Sleeping Soundly in Her Bed - Chapter 1

“Honestly, even though today is the Qixi Festival, the new monarch insists that Her Ladyship attend the imperial night banquet. How utterly tiresome.”

Rachel woke up in the deep shade of a locust tree. The girl’s complaining voice drifted over like a feather, lightly brushing against the tip of her ear.

Lush green leaves swayed in the breeze, a single one large enough to obstruct most of Rachel’s vision.

Another voice lowered slightly, carrying a hint of awe: “Hush. The new king has just ascended; it’s the time to win over various factions. Her Ladyship has no choice in the matter.”

Ah, servants gossiping about their master’s affairs.

Rachel slowly lowered her eyelids, taking in the surrounding architecture. She tried to lift her arm, only to see a flash of pure golden light shimmer before her eyes.

She froze instantly.

Outside the moon gate, the two maids continued to whisper: “Hmph. With Her Ladyship here, no matter how the new king tries to curry favor, our Eastern Mission will always remain neutral. We won’t favor any side.”

“Is the Golden Peacock’s meal ready? Be careful with it.”

…Peacock?

Rachel looked at her own hand in disbelief. Where a slender arm should have been, there was now a pair of magnificent wings, shimmering with a gold-like luster under the sunlight.

“Lord Peacock, are you hungry?”

A girl stepped through the moon gate into the quiet garden, arriving beneath the locust tree before Rachel knew it. She was dressed in Eastern attire that was entirely out of place in this kingdom—a light blue skirt brushing against the lush green grass, her dark hair half-bound with a magnificent golden hairpin tucked in at an angle.

This maid must be a servant of a member of the Eastern Mission.

And she called her… Peacock?

Rachel instinctively backed away, but her claws slipped on the smooth branch. Her body suddenly lost its balance, falling like a golden silk flower swept away by the wind.

“Lord Peacock!!!”

Rachel slammed heavily onto the soft grass, feeling momentarily dazed and lost.

She, the dignified Princess Rachel of the Kingdom of Lanxi, had actually turned into a golden peacock!?

The two maids rushed over, fussing over whether she was injured. More than the physical pain, what caused Rachel to collapse internally was the absurdity of the situation.

As the late king’s most beloved youngest daughter, Rachel might have been a bit arrogant and willful, but she possessed a sharp political instinct. She had stood by her Eldest Brother without hesitation. However, the coup failed, and her Second Brother became the King.

To cover her Eldest Brother’s escape, Rachel stayed behind to stall for time. Ultimately, she drank the absinthe, ending her own life. She never expected that she would now be a golden peacock in the manor of the Eastern Envoy.

Just what was going on?

Rachel had prepared for the worst, but reality was far from what she had imagined. She, a dignified princess, would rather die standing than live like this!

How could she be content as a pet for a foreign envoy?

No. She wanted to die right now!

“Attendant Mu, Lord Peacock isn’t responding at all. Could she have broken something in the fall?” the girl asked worriedly, turning to the person entering through the moon gate.

Rachel didn’t care who this “Attendant Mu” was. She struggled to her feet and scrambled back to the top of the tree in a few quick steps. Looking down at the lethal height, she nodded with satisfaction. Then, she closed her eyes and leaped off without looking back.

“Lord Peacock!”

The two young girls screamed again, but Rachel remained deaf to them, ready to embrace the earth. Unexpectedly, that pair of pure golden wings flapped uncontrollably, carrying her gracefully and swaying through the air, until she landed steadily in front of the two girls.

The scene fell silent.

The two girls looked at each other, and though confused, they managed to offer praise: “Lord Peacock’s bearing is peerless; even her fall was so elegant!”

Rachel: “…”

Why can these two praise a peacock so sincerely? Do Eastern peacocks understand human speech?

Rachel rolled her eyes internally.

She didn’t want to deal with them for now. Her gaze fell upon the garden wall; she was determined to bash her head against it and die. But just as she started running, her uplifted wing was suddenly snatched.

“Attendant Mu!”

“Her Ladyship wishes to see the peacock. I am taking it away first.”

A woman in red held Rachel by the wing. A flicker of loathing flashed in her beautiful eyes as she hauled Rachel away, leaving the two terrified girls behind.

Rachel struggled desperately, only to find that the woman’s strength was staggering; she couldn’t break free at all. She eventually gave up, hanging like a corpse in the woman’s grip as they passed through series after series of winding moon gates.

Fine, take me away. You can even slaughter me.

The Eastern-style corridors wound like serpents; pavilions, terraces, and rockeries were arranged with exquisite precision. Rachel soon became dizzy, but she managed to guess who the master of this manor was.

The Chief Envoy of the Eastern Mission: Jiang Zhishui.

Only Jiang Zhishui would have the power to build such a grand Eastern manor in the Kingdom of Lanxi. She was definitely more than just a mere envoy.

Rumors about Jiang Zhishui’s identity were endless, and even Rachel, as a princess, had been unable to uncover the truth.

Well, she was a former princess now.

In Rachel’s memory, Jiang Zhishui was a cold, taciturn woman who seemed indifferent to everything. She lived in seclusion in this suburban manor year-round and rarely socialized. Even when Rachel held balls, Jiang Zhishui often made excuses not to attend, lacking the warmth and openness typical of imperial ladies.

Perhaps it was precisely because of this that she piqued the desire for conquest in many noble gentlemen of the Empire. They reviled her pride and coldness on one hand, while being captivated by her stunning beauty and wealth on the other.

If any young master could win her heart, they would instantly become a top-tier figure in the capital. Such a massive dowry was enough to make all nobles flock to her.

However, Jiang Zhishui remained unmoved by their fierce pursuits. In the words of Rachel’s Eldest Brother, she was even more devoid of worldly desires than a nun of the Holy See.

Unfortunately, the God Jiang Zhishui believed in was not the Lord.

As she pondered, the woman in red brought Rachel to the main building of the manor—at least, it appeared to be the main building, the core courtyard of the entire complex. The flora and rockeries outside were filled with a poetic, picturesque charm—a landscape Rachel had never seen before, only glimpsing bits of it in picture albums.

“My Lady?”

The red-clothed woman inquired softly outside the wooden door, but there was no response from within. Rachel’s heart leaped into her throat.

She had heard that Jiang Zhishui practiced the art of spirit channeling. Someone had once seen her outside the city posting yellow papers inscribed with formations, causing the ghosts of that land to vanish instantly.

Would Jiang Zhishui… see through her true identity?

Rachel wasn’t sure, and her heart couldn’t help but feel anxious. If Jiang Zhishui saw through her and offered her to the Second Brother—now the King—she would surely receive a massive reward, perhaps even the primary credit for the new King’s coronation.

For the diplomacy of two nations, such a move would bring a hundred benefits and not a single harm.

Rachel shook her head. Perhaps this animal body was affecting her thinking, causing her to lose her human logic—no matter how resourceful Jiang Zhishui was, why would she ever suspect that this golden peacock could be the once arrogant and willful Princess Rachel?

But since Jiang Zhishui could channel spirits, was it possible for her to return to her original body? Rachel didn’t want to die; suicide had been an act of desperation.

Forget it. I won’t die yet. I’ll live for a bit; what if there’s hope?

Rachel and the woman in red waited outside for a moment. A slight breeze blew, and the door lock fell open with a click. Yet, no one was behind the door; it was as if an invisible hand had turned the lock.

Rachel felt a bit afraid.

Regardless of Rachel’s wishes, the red-clothed woman grabbed her wing again and pushed the door open. This time, the movement was incredibly light.

“My Lady, the peacock has been brought.”

Rachel widened her eyes to examine the room. The furnishings were deeply rooted in Eastern aesthetics: paper lanterns, wooden racks, silver candlesticks, and dressing mirrors. Each piece was exquisite and beautiful, and their placement seemed to follow a certain rhythm, making one feel inexplicably comfortable.

In the center of the room stood a man-sized incense burner with wisps of green smoke rising, saturating the air with fragrance. Opposite the burner was a screen painted with immortal cranes and auspicious clouds.

After her question went unanswered, the red-clothed woman shot a harsh glare at Rachel and dropped her by the incense burner. She bowed: “My Lady, your subordinate takes her leave.”

With that, she turned and left without the slightest hesitation, even locking the door behind her.

Was this woman not afraid that Jiang Zhishui wouldn’t be able to get out?

Rachel fell onto the soft carpet. It didn’t hurt, but she felt a bit lightheaded. She struggled to stand steady, still utterly confused.

What did Jiang Zhishui want with an innocent peacock like her?

According to the two maids earlier, the Golden Peacock was Jiang Zhishui’s pet. Was there some Eastern tradition that required a noble and beautiful peacock like her to perform a dance?

Rachel spread her magnificent wings, wondering how a peacock was supposed to dance. She had once been the Queen of the spotlight, spinning at alcohol-soaked balls. Even as a peacock, she was still the most dazzling bird in the world.

It’s just a dance; it won’t defeat her!

However, after waiting for a long time, there was still no movement behind the screen. Rachel’s curiosity began to flare, and she poked her head around to peer inside.

What’s going on?

Did Jiang Zhishui fall asleep inside?

She hooked her claws into the carpet and began to inch toward the screen silently, wanting to confirm if Jiang Zhishui was there so she could seize the chance to escape.

She couldn’t stay here. This was Jiang Zhishui’s courtyard. Although she wouldn’t lack food or clothes, she was the dignified Princess Rachel! The Empire’s most noble Golden Peacock Princess could not be trapped in this tiny space!

Moreover, Rachel no longer wanted to seek death. That heart craving power had been ignited once more. She was never a delicate princess; what she craved was supreme power. Assisting her Eldest Brother to the throne had been one of her great ambitions.

After that… would be ascending to the pinnacle of power herself.

Finally reaching the edge of the screen, Rachel carefully poked her head out. Her head was only the size of a palm; she told herself that a normal person wouldn’t be able to notice her.

Through layers of light gauze, she could vaguely see a figure sitting upright. Rachel held her breath.

She had seen Jiang Zhishui before, and more than once. This envoy from the East was mysterious and unpredictable; every appearance heralded a major event. As a princess, Rachel had exchanged a few words with her in private, though it was all just official pleasantries.

She remembered that Jiang Zhishui had an extremely beautiful face.

Suddenly, a light breeze blew, lifting the layers of gauze and allowing Rachel to see Jiang Zhishui clearly. She was sitting in meditation with her eyes closed. Her dark, silky hair was gathered behind her, and she wore a simple, elegant Taoist robe and a silver crown draped with white gauze.

The breeze fluttered the white gauze, which occasionally fell upon Jiang Zhishui’s shoulder, making her look sacred and beautiful—a sight that made one’s heart skip a beat. Though she was loath to admit it, Rachel had to acknowledge that Jiang Zhishui was the person with the most unique and soul-stirring temperament she had ever seen.

Suddenly, Jiang Zhishui opened those eyes that were like cold stars. Her gaze locked precisely onto Rachel. Rachel felt a chill run through her entire body; her breathing stalled, and she found herself unable to move.

Jiang Zhishui opened her lips, her voice cold as shattered jade:

“Little bird, come here.”