Chapter 12: Astonishment! Huan Tao Uncovers the Secret

At noon, the kitchen was still free of smoke and fire; the cooks and kitchen maids were resting, leaving Huan Tao alone inside. After cautiously looking around and seeing no one approaching, she finally took a small notebook from her bosom and began to flip through its pages.

The handwriting inside was messy and scribbled over in many places; the entries were scattered and disorganized. Although Huan Tao could read, she struggled to understand the first few pages, feeling somewhat disappointed. Was her mistress’s handwriting really this illegible?

Patiently turning through more than a dozen pages, she suddenly came across a passage that read:

“On the night of June 3rd, my husband Jiang Mubai sought favor with the phoenix, and illicitly indulged with Feng Yuxi, the daughter of the phoenix’s consort. She poisoned my wine, forcing me to drink it, causing my belly to feel as if cut by knives, my life hanging by a thread. Feng Yuxi led men to storm the Jiang mansion, seizing my husband and killing me on the spot. More than two months later, I unexpectedly came back to life, reborn as the legitimate daughter of the Minister of the Secretariat, Gu Lianxu, named Gu Nanshu, married to Prince Lu Heng of Beichen.”

“Yet, where is the true Gu Nanshu? Is she dead?”

Reading these lines, Huan Tao felt as if her mind had been struck by an iron hammer, suddenly enlightened. So, her real mistress was already dead? And now the one living in her body was none other than Madam Feng Sanniang, the late Mrs. Jiang, reborn after death?

How could this be?

Snap!

The small notebook slipped from Huan Tao’s trembling hands and fell to the ground. She felt as if struck by lightning, her mind in utter chaos. Her mistress was really dead? And the one inhabiting her body was Madam Feng, wife of Minister Jiang?

Impossible! What on earth was happening?

Huan Tao could hardly believe it was true—it felt like a nightmare. Such a bizarre and unprecedented situation was beyond imagination, something even playwrights would hesitate to write.

It was utterly against all ethics!

Yet the facts were right before her eyes, corroborated by the confession in Madam Feng’s own handwriting. No wonder her mistress’s behavior had become so crude and reckless, completely unlike her usual self—it was a different soul altogether!

Before Huan Tao could gather her wits, a sharp kitchen knife suddenly pressed against her neck from behind, accompanied by a threatening voice: “If you want to live, don’t move, or I’ll end your life right now!”

It was her mistress’s voice!

Terrified, Huan Tao’s whole body trembled. She straightened her back and dared not move an inch, fearing her neck would be severed in an instant.

Since Huan Tao left to fetch hot water, Gu Nanshu had felt an uneasy premonition, as if something major was about to happen. She wrapped a robe around herself and emerged from the bathhouse, only to discover that the small notebook was missing.

Fortunately, she found out early; otherwise, Huan Tao would have taken the notebook to betray her. If that happened, her vengeance would remain unfulfilled, and she would lose her life here—an unbearable injustice.

So, she quickly dressed and rushed to the kitchen. Just as she saw Huan Tao reading the notebook, she grabbed a kitchen knife and pressed it to her neck, her heart filled with murderous intent.

Huan Tao didn’t dare breathe; raising her hands, she wanted to cry out, “M-Mistress... oh no! I should call you Madam Feng. Madam Feng, please don’t kill me! Huan Tao didn’t mean to steal your notebook—it was an accident. Rest assured, I know nothing and will say nothing. Please spare me. I will serve you like a beast of burden, as if nothing ever happened.”

Hearing Huan Tao’s desperate pleas, Gu Nanshu’s eyes burned with deadly intent. The sharp knife in her hand moved slightly, slicing the tender skin of Huan Tao’s neck, blood spurting out. Coldly, she demanded, “Speak. What did you intend to do with my notebook?”

Huan Tao had served Gu Nanshu for ten years and knew her well. She understood that apart from being a bit impatient and timid, Huan Tao was fundamentally kind-hearted and would never betray her.

This sudden theft must have been instigated by someone else aiming to harm her.

Feeling the pain in her neck and nearly fainting from fear, Huan Tao hurriedly said, “I-It was the prince!”

“The prince?”

Gu Nanshu furrowed her brow, unsurprised. She had guessed that Lu Heng had asked Huan Tao to secretly retrieve her notebook for some reason.

After all, she had noticed Lu Heng’s suspicion of her. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have asked twice today whether she knew Jiang Mubai or bore him a grudge. Someone as intelligent as him would naturally be suspicious.

Fortunately, she arrived in time. If the notebook had fallen into Lu Heng’s hands, he would have killed her to silence her. After all, Feng Yuxi was his elder sister’s daughter; he would never side with her.

She resolved to be more cautious in the future, avoiding any mistakes before Lu Heng and focusing first on survival.

“How did the prince know I had the notebook?” Gu Nanshu pressed further, seeking to sever all leads.

Frightened, Huan Tao explained, “At today’s banquet, your behavior was too suspicious. The prince noticed your oddness. After you fainted, he questioned me, and I also suspected something, so I told him the reason. I intended it for your own good, but who knew... you’re really not my mistress! The doctor said your fainting was due to lack of sleep, and the prince questioned you about it. I also told him you didn’t sleep all night.”

“Madam Feng, please don’t kill me! Though you’re no longer my mistress, this body is still hers. I will serve you faithfully and never betray you. Please believe me!”

Huan Tao’s tears streamed down as she begged sincerely.

After a moment’s thought, Gu Nanshu realized that since Lu Heng now suspected her and had ordered Huan Tao to spy on her, killing Huan Tao would only harm her own cause.

Moreover, Huan Tao was not a bad person. It would be better to keep her close and use her, turning the tables in her future plans. It would be simpler than constantly guarding against everyone—only Lu Heng needed to be watched.

She decided, “I will spare your life, but you must never tell anyone about today’s events. If you betray me, I will drag you down to hell with me. If you remain loyal, I will treat you well. Do you understand?”

Huan Tao nodded vigorously. “Yes! Rest assured, Madam Feng, I swear on heaven...”

“Enough with the swearing; it’s meaningless,” Gu Nanshu interrupted, retracting the knife and placing it on the table, choosing to trust her.

Huan Tao collapsed to the floor as if escaping death, then quickly turned and kowtowed repeatedly, saying, “Thank you for sparing me. I will serve you to the death without complaint!”

“Enough with the kowtowing. I will rewrite the notebook for you. Follow the original plan and hand it over to the prince. Answer whatever he says, just don’t let him find out I am Madam Feng.”

“Understood. I will do as you say.” Huan Tao nodded, then hesitated and asked, “What will you write in the notebook? The prince seems to take it seriously. If you write nonsense, he will surely become suspicious.”

Raising an eyebrow, Gu Nanshu replied, “What else but the amorous affairs of Feng Zhinian? Lu Heng doesn’t care. This will help bury the matter.”

Huan Tao frowned. “But isn’t that improper?”

“It doesn’t matter. Just follow my instructions. Also,” Gu Nanshu added, “tomorrow, spend some silver to hire a few spies. I need them to retrieve some things from the Jiang mansion.”

Hearing mention of the Jiang mansion, Huan Tao quickly explained, “Madam Feng, since your death, the Jiang mansion has been emptied. It’s become a haunted house. The townsfolk say that at midnight, the mansion echoes with a woman’s cries and laughter—that’s your restless spirit causing trouble.”

Shivering as she spoke, Huan Tao found it less frightening knowing the ghost was inhabiting her mistress’s body.

Gu Nanshu was startled. “Emptied? When? Where did they move?”

“Seven days after your death, it was moved to East Street in the capital. Lord Jiang said it was bad luck—a harlot appeared in the family, dying in bed with a wild man. They found it unlucky, so they relocated the mansion.”

Hearing this, Gu Nanshu’s heart stirred with rage. To say she died in bed with a wild man—Jiang Mubai had truly been heartless and cruel, a beast in human form!

Her face turned pale, and she nearly fainted.

Seeing her about to collapse, Huan Tao quickly got up and steadied her. No wonder her mistress had such extreme reactions whenever Jiang Mubai was mentioned—the truth was this painful.

Anyone else facing such a shock would have gone mad from anguish. Gu Nanshu was already remarkably brave and strong.

“Madam Feng, you must stay strong! Live well and avenge yourself on Jiang Mubai!” Huan Tao said fiercely.

Gu Nanshu’s pale face regained some color as she trembled, “Rest assured, I will make Jiang Mubai pay dearly. With the Jiang mansion emptied, it saves me time and effort. I plan to return there soon and reclaim what belongs to me.”

“When will you go to the Jiang mansion?”

“At midnight tomorrow. This must be carefully planned. Come, follow me back to the palace to rewrite the notebook. One thing at a time.”

“Very well, Madam Feng.”

“Remember, never call me ‘Madam Feng’ in front of others again. My identity is special now. From now on, address me as Princess Consort.”

“Yes, Princess Consort.”