In the Underworld, two notorious troublemakers, Manjusaka and the Book of Life and Death, neglect their duties to gossip, prompting King Yama to force their reincarnation into the mortal realm. Manjusaka is reborn as Yun Hua, the twelve-year-old fourth daughter of Prime Minister Yun Xiaotian in the Donglin Kingdom, while the Book of Life and Death becomes a sentient entity bound to her mind. Upon waking, Yun Hua discovers she has been appointed as a female court historian, a position that requires her to attend court at dawn. Horrified by the early hours and the prospect of official duties, she attempts to evade the role by suggesting her mother remarry, but her schemes are thwarted by her family and the imperial decree.
Yun Hua enters the court with her unique ability to hear the inner voices of those who harbor no ill will toward her, a power granted by the Moonstone of the Netherworld stolen by the Book. Her first day at court is chaotic; she inadvertently exposes Vice Minister Zhou Chaoyong, a corrupt official who murdered his wives and kidnapped children, after the Book reveals his dark history. Although another minister, Chen Zhehan, claims credit for the exposure, Yun Hua’s inner monologue delights the Emperor and shocks the court. The Book also reveals that Zhou Chaoyong’s fate was altered from a natural death at ninety-nine to an early demise at forty, suggesting Yun Hua’s presence has disrupted the natural order.
As Yun Hua continues to attend court, she encounters Minister He Xing, who is secretly a spy for the rival Xisai Kingdom. The Book uncovers that He Xing is the illegitimate son of a Xisai general and has been siphoning national wealth through brothels and gambling dens to fund his homeland. Yun Hua, motivated by greed, plans to expose him and seize his hidden treasures for herself. However, Chen Zhehan once again intercepts her, publicly accusing He Xing of treason and leading to his arrest. Frustrated by Chen Zhehan’s interference, Yun Hua continues to dig up his personal secrets, including his fear of his wife and his anxiety over his pregnant concubine.
The story takes a turn when the Book detects that someone is attempting to swap Chen Zhehan’s unborn daughter with another child. Panicked, Chen Zhehan rushes home to protect his family. Meanwhile, Yun Hua’s father, Yun Xiaotian, struggles to manage his troublesome daughter while maintaining his position at court. The narrative highlights the comedic tension between Yun Hua’s desire for a carefree life and her unavoidable involvement in political intrigue, driven by her supernatural companions and her insatiable curiosity about the secrets of those around her.
