Homecoming

Tan Xiuying walked into the front courtyard to take her steps in the well-kept garden. Then she walked through the parapet-topped inner gate, which had no doors.

The Magic Mirror, a bronze mirror mounted on the wall, had intricate designs etched into its reverse side, while its polished front side reflected sunlight onto the surfaces around it.

When she rounded the curve to the left, she found herself looking out over a spacious inner courtyard filled with shady trees. It appeared that a few of the housekeepers were constantly switching between different duties. They seemed oblivious to her presence.

The household erupted into an uproar when one of the maids spotted Tan Xiuying stepping into the inner court. Everyone paused their activities for a moment.

"Third Miss!"

A young maid gave a shocked, frozen expression.

Another younger servant girl followed behind her was also bewildered.

"What is wrong with you, folks? You look as if you've seen a ghost."

"Third Miss... is this truly you?"

"Tell me what's wrong?" Tan Xiuying urged them.

The first maid took the first bold step.

"Third Miss, the reports stated that you've drowned after falling overboard. The Old Master and Madam, along with the First and Second Young Masters and the Fourth Young Lady, are currently going to the Imperial Capital to verify the truth of the rumors."

"Who reported that?"

"His Majesty the King of Huainan had an envoy deliver the news in a letter the other day. Then all of them hurriedly visited the palace to meet him."

It's a trap! A thought crossed Tan Xiuying's mind. Somehow, the Queen of Huainan, Peng Liling, managed to pull off her strategy with the help of her husband's influence. This time, though, her family fell for it.

She needed to stop it immediately. It would have been simpler for her to spread the news if she had lived in the present day, but she was stuck in an ancient age. It can take days for news to travel between cities. To foil the evil scheme, she needs to move more quickly.

Fearing the worst, she issued a hasty command, "Send the quickest and most reliable messenger to catch up and inform the Overlord immediately! Take action on this right away! Make it known that I made it back to safety. I can assume that they are not too far away."

"Yes, Third Miss!" The maid hastily carried out her instructions after giving a hasty response.

The other maid was still waiting for her young lady's instructions while standing where she was.

"Please follow me into the bedroom. Step out first."

"Yes, Third Miss!" said the maid.

Once she stepped into her courtyard, Tan Xiuying was concerned by several maids there and asked them out before locking the door. She was the only person left in the room, along with the young maid.

A large bed covered in soft white curtains, a large chest of drawers, wooden shelves, a table, and chairs were among the opulent items that were used to embellish the interior of the courtyard.

A vase that had been overflowing with a bouquet of pink Peonies was placed on the table, resembling the flower beds that were growing at the corner of the courtyard wall.

"I need your help to remember things again. A part of my memory is hazy because I struck my head on a rock during the accident. Tell me your names, along with the maid that was with you earlier. Please be as detailed as you can be so I can remember everything."

The young maid was apparently surprised before responding, "Yes, Third Miss. I understand. I am Shao Liu, and the other maid is Cai Ying. We are both assigned to personally serve you."

"What's the name of this place?"

"Peony Pavilion, your favorite flower, Third Miss."

"Please tell me what do I often do in the morning."

"It's usually the right time to meet  Her Royal Highness Princess Dowager Xingjuan at the Heritage Pavilion first thing in the morning."

"Who's that? How am I related to her?"

"She is the mother of Marquis Jiujiang. She really loves you like the apple of her eyes."

"Alright then, I'll meet her this morning and present myself to her. You can go now. If I ever need you again, I'll call you."

Shao Liu nodded obediently, then bowed and left the room.

A ray of bright light from the rising sun were beaming on the window sills and penetrating the pavilion. Tan Xiuying sat down in front of the large bronze mirror, allowing her to view her silhouette properly for the first time.

Although she had previously noticed her reflection in the river the other day, she was a little taken aback when she first saw her face. Compared to the mirror she had seen on the front wall, the large bronze mirror over this dresser was fairly shiny. This mirror could dimly reveal her body even though it wasn't as clear as modern ones.

The reflection revealed a palm-sized face. She had narrow cheeks, which made her look thinner. The reflection in the mirror revealed a face with a pointed nose, an exquisitely curved mouth, a crescent moon of black eyebrows, and a pair of large, beautiful eyes.

She told herself as she fixed herself on her reflection in the mirror. "Alright, Tan Xiuying, let's get real. My actual name is Sharon Lin. And here's the crazy thing—I don't even get why I'm alive when I was supposed to be dead. I'm from a whole different continent, and somehow I ended up traveling through time and landing in your body. It's a wild ride, I know!"

"All those other time travelers have these cool superpowers or fancy gadgets that actually come in handy. But guess what? I might disappoint you big time because I'm just a weakling at this age. Like seriously, I'm a total loser. A spy and secret agent who can't even pull off a simple mission. I know you'll probably think I'm the worst, but I've got no other choice here."

"Tan Xiuying, I've got all your old memories now. You're pretty darn lucky, you know? Having a rich and caring family that treats you like a princess. And even though the heaven might not appove your love life, it's still cool that you've got a lover. I've never even had someone I loved that much in my whole life. I was just out here living for myself and my family."

"I'm all about perfection, and I don't really have any connections to the outside world. If I figure out a way to leave this place, I'll totally give you back this body. No worries, girl. Since we're sharing this body, I'll totally get revenge for you and look out for your family."