The sound of controllable sobbing close to her ear coerces Fang Yue Zhen to open her eyes.
"Our Fourth Miss is truly pitiful. She lost her mother at such a young age and now the family is bullying her! These evil people would not even send for a physician! What am I going to do if she never wakes up?"
Fang Yue Zhen's body jolts up at the sound of the familiar voice, eyes falling on the young maidservant standing around her bed, crying bitter tears.
Impossible.
It's been years since she's last seen that moon-shaped face and those big, beady eyes.
Dai Lu is the personal maidservant bestowed upon her from the age of six. They went through thick and thin together, becoming two close confidantes in a world that has no love left for either of them. Unfortunately though, Dai Lu died under mysterious circumstances shortly after Fang Yue Zhen married into the royal family. Her drowned body was found in a pond just outside Xingshi Courtyard. Since there's been no evidence to suggest otherwise, her death was treated as a mere accident. After all, she's just a little maid. No need to fuss over something so trivial as a servant's death.
It wasn't until years later, that Fang Yue Zhen found out about the Sixth Prince's involvement in her maidservant's untimely passing. Apparently, the ever-loyal Dai Lu has overheard something she shouldn't and was on her way back to her Mistress to warn the latter when she was caught and silenced by Prince Deng's personal guard, Lei Wei.
But if Dai Lu is now standing here, unharmed and alive, does this mean that Fang Yue Zhen somehow traveled back in time? It should be impossible, but…
"Dai Lu, what year do we have?"
At the sound of her Mistress' weary voice, the maidservant instantly stops her crying, her eyes growing even more rounder in shape as they fall on the sickly pale-faced girl sitting upright in her bed.
"Miss! Thank the heavens you're awake! The fever got so bad I was worried you wouldn't make it. I sent out a messenger to fetch Physician Sun, but Zhang Momo and the others would not let him move past the courtyard's threshold. It seems like these bullies are intending to take your life!"
Fang Yue Zhen tilts her head in contemplation. Since Dai Lu mentioned Zhang Momo and a fever, it can only mean that she traveled ten years back in time, back to when she was just an insignificant, bullied and neglected shu daughter in the Prime Minister's mansion.
This must be right after Madame Qian made her kneel in the rain for hours in exchange for not having Dai Lu beaten to death for "stealing" food from the kitchen. In truth it has just been another plot crafted by Zhang Momo and the other servants sent to her little courtyard by the di wife of the first household - no doubt to make her life more difficult.
At the Madame's behest, these arrogant servants oppressed her all the time. The old Fang Yue Zhen used to let their disrespectful behavior slide and simply endured the abuse, lacking the courage to stand up for herself.
But she isn't the old Fang Yue Zhen anymore.
The current Fang Yue Zhen is not only older, wiser and more jaded from the cruelty she experienced in her previous life, but also more proficient in handling household matters. As Prince Deng's wangfei, she used to settle all household concerns at Xingshi Courtyard in the Imperial Palace for years. The Sixth Prince may not have entertained many concubines or servants prior to his rise in power, but enough to keep her busy - and teach her a few useful things.
If she wants to change her life for the better this time around, getting these unruly servants under control - or rather kicked out - will be one the first steps in a long list of objectives to fulfill. Once things are settled at the Prime Minister's mansion, she will have to find a way to stop Prince Deng's rebellion. She will make him bleed for betraying her and breaking her heart! He's not getting to claim the throne a second time! Only over her dead body!
But one step at a time.
Pushing the quilt back that has been covering her body, Fang Yue Zhen gets up from her bed, her legs still shaking weakly.
"Miss!"
Dai Lu instantly rushes to her Mistress' side, face full of concern as she helps her stand up. The ghost of an affectionate smile plays on Fang Yue Zhen's lips. This precious, loyal girl. She will protect her better this time around. Prince Deng and his guard shall not get an opportunity to lay their filthy hands on her again!
"Dai Lu, help me get dressed. I've been cooped up in this room for too long. I'd like to take a stroll through the garden."
The maidservant bows her head in submission. "Of course, Miss."
The moment Fang Yue Zhen lifts a foot across the threshold leading out into the inner courtyard, the sharp voice of an elderly woman coming up from behind her causes her to halt her steps.
"Hold on! No one is permitted to set a foot outside! The Madame's orders."
Fang Yue Zhen turns around to see a red-faced Zhang Momo hurrying towards them, followed by an armada of low ranking maidservants, that seem to follow the elderly woman around as if she is the Mistress of the courtyard, not another servant. Given the air of superiority she is putting on, one would certainly think she is.
Fang Yue Zhen narrows her eyes at the elderly woman in a mixture of annoyance and displeasure. The audacity of this servant to talk to her in such a disrespectful manner! She might be just a shu daughter, but she is still an offspring of the esteemed Prime Minister.
"Dai Lu, slap her face."
The maidservant hesitates, head tilting to the side in confusion. This commanding tone, the cold voice…it's something she has never heard before from her usually docile Mistress. How can a mere fever cause her personality to shift so drastically?
However, thinking that Zhang Momo deserves a lesson for daring to put a stop to all of her previous attempts to treat her Mistress' sickness, she steps forward and then lunges out to strike the Momo's cheek with all the force her tiny body can muster.
A series of shocked gasps runs through the crowd of servants that have assembled around them as the slap echoes through the hall. Never before has the Fourth Miss retaliated against any of them. For her to do so now, after she's come down with a fever so suddenly, only leaves more questions instead of answers.
Zhang Momo places a hand on her abused cheek, whimpering slightly, pure venom spilling from her eyes as she sets them on the Fourth Miss.
"How dare you! I am the Momo personally appointed by The Mada-"
"Is this the Madame's courtyard or is it mine?" Fang Yue Zhen interrupts her sharply, more than done with this utter display of disrespect. "Nowhere in any laws of the Great Xian Empire does it state that I am not permitted to discipline the servants working for me. If you'd prefer to serve the Madame instead, you are free to leave. No one shall hold it against you."
The Momo blinks at her, utterly speechless for a moment. Then, she slowly starts to point a shaking finger at her. "You….you….How insolent! The Madame will hear about this!"
Without sparing her another glance, Zhang Momo turns around and rushes off, no doubt to inform and complain to Madame Qian as she said she would.
Fang Yue Zhen couldn't care less about that. Turning her attention towards the remaining servants, she announces, "Go back to your work. If anyone dares to stop me again, they shall receive the same treatment. I will not tolerate any signs of disrespect in my own courtyard!"
The servants continue to gawk at her open-mouthed. Is this truly the same obedient, timid girl they were forced to serve for years? If she didn't look exactly like the Fourth Miss, they would think someone else is impersonating her.
Inspired by her Mistress' courage, Dai Lu raises her voice. "You've heard what the Miss said! Stop gawking and go back to your work!"
This causes the servants to finally snap out of their trance-like state and disperse, each returning to their respective tasks.
Dai Lu's face beams in satisfaction as she hurries after her Mistress who has already stepped out into the inner courtyard. "This was amazing! That old bat had it coming!" She suddenly stops, concern flashing across her face as realization hits her. "But, Miss, won't this cause trouble with the Madame? After all, she personally sent Zhang Momo over to take care of you."
A calculative smile tugs on the corners of Fang Yue Zhen's lips. "Of course it will. Zhang Momo will likely cause a scene in front of the Madame, but this shall work in our favor."
Dai Lu furrows her brows in confusion. "This lowly maid is stupid. I'm afraid I don't quite get what you're trying to say, Miss."
Fang Yue Zhen stops in her tracks and reaches out a hand to flick the girl's nose affectionately. "You will see soon enough. For now, I need you to take some money from the household funds and go teach of the three biggest teahouses in town to spread some gossip. Let the entire capital know that at the Prime Minister's Residence, the servants are turning into masters."
Dai Lu is still utterly confused. "But won't this cause too much of an uproar? The Master won't like this."
The hint of a scheming smirk tugs on Fang Yue Zhen's lips. "This is exactly what I am counting on, silly girl. In this world, there is nothing the Prime Minister cares more about than upholding a pristine reputation. If her actions put it in jeopardy, we shall see if the Madame can still do whatever she wants."