Yanghua gently sat down on her bed as she tried to process everything she just read. God, I'm not nearly smart enough to do this alone. How the heck am I supposed to screw over the male lead if I can't even get to the capital? Yanghua thought fretfully. Just as she was about to spiral into a panic, the beaded curtain jingled slightly, and a scrawny girl walked in. Dressed in a dark blue hanfu, and sporting two little buns on top of her head, she carried a tray with a china bowl and a wooden spoon. As soon as she looked up from her shoes, she stopped in her tracks. "Young miss is that really you?" she breathed as her hands trembled holding the tray. "Er, yes." Yanghua hesitantly said as she watched the girl walk towards her. "Oh, young miss how I have missed you! I'm so glad you've woken up," she sobbed as she placed the tray on the bed next to Yanghua. Yanghua patted the girl's back gently as the girl fell into Yanghua's arms. "Please stop crying miss…" Yanghua said trying to soothe the girl's waterfall of tears. "Young miss you don't have to be that formal with me. Just call me as you used to." the girl said wiping her eyes. "I'm really sorry but…I don't remember who you are." Yanghua said quietly. The girl's eyes widened as her mouth hung agape. "Young miss, I'm the young miss's servant, Tangtang. How could you forget me?" Tangtang accused as her eyes welled up with tears again.
Yanghua tentatively patted Tangtang's little head and smiled. "I see, so you're Tangtang. I think some of my memories are coming back to me," Yanghua said as she tried to placate Tangtang once more. Tangtang broke into a wide smile and got up from Yanghua's knees. "Here young miss, you must drink this in order to be healthier. After that we should greet master and tell him the wonderful news that you have awoken!" Tangtang brought the bowl of murky liquid closer to Yanghua. Yanghua looked at Tangtang and smiled awkwardly. "Hey Tangtang, I think I feel fine. Let's drink this another time." Yanghua said quickly. Instantly Yanghua felt a little shock from her jade necklace and jolted. She looked down at her necklace and saw a small red welt forming just below her collar bone. Shit, Yanghua cursed in her mind. Tangtang looked at Yanghua with alarm and said firmly "Young miss you do not look well enough to refuse this medicine. Either you drink it, or I will feed you." Tangtang threatened with a smile. Yanghua had no choice but to nod her head reluctantly and take the bowl of medicine from Tangtang's hands. Alright, you just have to hold your breath and gulp down as much as you can, easy peasey, Yanghua thought as she coached herself. Bringing the bowl up to her mouth she threw back her head and swallowed every last drop of the putrid bitter brown medicine. Tangtang flashed Yanghua a bright grin and handed her a small, dried fruit. "Here young miss, eat this salted dried plum." She said offering the fruit to Yanghua. Yanghua gave Tangtang a weak smile and gratefully accepted the chaser. Yanghua thought of Tangtang's actions fondly, as Holly used to chase her tequila with a bite of lime. Come on Yanghua, get it together you've got to go back to your world quickly, Holly must be so worried, Yanghua thought determined to see this mission from NALA to the end.
Yanghua got up from her bed and Tangtang briskly walked to another room. She came back with a green Tang Dynasty style hanfu and began to grab at Yanghua's clothes. "Oh no Tangtang I don't need you to take off my clothes. I've got it." Yanghua said as she pushed Tangtang's hands away from her collar. Another short shock of electricity zapped Yanghua's chest. Damn you stupid system and you're paranoia that I'm going to OOC, Yanghua angrily thought. "Alright than Tangtang, go ahead." Yanghua sighed as she lowered her hands. Tangtang nodded as she began to undress and dress Yanghua. She then sat Yanghua in front of the vanity and braided her hair into a simple bun. To top everything off she placed a wooden hair stick into the bun and announced she was done.
I guess I can't be openly defiant because of my weak personality, Yanghua pondered as she walked with Tangtang out of the now familiar bedroom. They passed through the beaded curtain to reveal a paper door. Through that paper door they walked through a weed filled garden until they reached a bamboo door. The guard falling asleep at the front jolted awake as he saw Yanghua but soon ignored her. I guess my reputation is even worse than I thought, Yanghua sneered inwardly as she walked past the lousy guard. Yanghua and Tangtang walked through a maze of glorious red painted traditional ancient Chinese houses. They soon arrived at a courtyard that had a small pond with many koi swimming around. "Alright young miss, I cannot go in with you but once you go through these two doors, the servants inside will announce your presence. You remember how to greet your father right?" Tangtang asked as they stopped in front of two sliding paper doors. Yanghua grimly smiled at Tangtang and nodded.
Yanghua heard her name briefly mentioned before the sliding doors slid open. Yanghua shuffled into the room looking at her feet. She racked her brain to remember how those actors in the wuxia soap operas she used to watch with her mother. As soon as she walked ten steps Yanghua deemed this was close enough to her father and knelt to bow to her father. Prostrating there she waited for her father to say something. "Yes daughter, you may raise your head." a gravelly voice echoed in the room.