Ju Ming was cooped up in her room for two whole days. After getting the details on the past Pan Yu Mei, she banned Chu'mei from entering her room. It wasn't because Chu'mei wasn't useful anymore but... that girl was a handful. If she wasn't talking, she was crying over nothing. Ju Ming had enough of her and so she had no choice but to ban the girl from her room. By the third day, she had understood the situation she was in. She decided. From this day forward, she would live as Pan Yu Mei and not Ju Ming. Or at least until her master arrived. For now she would play as Pan Yu Mei and smooch off of her super rich but coldhearted husband.
Ju Ming, the real her in the body of Pan Yu Mei was the only student of Potion Master Wu Tie. Her parents died when she was just ten. If it wasn't for Old Man Wu Tie, she would not be alive. For six years, she followed him, journeying to different cities, looking for herbs, plants and animals for his potions and pills. Sadly, Ju Ming was born a natural trouble maker and did not care much for potions and pills that saved lives, beautified or for strength. She was much more interested in things that could gain her benefits. That is why she secretly learned how to make sleeping pills, love pills and fragrant pouches. Why? Because she found out, many women were willing to trade with her for one of her magical pills. She occupied under a different name just in case her master found out, Beauty Chen. She was known by many. Women praised her and men feared her. This kind of fear wasn't because she was powerful but they feared her pills. Usually one could tell when a drug was being used but Beauty Chen's were one of a kind. There was no trace, no smell and one would have to be a prodigal to realize it.
Ju Ming sighed when she thought about her past life. She regretted not trading more. In her life she only traded a total of 2 sleeping pills, 1 love pill and 1 fragrant pouch. Her creations were never for money but for trade. No matter what price someone gave her for a pill, she would refuse them. Ju Ming felt that the more money one had, the greedier their heart became. Thus she never gave in to money. She only traded if there was something she truly wanted or needed from a woman. Only a total of 4 women have been able to interest her.
To be honest, her life wasn't bad. Her master wasn't crazy awful. He would scold her and not give her yummy food when she misbehaved only… which was about once every two days.
Ju Ming would have successfully traded with a fifth person if her master didn't catch her. That was why he proposed a marriage for her. In hopes that she would mature after marriage. No need to explain her death, even Ju Ming herself was embarrassed of the way she died. Who is stupid enough to fall off a cliff? Only her.
Ju Ming suddenly let out a loud yell, even startling Chu'mei. The door flung open. Chu'mei was met with an aggrieved stare. "Go back, I'm okay,"
"Xiaojie!" Chu'mei wanted to stay and help her lady but was too afraid. Once the door shut again, Ju Ming banged her head on the table a few times in misery. "I'm so unlucky! I died running from a marriage just to be put in a body of a married woman." *wuwuwu* Ju Ming stomped her feet on the ground a few times. The heavens were truly bullying her.
Not even a minute after she started crying, she lifted her head up and the tears in her eyes had stopped. Her eyes shifted up when she thought about something. If she remembered correctly, she and her master are in the mountains right now. They should arrive in Luoyang in about six months. All she needed to do was survive in the palace long enough until her master arrived, convince him that she was Ju Ming and leave that stupid Lin Pei Nan. Even if her master wanted to force her into another marriage, with her current identity, he would not be able to. He could only agree to bring her along. Her lips curved into a bright smile. All the sadness and wrong she felt a minute ago faded in that very instance. She only needed to stay here for six months. Why? Because living in luxury didn't sound so bad. She could spend every day eating, playing and sleeping. After all, when would she ever get a chance like this ever again. What would she do in the next six months? First, find the person who tried to kill her.
***(Ju Ming's name is officially going in as Yu Mei. She has accepted her fate.)***
At first, Pan Yu Mei believed in Chu'mei's words. She had tried to drown herself because Prince Nan didn't love her but after being in the body for no more than an hour; she felt the residue of sleeping powder in her body. She had worked with ingredients related to sleeping powders and pills long enough to recognize it, even if it was in the body, not to mention the sudden fatigue she felt.
Chu'mei felt happy when she was called back into the room. Pan Yu Mei turned her body towards Chu'mei, leaned her back on the table and crossed her legs before questioning her. "Think real hard before answering me. On the night that I tried to kill myself, did I meet anyone and what did I eat?" Chu'mei thought about it really hard before replying, "I remember my lady was really angry with Prince Nan and refused to eat all day. It was only after Consort Ning invited you over to her Northern Palace that you ate. Even then, you didn't eat much. You only had rice porridge made by A'tian, Consort Ning's maid," Pan Yu Mei let out a sigh, so that's who it was. It was so obvious yet no one suspected Consort Ning...it was too fishy. "Who is Consort Ning?" Pan Yu Mei could literally feel the flames coming from Chu'mei's mouth as she spoke about Consort Ning. "Su Fei Ning, only daughter of Marquis of Su. Your enemy," Chu'mei continued to go on and explain the history behind Consort Ning and Pan Yu Mei. Pan Yu Mei, Lady of Virtue controlled the Southern Palace and Consort Ning; Lady of Beauty controlled the Northern Palace. After a week of marriage, Prince Nan married Su Fei Ning. It was said to be that they were childhood lovers. He fell in love with her beauty even before talking to her as kids. Pan Yu Mei wanted to clap her hands; this was truly such a romantic story between the two. They deserved to be together, both evil! She wanted to applaud at how stupid the original Pan Yu Mei was. Why in the world did this woman marry him if she knew he had a lover? "Wait, so I am a princess from a neighboring country and she is merely a marquis's daughter? Why am I not the rightful wife of Prince Nan but a mere Imperial Consort with the same standing as Consort Ning then?"
"My lady knew how Prince Nan felt about Consort Ning at that time. You insisted that you would only marry him but he refused. At the end, you finally caved in and agreed to be an Imperial Consort as long as he married you," Chu'mei explained. Pan Yu Mei opened her mouth in shock again. There was such a woman in the world? How could she lower her pride for this man? After all her questions were answered, she was curious as to who this Consort Ning was. "Lead me to Consort Ning," Pan Yu Mei stood up, ready to go. "My lady, Consort Ning is currently at Hidden Beauty hot springs. She won't be back until tomorrow morning," Chu'mei backed away, ready for her lady to scold her like usual. Nothing…Pan Yu Mei just sat there calmly. "Bring me a pair of male robes then," was all Pan Yu Mei said.
Chu'mei knew better than to question her lady. When she got back, Pan Yu Mei quickly changed into the male robe and tied her hair in a knot. "Chu'mei" Pan Yu Mei called Chu'mei back in. When Chu'mei saw who was in front of her, her eyes could not believe. Her lady was cute as a man. Pan Yu Mei was wearing a long white robe with a thin black belt snuggly fitted around her waist. Her hair was in a simple bun tied with a black sash. Pan Yu Mei looked like a youngster, a very feminine one to add. If Chu'mei didn't know who Pan Yu Mei was, she would have mistaken Pan Yu Mei as a young scholar. "How does it look?" Pan Yu Mei smiled at her. "My lady, you look like a real youthful man,"
"Good answer, now change into this," Chu'mei caught the gown thrown at her. It was one of Pan Yu Mei's. She was still looking at the gown puzzled that when she looked up, Pan Yu Mei was already half way out the window. Chu'mei tossed the gown on the floor and grabbed her lady's foot before she could escape. "My lady, where are you going? You are still under house arrest. We'll get in trouble," she panicked. "Aiya…" Pan Yu Mei sighed at the timid girl. "You pretend to be me until I get back. If we get caught, your dead meat," Pan Yu Mei threatened her before wiggling her foot away and making her escape. "My lady!" Chu'mei leaned out the window to see Pan Yu Mei running at the speed of light.