Chapter 1

Chapter 1: An Unintended Journey

The capital city, Li Residence.

The winter snow, not yet fully melted, lay piled in the flowerbeds like a thick, white blanket. Qiu He guided the young maids through the vermilion, exquisitely carved covered walkway. Glancing up at the lead-gray, cloud-obscured sky, she mused that she should find a time to have the servants shovel the snow away.

"Sister Qiu He, the mistress has awakened," Chun Yue whispered, hurrying to her side.

Qiu He snapped back to attention, nodded slightly, and led the maids carrying medicinal soup into the inner courtyard's Whispering Breeze Pavilion.

The woman lying on the bed possessed striking beauty, her features exquisite. Yet, illness had rendered her delicate cheeks as pale as the snowdrifts outside.

The thick, bitter scent of the medicinal brew assailed Dong Yuting's nostrils, making her tongue tingle with bitterness even before she drank.

Though it was said all medicine carried some toxicity, refusing it meant an unknown recovery time. So, Dong Yuting pinched her nose and swallowed.

Qiu He stole a few glances at her mistress, sensing a subtle shift since the illness—a newfound... vivacity.

A bowl of dark, bitter medicine poured into her stomach, so acrid that Dong Yuting longed to stick out her tongue.

Chun Yue quickly took the empty bowl from her mistress's hand and withdrew.

Qiu He offered a small dish from the table: "Mistress, have a candied fruit to cut the bitterness."

Before she finished speaking, a slender hand swiftly snatched two pieces and tossed them into her mouth. Qiu He was momentarily stunned by her mistress's unreserved manner, then placed the porcelain dish back on the table.

Dong Yuting realized her recent behavior would never have been exhibited by the original owner. But she and the original owner were distinct individuals; could she truly feign being someone else her entire life? So, she decided, let the changes begin with these small things. With this thought, Dong Yuting no longer cared for Qiu He's opinion.

As long as she didn't transform from a gentle, virtuous woman into a raving lunatic, she wouldn't be accused of demonic possession.

Dong Yuting, formerly a 28-year-old department manager at a public relations firm, specialized in damage control for entertainment celebrities, adept at turning black into white. Her services included public relations, astroturfing, and leaking scandals. Perhaps due to her past misdeeds, heaven had sent her back to ancient times, where she became the matriarch of a prominent household—a year older than her former self, with a daughter and two sons, and a husband who held the esteemed position of a second-rank River Control Commissioner.

The thought of this transformation filled Dong Yuting with anguish. She had merely cleaned up others' messes; why was she cast back into antiquity?

Not long ago, the original owner's husband had journeyed to Youzhou to manage flood relief. Tragically, instead of his safe return, news arrived that he had fallen into the water and was missing.

Though the original owner was skilled in managing the inner chambers, the news caused her to faint. Coupled with the recent erratic weather, she succumbed to a severe cold. The modern Dong Yuting's soul then entered her body, awakening in her stead.

Leaning on the bed, pondering the chaotic events of recent days, Xia Qing entered the room with an announcement: "Mistress, Concubine Wang is here."

Though this dynasty was not historically recognized, it shared many similarities with ancient times: men still practiced polygamy, and women remained of lower status. For a second-rank River Control Commissioner like the original owner's husband, not having a concubine would have been truly unusual for the era.

"Let her in."

Concubine Wang was a woman as gentle and yielding as water—that was Dong Yuting's first impression.

She wore a soft, lustrous satin gown adorned with white chrysanthemum patterns, moving with such delicate grace that she seemed as if a gust of wind could carry her away. Upon entering, she performed a graceful bow, her demeanor exuding elegance.

In modern times, two women in their positions would either be screaming at each other or conspiring against a scoundrel. It would certainly not be like this, discussing their shared husband together...

Concubine Wang's tears flowed before she even spoke. After weeping for a while, she choked out, "Mistress, is there still no news of the master?"

Dong Yuting nodded, recalling Concubine Wang's backstory.

She had served Li Lingchuan since childhood, having been arranged by the Old Madam to be his bedding partner. After the original owner entered the household, she granted Concubine Wang formal status. Later, after bearing a son, she was elevated to the rank of concubine.

"What... what are we to do?" Concubine Wang wailed, sobbing breathlessly.

Dong Yuting's willow-leaf eyebrows furrowed. Subconsciously, as if reprimanding an employee, her tone held a hint of severity: "Will crying solve the problem?"

Perhaps the original owner's authority in the household was too deeply ingrained, for Concubine Wang immediately ceased her wailing. She dabbed her eyes with a handkerchief, making not a sound.

Dong Yuting couldn't help but recall that after the original owner married into the household, she remained childless for two years. When her first child was a daughter, the Old Madam ordered the concubines' fertility-suppressing tonics to be stopped. Yet, even so, the legitimate eldest son was still born to the original owner. The covert machinations involved sent a shiver down Dong Yuting's spine.

She reassured herself: *She is her, and I am me. Though I now inhabit this body, these were not my actions.*

Concubine Wang's obedience brought a faint smile to Dong Yuting's face. In her previous life, her company had hired a batch of interns, all very opinionated, who would quit on a whim, quite freely. But as a manager, she preferred compliant employees.

Dong Yuting softened her tone: "I have already dispatched people to Youzhou to inquire. They will send word as soon as there is news of the master. You may rest assured here in the residence. The master is blessed by heaven and will surely be safe."

This nominal husband, as the River Control Commissioner, was always at the forefront during floods. He was not merely a figurehead; he possessed genuine talent in water management. He often conducted on-site inspections, but as the saying goes, "He who often walks by the river is bound to get his shoes wet." It was said that this time, during an inspection, he accidentally fell into the swift river. A wave swept over him, and he vanished.

Upon hearing this, Concubine Wang's eyes gleamed with a glimmer of hope, the love flickering within them appearing genuine.

"I will return to abstain from meat and pray to Buddha until the master returns safely," the haggard Concubine Wang said weakly.

"As you wish," Dong Yuting replied, not one to meddle in others' decisions. She nodded slightly, and Xia Qing escorted Concubine Wang out.

Silence returned to the room. The wisps of sandalwood incense drifting from the burner further calmed Dong Yuting's mind. Chun Yue poured hot water for her and gently massaged Dong Yuting's temples, softly complaining, "The mistress is still ill, and this Concubine Wang comes to disturb her. Really..."

Dong Yuting opened her eyes. Besides Qiu He and Chun Yue, four lower-ranking maids stood to the side, heads bowed, not daring to look up.

Qiu He, Chun Yue, Xia Qing, and Dong Zhi were house-born servants—their parents were long-time retainers on the estates under the original owner's name. They had served the original owner since childhood, taking on these names after the previous maids married. Because of this close relationship, they spoke more freely.

Dong Yuting sighed, closing her eyes. "She is also worried about the master."

The silver-brazier charcoal pot on the floor occasionally crackled softly. Dong Yuting enjoyed Chun Yue's expert massage, growing drowsy.

Though the original owner was adept at managing the household, her constant worry and overexertion had inevitably weakened her body. It was no wonder a simple cold had claimed her life.

Dong Yuting silently added "exercise more" to her plan. Though time travel was not her intention, she didn't know if dying again would send her back. She resolved to cherish the remainder of her life, treating it as an experience of someone else's existence.

After a while, Xia Qing entered again to announce: "The young lady and young master are here."

Dong Yuting opened her eyes uneasily, a flicker of guilt in her phoenix eyes. After all, these were blood relatives of the original owner. She always felt a little less composed when facing them.

Li Nianyao and Li Bohan entered, first bowing, then approaching Dong Yuting. Li Nianyao softly asked, "Has Mother's health improved?"

Dong Zhi and Qiu He quickly brought two round stools for the siblings.

Chun Yue, who was massaging Dong Yuting's shoulders, felt the body beneath her hands stiffen. Not wanting to interrupt the mother-daughter conversation, she stepped aside.

"Better than yesterday," Dong Yuting said. "Please sit. There's no need to stand while talking."

The original owner's rules were strict, and her children showed no overt intimacy in her presence. This somewhat reassured Dong Yuting; if they had been overly affectionate, she would have been at a loss.

"That's good. Although Father is currently missing, he would not wish Mother to fall ill because of him. Mother must recover quickly—the household still needs your management."

Hearing a thirteen-year-old girl speak with such gravity made Dong Yuting uncomfortable. She also offered comfort to Li Nianyao and Li Bohan: "I have already sent people to search for your father. There's no need for you to worry. I will inform you as soon as there is news."

Li Nianyao and Li Bohan breathed a sigh of relief. They were still young, and Dong Yuting's illness had truly frightened them. Fortunately, the second branch could temporarily manage household affairs, but the second mistress was too cunning. In just a few days, the household had fallen into disarray.

"Mother need not worry about Second Brother either. Grandmother is taking good care of him," Li Bohan said with a serious little face.

Li Nianyao was thirteen, Li Bohan nine, and Li Borui four. Not long ago, when Dong Yuting fell ill, fearing she might spread the cold to Li Borui, the Old Madam had ordered Yuan Xiang to take Li Borui to her quarters. Dong Yuting had not seen him since, unsure whether he was being kept away or had simply forgotten his birth mother.