At dusk, the setting sun slanted westward.
Before the most imposing three-courtyard blue-brick tiled house at the head of Great Willow Village, the sound of hoofbeats rang out. Before the carriage had even come to a complete stop, a pair of hands lifted the blue cloth curtain, and someone hurriedly jumped down.
“How is Yue Ge’er? Has his illness improved at all?”
Landlord Xu’s plump face was full of anxiety. He didn’t pause his steps as he asked, forcing the goateed steward beside him to stride vigorously to keep up, panting heavily.
Seeing the master so frantic, even though the steward had long known that the second young master was the sweet apple of the master’s eye, he still found it astonishing.
No wonder they say grandparents dote on their grandchildren. The second young master had caught a slight chill—something that would clear up with just one dose of medicine—yet look how anxious the master was.
Then again, that wasn’t entirely it. The eldest young master was the first grandson, and while the master was fond of him too, compared to the second young master, it was like heaven and earth.
After all, the second young master was from the main branch. No matter that the eldest young master was the first grandson, being from the second branch made him slightly inferior.
As the steward’s mind wandered through these messy thoughts, he continued answering:
“The weather turned cold yesterday, and the maids forgot to add an extra quilt for the second young master. He caught a chill, but the physician said it’s nothing serious. A couple of doses of medicine will set him right.”
Landlord Xu’s eyes narrowed sharply, his anger simmering, until he saw his darling grandson.
The child’s delicate, pinkish face was flushed with a peach-blossom hue. Lying there, his long, upturned lashes drooped listlessly, beautiful as a celestial youth.
In Landlord Xu’s eyes, his grandson looked utterly pitiful.
His heart melted into a puddle. Hurrying forward in distress, he nudged the maids aside with his hip and tucked Xu Yue’s quilt snugly:
“Have you taken the medicine? Do you feel any better? If it doesn’t seem effective, Grandpa will send someone to the county to fetch—”
A stream of concerned words poured out without pause, making the maids and matrons around them envious.
Xu Yue coughed pitifully twice, his face pressed against the brocade quilt as he weakly nodded:
“My throat doesn’t hurt as much now, but my head still feels dizzy.”
The celestial child’s watery eyes gazed softly at Landlord Xu, a hint of a sob in his voice:
“Grandpa, I’m sick. When I go to pay respects to my master in a couple of days, will he not like me? Will he reject me…”
No one in the room dared make a sound. They all understood there was more to this—the news that the master had found a jinshi to be the second young master’s teacher had already spread far and wide.
And just at this critical moment, the second young master had caught a chill. There was surely more to the story.
Seeing his beloved grandson’s anxious and confused expression, Landlord Xu’s fury burned hotter. Afraid of frightening Xu Yue, he restrained himself and gently coaxed his darling grandson for a long time, making several promises.
He promised a colorful paper pinwheel and jade bracelets, and only when Xu Yue finally fell asleep did Landlord Xu sweep a stern gaze across the room. The maids and matrons froze like cicadas in cold weather.
With a wave of his hand, everyone silently followed him out. The servants inwardly lamented—punishment was inevitable.
Sure enough:
A loud shout: “Slap your own faces! Don’t stop until I say so!”
Four or five maids and matrons struck their own cheeks with both hands, holding back none of their strength. After more than a dozen slaps, no one dared utter a sound.
In the Xu household, Landlord Xu was the supreme authority. No one could override him, especially since they had genuinely failed in their duty to care for the second young master.
“Stop.” Landlord Xu called out, his eyes scraping over the kneeling servants like knives:
“A bunch of ungrateful turtle spawns! Yue Ge’er is your master. Considering how well I’ve treated you daily out of regard for Yue Ge’er, I’ve indulged you to the point of rebellion—you don’t know your place, daring to bully your master!”
The maids and elderly servants tasted bitterness in their mouths. While the first and second branches of the family were locked in struggle, the second branch’s madam held control over the household. The first branch lacked a mistress, and despite their utmost vigilance, these servants had failed to prevent it.
One moment of negligence, and the second young master had fallen into their trap.
Exchanging glances, they felt bone-deep hatred toward the second branch.
Amid the commotion outside, the “sleeping” child inside opened their eyes—clear and calm—listening intently to the noise beyond.
“That was a clever move. After dealing with the servants, Landlord Xu will make the second branch pay dearly.”
Within the bed curtains, a glowing orb shimmered brightly. The system was thoroughly pleased with its host’s tactics.
“This will also teach those servants who take you lightly because of your youth a lesson.”
On the bed, Xu Yue coughed twice softly and murmured:
“Second Madam isn’t particularly clever and is rather impatient by nature. That wouldn’t be an issue normally, but the problem is she currently controls the inner household with both wealth and manpower.”
“I’m still too young. Though the servants attend to me, why would they take a child’s words seriously? She can strike whenever she wishes.”
“Like this time—with a scholar’s opportunity for mentorship plainly visible, Second Madam’s maternal instincts surged. Wouldn’t she wish for me to fall ill and die, eliminating competition for her son?”
She tenderly pressed her hand against her cheek, feeling the feverish heat subside slightly, and sneered:
“There’s no wisdom in guarding against thieves for a thousand days. If I don’t make them hurt this time, there will inevitably come a day when I can’t evade their schemes.”
“Moreover, you’re aware of the delicacy of my position. Landlord Xu holds immense hopes for me, but Hao Ge’er is also his grandson—his eldest grandson. How could he not make plans for Hao Ge’er?”
“The Xu family are merely landowners with limited resources. Every advantage taken from my rival benefits me—why wouldn’t I seize it?”
As she spoke, she glared at the system and sighed, pounding the bed:
“If only this body had been born male! Then I wouldn’t have to worry about so many restrictions.”
“This time, Second Madam will at most lose her authority over the household and be confined. Yet I suffered through this miserable cold—such a raw deal.”
“Look at you—a Famous Minister System, yet you had your host reincarnated as a female in ancient times! I’m pragmatic—I wouldn’t mind at all if you’d changed me from female to male!”
In ancient society, women faced hardships at every step—it was practically a hellish start. Especially since what system had she bound with?
The Famous Minister System!
If it were a Imperial Concubine System, Manor Struggle System, or Farming System, that would be one thing. But it had to be the Famous Minister System.
When she first understood her situation, Xu Yue nearly fainted on the spot.
Mentioning this, the system grew sheepish but still retorted defiantly:
“Didn’t I make up for it? The moment you were born, I sent a dream to Landlord Xu, making him believe you were the Reincarnated Star of Literature who accidentally took the wrong form.”
“You’re a natural born top scholar candidate, destined to elevate the Xu family’s status. After Landlord Xu believed it, didn’t he cover for you, changing you from granddaughter to grandson?”
“It hasn’t hindered anything.”
The system grew more self-assured as it continued:
“Besides, look how much Landlord Xu dotes on you since learning you’re the Reincarnated Star of Literature—denying you nothing… It’s far better than this body’s original fate would have been.”
The last half of the sentence grew fainter and fainter, like the buzzing of mosquitoes and flies.
Xu Yue sneered coldly. Indeed, she had caught up with the trend—she had transmigrated into a book— specifically into an Imperial Examination Novel titled The Imperial Examination of a Concubine-Born Son, Rising Step by Step.
The male lead was the son of a concubine in a prefect’s family, of lowly status yet exceptionally intelligent. In a society dominated by civil officials, he steadily elevated his position through the imperial examinations, slapping the faces of those who once looked down on him.
The story was packed with satisfying moments, and the character design was outstanding. Anyone who read it would exclaim how thrilling it was.
With such an outstanding male lead, of course, countless beauties admired him. Xu Yue’s original self was the most inconspicuous among them— not even comparable to the pretty maid who had served the male lead since childhood.
The original trajectory of the body was like this: born into a rural landlord’s family, she lost her mother shortly after birth, had no full siblings, and was not valued by her father.
After her father remarried when she was three, she was forced to rely on her aunt, who was a concubine in the Xu family. Living under someone else’s roof, she suffered endless bullying.
To put it bluntly, even the toilet paper she used was provided by the prefect’s household—who would look up to her?
Such a character actually set her sights on the promising male lead and even made it known. Without anyone else needing to intervene, her own aunt discreetly arranged a hasty marriage for the original self.
She gave birth to two children within a year, then died from postpartum hemorrhage.
Knowing that not fighting would lead to such an end, how could Xu Yue not fight? How could she not strive? And why should she not contend?