Zhou Yunmao woke to pain that seemed to fade as soon as she caught her breath.
Her Sushun Hall room was empty. An Feng must have woken early.
But...
She was dead! Or supposed to be.
The memory of her death clawed at her spine.
Zhou Yunmao couldn't waste time in bed. She needed answers. If she were alive again, she must use this chance to change her fate!
She patted herself down, twisting her back.
No pain.
"Huh? Am I dreaming?" Zhou Yunmao wondered aloud.
She patted her cheeks and blinked hard.
Definitely not dreaming.
"Ah! Sister, you're awake!" An Feng's happy voice floated in from the courtyard.
Zhou Yunmao froze, body locked in reflexive terror.
There was no way she could trust An Feng ever again after her scheme, but Zhou Yunmao forced herself not to tremble. She mentally cautioned herself to act normally, determined to hide her true suspicion from An Feng.
"One moment, Feng'er!" Zhou Yunmao called, her voice sweet as honey.
"You were always such a late riser, Yun'er," An Feng giggled, then quieted down.
Zhou Yunmao dressed in her maid uniform and pinned up her hair with a single hairpin.
She gave a brief glance in the small bronze mirror and saw she lacked the scar from tripping on pottery shards while cleaning.
She wondered if An Feng had caused that accident, too. No one keeps unattractive things, even helpful ones.
No scar meant she was two years in the past.
She now had time to see past An Feng's mask and avoid her schemes!
Zhou Yunmao resolved right then to watch An Feng's every move and protect herself.
Zhou Yunmao joined An Feng, who was waiting underneath an osmanthus tree, its blossoms fragrant and beautiful in the morning sun.
An Feng's eyes lit up with such immense happiness that Zhou Yunmao questioned if the joy was real or a mask, since An Feng's past betrayal was still fresh in her mind.
If An Feng cared for her, she wouldn't have betrayed Zhou Yunmao. Bitterness burned at Zhou Yunmao's throat.
Zhou Yunmao reminded herself to respond kindly, determined not to let her anger or doubt show, since she knew letting it slip could put her in danger again.
"Yun'er!" An Feng greeted, all teeth. "I heard that the Prince of Chu is going to pay Consort Lu a visit today!"
Zhou Yunmao remembered this day clearly.
An Feng had accidentally sprained her ankle while attending Consort Lu and Prince Li Jinghe, and the Prince had insisted on tending to it himself to show his goodwill towards the Virtuous Consort.
Later, An Feng suggested that Zhou Yunmao was walking too close behind her and had stepped on her robes, causing her to fall.
Consort Lu had taken it as an attempt to embarrass her and An Feng in front of the Prince out of jealousy and almost punished Zhou Yunmao for it, but An Feng had come right to her defense, saying that it was an honest accident and not to punish her for being clumsy.
Maybe, Zhou Yunmao thought, An Feng's betrayal had started farther back than she had realized.
That also meant An Feng could be plotting her downfall now, too. Zhou Yunmao knew she had to be careful with every interaction and to start planning ahead to outmaneuver her.
"Prince of Chu?" Zhou Yunmao echoed, pretending to sound amazed. "The Emperor's favored son?"
An Feng nodded excitedly and clapped her hands.
"They say he's handsome and charming... Do you think I can win his favor?" An Feng mused, tapping her chin with a finger.
Zhou Yunmao forced a smile. She reminded herself to appear supportive so An Feng wouldn't become suspicious of her true feelings.
"Sister, no maid in the Sushun Hall is more beautiful than you!" she cried out, stretching out to clasp An Feng's hands.
An Feng's smile brightened further, and her cheeks bloomed pink.
"Yun'er... You embarrass me..." An Feng said, though the smile never wavered.
Zhou Yunmao giggled.
"I'll help you get the Prince of Chu's attention if you agree to help me with the serving!" Yun offered, sounding as sincere as she possibly could, hoping to manipulate An Feng and watch her reactions.
In her past life, An Feng made this exact proposal, and Zhou Yunmao's fleeting love for the Prince of Chu led to her death.
An Feng's mouth parted in surprise.
"You would do that for me?" An Feng asked.
"Of course, Feng'er," Zhou Yunmao insisted. "We're sisters, aren't we? I promised to always help you, no matter what!"
An Feng hugged Zhou Yunmao tightly.
Every nerve in Zhou Yunmao's body cried out in revulsion. Bile surged up, her stomach turning as she endured the closeness, nausea burning at her skin.
"Oh, Sister, thank you so much!" An Feng said. "I promise to do whatever you say! Anything!"
With such an earnest expression on her face, Zhou Yunmao almost wanted to believe her thanks were pure. But she gathered her resolve, reminding herself that it was really An Feng's own greed and ambition that were thanking her for giving her what she wanted on a silver tray.
"Since the Virtuous Consort favors you..." Zhou Yunmao's smile turns shy. She flutters her lashes at An Feng. "Feng'er, could you ask for me to be chosen to present the welcoming gift to His Highness?"
An Feng's expression faltered for a brief moment, but it was for long enough that Zhou Yunmao managed to catch it.
"H-huh?"
Zhou Yunmao remembered how An Feng explained her plan when Zhou Yunmao was initially opposed to it.
"Sister, you see," Zhou Yunmao chuckled, placing a hand to her cheek as if slightly embarrassed. "If I present the Consort Lu's gift to the Prince of Chu, surely you'll look much better by comparison!"
"I am very ordinary, and your beauty is unrivaled. If I act as the veil that hides your beauty, you must look even better when the veil is discarded! A man doesn't care about a scrap of fabric, but the woman underneath it."
An Feng beamed, taking the bait.
"Okay!" she said excitedly, eyes bright. "I'll go ask Consort Lu right away!"
Zhou Yunmao kept her grin until An Feng disappeared out of sight. As soon as she was alone, Zhou Yunmao let her mask fall, her thoughts swirling to plan her next steps.
Her first act of revenge was already in motion.