"Miss, aren't you excited to accompany the third prince?" Xiao Yu combed my hair with light strokes as I bit my lower lip to stop myself from shivering.
Not really.
"Of course, I am."
"Miss, I heard that there's a huge possibility that the emperor will choose the third prince as his successor." Xiao Yu expertly braided my hair, leaving a few of my front hair loose.
I know.
"Hmmm..."
"Miss, I also heard that the third prince has taken a liking on you. You might become the crown princess!" Xiao Yu exclaimed in excitement.
I turned to face her and gave her an unamused look.
"Xiao Yu, it seems like you're tired of serving this Miss." I narrowed my eyes on her.
"Miss! This servant wouldn't dare!" Xiao Yu immediately dropped her head and shook her head.
"Good girl." I smiled.
"But miss, why are you bathing in ice water in the middle of the night? You're going to get sick." Xiao Yu asked as she went to get another wooden bucket full of ice.
Bingo!
Why else am I suffering from this cold bath if not for the reason of getting sick?
If I get sick, I don't need to accompany Chen Heng Li on touring the town. If I get sick, I don't have to spend time with him. The lesser encounter with him, the better.
"The General will surely punish me." Xiao Yu sighed.
"No worries. Just don't tell father." I assured her.
Xiao Yu just nodded her head as she absent-mindedly poured more ice into my tub which was already overflowing.
I gently flicked her nose, "Do you have so much grievances against this Miss that you're trying to drown me?"
I said I wanted to get sick, not be frozen to death.
•••
The next day, I was burning with fever. My head aches, my cheeks were flushed red and I couldn't stop my self from trembling.
Ahh, this is terrible.
"Miss, this is all my fault!" Xiao Yu was panicking as she held her hand on my forehead. When she felt how hot I was, she started to cry.
"Shhhh... Xiao Yu, you are so loud. My head is pounding with your crying. Go tell father I am sick and I am not fit to accompany the third prince." I said in a low voice.
Xiao Yu bowed her head and went to father's quarters. In a few minutes, she returned with my father in tow.
"Fan'er!" Father rushed beside my bed and held my hand.
"My dear child, what happened? How are you feeling?" He helped me adjust in a sitting position.
"Its probably the cold wind last night." I lied.
I heard Xiao Yu cough in the corner of the room so with the little strength that I have, I gave her a threatening look that conveys, 'shut up if you don't want to feel my wrath.'
"I told you not stay out on your garden for too long especially that the winter is fast approaching. You know how easily you get sick." Father sighed.
My body's constitution is not that good. I quickly tire and if I don't take extra precaution, I get sick.
"Here, drink this herbal medicine." Father handed me a green-colored liquid in a teacup.
But before I could drink the weird medicine, I suddenly become dizzy. My eyesight started to blur, my world seemed to move in a circular motion and eventually, I lost consciousness. The last thing I heard was father shouting for the maids to get the household's physician.
•••
"Xiao Yu" I called out softly to my personal maid.
My room is dark except for the lit gas lamps hanging in my bedroom walls and a few scented candles burning on top of the table.
The door opened and Xiao Yu came running towards me.
"Miss, you're awake!" She knelt beside my bed and touched my forehead to check my temperature. She smiled in relief when she felt that my temperature is back to normal.
I motioned for her to get me a glass of water. My throat was parched and my mouth was dry. If it wasn't for the fact that I was sick, I would have thought I've been chewing dry grass.
She helped me sit and added extra pillows on my back to support me. Then quickly poured a glass of warm water and waited for me to finish it before she went back to standing beside my bed.
"Come, sit here." I said as I patted the empty space next to me. She did as I told her.
"Tell me, what happened?"
"Miss, you fainted." She answered like it was the biggest revelation on planet earth.
Obviously.
I would have snorted but I didn't. Proper decorum and etiquette says its unlady-like. I must endure.
"And?"
"The General called for physician Cang Ru to look at you. The physician said you got sick because of the cold weather."
Hah! Cold weather my as- I mean, everyone should wear warm clothes, the cold weather may get you sick.
"And?"
"The physician gave you medicine and even left some for you to use when you would feel dizzy again." Xiao Yu showed me the pouch containing the pills.
"Is that all?"
Xiao Yu nodded.
"Oh, wait Miss..."
I looked at Xiao Yu as her serious facial expression turned to a happy one.
"The third prince came!" Xiao Yu said ecstatically.
Of course, he came. I was supposed to accompany him today.
"Miss, the third prince was really worried when he heard you were sick. He even came to your quarters to check on you."
Worried, huh.
"The third prince told General Bai that he would send herbal medicine and tea to the Bai household. But I think, he's sending all those health doses for your sake, Miss." Xiao Yu teased.
What is the third prince doing? He didn't even bother about the original Bai Fan and now, he's even sending us medicine and tea.
My forehead creased trying to come up with reasons to why Chen Heng Li is doing something out of the original plot.
I let out a frustrated sigh.
"Miss, are you feeling sick again?" Xiao Yu felt giddy seeing my distressed look. I shook my head in response.
"Oh! I get it now. Miss, you're sad you weren't able to see the third prince before he went back to the imperial capital." Xiao Yu giggled.
"He went back to the imperial capital?" I asked ignoring Xiao Yu's continuous teasing. I will deal with her later but for now, I have to focus on the more pressing matter at hand.
Wasn't he supposed to stay in the Western Border for two weeks? If I remember it correctly, during those times, the original Bai Fan would do everything to seduce the third prince. And also, during those times, the third prince will find the original Bai Fan unbearable.
"I thought he's staying in the Bai household for a few days?" I asked in a monotonous voice, trying to hide the curiosity that's creeping out of me.
"Miss, from what I heard, the Emperor summoned the third prince back to the palace. I don't know anything else beside that." Xiao Yu shrugged.
General Bai dismissed all the maids earlier so she didn't hear anything else apart from what she told her.
Why would the emperor summon him? Did something happen? I don't remember writing anything about this!
Why do I feel like everything is getting out of hand? Why is everyone acting out of character? Am I sure I transmigrated inside my own novel? Or is this another world?
Is me acting differently from the original Bai Fan have anything to do with this?
Ahh, someone help me.