Ye Qingzhi, a modern corporate worker, transmigrates into the body of a noble concubine in the Jiangyang Marquisate just two days after the original owner was pushed into a lake. Rather than engaging in the deadly harem struggles typical of her station, she adopts a pragmatic, employee-like mindset. She views her role as a high-paying job with excellent benefits, deciding to avoid internal strife and simply do her duties to survive. Her motto becomes one of self-preservation and refusing to be wronged, choosing instead to throw tantrums and demand better treatment when provoked.
Her first night with the Marquis, Xie Jin, is intense, leaving her physically exhausted and feverish. When the main wife, Zhang Jingyi, summons the concubines for morning greetings, Ye Qingzhi stays in bed, claiming she is critically injured. Her maid, Ru Yi, creates a dramatic scene, leading to the estate physician being called. Xie Jin returns from a secret mission to retrieve a missing jade pendant and finds Ye Qingzhi feigning weakness. He discovers that Yao Yinyin, another concubine who had previously pushed Ye Qingzhi into the lake, had also come to torment her. Xie Jin, already aware of Yao Yinyin’s past actions, orders her to be thrown into the pond as punishment. Ye Qingzhi cleverly uses the situation to secure her safety and gain Xie Jin’s protection, requesting that Yao Yinyin be punished in kind.
Xie Jin, who holds the powerful position of Commander of the Imperial Guards, places Ye Qingzhi under house arrest before departing for a long official investigation in Xuzhou. He orders that she not leave her courtyard and ensures she receives medical care, revealing a growing, albeit possessive, interest in her. Meanwhile, Yao Yinyin, furious and heartbroken, attempts to ruin Ye Qingzhi’s reputation by spreading rumors that she is a fox enchantress. However, the main wife, Zhang Jingyi, investigates and traces the rumors to a lower-ranking concubine, Concubine Sun, who is subsequently placed under house arrest. Zhang Jingyi, impressed by Ye Qingzhi’s respectful gestures and lack of direct confrontation, decides to protect her, granting her requests for household improvements and shielding her from further harassment.
Ye Qingzhi continues to navigate her new life by focusing on comfort and avoiding conflict. She spends her dowry silver to improve her living conditions, commissioning shade canopies, ice supplies, and playground equipment for the Marquis’s children, which endears her to Zhang Jingyi. She also establishes clear boundaries with her staff, demanding loyalty and warning against espionage. Despite the dangerous environment, she remains focused on her goal of survival, refusing to take risks that could endanger her life or lead to pregnancy. The story follows her strategic avoidance of harem politics while maintaining her favor with Xie Jin, who returns periodically and grows more attached to her unique personality and lack of pretense.
