Pain!
The moment Gu Fei moved, a searing pain shot from her back all the way down to her hips.
Then, a hand pressed down heavily on her rear and slapped it hard. "Ah—!" Gu Fei cried out. The pain instantly snapped her awake. 'Wasn't I killed by a zombie?' she thought. 'How can I still feel pain?'
As she was wondering, a massive wave of memories crashed into her mind. Her head throbbed as if it were about to explode. Gu Fei had no choice but to force herself to process the memories, and she quickly understood her current situation.
The original owner of this body was named Jadeite, a servant girl to the Second Miss of the Pingyang Marquis Mansion.
A few days ago, for some unknown reason, she had inexplicably angered the Marchioness and was punished with a beating. If the Second Miss hadn't thrown herself over her, desperately trying to protect her, she would have died right then and there.
Now, a servant girl named Zhenzhu was applying medicine to her backside.
Lying on the bed, Gu Fei had no choice but to speak up. "Gently, you're hurting me."
The words had barely left her mouth when Zhenzhu sneered. "Gently? Who do you think you are? I'm applying your medicine, and you dare complain I'm being too rough?" As she spoke, she grabbed a handful of flesh on Gu Fei's rear and twisted it hard.
Gu Fei's already mangled skin couldn't withstand such treatment. Her whole body tensed as she let out a blood-curdling scream, tears streaming from the pain.
"Hahaha, does it hurt? It's supposed to. It means my effort in specially asking the Second Miss for this task wasn't wasted." Zhenzhu felt a surge of glee as she looked at the festering wounds on Gu Fei's back.
'This girl is really lucky to be alive,' she thought. 'If the Second Miss hadn't protected her, she would have been beaten to death.'
'Hmph. That damn girl. Why wasn't she beaten to death? It was a complete waste of me going to the Marchioness to bad-mouth her.'
'But now, she has fallen into my hands again. Let's see if I can't torture this girl to death!'
Zhenzhu took out a paper packet from her clothes and gave a sinister smile. "I've heard that rubbing salt in a wound is quite the experience. I even made a special trip to the kitchen to get a packet of salt."
Gu Fei was stunned. "Zhenzhu, I've never offended you, have I? Why are you doing this?"
"Pah!" Zhenzhu spat fiercely. "You have the nerve to ask me why? The Second Miss treats you like a sister, but she treats me like a common servant. On what grounds?"
"Aren't we both just servants? What makes you think you're a cut above me?"
She slowly opened the paper packet, a cold smile on her face. "I've heard that it's possible for someone to die from sheer pain. Today, I'll let you have a good taste of that feeling!"
Gu Fei was horrified. She whipped her head around and saw that Zhenzhu had already opened the packet. 'This girl is actually going to do it!'
Panicked, she grabbed the pillow from the bed and hurled it at Zhenzhu.
Zhenzhu wasn't expecting Gu Fei to have any strength left to fight back. Usually, someone who had been beaten wouldn't be able to get out of bed for at least ten or fifteen days. As the pillow flew at her, Zhenzhu instinctively raised her hands to block it. The force of the impact sent the salt from the paper packet flying right into her face.
Zhenzhu screamed, "My eyes!"
Clutching her eyes, Zhenzhu staggered outside and bumped right into a young servant girl who was rushing in. Zhenzhu raised her hand and slapped the girl across the face. "Why are you running around blindly? Go to the kitchen and get me some water to wash my eyes!"
The little girl started to cry. "I don't dare go! There are a lot of soldiers outside!"
Zhenzhu kicked the little girl viciously. "What nonsense are you spouting? When I tell you to go, you go—"
Just then, a powerful, resonant male voice came from outside. "The Red-clothed Guards are on official business! Everyone is to remain in the courtyard! No one is to move!"
The little girl trembled and quickly ran to hide by Jadeite's bed.
Gu Fei struggled to prop herself up and looked out the window.
There in the courtyard stood a squad of menacing Red-clothed Guards, clad in armor and armed with sabers at their waists.