"Xiao Mai," An Ru said one crisp morning, her voice stronger, less reedy. She was sitting upright in her bed, a significant improvement from her coma-induced weakness. "My body craves more movement. The healer in my dreams… he emphasized the importance of dynamic exercise to fully restore vitality. I can walk about the room now, but I need something more than simple stretches. Perhaps the small courtyard just outside our rooms would be suitable. I need to get my heart pumping, my blood circulating, to truly rebuild my strength."
Xiao Mai's brow furrowed slightly at the unfamiliar phrase "heart pumping, blood circulating," but she quickly shook it off, focusing on the Young Miss's clear desire to go outdoors. "Young Miss wishes to go outside? It might be cold, and… Lady Mei might not approve." She wrung her hands nervously.
"Lady Mei is concerned for my health, isn't she?" An Ru replied, a faint, almost imperceptible smile touching her lips. "Surely she would approve of my efforts to regain my strength. I will be careful. Just a few minutes each day. It's for my complete recovery." Her tone was calm, reasonable, hinting at a quiet determination that was entirely new.
Xiao Mai, accustomed to An Ru's meekness, found herself nodding, swayed by the subtle shift in her Young Miss's demeanor. "Yes, Young Miss. I… I will prepare a shawl for you."
The small, overgrown courtyard adjacent to An Ru's neglected wing was indeed private, shielded by crumbling walls and sparse, untended bushes. The air was cool and fresh, a welcome change from the stale confines of her room. An Ru, bundled in a simple shawl, began with energetic movements. She started with brisk walking in circles, gradually incorporating arm swings and deeper knee bends, aiming to elevate her heart rate and challenge her weak muscles. It was agonizingly slow at first, her body protesting every tiny effort, but the release of tension and the feeling of proactive control were exhilarating. She focused on her body, pushing away the mental noise, feeling the subtle shifts, listening to its every protest and progress.
On the third morning of her new routine, as she was building up to a more vigorous sequence of movements, a harsh, familiar voice cut through the morning stillness.
"Well, well. If it isn't the Young Miss, finally gracing us with her presence outside. Thought you'd mold into the bed, you useless thing."
An Ru froze, her back to the voice. It was Xiao Lian, the round-faced maid she'd seen on her first awakening, the one who had accompanied An Lin and served Lady Mei. Xiao Lian had long found a sense of superiority in having control and bullying the neglected Young Miss of a General. She stood there, arms crossed, a cruel smirk twisting her lips, her eyes narrowed with a mix of surprise and derision.
An Ru slowly turned, her face carefully neutral. She allowed a hint of frailty to linger in her posture, a slight sway, but her eyes, though still seemingly a little distant, held no fear. "Xiao Lian," she said, her voice soft, almost a whisper, yet clear enough to carry in the quiet courtyard. "I am merely following the advice of the healer in my dreams. He insisted upon active exercise to mend my weakened constitution. Surely, Lady Mei would wish for my recovery." She kept her gaze steady, not defiant, but simply there.
Xiao Lian scoffed, stepping closer. "Healer in your dreams? Such nonsense! What good is a 'healer' when you're still as weak as a kitten? Lady Mei said you were to rest. Not... wander about like this and make a spectacle of yourself." Her eyes scanned An Ru's thin form, searching for signs of weakness to exploit.
"Indeed," An Ru replied calmly, taking a slow, measured breath. "And rest I have. But endless rest only weakens the body further. One must rebuild. I intend to regain my health, not simply languish." Her voice was even, holding a quiet conviction.
Xiao Lian's smirk faltered for a fraction of a second, unsettled by An Ru's uncharacteristic directness and lack of usual fear. "Hmph! You would do well to remember who truly holds power in this household now, Young Miss. Perhaps you should return to your room before you catch a chill. A true filial daughter wouldn't bring undue attention upon herself." Her tone was a thinly veiled threat, a reminder of An Ru's precarious position.
Xiao Lian then stepped forward, reaching out a hand as if to grab An Ru's arm and pull her back towards the room. But before Xiao Lian's fingers could even brush An Ru's sleeve, Xiao Mai, who had been quietly watching from the doorway, darted forward.
"Leave Young Miss be!" Xiao Mai cried, placing herself defiantly between An Ru and Xiao Lian, her small frame trembling but resolute.
"Get out of my way, you lowly slave!" Xiao Lian snarled, her eyes widening in fury at the unexpected interference. Without a moment's hesitation, her hand flew out. A loud smack echoed through the courtyard as Xiao Lian's open palm connected sharply with Xiao Mai's cheek. "A base creature who forgets her place!" she hissed, her face contorted in rage.
Xiao Mai stumbled back, clutching her reddening cheek, tears instantly welling in her eyes, but she did not fall. She remained standing, a small, defiant shield, still between An Ru and Xiao Lian.
An Ru's carefully constructed mask of frailty shattered. Seeing Xiao Mai, her loyal, timid shadow, struck for her sake, ignited a cold, righteous fury within her. Her eyes, which had been feigning distance, now blazed with a fierce, intelligent light. Her posture straightened, the subtle sway vanishing, replaced by a rigid, powerful stillness.
"How dare you!" An Ru's voice, no longer soft, rang out, clear and sharp as a blade, cutting through the morning air. Every trace of her feigned weakness was gone. Her hand shot out, not with a tentative push, but with the full force of her suppressed rage, a resounding slap that cracked across Xiao Lian's cheek. The sound was even louder than the first, echoing with terrifying finality.
Xiao Lian reeled back, clutching her stinging cheek, her eyes wide with true, absolute terror. Her jaw dropped, not just from the pain, but from the sheer, impossible transformation before her. This was no longer the weak, cowering Young Miss she had delighted in tormenting.
An Ru took a slow, deliberate step forward, her gaze utterly merciless. "You forget your place, servant! Not only do you physically assault the legitimate Young Miss, but you dare to strike her personal maid for protecting her? Has Lady Mei's management of this household become so lax that her servants now attempt to physically assault their betters? Perhaps when Father returns, he would be interested to hear how his household affairs have truly been conducted in his absence. And how his own legitimate daughter, of Lady Ling's lineage, is treated. And how those who remain loyal to his legitimate daughter are beaten without cause!" Her voice was low, but each word was a hammer blow, laced with cold authority.
Xiao Lian's face paled to an ashen white at the mention of the General and the explicit accusation of mismanagement, especially concerning the main wife's lineage. The implication of the General's deep regard for Lady Ling's memory, which cast a severe shadow on any slight against her daughter, caused a knot of genuine fear to twist in Xiao Lian's gut. Her initial shock and defiance warred with the stark reality of the potential consequences. She stumbled backward, nearly tripping over her own feet, but her eyes, though fearful, still held a spark of furious resentment.
"N-no, Young Miss! This servant... this servant meant no disrespect! Please, forgive this servant!" Xiao Lian stammered, bowing her head deeply, her voice laced with a forced deference.
An Ru watched her, her expression unyielding. "Xiao Mai, are you harmed?" she asked, her voice softer as she glanced at her maid.
Xiao Mai, still tearful and clutching her cheek, shook her head. "This servant is fine, Young Miss," she whispered, her voice full of a bewildered awe.
An Ru returned her piercing gaze to Xiao Lian. "See that you remember your station, then. Now, leave." Her voice was dismissive, final.
Xiao Lian bowed stiffly, her movements jerky with suppressed rage and humiliation. She turned on her heel, striding away from the courtyard, her back stiff, her steps heavy. She didn't look back, but the furious clench of her jaw and the muttered words under her breath, "I will make sure she pays for this!"
An Ru stood there, her hand tingling faintly from the slap. Her heart pounded, not from fear, but from the exhilarating rush of asserting control.
Xiao Mai finally found her voice, a breathless whisper filled with a mix of awe and terror. "Young Miss... you... you hit Xiao Lian! What... what will we do when Lady Mei finds out? She will punish Young Miss for sure!" Her small hands wrung together, her anxious gaze fixed on An Ru.
An Ru turned to Xiao Mai, a faint, knowing smile gracing her lips. There was no trace of the old An Ru's timidity in her eyes now. "Xiao Mai," she said, her voice calm and steady, "Let her find out. This is only the beginning."