Lin Zhihuang stood in front of a large bronze mirror on the ground, staring in a daze at the thin girl reflected in it. The girl's lips were bloodless and her figure delicate and youthful, but her posture hinted at a budding beauty.
Lin Zhihuang opened her mouth, and the figure in the mirror mimicked her. She closed her eyes, holding her forehead with a pained expression. It was no dream—these past two days had confirmed it. This was her now, a body entirely different from the one she remembered. The girl, only thirteen or fourteen years old, was known as the "Lin family's daughter."
The moment she thought that, Lin Zhihuang dropped her eyes, espying two young girls, perhaps about ten years of age, standing beside her without a word. Both sported maid buns, and it made her feel that this was somehow a clear example of child labor being exploited according to the previous world she belonged to.
"It's time for dinner, miss," the little maid to the left said quietly, breaking the stillness.
Although very young, the maid's behavior was refined and measured. She bent a little as a sign of respect, her smile so accurate it seemed something that was measured with a ruler. It was clear that the housekeeper of this place was very self-controlled.
Lost in thought, Lin Zhihuang let the maid puppeteer her into the big courtyard. Before she could take in the whole setting, her father, Lin Zheyun, approached her with a critical reprimand. Darkening his face, he went on to lecture her: "Where are your manners? Making your father, mother, and everyone else at this table wait for you—have you no sense of propriety?"
In the hall, many were seated. Lin Zheyun is on the center seat. Her mother, Pei Shi, sat to his left, and there was an empty seat beside Pei - apparently reserved for her.
Lin Zhihuang, since she did not know this place, observed the adage "speak less, make fewer mistakes." Therefore, she quietly occupied the seat assigned to her.
Believing she had done right, Lin Zheyun was taken aback as his face turned even redder. He sneered, "What's this? Have you been spoiled by the luxury of Shengjing, the imperial city, to the point that now you look down on your father, a mere county magistrate in a remote area?"
Two days and nights had passed since Lin Zhihuang had woken up in this new body. From the little she knew of the current situation, she had gathered the information piecemeal just by observation and from slight inquiries.
This body was originally named Lin Zhihuan, one character different from her own name. Her father, Lin Zheyun, was the county magistrate of Li County. He was born into a high-ranking background as the eldest son in the Lin family of Shengjing, which was a second-rank noble family.
But tragedy marred Lin Zheyun's early years. His mother died when he was young, and his father remarried a year later. The stepmother, Zhong Shi, had a son soon after, making Lin Zheyun's share of family attention and favor rather fleeting.
Lin Zheyun was the eldest son but lacked extraordinary abilities to impress Lin family patriarch, his father. Under the influence of his stepmother, Lin Zheyun was married off to Pei Shi, a member of the first-rank Pei family. Although the Pei family's lineage outranked the Lin family's, Pei Shi's branch of the family was impoverished. With a widowed mother and two younger brothers to support, Pei Shi's marriage seemed more like a financial relief effort than a strategic alliance.
No sooner had Lin Zheyun's father had him sent off to be a county magistrate in some recondite region than he was deprived of familial support and resources. Lin Zheyun's career went stale in nearly 15 years of serving as a county magistrate, who was moved from place to another with no hope of promotion.
Lin Zhihuan, this body's original owner, had spent most of her life in Shengjing under her step-grandmother's care. Her step-grandmother, Zhong Shi, lavished attention on her as a façade to maintain appearances but eventually sent her back to her parents under the guise of "reuniting with family." This sudden transition from the imperial city to a rural county took a toll on Lin Zhihuan, who fell gravely ill and eventually passed away.
When modern pharmaceutical entrepreneur Lin Zhihuang opened her eyes in this body, it had already been two days since she came to Tan County. The self-reliant businesswoman, who had been preparing for her company's IPO, found herself in a feudal, patriarchal society that was overwhelming. She soon realized rules in this world were drastically different and survival depended on navigating the political gamut of a family involved in scheming and manipulation.
Her mother, Pei Shi, interrupted her thoughts, speaking hesitantly, "Huan'er, your father speaks harshly, but it's for your own good. Your grandmother in Shengjing… she didn't care for you as she should have. When you fell ill, none of the servants she sent stayed behind to look after you. They abandoned you here and returned to Shengjing to report back. You must understand how difficult it has been for you to recover."
Lin Zhihuang quietly assented; her dire circumstances for the original owner had indeed proved a strategic advantage. No one knew what the real Lin Zhihuan was like, so no one would suspect her changes. The servants and members of the family would naturally attribute her differences to having been poorly raised by her grandmother.
Pei Shi sighed, changing the subject. "I heard that the grain in the city went up again this morning. Husband, shall we store some for the household?
Lin Zheyun slammed his hand on the table in anger. "Foolish woman! The city is already suffering from a grain shortage. As the wife of the county magistrate, how could you even suggest following the trend to hoard grain? If the other noble families follow your example, it will only drive prices higher. I've been working tirelessly to stabilize the market, and you dare to add to my troubles!"
Pei Shi immediately bowed her head, covering her mouth with a handkerchief. "You're right, my husband. I wasn't thinking. Please forgive me."
Across from her, the concubines standing nearby exchanged sly smiles, silently reveling in Pei Shi's humiliation.
Lin Zhihuang paused mid-meal as she observed the scene. She pondered whether, now that she had entered a house-fighting narrative, it was her role to speak up and defend her mother.