Jiang Xingyan had lost count of how many times she had pressed down on Xiao Ya’s tiny chest. A dull ache throbbed in her wrists.
Perhaps the heavens had heard her prayers—because suddenly, the little girl’s eyelids fluttered weakly, and with a choked gasp, she spewed a mouthful of water.
Overjoyed, Jiang Xingyan quickly turned Xiao Ya over, letting her lie face-down across her lap as she gently patted her back.
“Xiao Ya, cry… just cry!”
After what felt like an eternity, Xiao Ya let out a piercing wail, her cries echoing through the courtyard.
Only then did the suffocating weight on Jiang Xingyan’s chest finally lift.
Her vision swam, and she dug her nails into her palms to keep from passing out.
“Chunxue, go fetch a physician—now!”
“I’ll go!”
Xin Zhui responded instantly, darting away with qinggong before anyone could blink.
Xiao Ya’s cries gradually weakened, her tiny body going limp in Jiang Xingyan’s arms as she hiccuped weakly.
Jiang Xingyan held her close, then lifted her gaze, sweeping a cold glare over the gathered crowd.
Their expressions were a mix of guilt, fear, and calculation.
Especially her mother-in-law.
The Madam’s face was twisted with horror, panic, and something far uglier.
“C-Ci’er… h-how could such a thing happen?!” she stammered.
Jiang Xingyan sneered inwardly.
This woman had always been a master of pretense in front of Huo Ci.
How she longed to run her sword through the old hag’s throat!
But the Emperor ruled with filial piety as his doctrine. If she—in Huo Ci’s body—committed such an unforgivable act, the entire household would be executed.
Including herself.
Jiang Xingyan steadied her breathing, forcing down the fury.
For now, she had to bide her time.
Ignoring the Madam, she strode to Jin Zhu’s writhing form and planted her boot on the woman’s face.
“Chunxue, Xiafeng—hold this wretch underwater!”
“Absolutely not!”
A voice—her own voice—shouted from behind, breathless and frantic.
…..
“Mother, I refuse to remarry!”
Huo Ci jolted awake.
What a horrific dream!
In it, Jiang Xingyan had clutched their daughter’s lifeless body and dashed herself against a pillar.
Blood had gushed from her skull, her eyes wide and unseeing.
The nightmare had felt so real—like a hammerblow straight to his heart.
He had always told himself his feelings for Jiang Xingyan were merely protective, nothing more.
That he was merely repaying Old Master Jiang’s kindness by safeguarding the last of the Jiang bloodline.
So why, when he saw her die in front of him, had his blood turned to ice? Why had his body trembled uncontrollably?
The terror had been worse than when, as a child, he had seen his father’s corpse on the battlefield.
Though he loathed to admit it, in that moment, he had wanted to follow her into death.
But thankfully—it was just a dream.
It was only then he realized his surroundings were unfamiliar. This wasn’t the military camp, but a cramped kitchen.
A few wilted vegetables and tofu sat on the counter.
The coarse linen robes he wore matched exactly what Jiang Xingyan had worn in his dream.
He gasped—and a soft, feminine voice escaped his lips. He clapped a hand over his mouth.
Before he could process this, someone burst through the door, panting.
One of Jiang Xingyan’s maids—Qiuyan.
“M-Mistress, it’s terrible—Xiao Ya fell into the pond—!”
Before she could finish, Huo Ci was already sprinting out the door.
His robes fluttered wildly as he ran, not even hearing Qiuyan’s desperate calls behind him.
Xiao Ya!
No—that was just a dream! It couldn’t be real!
He didn’t care how he had ended up in Jiang Xingyan’s body. Only one thought consumed him: I have to save Xiao Ya!
When he reached the rear courtyard, he saw his own body—eyes blazing, brows furrowed—standing over Jin Zhu’s crumpled form, a foot planted on her head.
The moment their gazes met, they both knew: their souls had swapped.
Jin Zhu’s severed arm lay near Huo Ci’s feet, her screams piercing the air.
The metallic stench of blood assaulted his senses.
Huo Ci grimaced, unused to the frailty of Jiang Xingyan’s body.
How ruthless!
The earlier pang in his chest vanished, replaced by disgust.
Jiang Xingyan had always been pampered, too picky to eat the estate’s meals, insisting on her own kitchen—too busy to care for Xiao Ya herself.
Jin Zhu had only been trying to help!
A momentary lapse in attention didn’t warrant this!
The old nursemaid had devoted her life to serving his mother, never even marrying.
How could Jiang Xingyan humiliate her like this? And in front of his mother, no less!
The thought of her wielding his body to act so tyrannically made his blood boil.
“How dare you treat her this way!” he shouted.
Jiang Xingyan shut her eyes, unable to bear the sight of her own face twisted with such stupidity.
Ignoring him, she snapped at the frozen maids: “Do it now!”
Seeing her stubbornness, Huo Ci nearly choked on his fury.
If only this weak body hadn’t left him breathless after a few steps, he would have wrested the sword from her and dragged her to the magistrate himself.
Gripping a pillar for support, he clenched his fists.
“Jin Zhu has served Mother since her wedding day! How dare you?!”
“A simple mistake—just dock her wages! Must you be so cruel?!”