After Rebirth, She Becomes the Revenge Queen
Chapter 37 - 036: How Did They Become Relatives?

Chapter 37: Chapter 036: How Did They Become Relatives?

The old man eyed her with slight hesitation, "I wonder which person the miss wants to hear about?"

"The most important one is about the protagonist of the fire incident at Baihe Temple six years ago, and any related matters. I wonder if you know about it?"

The fact that Liang Ning died at Baihe Temple was no secret; the talented top scholar from six years ago was naturally well-known to everyone as well.

Fu Zhen needed to grasp these matters behind the scenes at this moment, and this sort of business, which specialized in collecting anecdotes about the nobility for profit, often had the most comprehensive information.

The business from the night before last, which had remained unfinished, could take advantage of today to be attended to.

Upon hearing this, the old man breathed a sigh of relief. "I thought the miss wanted to inquire about something else? So it’s this!

"This incident back then shocked the court and the public, how could I not know about it? Speaking of this matter, I must first ask, I wonder if the miss knows the renowned Great General Liang of the court?"

Fu Zhen said, "That part I know, I heard the burned victim was a young miss from the Liang Family. You may continue."

The old man nodded, "The Liang Family was full of heroes, having consecutively lost three generations of heroes to pacify the world and guard the Northwest. Just before that night, the current Great General had been assigned the crucial task of leading the Northwest troops, and to console the spirits of the fallen generals, His Majesty specially arranged a prayer session at Baihe Temple on the eve of the Mid-Autumn Festival that year."

Indeed, the reason Liang Ning was in the temple’s Buddha hall that night was to prepare for the prayer meeting the next day.

Then at midnight, Xu Yin seemingly descended from the heavens, suddenly arriving.

"The Buddha hall where Miss Liang was that night still has remnants left. The place was already secluded, and initially, no one noticed the fire, while the flames were extremely fierce. It wasn’t until the fire had consumed half the structure that monks discovered it and rushed to extinguish it. However, it was too late, the building was burned away, and the young miss was burned to a crisp."

When the incident occurred that day, no one around noticed, naturally indicating that Xu Yin had prepared well in advance. Although it seemed suspicious how someone like him, merely a Hanlin Academy editor, could have that kind of power to manage such an event, the fire spreading later did alarm the monks, which matched the circumstances at the time.

Fu Zhen said, "It’s said that the miss knew martial arts, how could she die in such a sudden blaze, and afterward no one suspected or reported it to the officials?"

"Naturally, it was reported. Speaking of which, I must mention the present young and promising Vice Minister Xu of the Ministry of Rites!" The old man lowered his head and sipped some tea.

Fu Zhen’s brow twitched, "’Vice Minister Xu’?"

"Indeed, the Vice Minister of Rites, Xu, has the given name Yin, and he was the top scholar in the imperial examinations the year the incident occurred! And this Mr. Xu was the fiancée of the deceased young miss from the Liang Family!"

The blood in Fu Zhen’s heart surged, Xu Yin had already become Vice Minister Xu?!

"He achieved success in the imperial examination and in just six years, rose to the third-ranked position of Vice Minister?"

"He was a top scholar, talented indeed!" The old man seemed to disapprove of her tone, "He was also an esteemed protégé of the great scholar of that time. Not only was his writing outstanding, but he was also quick-witted, knowledgeable, and broad-minded. Most importantly, he was extremely humble and eager to learn!

"Even when he was working as an editor at Hanlin Academy, he compiled the chaos within the military camps he had experienced in the Northwest, proposing seven reform strategies. After adopting them, His Majesty saw those disorders gradually disappear. This set of military laws was later praised as the ’Seven Strategies of Xu.’ It was truly remarkable for him, so young, to have invested the efforts to meticulously investigate these truths within the army!"

Fu Zhen took a deep breath and clenched her fists.

If these seven strategies were the ones she had seen back then, then those examples of chaos in the military camps and so on, she had personally experienced and recorded herself!

At least half of those strategies were from her efforts!

In this way, Xu Yin not only killed her but also claimed that half of her merit after her death as his own, making them all his experiences and contributions?

Swallowing the blood in her heart, she said, "Because of this, he then rose to such heights?"

"Not quite." The old man smoothed his graying beard, "Didn’t I just say? That Vice Minister Xu is exceptionally handsome. After Miss Liang’s misfortune, naturally he had to continue with marriage discussions. Later, he became the son-in-law of Prince Rong’s Mansion! Think about it, with such a strong family as the Yue Family backing him..."

Fu Zhen was stunned, "He really married Yongping?"

"Indeed!" The old man patted the table, "The beloved daughter of Prince Rong and the Princess, the eldest daughter of the Prince’s Manor, the most noble Commandery Princess in today’s Great Zhou. With Vice Minister Xu, who is full of talent and beauty, they are indeed a perfect match made in heaven! Surely miss has heard of this celebrated union?"

Fu Zhen didn’t speak.

She took a large sip of tea.

Whether it was a celebrated union or not, she couldn’t say, but she had just divined Yongping’s fate, and it was already certain that the Commandery Princess was destined to be widowed young!

After becoming Fu Zhen, she had indeed been troubled, because she didn’t know whether Xu Yin was dead or alive, whether killing her had been fortunate or not?

If he were dead or had received evil retribution, it was certainly something, but it wouldn’t necessarily bring complete satisfaction.

Now knowing he achieved his desires, despite the anger, she finally had the chance to personally wield the knife against him, to show him what it meant when evil meets retribution. Only then could she fully vent that suffocating breath in her heart!

"...In short, with the Emperor’s appreciation of his talents and the backing of a family like Prince Rong’s Mansion, such rapid ascension is unsurprising."

As Fu Zhen secretly gritted her teeth, the old man continued, "It’s said that last year the Emperor wanted to promote him further, but it was Vice Minister Xu himself who modestly felt he lacked experience and wanted to train for a few more years before taking up a major role."

The public’s exaggerated praise of Xu Yin, blinded by appearances, seemed utterly absurd to Fu Zhen. She had initially had to use her left hand to steady her right to keep the tea cup from trembling, but now the more she listened, the more calm she became, and her mind grew clearer.

That ungrateful murderer had managed to rise to such heights in merely six years.

Looking at it this way, perhaps when she had heard the rumors back then, he had already set his mind on such a path.

And the supposedly better match he had mentioned, even if it wasn’t Yongping, it would certainly be an equally prominent noble lady.

Prince Rong was the current Emperor’s cousin. The Emperor had fought a battle to establish the nation, and apart from his wife and children, he had virtually no family left. Prince Rong hadn’t participated in military campaigns, but as a child, he had saved the Emperor’s life. Without him, there might not have been the later Emperor and Great Zhou.

So after the founding of the country, the Emperor conferred him the title of Prince, everything according to the princely regulations, also giving him the power to participate in politics. Prince Rong was one of the highest-ranking royals in the Great Zhou Imperial Family and also one of the Emperor’s loyal and important ministers.

This marriage indeed matched his ambitions.

But it seemed the Xu surname’s luck was just a bit too good, wasn’t it?

Why was he able to achieve whatever he set his sights on?

She continued to ask, "How did this marriage come about?"