Chapter One: Coercion, Rebellion, Welcome to the World of Rebirth...

"The Crown Princess is missing!"

Amidst the joyous and bustling celebration, an empty bridal sedan chair lay overturned on the ground as the panicked crowd scrambled to search for the vanished Crown Princess.

The Crown Prince drew his sword, his eyes flashing with violent impatience. "Search! Even if you must dig three feet into the earth, find her for me!"

His hidden guards scattered in all directions. Meanwhile, on the high tower opposite the rooftops, a woman clad in red wedding robes lay unconscious in the arms of a cold, aloof man.

Madness flickered in Shen Runzhi's deep eyes as he held the woman tightly, his embrace brimming with possessiveness.

"Yaoyao can only marry me, Shen Runzhi. No one else shall lay a finger on her." Shen Runzhi produced a translucent white porcelain vial and went to press it against her red lips, but a slender, pale hand stopped him.

Song Qingcheng woke up, her cold gaze pressing down on his hand. "Shen Runzhi, you are utterly mad."

Shen Runzhi was the eldest son of the Shen family. Having entered the Court of Judicial Review at a young age, he had become its youngest vice minister. He was known for his gentle demeanor and impeccable conduct in all matters.

Yet, it was this very man who had abducted her on the day of her wedding to the Crown Prince.

She was an orphan. After her parents' early demise, the Shen family had pitied her and taken her in. Later, she caught the eye of the Crown Prince, who bestowed upon her the title of Crown Princess.

During her years in the Shen residence, she had never had any dealings with him. She could not comprehend where this sudden display of affection came from.

Shen Runzhi smiled gently, leaning down to press a soft kiss onto Song Qingcheng's fingers. He uttered words of sheer madness in a quiet tone, "Yaoyao, are you ready to be my empress?"

Song Qingcheng froze. "What do you mean? You want to rebel?!"

Panicking, Song Qingcheng looked down at the Crown Prince below and opened her mouth to scream. Shen Runzhi looked down with a soft chuckle, gripped her neck, and silenced her words with a kiss.

"Mmph... mmph..." Anger flared in Song Qingcheng's eyes. She broke free from his kiss, raised her hand, and slapped him across the face. "You bastard!"

Shen Runzhi turned his head with a faint smile, caressing the slap mark on his cheek. With a low chuckle, he leaned down again, biting her red lips as he kissed her.

Song Qingcheng did not expect him to kiss her again. Her beautiful eyes widened in shock. Her slender hands pressed against his chest as she struggled to break free, but he held her in a tight lock, leaving her unable to move an inch.

"Mmph... bastard... let go..." Song Qingcheng squeezed the words through her lips. Realizing she could not break free, she reached up to squeeze his neck and push him away.

Ignoring her, Shen Runzhi took the porcelain vial, drank its contents, and then deepened the kiss even further. Song Qingcheng was both furious and embarrassed; this man was utterly shameless.

After a deep kiss, Shen Runzhi parted his thin lips and touched his bleeding neck, a satisfied smile spreading across his face. "Yaoyao indeed has me in her heart, leaving your mark on me like this."

Song Qingcheng's eyes widened, never expecting him to say such a thing. "You are out of your mind."

Song Qingcheng wished others could see the true face of this aloof, noble young master—he was nothing but a shameless rogue.

"Yaoyao is worried about me." Shen Runzhi took Song Qingcheng's hand with delight, unable to suppress the joy in his voice.

Song Qingcheng had walked into his heart five years ago; every smile and glance of hers was deeply engraved in his soul.

The only person allowed to marry his Yaoyao was himself.

"Who is worried..." As she spoke, Song Qingcheng coughed up a mouthful of fresh blood and collapsed, pale-faced, into Shen Runzhi's arms.

"I... what is happening to me?" Song Qingcheng touched her blood-stained lips, looking up at him with eyes full of suspicion.

Coughing up another mouthful of blood, she felt pain wrack her entire body before she lost consciousness.

As his beloved collapsed in his arms, Shen Runzhi panicked. With trembling hands, he checked her pulse. It was faint—the pulse of a dying person. "Yaoyao, wake up! No, this can't be... how could you be dying... Yaoyao!"

The medicine he had fed her was only a sedative. How could she be coughing up blood?

Who... who did this...?

"Rebel! Release my Crown Princess this instant!" The Crown Prince led his troops to surround the high tower, hundreds of sharp swords pointing directly at Shen Runzhi.

Shen Runzhi's eyes turned blood-red as he stared at the Crown Prince with a murderous gaze. "You poisoned her! You poisoned Yaoyao!"

Yaoyao had been in perfect health; there was no way she was sick. That meant someone in this imperial city could not bear to see his Yaoyao live.

The Crown Prince sneered. "Shen Runzhi has plotted treason. Execute him immediately!"

As the blades drew near, Shen Runzhi let out a soft laugh. Holding Song Qingcheng in his arms, he advanced toward the Crown Prince step by step. "Since Yaoyao cannot live, all of you shall be buried with her."

As soon as the words left his mouth, the Crown Prince's men fell dead one by one, replaced by Shen Runzhi's own forces.

The Crown Prince looked around at the scene, shook his head, and laughed. "Shen Runzhi, you rebelled for a mere woman. Did you never consider that everyone in the Shen Manor would die because of you?"

As he spoke, the members of the Shen family were brought forward under guard from afar. Yet, their expressions were calm, showing no fear of impending death.

Blood trickled from the corner of Shen Runzhi's mouth. He coughed twice and sneered faintly. "A tyrant rules, his ascension illegitimate. He has long wanted to destroy our Shen family to erase those who know the truth from this world. Even if I did not rebel, would you have spared us?"

Before his death, the late Emperor had left behind a secret imperial decree split into two parts. One was given to the Shen family for safekeeping, while the other had vanished, its keeper unknown. Only when the two halves were brought together would the location of the Imperial Seal be revealed.

The current Emperor had usurped the throne; without the Imperial Seal, his reign lacked legitimacy. After taking the half held by the Shen family, he had repeatedly demanded the other half to no avail. Thus, he sought to silence them forever, burying the truth deep underground.

Shen Runzhi held Song Qingcheng close with tender sorrow, his eyes a mix of grief and madness. "Since you cannot tolerate Yaoyao's existence, let us all go to hell together."

The Crown Prince's face turned pale. "Shen Runzhi, what do you think you are doing?!"

In the ninth year of Rongde, the traitorous minister Shen Runzhi rebelled and slaughtered the entire imperial family. On that winter day, snow fell as blood dyed the earth red, and screams echoed for three days and three nights.

Later, after the new Emperor ascended the throne, he leaped into a sea of fire holding the woman's corpse, leaving behind not even ashes.

***

"It's snowing! It's snowing! Come out and play!" A child's cheerful voice rang out, waking a little girl sleeping soundly inside the room.

Song Qingcheng clutched her aching head, looking around in confusion. The familiar scene before her left her mind blank.

"Am I... not dead?" Song Qingcheng was bewildered. Was this the afterlife?

Looking down at her significantly smaller hands, an absurd thought rushed into her mind. She scrambled out of bed and picked up a bronze mirror. At the sight of the face reflected within, she dropped it in panic and ran out the door.

As snowflakes drifted down, the scene outside came into view. She remembered this day—it was the day she first entered the Shen Manor.

"Qingcheng, you're awake. I happen to have something to ask you." Dressed in simple attire, Mother Shen held a warm cloak and draped it over Song Qingcheng's shoulders. "I wanted to ask if you would prefer to stay here in the Shen Manor, or go live with your grandfather in Medicine Valley."

Song Qingcheng froze. In her past life, she had coveted the prosperity of the capital, wishing to carve out a place for herself here, never expecting to provoke that madman Shen Runzhi.

Recalling the excruciating pain from before, Song Qingcheng decided to go to Medicine Valley to learn how to protect herself, refusing to be a dependent vine relying on others.

"Auntie, Qingcheng wants to go to Medicine Valley with Grandfather."

"Alright. I will speak to him in a moment and have him take you with him."