"Xian-er, please...forgive your mother. To think I was away at the temple while you were suffering...I truly didn't know."
My mother, the First Madam, leaned over me with tear-brimmed eyes. She was a vision of refined beauty, only twenty-nine yet possessing an ethereal grace.
A delicate red huadian—a plum blossom mark was centered on her forehead, contrasting with her luminous, pale skin. Looking at her light-colored eyes, I felt a strange pang in my chest.
In the 21st century, I had been an orphan since the age of five. To have a mother's warmth was a luxury I hadn't expected to find here.
"Mother, please don't blame yourself," I said, offering a soft, reassuring smile. "It was my own frailty that caused you and Father such worry. I am now much better."
" You must recover fully, Xian-er" she whispered, smoothing my hair. "Once you are strong enough to go outside, Mother will take you to the silk shops. We shall pick out the finest fabrics there is."
I nodded, basking in her affection. But the warmth was quickly cut by a sharp, sobbing intake of breath from the foot of the bed.
There stood Tang Ruo-Lan. Before my Mother could say another word, Ruo-Lan dropped to her knees with a heavy thud her face glistening with tears.
"Mother, it is all my fault!" she wailed, her voice trembling like a leaf in the wind. "I failed to watch over Eldest sister. I am unworthy of this family's kindness. Please...I beg you to punish me."
I watched her through narrowed eyes. What a white lotus, I thought. By asking for punishment, she was actually forcing mother to pity her.
"Sister, why such a dramatic display?" I asked, my voice smooth but laced with iron.
"I am the eldest. It is my duty to look over my younger siblings. Please, stand. If a guest were to walk in now, they would think the Tang Manor was known for abusing its daughters."
I wasn't just telling her to stand, I was reminding her that her theatrical kneeling made her look like a child playing in the circus.
Mother sighed, her heart clearly softening for the girl.
"You see, ah? Both of you are so considerate of one another. It is my fortune to have such good children. Lan-er, stop this nonsense and get up. Go back to your chamber and rest. You shouldn't stress yourself over things you couldn't control."
Ruo-Lan lowered her head, hiding a flash of frustration behind a submissive nod. She was a master of the long game.
She had been brought into the family because of her luck-bearing aura, a scheme cooked up by my grandmother. Ruo-Lan's mother, a widow from Grandmother's side, had used the luck excuse to become my father's concubine, claiming Ruo-Lan's presence would heal my younger brother.
Let's see how far that luck carries her when she's up against someone who knows how the story ends.
Once they finally had left, I turned to maid.
"Qin-er, bring me the bronze mirror" Qin-er hesitated before handing me the mirror, her eyes wary. She was waiting for the usual outburst.
The old me couldn't stand the sight of my own face, and my frustration with my acne often became a burden she had to bear. I hadn't seen my own reflection since I came in this time.
I knew my father was a prime minister, a man above all but the emperor. And my mother was a wealthy heiress from the south. The genetics were in my favor, but the other Mo-Xian had a terrible reputation.
I peered into the mirror. The girl looking back was striking. Because my mother had spoiled me and my grandmother had kept me secluded, the world believed I was an ill-mannered, illiterate, and ugly recluse. I had been aggressive and stubborn, and I'd let my skin break out without care.
I touched a cluster of acne on my cheek. It was inflamed but not yet scarred.
"Eldest Miss, you truly are beautiful" Qin-er whispered, trying to be encouraging.
I smiled, a genuine, calculating smile. Mo-Xian was indeed a beauty beneath the neglect. I had status, I had family who loved me, and now, I had a modern brain that knew how to treat skin and social scandal alike.