A Maid Dressed As A Cannon Fodder Female Supporting Role (Transmigration) - Chapter 3

A’Zhi realized she was now inside a novel called The Male Lead’s Rise to Power.
The male protagonist? The Sixth Prince, Chao Hongji.

As the favored son of the Noble Consort, Chao Hongji naturally received plenty of affection. By all rights, he should have ascended the throne after some political maneuvering. Unfortunately, rebellion and scheming villains made his path full of hardship.

At one point, the male lead was even demoted to the status of a commoner.

But in the story, he was like a coveted prize—countless women fell for him and offered their help. In the end, he defied all odds, took the throne, and completed his glorious comeback.

As for the original A’Zhi in the book…
She wasn’t the heroine.
She wasn’t even a supporting female lead.
She was just a background palace maid.

The only thing special about her was the person she served: a county princess named Chao Mu.

Now Chao Mu was a side character in the novel, and also the woman who was supposed to become the Sixth Prince’s consort.

However, Chao Hongji already had someone he truly loved. He found the quiet, awkward little princess dull and uninspiring, and although he couldn’t defy the Emperor’s command to marry her, he couldn’t accept it either. So, in hesitation, he ordered someone to splash filthy water on Chao Mu and frame her for being secretly engaged to another man. Forced to prove her innocence and loyalty, the poor girl took her own life on the spot.

Though the truth came out afterward and cleared her name, Chao Mu was already gone.

When her father, General Qi, found out it was the Sixth Prince who had orchestrated her death, he was consumed with hatred. He became the most powerful ally of the main villain, pouring everything he had into bringing Chao Hongji down.

Even so, the prince ultimately reclaimed his place. And when he did, he made sure no one who’d stood against him survived.

Not long after Chao Mu’s death, the entire Qi family was executed by the newly crowned emperor—on the very day of Chao Mu’s birthday, in the cold depths of autumn.

Originally, none of this had anything to do with A’Zhi. But her name and birthdate were eerily similar to the original A’Zhi’s. After dying suddenly in her sleep, she somehow ended up transmigrating into the book…
And the original A’Zhi? She took over her body in the real world.

A’Zhi: “….”

She had spent years working hard just to earn a peaceful retirement life!

And now it is all gone. Just like that.

Her usually upright posture swayed weakly, and she clutched her chest like she might faint right then and there.
If only she could wake up and find out this was all a dream…

“A’Zhi.”

A sudden weight settled on her shoulders—a warm, soft white fox-fur cloak, still carrying a faint fragrance.

A’Zhi stiffened. She hadn’t yet processed her new identity or this bizarre situation. After a long moment, she turned her head robotically.

She looked down at the cloak first, then followed the fabric upward to the person who had draped it over her—

The young princess.

Princess Chao Mu truly lived up to her royal lineage. She was beautiful in the gentlest, most ethereal way. Her small, delicate face looked like the petal of a fresh peach blossom, and her large almond eyes were clear and untainted, filled with a kind of innocent vitality that made people instinctively like her.

She had no sharp edges about her. No trace of aggression or cunning. Just looking at her made it impossible to feel any dislike.

And yet, this same princess had been callously pushed aside in the original story and driven to death, all because she stood in the way of the lead couple’s romance.

“T-Thank you, Your Highness…”
A’Zhi quickly lowered her gaze, not daring to look any longer. Compared to Chao Mu’s tragic fate, her own ending was hardly better.

In the book, the entire Qi family was wiped out—including her, a mere maidservant.

Thinking about her situation and her likely future, A’Zhi’s face remained perfectly composed—years in the palace had trained her well—but her lips had turned pale. Whether from fear or cold, even her voice earlier had trembled slightly.

She and the original A’Zhi were complete opposites in personality.

The original A’Zhi, now in her body in the real world, at least had the Empress Dowager as an aunt and might be protected out of sympathy. Her docile, quiet demeanor might help her stay safe.

But her, here in this world? She had no such backing. She was utterly alone.

And just earlier, she’d smacked two servant girls out of irritation. That was something the original A’Zhi would never have dared to do. People were definitely going to start getting suspicious.

A’Zhi thought bitterly—if they really suspected her of being some kind of soul-possessing ghost, they might burn her alive for witchcraft. Wouldn’t it have been better to just die in her sleep instead of going through all this horror?

But A’Zhi had never had an easy life. She had clawed her way up from nothing. As long as she was breathing, she instinctively wanted to survive.

Her hand, the one that had struck the maids, trembled faintly at her side. She kept her face blank, forcing herself to stay calm and avoid giving anything away.

“A’Zhi, are you cold?”

Before she could answer, Chao Mu gently took her by the wrist and led her back inside.

The door closed behind them, cutting off all prying eyes.

Chao Mu nudged her onto the bed, shook out a thick quilt, and wrapped it around her. Then she sat down on a round embroidered stool nearby, watching her with concern in her soft almond eyes.

“Are you alright?”

Her voice was gentle, slow, and soothing—every word spaced out evenly, like each syllable carried the same weight and pause. It was slow, yes, but calming. So calming that even A’Zhi’s anxious heart slowly started to settle in rhythm with her voice.

The room was already warm thanks to the brazier, and now with the blanket on her, the biting chill that had seeped into her bones began to fade. Her lips stopped trembling. Her frozen brain started to function again.

“Thank you, Your Highness.” A’Zhi huddled in the blanket, sitting neatly on the edge of the bed with her head lowered.

At this moment, she looked every bit like a timid maid who’d never seen the world. No one would believe that she’d just smacked two girls into submission at the door.

Chao Mu blinked, a smile forming in her eyes as she lightly patted A’Zhi’s knee. “Of course. If you hadn’t caught me earlier, I might’ve hit my head when I fell.”

Only then did A’Zhi remember—”she” had saved the princess.

No wonder she was allowed to sleep in the princess’ room.

When Chao Mu smiled, A’Zhi noticed the shallow dimples on either side of her cheeks—lower and smaller than usual dimples. Paired with her bright almond eyes, they made her look even sweeter.

So that voice she heard in her dream calling her a little sweet cake… it was hers.

“Thirsty?” Zhao Mu asked, ready to pour her more water.

For a moment, A’Zhi was completely confused about their roles. Watching the young princess fuss over her like this, it almost felt like she was the master.

Chao Mu sat at the table and opened a teacup lid. Her tone remained soft, almost conversational. “You were brought into the residence just five days ago. I always thought you were quiet and well-behaved…”

A’Zhi’s right eyelid twitched. Her eyes darted away from the princess as all her wandering thoughts snapped back into place.

Crap. She’s caught on.

A’Zhi bit her lip hard, not even noticing the pain, trying to think up a convincing excuse for her “sudden personality change.”

Before she could come up with anything, Chao Mu’s surprised voice chimed in—

“I thought you were a little block of wood… but you’re actually such a loyal little maid~”

She brought over a white porcelain teacup, warm water inside, and handed it over with both hands.

A’Zhi looked up, right into Chao Mu’s smiling eyes—curved like crescent moons, glowing with warmth. Under that gaze, all the tension in her chest slowly melted away.

She accepted the cup. It was warm but not too hot—just like the princess herself.

Zhao Mu sat across from her, clearly happy. The glow had returned to her cheeks. “You shielded me when I fell and then stood up to those unruly maids. A’Zhi, you were amazing.”

She meant it sincerely.

A’Zhi took a small sip of water and nodded awkwardly, following her lead. “It’s what I should do, Your Highness. They went too far.”

She was trying to play the part of a quiet person who finally snapped. Even rabbits bite when cornered, right?

“I had someone prepare chicken soup for you…” Zhao Mu pouted, looking a little regretful. “But I guess you won’t be drinking it now.”

Then she perked up. “It’s fine. There’ll be more chances. Oh right—I should check if your medicine has arrived. The doctor said you still need it.”

She tucked the blanket more securely around A’Zhi. “You’re not fully recovered yet. Stay inside and rest. The doctor will check on you again this afternoon.”

A’Zhi nodded obediently. “Yes, I’ll do as you say.”

Chao Mu stood and took a light green cloak from the rack. As she tied the ribbons under her chin, she mumbled to herself—

“Ugh, I haven’t finished memorizing today’s lesson yet. The entrance exam is in ten days… How am I going to pass…”

A’Zhi sat with her teacup, listening intently.

At the door, Zhao Mu paused and looked back. “A’Zhi, are you sure you’re alright?”

A’Zhi shook her head.

Zhao Mu beamed, her dimples showing. “That’s good. But if anything’s wrong, you have to tell me, okay?”

She left, gently closing the door behind her.

A’Zhi held her breath, listening.

Outside, she could hear Chao Mu’s soft, non-threatening voice scolding the maids.

“Really, you two… roughhousing is one thing, but wasting the soup too?”

She paused, thinking. “Kneel for the time it takes to brew one cup of tea. Consider it an apology to A’Zhi.”

Her footsteps faded away. Only the reluctant, stretched-out voices of Xiao Yan and Xiao Que remained: “Yesss…”

A’Zhi sat on the bed, biting the rim of the cup. Her frown didn’t ease at all.

Outside, Xiao Que muttered, “It was just chicken soup. Is that really worth kneeling for?”

“‘Just chicken soup’—listen to yourself!” Xiao Yan snapped. “You think you’re the princess? That soup had ginseng!”

“You’re the one who spilled it!” Xiao Que raised her voice, peeking toward the door. “If A’Zhi gets mad over a bowl of soup, your days in this manor are numbered.”

That shut Xiao Yan up. She straightened her back and chimed in, “You would think A’Zhi was like  the actual master of the manor. Don’t forget—our real mistress is the young princess. We’re all just servants.”

A moment ago they were at each other’s throats. Now they were suddenly in perfect sync.

But Xiao Yan’s cheek still stung from A’Zhi’s slap. Her voice grew harsher, laced with resentment:

“She only cushioned the fall—what’s the big deal? She’s just a servant like us. Even if the princess likes her, that won’t change her lowly status.”

Thud.

Something slammed against the door, followed by a sharp crack as it hit the floor.

Xiao Yan, closest to the door, flinched. Her heart jumped into her throat. She fell silent.

A’Zhi’s cold voice came from inside: “If you dare slander me again, I’ll cut your tongue out.”

Dead silence.

A’Zhi sat cross-legged on the bed, wrapped in a blanket, her eyes fixed on the shattered teacup by the door.

Her temper… really was something.

Still, they weren’t wrong. How could she have been so foolish as to forget her priorities?

The only person she needed to win over in this manor was the young princess. Everyone else was a servant like her—there was no need to please them.

Even if they suspected her, they couldn’t do anything.

She didn’t need to act for them. She only needed to gain Chao Mu’s trust.

Once the princess let her guard down, she could sweet-talk her into releasing her contract. Then she could escape the Qi household and avoid her destined execution.

Her situation wasn’t exactly hopeful, but she’d regained her will to live.

After all, reading her master’s moods? That had always been her specialty.

A’Zhi forced herself to relax and think optimistically:

“How hard could it be to read the little sweet cake’s mind? Sweet outside… probably sweet inside too.”