Hua Jing instinctively took a step back as the maid moved closer, her hand reaching out as if to touch Hua Jing's.
"Young Madam," the maid said with relief plain in her voice, "when you fell down yesterday, I really thought something bad was going to happen. The doctor even said you might not wake up. But now that you have, it's a good sign."
Hua Jing blinked, her body still tense. Her confusion swirled into something sharper, her instincts on high alert. Her gaze darted around the room, taking in the unfamiliar walls and sparse decor. The words "fell down" and "not wake up" echoed in her head, amplifying the disorientation she already felt.
She took a deep breath, pressing her palm against her chest to steady her heart. The pounding inside her ribcage threatened to deafen her. "Alright," she said, her voice firm, though it wavered slightly. "You. Start talking. Tell me everything. What happened? How did I… How did I end up here?"
The maid looked at her with wide eyes, her concern deepening. She hesitated for a moment before speaking. "Young Madam, yesterday, after you got married—"
"Wait." Hua Jing held up a hand like a stop sign. "Married?"
"Yes, Young Madam. You were married just yesterday."
Hua Jing's mouth fell open. For a moment, her brain simply refused to process the information. She stared at the maid, her brows knitting together. "I'm sorry, did you say married? As in me? Married? No, no, no. You must have the wrong person. I'm single. Very single. Proudly single. After what that idiot Xu Ming did, I swore off—"
"Young Madam…" The maid interrupted, her expression becoming more worried by the second. "Have you… Have you lost your memories?"
Hua Jing froze, her mouth still slightly open. Her eyes narrowed at the maid. "What kind of ridiculous question is that?"
"I knew it," the maid whispered, clasping her hands together in despair. "I just knew something bad would happen! When you fell from the carriage, I told everyone it was going to be worse than it seemed!"
Hua Jing frowned. "Fell? Carriage? What are you talking about?"
The maid's hands fluttered nervously as she explained. "Young Madam, you were married yesterday, and after the ceremony, you were being escorted to your chambers when your horse suddenly became wild. The carriage lost control and went down a steep hill. By the time we found you…"
She hesitated, lowering her voice. "You were unconscious, and there was so much blood. The doctor said you might not survive the night. But thank the heavens you woke up today!"
Hua Jing stared at her, completely dumbfounded. A long silence stretched between them before she let out a bark of laughter—short, sharp, and entirely humorless.
"Let me get this straight," she said, lifting a hand to massage her temples. "I'm married—somehow. I have a chamber. There was a wild horse. And I fell off a carriage. And now you think I've lost my memories?" She crossed her arms, glaring at the maid. "Does that about sum it up?"
The maid nodded earnestly. "Yes, Young Madam! That's exactly what happened!"
Hua Jing groaned, dragging her hands down her face. "This has to be the worst dream I've ever had," she muttered. "Married. A carriage accident. Blood everywhere. Next thing you'll tell me, my so-called husband has six wives!" She let out a hollow laugh, shaking her head.
The maid's silence was deafening.
Hua Jing's laughter abruptly stopped. She squinted at the maid, her gut twisting with suspicion. "…Right?"
"Well…" The maid avoided her gaze, suddenly very interested in the hem of her apron. "Not six. Just… six other wives."
Hua Jing stared at her. "What."
"You're the seventh," the maid added quietly.
Hua Jing threw her hands in the air. "Oh, fantastic! Seven wives! Why stop at seven? Why not eight? Nine? A whole football team?" She pointed an accusatory finger at the maid. "You're messing with me, aren't you? This is some kind of sick joke, isn't it?"
The maid shook her head fervently. "I swear, Young Madam, everything I've said is the truth!"
"Sure it is," Hua Jing muttered, pinching the bridge of her nose. "First, I crash my car. Now I'm in some weird medieval soap opera. Perfect. Just perfect."
She paced the room, muttering under her breath. "Maybe I hit my head too hard. Or maybe I'm dead, and this is some kind of punishment. Is this what purgatory looks like? No Wi-Fi, no phones, no coffee…"
"Wait...maybe this is a film and I am the main character!"
But...where were the cameras?
Hua Jing was exasperated!
The maid watched her nervously, wringing her hands.
Did her madam lose her mind with her fall?
With the strange things she was spewing, that was the only pausible reason!
"Young Madam, perhaps you should sit down. You've been through a lot, and the Imperial Doctor said you need rest—"
Hua Jing stopped pacing and fixed the maid with a sharp glare. "Rest? Do you think I can rest after hearing all that? I just found out I have a husband I didn't sign up for—and he comes with a buy-six-get-one-free deal!"
She threw her hands up again. "You're lucky I'm not screaming right now."
Her whole ody was shaking.
Till now, Hua Jing felt like a sick joke was bing played on her.
The maid took a cautious step forward. "Young Madam, I know this must be overwhelming, but I promise everything will be alright. Your husband will be here soon, and he'll explain—"
"Oh, great," Hua Jing cut her off, crossing her arms. "Can't wait to meet the guy who thinks it's okay to juggle seven wives. What's his name? Prince Polygamy?"
The maid gasped. "Young Madam! He's the Prince of the Kingdom! You mustn't speak about him that way!"
Hua Jing raised an eyebrow. "Prince? As in Prince?"
She leaned against the table and smirked. "A prince with seven wives? Sounds like someone's compensating for something."
The maid's face turned a deep shade of red. Before she could respond, there was a knock at the door.
Hua Jing froze. Her heart raced as the door creaked open. A tall figure stepped inside, his face still hidden in the shadows. The maid immediately dropped to her knees, bowing deeply.
"Young Madam," she whispered urgently, tugging at Hua Jing's sleeve. "It's the Prince. Please, bow!"