Chapter 1: Rebirth – Weren’t You Already Dead?

So thirsty… Mother, I want water…

“Mo…ther…”

She struggled to squeeze out a few slurred words, and a searing pain ripped through Shen Xingwan’s throat.

With no response for a long time, she felt as if her entire body had been crushed, unable to breathe. The deafening sound of weeping filled her ears, and the thick stench of blood made her gag.

Perhaps the violent retching forced her eyes open—only to come face-to-face with a pair of lifeless, hollow eyes.

“Ah!!!”

Shen Xingwan screamed, trying to push the person away, but as she turned her head slightly, she was horrified to find that the owner of those eyes… was her mother! Her mother was lying heavily atop her.

The shock and pain pierced her heart. She tried to support her mother, but found that her own hands and feet were bound tightly and completely immobile.

An arm slipped down from her side. Shen Xingwan turned her eyes and was shocked to see her brother’s pale, lifeless face resting beside their mother’s shoulder. He had long stopped breathing, yet his body was still positioned protectively.

“Brother…” A metallic tang of blood rose up her throat, blurring her vision.

The screams never ceased. “Mother! I’m scared! I’m scared!” Shen Xingwan heard the cries and shrieks of a child. Struggling to move her gaze, she saw a Xiuchun knife drive straight into the back of a little girl not far away.

The small body collapsed beside a mound of corpses. Bright red blood soaked into the white stone tiles. Shen Xingwan recognized the girl as the youngest daughter of the household cook.

Memories surged like a tidal wave. Suddenly, she remembered—

Her entire family had been executed.

Heh… Not even in her wildest dreams had she imagined she would be executed along with her whole household on the day of her wedding—by the very emperor she had personally helped ascend the throne.

As the legitimate daughter of the Prime Minister’s household, her father held immense power at court. Countless noble sons had vied to marry her, the most prestigious woman in the state of Wei. Yet she had chosen, against all odds, the third prince who had fearlessly jumped into Yiyue Lake—despite not knowing how to swim—to save her.

For his sake, Shen Xingwan had persuaded her father and brother to rally the entire clan’s support for him to seize the throne. She even schemed relentlessly to eliminate his greatest threat, the Regent Prince, Yan Jinghuan.

It seemed to fulfill the prophecy foretold by the Court Astrologer: “The legitimate daughter of the Shen family is the incarnation of the phoenix. He who gains her shall gain the world.” The third prince finally swept away all obstacles and claimed the throne.

She offered him a glorious empire; he promised her mutual respect and companionship. It should have been a beautiful tale. But who could have foreseen that the moment he seized power, he would bare his fangs without hesitation?

The new emperor’s coronation, on the same day as his wedding to the Prime Minister’s daughter, should have been the grandest affair in the world.

But as she entered Qitai Hall wearing a bright red wedding dress and a feathered fan covering her face, filled with hopes of a happy future, she was shocked to see another elegant figure standing beside the emperor—also dressed in red phoenix robes with a feathered fan covering her face.

Shen Xingwan’s heart filled with suspicion and confusion. In front of the gathered officials, she couldn’t create a scene. She looked toward the emperor standing at the center of the hall.

Sensing her presence, the woman in phoenix robes slowly lowered her feathered fan, revealing a pair of bright, glistening eyes. With a sweet smile and playful tone, she said, “Sister, you’re finally here. I’ve been waiting for you.”

“How dare you!”

Shen Xingwan’s fury surged. “Who are you to commit such a breach of protocol?”

The woman froze for a moment, then looked up at the emperor beside her. He raised his hand and pulled her into his arms. Emboldened, the woman gave Shen Xingwan a smug glance.

“Sister, you don’t recognize me?”

She slowly lowered her fan and said mockingly, “We were both granted titles today. Don’t you know? You are the Eastern Palace Empress, and I am the Western Palace Empress. We are equals. What breach of protocol is there?”

Tang Lin’er?

Shen Xingwan finally recognized that delicate face—her distant cousin who had lost both parents and been taken in by the Shen family.

A few years ago, Tang Lin’er’s family fell into ruin. Her parents died of illness, and out of pity, Shen Xingwan’s mother brought her into the household. Understanding her dependent status, she had always behaved timidly and spoke little. How had she suddenly become the so-called Western Palace Empress?

“What do you have to say for yourself?” Shen Xingwan clenched her fists within her sleeves, glaring at the emperor.

The emperor raised his head. His eyes were calm as he said indifferently, “I made you the Eastern Empress. That fulfills my promise.”

Shen Xingwan laughed bitterly. “Fulfills your promise?” She looked at his arm around Tang Lin’er. “When did your affair begin?”

The emperor frowned. Tang Lin’er quickly replied, “Sister, please don’t slander me. His Majesty and I knew each other from childhood and made vows early on. When he saved you that day, you said you were moved by him. I’m just a lonely orphan—how could I compete with you? I merely stepped aside in silence.”

“Stepped aside in silence?!” Shen Xingwan turned to the emperor. “Made vows early on? Then why did you pursue me?!”

The emperor remained silent.

Shen Xingwan gave a bitter smile. She understood now. Why had he pursued her?

There is nothing more heartless than a royal. As an ambitious prince, what could he possibly want?

Getting close to her was nothing more than a ploy to gain access to the power behind her—her family’s influence, the throne.

She dropped her fan, raised her hand to remove the jeweled phoenix crown. The pearls and jade tumbled down the steps. Without a backward glance, she turned and walked away.

“Shen Xingwan!” the emperor bellowed. “The ceremony isn’t over. Where are you going?”

Without looking back, Shen Xingwan sneered and kept walking.

“Stop her!” he ordered. The palace guards moved to block her path.

“I dare anyone to try!”

Shen Xingwan glared at the guards with steely eyes. They hesitated and didn’t move. Regaining her composure, she continued walking forward.

“She mustn’t be allowed to leave!”

Tang Lin’er cried out, clinging to the emperor’s arm. “Your Majesty! If you let a tiger return to the mountain today, the consequences will be disastrous! Her father holds immense power, and her brother commands the military. If you let her go, they will rebel!”

Shen Xingwan turned back in shock and anger, looking at the emperor. She didn’t believe he truly had no feelings for her—that a few venomous words would make him harm her.

But the hesitation in his eyes was like a rusted blade driving straight into her heart.

She gave a sorrowful smile and asked softly, “Do you believe I would rebel?”

The emperor stared at her for a long time, then finally said, “Come back. Don’t miss the auspicious hour.”

Her heart went cold—bit by bit.

All the affection they’d shared over the years had been a mistake.

Shen Xingwan turned away without a trace of reluctance and lifted her skirt to walk out.

“Your Majesty! You worked so hard for the throne—don’t be soft-hearted now!” Tang Lin’er pleaded. “To gain the Shen daughter is to gain the world. But water can carry a boat, and also overturn it. You must not be careless. If the Shen faction rebels… if they ally with Yan Jinghuan and support another prince…”

“Guards!”

Before she could finish, the emperor’s expression darkened, his eyes bloodshot. “Seize Shen Xingwan!”

“Wei Zilin! Are you really going to treat me this way?!”

Shen Xingwan was grabbed by the imperial guards and forced to her knees.

“Your Majesty, you must not show mercy.” Tang Lin’er looked down at Shen Xingwan with disdain. “Being kind to the enemy is cruel to yourself. You are the true Son of Heaven—do not let some false phoenix threaten your throne. You must eradicate the threat completely.”

Tang Lin’er leaned close to the emperor’s ear, whispering seductively, “She has been so humiliated—her father and brother will surely seek revenge. Things are already beyond saving. Why not take this chance to remove the threat? Today is her wedding day—all her relatives are gathered at the Shen residence, even her brother who guards the border has returned. Why not just…”

The emperor’s lips pressed into a thin line, his eyes turning cold. “The Shen family has committed treason and harbors rebellious intentions. I, by imperial decree…”

Shen Xingwan’s heart clenched.

She heard him coldly declare: “Exterminate her entire clan.”

“Wei…”

Shen Xingwan couldn’t believe it. Before she could finish speaking, palace guards gagged her, bound her limbs, and dragged her out of the hall.

Their swift efficiency left the gathered officials stunned into silence.

This new Emperor had just emerged from a blood-soaked power struggle. The personal guards at his side were all ruthless killers, already well-practiced in wiping out rivals and annihilating entire families.

Pity the entire Prime Minister’s Manor—within moments, the grounds were drenched in blood. The Imperial Guards surrounded and slaughtered everyone. Even the musicians who had been playing joyous tunes just moments before were now lying headless on the ground.

A sudden gust of cold wind swept in, an icy chill piercing through Shen Xingwan’s bones. The surrounding noise gradually fell into silence. She lay crushed beneath a pile of corpses, unable to breathe.

Suddenly, streams of liquid carrying a pungent odor were poured over the heap of bodies, trickling down through limbs and onto her. It was the stench of kerosene. She knew—it was all about to end.

Yet this regret… would never see the light of day again. Her friends and family who had suffered because of her, the scum she had helped onto the throne, and the treacherous woman who repaid kindness with betrayal—she hated them. She hated them to the core. But there was nothing she could do.

She despised this helplessness.

The torch dropped. Flames roared into the sky, as if a towering sea of resentment was devouring everything.

Pain was the last sensation she felt. Shen Xingwan’s vision went black, and she lost all consciousness.

---

“Miss, wake up quickly. Cheng Garden is just ahead—we need to get ready to get off.”

Her arm was gently shaken. Shen Xingwan let out a muffled groan and struggled to open her eyes.

“You only said you’d rest for a bit, but you ended up sleeping so deeply. Even your hairpins are crooked. Let me fix them for you…”

“Feiyun?”

Shen Xingwan grabbed the hand reaching out to her and stared in disbelief. “Weren’t you already dead?”

Feiyun was stunned for a moment, then let out a small laugh and gently adjusted the hairpin at Shen Xingwan’s temple. “Was it a nightmare, Miss? But I’m perfectly fine, see?”

Shen Xingwan was speechless for a while. She looked around and realized she was sitting inside her once-favorite carriage.

She reached out and lifted the curtain slightly to peer outside. The carriage was speeding along a bustling street.

Looking at the all-too-familiar scenes of Bianjing’s streets, Shen Xingwan felt dazed.

Many of the buildings that had been destroyed during the palace coup now stood intact, just like before.

“You just said… where are we going?” Shen Xingwan murmured.

Feiyun was adjusting Shen Xingwan’s skirt when she looked up in confusion. “Miss, are you still half-asleep? We’re going to Cheng Garden. Today, Her Majesty the Empress Dowager has invited all the noble ladies of the capital to the palace to view the flowers. Did you forget?”

Shen Xingwan’s heart tightened, her chest pounding like a drum. She grabbed Feiyun’s hand urgently and asked, “What reign year is it now?”

Feiyun was confused by the question but, seeing her so anxious, answered honestly, “Miss, today is the sixth day of the third month, in the twenty-seventh year of Chengyuan.”

“Chengyuan?”

Shen Xingwan’s thoughts raced. She quickly realized that she had likely been reborn.

Indeed, she had attended a flower-viewing banquet hosted by the Empress Dowager in the twenty-seventh year of Chengyuan. Though officially to admire flowers, the event was actually arranged for the imperial princes to observe the noble ladies of the capital for potential marriage matches.

She would never forget—at that very banquet, the Third Prince had risked his life to save her after she fell into the water, and from that moment on, she was led down the path to the utter annihilation of her family.

Shen Xingwan pressed her lips together. Her fingertips slowly curled into fists, her delicate nails digging into her palms.

Heaven must have taken pity on her to give her another life. Since that was the case, she would never repeat the same mistakes.

Everything she had lost—she would reclaim a hundredfold!

As she was deep in thought, the carriage gradually slowed and came to a steady stop in front of Cheng Garden.

A little maid outside opened the carriage door. Feiyun helped Shen Xingwan out, and they walked out gracefully.

A palace maid, sent from the palace ahead of time, stood respectfully outside with her head lowered. When she saw Shen Xingwan, she immediately bowed and greeted her, “Greetings, Miss Shen. Please, this way.”

Shen Xingwan nodded and was just about to step forward when she heard the sound of hurried footsteps behind her.

“Sister! Sister, wait for me!”

Shen Xingwan turned and saw a small carriage following behind hers. A young woman in a pink dress was hurriedly stepping down, running up to her.

The young woman had rosy cheeks and delicate features. With careful makeup and exquisite attire, her eyes sparkled as she smiled brightly, clearly quite beautiful.

With a radiant smile, she reached out to link arms with Shen Xingwan. “Dear sister, why did you walk so fast? Let’s go together.”

Shen Xingwan subtly shifted sideways, smoothly avoiding her hand. She raised her gaze and looked at her with a half-smile.

“The Empress Dowager invited the noble ladies of the capital for the flower viewing.”

“Y-Yes, that’s right.”

The young woman’s hand had grasped at nothing, and she stood there awkwardly. “Why do you ask?”

“To go with me…”

Shen Xingwan let out a cold chuckle. “I am the only daughter of the Prime Minister, a first-rank official.”

“And what about you, Tang Lin’er—what is your status?”