Di Daughter of a Prestigious Family

Li Shu, the daughter of Minister Liu of the Ministry of Justice, endured a tragic life after being sold into slavery by her treacherous husband, Yu Maozhong. After surviving the harsh customs of the Wusun Kingdom and rising to become its Empress Dowager, she returned to the capital for a joint trial concerning Yu Maozhong’s corruption and embezzlement. There, she revealed her true identity, exposing Yu Maozhong’s crime of selling her on their wedding night eighteen years prior. The trial concluded with Yu Maozhong’s execution, but Li Shu remained detached, having long considered the former Li Shu dead. Her father, Minister Liu, was left in despair upon realizing his negligence had led to his daughter’s suffering.

Li Shu awoke to find herself reborn thirty years into the past, back to when she was five years old and living in Ninejiang Prefecture with her father, Liu Chengxu, and her mother, Xiao Fu Shi. In this previous life, Xiao Fu Shi had been a marginalized second wife, treated with indifference by her husband after the return of his presumed-dead first wife, Fu Shi. Li Shu, retaining the memories and wisdom of an Empress Dowager, resolved to protect her mother and alter their fate. She witnessed the subtle cruelties of household politics, where ice rations and resources were withheld from her mother and herself to assert dominance.

Understanding that passivity would only lead to further suffering, Li Shu encouraged her mother to break from her secluded life. Xiao Fu Shi, initially hesitant due to her humble origins as a concubine’s daughter and her fear of social judgment, began to assert herself. She utilized her talent for making fragrant powders and her skill in painting to gain her husband’s attention. Li Shu strategically suggested that her mother use her artistic abilities to help Liu Chengxu solve a series of burglaries by drawing lifelike portraits of the suspects based on witness descriptions.

The plan succeeded. Liu Chengxu was impressed by Xiao Fu Shi’s talent and the effectiveness of the portraits, which led to the capture of the criminal ring. This achievement marked a turning point, restoring Xiao Fu Shi’s favor and status within the household. Liu Chengxu began to spend nights with her, and she soon became pregnant. However, the family’s joy was short-lived. Liu Chengxu’s eldest son, Liu Shuzhao, born to Fu Shi, died suddenly under suspicious circumstances, leading to whispers and accusations that Xiao Fu Shi was responsible for the child’s death to secure her position.

Despite the tragedy, Xiao Fu Shi remained composed, understanding the political realities of their environment. Li Shu observed the shifting dynamics with her mother’s new influence, noting the jealousy and anxiety of other concubines like Concubine Su and Concubine Ding. The narrative follows Li Shu’s efforts to navigate this treacherous domestic landscape, using her future knowledge to safeguard her mother and ensure that the family does not repeat the mistakes of the past. The story highlights the intricate power struggles within a traditional Chinese official’s household, where a woman’s survival depended on her husband’s favor and her ability to manage internal rivals.

As Xiao Fu Shi’s status rose, so did the tensions with Fu Shi, who felt threatened by her younger sister’s resurgence. Li Shu continued to guide her mother, teaching her to be strategic rather than merely reactive. The rebirth offered a chance to correct the regrets of the previous life, where Xiao Fu Shi had died in obscurity and Li Shu had been forced into a disastrous marriage. Now, with her mother’s strength and her own foresight, Li Shu aimed to build a secure future for her family, avoiding the pitfalls that had destroyed them before. The story sets the stage for a complex drama of familial loyalty, political intrigue, and personal growth within the confines of a patriarchal society.