0p0 Chapter 1 Feigning Death
Chapter 1 Feigning Death
Dressed in mourning clothes, Qiao Qingshu knelt on the prayer mat, her eyes cold as she threw the paper money in her hand into the copper basin.
It stirred up a burst of shimmering fire.
The maid, Lin Dong, whose eyes were already swollen from crying, knelt behind Qiao Qingshu and whispered words of comfort.
“Girl, if you’re feeling bitter, just cry it out. Holding it in will only harm your health.”
Qiao Qingshu smiled faintly. Why should she cry? Her mother had only faked her death.
A great fire destroyed the entire Jinxiu Hall, leaving only its frame, but her mother, Madam Bai, was living peacefully on her estate in the suburbs of the capital.
In her past life, her mother did indeed die, at the hands of her heartless aunt Xu Biyun and her biological father Qiao Jizhou.
Her biological father had an affair with Xu Biyun for several years. Xu Biyun was unwilling to be a concubine or have no official status, so she secretly drugged her mother for a year. In the end, her mother died soon after being bedridden.
"Oh! My kind and virtuous sister-in-law who died young! How could you leave me like this!"
The messenger's token was knocked four times in quick succession at the second gate, waking Xu Biyun. She learned that Bai Chanzi's Jinxiu Hall had caught fire in the middle of the night and burned to the ground. She was so happy that she almost jumped for joy!
He hurriedly put on his clothes and went to Liufang Garden, where the body was laid to rest.
Looking at the charred corpse in the main hall, covered with a paper blanket, with the gold filigree and ruby-inlaid hairpin that Bai Chanzi often wore in her hair.
A flicker of extreme excitement flashed in Xu Biyun's eyes, her heart pounding with joy, but she immediately threw herself against the coffin and began to wail.
"Oh, damned God! How could you take away such a good and virtuous sister-in-law like me! My dear, dignified and noble sister-in-law! Your life is so miserable..."
Liu Wan'er, who was standing to the side, was also sobbing uncontrollably, pulling her mother back.
"Mother, the Second Madam's face was burned beyond recognition. Don't throw yourself on her body and cry, it will damage her remains."
Qiao Qingshu coldly watched the mother and daughter putting on an act, her eyes surging with boundless hatred.
Xu Biyun is the niece of the matriarch of the Qiao family, and Liu Wan'er is Xu Biyun's daughter.
After her husband's death and the decline of her family, Xu Biyun took her daughter and went to live with the Qiao family, where she has been staying for ten years.
Xu Biyun is now in her early thirties and has a charming appearance. At this moment, she is wearing a begonia-colored Shu brocade jacket with dark floral patterns and a pair of auspicious gold-embroidered shoes.
Although she had removed her makeup and hairpins, her fair complexion, radiant eyes, and faint wrinkles at the corners of her eyes still revealed her allure.
Liu Wan'er also had a charming face and eyebrows, but her face was more youthful and her figure was still small. She had a well-behaved and pleasing appearance.
In their past life, Qiao Qingshu and her mother, Bai Shi, pitied the two orphans and widows, and took great care of them. Unexpectedly, they were repaid with ingratitude!
Xu Biyun had an affair with her biological father, which led to the death of her mother, Bai Shi. She became the new matriarch of the Qiao family and even embezzled her mother's generous dowry.
Liu Wan'er had an affair with Qiao Qingshu's husband, Xiao Chengyan, before their marriage, and they secretly had a child together for several years.
After squeezing out the last bit of value from Qiao Qingshu, Liu Wan'er, with Xiao Chengyan's tacit approval, stabbed the ailing Qiao Qingshu to death on her bed and succeeded Qiao Qingshu as Empress of Nanzhao.
Qiao Qingshu looked at her old friends, a fierce glint in her eyes. Having been given a second chance at life, she was determined to kill the mother and daughter in front of her.
She stood up from the prayer cushion, frowned, and looked her up and down, her tone cold and accusatory.
"Aunt, why are you dressed like that in the mourning hall?"
Xu Biyun had arrived in a hurry, still wearing the bright clothes she wore during the day. Looking down, she panicked and cried out...
"Oh dear, I was thinking of my sister and just wanted to come and see her as soon as possible. I was so anxious that I didn't pay attention to these things. It was my carelessness."
Looking around, I saw only a few maids burning incense and paper money in the main hall, and a few servants climbing ladders outside to hang white banners and plain silk, which looked very desolate and lonely.
He couldn't help but feel secretly smug, thinking to himself, "Bai Chanzi, you've finally met your end. You were so flamboyant and glamorous in life, but now you've ended up in such a miserable state after death."
Xu Biyun wiped away her tears a few times and feigned a sigh.
"It's really unfortunate right now. Second Master is away on business in the south, the old lady is sick, and we can't count on the eldest and third wives. All the work is piled on your shoulders. Good girl, you're going to have to work hard."
Lin Dong deftly handed the mourning clothes to Xu Biyun and Liu Wan'er to change into.
Qiao Qingshu's face showed a look of grief.
"My mother's death was sudden, and it happened in the early hours of the morning. The rooster hasn't crowed yet. I just sent someone to inform her of the death. My aunt and cousin are so kind; they were the first to arrive. It's no wonder that my mother took such good care of you all. It's true that true friendship is revealed in times of trouble."
As he spoke, he stuffed a wad of unburnt paper money into Liu Wan'er's hand, and said sadly,
"I need to go to the old lady's place first. There are many things I need to ask for her permission. My cousin, please take care of my filial duties here at the mourning hall for me."
Turning to Xu Biyun, he instructed her again.
“Aunt, we don’t have enough manpower right now. You need to go to Ling’an Street and buy fifty barrels of raw silk and linen, fifty barrels of raw cotton cloth, three hundred bolts of yellow gauze and white silk, and three hundred bolts of matte white silk. Also, find tailor Zhao from Zhao’s tailor shop across the street to bring people over to prepare the burial clothes in the west wing and the mourning clothes for each room. Each person will need a white Tang turban and a white straight-cut garment.”
Xu Biyun's lips twitched, cursing inwardly that the little bitch really knew how to order people around, but she nodded outwardly.
She was the one who cried the loudest just now. If she doesn't push things out now, people will probably talk about it.
Xu Biyun and Liu Wan'er exchanged a glance and immediately regretted arriving so early, only to be forced to keep vigil, but they couldn't refuse.
Liu Wan'er quickly agreed.
"Sister, go ahead and get busy. My mother and I are here; nothing will go wrong."
Qiao Qingshu looked at that round, well-behaved little face, suppressed the nausea rising in her heart, and turned to leave.
Watching the white figure disappear into the night, Xu Biyun's lips curled into a mocking smile.
"She died so quickly. All my efforts in planning this were for naught. In the end, Bai Chanzi was a short-lived ghost. It seems I was destined to be a big shot."
After saying that, he revealed a mocking smile, lifted his foot and circled the corpse in a smug and flippant manner, clicking his tongue incessantly.
Liu Wan'er tugged at her mother's sleeve with difficulty and whispered,
"Mother, keep your voice down. There are maids and servants here. Don't let anyone overhear us."
Xu Biyun rolled her eyes dismissively in a low voice.
"It won't be long before I become the new Mrs. Qiao, and you'll be a proper young lady. Why would you be afraid of these servants?"
He then spat out another curse.
"But this girl Shu is good at ordering people around. I still have to buy funeral supplies for that dead whore. What bad luck. I should have just stayed in the house and pretended to be sick, like the old lady."
It is late autumn, and the night is deep and the dew is heavy.
Qiao Qingshu wore a crescent-white silk cloak draped over her mourning clothes, but she still felt the chill seeping into her bones.
But no matter how cold it is, nothing can compare to a cold heart.
None of these people will escape; Qiao Qingshu will ruthlessly kill them all, one by one.
After passing through the covered corridor, upon entering the Fushou Hall, one is immediately greeted by a warm feeling, and is greeted by Granny Zou, who serves Madam Qiao personally.
Granny Zou stepped forward and grasped Xu Qingshu's hand, tears streaming down her face as she cried out.
"My condolences, young lady!"