Chapter 4
968 Words
"It wasn’t my fault..."
When such an incoherent statement slipped from her mouth, and she realized that she had said it herself, Liang Ning was stunned, her eyes wide in shock!
Suddenly, her mind was flooded with a torrent of images!
These images were surprisingly familiar, as if deeply embedded in her soul...
From the moment "Fu Zhen" had memory up until the moment she fell off the cliff, countless people and events flashed before her like a carousel, looping again and again before her eyes!
Liang Ning clutched her head with both hands, too shocked to speak.
In the midst of her overwhelming sorrow, the body that now housed her soul released Fu Zhen's memories, and at this moment, Liang Ning understood Fu Zhen's life in vivid detail!
"Mother!"
She looked up at Madam Fu, her emotions surging uncontrollably.
It was unimaginable that she had become someone else...
Through Fu Zhen's senses, she now possessed the knowledge that a young lady of noble birth would have about her current situation.
She knew this was still the land ruled by the founding emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty, and it was the 22nd year of the Shengyuan era—six years after her own death.
She also knew that the long-standing war in the northern frontier had ended last winter, with the court emerging victorious, and peace now reigning across the land.
She saw everything that Fu Zhen and her mother had endured in the past, and she understood all of Madam Fu's sorrows! She had learned about the ugly truth hidden beneath the facade of the Fu family's reputation!
She also knew that the original owner of this body had been born with a congenital illness and had been deemed unlikely to live long. Her half-sister often bullied her, exploiting her frailty.
All the strange conflicts from earlier suddenly made sense...
Her "father," Fu Jun, might as well have had the words "favor concubine, discard wife" and "ungrateful scoundrel" written on his forehead!
Had she not been burned alive, she wouldn’t have known that there were so many despicable men in the world!...
"Zhen'er," Madam Fu wiped away her tears, her face filled with panic. "We must go back. No matter what, he is still your father. You mustn't act on impulse—just one charge of filial disobedience could cost you your life!
"If we don’t leave now, things will only spiral out of control!"
She couldn’t understand why her frail daughter, Fu Zhen, suddenly had the strength to knock down the strong Fu Jun, or where she had found the courage to strike her own father.
But now wasn’t the time to question these things. She needed to quickly smooth things over before Fu Jun became even more enraged and caused Fu Zhen even greater trouble!
Seeing Madam Fu so frightened, Liang Ning’s heart filled with compassion.
She wanted to say that it was because that despicable man hit her first. Even if he was her father, she wasn’t afraid of him! He was wrong, and she wouldn’t hesitate to break both his legs if necessary!
But she opened her mouth and, in the end, said nothing.
If she were still Liang Ning, she could easily put Fu Jun in his place, ensuring he would never harm anyone again. She could also beat Fu Jun up, and even report him to the imperial censors for failing to properly manage his household, so he’d face punishment in court. It would be no big deal.
But she was no longer Liang Ning.
She no longer had the status of the Liang family’s noble lady, nor the accomplishments she had achieved in the northwest, which, though not extraordinary, had earned her some praise in both the imperial court and the palace. She no longer had the privilege of arrogance.
Similarly, she could no longer deal with villains as recklessly as she had in the past, driven by passion.
All she had left was her martial prowess. She could easily walk away, escape the quagmire of the Fu family. Even if she couldn’t return to the Liang family, her future wouldn’t be bad.
But if she left, what would happen to Madam Fu?
That great fire had already reduced Liang Ning’s body to ashes—"Liang Ning" was never coming back.
She owed it to Fu Zhen’s body that her unyielding soul found a home, preventing her from becoming a wandering spirit.
Madam Fu was the mother of this body, and from now on, she would be her own mother too. How could she abandon her?
Moreover, Madam Fu was so powerless, yet she had once bravely protected a stranger—Liang Ning—on that perilous night!...
This wasn’t just someone in need of protection; she was a person who had shown her kindness in both lifetimes.
Liang Ning raised her arm and embraced the fragile, grief-stricken Madam Fu beside her, like a leaf trembling in the wind.
"Don’t be sad, Mother! Even if he is my father, he can’t do anything to me. I’m no longer who I used to be."
From this moment on, she was truly Fu Zhen.
She would take on the responsibilities of both the eldest daughter and sister, caring for her mother and younger brother, who were trapped in this mire.
She would also protect herself, ensuring that scoundrels and treacherous women couldn’t take advantage of her!
And she would fulfill Liang Ning’s last wish, vowing to seek revenge against that wretched Xu Yin! She would sweep away the thick dust that had settled over justice and kindness, allowing them to shine brightly once more!
Liang Ning might be dead, but her indomitable soul would never perish! Even though the path had changed, she would walk it with unwavering determination and courage.
- Writer
