"Ah..."
Yun Jinnian screamed, sitting up.
"Ah!" She gasped for air, exhaling, "Don't eat it, don't eat it, Momo, don't eat it!"
Yun Jinnian's eyes widened with sudden terror.
She, she could actually talk.
The voice was off.
Her body moved, she rolled off the bed, and a maid at the side couldn't help but burst into laughter.
Yun Jinnian looked up upon hearing the sound.
She was even more shocked.
This was...
Her boudoir, the maid in front of her, was Ru Xin, given to her by her grandmother, someone who was good at currying favor and liked to bully others with her power—a truly self-serving person.
Then who was she?
Yun Jinnian closed her eyes, memories tumbling through her mind, making it difficult for her to breathe.
"Huff, huff!"
Yun Jinnian took deep breaths, unable to make sense of what exactly was happening?
Was it a dream, or had she experienced it?
She looked at her hands, small and tender.
What in the world was going on?
Yun Jinnian sat slumped on the floor, unable to snap out of it.
And Ru Xin, she didn't even come over to help her up, letting her slump on the ground.
It wasn't until Mrs. Yuan, Yun Jinnian's wet nurse, came in with medicine and saw Ru Xin standing to the side, laughing, and Yun Jinnian slumped on the floor, that she shouted angrily, "Ru Xin, how dare you? It's so cold and you just let the young lady sit on the ground!"
Ru Xin was just about to retort when she saw that behind Mrs. Yuan followed two maids, one of whom was Ming Liu, the head maid by the old lady's side, and the other was Tianmi, the head maid by Lady's side.
Ru Xin shivered in fear, hastening to help up Yun Jinnian.
But Yun Jinnian brushed her off, "I wouldn't dare let you help me. Go kneel in the yard, kneel for two hours, then go receive twenty lashes yourself!"
Ru Xin was startled.
Mrs. Yuan was startled.
Ming Liu and Tianmi were also stunned.
Because this Fourth Miss was known for her timid nature, never speaking loudly, let alone with such sharp and stern words, directly imposing kneeling punishment and flogging.
"Miss, you mustn't treat a servant like this!" Ru Xin screamed.
Yun Jinnian sneered, letting Mrs. Yuan help her up onto the bed before she slowly said, "Since I'm punishing you, you protest!" She looked at Ming Liu and Tianmi, "Sisters Ming Liu and Tianmi, I fell from the bed earlier and was without strength, lying on the ground for at least the time it takes an incense stick to burn, while Ru Xin just stood there, looking on coldly. You saw it as you came in. Since she's a reward from my grandmother, and I can neither beat nor scold her, Sister Ming Liu, please take her back and let grandmother decide."
Ru Xin froze.
Yun Jinnian had merely given a small punishment; if Ru Xin was taken to the old lady, as a slave sold to the Yun Family, she likely faced death.
Thump! Ru Xin knelt down, "Miss, I was wrong, I realize my mistake, I'll go kneel in the yard right now!"
Having said that, Ru Xin scrambled up and ran to kneel in the courtyard.
Ming Liu didn't know what to do for a moment, but then she asked, "Is the Fourth Miss feeling better? The old lady sent me to ask; if you need anything, just have Mrs. Yuan get it from the Lady."
Really?
Of course not.
Yun Jinnian smiled faintly, "I was feeling much better, but I seem to have caught a chill lying on the floor just now!"
Ming Liu immediately understood that Ru Xin was unlikely to be spared.
"Then Miss, take some rest first. I'll report back to the old lady, and she surely won't let the Fourth Miss be wronged over how to deal with that girl Ru Xin!"
"That would trouble Sister Ming Liu!"
"I shall take my leave!" Ming Liu curtsied and left.
She didn't take Yun Jinnian seriously at all.
Tianmi was the head maid of the Lady, Yun Jinnian's eldest aunt, who held power in her hands, making Tianmi quite influential.
"Fourth Miss, rest well. I shall take my leave too!" Tianmi curtsied and left, not mentioning her purpose for being there.
Yun Jinnian leaned back on the bed and slowly closed her eyes.
She needed to sort things out, what exactly was happening...