Chapter 3: Death and Resurrection

Although those men did not flee, they huddled together in fear. Han Youniang, being somewhat bolder, thought to herself that it was her own husband inside. Even if he were to explode, he would not harm her. Could it be that he returned from the underworld because he saw her being bullied?

Zheng Shaopeng couldn't help but want to laugh; he had seen enough instances of genuine and feigned crying. However, back in modern times, it was somewhat restrained. Now, when they say they cry, it is almost like performing in a play, which is truly amusing.

Zheng Shaopeng took this opportunity to laboriously raise his hand and knock on the coffin. Unfortunately, his hands and feet were still somewhat stiff; after gently knocking twice, he felt an excruciating pain. That faint sound could not compete with those who were crying with all their might, so he had no choice but to stop.

The woman's words conveyed a blend of softness and firmness, both admonishing him not to think that his youth could shield him from the burden of solitude, and warning that if he could not sustain himself alone, he might end up selling off the family estate. Furthermore, she subtly implied that he was scheming to secure the family assets for himself, effectively attempting to seize the property of his cousin's family.

To say that a woman has caused her husband's death is indeed an accusation that cannot be defended or borne. Han Yoniang, with her fiery temperament, was so enraged by this scoundrel's insidious attack that she trembled all over. Looking around, her husband's family was already sparse, and those present were all direct relatives from her uncle's side. Each of them wore a sarcastic expression, their cold and detestable gazes piercing her heart like needles.

After a moment of silence outside, I heard the young lady say: "Uncle, your kind intentions are appreciated by me. My fate is unfortunate; my husband passed away early and left no descendants. However, although I am merely the daughter of an ordinary family, I have read the 'Lessons for Women' and understand the principles of being a wife and remaining faithful to one man.

But where is this place? It is so dark and so cold. Zheng Shaopeng weakly reached out to touch something; he was covered with a thin layer of quilt, suggesting it must be winter, and the air was filled with a damp chill.

His limbs, which had just begun to move, were still weak and lacked strength. However, as soon as his fingers touched the surrounding objects, he began to understand; he had been placed in a coffin. Good heavens, was he not to be buried alive at this moment? Zheng Shaopeng became anxious, but he was powerless and could do nothing about it

In a moment of sorrow, Han Youniang could not help but speak with tearful eyes, saying: "Good! Good! Good! Qian Yulian threw herself into the river, preserving her integrity for eternity. What do I, Han Youniang, care for this life? I shall follow my husband now, thus avoiding the malice of a petty person like you"

At that moment, she suddenly stopped in her tracks, her eyes wide with horror as she stared at the coffin. The thin coffin had not yet been nailed shut, allowing for mourners to pay their respects. Now, the coffin lid unexpectedly shifted to the side, and then four pale fingers emerged to grasp the coffin board.

What he did not know was that his son had asked him to approach the Yang family with this request for an ulterior motive. Yang Quan was notorious for his drinking, gambling, and debauchery, and it was well-known throughout the region that he had squandered his family fortune. Ever since the bandits raided the village two years ago and killed his wife, he had not been able to find another, and now, in his forties, he remained a solitary bachelor.

Once again, a cacophony could be heard from outside, and then the aged voice said: "Yang Han, your in-laws passed away early, and now Ling has also gone to the underworld to accompany them. You are left all alone; do you have any plans?"

Old Master Yang felt embarrassed when his innermost thoughts were revealed by her, his face turning red as he suddenly found himself at a loss. He had four sons, but only this third son, Yang Quan, was idle and indulged in drinking, gambling, and other vices, squandering all the land and property that had been allocated to him.

In an instant, the house, which had just been relatively quiet, erupted like a landslide and tsunami, startling Zheng Shaopeng. Just moments ago, it seemed there were only a few people inside, but now a cacophony of wailing and howling from both men and women filled the air. Zheng Shaopeng realized that there were actually so many people in the house. In previous reincarnations, he had encountered situations where family members were crying, but he had never experienced such darkness that one could not see their own hand in front of them. Zheng Shaopeng moved his eyes; although he could see nothing, he instinctively felt that there was nothing wrong with his eyesight, which gave him a slight sense of relief.

Faintly, there was also the sound of a woman weeping softly. Zheng Shaopeng felt a bit bewildered; what on earth was happening? Although he had never been to ancient times, the tone of the conversation did not seem to belong to noble families.

She suppressed the fear in her heart and cautiously stepped toward the coffin, forcefully pushing open the lid. There, she saw her husband kneeling inside the coffin, breathing heavily. Due to the cold weather, his breath came out in puffs of white mist. Han Youniang could not help but feel a surge of joy in her heart: "How can a dead person exhale warm breath? Heaven be merciful, he... he is actually alive"

Before him lay a pitch-black void; he anxiously attempted to rise, but his body, just now beginning to revive, had frozen limbs with blood circulation only just starting. For the moment, he lacked the strength to lift himself. Fortunately, he had experienced this many times before; each time he was reborn, it was always like this when the magpie took over the nest. Thus, he patiently lay there, gathering his strength.

His cousin Yang Ling, the scholar who is currently possessed by Zheng Shaopeng, has just married this Yang Han, whose real name is Han Youniang. She is a renowned beauty, famous far and wide. It is said that beautiful birds are raised in deep mountains and exquisite women emerge from humble cottages, which is indeed true.

The loud voice called out again: "Old Master, please take a seat over here, all the relatives and friends are here to pay their respects!"

Yang Ling, despite being ill, arranged for his wedding, hoping that marriage would bring him good fortune. However, he did not even have the chance to lift the bridal veil before his condition worsened, leaving him bedridden. Yang Quan, under the pretext of visiting his brother, came over multiple times to flirt, but was repeatedly chased away by Han You-niang.

The Ox-Head and Horse-Face, resembling the God of Plague, hastily brought me here. I do not know what era this is, but since they claim they want to attach me to a noble, the one to whom I am to be attached must surely be a noble.

Zheng Shaopeng was trying to understand his situation when he suddenly heard three crisp sounds of a bamboo clapper. Following that, someone shouted loudly, "A guest has arrived... Oh, Old Master Yang, how is it that you have come as well? Young Scholar Yang is your junior, he cannot afford such honor."

If it were not for the fact that this sister-in-law is the daughter of the Hunter King and possesses exceptional martial skills, he would have already resorted to forceful means.

Immediately following, a loud voice proclaimed: "Dear relatives and friends, come to pay your respects at the spirit's side, and accompany them one last time!" As soon as the words fell, the wailing and howling resumed, this time closer, suggesting that those people had gathered around the spirit to mourn.

Only an old voice was heard coughing a few times, saying: "Hi, this room of the sixth brother is finished. Can I come over to take a look? Ling'er is a rare talent in our Yang family. My brother only had this unique offspring at the age of fifty-four, and now at just seventeen, he has become the youngest scholar in the Xuanfu area. We were originally counting on him to bring glory to our Yang family, but unfortunately... sigh"

Zheng Shaopeng steadied himself: "Elder Yang? What kind of address is this? It's so noisy around me, yet I'm completely in the dark. Oh my... I... I... I haven't been reincarnated as some blind prince, have I?"

Widow? Zheng Shaopeng felt a tightness in his forehead, and he presumed that these people were crying for him. Well, at least they had already arranged a wife for him. But... why was it pitch black? There shouldn't be such darkness during a wake. Suddenly, he thought of something and quickly reached out to feel around him.

Although the old man resented his son for being unambitious, he could not bear to see his own flesh and blood in dire straits. Thus, he shamelessly approached to make this unreasonable request, hoping that if his son acquired this land, he could wash away his past and start anew. Unexpectedly, despite her young age, the girl had her own ideas and outright refused.

He hurriedly stood up from his chair and shouted, "Quick, stop her!"

Being so unfortunate, at a young age I must remain a widow for life. I never expected that before my husband's body was even cold, his relatives would come to seize our family assets and cast such a stigma upon me. I am weak and powerless; how will I survive in this large family in the future

Yang Quan, upon hearing her mock him, could not help but feel a mix of shame and anger, and he shouted, "You little wretch, Ling Di is the only one from the Yang family who has passed the scholar examination. The glory of the Yang family relies entirely on Ling Di. If it weren't for you, with your inauspicious fate that brought about his demise, how could he, being so young and in good health, have died just like that?"

The young girl, having spoken, turned around and was about to crash her head against her husband's coffin. Old Master Yang was startled; Han Youniang's father was renowned for his martial skills throughout the ten miles and eight townships. Today, her husband had just died, and it was already unreasonable for him to come and forcefully seize the family assets. If she were to die by crashing into the coffin, this matter would spread, and not only would the neighbors criticize him, but her father would certainly not let it go unpunished.

A sense of grievance, sorrow, and anger surged within her: she had married a husband who resembled a book, lying in bed as if waiting for death from the very first moment she saw him. Although there was no talk of love, the unwavering principle compelled her to keep her wedding dress on, as she busied herself with calling doctors, procuring medicine, and selling off family assets to treat her husband, attending to him without a moment's respite.

Han Yoniang, upon witnessing this bizarre occurrence, could not help but step back in shock. The crowd, noticing her reaction, turned their gaze towards the coffin, and immediately, two elderly women screamed, "The corpse is exploding!" They turned and fled in haste.

Then a mournful female voice softly said: "The widow Yang Han expresses her gratitude to the old master and to all relatives and friends."

Although Han Youniang is young, she is extremely strong-willed. Upon hearing these words, she brushed her sleeves and stood up, her brows furrowing in anger, and coldly said: "I have been educated in propriety and have upheld my principles throughout my life. Since entering the Yang family, I have served my husband daily without ever neglecting my duties as a wife. How could there be any hint of failing in my wifely virtues? The Yang clan is large, and even if there are a few unworthy descendants, they certainly would not come from my family"

I discussed with several elders in the clan and would like to entrust these four acres of mountain fields to your son Quan for cultivation. Quan's family would be responsible for your daily meals. As a woman, you could be considered his sister-in-law; having him cultivate the land would also ensure your basic needs are met. What do you think of this arrangement?

Yang Quan was standing aside, greedily staring at his sister-in-law, who was dressed in mourning clothes and appeared even more charming. Upon hearing her words, she managed to silence their father, and his unruly temper immediately flared up. Unable to contain himself, he exclaimed: "Han You-niang, you are still young; how do you intend to support this family? My father means well, so do not let it come to a point where you cannot carry on and bring disgrace to the Yang family name."

However, Han Youniang was agile and acted immediately upon hearing the sound. Before the crowd could stop her, she had already rushed to the front of the coffin, aiming to crash her head into one corner of it.

I was born into the Yang family and will die as a ghost of the Yang family. Although I am the only one left in the family now, this lineage cannot be considered extinct. Uncle Yang Quan and my husband are not siblings from the same mother. Even with you, my uncle, we have long since separated and established our own households. Is it appropriate to hand over the land passed down from my in-laws to him?

Old Master Yang coughed twice and said: "Young lady, you are still quite young, and it is not easy to independently support this household. You are now a member of the Yang family. Our Yang family is considered a prominent clan in this area, and it would not be right to let you struggle alone while others mock us.

In his view, seizing her land and controlling the course of her life, it would not be difficult, given time, to possess the body and mind of this unfortunate widow, who is only fifteen years old.

The loud voice shouted: "Guests have paid their respects, and relatives should return the courtesy!" With this shout, the chaotic cries abruptly ceased, and it became so quiet that one could hear a pin drop, truly puzzling how they were all so well-trained in unison.

A low voice of a girl was heard saying: "Uncle, once a young woman enters the Yang family, she becomes the wife of the Yang family. Although my husband is ill and our family is now impoverished, fortunately, we still have four acres of land. I will guard the household diligently; even if it is difficult, we can still get by."

I could only hear those people crying out in a chaotic manner, saying things like, 'Big brother, you left us too early at such a young age,' and 'Brother Ling, why did you have to die?' I have no idea who those distant relatives are.

At this moment, the loud voice shouted: "The family expresses gratitude once again, dear friends and relatives, please accept our condolences. Words, gifts, and heartfelt intentions have all been conveyed, the ceremony is complete!" It was as if he were the most skilled conductor; as soon as his words fell, the cries immediately ceased.

It is so cold, Zheng Shaopeng awakens with a sense of melancholy. In this instance of time-reversal reincarnation, the memories of his past life have become even more faint. The memories from eight reincarnations over the past year are intertwined with his previous experiences, making it difficult for him to distinguish which are from his past life and which are from his current reincarnation. All memories float like clouds in the sky, elusive and intangible, resembling an absurd dream.

Indeed, it is yet another scene of inheritance contention. Zheng Shaopeng thought with frustration: "Everyone speaks so grandly, yet such matters have existed throughout history. Just having arrived to pay respects, and already the masks are torn off; this uncle is rather too impatient."

Zheng Shaopeng exerted great effort to finally push open a corner of the coffin lid. He was kneeling inside, gasping for breath. Suddenly, a bright light flooded in, causing him to squint his eyes. It took him a while to adjust. He looked up at the poor widow who had been bullied and could hardly associate her with a married woman; she was clearly just an immature girl.