Chapter 2: Fusheng

"Have you heard? The Great General of Zhennan committed an act of insubordination and injured the current Emperor. In a fit of rage, His Majesty has thrown him into the Heavenly Prison..." Inside the "Eight Seas Teahouse," the most well-informed establishment in the capital, a middle-aged man in plain clothes whispered to his companion while sipping tea.

His companion asked, "Wasn't the Great General of Zhennan a childhood friend of the current Emperor? How could this happen?"

The middle-aged man gave his friend a "disdainful" look and said vividly, "You don't know about this? It's all because of that master who went to the Yongle Palace... That master died of a mysterious, sudden illness. When the Emperor and the General returned to the capital and heard the news, you can't imagine how heartbroken they both were. The Emperor fell ill from grief; once he recovered, he ordered the Yongle Palace to be sealed. Those who used to serve that master were either dead or sent out of the palace. No one dares to mention it in front of His Majesty! So, once the first seven days of mourning passed and court affairs resumed, the Great General of Zhennan went to argue the matter with His Majesty. As it turned out, as they were talking, they ended up coming to blows..."

"That Great General is far too bold! Sigh, speaking of which, how did that legendary Empress of the nation suddenly pass away like that?"

"Exactly, she passed so suddenly. That's why the Great General thinks there's something fishy about it. He suspects the Emperor can't be cleared of involvement... The Great General was that master's fellow disciple. They've known each other since childhood, and the General has never married. As for what's in his heart, I'm afraid everyone except that master knows more or less... When that master was still around, the Emperor couldn't act recklessly. Now that the Emperor has no more inhibitions, who knows how he will deal with the General."

...

A woman sitting at the table behind them had heard every single word. The woman wore a black cloak and a grey cloth shirt, concealing her features, though her graceful figure suggested she was a young lady. The fingers of the woman's hand, gripping the celadon teacup, suddenly tightened, and her eyes, hidden beneath the cloak, stared at something unknown. After a long while, she pulled out a piece of broken silver, placed it gently on the table, stood up, and quietly departed.

On the streets, everyone was talking about the Great General of Zhennan being imprisoned for offending the Emperor. It was the month of March, weather that should have been turning warm, yet the woman looked at the sky and lightly wrapped her arms around herself before walking toward a deserted alley.

*When that master was still around, the Emperor couldn't act recklessly. Now that the Emperor has no more inhibitions, who knows how he will deal with the General.*

Recalling the words of the middle-aged man just now, the woman couldn't help but feel a dull ache in her heart. She had "died," and yet that man wouldn't even let his brotherly fellow disciple go...

Reaching a safe place to rest, the woman removed her cloak, revealing a peerless beauty like misty rain under moonlight. She looked exactly like Gao Changge! However, this face was clearly a few years younger than the deceased Gao Changge's; her willow brows were gentler than the expression in Gao Changge's eyes, and the cinnabar tear mole beneath the corner of her eye was a vivid color. This was clearly the seventeen-year-old, unmarried Gao Changge, yet it was also clearly different from her. This cinnabar tear mole was something the smooth-faced Gao Changge did not have.

But this person truly was Gao Changge; it was just that the soul was still that person, while this body was not hers. Yes, Gao Changge was dead. The current Changge was merely a lonely soul attached to this young girl whose appearance was nearly identical to Gao Changge's.

Two months ago, when Gao Changge woke up, she discovered she hadn't died. Her body had died, but her soul had attached itself to someone else. Gradually accepting the fact of her rebirth, Gao Changge firmly believed that her rebirth was heaven's pity for her tragic death, allowing her to start over and seek vengeance!

"From now on, I am no longer Gao Changge. I am Zhou Fusheng." Zhou was the surname she took from her fellow disciple, Zhou Yi. The Prince of Pingyang's manor was gone, her father and brothers were dead, her close ones were either dead or missing; now, only Zhou Yi remained. Fusheng—revival. Zhou Fusheng.

Curling her lips, Gao Changge—no, Zhou Fusheng—laughed coldly, her phoenix eyes filled with a chilling, solemn frost and killing intent. "Li Zhan, Xue Ji, Yin Yu, and all those who betrayed and framed me... I will surely make you repay my blood feud a thousandfold!"