Not Your Typical Villianess

The next day, at the main courtyard.

At daybreak Su Liya relieved Tian Tian of her night duties, the Duke left for court as she arrived. As he left, he instructed Su Liya to let Zhu Fengyin sleep in for an hour before waking her up. While Zhu Fengyin slept, Su Liya supervised the fourth rank maids as their cleaned up the room.

Su Liya felt weak while standing by the side, she hadn't slept well thanks to the disturbing news she received last night. She tossed and turned till late in the night and when she finally fell asleep, she was plagued by nightmares.

She kept on dreaming of Zhu Fengyin getting killed by Xia Ying after which she followed suit. In her nightmares, their deaths were slow and gruesome. Su Liya shivered and shook her head as she remembered each scene. A tap on her shoulder drew her away from her dark thought.

A maid stood by her side, Su Liya looked at the maid and asked "Sorry, is there any problem?".

The maid replied in a small voice that was almost a whisper, "sister Liya, Young Madam is awake".

"oh! Thanks for letting me know", Su Liya replied. She pulled the curtains separating the sleeping chamber from the other parts of the room and strode in. Zhu Fengyin sat up on the bed, she looked up as Su Liya walked in. 

"What time is it", she asked sweeping the loose strands of her hair to the bank of her ears.

"It 8:30 am", Su Liya walked to the table next to one of the side windows and poured some drinking water into a cup for Zhu Fengyin

"It is 8 am! How could let me sleep solace!," Zhu Fengyin exclaimed.

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"I was about waking earlier but master instructed me to let you sleep for an hour", she said. SU Liya placed her hands under Zhu Fengyin's jaw and raised her face "Aiyo see the bags under your eye, you have worked hard Yin'er", Su Liya said laughing.

Zhu Fengyin felt her cheeks heat up as she pulled her jaw out of Su Liya's hands "Silly girl", she muttered pouting. "You are too free, go bring out my purple banquet gown, I will be wearing it for today's banquet".

"Okay, why are you such a spoilsport" Su Liya grumbled in a low tone.

Zhu Fengyin didn't bother responding, she stood and walked to the curtain. She pulled the curtain aside and instructed a maid to send over some bathing water. After having her bath, Zhu Fengyin put on the purple banquet gown and say at this dressing table to get her hair made.

Su Liya stood behind Zhu Fengyin, running the hairbrush through her silky smooth hair. As she did, she contemplated if it was a good idea to inform Zhu Fengyin of Xia Ying's presence in the capital. Although Zhu Fengyin might not be aware of the full story between Xia Ying and Lu Yingjie, she was aware of their marriage.

The couple had gotten married a year before Zhu Fengyin was killed by hi Faye and Su Liya. She didn't know what difference informing Zhu Fengyin would make but she felt that she needed to be informed.

Xia Ying was the Empress guest, there was no banquet or polo match that she wouldn't be invited to. Even if she kept this from Zhu Fengyin, both ladies moved around the same circle. They were bound to run into each other at a banquet, the only thing Zhu Fengyin could do to avoid the original plot from playing out, was to make Lu Yingjie fall in love with her.

Lu Yingjie had been attentive to Zhu Fengyin throughout their marriage, Zhu Fengyin making him fall in love with her wouldn't be difficult. Su Liya ran the hairbrush through Zhu Fengyin's hair more times than necessary that it caught Zhu Fengyin's attention.

Zhu Fengyin cleared her throat gently and said "Yaya I think that my hair has been untangled, if you keep running the comb through my hair, I might get a headache".

Su Liya shivered and pulled the hairbrush away "oh no! sorry about that. I got distracted".

"I noticed, what has got you distracted?"

Su Liya kept the comp on the table, she pulled Zhu Fengyin's hair up and heald it with her right hand, "I heard from some maids that Princess Xia Ying is in the capital, she was invited by the Empress".

"The Empress didn't waste any time it seems" Zhu Fengyin replied calmly.

"What do you mean?" Su Liya asked eyes narrowed.

"The Empress inviting the states Duke's granddaughter is a power move. She must be trying to arrange a marriage between second young master and the princess".

"Huh! how come it's the second young master?"

Zhu Fengyin smiled "who else would it be, the Duke? Please, Princess Ni'an would never allow her granddaughter to become a second wife. The crown Prince already has a possible marriage match with our Young Mistress. The only unmarried male the Empress is fond of is Lu Yaozhu".

"Really how did I not think of that".

"Because you are silly, You would know that, if you spend time getting to know each noble family instead of looking being nosy in my love life".

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"It is pretty boring at the residence, the only thing worth paying is your relationship with the Duke. I can't start paying attention to big madam's matters now can I"

"You should improve yourself instead of paying attention to gossip. Don't make the hairstyle too complicated, make it simple. I don't want the gossip tomorrow to be how I like being the center of attention" 

"They can get that out of just your hairstyle?"

"The madams like you have too much time on their hands, they are always looking for something to talk about. This is my first banquet as a Duchess, I can be found wanting. If not Madam Lu would tear me a new one tomorrow, she will be watching my conduct during this banquet".

Tsk tsk tsk, "Wow marriage into the Lu family isn't easy", Su Liya said shaking her head.