Chapter 3: At the Mercy of Others

Nanny He pulled several banknotes from her bosom again. "Here, this is one thousand taels of silver from the First Madam. Once the matter is successful, another two thousand taels will be given to you. Not only will your wealth be inexhaustible for a lifetime, but the Third Master will also guarantee your son's future prospects."

Xun Xiang was puzzled. Although the Princess's Manor was wealthier than the Xun Estate, an evil old woman who could casually produce three thousand taels of silver could not be considered poor. Why would she risk doing such a wicked deed? If exposed, both she and her descendants would suffer the consequences.

Thinking of the fact that she would die prematurely tomorrow night, Xun Xiang felt both terrified and helpless. A sense of powerlessness, like being meat to be slaughtered at will, filled her small chest... No, she was currently less than even a fish. A fish could flip over and leap; she couldn't even turn her body. She also couldn't control her emotions; whenever she felt sad, she would cry, and before she knew it, she would fall asleep.

She used all her strength to suppress her wails so she could continue listening to their plan.

After considering for a moment, Nanny Li made her decision. "Fine, I'll do it."

Nanny He smiled. "That's the spirit. In the future, when your son becomes an official, you can raise Feng'er to live a life of luxury outside the manor. You might even become a titled Lady."

Wealth is sought amidst danger. Thinking of such a day, Nanny Li nodded heavily.

After a rustling sound, the two women went outside the door.

Nanny Li's voice grew louder. "That kind of soft cloth is very suitable for making diapers. I thank the Great Madam Xun for her concern on behalf of my little lady. Despite her poor health, she still worries about the lady."

Nanny He smiled. "I'll go back and tell the First Madam, and bring some more soft cloth over."

Xun Xiang felt utter despair. At this moment, there was no one by her side except this wicked servant.

She also realized something: why were there so many attending maids for this body, yet Nanny Li always controlled everything and rarely let them come close? It was all in preparation for the baby swap.

Nanny Li returned and looked at Xun Xiang with a smile. "Oh, is the little lady awake? Are you hungry?"

The gentle voice made Xun Xiang's skin crawl.

Nanny Xia returned from the sewing room. Before she even entered the East Wing, she heard the little mistress's crying—it was getting louder and louder, sounding extremely shrill.

She ran into the room in a few steps. "What's wrong with the lady? Why is she crying so hard?"

Nanny Li felt a bit flustered and hurriedly said, "I don't know either. She started crying as soon as she woke up, and she won't take her milk."

Nanny Xia reached into the diaper. "The lady has soiled herself; of course she's going to cry."

She gave Nanny Li a displeased look. With excrement on the lady's body, she would feel cold, yet it seemed she had been soiled for a long time. Nanny Li usually seemed quite meticulous; what was wrong with her today?

Nanny Li pretended not to notice Nanny Xia's displeasure and quickly went out to have a maid fetch warm water. She thought to herself: *You won't be gloating for long; you'll be kicked out tomorrow morning.*

A maid brought in the warm water, and the two of them washed Xun Xiang's bottom.

Xun Xiang grabbed the collar of Nanny Xia's clothes, wanting to scream "Help!" and say, "Nanny Li is trying to harm you, they are going to swap the babies!" She even wanted to sneeze so Nanny Xia would think she had caught a cold and call for the imperial physician...

But the only sounds that came out were, "Ah~~ ah~~ ah~~"

Before she could cry out more, a pacifier was stuffed into her mouth again.

Xun Xiang turned her head away, refusing to eat, but the pacifier was forced back in.

She was forced to swallow, and under Nanny Xia's soothing, she calmed down and began to analyze the conversation between the two women.

The mastermind of this incident was clearly the First Madam Xun. The participants included the Third Master Xun, the Third Madam Xun, Nanny Li, Nanny He, and a forced participant, Feng'er, along with Feng'er's wet nurse.

She had to remember these people.

If the swap failed, she would deal with all those who tried to harm her when she grew up. If the swap succeeded and she unexpectedly survived, she would have to find a way to seek revenge, bring these villains to justice, and expose the fake Xun Xiang. If she unfortunately "died young," then she would simply be the shortest-lived and most tragic transmigrator; that was her fate.

She also had to remember Nanny Xia; she was an important witness.

However, besides the masters, the participating servants would likely be silenced one by one...

After she finished nursing, Nanny Xia held Xun Xiang upright to let her burp, then rocked her to sleep.

Xun Xiang did not want to sleep and began to cry loudly again.

She could only use crying to attract Nanny Xia's attention; ideally, she would vomit to draw the imperial physician over.

Nanny Li was terrified, her hands trembling slightly. If the imperial physician came and stayed the night, the plan could not proceed smoothly. By the time Princess Dongyang returned to the manor, the matter would be impossible to execute.

Since she knew about their swap plan and it hadn't been completed, they wouldn't let her and her man live in peace...

Nanny Xia was puzzled as to why the usually well-behaved lady was crying incessantly today. She felt her forehead; there was no fever. She checked her diaper; it was clean.

She began to hum a lullaby.

The swaying and the lullaby made Xun Xiang extremely drowsy. Her vision blurred; she knew she shouldn't sleep at this moment, but she fell asleep uncontrollably anyway.

When she woke up again, Xun Xiang was lying alone on the bed. There was light before her eyes, but no sound of birds. It must be night; the light was candlelight.

She opened her mouth and began to cry loudly again.

Now, the only way she could attract attention was by crying.

After a series of footsteps, she was scooped into someone's arms. Judging by the scent, it was Nanny Li.

A gentle voice followed: "Oh, the lady has soiled herself again."

She pulled off Xun Xiang's diaper.

Seeing that Xun Xiang hadn't soiled herself, Nanny Li tried to fasten the diaper back on.

Xun Xiang flared her nostrils, kicked her legs, and with a burst of effort, a puddle of runny stool landed on Nanny Li's hand.

Nanny Li cursed inwardly in anger. She used the diaper to wipe her own hand, then wiped Xun Xiang's little bottom. Without even washing her, she fastened the diaper back on.

Such a perfunctory job. She was alone in the room; Nanny Xia was not there.

Had Nanny Xia been poisoned?

Xun Xiang cried loudly, refusing to listen to Nanny Li's soothing or take her milk.

She roared in her heart: *Someone else, please, come and take me away quickly...*

Nanny Li was both afraid and angry. She leaned her head close to Xun Xiang's face and hissed, "You little brat, stop crying."

Xun Xiang felt her vision improve slightly, allowing her to see the wicked servant's face clearly. An oblong face, thin lips, bulging round eyes with slightly upturned corners, and a mung-bean-sized mole at the end of her left eyebrow. She looked to be in her twenties.

This thin face was particularly loathsome at this moment, looking like a witch from a comic book from her previous life.

Xun Xiang stared at her intensely, making Nanny Li feel uneasy, causing her to hurriedly lift her head.

Xun Xiang began to cry loudly again.

Finally, a series of footsteps arrived at the door.

"Sister-in-law Li, what's wrong with the lady? Has she soiled herself? I'll go fetch some warm water."