Alex woke up at dawn, which was annoying because in his previous life he had been firmly in the "sleep until eight, caffeinate heavily, then conquer the world" camp. Apparently this body had different ideas about proper wake-up times. Or maybe it was the roosters. There were roosters somewhere in this palace complex, and they were very enthusiastic about their jobs.
He sat up slowly, testing his body's condition. Still weak. Still shaky. But better than yesterday. The poison was clearing his system, and the rice porridge had given him some energy back. Progress was progress.
Xiao Cui appeared almost immediately, as if she had been waiting outside the door for signs of life. Probably she had been.
"Good morning, mistress! I mean, Lingxi!" She still stumbled over using his name informally. "I brought fresh water for washing, and Auntie Chen made more porridge with some pickled radish this time!"
"Good." Alex accepted the bowl and ate mechanically while his mind ran through the day's agenda. Check on the perfume plan. Continue gathering intelligence. Start physical rehabilitation. Figure out the clothing situation because these robes were impractical and he was going to trip and break his neck if he wasn't careful.
"Xiao Cui," he said between bites, "I need different clothes."
She looked confused. "Different? But you have several robes, mistress. They're all proper for a consort..."
"They're all long, flowing, and designed to make me look elegant while ensuring I can't move quickly or efficiently. I need something nice. What do female servants wear?"
Her eyes went wide. "You want to dress like a servant?"
"I want to dress like someone who can walk without tripping. And exercise without tangling myself in three layers of silk." He set down the bowl. "Find me something simple. Something I can move in."
"But if anyone sees you..."
"Then they'll think I'm eccentric. I don't care." Alex stood up and immediately had to grab the table for support. Damn this weak body. "I'm going to start a training regimen this morning. Basic exercises. My body needs to get stronger."
Xiao Cui looked like she wanted to argue, but she had apparently learned that arguing with the new Lingxi was pointless. "I'll... I'll see what I can find. But please be careful, mistress. You're still recovering!"
After she left, Alex examined his body in the dim morning light. Thin arms. No muscle definition. Soft stomach. Weak legs. This was going to be a project. In his old life, he had maintained his physique through a combination of gym work, martial arts training, and the occasional murder that required physical exertion. Here, he was starting from almost nothing.
But he had built something from nothing before.
He started with the basics. Push-ups. Or he tried to do a push-up. His arms shook, his core had no strength, and he collapsed after holding the position for about three seconds.
"Okay," he muttered to himself. "That's the baseline. Pathetic, but it's okay."
He tried again. Three seconds. Again. Four seconds. By the tenth attempt, he could hold it for five seconds before his arms gave out.
It would have to do for now.
He moved on to squats. Those went slightly better, probably because legs were naturally stronger. He managed ten before his thighs started screaming. Then he tried some basic core work, lying on his back and lifting his legs. That was torture. This body had the core strength of a wet noodle.
By the time Xiao Cui returned with clothing, Alex was sweating, shaking, and feeling like he had been hit by a truck. But he had completed a basic assessment. Now he knew exactly how weak this body was, which meant he could create a training plan to fix it.
"Mistress!" Xiao Cui looked horrified. "What are you doing on the floor? Are you having another fit?"
"Exercising," Alex panted. "Help me up."
She pulled him to his feet, looking deeply concerned. "This isn't proper! Consorts don't... they don't roll around on the floor like..."
"Like competent people who understand that physical fitness is important?" Alex wiped sweat from his face. "I don't care what's proper. Show me the clothes."
She had found a simple servant's outfit. Plain cotton pants and a tunic in undyed fabric. It looked comfortable, which was exactly what he needed.
"Perfect. Help me change."
The process of changing clothes was awkward and uncomfortable, mostly because Xiao Cui kept insisting on doing everything for him like he was a child. Alex tolerated it because arguing would take longer, but he made a mental note to learn how to dress himself in these ridiculous ancient garments as soon as possible. Independence was important.
The servant's clothes felt strange but much better than the flowing robes. He could move. He could bend. He could potentially run if necessary, though running right now would probably kill him.
"How do I look?" he asked.
Xiao Cui bit her lip. "Like... like a servant, mistress. If anyone important sees you..."
"Then I'll tell them I'm doing laundry or gardening or some other humble task. Eccentric consort behavior." Alex stretched, enjoying the freedom of movement. "Now, what about the perfume operation? Did you talk to Mei Ling?"
"Not yet! It's still early morning. The servants are just starting their duties. I was going to approach her later when she's doing her rounds."
"Good. Remember, be casual about it. Just a gift between friendly maids. Don't oversell it." Alex moved to the window and looked out at the small courtyard that belonged to his pavilion. It was overgrown with weeds, the stone path was cracked, and there was a sad-looking tree in one corner that looked like it hadn't been pruned in years.
More evidence of neglect. This entire household screamed "low priority, minimal maintenance, forgotten."
Well. That was going to change.
"Who's Lao Zhang?" he asked. "The gardener?"
"Yes, mistress. He's old, probably sixty or more. He's been with the palace for decades but he's not very good at his job anymore. His hands shake too much for delicate work."
"Is he loyal?"
"I think so? He's always been kind to me. He doesn't gossip much with the other servants."
"Good. I want to talk to him. Send him to me after breakfast."
Xiao Cui hesitated. "Are you going to fire him?"