If you were cold and aloof in your past life, why are you crying in this one?

People are greedy for life.

But when her eyes actually closed, Xi Lingxian only felt a sense of relief.

The only person he missed was his father, who was away suppressing the rebellion.

She wasn't a particularly outstanding child and rarely brought honor or praise to her family. Her father never criticized her; instead, he felt guilty for being too busy with official duties and spending too little time with her.

Thinking of this, she felt a pang of sadness.

How heartbroken her father will be when he returns in triumph and learns of her plight.

In the instant her mind went completely blank, she thought she must have arrived at the legendary place for reincarnation.

She tried to open her eyes, but her eyelids felt as heavy as a thousand pounds.

Well, such a major matter as reincarnation is a secret that cannot be revealed by heaven, so it's normal that they won't let us see it.

Gradually, she vaguely felt her body floating and moving, as if two forces were pulling her.

She was caught in the middle, unable to exert any strength, and didn't know where she should go.

Until a golden light flashed, one of the forces that were fighting for her suddenly disappeared, and she was taken away by another force as she wished.

"A girl?"

Who is calling her?

My eyelids twitched, and something was dangling at the tip of my eyelids, warm and slightly orange-red.

The underworld... shouldn't it be completely dark? Why are there candlelight?

Xi Lingxian suddenly opened her eyes and saw a tent ceiling that was both strange and familiar.

It wasn't the red curtain embroidered with twin lotus flowers in the Tinglan Garden of the Langya Wang Clan, but the lotus-colored curtain in her boudoir before she got married.

Why did she suddenly go home?

Could it be that the Black and White Impermanence, who are tasked with taking lives, are so reasonable that they are willing to take people back to their hometowns for a final look before taking them back to the underworld?

She stared blankly at the plum blossoms on the top of the tent, her mind a complete blank.

In any case, it's good to be able to come back and take one more look.

"The young lady is finally awake! She really frightened me!"

A soft voice came from the side.

She shuddered, turned her head and saw a rosy, round face with crescent-shaped eyes.

It is a peach branch.

Taozhi remained loyal to her even after Zhou Mama and Cailing betrayed her.

How could she...

Was it Yu who caused it? Or was it Wang Jue?

Tears suddenly fell from her eyes.

The young girl in front of her was terrified. "What's wrong, young lady? Did you have a nightmare, or are you feeling unwell? I'll go and fetch the pharmacist to take a look right away."

Pharmacist?

Are there pharmacists in the underworld? Do ghosts get sick too?

Xi Lingxian didn't think too much about it. She raised her hand to touch Taozhi's little face, but suddenly saw her own plump and well-proportioned hand.

It was fair and clean, without a trace of blood.

Although Taozhi didn't understand what the young woman wanted to do, she didn't hesitate to reach out her hand to her.

Warm and cozy.

Wait, do ghosts have a temperature?

Xi Lingxian's heart clenched suddenly. She abruptly threw off the covers, jumped off the bed barefoot, rushed to the window, raised her hand, and then stopped.

After hesitating for a moment, he tentatively reached out and pushed open the window.

Spring sunlight streamed in through the cracks in the window, warm and inviting, carrying the scent of peach blossoms and green grass from the garden.

There were also the soft, close-knit voices of maids and servants under the eaves.

Even someone as ignorant as Xi Lingxian knew that the underworld couldn't possibly look like that.

So she... isn't dead?

Could it be that Wang Jue invited a medical expert and pulled her back from the brink of death?

Taozhi looked at her strange master with a puzzled expression. Could it be that the young lady had become confused because of Young Master Wang saving Miss Xie?

"Young lady, are you angry because Young Master Wang didn't save you today?"

Save her? Wasn't it Wang Jue who saved her?

Who is that? Could it be Father returning?

Still not right.

She had been so ill that she couldn't get out of bed, and the imperial physicians in the palace had said that medicine was ineffective and she didn't have much time left.

But she felt refreshed and didn't feel uncomfortable at all.

It's so weird.

Xi Lingxian walked blankly to the dressing table, her body trembling, looking at herself in the mirror.

In the mirror, she looked no more than fifteen or sixteen years old, with a rosy complexion and fair skin, showing no signs of illness or worry.

Xi Lingxian touched her face.

At this moment, Taozhi's figure also appeared in the mirror, and the little maid's brows were almost furrowed.

Ghosts don't have shadows, let alone mirrors.

She pulled her inner garment tighter around herself, turned around, and looked at Taozhi.

"I... I'm a little sleepy. What year and month is it today?"

Although I had my suspicions, the fact was just too bizarre and absurd.

She needs confirmation.

Tao Zhi answered truthfully, "This year is the eighth year of Yonghe, and today is the sixth day of the fifth month."

With a sudden jolt in her mind, Xi Lingxian's legs went weak, and she almost lost her balance.

She married Wang Jue when she was sixteen years old in the ninth year of the Yonghe era.

In other words, she not only didn't die, but she also returned to five years ago, before she married Wang Jue.

Did she really die in her past life?

This is outrageous.

Is she a human or a ghost?

She pinched her thigh, arm, and cheek, and the pain made her gasp for breath.

"Young lady?" Taozhi was startled by her behavior and quickly grabbed her hand. "Why are you pinching yourself?"

Xi Lingxian felt a lump in her throat.

This is not a dream, and she is not a ghost.

She is really back!

Xi Lingxian closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

When he opened his eyes again, they were calm again.

"It's nothing, I just had a nightmare, it was kind of scary, and I'm worried I'm still dreaming."

Tao Zhi breathed a sigh of relief and then smiled, "Don't worry, young lady, it's good that you're awake. With the Xi family here, who in the world would dare to harm you?"

That's hard to say.

Xi Lingxian thought of the words Yu had said to her before she died.

Granny Zhou.

Her closest and most trusted wet nurse. When she suspected there was a mole among her, she suspected no one but her.

When exactly did she become the eyes and ears of the Yu family?

When was she bribed? Was it already done now, or later?

When did they start poisoning her?

A thin layer of sweat instantly seeped out from Xi Lingxian's back.

Apart from Taozhi, no one else around her can be trusted now.

Xi Lingxian forced herself to steady her breathing and not panic.

She let Taozhi style her hair and do her makeup, then looked at Taozhi in the mirror and asked, "Where's Granny Zhou? Why can't I see her?"

Taozhi replied, "This morning, Granny Zhou went to the front to collect the young lady's monthly allowance and her own monthly salary. I heard that the public funds purchased a batch of excellent rouge and face powder this time, and Granny Zhou was afraid that the second young lady would snatch it away, so she went to wait there early in the morning."

Would Xi Yao dare to steal her things?

Lingxian didn't care about perfumes or anything like that; the most important thing now was to find out if she had been poisoned.

If someone has already been poisoned, is there any antidote, or can they be cured through recuperation?

She needs to consult a pharmacist to take her pulse.

However, it is possible that the pharmacist Zhang, who is frequently used in the household, has been bribed by Madam Yu, so he cannot be completely trusted.

To be on the safe side, she should find a doctor from outside the hospital.

Suddenly, footsteps sounded outside, followed by a maid's announcement: "Young lady, the second young lady has arrived."

Xi Yao?

Xi Yao, who died at her hands in her previous life.

It has to be said, Xi Yao was truly honored that this was her first time committing murder.

Before she could think it through, a white figure staggered in.

Xi Yao is twelve years old this year. She is dressed in a plain white dress. She has delicate features and upturned eyes. No matter when, she always looks weak and helpless, which makes people feel sorry for her.

"Sister, you're finally awake."

"My sister's sudden fall into the water has truly frightened me; I heard she's been unwell since returning, why didn't you call a pharmacist to check her pulse?"

Falling into the water...

Xi Lingxian's mind went blank.

On the Dragon Boat Festival in the eighth year of Yonghe, noble ladies from prominent families went boating on the lake. When they reached the middle of the lake, two boats collided unexpectedly, the railing broke, and many people fell into the water.

She was initially unharmed, but a strong force suddenly pushed her from behind, and before she could react, she had already fallen into the lake.

Fortunately, she grew up in Guangling and was an excellent swimmer. She calmed herself down and began to rescue people.

Chaos erupted on the lake, with cries for help and screams from people on the shore all mixed together.

After she had brought four or three people to the shore, she was exhausted and was helped by an old woman who had come to rescue her. She glanced towards the shore.

Wang Jue also jumped into the water to save people at some point; his figure moved swiftly.

She first swam towards a woman dressed in a light blue dress. The noble ladies were traveling together, and she naturally recognized the figure.

Hsieh Wan-yee.

The Wang and Xie families were neighbors, and Xie Wanyi was Wang Jue's true childhood sweetheart.