint of bitter medicinal aroma.

Carrying the medicine is Old Aunt Ningzi, who serves the lady’s medicinal needs. Behind her is a servant whose face is not visible, bowing to put away an umbrella.

Ningzi enters the Hibiscus Palace carrying the medicine, walked quickly behind the screen, and half-knelt beside the chaise longue.

“Madam, it’s time for your medicine.”

With her arrival, a gust of cold wind blows in.

Cui Yunzhao suddenly feels a shiver in her heart, an indescribable sadness welling up within her.

She lowers her gaze, looking at the bitter medicine on the tray, and sighs softly.

“Why still take this?”

Ningzi, usually expressionless, lifts her eyes to glance at her with a hint of caution.

“Madam, it’s necessary to take it.”

Cui Yunzhao nods. She wants to live long enough to see what kind of empire Huo Tan will build, so she needs to keep herself in good health.

Ningzi hands her the medicine, and Cui Yunzhao swallows it in one gulp, feeling an indescribable bitterness.

“Why is today’s medicine so bitter?”

She complains with a hint of a pout.

Ningzi, seemingly helpless, picks a candied fruit from the tray and brings it to Cui Yunzhao’s lips.

Cui Yunzhao eats the candied fruit and takes the handkerchief from Tao Fei to gently wipe her lips.

“You’re still the best…”

As soon as she says these words, a sharp pain surges through her limbs and body.

The handkerchief she was holding falls to the ground like a winter leaf, wilted and pitiful.

Endless pain screams in her mind, blood gushes from her mouth and nose, and she feels as if she’s a puppet struggling helplessly in agony.

She has never felt such pain in her life.

“Ah! Someone, call the doctor!”

Cui Yunzhao sees nothing but red, and the pain almost drowns out the panicked voices around her. She suddenly realizes that she is close to death.

After four years of enjoying the comforts of being Lady An Ning, she finally cannot savor this immense fortune.

“Who… I…” Cui Yunzhao struggles to speak but can only utter these two words.

Her eyes wander around the Hibiscus Palace, not knowing what she’s searching for. Amidst the sea of red, she catches a glimpse of a shadow outside the window once more.

In her twenty-eight years of life, the last words she hears are, “That person’s heart is truly ruthless.”

The voice is cold and piercing, carrying a chilling edge.

But Cui Yunzhao can see nothing anymore.

In the final moments before death, she thought, Huo Tan, is it you who wants to kill me?

——

Suddenly, loud noises ring in her ears.

Cui Yunzhao feels a shiver run through her body, as if something fleeting has passed through her soul. She instinctively opens her eyes, only to still see a world drenched in red.

Cui Yunzhao feels her heart pounding, the pain spreading from her chest. She instinctively clutches the collar of her clothes, only to touch a smooth jade pendant that she thought she had lost long ago.

She can’t tell whether she is alive or dead, whether she is a person or a ghost.

As Cui Yunzhao was stunned, a familiar yet strange voice suddenly speaks in her ear, “Miss, what’s wrong? Are you scared?”

Cui Yunzhao looks up abruptly, and the blood-red mist before her seems to sway with her movement. Along with it comes the sound of jingling bells.

She is momentarily stunned.

Cui Yunzhao extends her hand in disbelief, gently touching the red mist infront of her.

It turns out to be a brocade veil.

It’s not blood she vomited, nor red mist, but the red wedding veil she wore on the day she married Huo Tan ten years ago.

Cui Yunzhao lifts the veil, and the sight before her is illuminated by the light of many candles.

A person who has long passed stands beside her, looking at her with a worried expression.

“Miss, what happened to you?”

Cui Yunzhao shakes her head, trying to wake herself up.

After a moment, she looks up at the maid, Li Qing, with a trembling voice, “Li Qing?”

The maid, Li Qing, quickly responds, “Miss, I’m here.”

Cui Yunzhao’s thoughts swirl for an instant. She struggles to hold back her tears and asks, “Am I marrying Huo Tan?”

The question seems strange, but thinking about the frustrating marriage, tears also shimmer in Li Qing’s eyes.

“Miss, the marriage has been arranged. Don’t be too upset.”

Cui Yunzhao isn’t upset, she only feels a tremor in her heart, and an indescribable joy begins to fill her.

For the past four years, as Lady An Ning, her life was comfortable and idle, so she read many books.

Among them was a book about supernatural beings and strange tales that she particularly enjoyed.

Could it be…

Cui Yunzhao’s eyes suddenly light up.

Could it be that she has been reborn and returned to ten years ago?

Thinking this, she reaches out to Li Qing, indicating her to lower her head.

When her delicate hands touch Li Qing’s thin face, the warmth of Li Qing’s body instantly warms her fingers.

“Oh, Miss…” Li Qing winces in pain from the pinch but dares not say much due to the presence of the matchmaker outside.

Cui Yunzhao feels a wave of softness and joy in her heart.

Thank goodness, thank goodness, Li Qing is still alive, and so is she.

While the two are talking, there is suddenly a commotion outside.

Cui Yunzhao had good hearing and immediately heard the bridesmaid’s voice “Groom, you’ve finally arrived. If you don’t come soon, the bride will be waiting anxiously.”

Cui Yunzhao furrows her brows, quickly withdrawing her hand and lowering the veil back over her face.

The red mist once again obscures her vision, hiding her curiosity and contemplation from Li Qing.

Being reborn is enigmatic and mysterious, especially returning to ten years ago.

Those ten years were detailed and long, she can remember every day and night, every moment of joy, anger, and sorrow.

It must not be a dream.

If it isn’t a dream, then who was it that poisoned her in the fourth year of Jian Yuan?

As Cui Yunzhao ponders this, the door is suddenly thrown open with a loud bang.

A clear voice tinged with the smell of alcohol rings out in the room “What’s the rush? Here I am.”

Cui Yunzhao squints her eyes and instantly recognizes the owner of the voice.

It is her former husband, who later became the founding emperor of the Great Chu, Huo Tan.

As Cui Yunzhao thinks, a warm, alcohol-scented figure envelops her.

The man is a head taller than her, with a strong physique. Having spent years leading troops into battle, he is well-built with broad shoulders and a slim waist, and his figure is long and graceful.

He sits down next to her, and the closeness causes their breaths to mingle, making her heart beat a little faster.

Huo Tan, coming from a military background, values quick and decisive actions on the battlefield, and he does not tolerate hesitation. He moves to embrace her slender waist without hesitation.

The matchmaker and the family women have not yet entered the room, and he is already behaving without any restraint.

But in the next moment, the delicate, soft hand of the beauty firmly clasps his sturdy wrist.

Her gentle and warm voice, like a pearl in the darkness, whispers in Huo Tan’s ear “Why are you in such a hurry?”