Chapter 17 of Volume One: The Whole Story

  Jin Niang stopped, I couldn't drag her away, so I had to follow suit and stop in my tracks. Looking back from afar, Ling Yi was still standing on that platform, silently facing the direction we left in. I secretly smiled, he probably hasn't recovered from what I said yet. If he really thinks I'm a man, then that's even better, at least he won't try to touch me again in the future.

  Jin Niang sighed and looked at me with some helplessness, saying: "Miss, what's the point of this again?"

  Is Jin Niang sympathizing with him? Towards him, it's just like towards Gu Qingying. I shrugged my shoulders and looked at Jin Niang seriously: "Jin Niang, many things you actually understand very well, you didn't acknowledge Gu Qingying's beautiful life back then because she was going to marry someone she didn't love, right?"

  Jin Niang looked at me with some surprise, but didn't say anything.

  I turned my head and walked forward, saying: "You don't have to hide it from me, otherwise why would she die? Did she commit suicide? Actually, I quite admire her courage in resisting fate, but the method was incorrect. Living is for oneself, if life doesn't exist, what's the point of fate?"

  I continued to express my views: "Besides, for a male chauvinist like Ling Yi who bullies others, teasing him is actually doing him a favor. In my time, he would have been breaking the law and would have been held criminally responsible."

  Jin Niang walked silently beside me, suddenly turning her head to look at me with a complex expression, her eyes filled with admiration, pity, helplessness and disapproval. After a long while, she sighed and said: "Miss, you misunderstood, the castle owner has never forced my family's young lady. Marrying the castle owner was our young lady's own will."

  "Huh?" I stared at her in shock, voluntarily?

  I smiled and said: "You're so biased towards Ling Yi, wait until Gu Qingying comes back one day, let's see what you have to say then."

  Jin Niang shook her head: "If our young lady returns, you can ask her yourself, it was indeed her own will."

  "Why did she want to commit suicide?" I stared at Jin Niang with wide eyes.

  Jin Niang frowned: "Who said she committed suicide?"

  "How did she die?" It seemed natural to ask this question. I asked it without hesitation.

  Jin Niang pursed her lips tightly. She looked at me for a long time before shaking her head: "I really don't know."

  "Ugh. That's the answer again." I pouted in disappointment. But Jin Niang continued, "I've seen everything that has happened. But I don't understand why Miss had to die."

  My heart skipped a beat. Was she willing to tell me? I looked at her sincerely and asked: "What happened?"

  Jin Niang looked at me deeply, seemingly not intending to hide anything from me. She adjusted her breath and began to speak slowly: "When the young lady knew she was going to marry into the Furan Castle, she was very calm. She told me that she had long known this day would come and had already prepared herself."

  What a strange thing to say, I thought suspiciously, couldn't this already show that she had made up her mind to die? I didn't speak, continuing to be a good listener, only hearing Jin Niang continue:

  Before leaving, the old master called the young lady to the study and talked for a long time. After she returned, she seemed calm, only telling me that she must come to Furong Castle... On the night of the wedding, everything was fine, the castle owner was entertaining guests outside, I was in the new room, the young lady didn't say much but wasn't unhappy either, and even asked me to find her some food. You know, on the day of the wedding, anything...

  "Uh-huh, I know that." I interrupted her. Who doesn't know that you can't eat on your wedding day? I want to hear what comes next.

  Jin Niang paused for a moment, then continued: "Later, the master of the castle came in and everyone was very happy. They lifted the red veil, drank the wedding wine, and I and the serving maids all dispersed."

  Jin Niang stopped, I knew that what she was going to say next would be something unforgettable for her whole life. I waited patiently for her, without saying a word.

  Jin Niang seemed to have made a huge determination, and slowly said: "Because I had to serve the young lady, I lived in the adjacent house, and I don't know how long it took, suddenly heard the lord of the castle calling out the young lady's name miserably, I was shocked and rushed over."

  Jin Niang stopped again, her emotions immersed in memories. I held her hand and whispered, "What do you see?"

  Jin Niang suddenly raised her eyes to look at me, but her expression seemed to see through me and gaze elsewhere. She spoke slowly: "I saw the young lady lying on the bed, being held in the castle owner's arms. The castle owner was shaking all over, repeatedly calling out the young lady's name. At that time, my thoughts were the same as yours - I was shocked and anxious, hastily rushing forward to take the young lady's hand and feel her pulse, but then I discovered... she had already..."

  I was stunned, how could this be? This also can't prove she didn't commit suicide.

  Jin Niang saw my confusion and slowly said, "At that time, the servants waiting outside all came in. Before they entered the house, the master of the castle suddenly ordered me to send them away, saying that the lady had suddenly fallen ill and asked Pingyang Zhenren to come and take a look."

  I nodded, Pingyang was a participant in this matter.

  Jin Niang continued: "After sending someone to invite the real person, I came back to check on Miss's situation. At that time, her body had already begun to stiffen, and her expression was extremely painful, as if she had endured great torture, but there was not a single wound on her entire body. I also questioned the castle owner, but he didn't say anything, just staring blankly at Qingying Miss on the bed until Pingyang True Person arrived."

  "After the real person came over, he carefully examined Miss's situation and didn't say anything. He just let me arrange to prepare for Miss to clean up and change clothes. When I was ready to come back, the castle owner told me that Miss wasn't dead, they would bring Miss's soul back and make her reborn."

  "What's next?" I asked nervously.

  "You already know everything." Jin Niang looked at me calmly.

  "So you're certain she didn't commit suicide?" I stared at Jin Niang: "How did you know she was willing to come back?"

  "It's Miss, before her death, she wanted Master Bao to save her."

  "Was it Ling Yi who said that? Is he saying this again? You just believe him like that?" I asked somewhat annoyed.

  Jin Niang looked at me silently and said solemnly: "Although I'm old, I'm not muddled. Anyone can see the feelings of the castle owner towards the young lady."

  "Absurd, what kind of affection is this? If you love someone, you should think of her thoughts, love is giving, not possessing." I glared at her: "Besides, the feelings between two people shouldn't be built on someone else's pain!"

  Jin Niang sighed and said softly: "I know you're a good girl, doing this is really unfair to you!"

  I stared at her with wide eyes: "Frame me? What's the point of saying this?"

  Jin Niang shook her head, somewhat awkwardly saying: "Things have come to this, what's the use of hating? The castle master has promised to find you another body again, he isn't someone who doesn't feel guilty, I believe in the castle master, will treat you well."

  "Hmph" I laughed, not the first person to say this to me, but in my heart, there was no longer the anger and excitement of hearing it for the first time. Did they think these words could move me? I'm not some weak-willed woman from ancient times.

  I gazed at the gradually darkening sky and smiled faintly, saying: "Alright, let's wait for that day then."