The body is the foundation of revolution. Cold, slender as she is, Lin deeply understands this truth—without a strong body, what capital does she have to play with? Can she really rely on her current frail frame? Looking at her now, so delicate that even a gentle breeze could knock her over, she can easily imagine how easily someone could overpower her with just a single finger. Who else would dare to bother her, then? Therefore, her first step in the ancient world is to nurture her physical health. For a first-born daughter of the leading clan, a slight bruise from a slap is nothing—let alone her healing spiritual energy. Indeed, with just a simple gesture, the redness and swelling on her face vanish. The real challenge now lies in strengthening this slender frame. After some effort, she has established a three-step regimen for physical fitness. First, dietary nourishment—this is undoubtedly essential, given her underdeveloped appearance. Second, daily sun exposure—her original body must have been quite delicate, always tucked into her sleeves, patiently enduring daily mistreatment. Otherwise, how could her complexion be so pale, almost devoid of color? Now she'd make a point of getting more sun exposure to restore a healthier tone. Three—running: though it was quite a challenge to keep up with such a frail frame, she had decided to persevere in order to walk with confidence. After finalizing her fitness plan, she began putting it into action. On the very first day, when she told her nursemaid that she wanted to focus on strengthening her health and asked her to prepare more nutritious meals, the nursemaid burst into tears—both joyful and sorrowful. Once again, after patiently enduring the nursemaid's weeping, she was filled with fresh fury. It turned out that this delicate young lady had been consistently deprived of adequate food and clothing by the other ladies. How could she have grown so thin? Honestly, those servants must be quite overbearing. Even if the lady herself were not favored or well-treated, she was still the daughter of a distinguished general. How dare they treat her so poorly? This was simply unbearable—she would wait and see. Once her health improved, she would immediately take on those ungrateful servants and make them pay. It seems this straightforward path won't work—we'll take a backdoor route. Reaching out to grasp the rough hand of the nursemaid, Cold Waning whispered earnestly beside her ear. The nursemaid nodded steadily, her eyes fixed intently on Cold Waning, who looked increasingly uneasy. Cold Waning felt the pressure of being watched—she knew her current demeanor couldn't compare to her earlier, meek self. Yet, acting was only temporary; she didn't intend to pretend every day. Her principle was always to do what she wished, to be herself. So she made up her mind: she would no longer pretend. If discovered different, then different she would be—after all, her body remained frail, and she hadn't exactly lied. "Does it seem to you that I've grown wiser?" Cold Waning lifted her head, meeting the nursemaid's gaze, her delicate face devoid of any trace of vulnerability. Cold, even cold enough to make the nursemaid shiver. "Yes, yes," the nursemaid stammered, her eyes reflecting the same sharp, impatient, icy expression she'd seen when Cold Waning first woke up—completely transformed from her former self. How could this be? Though she wasn't particularly bright, she could sense that the lady had changed in some way. The air around this small frame carried a mature demeanor—almost like a general's. "Nanny," she said, meeting the nanny's gaze and giving a cool, satisfied nod. Good. At last, she no longer just wept. Still, she had to perform the full act. She lowered her face, her curled lashes fluttering gently. Her expression was shadowed, deeply pitiful. "You know how they've treated me, don't you? And my mother was murdered. If I don't learn to grow, perhaps the next one will be me." "No, no, that can't be!" The nanny was startled by Cold Bending's words, her eyes filled with panic. Though the household had been unkind to the lady, they hadn't gone so far as to endanger her life, had they? After all, such a young child couldn't possibly be a hindrance. "No?" Cold Bending lifted her head, a fierce determination now evident in her young face. "Wanwan can't remember anything from before—shouldn't the nanny remember? This time, Wanwan lost her memory when she was injured, but what about next time?" "What?" The nanny hesitated. Yes, Wanwan was right. For over a decade, she had served in the general's household, witnessing countless scandals and seeing several people die unjustly. Now, looking at this child she had raised since infancy—though a noble lady, she seemed no different from a commoner's daughter. The servants often mistreated her, and the other ladies-in-waiting regarded her as a persistent thorn in their sides. Who knows, one day she might simply vanish without a trace, following her mother off unnoticed. The thought sent a jolt through her. "Nanny, Wanwan has only you," said Wanwan, her bright eyes glistening with tears, gazing at the nanny with a helpless, pitiful look. "Will you never leave Wanwan?" "Never. Never," the nanny replied, her heart aching as she was gently embraced by Wanwan's tearful gaze. "I will always stay by the lady's side." No matter how Wanwan may change? "Cold Bending continued to speak in a pitiful tone, her little mouth pretending to cry. In reality, she was deeply breathing—oh, heavens! The nanny was simply too excited; she was almost suffocating from being pressed. 'No matter what shape she takes, she will always be the nanny's little lady.' 'Then go about your business,' Cold Bending pushed the nanny gently. Hmm? The nanny, still moved to tears, was suddenly pushed aside and felt utterly confused. When she looked at the lady's face, there was no trace of tears—hadn't she just seen it happen? If it weren't for that moment, she would have thought she was dreaming. She patted herself gently and then obediently went to fetch the things the lady needed. From then on, the nanny grew accustomed to the lady's changed demeanor. She naturally attributed this shift to the lady's growing up, yet she had forgotten that her own lady was still only three years old—a stage where one would expect nothing but innocence. And yet, she had overlooked it entirely. The fitness program had officially begun, and Cold Bending patiently waited. She rose early at the second hour, slipping out of the warm covers, and began jogging along the small courtyard with her slender frame. Indeed, her body was quite frail—on her very first morning run, she began gasping after just a few minutes, nearly unable to draw breath; only after persevering through two laps did she grow too weak to continue. She sat down heavily on the roadside, breathing deeply. Then, under the nurse’s startled cries, she was pulled up and taken to wash up. As for washing up, it turned out to be a complete disaster. At that time, there was neither toothpaste nor toothbrush, nor facial cream. She simply rinsed her face with plain water and brushed her teeth with nothing more than a saltwater rinse. Leaning lazily with her legs crossed, inhaling the fragrance of flowers and enjoying the sunlight. The nurse stood by, glancing at the sun and then at the lady lying there, completely puzzled. She couldn't understand why the lady was basking in the sun—what if her delicate skin turned sunburnt? As though sensing the nurse's confusion, Cold Wanyuan gently waved her slender arms, her delicate lips moving beneath the handkerchief, speaking in a soft, steady tone: "Madam, the benefits of sunbathing are numerous. It not only kills bacteria on the skin, enhances skin elasticity, luster, and softness, strengthens the skin's resistance, stimulates the body's blood-producing functions, boosts immunity, improves glucose metabolism, promotes calcium and phosphorus metabolism, and facilitates the synthesis of vitamin D—effectively preventing conditions like rickets or osteomalacia; it also enhances blood circulation, improves appetite, strengthens physical health, regulates mood, invigorates spirit, increases work efficiency and quality of life, and improves various bodily functions related to weight and movement." After delivering this long and detailed explanation, the nurse listened, utterly amazed. The translucent gaze seemed to have seen through that little handkerchief straight into Cold Wanwan’s heart—when did the lady learn so much? Even if she didn’t understand every word, she could clearly sense the many benefits of sunbathing. Yet, how could such a young lady know so much? Was it only after being given two sharp slaps on the cheeks that she became so wise? Her head felt a bit dizzy—she simply couldn’t make sense of it. Still, since sunbathing offered so many advantages, she might as well give it a try. She pulled a chair and placed it beside Cold Wanwan, then closed her eyes and began sunbathing too. To her surprise, the warm sunlight on her skin felt truly pleasant. The breeze gently brushing her face was cool, like being softly caressed. Birds chirped softly by her ears, as though all her weariness had vanished in that very moment—only stillness and comfort remained, all around. Enchanted by the joy of sunbathing, the nursemaid grew enthusiastic about Cold Wanwan’s fitness routine. For some time afterward, one could often see a middle-aged woman jogging alongside a young child in the early morning in that small courtyard. Fortunately, the courtyard is quiet and unnoticed. Otherwise, rumors about the general would surely spread like wildfire. Time flies—Cold Wanwan has been living here for four months now. During this period, she has remained committed to fitness. Though still slender, her complexion has shifted from pale to rosy, and her height has grown slightly. Her dark hair is coiled into two braids resting at her ears. Wearing a narrow-sleeved short robe embroidered with peonies, a string of silver bells hangs at her waist, producing clear, crisp chimes with each step—she is indeed a delicate, refined young lady. From her nannies, she has gained a general understanding of the setting of this era. She lives in the Tian Yao Dynasty, where the current emperor, Xuan Yuan Ye, is only fourteen years old—temperamental and often abrupt, with a strong, decisive manner. In just two years on the throne, he has established the Tian Yao Dynasty as a leading power, standing on equal footing with the three other major states: Ye Liao, Bei Bang, and Xi Chu. Her father, General Yun Pei Yuan, though reserved and proud, is a trusted official of two successive reigns. Highly trusted by the current young emperor, commanding a powerful military force to secure his region, the Chancellor—both in diplomacy and martial affairs—supports the young ruler in governing the realm. Cold, slender, with clear, water-like eyes that flash with brilliance, she murmurs, "Hm. It seems the Tian Yao dynasty is quite interesting. The capricious young emperor, the general father who holds great power, and the astute Chancellor. She senses a web of plots beneath the surface of ambition. A subtle smile plays at her lips, a sly, knowing grin: "Heh, the future's pleasures are already unfolding!" Happy New Year—still the second installment. Hehe...