She felt warm.
She was enveloped by all sides by thick sheets and pillows.
"She's awake!"
"The young miss is awake!"
One of the servants tending to her room quickly left and fetched her Uncle and Grandfather who came in a hurry but cautiously approached her bed.
"Er...Xiao Ying, How are you feeling?"
Guiying smiled. It's not that she was happy. Crying her eyes out had left her feeling refreshed yet hollow. Her thoughts felt clear.
If she was like this there was no way these people would permit her to leave. She needed to play it safe for now, take her time and let them get acquainted with the new her. She'd earn her grandfather's trust, so she could leave for the city to attend martial school... If she were to protect the Goddess' granddaughter she needed to prepare her body first!
But before that, while she's here she would need to learn a lot more about this world.
"The Empire we belong to is the Black Dragon Empire. But miss, the Fang family's descendants come from the Cui Kingdom. They were relatives of the royal family in charge of protecting the royal family. But the Cui Kingdom was acquired by the Black Dragon Empire after the King surrendered. Now the King of this country is more like a prime minister. They have to report every so often to the Emperor of the Black Dragon estate, but they still have the title of "King"."
In the courtyard stooping in the yard were Fanny and Guiying.
After the incident, Fanny was demoted to a courtyard maid. Guiying would seek her out every now and then for information. Fanny assumed she had forgotten many things due to her limited knowledge of amnesia and explained all of Guiying's curiosities without question.
For this, Guiying was thankful.
"I see. Then I won't take up any more of your time now." Guiying stood from where she had been squatting and stretched.
Fanny bowed. "Not at all, it is an honor to be of use to you milady."
Guiying politely. smiled. (It's only an honor because I'm a rich miss. Would you say the same thing if we had the same standing?)
Even in her old life, she grew tiresome of the staff giving her preferential treatment because she was pretty and Grandpa's favorite. But she decided to cut her some slack.
She admired these servants for having such professional and selfless attitudes. The service industry was a thorny path one that ended up in her coming to despise people over time.
In order to serve one had to discard their identity as a person, their pride, ego, and sense of self. In a sense, it was like training yourself to love in the manner of a housewife... or to be a rock. An unmovable rock that can never be shaken no matter what was done to you. She couldn't do it.
Guiying heard laughter. When she turned around Fanny was sitting on the ground and the other young misses were laughing at her.
Guiying sighed. Scratch that. Scratch everything she thought earlier.
It would seem that servants like Fanny were the exception. The nature of a person wasn't changed that easily.
The other maids bullied Fanny because she had personally waited on her for most of her life and had been given less harsh labor.
She knew Fanny was being punished for her alleged injury, and she also didn't see a point in intervening because it could be considered a punishment but...
"Could, you change out some of the courtyard maids?" She asked her Uncle anyway.
Even though he was often away handling business he managed most of the affairs of this household in place of the matriarch.
"Reason?" Her Uncle did not look up at her as she entered.
"They were bullying Fanny. You don't need to switch them all out just a few would be fine."
His gaze flicked at her but just for a second.
"They will be evaluated."
It wasn't a promise but for some reason, she felt reassured by his tone.
A few days later when she went to see Fanny she was pleased to see that she wasn't sweating as much as before. Her spirits seemed lighter.
"What would you like to know today, young miss?"