Li Zhiyue, a modern civil servant and librarian, transmigrates into the body of the eldest daughter of the Xiangyang Marquis household. She awakens in an opulent bedchamber, flooded with memories of the original owner, a frivolous and spendthrift young lady known throughout the capital for her wastefulness. Li Zhiyue quickly assesses her dire situation: the Marquis family is on the brink of ruin. Her grandfather is a hedonistic old man, her father is incompetent, and her brother is a gambler. The family’s ancestral wealth is being squandered, and according to the novel she once read, the family will be exiled within two years due to a fabricated treason charge. The original Li Zhiyue died of hardship during the exile, but Li Zhiyue resolves to change her fate by stabilizing the family’s finances and averting the impending disaster.
Her first challenge is the scheming Widow Zhen, who had been cared for by the Marquis family after her husband died saving the old Marquis. Widow Zhen harbors ambitions to become a concubine and uses her daughter, Lu Jingxue, as a pawn to climb the social ladder. When Widow Zhen attempts to seduce Li Zhiyue’s father, Li Zhiyue intervenes. She cleverly points out that the hairpin Widow Zhen is wearing was a gift from the Marquis and violates sumptuary laws, forcing her mother, Lady Bai Ruzhu, to demand the return of all improper gifts. This decisive action thwarts Widow Zhen’s immediate plans and establishes Li Zhiyue’s competence within the household.
Li Zhiyue then takes over the management of the family estate. She discovers that the household accounts are riddled with corruption, with stewards embezzling funds for years. By confronting the managers with precise calculations, she forces them to return over two thousand taels of silver. She also implements strict cost-cutting measures, reducing the excessive use of ice and other luxuries. To generate new income, she decides to introduce bubble milk tea, a beverage from her modern life. She experiments with recipes, using glutinous rice pearls and goat milk, and successfully creates a product that delights her family. She plans to reopen the family’s failing teahouse to sell this new drink, aiming to create a sustainable revenue stream.
Her efforts are tested when her brother, Li Muyu, loses a significant amount of money at a gambling hall. Li Zhiyue intervenes, using her knowledge of rigged dice games to win back his losses and confiscate his collection of erotic paintings. She bets that he will pass the upcoming imperial exams, using the threat of burning his precious artworks to motivate him to study. Simultaneously, she deals with Xue Ling, a scholar who had previously exploited the original Li Zhiyue for money and affection. Li Zhiyue lures him to his residence under the pretense of viewing a portrait, only to burn his incriminating love letters in front of him. This encounter draws the attention of Cheng Changyan, the young and formidable Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, who is investigating a series of crimes in the area.
At a banquet hosted by the Grand Princess, Li Zhiyue introduces her black pearl milk tea. The drink becomes an instant sensation among the nobility, earning her a jade ruyi from the Grand Princess and providing valuable publicity for her teahouse. During the event, she witnesses Jiang Yan, her former friend, attempting to stage a dramatic fall into the lake to capture Cheng Changyan’s attention. Li Zhiyue recognizes the scheme and observes as Cheng Changyan coldly refuses to intervene, leading to Jiang Yan’s humiliation. The incident highlights the shifting dynamics of the capital’s social circle and Li Zhiyue’s growing awareness that the plot of the novel is diverging from its original trajectory. She realizes that her actions have altered the course of events, potentially affecting the fate of characters like Lu Jingxue and the ultimate downfall of her family.
As Li Zhiyue continues to manage the household, she faces the dual challenges of curbing her family’s extravagance and navigating the complex political landscape of the capital. She maintains a careful balance between asserting her authority and preserving family harmony. Her relationship with Cheng Changyan becomes a point of interest, as he seems aware of her true nature and intentions. The story follows her strategic maneuvers to secure the family’s future, utilizing business acumen and social intelligence to counter the threats posed by internal decay and external schemers. The looming exile remains a shadow over the household, but Li Zhiyue’s proactive steps suggest a determined effort to rewrite the tragic ending foretold in the original narrative.
