Di Daughter's Strategy - Chapter 1

Chapter 1

The sun shone brightly in the sky, casting a cluster of vibrant red hues on the glazed tiles of the roof. In the garden, a small servant hid under the shade of a tree to cool off. The ground, paved with green stone bricks, reflected the shadows of people. The master of the Fang Yun Hall in the east courtyard disliked the heat of summer, and the entire garden was quiet.

Luo Yi’er, wearing shoes with embroidered edges and inlaid with pearls, stepped on the green stone bricks, accompanied by two or three maids. They walked around the rockery made of Lingbi stones in the courtyard and proceeded to the corridor without looking sideways. When they encountered servants, they all bowed and paid their respects without making a sound.

Inside the Fang Yun Hall, a maid was gently fanning the ice basin with a fan. Madam Chu sat on the couch, flipping through the account books that had been submitted in recent days.

Just as the maid who had announced the visitor left, the sound of a maid’s greeting and the light footsteps followed.
Madam Chu asked her Momo to take away the books in her hand and looked up to see Luo Yi’er lifting her skirt and walking in. The sunlight shone through the curtain and cast a soft glow on her delicate side profile.

“Why did you come over on such a hot day?” Madam Chu said with concern, seeing her cheeks were sunburned and flushed. She then instructed, “Bring Miss some mung bean soup.”

Luo Yi’er shook her head and smiled gently, “It’s still some time before lunch, and I had nothing to do, so I came to keep Mother company.”

Madam Chu paused slightly, looking at her daughter’s eyes, which were clear but contained a hint of worry.
She sighed inwardly, knowing that her daughter wasn’t idle at all.
The Marquis had spent the night in the South Garden yesterday, and her daughter was worried.

The woman in the South Garden was a concubine the Marquis had brought into the mansion two years ago. Her beauty was top-notch, and her soft voice could melt a man’s heart.

The Marquis had brought her back from Jiangnan when he was accompanying the emperor, and she had been favored for nearly three months. She had become a bit too arrogant and was challenging Madam Chu’s authority after entering the mansion.

She didn’t care because she knew the Marquis valued the distinction between the legitimate and concubine-born children.

Even if he spent nights in the South Garden, he wouldn’t let that woman climb above her. Moreover, it was just a concubine who couldn’t get pregnant, and she didn’t take her seriously.

Madam Chu’s eyes held a hint of mockery, thinking that the woman was foolish. After two years in the mansion, she still hadn’t grasped the situation. What kind of person was the Marquis?
When he favored someone, that person was a treasure in his hands. When he didn’t, that person was not even as valuable as the green stone bricks in the courtyard.

Her recent tantrums were just a result of realizing that the Marquis’s favor had been gradually diminishing.

Looking at her daughter, who had grown up to be a beautiful and elegant young lady, Madam Chu’s eyes showed more affection. “It’s getting late, stay for lunch, okay?”

As they chatted, the maid brought in a bowl of iced mung bean soup. Luo Yi’er took it and, as her sleeve slid down, her delicate wrist, as white as jade, was revealed. She held the bowl and took small sips, feeling the coolness spread through her body.

Seeing that Madam Chu wasn’t sad, she smiled with satisfaction and said, “Then I’ll impose on Mother.”

In the afternoon, Luo Yi’er led Linglong to her Yunxia Courtyard.
Just as they sat down, Linglong walked in with a bowl of iced fresh fruit milk and said with a light smile, “I heard from the Luoyun Pavilion that the eldest miss woke up today and stayed alone in her room for a long time.”

After saying that, Linglong stepped back. A low-ranking maid on the side lowered her head and fanned gently, careful not to make it too light or too heavy.
The maid had gotten used to controlling the force of the fan.

Luo Yi’er held the cool bowl, and her usually clear eyes showed a moment of distraction. She had been the Legitimate daughter of the Marquis Qi’s mansion for five years and had almost forgotten her past self. After waiting for five years, she finally heard that the person from the Luoyun Pavilion had made a move, and she felt a sense of finality.

She was a Concubine-born daughter in her previous life, born to a woman who only cared about love. Later, when her mother found true love, she abandoned her and left with someone else.

After the old man’s family found out she was his daughter, they sent people to bring her back. She had some schemes from a young age and knew the old man couldn’t be trusted, so she found his legitimate son to rely on. The old man’s family was wealthy, and they each lived their own lives, not caring much about each other. When she entered the Luo family, her big brother was only ten years old, and the house was mostly run by nannies and others.

She spent over a decade being clever and sweet, making her big brother treat her like a biological sister and protect her. However, she always felt that living under someone else’s roof wasn’t comfortable, and she wouldn’t feel truly at ease until she had firm control over the property. After plotting for years, even getting her brother’s trusted secretary to turn against him, she was about to take control when she encountered a plane crash and came here.

Luo Yi’er couldn’t help but think that perhaps heaven pitied her big brother, not letting him know the true nature of the person he cared about.

After coming here, she spent a year figuring out that she had entered a book where the female lead was wronged by a scumbag and spent her days in the cold palace, only to rebirth and seek revenge. Unfortunately, she wasn’t the female lead but the source of the scumbag’s wrongdoing – the biggest villain in the book, the malicious female supporting character.

Now, she had been here for five years, and the real female lead had only just reborn.

“Miss, the ice is melting,” Linglong reminded her when she didn’t move for a long time.

Luo Yi’er came back to her senses, stirred the bowl with a spoon, scooped up a spoonful of fresh milk, and drank it.
She showed a gentle smile and turned to Linglong, instructing, “I heard the eldest miss is ill and hasn’t been receiving visitors daily as usual. Have the mansion’s physician pay more attention.”
Linglong smiled and replied, “Yes, this servant knows.”

Luo Yi’er glanced at her with a smile, held the ice bowl, and took a sip, her eyes showing a hint of cool amusement. She had no intention of giving up this immense wealth, even if it meant the female lead would have it.

She instantly pushed the female lead out of her mind.
In the inner court, one had to constantly scheme and struggle against others. Even though the female lead was reborn, knowing the ins and outs of the story made her less of a concern.

The Luoyun Pavilion was a three-story pavilion where the eldest miss, Luo Qian, and the fifth miss, Luo Ying, lived.
Luo Qian stayed on the second floor, and Luo Ying on the third.
Each floor had four rooms, and the first floor was where their maids and wet nurses lived.

In the room on the east side of the second floor of the Luoyun Pavilion, Luo Qian had been staying alone in her room since waking up and sending a maid to inform Madam Chu that she was ill and couldn’t pay her respects. She hadn’t bathed or dressed yet and was sitting on the bed in a white undergarment, hugging her knees.

Upon closer inspection, one could see that her body was trembling slightly.

After an unknown period of time, a suppressed voice filled with madness and hatred echoed in the silent room: “…I’ve come back…I’ve come back…Heaven has been kind to me! This life, I will make sure you pair of scoundrels live a life worse than death!”

Luo Qian stared fixedly at her pale fingers, finally convinced that she had returned to the age of fifteen. She hadn’t yet married Prince Wen Fang Jinyu, hadn’t been locked in the dark and desperate cold palace, and hadn’t met her tragic end.

“Knock knock—Miss, the mansion’s physician has arrived.”

Luo Qian’s body stiffened, and she immediately guessed that the doctor must have been called by her third sister, Luo Yi’er, who was always showing off her kindness. Thinking of Luo Yi’er, Luo Qian clenched her fists tightly, her eyes filled with hatred.

The person outside waited for a long time and knocked on the door again, asking uncertainly, “Miss?”

After a while, a voice came from inside the room, “Come in.”

Qingling covered up the suspicion in her eyes, pushed open the door, and invited the doctor into the room. When she saw Luo Qian lying on the bed, she paused for a moment, then walked up to her without showing any expression, helped her sit up, and said respectfully, “Miss, the physician is here.”

Luo Qian looked at the approaching physician, extended her wrist, and said with lowered eyebrows, “Thank you for your trouble.”

“You’re too kind, Eldest Miss,” the physician hastily shook his head. Even though the Eldest Miss was no longer favored, she was still the master of the Marquis’s mansion.

While the physician took her pulse, Qingling stood aside, discreetly observing her master. She narrowed her eyes slightly, feeling that the Eldest Miss seemed like a different person, even though it was still the same person. There was an indescribable feeling.
Despite her thoughts, her face showed concern and worry.

Soon, the physician stood up, and Qingling stepped forward, asking, “How is my miss?”

“The Eldest Miss has been worried lately. I’ll prescribe some medicine, and she’ll be fine after taking it for a while.”

Qingling breathed a sigh of relief and finally showed a smile on her face. “I’ll see you out.”

Throughout the process, Luo Qian just watched Qingling’s actions with a cold gaze, saying nothing. When Qingling returned, seeing her full of worry and concern, Luo Qian bit the tip of her tongue, feeling the pain, which helped her maintain her composure.

“I’m fine, you can go now.”

Qingling was slightly taken aback, and when she came back to her senses, her eyes were filled with confusion and grievance as she looked at Luo Qian. Seeing that Luo Qian had her eyes closed and looked tired, Qingling quickly furrowed her brow and lowered her head, saying, “Then this servant will retreat first. If Miss needs anything, just call.”

Qingling stood at the door, thinking for a long time. She then called a maid and told her to take the prescription to fetch the medicine and prepare it.

Inside the room, Luo Qian tightly grasped the corner of the embroidered pillow, and two clear tears fell from her tightly closed eyes. She repeatedly whispered the name “Qingling” in her heart. Qingling was her most trusted maid, whom she regarded as a sister.
However, in her previous life, Qingling was the final straw that broke her.

In her previous life, she married Prince Wen Fang Jinyu and eventually became the Empress, the highest-ranking woman in the country. However, she never had a child, which displeased the courtiers.
What could she do?
Her husband, Prince Wen, never touched her, so how could she have a child?

Even so, she had saved Prince Wen twice.
Because of her meritorious deeds, no one dared to speak out against her being the Empress. That was until the day she rested in the palace and, in a drowsy state, found a man sleeping on the same bed as her.
She was awakened by the man’s pleas.

It was Prince Wen, who had become the Emperor, standing on the steps and looking at her coldly. Meanwhile, her most trusted Qingling was the one who ultimately accused her of having an affair with that man, becoming a key witness to her impurity.

Later, as she was about to die, she learned that her positions as Princess Comsort and Empress were all just waiting for one person – the wife of Prince Jing, her good sister, Luo Yi’er.

Just as Luo Qian’s thoughts were in disarray, the door was knocked on again, and Qingling’s respectful voice came through, “Miss, the medicine is ready.”

Luo Qian’s eyes instantly regained clarity, and she spoke coldly, “Come in.”
Luo Qian didn’t show any abnormality again and remained as quiet as usual. Qingling walked in with a bowl of medicine, didn’t observe her too much, and carefully helped Luo Qian drink the medicine. After Luo Qian lay down again, Qingling left with the empty bowl.

The night was dark, and in the Yunxia Courtyard, two red lanterns were hung, with soft lights lit inside. In the room, the candlelight shone through the lampshade, casting a warm glow. Luo Yi’er sat on the couch, wearing a cloak, with one hand supporting her chin as she looked at the chessboard in front of her.

Linglong whispered beside her, “…Qingling was also driven out…”

Luo Yi’er raised her hand to interrupt Linglong’s words. Linglong looked up in confusion and saw Luo Yi’er pointing carelessly at a black chess piece on the board. Luo Yi’er spoke softly, “Look, this piece is useless.”

Linglong felt a chill run down her spine and stood still with her head lowered.

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