Following My Mother’s Remarriage, I Became the Imperial Palace’s Darling After Rebirth

Meng Yunwan lived a tragic life in her previous existence, where she was the unfavored daughter of the Huainan Marquis Mansion. Despite possessing exceptional scholarly talent, she was forced to disguise herself as a man to take the imperial examinations on behalf of her three elder brothers. She secured first place in the Spring Imperial Examination, enabling her eldest brother to marry a princess, her second brother to enter a prestigious academy, and her third brother to place third in the exams. However, all honors belonged to them, while she remained unrecognized and bound by traditional virtues. Her legitimate younger sister, Meng Yu Tang, entered the palace with their mother and suffered a miserable married life due to her lack of education and poor etiquette. In a final act of revenge, Meng Yu Tang poisoned Meng Yunwan, only to be killed by her in return. Upon reopening her eyes, Meng Yunwan found herself reborn on the day her mother was summoned to the palace, with Meng Yu Tang also having returned to the past.

In this new life, Meng Yu Tang, remembering her past suffering, refused to enter the palace and insisted on staying at the Marquis Mansion. Meng Yunwan, seeing an opportunity to change her fate, volunteered to accompany their mother instead. The Meng family, particularly her brothers, viewed her with disdain, accusing her of being snobbish and ungrateful for seeking royal favor. They believed they would rise to prominence without her help and mocked her ambitions. Meng Yunwan remained silent, knowing that without her academic support, her brothers would fail. She departed with her mother, leaving behind a family that underestimated her capabilities and a past that she was determined to rewrite.

Upon entering the palace, Meng Yunwan faced immediate hostility from the Empress, who suspected her of scheming to climb the social ladder. Meng Yunwan deftly navigated the situation by claiming her true desire was to study in the Shangshufang, the imperial academy. Her genuine passion for learning, combined with her humble demeanor, won the Empress over. She was granted entry to the Shangshufang, where she encountered the Crown Prince, Ling Qianche, a reckless young man who challenged her to a bet. Meng Yunwan accepted, confident in her abilities. She also reconnected with Prince Yi, Ling Shuo, a man from her past life with whom she shared a deep, complicated history. Unlike before, he did not recognize her, but their interactions revealed lingering tensions and unspoken emotions.

At the Shangshufang, Meng Yunwan deliberately concealed her full potential during initial assessments to avoid suspicion, scoring just below Prince Yi. However, during a formal examination, she achieved first place, while the Crown Prince placed last. When the Crown Prince accused her of cheating, Meng Yunwan publicly challenged his eldest brother, Meng Ruan, to a literary competition at her Returning Pearl banquet. She decisively defeated him, proving her innocence and establishing her reputation as a talented scholar. The Empress Dowager and the Empress both showed her favor, bestowing gifts and protection. The Meng family, invited to the banquet, attempted to humiliate her but were instead shamed by their own failure. The Crown Prince, impressed by her wit, became her protector, while Prince Yi watched her with growing interest and suspicion.

After the banquet, Meng Yunwan returned to the Huainan Marquis Mansion, where her family treated her with cold neglect. They had converted her former bedroom into a music room for Meng Yu Tang and offered her only a storage room in return. The Crown Prince and Prince Yi accompanied her, witnessing the disrespect firsthand. The Crown Prince angrily confronted the family, while Prince Yi fell ill from the cold after waiting outside. The Marquis of Huainan, facing political repercussions for offending the princes, punished his children. Meng Yu Tang, still clinging to her past-life grievances, remained jealous and suspicious of Meng Yunwan’s sudden success, unaware that her sister had also been reborn and was now forging a path of power and independence that would leave the old family dynamics in ruins.