Chapter 1: Transmigrated

◎Could this be real?◎

Amidst a tempestuous wind and rain, the sound of wooden fish chimes echoed like music.

When Yu Lian awoke, she found herself in a corner of a temple. Her personal maid had just returned from exploring and tiptoed closer, only to discover that her young mistress was drenched. In a hurry, she held up an umbrella to shield Yu Lian from the falling rain and draped a cloak around her neck.

Yu Lian's mind was in utter chaos. The memories of her new body flooded into her consciousness like countless fragments, intertwining with her original memories and engaging in a mental battle.

She leaned against the wall, closing her eyes softly. The cold was biting; the rain was heavy, and her wet clothes only intensified the chill. Amidst the mental turmoil, she couldn't resist the cold. Fortunately, the maid was reliable, wrapping the cloak around her, providing some warmth.

The maid asked anxiously, "Miss, are you unwell?"

She touched her lady's forehead and said worriedly, "Oh no, you seem to have a fever. It must be because of the rain. Let's go back now, forget about Ninth Young Master."

Yu Lian opened her eyes. "Ninth Young Master?"

The little maid looked around cautiously. Apart from the sound of the wooden fish, the temple was quiet on this rainy day. There was not a soul outside. Lowering her voice, she explained, "Prince Nine has been discussing philosophy with Master Jing Yuan for an entire day and hasn't come out yet. Who knows how much longer it will take. I've heard that Prince Nine is quite knowledgeable about scriptures, often engaging in such debates for two or three days straight before resurfacing. Miss, please don't wait any longer. If you catch a cold in this downpour, how will I explain it to Madam and Lord?"

Yu Lian sensed something, but the rain intensified, pelting down in heavy droplets. She tightened her cloak and said, "Let's return then."

The young maid held an umbrella, supporting her lady as they walked towards the temple's rear courtyard where female devotees stayed overnight.

Fortunately, it was just a short walk through two corridors and a turn.

Inside the room, there was only a set of old wooden furniture, a bed with neatly arranged plain cotton quilts.

The young maid said, "Miss, I'll fetch some hot water from the little monk. You can freshen up, change clothes, and rest in bed. We'll head back to the mansion once the rain stops."

Her clothes clung to her body, chilled to the bone. Yu Lian knew she had to change quickly to avoid catching a cold. She wasn't sure about the dynasty or the medical conditions here, but she understood that even a simple cold could be fatal in ancient times.

Sighing, Yu Lian urged the maid to hurry out.

The temple was spartan, without even a coal fire. Yu Lian sat at the table, touching the teapot, which was also cold.

She sighed again.

The memories of her original host had fully merged into her mind, making for a truly extraordinary journey.

Yu Lian still couldn't believe that she had just outlasted her perpetually entrenched superior, who had clung to her position through connections, and was now promoted to the helm of the Human Resources department with a million-dollar annual contract in hand. She had even mapped out her career trajectory, determined to ascend further, aspiring to become the Chief Executive Officer before she turned forty.

On the day she signed the million-dollar contract, she treated herself to a car from the dealership, spending a third of her accumulated savings. Yet, she was ecstatic and content, knowing that with two more years of diligent work and bonuses, she could afford a property in a prime city! The prospect of a future with a car, a house, and a fulfilling job seemed almost within reach.

Yet, it seemed that she had been plagued by misfortune throughout her life, for whenever she thought she was on the cusp of success or a better existence, unforeseen circumstances would arise.

For instance, during her childhood, an unknown wealthy father suddenly surfaced, claiming she was his biological daughter and wanted to reclaim her. But before the legal proceedings were complete, he went bankrupt.

Thus, Yu Lian's struggle with poverty persisted.

Take her current situation, for instance. After finally securing a lucrative annual salary of a million, just as she was embarking on a new chapter in life, she transmigrated.

She transmigrated into an unfamiliar dynasty as a complete stranger...

Yu Lian believes that were anyone, except perhaps an emperor, given the choice, they wouldn't forsake a modern life with a seven-figure annual salary to step into this backward era where everything is in short supply. The circumstances of the original owner's life were nothing short of complicated.

She was the young miss of the Wei Guogong Manor, but her father was the youngest legitimate son, ineligible to inherit the title. Due to her grandmother still being alive, the family hadn't split off, and they all lived together under one roof.

Her two uncles were exceptionally fertile, with their wives and concubines giving birth to children in succession. From those two branches alone, there were over a dozen young misses. Her father, comparatively restrained, had only two half-sisters.

Hence, the original owner's daily life was filled with rivalry and one-upmanship against her dozen or so sisters, vying for their grandmother's favor with various treasures. It was a bustling existence with no idle moments. Even if she didn't accomplish anything substantial all day, her energy was entirely devoted to the art of intra-family strife.

The original owner's most triumphant moment in this arena was securing an engagement from her grandmother!

The male lead is the Heir of the East Yuan Marquis Manor, an individual of unparalleled talent and accomplishment, excelling in both literary and martial arts. Born with an elegance akin to that of the finest orchids and jade trees, his refined demeanor and exceptional handsomeness have garnered the affection of countless noble maidens within the capital city. Although their rank as a marquis does not quite reach that of a duke, the father and son duo of the East Yuan Marquis Household wield considerable power in practice, each dominating one half of the court's civil and military affairs respectively. To such an extent, even the Prime Minister would give them a wide berth. Consequently, both the East Yuan Marquis and his heir are highly favored by the aged Emperor, serving as his trusted right and left arms...

Wait, the East Yuan Marquis and his son?

Yu Lian felt a strange sense of familiarity with these names.

She propped her chin on her hand, pondering where she might have come across them...

Just then, the young maid returned, carrying a basin of hot water.

From her bundle, she took out a clean piece of fine cotton cloth and a set of fresh clothes. "Miss, quickly wipe yourself and change; be careful not to catch a chill," she told Yu Lian.

With no time to dwell on the matter, Yu Lian first changed her clothes. Although it was the rainy season of spring, the chill was profound and biting.

She asked the young maid to stand guard at the door while she proceeded to wash herself slowly. After drying off and donning her new attire, she summoned the maid to bring more hot water. Lying in bed, covered with a plain cotton quilt, she sipped warm tea and continued her thoughts.

What exactly was it that made her feel such a striking familiarity?

East Yuan, East Yuan... East Yuan Marquis!

Suddenly, her hand froze, and the steaming cup of tea in her hands nearly slipped. Fortunately, she was always composed and managed to hold onto it.

This character belongs to a novel where the entire East Yuan Marquis House is portrayed as antagonists - without exception.

Back then, an intern in her department was deeply engrossed in reading novels every day. On one occasion, the girl even dared to read it during a meeting, catching Yu Lian's attention. Yu Lian asked her about it.

Seeing that Yu Lian wasn't angry, the young intern cautiously shared her fascination, mentioning that there was a character in the book who shared the same name as Yu Lian. She jokingly suggested that Yu Lian should read the whole story to avoid, perhaps, accidentally time-traveling into it.

Yu Lian inquired about this character.

The intern replied that she was the eldest son's fiancée in the villainous family. This fiancée was wicked, vain, and elitist, extremely disliked by others.

Even if the villain wasn't a noble person, climbing aboard their success to arrange a marriage, only to abandon them in times of adversity and even push them further down, all while seeking favor with the newly enthroned Third Prince, who had become the Emperor, by humiliating her imprisoned fiancé in hopes of gaining credit from the new ruler.

Was this something a human would do?

Back when the new emperor was still a prince, he was the archrival of her fiancé. Despite their unequal statuses, the Third Prince originally came from humble origins; his birth mother was a lowly palace maid, making him born into a low position. Once, at the National Academy, he inadvertently offended the already renowned East Yuan Marquis heir amidst the provocations of onlookers, thus forging a deep-seated enmity between the two.

As they grew older, this enmity did not fade; instead, it intensified amidst the struggle for the throne. The third prince is the male lead in this novel, and after securing the final victory, he ascended to the imperial throne. Naturally, he had to display his magnanimity and would not stoop to tormenting and humiliating a prisoner. Thus, understanding his thoughts, the original owner of the body believed that the emperor would be pleased if his former fiancée went to humiliate him. Consequently, she eagerly carried out the task.

Now, at the temple, having just returned from humiliating him the previous day, she heard that the ninth prince, who had an extremely close relationship with the third prince, had come to Tianyuan Temple. Hoping for a chance encounter, she came over, intending to meet the ninth prince and, through him, demonstrate her commitment and "merits" to the new emperor.

She believed that since the third prince had once despised her fiancé so much and now couldn't lower himself to take revenge personally, the emperor would be delighted that she had done it for him. With his pleasure, he would surely consider including her in the harem during the grand selection, given her extraordinary beauty that outshone every noble lady in the capital.

The original owner was particularly confident in this.

Yu Lian couldn't help but smile bitterly as she sighed repeatedly at this thought.

The young maid, puzzled, asked, "Is Miss still unwell? Should I go down the mountain to inform the guards to bring the sedan chair up and return home?"

Yu Lian said it wasn't necessary, as it was still early, and she wanted to rest a little longer.

According to the plot of the book, the original owner's actions were correct. The new emperor indeed felt secretly pleased upon hearing about it. However, the original owner was extremely unfortunate.

The ninth prince she sought out turned out to be a freak among freaks, a supreme anomaly.

It was rumored outside that the Ninth Prince had a connection with Buddha since childhood, mastering scriptures and known for his benevolent nature, resembling a compassionate saintly figure. This was why the original protagonist dared to seek out a prince without prior acquaintance.

But who could have guessed? The Ninth Prince was, in reality, a sinister and ruthless psychopath with a disdain for women. He regarded the original protagonist as a shameless, fame-seeking opportunist, a type of woman he despised the most, and thus, treated her with no mercy.

He commanded his covert guards to {conduct an intimate act with} the original protagonist, then, through the Seventh Prince, sent her to his imperial brother's bed.

The original protagonist suffered further abuse at the Seventh Prince's quarters before finally ending up in the emperor's chambers.

The emperor, not recognizing the original owner, considered her a gift from his brother to please him. However, during their encounter, he discovered that she was not a virgin, which filled him with rage.

He found her presence defiling his dragon bed and promptly expelled her from the palace.

The original protagonist's reputation was utterly ruined. That very night, she took her own life by jumping into a river.

It was only after the fact that the new emperor learned the woman was his nemesis's fiancée, and he had engaged in such foolish acts. Indeed, he was delighted, for his rival's fiancée had not only scorned and humiliated him during his adversity but also quickly switched allegiances, submitting to another man like a dog, begging for mercy.

What did it matter if he died? Her actions had already tarnished his honor beyond repair!

At this thought, Yu Lian couldn't help but feel sympathy for her imprisoned, villainous fiancé.

At that time, she hadn't taken the novel seriously. Several days later, during her break, she didn't feel like going out due to her menstrual cycle. Bored, she picked up her phone and found the novel the intern had mentioned.

She ended up reading it all day long.

Frankly, she wasn't overly impressed. After finishing it, she only had one thought: the author must have a vendetta against the East Yuan Marquis family.

The author was peculiar, using characters from the East Yuan Marquis family as villains in consecutive stories.

In the first book, which was set in Yu Lian's world, the East Yuan Marquis family was portrayed as the antagonists, with the marquis and his son taking center stage.

These two wielded significant power, dominating the political landscape. The old emperor seemed to favor them but secretly harbored deep suspicions, repeatedly testing their loyalty. However, the marquis and his son were not pushovers; they were strong-willed and highly ambitious, with boundless aspirations!

They chose one of the princes to support, planning to help him ascend the throne, reasoning that the aging emperor should retire soon.

With the father and son's capabilities, backed by military power and influential administrative roles, achieving such a goal was by no means insurmountable; in fact, it was highly probable. Yet, at the crucial moment, the seventh prince they had supported was swayed by the third prince, not only renouncing his claim to the throne but also betraying the father and son entirely.

Infuriated, the old emperor threw the East Yuan Marquis family into prison. However, he was already old and barely clinging to life. Before he could sentence them, he passed away.

Afterward, the low-born third prince emerged triumphant. Upon the old emperor's death, he ascended the throne, regardless of how he managed to rally so many supporters. Apparently, he was the male lead, blessed with a protagonist's halo and unique charm.

In short, after the new emperor ascended the throne, he had to deal with past issues.

The matter of how to handle the defeated Duke of Dongyuan and his son became a tricky one. According to the customs of this dynasty, upon a new emperor's coronation, a general amnesty was granted, allowing those not sentenced to death to be released from prison. However, those with capital offenses were exiled three thousand miles away.

The Duke of Dongyuan's family had been imprisoned for treason and rebellion, which was indeed a capital crime. But since the previous emperor had passed away before a verdict could be reached, a retrial would be necessary to impose any conviction. The worst outcome would likely result in their exile, rather than execution.

News came from the Ministry of Justice's prison that the Duke of Dongyuan's heir, Hua Ji, had taken all the blame upon himself. Moreover, the Duke was willing to surrender his military power in exchange for the safety of his entire family.

The new emperor, wishing to demonstrate his mercy, consented.

What he feared most was Hua Ji; the Duke of Dongyuan, being old, was no longer a threat.

The Duke's family was released from prison, except for the heir, who was sentenced to death and awaited execution in ten days. The Duke was stripped of his military authority, title, and demoted to a commoner.

Yu Lian calculated that there were five days left before her betrothed would be escorted to the execution ground to lose his head.

At this moment, her young maid asked, "Miss, are you still going to look for Prince Ji? When I went to fetch tea just now, I heard that he has come out."

Yu Lian shuddered. That freak... she'd be a fool to see him!

There's no time to escape!

She got out of bed and instructed the young maid, "We leave for home now, and we won't stay overnight."

Temples have long been the setting for all sorts of dramas. Even if she was unfortunate enough to find herself in this confusing situation, she didn't want to die, let alone suffer any indignities.

Thank you for your support, dear readers!

Chirp, chirp – wishing everyone good fortune as we begin this story. Leave a comment for a chance at a surprise, and updates will be around midnight daily.