Chapter 1: Rebirth and the Swapped Marriage
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The moment Yu Zhi Yi opened her eyes, she knew that Yu Jiao Jiao had also been reborn—and earlier than her at that.
In her previous life, she had married Zhang Tian Shun, the second legitimate son of the Duke Courage’s Mansion. But now, she found herself wed to Du Zi Heng, the sole heir of the Chancellor’s family.
Before their marriage, Zhang Tian Shun had been a notorious playboy, a regular at brothels, surrounded by countless “red-faced confidantes” and a harem of beauties in his backyard. Yet after marrying her, he cut ties with all his past entanglements. The man who once roamed the world of indulgence devoted himself entirely to her. Their marriage was harmonious, filled with mutual respect and affection.
Though Zhang Tian Shun never inherited the Duke Courage’s title, his battlefield accomplishments steadily elevated him. By the age of thirty-five, he was ennobled as Duke Courage. Several years later, his decisive victory over the Great Luo Empire humbled the once-proud nation, forcing it to pay tributes annually for peace. For such heroic achievements, he was eventually honored with the title of King of the North, and Yu Zhi Yi became a titled lady.
Yu Jiao Jiao, on the other hand, had married Du Zi Heng, a man esteemed for his clean reputation and prestigious lineage. The two were childhood sweethearts. From a young age, Yu Jiao Jiao had followed Du Zi Heng around like a shadow, and he had always treated her kindly. Among the aristocratic circles of Sheng Capital, people believed them to be a match made in heaven. To Yu Jiao Jiao, marrying Du Zi Heng was her lifelong dream and crowning achievement.
But the marriage was far from ideal. After the wedding, Yu Jiao Jiao discovered that Du Zi Heng already had someone in his heart. He had only ever seen her as a younger sister. His true love, however, was a woman of low status whom the Chancellor and his wife vehemently opposed. To make Du Zi Heng settle down, the Chancellor’s family had sought out Yu Jiao Jiao, the Minister’s legitimate daughter and his symbolic “white moonlight.”
From then on, Yu Jiao Jiao waged a lifelong battle against this other woman. As long as the Chancellor and his wife were alive, Yu Jiao Jiao had their support and dared to act against her rival openly. But after their deaths, Du Zi Heng, now the new Chancellor and wielding immense power, divorced Yu Jiao Jiao as his first act.
Yu Jiao Jiao, proud to a fault, couldn’t bear such humiliation. She broke through the heavily guarded Chancellor’s Mansion to attempt to kill the woman she saw as her enemy. Tragically, she was hacked to death by the mansion’s guards and posthumously branded a madwoman and a murderer.
When Yu Zhi Yi learned of this in her previous life, she was en route to Zhang Tian Shun’s fiefdom. Before she could even react, an earth fissure tore open beneath her feet, swallowing her whole and ending her life.
She had never expected to be reborn.
And even less, that Yu Jiao Jiao would come back earlier, using unknown means to have Zhang Tian Shun propose to her.
Three months ago, Yu Jiao Jiao had a grand wedding into the Duke Courage’s Mansion. Two days ago, Yu Zhi Yi married Du Zi Heng.
Looking at the bright sunlight streaming through the window, Yu Zhi Yi curved her lips into a dismissive smile.
Yu Jiao Jiao would soon realize that glory, stability, and happiness couldn’t be stolen.
Zhang Tian Shun had been a useless second-generation noble before their marriage. His subsequent achievements weren’t due to some hidden talents, but because he was fundamentally mediocre. The truth was harsh: those accolades were her doing.
Zhang Tian Shun? Nothing more than a puppet.
When Zi Yuan, her maid, entered the room, she brought a message: “Miss, the Marquis Wu’an’s wife requests an audience.”
Casually pinning a luxurious yet understated hairpin into her hair, Yu Zhi Yi replied, “Let her come to the Chancellor’s Mansion.”
Zi Yuan acknowledged her mistress’s words but hesitated to leave. Her lips parted as if to speak.
“Is there anything you can’t say to me?” Yu Zhi Yi gently prodded, tapping the maid’s brow.
Zi Yuan’s lips pressed into a line, her eyes reflecting a touch of anguish. “I just don’t understand. After all the disrespect the young master has shown you, why do you still want to help him?”
On their wedding night, Du Zi Heng hadn’t even entered the bridal chamber. Instead, he had spent the night with his beloved, You Bing Yue, at the Moon Gazing Pavilion. The following morning, the Chancellor had his son dragged out of bed to present tea to his bride. With a face full of disdain, Du Zi Heng told Yu Zhi Yi that the marriage wasn’t his choice. He declared that as long as the Chancellor’s family allowed her entry, they could also accompany her back to her maiden home—for he wouldn’t.
He even made it clear that his heart belonged solely to You Bing Yue and that he would neither father children with Yu Zhi Yi nor even glance her way.
Meanwhile, You Bing Yue, enraged by Du Zi Heng’s impending marriage, had gone drinking and ended up injuring the young master of Marquis Wu’an’s family. A skilled martial artist, she had left him severely wounded. Furious, the Wu’an family vowed retribution, demanding the perpetrator be brought to justice. Though Du Zi Heng had hidden You Bing Yue within the Chancellor’s Mansion, confrontation with the Wu’an family was inevitable.
Yu Zhi Yi chuckled softly. “Who said I’m helping him?”
She had trained under Daoist Ling Xu, mastering mystical arts, particularly face-reading, to a level where she could discern a person’s life trajectory at a glance. However, despite her exceptional skills, she couldn’t escape the entanglements of the mortal world.
In her previous life, she had begged her master to take her away from the Sheng Capital, but he had refused, saying her mortal ties were yet unresolved. Even in her current life, she couldn’t sever her connection to the Chancellor’s family without facing repercussions.
Though disappointed, Yu Zhi Yi refused to wallow in despair. She was no longer the same woman who had poured her heart into a man, only to meet a bitter end.
This life, she would let Du Zi Heng learn that the safety of his beloved lay entirely in her hands.