"Miss, it's time to get up."

Wearing a light blue jacket, the kind-faced, round-faced old woman called out as she pulled up the bed curtains, looking with affection at the little person who was curled up in a ball under the covers with her head covered.

"Miss, please get up quickly, Madam will be waiting for you if you're late."

Granny Fang gently pulled the blanket down again, revealing a small, fair hand, as delicate as a jade carving, that was still tightly gripping the blanket, trying to pull it over her head again.

After a while of tug-of-war, the child finally couldn't keep going because of his lack of strength. He stretched and, unwilling to sleep in, Lin Yuqiao squinted and sat up with his messy hair.

The head maid, Chifeng, standing nearby quickly handed over a warm handkerchief, and the old woman in green gently wiped Lin Yuqiao's face.

"Why do we have to get up so early? It's not even dawn yet." After the nanny wiped her face, rinsed her mouth, cleaned her teeth, and changed her clothes, the sleepiness finally dissipated, but her stomach was still full of morning grumpiness, so Lin Yuqiao's soft childish voice was tinged with grievance.

"Who sleeps until dawn these days? You love to sleep so much, aren't you afraid of being laughed at? Hurry up, Madam is urging us to hurry."

"Ugh, so annoying. What's the fun in a little kid if they can't sleep in?" Lin Yuqiao grumbled to herself.

Before transmigrating, Lin Yuqiao's only hobby was sleeping in late, but now that she was in ancient times, even that pleasure had been taken away. Ancient people were really annoying; everyone had to observe etiquette and get up early to pay their respects. No one, whether adult or child, master or servant, could sleep in late.

Even as a child, I can't sleep until dawn. Having gotten used to the freedom of modern life, living such a rigid and conventional life feels like going crazy.

The round-faced nanny, Madam Fang, and Lin Yuqiao's wet nurse, Madam Liu, braided Lin Yuqiao's hair together, weaving several strings of jade necklaces into her hair and coiling it into two small buns on top of her head. Paired with her fair, round face, she looked exceptionally cute.

Seeing that everything was ready, Granny Fang instructed her maids Lanling and Zhuzi to tidy up the room. She then picked up Lin Yuqiao and, together with her wet nurse and head maids Chifeng and Lüxia, went to the main courtyard where Lady Li of the Marquis's mansion lived to pay her respects.

In her past life, Lin Yuqiao was an ordinary white-collar worker. She grew up in her uncle's house without parents and lived alone after she grew up. She worked two jobs every day to save money so that she could save enough for a down payment to buy a small house and have a home of her own.

Having worked hard for most of his life, he hadn't been able to afford to eat or drink much. In the end, he finally bought a house, but before he could even move in after renovations, he was overworked and fell seriously ill, thus transmigrating to this world. During his first year here, he was still heartbroken over the house he had bought with all his hard-earned savings.

Lin Yuqiao was practically a reincarnation; she woke up before she was even a month old, lying in a cradle, eating and sleeping all day, barely able to see a person. But the greatest advantage of this life was that she had a father, a mother, a home, and even an older brother.

Moreover, she had a nanny, two wet nurses, and several maids serving her, indicating that she came from a wealthy family. Lin Yuqiao settled down and prepared to live the life of an ancient young lady and enjoy life to the fullest.

She finally grew a little older and got some information from the people serving her, but then she started to panic again. She discovered that she had transmigrated into a domestic drama novel called "The Perfect Princess" that she had read in her previous life.

The dynasty is fictional, called the Great Qin. In this life, her father is Marquis Chenliang, and her mother, Lady Li, is a second wife. The Marquis Chenliang family is quite wealthy. Their ancestors were enfeoffed for their meritorious service in following the founding emperor, and the marquisate is hereditary. Lin Yuqiao's father, Lin Zirong, is now the third generation.

This novel is about power struggles within a family, mainly depicting the conflict between the wife of the heir of a marquis's household and his stepmother, Madam Li.

In the book, Li Jinhua is a major scapegoat, a typical bad stepmother who is always trying to trip up her stepson Lin Yuqi and the Crown Prince's wife and seize the Crown Prince's position. However, her methods are despicable, and she is ultimately defeated by the Crown Prince's wife.

Not only was she imprisoned in a nunnery, but her three sons also met tragic ends. Lin Yuqiao is now the youngest daughter of Li Jinhua, Li's second wife.

However, after Lin Yuqiao figured out the information about the manor, she began to feel strange. The current situation in the manor did not quite match the plot. Only the names of the people in the manor matched the novel.

Lin Yuqiao remembered that in the novel, Madam Li had no daughters, only three sons. But now, in addition to the three sons from the original novel, Madam Li also had a younger son, Lin Yutian, and a younger daughter, namely herself, Lin Yuqiao.

Besides these plot inconsistencies, Li's character is also quite different from the one described in the book. This leaves Lin Yuqiao, who was prepared to use her special abilities to turn the tide, with no opportunity to shine.

Lin Yuqiao has been here for five years now, living a life she never dreamed of in her previous life, with food and clothes provided for her.

Although the daily morning and evening greetings were a bit of a hassle, Madam Li treated her exceptionally well. She gave her the maternal love she had longed for in her previous life, even better than the mother she had imagined in her childhood.

"Miss has arrived. Madam was just thinking about her."

Granny Fang carried Lin Yuqiao to the Huifang Courtyard where Madam lived. Before they even entered the room, the curtain was lifted, and Cuihuan, Li Shi's head maid, came to greet them.

Struggling to avoid Cuihuan's outstretched hand, Lin Yuqiao got off Fang Mama's arms and ran into the house.

"Mother. Mother. Mother."

Calling out "Mother" repeatedly, Lin Yuqiao rushed into her mother's arms.

Li Shi, dressed in a narrow-sleeved crimson silk jacket embroidered with gold butterflies and flowers, was standing in front of a sandalwood screen in the main room giving instructions to her maid when she heard Lin Yuqiao's call. She had just turned around when Lin Yuqiao bumped into her arms.

He picked her up and sat her on the couch, patting her with a laugh and scolding, "Who do you think you are, acting like a monkey?"

“My sister is such a little monkey. Every time she goes to the garden, she has to mess with the koi in the pond. I went to take a look the other day, and all of Father’s koi were thin and listless. Even the parrot that my older brother hangs in front of the porch is almost bald from all the plucking by my sister.”

Lin Yutian, the fifth son in the family and the youngest son of Madam Li, is 6 years old. He started complaining about his little sister who was nestled in his mother's arms.

They were close in age, one being the youngest son and the other the youngest daughter. However, Li already had three sons, so the fourth one was not particularly special. Although she also doted on Lin Yutian, he was not as favored as her only daughter, Lin Yuqiao.

"Hmph, so what? Anyway, Father and my eldest brother both love me." Turning around, she made a face at the fifth brother who had complained, and Lin Yuqiao comfortably continued to lean against her mother's chest, pretending to ignore it, which made Lin Yuqiao's face turn red with anger.

Two chairs were placed next to the bed. The third young master, Lin Yufeng, and the fourth young master, Lin Yuning, sat on one side, talking to each other, while the fifth young master, Lin Yutian, sat alone on the other side.

Lin Yutian has just moved to the front yard and is studying with Lin Yufeng and Lin Yuning. Lin Yufeng and Lin Yuning usually take good care of him, but there is still a big age gap between them, so Lin Yutian is always treated like a child and doesn't quite get along with his two older brothers.

The sons born to Madam Li in the mansion are now: the second young master Lin Yucheng is 14, the third young master Lin Yufeng is 13, and the fourth young master Lin Yuning is 10. They are all about the same age.

The older second young master, Lin Yucheng, and the heir, Lin Yuqi, have gone to study at the academy. The remaining third and fourth young masters, as well as the fifth young master who has just moved to the front courtyard, are still studying in the mansion.

"Qiao'er got up early today, not wanting to stay in bed?"

Li smiled and patted Lin Yuqiao's smiling face, teasing her daughter. She then called her youngest son, whose face was puffed up with anger and who was jealous, to come and sit on the couch.

Lin Yutian, a little dumpling himself, is also a tiny bean. He likes to be jealous of Lin Yuqiao. He gets unhappy when he sees Lin Yuqiao snuggling in Li's arms and acting cute and affectionate with her. He has to find some sense of presence.

But before they moved to the front yard, Lin Yutian played with Lin Yuqiao every day. The two were the closest, and when they played together, Lin Yutian especially liked to act like an older brother. He was also a little kid himself, and he always liked to take care of her like an older brother, and he would scold her when she was naughty.

Lin Yuqiao felt especially happy to have family and a brother for the first time, and she always liked to tease Lin Yutian.

"Hmph. Qiao'er is the best girl, she gets up early every day." Lin Yuqiao was a child when she transmigrated. As she grew up, with the care of her mother whom she had envied since childhood in her previous life, her personality became more and more like a child's. She even planned to take advantage of the transmigration opportunity to make up for her childhood.

"Why aren't we going to Grandmother's today? Where's Father?" Lin Yuqiao looked around but couldn't find Chen Lianghou Lin Zirong, so she asked curiously.

Upon hearing her daughter mention Marquis Lin Zirong, a cold glint flashed in Li's eyes. She replied, "Your eldest brother is coming back. Your father went out to meet him early this morning. Your grandmother said last night that she wasn't feeling well and needed some peace and quiet, so she told us we don't need to go today."

After patiently explaining, Madam Li instructed Granny Wu and the others to prepare the meal, as they would be having breakfast at her place that morning.

"Oh. Isn't Second Brother coming back?" Lin Yuqi continued to ask. She wasn't too surprised that Marquis Chen Liang went to greet his son early in the morning without having breakfast with them. Now, the thing that matched the plot in the book the most was Marquis Lin Zirong's love for Lin Yuqi.

Lin Zirong treated Li's sons indifferently, but he was an extremely devoted father to Lin Yuqi. When his son was about to return from the academy, he would set off before dawn to personally pick him up, showing how much he missed his son after not seeing him for half a year.

It should be noted that the Nanlu Academy, where Lin Yuqi and Lin Yucheng studied, was located in the mountains forty kilometers away from the capital. Given the backward transportation in ancient times, even if Lin Zirong traveled at full speed, he could only arrive at the academy after noon. After picking up the people and exchanging a few words, Lin Yuqi would not be able to return to her residence until night at the earliest.

Lin Yuqiao figured that, based on the current plot and their ages, her older brother Lin Yuqi should be getting married soon after his return. Lin Yuqi is already 16, and in ancient times, people married young, so it's about time for him to be engaged.

The Crown Prince's wife is about to enter the household, and Lin Yuqiao is both excited and a little scared, feeling that a power struggle within the household is about to begin.

“Your father said that your eldest brother had something to do when he came back. Since it’s not a holiday, he doesn’t want your second brother to come back. Studying is the most important thing. He will be taking the provincial examination next year.”

Lin Yuqiao pouted when she heard that her second brother, Lin Yucheng, wasn't coming back.

This second brother doesn't match the description in the novels I've read. He's kind and patient with his younger siblings, good at studying, and has a good relationship with his eldest brother, Lin Yuqi.

Lin Yuqiao heard from the nanny beside her that her second brother, Lin Yucheng, passed the provincial examination at the age of twelve, making him the youngest person in the entire capital to pass the provincial examination in a hundred years. Moreover, Lin Yucheng also successfully entered Nanlu Academy two years ago, and his future is promising.

The Nanlu Academy, where Lin Yuqi and Lin Yucheng studied, was the only prestigious academy in the capital. Its instructors were all renowned scholars of classical Chinese learning, and the dean, Qin Zhengsheng, was a retired former Grand Secretary. It was extremely difficult for ordinary students to gain admission; they had to pass three rounds of examinations. However, despite the difficulty of the tests, it was widely rumored that gaining admission to Nanlu Academy was practically a guarantee of a place in the officialdom.

Indeed, this was the case. Scholars who graduated from Nanlu Academy were found all over the Qin Dynasty, and more than half of the officials in the capital had studied there. Ordinary students could study there from the lowest level of the imperial examinations to becoming officials before graduating.

Unlike Lin Yucheng, who worked hard to get in, Lin Yuqi was the heir of a marquis's family and could not take the exams. He went to study there because of the imperial court's "favor," which was a special quota for the sons of marquis families to study at the academy. People like Lin Yuqi, who would have a title in the future, did not need to participate in the imperial examinations and could go home after getting married.

Now it seems that Marquis Chen Liang also values ​​his son Lin Yucheng quite a bit, because Lin Yucheng has brought him a lot of honor. Although Lin Yucheng has been studying in the mountains and doesn't socialize much, many people outside want to befriend him. Every time he returns from the academy for holidays, Lin Yucheng receives countless invitations to literary gatherings.

Lin Yuqiao felt that her second brother, Lin Yucheng, in this life was far superior to the Lin Yucheng in the book who failed to seize the throne. Although Lin Yucheng was no longer the heir apparent or the most favored son of Marquis Chenliang, he was still outstanding in his studies and had a bright future, putting immense pressure on the heir apparent, Lin Yuqi.

Even those outside the academy would have their say about the two brothers. Lin Yuqi, being both the elder brother and the heir apparent, was constantly overshadowed by his younger brother's fame, which eventually became increasingly tiring for him. Lin Yuqiao himself felt that Lin Yuqi's return to arrange a marriage was likely due to the overwhelming pressure. After all, once married, as the heir apparent, Lin Yuqi wouldn't need to continue his studies at the academy.

Although her beloved second brother wasn't coming back, Lin Yuqiao cheered up again when she heard Li Shi say she was preparing chicken oil rolls and red bean glutinous rice cakes for her. With delicious food, a loving mother, and a promising brother who could support her in the future, life was truly enjoyable.

Lin Yuqiao had a feeling that her current mother, Li Jinhua, might have been reborn. Not only did the plot not match up, but her mother, Li Jinhua, had also avoided all the plot holes from the original book.

The current Lady Li is a very composed and respected lady of the Marquis. She also has a harmonious relationship with Marquis Chenliang. She insists on giving equal importance to the education and care of her children, and has raised her older brothers to be very well-educated and studious. She is completely different from the character in the novel.

Moreover, the original novel said that Li's sister-in-law He Qingfang miscarried because she plotted against her, and then He Qingfang plotted against her in revenge, causing her to miscarry after two months of pregnancy. This damaged her health, and she was never able to get pregnant again.

Now, the second young lady of the mansion, born to the second aunt He Qingfang, is born at that time. However, Li Shi also gave birth to the fifth young master Lin Yutian, and two years later she gave birth to a daughter. Lin Yutian and the second young lady Lin Yumei were born in the same year.

When Lin Yuqiao heard Li say that Madam Zhang was not feeling well in the morning, she remembered hearing from the maids and nannies that her second aunt He Qingfang had caused trouble. She then realized that Madam Zhang must have been made sick by her second aunt.

He Qingfang had never given birth to a son, only two daughters, and it was estimated that she was unlikely to have any more children in the future. So Zhang asked the second master to take in a concubine, thinking that if she gave birth to a son, he could be adopted by He Qingfang.

However, He Qingfang refused to agree and chased away the people Zhang had sent, causing unrest in the second branch of the family. She even shouted that the second master should never accept a concubine, even if it meant he would have no descendants. When Zhang heard these words, the old lady was so angry that she trembled.

Lin Yuqiao heard all of this from the people around her. Because Lin Yuqiao was young, the maids and nannies who served her thought she was naive, so they often chatted about the rumors in the mansion at noon and evening without keeping it from her. As a result, Lin Yuqiao knew quite a bit about the mansion.

According to the plot of the book I read in my previous life, Second Aunt He Qingfang had a son. In the book, when He Qingfang was pregnant with the second young lady Lin Yumei, everyone in the mansion was saying that she was carrying a boy, and the old lady Zhang was also very much looking forward to it.

He Qingfang was the daughter of Zhang's cousin, so they were related by blood. Before she married into the Marquis's mansion, she was already favored by Zhang.

After entering the household, although she was the younger daughter-in-law, He Qingfang was sweet-talking and pleased Zhang Shi, who took good care of her. Before Li Shi married into the Marquis's household after the death of Chen Lianghou's first wife, it was He Qingfang who managed the household for Zhang Shi.

After Li married into the household, He Qingfang always looked down on her and constantly opposed her. The reason is not detailed in this part of the book, but Lin Yuqiao guessed that it might be because Li started managing the household after marrying into the Marquis's mansion, and the second wife, He Qingfang, had no reason to help manage the household and could only retreat to the second line.

Furthermore, He Qingfang understood that as the second wife, they could not inherit the family business. After Zhang Shi passed away, they would be separated from the Marquis's mansion, and this enormous wealth would no longer be hers.

Although the second master held a high official position, he lived off his salary alone. He also needed to entertain guests during the three major festivals and five major holidays each year, and this part of the money could not be paid from the public funds. Therefore, the second family was not wealthy.

He Qingfang was also fond of showing off, and if it weren't for the fact that they received their daily allowances from the manor, their lives would definitely be much less comfortable.

Even after Li took over the household, she took the opportunity to dismiss most of the stewards that He Qingfang had previously appointed, so that they no longer had any influence in the mansion and could no longer make any money. This probably made He Qingfang hate Li even more.

Although Lady Li was the wife of a marquis, He Qingfang was a second wife. However, she had Lady Zhang as her backer, and the second master, Lin Zi'an, was also kind and gentle to her. Therefore, He Qingfang was practically a tyrant in the mansion, and Lady Li could not do anything to her.

However, although He Qingfang was considered the most favored person in the mansion, her only shortcoming was that she had difficulty conceiving and had no sons.

After having her eldest daughter for many years without conceiving again, He Qingfang was overjoyed when she became pregnant for the second time. Because the second pregnancy was quite difficult and everyone said it was a son, He Qingfang became increasingly proud and unrestrained during her pregnancy.

She was picky about the second wife's share of the allowance, not only escaping many benefits during her pregnancy, but also constantly making things difficult for Li, even replacing the head kitchen nanny that Li had originally arranged.

Since Li could not openly offend He Qingfang, who was favored by the old lady, she secretly took action.

Taking advantage of the cold weather, Li bribed a servant in the second household to secretly water He Qingfang's courtyard at night. The hot water was mixed with a layer of oil and thinly covered the bluestone slabs. By morning, it was impossible to tell that ice had formed.

He Qingfang's pregnancy was not very stable to begin with. She slipped and fell in the yard while paying her respects in the morning, and miscarried. However, since the baby was still early in the pregnancy, she was not seriously injured and was able to conceive a boy two years later.

In her previous life, Li was not very cunning, so this scheme was both crude and full of flaws. He Qingfang, enraged that Li was responsible, was determined to get revenge. Being a reckless and ruthless person, and with Li also being diagnosed as pregnant, she devised a plan to have one of Chen Lianghou's concubines push Li, causing her to fall hard on the pavilion steps in the cold weather. This resulted in Li's health being damaged, rendering her unable to conceive again.

The situation in the manor is now very different from that in the book. He Qingfang had a bumpy pregnancy with the second young lady, Lin Yumei, but she didn't get to be happy in the end. Everyone said it was a boy, but she had a difficult delivery and gave birth to a girl. He Qingfang was heartbroken and suffered postpartum hemorrhage. She didn't have a proper postpartum period, and Lin Yumei was already six years old and she still couldn't get pregnant.

These circumstances do not match the original plot. Now, Li herself and her son are doing well and living a prosperous life.

After finishing their meal in a side hall separated by a screen in the main house, Lin Yuqiao flirted with Madam Li for a bit. Seeing that a head maid had come to Madam Li to handle some household matters, she didn't disturb her any further and obediently went out with her brothers.

Lin Yuqiao was still young. Although Madam Li had someone teach her to write a few characters and read a few lines of poetry every day, she was still a girl and often slacked off. Her studies were sporadic, and Madam Li didn't force her to study.

In any case, according to the rules of the Marquis's mansion, when girls reach the age of eight, a female tutor will be formally invited to teach them at home. Furthermore, when the girls of the Marquis's mansion reach a certain age, a palace maid will be invited to teach them specially, so there is no fear that they will become wild and unruly.

Lin Yuqiao could play to her heart's content, but her older brothers weren't so lucky. As soon as they left the main courtyard, Lin Yufeng and Lin Yuning pulled Lin Yutian, who was reluctant to go to school and had a heavy face, along to the front.

Li was quite strict with Lin Yucheng and his brothers' studies. Although Chen Lianghou was not particularly concerned about their studies, Li would often send someone to ask the teacher about their progress and frequently check their calligraphy assignments.

If a student's handwriting was poor, the teacher's feedback would be unfavorable, and the student would even be punished with a slap on the hand. Madam Li also maintained strict control over the servants and pageboys who attended to her, frequently reprimanding them. She also earnestly advised them on a daily basis, seizing every opportunity to urge them to study diligently.

It must be said that in ancient times, if you didn't want to be a spoiled brat and truly earn respect, you had to study and become an official. Someone like Jia Baoyu, who was uneducated and didn't even study properly, often stayed at home hanging out with the maids or going out to have fun, was purely spoiled by his grandmother.

People like that lacked confidence when going out in places where reputation was highly valued in ancient times, and were disrespected by outsiders. Among the scions of feudal aristocratic families in ancient times, they were even more looked down upon.

Especially for people like Lin Yucheng, who are neither eligible to inherit the title nor born of the same mother as the heir Lin Yuqi, it's uncertain whether they can continue to benefit from the Marquis's family's influence. If they don't establish themselves and have the ability to forge their own future, they'll have to live at Lin Yuqi's mercy for the rest of their lives.