Rebirth: Find a General as Your Backer

Zhou Qi tilted his head slightly, his thoughts seemingly drifting back to those happy years bathed in warm sunshine. The corners of his mouth unconsciously turned up, and his eyes were full of gentle light, a light that held the memories of his family's harmonious moments.

However, this beautiful expression vanished in an instant. Her eyes suddenly dimmed, and the words she wanted to say were choked up as if by something. After a long silence, she slowly began to recount that painful past.

"Later, our county magistrate changed." At this point, Zhou Qi's originally calm face twisted instantly, a trace of resentment flashed in his eyes, his teeth clenched, and his lips turned white from the force, as if the word "county magistrate" was the most vicious curse in the world.

The newly arrived Magistrate Zhang was no more than thirty years old. He had the appearance of a fair-skinned scholar, with a slender figure. His blue robe further accentuated his refined and scholarly demeanor. Upon first meeting him, anyone would think that he was a well-read and gentle man.

Adhering to the tradition of treating new officials with courtesy, the father felt it was appropriate to hold a banquet to welcome them and to wash away the dust of their journey. So he booked an elegant private room at the most famous and ornately decorated restaurant in the county.

Inside the private room, the antique-style screen and exquisite tea set all demonstrated the care and attention put into this welcoming banquet.

At first, Magistrate Zhang appeared humble, polite, and refined at the banquet. When he talked with others, he quoted classical texts and spoke eloquently. His elegant demeanor seemed to have its own halo. This refined appearance was like a layer of mist, easily deceiving everyone, including the simple-minded Zhou Qi and his family.

At that time, Zhou Qi's older sister was in the prime of her youth, growing up graceful and beautiful, like a delicate flower blooming in spring, every smile and frown captivating.

Since Magistrate Zhang was unmarried, the two developed feelings for each other through frequent contact on various occasions and soon became a couple.

At that time, Magistrate Zhang appeared to be a virtuous gentleman in front of everyone, and would visit their home every few days.

Each time he came, he would bring carefully prepared gifts, treat his elders with great respect, and chat and laugh with the younger generation.

His every word and action met everyone's expectations of a virtuous son-in-law, and he was deeply loved by the whole family.

Amidst blessings, my sister donned her red wedding dress and happily married him.

His parents felt sorry for Magistrate Zhang, who was far from home and all alone, so they treated him like their own son and took care of him in every little way.

The dowry for her sister was incredibly generous, including gold and silver jewelry, silks and satins, and land deeds, filling several large boxes. She hoped that her daughter would have no worries about food and clothing in her husband's family.

Not long after the marriage, more good news came: my sister was pregnant.

The news was like a ray of light, illuminating the entire family, who were immersed in the joy of welcoming a new life.

The mother prepared a variety of nourishing meals every day, while the father was busy buying clothes and supplies for the baby. The older brothers were also eagerly anticipating the arrival of the new life.

One sunny day, Mother prepared a sumptuous feast early in the morning, with each dish being one of her sister's favorites. Knowing that her sister had been through a difficult pregnancy, and that Zhou Qi and her brothers were out on business and the servants were all busy, and that her sister's house was only a few streets away, she sent her younger sister to invite her sister over for a meal.

My younger sister skipped and hopped out the door, her lively figure like a cheerful little bird, but little did she know that this departure would be her last.

At this point, Zhou Qi's hands clenched involuntarily, his knuckles turning white, and his voice trembled slightly, as if he had returned to that moment when the sky seemed to fall: "But after that, my sister disappeared. We mobilized everyone we could, searching everywhere, from the streets and alleys to the riverbanks and woods, but we found no trace of her."

The mother was filled with remorse and cried all day long, feeling that her negligence had harmed her younger sister. Soon after, she fell ill and never recovered.

She often called out her sister's name in her dreams, and when she woke up, she would stare blankly at the door, hoping that her sister would suddenly appear.

Everyone said that the younger sister accidentally fell into the water and drowned, but I don't believe it. The younger sister was so clever, how could she... The older sister also felt guilty and lost her appetite, and her pregnancy became very unstable.

The joyful laughter that once filled the home has vanished, replaced by endless sorrow and oppression.

I stayed by my mother's side day and night, watching her grow increasingly frail, my heart filled with fear that she too would suddenly leave me, just like my sister, disappearing from my world without warning.

"Later, that devil Magistrate Zhang actually came to tell my father and brother that my sister had been kidnapped by bandits in the mountains. He even took out a crumpled piece of paper with the amount of ransom he was demanding written on it in crooked handwriting."

The father's hands trembled as he looked at the note, while his brothers clenched their fists in anger.

They were extremely anxious and could not bear to watch their sister suffer in the hands of bandits. So, the father, brothers, and a few seemingly capable men sent by Magistrate Zhang hurriedly set off to ransom her.

My mother, frail and ill, and I watched them leave, tears welling in our eyes. As I watched their retreating figures, my heart was filled with worry, praying for their safe return and for my sister to come back to us unharmed.

"But in the end, what I feared still happened. It was a gloomy evening, the sky seemed to be shrouded by a huge black cloth, so oppressive that it was hard to breathe."

Magistrate Zhang returned alone, his clothes stained with blood, his hair disheveled, and his face full of exhaustion and grief.

He told us that his father and brothers had been killed by bandits.

At that moment, my world seemed to collapse.

Upon hearing this devastating news, the mother fainted immediately.

When she woke up, she felt as if she had been through another world. Her condition deteriorated rapidly, and she soon passed away.

On her deathbed, she held my hand tightly, her eyes filled with reluctance and guilt, wanting to say something, but ultimately unable to utter a word, leaving this world with a heart full of regret.

Zhou Qi was sobbing uncontrollably, tears streaming down her face like a burst dam. Her body trembled with grief, like a leaf about to fall in a storm.

"My once happy and fulfilling family was shattered in an instant. I was still young at the time and couldn't bear such a heavy blow. I was like a walking corpse and soon fell ill."

My sister was also unable to bear the pain of losing her relatives one after another, and her spirit was on the verge of collapse, but she still managed to hold on and took me to the magistrate's mansion to take care of me.

I thought that being with my sister would bring me some peace, but little did I know that it was just the beginning of a real nightmare.

"During my time in the county magistrate's office, I was in a daze, immersed in the pain of losing my loved ones."

One day, I was delirious with illness, and I felt as if everything around me was shrouded in fog. In the hazy distance, I sensed a dangerous aura.

That devilish Magistrate Zhang, taking advantage of my weakness and delirium, attempted to take advantage of me. His eyes revealed a nauseating greed and desire as he approached me step by step.

I wanted to resist, but I felt as if my body was being crushed by a heavy object, and I couldn't move.