The 43rd year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign.

The maids Xue'er and Xi'er were helping Princess Niohuru Lanqin tidy up the three newly made qipaos that the embroiderer had just brought over. The fabrics were all of the finest silk, and the workmanship was top-notch Suzhou embroidery. The princess had just tried them on and then silently took them off. It was unclear whether she didn't like them, but unlike usual, she didn't endlessly compare them to her new clothes.

The two young girls, looking worried, tidied up their clothes while secretly glancing at Niohuru Lanqin, who was sitting in front of the dressing table in a daze.

“Gege has been spacing out like this a lot lately. Could it be that her brain got a little messed up after that time she fell into the water…” Xi’er whispered in Xue’er’s ear.

Xue'er put her slender white index finger to her lips and shushed her. After glancing at Gege, she glared sternly at Xi'er.

That means, how can servants talk about their masters!

Xue'er grew up with Niohuru Lanqin from a young age. Her feelings for Niohuru Lanqin were incomparable to those of Xi'er, a maid who was sent to serve her halfway through her life.

The princess had long been the person she was determined to serve and be loyal to for life. If the princess was selected in this imperial concubine selection, she would definitely go with her. In preparation for the selection, the master and mistress had already hired a governess to teach the princess manners. Xue'er followed along, serving the princess while also learning some of the palace etiquette.

But ever since half a month ago, when Princess Gege accidentally fell into the lotus pond and was rescued, she seems to have changed completely. The gentle and elegant Princess Gege of the past is gone. Now, she keeps spouting strange and unusual things, and sometimes she doesn't say much all day, often sitting there in a daze with her chin in her hand.

Niohuru Lanqin glanced at the two maids who were tidying her new clothes in the mirror, knowing that they must be thinking to themselves that she didn't look like the princess she used to be.

"I'm tired. You all hurry up and get ready to leave. There's no need to stay here and serve me." After saying that, she stood up, took a step, and suddenly stumbled and fell. Fortunately, she grabbed the edge of the sandalwood dressing table in time to prevent herself from falling completely. Instead, her knee hit the ground first.

The two maids were stunned by this sudden action.

Xi'er, in particular, stood there holding the clothes, frozen in place.

How could I have fallen like that? There was nothing on the ground, and nothing seemed to be blocking my way.

Xue'er, quick-witted and agile, rushed forward immediately. She grabbed Niohuru Lanqin's arm and asked anxiously, "Princess, are you alright? Did you hurt yourself?"

Niohuru Lanqin felt such pain in her kneecap that she couldn't even speak.

He wasn't very tall to begin with, only about 1.6 meters, but with those platform shoes, he was almost 1.7 meters tall. It's no wonder he was hurt when he suddenly bumped into the ground!

"Stupid girl, what are you standing there for? Come here and help the princess up!" Xue'er shouted sharply as she turned around and yelled at Xi'er, who was holding the clothes. She was fifteen years old this year, three years older than Xi'er, and had served the princess since she was a child. Usually, the other maids in Niohuru Lanqin's room would often be scolded by her, but they didn't dare to talk back.

"Oh!" Xi'er immediately threw her clothes on the bed, ran over, helped Niu Hulu Lanqin up by her other arm, and then together with Xue'er, lifted her up.

Neither of them was as tall as Niohuru Lanqin (they were not worthy of wearing platform shoes), so they had to wrap her arms around their necks, help her slowly walk back to the bed, and help her sit down before they dared to speak.

Xue'er crouched down and slowly lifted Niohuru Yunqin's qipao robe, revealing long white stockings underneath. She lifted the pink leg straps, untied them, and slowly pulled the stockings down.

Xi'er quickly squatted down to help. She was still unhappy because Xue'er had just scolded her as a "stupid girl," but she didn't dare to be careless at this moment.

Xue'er pulled up her white panties all the way to her knees, revealing a large patch of bluish-purple skin.

"Oh dear, Princess, what should we do! There are only three days left until the audition!" Xue'er exclaimed.

Niohuru Lanqin sat upright on the edge of the bed, but she was not surprised. She simply said, "We can only go after we are better."

It turns out that, in addition to their status, the women participating in this talent show must have a presentable appearance and speak appropriately. A presentable appearance means that there cannot be any scars on the body. If there are any scars, the woman will be disqualified from the talent show. It is also not allowed to damage her skin before the talent show.

Xi'er was so anxious that her eyes were almost red. If the master and mistress found out, she and Xue'er would both be punished.

"Go quickly and fetch a basin of hot water and a towel. We need to apply it to the affected area so the bruise will go away faster," Xue'er instructed Xi'er.

Xi'er nodded, stood up, immediately walked to the door, stepped over the high threshold, and went out.

"Princess, should we report this to Master and Madam?" Xue'er asked hesitantly. It wasn't that she was afraid of being punished, but rather that she was afraid the princess would be scolded by Master.

Originally, Niohuru Lanqin was the third daughter of the principal wife, and she had been pampered since childhood. However, in recent years, her husband, Lingzhu, had favored his concubine, Yang, and her second daughter was now trying to outdo the princess in every way.

“No need. Just say that I haven’t learned the rules well enough and I’m afraid that if I enter the palace, I will bring shame to my family. I’ll study for a few more days before I go,” said Niohuru Lanqin.

Xue'er nodded, looking at the conspicuous bruises on Gege's fair skin with heartache.

Xi'er pushed open the door and came in carrying a basin of water. Seeing that Xue'er was still in the room, she knew that she hadn't informed the master and mistress, and she felt relieved.

The two men slowly removed the princess's qipao, then lifted her legs onto the bed and laid them flat. They then took a hot towel and gently applied it to her bruises. After about fifteen minutes, Niohuru Lanqin said calmly, "I'm going to sleep for a while. You may leave."

Xue'er then helped her lie down, pulled the blanket over her, tucked her in, and then lowered the bed curtains before leaving with a worried expression.

After the door was closed from the outside in, Niohuru Lanqin looked through the thin gauze curtain again before sitting up abruptly.

Damn! It really hurt when you fall on yourself.

"Niohuru Lanqin" pulled out his leg, rolled up his trouser leg, looked at the bruise again and again, and muttered to himself.

That's right, she's not "Niohuru Lanqin". Her name is Lin Mengyao, born in 1985, living in Beijing, and currently a doctoral student in the history department of Capital University. She's a tough girl who fell into the water while saving someone, and then woke up to find herself in another world.

Now, Lin Mengyao has been breathing the air of the 43rd year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign in the Qing Dynasty for half a month. When she first transmigrated, she didn't recognize anything because her body belonged to Niohuru Lanqin, but her consciousness belonged to Lin Mengyao.