Killing in the Palm: The Marquis's Di Daughter is Beautiful and Ruthless

Xu Rusheng was the Empress of Da Qi, raised with dignity by her aunt, Empress Wen, and betrothed to the Emperor, Zhou Heng. Her life shattered when Zhou Heng, having never loved her, conspired with his mother, Princess Chunyi, to depose her. Zhou Songyi, Princess Chunyi’s daughter, revealed herself as the true eldest daughter of the Xu family, claiming Xu Rusheng had stolen her place. The truth emerged that Princess Chunyi had murdered Xu Rusheng’s mother to secure her own position, and Zhou Heng admitted to poisoning Empress Wen over years. In a final act of defiance, Xu Rusheng stabbed Zhou Heng to death, set fire to the palace hall, and chose death over submission.

Upon dying, Xu Rusheng awakened ten years in the past, back to the year of her mother’s death. She found herself in the Linjiang Marquis Manor, where she was treated as an outsider by her father, the Marquis, and her grandmother, Old Madam Xu. Her mother, Wen Li, was away in Qujiang, and her maternal grandfather had died prematurely, disrupting the timeline Xu Rusheng remembered. The household was rife with treachery; her maid Qinglian had betrayed her family in the previous life, and Concubine Wang, along with her daughter Xu Ruzheng, actively sought to undermine Xu Rusheng’s status. Recognizing the immediate danger, Xu Rusheng asserted her authority, accusing Qinglian of theft and having her beaten to death, which shocked her family and demonstrated her resolve.

During this period, Xu Rusheng experienced a spiritual vision where a Taoist priest attempted to send her back to reincarnation for harboring murderous intent. She defiantly rejected the Heavenly Dao, arguing that it had failed her in her past life by allowing her mother and aunt to die unjustly. She broke free from the spiritual barrier, vowing to defy heaven itself to save her family and exact revenge. Upon returning to consciousness, she fell ill, prompting her second cousin, Xu Ru Li, to secretly summon a royal physician from the Imperial Hospital, bypassing her grandmother’s orders to isolate her.

The Empress Wen arrived at the manor, furious at the neglect and abuse her niece had suffered. She publicly humiliated Old Madam Xu and Concubine Wang, ordering them to kneel in the ancestral hall until Xu Rusheng recovered. The Empress then took Xu Rusheng into the palace to live in Fengyi Dian, placing her under direct protection. In the palace, Xu Rusheng reunited with her childhood friend, Zhou Xi, now a Grand Princess. She also encountered Zhou Songyi, who was currently living with Princess Chunyi. Xu Rusheng realized that Zhou Songyi’s claim to legitimacy was a lie and that she herself was the true daughter of the Xu family.

Xu Rusheng began to orchestrate a plan to expose the truth and reclaim her identity. She invited Zhou Songyi to visit, fostering a false sense of sisterhood while gathering evidence. Meanwhile, Princess Chunyi’s pregnancy began to show, and Xu Rusheng confirmed her suspicions through covert means. The Emperor, Zhou Heng’s predecessor in the previous timeline but currently a different figure, grew suspicious of the Princess’s behavior. Xu Rusheng’s presence in the palace allowed her to navigate the complex harem politics, countering the schemes of Consort Shu and Consort Yang while strengthening her bond with Empress Wen and Zhou Xi.

The narrative follows Xu Rusheng’s transformation from a victim of imperial intrigue to a strategic player determined to alter her fate. She uses her knowledge of future events to anticipate threats, such as the ambush on her mother’s return from Qujiang. By securing her position in the palace and exposing the crimes of Princess Chunyi and the Marquis, she aims to protect her mother and clear the Wen family’s name. The story highlights her ruthless efficiency in dealing with internal threats within the manor and her diplomatic maneuvering within the imperial court, setting the stage for a confrontation that will rewrite the history of the Da Qi empire.