Chapter 2

One Dragon (1.2)

Bai Shuiyao was her father’s illegitimate daughter who had been raised alongside her since young. To outsiders, she was known to be her handmaiden, but within the family, she was treated as her legitimate, blood-related sister. She had an outstanding appearance, and loved to act like a youthful white lotus4. She had always disliked the original Mu Wanwan, and when they were punished this time, Bai Shuiyao had not said a single word on her behalf.

Moreover… Mu Wanwan glanced expressionlessly at the soft cushion under Bai Shuiyao’s knees.

If she had really cared about the original Mu Wanwan, she wouldn’t have hogged the soft cushion that was big enough for two people all to herself.

“Wanwan, I’m doing this for your sake,” Bai Shuiyao sobbed. “It doesn’t matter for me, after all, I’m only a dowry maid5…”

Bai Shuiyao spoke intermittently, and at the end, revealed a pitiful, terrified expression. “That tyrant looks like that, and I’ve also heard that he’s disabled. This tyrant’s manor might crumble in less than two years, do you really not want to leave?”

Mu Wanwan looked at the glittering tears in her eyes, but her heart was not the least bit moved. She wouldn’t agree to run away with her even if Bai Shuiyao received an Oscar with her tears today.

According to the meagre memories she had of the novel from last night, Bai Shuiyao was the heroine. She had the blessings accorded to a heroine and escaped unscathed. Even when they were discovered, at the worst, she was forcibly kissed by Ao Qin. But as for her, she would be stabbed into mush. 

She didn’t want to die yet. Besides, the reason Bai Shuiyao urged her to escape was entirely that she despised the disabled tyrant, and didn’t want to stay in this tyrant’s manor that was on the brink of demise for the rest of her life.

Mu Wanwan’s head hurt tremendously; she didn’t have the energy to pay her any attention, and only said coldly, “I said, I’m not running away.”

Bai Shuiyao continued to cry for a while more. Only when she saw that Mu Wanwan really had no intention to take care of her did stifle her sobs. She hugged her knees and sat vacantly to the side, and the ancestral hall fell silent.

Mu Wanwan closed her eyes and sorted out the memories in her mind, thinking about the events to come. When she opened her eyes again, Bai Shuiyao was no longer in the ancestral hall.

Mu Wanwan looked around and found that she had taken the soft cushion with her. She then looked at the tightly shut door of the ancestral hall and couldn’t help letting out a sigh. According to the memories of the previous days, this was the original Mu Wanwan’s sixth day kneeling in the ancestral hall. Going by the development of the original plot, she would be running away with Bai Shuiyao tomorrow night.

Fortunately, she had come early. If she had transmigrated just a little later, wouldn’t she have to experience the pleasure of being stabbed to death on the spot?

“Madam, it’s time, you can go back to the room and rest.” A slightly icy voice came from outside the door; it was the maid in charge of monitoring her, Fuliu.

Although the original character was being punished, when midnight came around, she still had to return to the tyrant’s bedchamber to sleep with him.

As the horrible images from her memories surfaced, Mu Wanwan’s palms broke out in a sweat.

When she read about it, she didn’t feel anything much. She even felt a little sorry for the ugly and disabled tyrant. But now that she had to face such a man, she couldn’t help feeling somewhat apprehensive. 

“Madam, hurry up.” The impatient Fuliu flung the door of the ancestral hall open.

Fuliu was dressed in pale green silk. Though her hair was done up in a maid’s style, she was wearing a zan. Mu Wanwan then looked at herself—a plain, grey long tunic and no accessories in her hair; she would even believe it if she was said to be a maid!

“Why are you spacing out? Get going,” Fuliu glared at her discontentedly. If it weren’t for this bride that had been brought in to counter ill fortune, she wouldn’t have been saddled with the unpleasant task of having to go to the tyrant’s bedchamber every midnight. Although the tyrant was said to be very handsome and capable in the past, but now, with his current state, she simply did not want to go. 

“Humph, don’t go breaking your legs from kneeling,” Fuliu muttered softly as she rolled her eyes at Mu Wanwan. 

Mu Wanwan had suddenly transmigrated, and into cannon fodder to boot. Her mood had not been very sunny to begin with, and at such treatment from this maid, Fuliu, she couldn’t bear it any longer, “Fuliu, if I refuse to go to the bedchamber, what will you do?”

Fuliu choked. She obviously hadn’t expected that the weak and cowardly wife would say such things, and her expression turned became somewhat unpleasant.

Now that their sovereign was in a coma, the entire tyrant’s manor was under Lord Ao Qin’s management. Although their sovereign might die in the future, and this madam would lose all status as a result, but presently, Lord Ai Qin still held their sovereign in high regard. If Mu Wanwan refused to go to the bedchamber, she would definitely be punished for not doing her job well.

Fuliu swallowed her anger and resumed a servile and submissive look, “I’m sorry, Madam. Fuliu was at fault. Please forgive me, Madam.”

Of course, Mu Wanwan knew that she was only pretending, but she let it go and followed Fuliu out of the ancestral hall.

The distance between the ancestral hall to the tyrant’s sleeping quarters was very long; they walked for about fifteen minutes before reaching it.

Fuliu led her into the sleeping quarters. Before she reached the room, a faintly rancid smell came to the tip of Mu Wanwan’s nose.

“Madam, please take good care of our sovereign,” Fuyu Liu stopped at the door of the room and said with some sympathy in her voice.

Thinking of the images in her memories, Mu Wanwan nodded gravely and pushed the door open with trembling hands.

Footnotes:

4 white lotus: A stock female character type commonly found in Chinese internet novels, originally meant to describe a Mary-sue, character who appears innocent, naïve, impossibly perfect and pure, and are soft and weak.

5 dowry maid: a personal handmaiden sent to accompany her mistress into her marital home as part of her “dowry”. Such a servant had to be both young and very capable, for she might serve her young mistress for life. Her position was like that of a sister or confidante, and is higher than a regular maid. 

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