The Fourth Lady

The cold endlessly spread through out her body.....

As if seeing her son, her daughter already suffering the same kind of pain, she struggled with all her might, yet she found that she couldn't do anything. She couldn't let Qilian Qingyi that evil wench harm her children....

Minning, Minjing, please forgive your mother for not being able to protect you forever.....

"Young miss....young miss..."

She heard a pleading call nearby, it seems as if it's been many years since she'd been called in such a manner. How long was it ago? A year, two years, or even longer?

She married Weisheng Junyan at 13, and by 15 she'd became the Empress, ruling over the expansive six palaces. Since then, she has yet to be called in such an intimate manner.

"Zizhu, could it be that young miss had another bad dream." Another silvery voice rang, clearly hearing the worry and concern showing through the tone.

Who is Zizhu? She never had a servant by her side go by that name. The servants she had by her side were all once handpicked by her mother for her. Until her last moments, she'd never thought that Yizhu would betray her, even going as far as to suggest turning her into a human swine for other's to toy with.

The throbbing sensation from her arm made Qingyan suddenly open her eyes. She stared at the white bed curtains hanging before her eyes as a faint scent of plum blossoms invaded her nose. Before she could even open her mouth, she heard a voice, "Young miss, what's wrong?"

Qingyan lifted her head to look towards the young girl wearing a light blue dress, her hair was done in a double bun, common for servant girls. That worrying appearance of hers was quite heartwarming. She didn't reply to the servant girl, but rather looked at her hands. For many years she'd helped Weisheng Junyan read through court documents. She had also once practiced martial arts for many years, causing her hands become rough. This pair of tender and delicate hands were not her's. Staring at her hands she suddenly called out, "Bring me a mirror."

While looking at Qingyan, the young girl next to her that was wearing an aqua colored dress, quickly handed a bronze mirror to her. She looked up to the maiden reflected in the mirror, a pair of peach blossom shaped eyes, two brows hanging like willow leaves, face colored like peach blossoms, skin smooth like cream, and a red dot* on her forehead between her brows. If you take away that faint trace of paleness, she could be considered a first class beauty.

(*TN: Similar to a bindi, it's a type of beauty mark, usually applied through cosmetics)

'Bam'

The bronze mirror in Qingyan's hand shattered in response, this was simply not her body. In other words she was reborn in another's body, this was what the ancient text referred to as 'reincarnating into someone else's body'*.

(*TN: More literal translation of this idiom would be borrowing a corpse to call back the soul)

"Young miss." Seeing Qingyan's state, Zizhu softly called to her.

Qingyan looked to the shattered mirror on the ground and looked to Zizhu replying, "My hand slipped for a moment."

"Young miss, that wasn't what I meant." Zizhu instantly kneeled as she looked at Qingyan, "I hope young miss won't blame me."

Zizhu's submissive manner seemed as if she'd firmly believed that Qingyan would explode in anger the next second.

Zizhu was the eldest of the four servant girls, she clearly knew in her heart that Qingyan's innate nature wasn't bad, but due to being on the receiving end of the Second Madam* provocation, did she become that arrogant and rude, considering everyone beneath her.

(*TN: The second ranking wife of a household for example like her father's younger brother's lawful wife; wives are usually ranked by their husband's seniority)

Seeing Zizhu kneeling, the other three servants in the room also kneeled.

"I hope young miss will forgive us."

Looking at the four servant girls kneeling on the floor, Qingyan seemingly understood something, she had always treated her own servants generously, even now it was still the same, "I didn't have the intention of blaming anyone, there's no need for this."

Listening to Qingyan's words, the four of them looked to each other in dismay, but no one dared to get up first.

They clearly knew in their hearts, that just yesterday, because of third young miss from the second house, their young miss unfortunately fell into the water. But today, why does it seem as if she let the thing go easily?

"All of you get up, I don't intend on blaming anyone" Qingyan said while smiling at them.

She glanced outside the window. "Although it's early spring, it's still a bit cold, it's best to watch yourselves, careful not to get sick."

Listening to Qingyan's heartfelt words, the four of them all stood. Zizhu walked up next to Qingyan and said, "Young miss, previously you were carelessly pushed by the third young miss into the water, and yet now you wake as if you'd become another person."

Zizhu's words gave Qingyan a twinkle in her eyes as she thought up a plan: "Is that so, I assume I'd probably hit my head on the rocks at the bottom of the lake when I fell in, I actually can't remember that clearly, can you give me the details?"

Zizhu didn't have the slightest hesitation when she looked to Qingyan, and told her everything.

The name of this body was Su Qingyan, she was the daughter of Su Yun, Donghe's Dingguo Duke*, and because her parents were stationed in Qinzhou year round, she was raised by her grandmother's side. (*TN: 00[ding guó gōng] - According to my research his title would be the highest ranking of the Dukes and third rank in nobility, assuming those higher ranking than him are royalty)

However the second house's head wife, Ning Siyao, decided on her own accord to bring Su Qingyan over to her side to be raised with her daughter Su Qingyuan. But who knew that after being influenced by Ning Siyao's poison she grew up to be arrogant and rude, with a condescending attitude.

The four top ranked* servants by her side, Zizhu, Baizhi, Huangcen, and Lue, all have suffered from the abuse. But the four of them still sincerely stayed by Su Qingyan's side.

(*TN: The servants have hierarchy too)

And most importantly it was currently Hongjia* year 55. When she was still the Empress, she'd once heard Weisheng Junyan mention Donghe's ruler, Xuanyuan Hong. Counting from the date of her death, it's been more than five years since that incident.

(*TN: Another date marker)

Thinking of this, the corner of Su Qingyan's lips curled into a smile:

Weisheng Junyan, Qilian Qingyi, I've returned.

The pain I've suffered till now, will be returned tenfold from this moment on!

When Qingyan was lost in thought, she heard Baizhi call for her, "Young miss, first young miss came, your body still hasn't fully recovered, she's probably up to no good to have come to visit at this time." Yet before Qingyan could open her mouth, a playful voice entered into Qingyan's ears, "Fourth sister, do you feel a bit better, please don't blame third sister, she didn't mean to."

The woman before her wore a moon white pleated dress decorated with misty green grass and scattered flowers, on her head she adorned a lifelike butterfly ornament made from jade. Her smiling face made the pale faced Qingyan looked somewhat inferior.

Looking at the woman before her, Qingyan dully replied, "Elder sister is right, it's merely just a prank among sisters, I've yet to hold grudges, thank you for your concern."

Qingyan's words gave Su Qingyuan's faces a momentary flash of astonishment. Clenching her fist, she begrudgingly continued, "Fourth sister's right, third sister acted unintentionally, but if uncle* found out, he would most likely blame my mother."

(*TN: Referring to Qingyan's father, who's the elder brother of Qingyuan's father)

Having lived 10 years in the inner palace, Qingyan immediately could tell what Su Qingyuan's intention was, but she wasn't just gonna let her succeed so easily. She curled her lips, "What is big sister saying, this was just fun and games among children, I won't tell my father and mother."

In Su Qingyuan's impression, usually whatever she said was how it would go down. But why in this scene today, was she unable to grasp what's going on? Could it be that Su Qingyan's brain got smarter after falling into the water?

But wouldn't that just be utter nonsense?