Chapter 1 Body Swap

Southern Chu Kingdom, General’s Mansion.

Shen Zhao lay on the bed—a bed both unfamiliar and intimately known—staring in shock at the ceiling overhead. She’d been on this bed before! On her wedding night, she and Chu Mu had completed the most important rite of their lives right here. She’d slept on this bed for half a year, until later, because of a wretched woman, Chu Mu had started sleeping in a separate room. Yet just last night, she’d lain quietly in her own chambers; how on earth had she awakened in Chu Mu’s bedroom today?

Had that scoundrel sneaked into her room under cover of night and spirited her away? Shen Zhao shook her head, dismissing such outlandish notions. Chu Mu was desperate for her to leave the General’s Mansion and make space for his beloved—why would he possibly want to steal her away?

“General, are you awake?” came a man’s voice from outside. She recognized it as the voice of Chu Mu’s lieutenant. Why was he here so early? Had something happened again in the Western Courtyard?

Shen Zhao didn’t respond. Upon waking, she’d realized she was alone—Chu Mu was nowhere to be found. And in any case, the lieutenant wasn’t calling for her.

“General, Miss Lin is having chest pains again. She asks that you come take a look.”

The lieutenant’s voice sounded once more, and Shen Zhao couldn’t help but curl her lips in disdain. Lin Jiaojiao’s chest hurt, and she expected Chu Mu’s mere presence to cure her? Every day it was chest pains, yet she never seemed to die from them. She was pampered more than Shen Zhao, the lady of the house, ever was.

Chest pains indeed! It was nothing but a reminder to Chu Mu that his life was saved by Lin Jiaojiao’s brother. To outsiders, Lin Jiaojiao’s illness appeared to be caused by grief at losing her brother.

“General, Miss Lin’s maid is here again. She says Miss Lin is in agony—General, will you not go see her?”

Shen Zhao sighed. This lieutenant was close to Lin Jiaojiao’s late brother and treated her as his own sister, which meant Lin Jiaojiao often gave Shen Zhao attitude. Forcing herself to be patient, she replied, “Your general…”

She had meant to say that the general wasn’t here, but the words caught in her throat. The voice that left her lips wasn’t her own. She knew this voice well—it was Chu Mu’s!

She shot upright, the brocade quilt sliding off her, exposing a sturdy, broad chest, defined abs, and a scar running across the chest—a wild, powerful beauty she knew well. It was Chu Mu’s body.

Could it be… she had become Chu Mu?

The fear in her eyes quickly transformed into delight. If she’d guessed correctly, Chu Mu must now be in her body. Excellent. Let that wretched man experience for himself the miserable days she’d endured in the General’s Mansion. See if he still called her heartless, venomous, unfilial, unfriendly to his mother and sisters-in-law, a bully to Lin the delicate flower—a woman with a snake’s heart.

“General, Miss Lin…” the lieutenant began again, but this time Shen Zhao cut him off impatiently:

“I’m not going. I’m not a physician—do you expect me to cure her with a glance? She’s been frail for two years and still has chest pains. Has she developed a heart condition? Fainting every three days, bedridden every two, always in pain—does our General’s Mansion clash with her fate? She enjoys the finest food and clothing, more than even the madam of the Eastern Courtyard, yet she’s still ailing. Perhaps too much fortune has cursed her. Some people just can’t handle wealth.”

For two years, Lin Jiaojiao had been worshipped by Chu Mu as an ancestor. Snow swallow nests from the treasury, rare delicacies from the mountains and sea, top-tier medicinal dishes, and the finest accommodations—nothing was denied her. The thought made Shen Zhao’s chest ache with anger. She earned money not only to support heartless Chu Mu but also to sustain Lin Jiaojiao, the paragon of fragile beauty. Remembering her exiled father and brothers, Shen Zhao thought of the years she’d endured humiliation. Today, at last, she would endure no more.

Outside, Lieutenant Zhang was struck dumb. Was this truly the general he knew? The general was a man of few words, always concise, never sharp-tongued. Since when had he been so caustic? This was Lin Jiaojiao—she wasn’t the lady of the house. Usually, the general couldn’t bear to say a harsh word to Miss Lin. What had come over him today?

Eastern Courtyard.

“Bang, bang… Shen woman, do you know what time it is? The old madam is waiting for you to help her wash and dress!”

The pounding on the door and the shrill scolding made Chu Mu’s head ache. He opened his eyes irritably; dawn had not yet broken. He always rose at the third quarter of the Tiger Hour, and it was not yet that time. But who had changed the drapes? He remembered them being green—who had hung up these pink gauzy curtains?

“Shen woman, hurry up! After you’ve attended to the old madam, you have to make her health soup. If she goes hungry, can you bear the responsibility?”

The nagging voice rose higher than before. Shen woman? Serving the old madam? Making health soup? Chu Mu frowned. Ever since he and Shen Zhao had begun sleeping separately two years ago, he’d never shared a bed with her again. Why were these people looking for Shen Zhao in his quarters? And hadn’t his mother claimed that Shen Zhao neglected her, never paying her respects in the morning or evening? Why now send people to fetch Shen Zhao to attend her and cook soup? Something was wrong.

“Hurry up and answer! Are you dawdling? Does the old madam have to wait for you in bed? Someone, break down Shen woman’s door—I’d like to see what secrets she’s hiding.”

The voice was that of Nanny Liu, his mother’s trusted servant—a woman normally honest and reserved, who was always deferential towards him. Why was she now so disrespectful?

With a crash, the door was forced open. Led by Nanny Liu, a group of fierce-looking maids and matrons stormed in—dozens of them, all glaring at him.

Chu Mu’s face darkened. Most of these women were from his mother’s courtyard.

“Well, Shen woman, you’re still lying in bed at this hour? You’re clearly awake and ignored my calls—how dare you!” Nanny Liu strode forward and yanked the quilt off him.

“Impudence!” Chu Mu instinctively lashed out with his foot, kicking Nanny Liu back. But the angry shout that escaped him was not his own voice. He recognized it—it was Shen Zhao’s. And the feeble kick was nothing like his usual strength; had it been him, that old shrew would have been sent flying.

Could it be… he had become Shen Zhao?

“Ow! Shen woman, you dare kick me? I serve the old madam! Have you grown so bold? Do you still wish to remain in the General’s Mansion? Aren’t you afraid the old madam will order the general to divorce you? Without the general as a son-in-law, what will become of the Shen family in exile? Who will show them any respect? You could die out there without anyone knowing. Apologize at once, or prepare to be driven out of the General’s Mansion!”