In fact, Song Qi was not dead. When the servant went up to deliver food to her, she was frantically scratching the festering wound on her back.

The servant could clearly see that maggots had long since infested the wound, wriggling incessantly, burrowing inward.

Song Qi was scratching as she wailed.

The servant, disgusted, placed the bamboo basket of food beside her, covered his mouth and nose, and ran down the mountain. He knew this Second Young Lady was beaten like this because she infuriated the old lady to death, it was her own doing. Therefore, even if she died in this desolate place, the family would not care a bit.

So the servant lied upon returning and said the Second Young Lady was already gone, simply unwilling to deliver food to Song Qi again.

Unexpectedly, Song Wei did not want Song Qi to die so soon, nor did he want her corpse to desecrate his mother’s grave, so he planned to check on her himself.

It might fulfill the saying that evildoers live for a thousand years; even in that ghost-like state, Song Qi clung to her last breath.

When she saw Song Wei, her eyes brightened, but her voice was very weak, "Third Uncle..."

Song Wei’s gaze was indifferent, and he did not blame the servant for the false report. He merely said, "Bring her back and call for a doctor to treat her."

The servant stared wide-eyed in surprise, "Master?" Was he planning to spare the Second Young Lady?

Song Qi also thought that her sincere repentance had moved Song Wei. However, as soon as her wounds were cleaned and treated, regaining a hint of vitality, she was sent back to the hill of graves.

Before, her injuries were too severe, leaving her with no spirit to think at night. Now, feeling somewhat better, her mind became exceptionally clear at night.

Listening to the eerie cries of nightjars and with countless shadows seeming to shuttle through the dark forest, Song Qi was terrified out of her wits, crying and shouting ceaselessly, but no one responded to her. Song Qi was more reluctant to have anyone respond. She could only close her eyes, force herself to sleep, and hope for the dawn to come quickly.

After a few days like this, she fell ill again and was once more taken back to the manor for treatment.

Song Wei never allowed her to recover completely. Just as she regained a sliver of health, he would send her back to the grave hill. It was only when she was on the brink of death from her illness that he would bring her down for treatment, maintaining her life just enough, a state worse than death.

Song Qi finally understood the meaning of despair.

This must have been how her older sister felt before she died?

Unfortunately, her sister wished for death and truly left, but she wished for death, and Third Uncle always found a way to keep her alive.

Waking up each morning to the sight of graves, Song Qi thought that she never wanted to experience this again in this life, the next, or even the one after that.

She began to regret, deeply and sincerely regret, why she rejected the proposal from the Xie Family back then? Why did she seek out her sister to plead? Why did she say those things in front of her sister and brother-in-law? Why did she anger her grandmother to death?

If she could do it over, she truly knew she was wrong. She wanted to be a good person.

But clearly, the cold and severe Third Uncle would no longer give her any chance.

All hopes in her heart dissipated, and Song Qi said, "Third Uncle, I beg you, let me die. I will go to the underworld to atone to my sister and grandmother, to repay them as a beast of burden in the next life for my sins. I feel so tired, I don’t want to live anymore."

Song Wei’s gaze bore no emotion as it fell upon her. "If you truly wish to die, from today, don’t eat anything they bring you. In at most three days, you’ll achieve your wish." 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

Song Qi wavered at the thought of starving to death.

Song Wei’s lips curved slightly, his eyes frosty, "Since you don’t want to die, then guard your grandmother’s grave for a lifetime."

...

Regarding the situation in Ningzhou, Song Wei didn’t mention a word in his reply to Wen Wan.

Wen Wan knew he wouldn’t speak of it, so she specially asked Zhao Xunyin to send a few people to Ningzhou, only then discovering how Song Wei was tormenting Song Qi, leaving her wishing for death.

In Liufang Courtyard, Wen Wan sat on the warm chaise, holding half-finished knots in one hand, while extending the other hand to warm by the brazier in front of the chaise.

Zhao Xunyin, holding the drowsy little one, Yan Li, in her arms, sighed, "Who would have thought that normally gentle Third Son could be so ruthless when he acts."

"That’s because Song Qi touched his bottom line." After marrying into the Song family for nearly ten years, this was probably the first time Song Wei lost his temper.

Just the thought of Song Wei being pushed to such an extent made Wen Wan’s heart shatter, causing indescribable pain.

"Mother, my heart aches for him," Wen Wan said, tears streaming down, "Heaven loves to mock people. No matter how hard he tries, the things he gains are always short-lived, and there are always greater calamities ahead. I can’t imagine how he survived those twenty-odd years before, but these last ten years, I have watched him rise from obscurity to the Imperial Tutor’s esteemed position, only to fall straight from the pinnacle, back to the abyss.

The decision not to take the exams back then was out of guilt towards his brother and sister-in-law, later deciding to take the exams, for the miners who met unfortunate ends in Da Huan Mountain, and also so that one day his parents could escape the toil of facing the earth back-breaking work and live a comfortable life.

The facts proved he indeed achieved that, only far too briefly. His brother and sister-in-law had been dead for hardly seventeen years when his mother died, and his niece died too.

This kind of blow is something no one could possibly withstand, but he still has many more seventeen years ahead!

Wen Wan thought more than once, if I fail to change fate, what will happen to Song Wei?

Zhao Xunyin also didn’t expect the Song family’s fortune to be so lamentable. But at times like this, she cannot wallow in despair along with her daughter, and she tried to maintain a smile, "Wanwan is a little lucky star. Since Heaven arranged for you to marry him, it means all his misfortunes will end because of you. Don’t be sad, your mother is here, and with the affairs in the Capital, your mother will do her utmost to assist you. I believe the day will come when you can defy fate and rescue him from his misery."

...

Wen Wan’s previous letters to Song Wei were quite formal; she was not accustomed to expressing intimate words in writing. After crying secretly for him, Wen Wan decided to change the format of her letters. She would write one every day, recording not daily events, but counting down the days left in their three-year promise.

In the recent letter she sent, she wrote: The one thousand and fiftieth day of missing my husband.

Enclosed in the letter was dried flower she had aired in the spring.

In his returning letter, he asked: Why this date?

Wen Wan replied: Counting down the over a thousand days of three years, when it reaches zero, I will see my husband and no longer need to miss him.

Thus, every few days Song Wei would receive a letter, bearing her neat and graceful script, detailing the remaining days of missing him, along with the fragrance of a dried flower petal.

Though he knew the content of these letters recording the days was always the same, Song Wei would still always make sure to wash his hands before reading them, and after finishing, carefully and meticulously place them into the locked chest at his bedside.