TBIC Chapter 1: The Beginning of the Counterattack

When Zhou Tong woke up, she was lying on the silky bed.
The gentle light of candles that has passed through the bed curtain was warm and tranquil.
As far as one’s eyes could stretch, everything seemed alien.
The furniture and its arrangement were all in the ancient style.
Gradually, a ridiculous idea crossed her mind.
Just when she attempted to get up, her surroundings unexpectedly started to spin.
An intense urge to throw up hit her.
Zhou Tong experienced a splitting headache.
She had to firmly grasp the silky bedding, stiffening her body and endure.

When discomfort passed, she has once again opened her eyes.
Outside the room, a girl’s voice could be heard.
It appeared she was instructing something.
The sound of footsteps was approaching, there was more than one person.
Zhou Tong instinctively closed her eyes.
She relaxed her body and eased the breath, lying there quietly.

After some time, she felt soft touch on her forehead.
The girl with a rejoice muttered: ”Great.
The fever is gone.
According to the physician, miss should be alright.
We just have to wait till tomorrow and then report it to master and mistress.
They’ll surely be happy.” She tucked her up and stayed for a while.
Afterwards, she instructed people to check up door and windows.
Leaving only one candle lit, she and the others exited room.

Only now could be Zhou Tong at ease.
After sorting out all the miscellaneous thoughts, she immediately got angry: “Damn the bad luck! I’m thousands of miles away from home, with only a small possibility of return!”

This time – traveling was bizarre.
Not only was her soul forcibly taken away, but it has also gained an enormous benefit.

The original owner of this body was called Mu Xi Yao, eleven years old.
Just a cup of tea’s time[1] ago she was suffering from a fever.
Too bad for her as her body was accidentally snatched by time-traveling demoness Zhou Tong.

Mu Xi Yao was supposed to pass away in twenty-three years’ time, experiencing a tragic end.
At the death bed, while being grievously ill and vomiting blood, a deep bud of hatred sprouted inside her.
Coincidentally, this triggered the precious jade she had always carried with herself to awaken.
This jade pendant had spiritual power to save its owner from the misfortune.
In order to fulfill Mu Xi Yao’s wish and pacify her malevolent spirit,  the jade decided to protect its owner and let her reborn, thus it forcibly tore space-time.
Zhou Tong’s body couldn’t withstand time-traveling, so it was crushed in the process and dissipated.
Subsequently, Mu Xi Yao’s body also suffered a damage, leaving behind just a broken soul.

The spiritual jade pendant decided to merge the soul of its owner at the juncture, when it still had time to accomplish her wish.
It picked the seriously ill eleven years old little Xi Yao to fulfill the task.
However, an unforeseen event happened.
The visitor from another world, Zhou Tong, was one step ahead of them and had seized the decisive moment.
She successfully PK little Xi Yao.
With little spiritual power left, the jade had no other option than to acknowledge Zhou Tong as its owner.
Only by this way it could save its original owner.

So far, Zhou Tong had acquired all the advantages at the home ground.
She possessed Mu Xi Yao’s memories and also partially her personality.
Thanks to this stroke of luck, she was able to accept her fate.

Alright, Zhou Tong absolutely wasn’t aware that she was the strongest time-traveling woman ever.
She was the only one able to immediately discard the reborn original owner, who was protected by a deity.
A true ferocious girl. Lass, how capable must you be?

Zhou Tong was fuming with rage after learning that her previous discomfort and splitting headache was caused by the spiritual jade pendant.
She even more disliked troubles it brought with itself.
She felt deeply wronged and was also disappointed by this jade.
It couldn’t protect its owner nor could it kick her out of the owner’s body, so that she could take a return flight to her world! She was left only with a pile of troubles! It was obvious that Zhou Tong’s mood was not wonderful at all.

Of course, this woman would never admit, that she was just pretending to be mistreated after gaining such a favor.

Suddenly, a thought came to Zhou Tong’s mind: if thirty years old Mu Xi Yao carried with herself the spiritual jade, then eleven years old Mu Xi Yao must also have it.
While searching her body, she didn’t find any accessories that would resemble jade.
She then went to look inside the jewelry box on a dressing table.
As expected.
One glance was enough for her to recognize it.
Among the pile of jewelries, only it was emitting a faint light.
The jade pendant was of a small size, beautifully carved and smooth, warm on hands.
One could clearly see it has been activated by a spiritual power.
She tried to call it out, but it didn’t have any response.
Even the light it was emitting earlier has vanished.
Zhou Tong contemplated, did this treasure self-destruct? Currently, she could only take a good care of this pendant, that was possibly her return ticket.

Zhou Tong led a successful life in her world.
She fared well in career and even better in relationships.
Naturally, she had her own virtues.
Despite having a little ego and also being a little tsundere[2] and idle, she had never made a mistake on important matters.
She should behave and accept Mu Xi Yao’s identity since she wasn’t sure if she could still return back.
At the moment, the most important thing was to study those memories of twenty something years from now on.
It would be marvelous if she was able to catch the overall context.
As she was browsing through the memories, her face turned darker and darker until it was completely black.
Her mood sunk into the abyss, even sky appeared gloomy.
It was like dense vines were wrapped around her, making breathing hard.

It was currently the ninth year’s spring of Great Wei’s Zhang He*[3] Yuenchen emperor’s thirty first year of reign.

The current emperor was the son of Gaozu emperor and empress Su.
He was doted by Gaozu emperor, who also personally oversaw his upbringing.
He was said to be bright and courageous, especially filial to elders.

When the emperor was three years old, empress Su passed away.
The emperor was heartbroken, missing his birth mother.
Since then, he became even more filial to his elders.
Later, he was given to newly instated empress Jing to raise.
Empress Jing was sonless for the whole life.
She was very generous and loving toward Emperor Yuenchen.

Accomplished in early age, with great ambitions.
After Gaozu emperor died, as 12 years old he ascended to the throne.
With empress dowager Jing’s full support, he secured imperial court on inside and defended against barbarians from outside.
Comparing to Gaozu’s time, he was even more outstanding.
He first recovered three provinces in Jibei, then suppressed the chaos caused by vassal kings.
He also opened mathematical schools, elected new laws and supported agricultural businesses.

Suddenly, Great Wei appeared to be prospering.

Lady Xi Yao of Mu clan was the youngest di[4] daughter of fifth rank prefect, Mu Jing Zhen.
She was deeply favored from birth.
First, she had an elder brother Mu Jing Zhi and an elder di sister Mu Xi Cheng, who both treasured her, then a little shu[5] sister, born from concubine, who fawned over her and an especially doting parents and elders.
Thus, she was all pampered and spoilt rotten.

Sir Mu cherished his wife, lady Yu.
Over the past years, he rarely stepped into his concubine’s chambers.
Till now, there was only little shu sister’s birth mother, concubine Wu left.
She was previously lady Yu’s dowry maidservant[6].
All other childless bedchamber maidservants[7] and concubines were sent away.

Mu