The grand mansion stood in stark contrast with its black and white hues, its bluestone floors and vermilion pillars adorned with intricately carved begonia patterns on the railings. The rain had just ceased after a night's downpour, droplets rolling off banana leaves and sinking into the damp earth.
On the table, a purple-gold incense burner shaped like an exquisite mythical beast emitted the refreshing scent of waterwood incense, particularly invigorating in the early autumn air.
The four corners of the bed were hung with vibrant sachets trimmed with tassels. By the soft bedding, two tall maids carefully fanned the person lying there.
"If she caught a chill from falling into the water and now has a fever, it's no small matter. The young lady has slept for a full day and night. The physician said she should wake soon, but why is there still no movement?" The maid in green clothes couldn't hide her anxiety.
"Gu Yu, it's been over an hour. Why hasn't the physician arrived yet?" the maid in purple robes asked.
"Second Madam is keeping a tight watch. This is considered an embarrassing affair, and the mansion is trying to hush it up." Gu Yu glanced at the bed. "Madam and the master aren't in the capital, the young master is away too, and the Old Madam favors the East Courtyard. Bailu and Shuangjiang went to fetch the physician but haven't returned—perhaps they were stopped. They're pushing the young lady to the brink! I must go and see."
As soon as she spoke, a faint sound came from the bed.
"Young lady is awake!" The purple-robed maid exclaimed joyfully, rushing to the bedside. The young girl on the bed rubbed her forehead and slowly sat up.
"Jing Zhe..." Shen Miao murmured.
"This servant is here," the purple-robed maid replied with a smile, taking Shen Miao's hand. "Are you feeling better now? You slept a full day and night. The fever broke, but you didn't wake. I was just thinking of fetching the physician again."
"Young lady, would you like some water?" Gu Yu handed her a cup of tea.
Shen Miao looked at the two before her in confusion.
She had four first-rank maids: Jing Zhe, Gu Yu, Bailu, and Shuangjiang—all clever and quick-witted. Yet, in the end, not a single one remained.
Gu Yu died protecting her from humiliation by the Crown Prince of Qin when she was held hostage in Qin State. Bailu and Shuangjiang—one perished on the journey escorting Wan Yu to a political marriage, the other in the harem battles for favor against Mei Furen.
As for Jing Zhe, the most beautiful of them all, she willingly became a concubine to help Fu Xiuyi gain power, using her charm to sway influential officials. In the end, she was beaten to death by the official's wife on false charges.
When Shen Miao learned of Jing Zhe's death, she wept bitterly, nearly miscarrying.
Now, Jing Zhe stood before her, as beautiful as ever, while Gu Yu smiled warmly. Both maids were in their prime, barely fourteen or fifteen, leaving Shen Miao momentarily dazed.
After a pause, she closed her eyes with a bitter smile. "Even the hallucinations before death are too real."
"What is the young lady saying?" Gu Yu set the teacup aside and reached to feel Shen Miao's forehead. "Has the fever addled your mind?"
The hand on her forehead was cool and soothing, undeniably real. Shen Miao's eyes snapped open, sharp and alert. Slowly, she looked down at her own hands.
They were fair, slender, and delicate, with neatly trimmed, rounded nails—hands pampered and untouched by hardship.
These were not her hands.
Her real hands had grown rough from assisting Fu Xiuyi with court affairs, scrutinizing ledgers, being ordered around like a servant in Qin State, fighting for Fu Ming and Wan Yu in the harem, and washing clothes in the cold palace—calloused, swollen, and darkened, nothing like these pampered, delicate fingers.
"Bring me a mirror," Shen Miao said, her voice weak but firm.
Gu Yu and Jing Zhe exchanged glances before Jing Zhe fetched a mirror and handed it to her.
In the bronze mirror, the girl's face was round, her forehead full, with large almond eyes slightly reddened, a soft nose, and a small mouth. It was a youthful face, not strikingly beautiful but fresh and sweet, exuding an air of timid innocence.
It was the face once praised by the imperial family as "auspicious for a husband."
The mirror slipped from Shen Miao's grasp, shattering on the floor with a crisp sound. The fragments seemed to strike her heart, sending waves of shock crashing through her.
She pinched herself hard, tears streaming down her face.
Heaven had not forsaken her—Heaven had brought her back!
Gu Yu and Jing Zhe were startled. Gu Yu hurried to pick up the shards, fretting, "Young lady, be careful not to step on them."
"Why is the young lady crying?" Jing Zhe dabbed Shen Miao's face with a handkerchief, only to find her expression strange—somewhere between laughter and tears, murmuring, "I've returned..."
She seized Jing Zhe's arm. "What year is it now?"
Jing Zhe, though frightened, answered truthfully, "The 68th year of Ming Qi. What's wrong, young lady? Are you unwell?"
"The 68th year of Ming Qi..." Shen Miao's eyes widened. That year, she had been fourteen—the year she met Fu Xiuyi, became infatuated with him, even pressured her father to arrange their marriage!
Now... Gu Yu's words echoed in her ears: "Young lady, don't scare us like this. You've just recovered from the fever—could your mind still be muddled? Eldest Young Lady was truly cruel, nearly costing you your life..."
In her past life, Shen Miao had spent most of her time running errands for Fu Xiuyi, her days in the Shen Mansion dull and forgettable. Yet she remembered this incident clearly—she remembered everything related to Fu Xiuyi.
Shen Qing had told her that Fu Xiuyi was visiting the mansion to see Second Uncle and Third Uncle, coaxing her to sneak a peek. But once they reached the garden, Shen Qing pushed her off the rockery.
She had been fished out of the pond in disgrace, with officials and peers present, turning the incident into a spectacle for mockery. Her infatuation with Prince Ding had already been the talk of the capital for half a year—this only added fuel to the fire.
Back then, after waking, she had accused Shen Qing of pushing her, but no one believed her. Heartbroken, Shen Miao was punished by the Old Madam with confinement in the family shrine, forcing her to miss the Mid-Autumn Festival. Later, Shen Yue secretly released her and took her to the Chrysanthemum Banquet at Yanbei Hall, where she made a complete fool of herself.
Shen Miao closed her eyes.
The Shen family had three branches. The eldest, Shen Xin, was Shen Miao's father—the original wife's son. After the first wife passed away in middle age, the old general remarried, and the second wife bore the second branch, Shen Gui, and the third, Shen Wan. After the old general's death, the stepmother became the current Old Madam. The family remained united, with the three brothers supporting one another—a tale of harmony praised by all.
The Shen family had a long military tradition, but by Shen Xin's generation, only the eldest branch held military power, while the second and third branches pursued civil official careers. Shen Xin was often away on campaigns, and his wife accompanied him, leaving Shen Miao in the mansion under the care of the Old Madam and her two aunts.
Under their "guidance," she became a good-for-nothing, unlearned and undisciplined, shamelessly throwing herself at men—an utter incompetent.
In her past life, she had believed her aunts and the Old Madam treated her exceptionally well—sparing her from the strict etiquette and rules Shen Yue and Shen Qing had to learn. Now, she saw it for what it was: a clumsy yet effective strategy of "killing with praise."
Taking advantage of her parents' absence, they played a double game, ensuring that whenever Shen Xin and his wife returned, they found their daughter more unruly and foolish than before.
This time, she would see just how shamelessly they repeated their tricks!
As she pondered, a maid sweeping the courtyard rushed in, announcing, "Young lady, Second Young Lady is here to see you."---
Author's Note:
Thank you to Xi Liang and qyc2868 for the flowers~ (づ￣3￣)づ╭❤️～
."..
OpenNovel