Chapter 8: Let's give her a hand

Zhu Fengyin's room.

"You don't know what that means then how do you know Su Liya would betray you?"

"Maybe because I am Zhu Fengyin from many years in the future. After getting killed by someone I took as a sister, I was reborn. Judging from how you are referring to Su Liya and since you are also aware of her betrayal you must be from the future so I will ask once more ``Who are you?"

Su Liya stood there, silently contemplating if she should give Zhu Fengyin an honest answer or not. She has already let it slip that she had transmigrated but since Zhu Fengyn wasn't familiar with that, Zhu Fengyin assumed that she was from the future.

She could just claim that she was from the future without giving herself off as a transmigrator but it didn't seem fair to Zhu Fengyin. 

If she was going to successfully in her mission to Zhu Fengyin get a happy ending, she needed to earn Zhu Fengyin's trust. That was the only way she would get Zhu Fengyin to follow her instructions no questions asked. With that thought in mind, Su Liya looked Zhu Fengyin afraid in the eye.

Su Liya introduced herself to Zhu Fengyin and explained everything to her but left out the bit about the Heavenly Empress. At the end of her introduction, Zhu Fengyin remained silent.

Zhu Fengyin's continued silence got her worried, she had taken a huge risk laying down all her cards on the table. As Su Liya was about speaking up and gauge the situation, Zhu Fengyin replied

"If you are from many years in the future how come you are here"

Su Liya ran her tongue through her lips and replied "I don't know maybe the gods decided to give me a second chance at life".

"That God must have made a mistake if you got reborn as someone like Su Liya"

Su Liya chuckled "mm that must be it. Well since we at stuck in this time… let's make the best of it. What do you say Yin'er, do you want to take control of our future"

She looked up at Zhu Fengyin, a wide smile on her face. She caught Zhu Fengyin's eyes and winked at her. Su Liya looked cute, Zhu Fengyin burst into laughter. Since she had nothing much to lose Zhu Fengyin nodded.

"Then let's drink to it… say do you want to have a drink with me?" 

Zhu Fengyin didn't answer her instead she called in a maid and ordered two jars of alcohol. The maid ran out and came back with the alcohol minutes later. Zhu Fengyin dismissed the rests of her maid. The two of them drank till they passed out.

******

A week later, Zhu Fengyin's room.

It was 9 am, Su Liya escorted Zhu Fengyin to her stepmother's courtyard to pay her respects. The Doctor had given her a clean bill of health three days ago so she resumed her duties fully.

Su Liya spent the past week learning the various duties of the first-class maid of a young mistress from Zhu Fengyin. It had been a most painful week indeed, Su Liya never knew the first-class maid had this many responsibilities. 

She was a glorified nanny to Zhu Fengyin, she was responsible for almost everything Zhu Fengyin did. The only bright spot in the whole thing was that unlike another maid she didn't do any domestic Labour but she was still responsible for overseeing other maids.

It was a good thing that Zhu Fengyin had two other high-level maids who took charge of a few other areas. Su Liya wasn't familiar with the minister of education's manor so she followed Zhu Fengyin closely.

The Madam's courtyard was empty when they walked in. There wasn't a single servant insight, as they got closer to the door they overheard a conversation between Madam Yang and her daughter Zhu Feifei. 

"Why do I have to marry into that barbaric family while that sneaky girl Zhu Fengyin marries into the royal family. Don't I deserve to be a princess? why does she have to get all the good stuff!" An angry younger female voice said. 

"You know that your dad also looks out for you too. He has his reasons for suggesting this. Plus everything isn't yet set in stone, your father can still change his mind. There are four unmarried young mistresses in the Zhu family, he can choose from the mix" a more mature voice which could only belong to the madam was heard.

"Who cares if there are four unmarried young mistresses in the family, Zhu Fengyin is still betrothed to the sixth prince. She is now of marriageable age, the date is almost set which means that in a short while she will become process consort. 

"I will have to bow to her for the rest of my life. The Sixth prince is the Emperor's favourite, he is bound to inherit the throne in the future. When he does Zhu Fengyin will become the Empress.

"Mother that arrogant know-it-all will become the most powerful woman in northern Wei while I will be the wife of an improvised Duke. I refuse to be subservient to anyone most of all Her!"  Zhu Feifei said.

"Aiyo! Calm down my dear, with me around how would you be subservient to anyone. Don't worry mother will help you" Madam Zhu said.

There was no one to announce their presence so Su Liya and Zhu Fengyin stood till the end. When the mother and daughter began discussing something else Su Liya shook her head and said to Zhu Fengyin

"I hope you are not still attached to that sleaze, the sixth prince cause it won't work out between you two. The only person that man cares about apart from his mother is himself".

As she said that the last moments of Zhu Fengyin life's flashed in her eyes. In her past life, she had been naive and trusted the wrong people. Zhu Fengyin wasn't about to make the same mistake twice.

Zhu Fengyin replied, "Don't worry I am not stupid".

Su Liya nodded  "Good I can work with that".

Zhu Fengyin turned to her and said "Are you thinking what I am thinking?"

To which Su Liya replied cheerfully "Yes…"

They both said together," since Zhu Feifei. wants to be the princess consort. Let's give her a hand"