Yun Zi’rao lay groggily on the bed, feeling as if every inch of her body ached.
She couldn’t tell where she was. The only thing she remembered was the sudden explosion before her death…
Bang!
The door was kicked open.
An angry voice swept into the room like a storm.
A powerful hand yanked Yun Zi’rao off the bed, rough and furious.
“Yun Zi’rao! After three years in the Laundry Bureau, haven’t you learned your lesson? Jun’er has been worried sick about you every day—unable to eat, unable to sleep. She waited and waited for you to come home, and this is how you repay her?”
Dragged violently from the bed, Yun Zi’rao hit the ground hard. The impact aggravated her injuries, sending waves of pain throughout her body.
Her muddled mind was filled with confusion.
Jun’er?
Laundry Bureau?
What were those?
“Get up! Stop playing dead!”
The man hauled her up from the floor, his voice cold with rage.
“Jun’er kindly brought you food, and not only were you ungrateful, you even pushed her into the lake! It’s autumn now! Were you trying to freeze her to death? You’re nothing but a vicious woman! How could the Yun family have such a malicious daughter?”
Unable to tolerate his rough treatment any longer, Yun Zi’rao finally opened her eyes.
Grabbing his wrist, she executed a clean shoulder throw.
“To hell with you! Shake me one more time and see what happens!”
Bang!
The man crashed heavily onto the floor. Stars exploded before his eyes, and his vision went black.
The room instantly fell silent.
Yun Zi’rao herself was weak and dizzy. Supporting herself with one hand against the bedpost and pressing the other to her forehead, she slowly looked around.
The room was decorated in an elegant ancient style, but it looked rather shabby.
Other than a bed and a dressing table by the window, there was only a washstand in one corner and an old wardrobe behind the bed.
Nothing else.
There was no one else in the room.
Only herself and the man who had stormed in to accuse her and was now sprawled on the floor.
Yun Zi’rao withdrew her gaze and looked down at what she was wearing.
A simple, thin set of ancient-style robes.
Judging by the clothing, she certainly wasn’t living in wealth and luxury.
Remembering the pain all over her body, she lifted her sleeve.
The next moment, she frowned deeply.
Her pale, slender arm was covered in scars.
Whip marks.
Burn scars.
Old wounds.
Fresh wounds.
Red and swollen bruises layered over purple welts.
The sight was horrifying.
No wonder her entire body hurt.
She had clearly been subjected to long-term abuse and torture.
Yun Zi’rao fell silent.
At that moment, a flood of memories that did not belong to her began pouring into her mind.
The original owner of this body was also named Yun Zi’rao.
She had been the legitimate daughter of Prime Minister Yun’s family and had been doted on since childhood, enjoying fourteen years of wealth and privilege—a complete contrast to her current miserable state.
Her father was the Prime Minister, second only to the emperor in authority.
Among the noble young ladies of the capital, she had always been the center of attention, which naturally made her somewhat spoiled and willful.
But Yun Zi’rao was not evil by nature.
In fact, she possessed a kindness that was almost out of place.
Her fiancé was the Crown Prince, Mo Jinglin.
Had fate proceeded normally, she would have spent her life above others. Once the Crown Prince ascended the throne, she would become Empress, the most honored woman in the empire.
But three years ago, the Prime Minister suddenly found another daughter.
He claimed she was the true daughter of the Yun family.
From that moment on, Yun Zi’rao’s fate changed completely.
Yun Zijun became the family’s biological daughter.
And overnight, Yun Zi’rao went from being the true heiress to an adopted daughter who had spent years occupying someone else’s place and enjoying wealth that was never meant for her.
After Yun Zijun was brought back to the Prime Minister’s residence, the family lavished her with endless affection and compensation.
All the love that had once belonged to Yun Zi’rao was transferred to Yun Zijun.
Yun Zi’rao’s life fell from heaven into hell.
Her parents’ love shifted to Yun Zijun.
Every act of kindness, every attempt to make up for the years of separation, was directed toward Yun Zijun.
Her older brother’s protection also became Yun Zijun’s.
His attitude toward Yun Zi’rao changed from indifference to outright dislike.
Because Yun Zijun knew how to act.
She knew how to appear weak.
And tears came to her whenever she wanted.
Whenever Yun Zijun cried, Yun Zi’rao would somehow end up bearing a fabricated accusation.
The Yun family always assumed Yun Zi’rao had bullied her.
As a result, they would compensate Yun Zijun even more and repeatedly demand that Yun Zi’rao give way.
Even Mo Jinglin’s attitude gradually changed.
At first he had been tolerant.
Then he became impatient.
“Zi’rao, why are you always competing with Jun’er for affection?”
“She’s suffered so much outside. Can’t you be a little more understanding?”
“If you and Jun’er hadn’t been switched at birth, the one who would have suffered all these years would have been you. Why can’t you show a little compassion?”
“I truly misjudged you.”
Yun Zi’rao was wronged.
Doubted.
Scolded.
The grievances and resentment in her heart accumulated until she could bear them no longer.
Finally, she confronted Yun Zijun.
“I’ve given in to you at every turn! I’ve never fought with you for anyone’s affection! Why do you keep harming me? Can you stop acting like the victim all the time? I’ve had enough of this!”
But because she spoke too loudly, Yun Zijun was “frightened” into fainting on the spot.
The incident enraged Mo Jinglin.
He felt Yun Zi’rao was unreasonable, spoiled, and utterly lacking in sympathy.
As punishment, he ordered her sent to the Laundry Bureau.
Even Yun Zijun’s pleas on her behalf couldn’t change his decision.
For three years, Yun Zi’rao endured relentless suffering there.
Yun Zijun secretly bribed the matrons of the Laundry Bureau.
They increased Yun Zi’rao’s workload, beat and punished her at every opportunity, and left her covered in wounds.
At night she slept on icy wooden boards.
During the day she ate cold, spoiled food.
She believed that if she endured long enough, her parents would eventually soften toward her.
Her brother would realize his misunderstanding.
Mo Jinglin would finally see Yun Zijun’s true face.
But none of that happened.
After her three-year sentence ended, she returned home.
Seeing how pale and haggard she had become, her mother felt a brief moment of guilt and ordered a lavish meal prepared for her.
Yun Zi’rao was exhausted.
In pain.
Starving.
Too weak to speak.
After eating, all she wanted was a good night’s sleep.
She hadn’t slept peacefully in three years.
But Yun Zijun still refused to leave her alone.
Seeing her mother show even the slightest bit of sympathy toward Yun Zi’rao, jealousy welled up inside her.
She deliberately jumped into the water herself, soaked her clothes, then appeared before her older brother with a pale face and tear-filled eyes.
Yun Zexuan was both distressed and furious.
He asked what had happened.
She said nothing.
She simply cried.
And cried.
Then choked out that her sister “didn’t mean it.”
The maid beside her immediately spoke up, adding fuel to the fire.
She claimed that the eldest miss had pushed Yun Zijun into the river.
Just like that, another baseless accusation landed on Yun Zi’rao’s head.
Furious, Yun Zexuan stormed over to demand an explanation.
Without asking what really happened, he resorted to violence, completely ignoring Yun Zi’rao’s weakened and injured condition.
Just as he had moments ago—
Dragging her frail body directly from the bed.
Yun Zi’rao frowned.
Why did this plot feel so familiar?
It sounded exactly like the novel she had once read:
“After the Mistaken Identity Was Revealed, My Whole Family Knelt Begging for Forgiveness.”
Had she transmigrated into the book?
Into the novel’s heroine, Yun Zi’rao?
“Yun Zi’rao…”
A gritted, hateful voice came from the floor.
“Damn you… How dare you hit me?”