The Princess Once Wished to Claim the Spring

Yuan Fuyu was the Grand Princess of Great Zhao, a military genius who secured the empire’s borders and held regency for the young emperor. Her husband, Xie Huaizhou, was a merchant’s son she elevated to power, yet he betrayed her by leading a memorial demanding she return authority to the Idle Prince. On the night of the coup, Xie Huaizhou feigned loyalty but allowed assassins to kill her. As she died, she worried about the empire’s future, not resigned to her fate. She awoke three years earlier in the body of Cui Siniang, a merchant’s daughter living in Taiqing County. Discovering she had traveled back in time, Yuan Fuyu used her knowledge of court politics to prevent a disastrous flood diversion that would have ruined Taiqing’s farmers. She maintained a low profile for three years, gathering intelligence and preparing for her return to the capital.

Yuan Fuyu learned that after her death, Xie Huaizhou had seized power, purged her loyalists, and married into noble families while her sister was confined. Realizing the window to change history was closing, she decided to return to the capital under the guise of a merchant seeking mining permits. She left her mother, Cheng Shi, behind, having realized the woman’s constant complaints were a performance rather than a genuine desire for help. Before departing, she ensured her mother was protected by loyal servants and provided with resources to escape the abusive Cui family if necessary. Her half-siblings, Cui Wuniang and Cui Liulang, attempted to stop her from going to the capital, fearing her father would sell her into marriage, but she refused their help, confident in her ability to navigate the political landscape.

Upon arriving in the capital, Yuan Fuyu tracked down He Yichen, her former trusted aide who had fallen into despair and alcoholism after her death. She presented him with a handwritten letter that only he would recognize as authentic, rekindling his loyalty and purpose. She tasked him with arranging a secret meeting with Pei Du, the commander of her former shadow guards, who had apparently betrayed her by serving Xie Huaizhou. Yuan Fuyu suspected Pei Du’s betrayal might be a facade, as he continued to secretly search for a medical successor behind Xie Huaizhou’s back. She planned to confront him directly to uncover the truth about the night of her murder.

Yuan Fuyu’s return did not go unnoticed. She was followed by agents of the current regime, forcing her to operate in the shadows. She met with He Yichen and Qiancheng, a commander of the Golden Wu Guards, at a private establishment. There, she revealed her intent to hire assassins from the Qianjin Pavilion to kill members of the Mystic Eagle Guards, demonstrating her willingness to use violence to dismantle Xie Huaizhou’s power structure. The meeting highlighted the complex web of alliances and enmities she had to navigate. She faced opposition from scholars who looked down on merchants, reminding her of Xie Huaizhou’s own humble origins and his current hypocrisy. Yuan Fuyu remained cold and calculating, using her knowledge of past events to manipulate current political dynamics.

The story follows Yuan Fuyu as she rebuilds her network of influence from scratch. She must outmaneuver Xie Huaizhou, who now holds the position of Minister of Personnel and Emperor’s Tutor, and Pei Du, whose true loyalties remain unclear. The central conflict revolves around her quest for vengeance and her determination to protect the empire from the corruption she allowed to fester in her previous life. By leveraging her intelligence network and military expertise, she aims to expose the truth behind her death and restore justice, all while operating under the disguise of a merchant’s daughter in a society that underestimates her.