The Eldest Princess Started Pretending After Her Rebirth

Di Lanyue, the Princess Royal of Shouning and eldest daughter of the late Emperor and Noble Consort Hui, awakens to discover she has returned ten years into the past. In her previous life, she trusted her adoptive brother, Emperor Linchuan, and his mother, Empress Dowager Xu, implicitly. She supported Linchuan’s ascension to the throne with the military backing of her maternal uncle, General Su Yongsheng. However, Empress Dowager Xu, driven by jealousy over the late Emperor’s favor for Di Lanyue’s mother, had secretly poisoned Noble Consort Hui with Cold Phosphorus Powder. Once Linchuan secured the throne, Xu framed the Su family for rebellion, leading to their execution. Di Lanyue was then betrayed by Linchuan himself, who forced her to drink poisoned wine. Before dying, Xu revealed the truth about her mother’s murder. Reborn, Di Lanyue resolves to save the Su family, survive, and exact revenge on those responsible.

Knowing that in two months she will be sent to the borderlands under the guise of disaster relief—a move orchestrated by Xu to remove her from the capital—Di Lanyue decides her immediate priority is to secure a marriage that will prevent this exile. She targets Xie Zhixun, the Imperial Tutor and secret Master of the Thousand Mechanism Pavilion, an organization of imperial spies loyal only to the Token Holder. Marrying him would bind the Su family to his intelligence network, providing protection against Xu and Linchuan. To achieve this, Di Lanyue radically alters her public persona. The once bold and martial princess now presents herself as timid, frail, and delicate, spreading rumors that a fall into water has broken her spirit. This calculated change disarms her enemies and makes her seem less threatening to the court.

At a social gathering at Lotus Pond Manor, Di Lanyue executes a scheme to force interaction with Xie Zhixun. She provokes Liu Ling’er, a niece of the Empress Dowager and future antagonist, causing the noblewoman to be publicly accused of pushing her into the lake. When Di Lanyue feigns drowning, Xie Zhixun, despite his initial reluctance, rescues her. The incident spreads rumors of a connection between them. Di Lanyue then systematically pursues Xie Zhixun, visiting his residence, sharing meals, and creating situations that force him to spend time with her. Xie Zhixun, initially cold and distant, finds his composure increasingly disrupted by her persistent and unpredictable advances. He attempts to scare her away by taking her to a grim prison and interrogating a vicious criminal, but Di Lanyue remains unfazed, revealing her true resilience and military background beneath her fragile act.

As Di Lanyue continues her pursuit, she employs strategies learned from Liu Qingyu, a courtesan and information broker, to win Xie Zhixun’s affection. She uses a musician named Changqing as a tool to provoke jealousy in Xie Zhixun. When Xie Zhixun witnesses Di Lanyue’s warm interaction with Changqing and her acceptance of the musician’s gift, he experiences uncharacteristic anger and distress, shattering wine cups in his hand. This reaction confirms to his friend, Vice Minister Song Yi, that Xie Zhixun is developing feelings for her, despite his protests. Meanwhile, Empress Dowager Xu grows suspicious of Di Lanyue’s changed behavior but is thwarted by the princess’s new, submissive demeanor. Xu attempts to steer Di Lanyue toward the Heir Apparent of Yubei, but Di Lanyue’s engagement to Xie Zhixun begins to take shape, complicating Xu’s plans. The story follows Di Lanyue’s intricate maneuvering through court politics as she works to alter her fate while navigating the growing, complicated bond with Xie Zhixun.