The distance between Mount Lingxiu and the capital was not particularly great by carriage.
Unfortunately, Qin Man was completely unfamiliar with this world.
Relying solely on her own two feet, it took her an entire day to descend the mountain and finally reach the bustling streets of the capital.
It was the third month of the lunar calendar, the height of spring.
Flowers bloomed in abundance, willow branches swayed gently in the breeze, and the streets of the Nantang Kingdom were filled with life and prosperity.
The original Qin Muxi had been sent away from the capital when she was still very young. As a result, her memories of the city were vague and fragmented.
Qin Man spent quite some time asking passersby for information before she finally gained a basic understanding of the current state of affairs.
The world was divided into three kingdoms.
The Nantang Kingdom.
The Baiyun Kingdom.
And the Yayao Kingdom.
The three nations had maintained peace for many years. Without the burden of war, each ruler focused on governing their people well, resulting in a prosperous and stable era.
The Emperor of Nantang, Mo Langjing, had one empress and numerous imperial consorts.
He had three adult princes, a younger prince who was around ten years old, and several princesses.
Within the imperial court, the most influential officials were the Left and Right Prime Ministers.
Meanwhile, Qin Hongli, Qin Muxi’s father, held the position of Minister of Rites.
Qin Man also made inquiries about the situation within the Qin Manor.
She soon learned that ever since the official wife had fallen into deep despair over her daughter’s exile to the countryside, she had gradually withdrawn from managing household affairs.
As a result, all power within the manor had fallen into the hands of the Second Concubine.
The Second Concubine had two daughters.
The second daughter, Qin Muyao, was talented, refined, and already becoming known as a beauty.
The third daughter, Qin Muchu, was impulsive and spoiled.
After asking for directions, Qin Man discovered that the Minister’s Manor was not far away.
However, she wasn’t in any hurry.
She had always hated entering a battle without preparation.
As crowds surged through the busy streets, she quietly slipped into a secluded alley and entered her dimensional space to rest.
The moment she stepped inside, a cheerful voice suddenly echoed through the air.
“Welcome back, Master!”
Qin Man immediately looked around.
There was nobody there.
“Who are you? Why are you inside my dimension?”
“I am your dimensional assistant, Xiaobei! You can’t see me because I’m invisible.”
Qin Man raised an eyebrow.
“Hello, Xiaobei. Since you’re here, can you tell me why I transmigrated to this world? And how can I return to the modern era?”
“Your transmigration is the result of a destined connection with this time period. As for returning…”
Xiaobei paused.
Qin Man narrowed her eyes.
“You’re not actually telling me anything. Don’t tell me you don’t know either?”
She deliberately used reverse psychology.
Sure enough, Xiaobei immediately became anxious.
“Master, of course I know! But heavenly secrets cannot be revealed. If I disclose them, I will disappear completely.”
After a brief pause, Xiaobei continued.
“However, I can tell you one thing. What brought you here will also send you back. The person who tied the knot must be the one to untie it. That is the most I am allowed to say.”
Qin Man sighed.
It seemed the little assistant had his own restrictions.
Since she couldn’t obtain any more information, she stopped pressing the matter.
Closing her eyes, she quietly reviewed everything that had happened over the past few days.
She had been missing for two entire days.
Logically speaking, the Qin family should have caused quite a commotion searching for her.
Yet she hadn’t heard a single rumor about anyone looking for the missing Eldest Miss.
More importantly, why had they suddenly decided to bring Qin Muxi back in the first place?
Qin Man refused to believe that her useless father and that scheming concubine had suddenly developed genuine affection for her.
There had to be another motive.
After resting for a while, she began organizing the contents of her dimension.
Although the space wasn’t particularly large, it contained everything she could possibly need.
To her surprise, she discovered that all the modern currency she had stored inside had transformed into silver banknotes and gold from this era.
Taking several silver notes with her, she left the space and purchased a few sets of clothing.
She also made another remarkable discovery.
The supplies inside the dimension automatically replenished themselves.
The medicine she had used the previous day had already been restored.
This discovery delighted her.
In a strange and unfamiliar world, having an endless supply of resources was undoubtedly a powerful source of security.
Early the following morning, Qin Man changed into a fresh sky-blue dress.
Her black hair was neatly pinned up with a jade hairpin.
Although her clothing was simple, her bearing was graceful and elegant.
If one ignored the scar on her face, she was unquestionably a stunning beauty.
Before long, she arrived at the gates of the Minister’s Manor.
The estate was grand and imposing.
Above the entrance hung a magnificent plaque bearing the words:
Minister Qin’s Manor.
At this hour, however, the manor seemed unusually quiet.
Could it be that the servants who had accompanied Qin Muxi still hadn’t returned?
Meanwhile, inside the dining hall, the Qin family was having breakfast.
A servant suddenly rushed in.
“Master! Madam! Second Madam! A young lady has arrived at the gates claiming to be the Eldest Miss!”
“Muxi has returned?”
The official wife’s eyes immediately lit up with excitement.
“Wonderful!”
For days, she had been anxiously waiting for news of her daughter’s return.
The Second Concubine frowned.
“The Eldest Miss is back? Then why haven’t Nanny Zhang and Xiaocui returned first?”
Though no longer young, she still possessed remarkable beauty.
However, suspicion was clearly written across her face.
“Bring her in.”
Qin Hongli’s expression remained calm.
Although he shared the same doubts, he wanted to see for himself whether the girl was truly Qin Muxi.
Led by a servant, Qin Man entered the manor.
She passed through courtyard after courtyard before finally arriving at the main hall.
At a glance, she identified everyone present.
The imposing middle-aged man seated in the seat of honor had to be Qin Hongli.
Beside him sat a pale, sickly-looking woman.
Her face showed signs of long-term grief and exhaustion.
That must be Qin Muxi’s biological mother, the official wife.
On the opposite side sat a glamorous woman with sharp phoenix eyes.
There was no doubt that she was the Second Concubine.
Qin Man stepped forward and curtsied.
“Greetings, Father. Greetings, Mother.”
“My daughter!”
The official wife immediately tried to rise from her seat.
“It is wonderful that you’ve returned.”
“Wait.”
Qin Hongli’s deep voice rang through the hall.
His sharp eyes fixed firmly on Qin Man.
“You claim to be Qin Muxi. What proof do you have?”
“Do you understand the consequences of impersonating the legitimate daughter of the Minister’s Manor?”
The Second Concubine immediately added,
“Exactly. Nanny Zhang and the others have yet to return. How did you arrive here by yourself?”
Qin Man remained perfectly composed.
So the servants still haven’t returned.
That makes things much easier.
She immediately put on a sorrowful expression.
“Father, Mother.”
Tears quickly welled in her eyes.
“When Nanny Zhang and the others arrived in the countryside, they told me that Father and Mother missed me dearly and wished for me to return home.”
“I was overjoyed.”
“I traveled day and night with them, hoping to reunite with my parents as quickly as possible.”
“After more than ten days on the road, we encountered bandits near Mount Lingxiu.”
“I was knocked unconscious during the chaos.”
“When I woke up, everyone was gone.”
At this point, several tears slid down her cheeks.
The official wife’s face instantly filled with concern.
Qin Hongli listened attentively.
Only the Second Concubine’s eyes flickered with unease.
“When I regained consciousness, I found myself alone in the wilderness.”
“I survived on wild fruits and mountain water.”
“The only thing that kept me going was the thought of seeing my parents again.”
“That was how I managed to walk all the way back to the capital.”
As she spoke, she lifted her veil.
The enormous scar on her face was immediately revealed.
Combined with her tear-streaked appearance, she looked pitiful beyond words.
“Ah!”
A frightened scream suddenly rang out.
The youngest girl present recoiled in terror.
“Third Sister.”
A beautiful young woman in yellow frowned slightly.
“This is our Eldest Sister. Do not be rude.”
This elegant young woman was Qin Muyao.
Qin Hongli stared at Qin Man’s face.
His expression became extremely complicated.
For a moment, he didn’t know what to say.
At that moment, the Second Concubine unexpectedly smiled.
Walking over, she gently supported Qin Man.
“The Eldest Miss has suffered greatly.”
“Now that you’ve returned home, you must take proper care of yourself.”
Qin Man inwardly sneered.
No woman would willingly ruin her own face to impersonate someone else.
With her scar serving as proof, no further verification was necessary.
Besides, seeing the Eldest Miss return looking so hideous, the Second Concubine was probably delighted.
“Father, Mother.”
Qin Man’s tears continued to fall.
“Your daughter missed you so much.”
The performance was flawless.
Qin Hongli rubbed his forehead.
“It is enough that you’ve returned.”
“Take the Eldest Miss to wash and change.”
“We can discuss everything else later.”
At that moment, the official wife stepped forward and embraced Qin Man.
The concern and heartache in her eyes were genuine.
Having arrived alone in this strange world, Qin Man had felt isolated and uneasy.
For the first time since her transmigration, she felt genuine warmth.
Her eyes unexpectedly reddened.
“Mother.”
She suddenly spoke.
“Will I be returning to Qingxin Courtyard, where I lived before?”
Although she addressed her mother, her gaze remained fixed on Qin Hongli.
Before anyone else could answer, the Second Concubine spoke.
“You’ve been away for many years.”
“Qingxin Courtyard is currently occupied by your Second Sister.”
“I’ve already arranged for you to stay in the Eastern Pavilion.”
Qin Man smiled faintly.
“Concubine, Qingxin Courtyard is where I grew up.”
“It is also closest to Mother’s residence.”
“Wouldn’t it be more appropriate for Second Sister to move into the Eastern Pavilion instead?”
Her voice was gentle.
Yet the authority behind her words startled everyone present.
Qin Muyao’s expression darkened slightly.
“Eldest Sister.”
“You’ve only just returned.”
“There are many matters within the manor that you may not understand.”
“Mother’s health has been poor for years.”
“All household affairs have been managed by my mother.”
“She personally arranged the Eastern Pavilion for you.”
“You shouldn’t reject her kindness.”
Her meaning was obvious.
She had no intention of giving up Qingxin Courtyard.
At the same time, she wanted Qin Man to understand who truly controlled the household.
Unfortunately for her, Qin Man immediately saw through her intentions.
“Second Sister is right.”
“Concubine has indeed worked very hard over these years.”
She paused briefly.
“However, now that I’ve returned and Mother’s health is improving, it seems only proper for household authority to be returned to Mother.”
“After all, she is the true mistress of this manor.”
“This would also allow Concubine to rest after all her years of hard work.”
Then she looked toward Qin Hongli and the official wife.
“Father, Mother, don’t you agree?”
The official wife had never lacked intelligence.
She had merely been too overwhelmed by grief to care about household matters.
Now that her daughter had returned, she immediately understood Qin Man’s intentions.
Turning toward her husband, she nodded.
“Master.”
“Muxi is right.”
“My health has improved considerably.”
“I can resume household duties.”
“The Second Madam has worked hard all these years. It is indeed time for her to rest.”
Qin Hongli had never been particularly interested in domestic affairs.
As long as they didn’t affect his official career, he couldn’t care less who managed the household.
The official wife’s suggestion seemed perfectly reasonable.
“Very well.”
His decision was immediate.
“Starting today, all household finances and administration shall return to the official wife.”
“Muxi, remain by your mother’s side and learn from her.”
Although Qin Hongli was disappointed by his eldest daughter’s appearance, her intelligence and composure reminded him somewhat of himself in his younger years.
As a result, he found himself viewing her more favorably.
“Master!”
The Second Concubine panicked.
“This concubine is not tired at all. I am willing to continue helping Elder Sister manage the household.”
“The matter is settled.”
Qin Hongli’s voice turned impatient.
“And one more thing.”
“Muxi will return to Qingxin Courtyard.”
“Muyao will move to the Eastern Pavilion.”
With that, he flicked his sleeves and strode out of the hall.
Silence followed.
Every woman present wore a different expression.
Qin Man, however, was thoroughly satisfied.
She had achieved exactly what she wanted.
Allowing the servants to escort her away for a bath and fresh clothes, she patiently waited for Qin Muyao to finish venting her anger and vacate Qingxin Courtyard.
Only after the servants thoroughly cleaned the residence did Qin Man officially move back into the courtyard where Qin Muxi had once lived.