Chapter 1

The Imperial Palace is a very serious place.

This was a belief Anan held firmly, whether in her past life or her current one.

Therefore, even though Anan’s father was the current Prime Minister and her eldest sister was one of the four imperial concubines in the palace, and Anan herself was the daughter of the Prime Minister’s household, she never once had the thought of entering the palace. Whenever someone came from the palace, she would always steer clear and hide far away. So much so that even though Anan was fifteen, many people did not know that the Prime Minister’s family had a daughter whose nickname was Anan.

Oh, I forgot to mention: Anan was the youngest daughter of Prime Minister Lu, born to a concubine. In this feudal society where the distinction between legitimate and illegitimate children was strictly observed, one could imagine just how humble Anan’s status was.

Anan’s mother was a songstress in the Prime Minister’s manor. She didn’t even count as a concubine, but she was breathtakingly beautiful—if she hadn’t been, how could she have seduced Prime Minister Lu, causing him to lose control and "eat" her despite the Prime Minister’s manor being managed by the Madam like an iron bucket, eventually steaming a little bun named "Anan"?

However, Anan’s mother was lucky enough to soar to the heavens because of her pregnancy and was elevated to the status of a concubine. Going from a songstress to a concubine and shedding the status of a courtesan could be called a pie falling from the sky. Unfortunately, Anan’s mother didn’t get to enjoy much happiness; she died during childbirth while delivering Anan.

Anan was born in the morning, and Prime Minister Lu had already left for court. Only the Prime Minister’s Madam came to take a look. Anan’s mother had lost her life due to premature labor and complications, and Anan herself was born like a weak little kitten, her cries so faint it seemed she could stop breathing at any moment. The Madam felt pity and gave the child the nickname "Anan," so that she would never forget the grace of her birth mother who gave her life.

With the nickname Anan, what about her formal name?

When the Prime Minister returned to the manor and heard that his beautiful concubine had given birth to an illegitimate daughter before dying in labor, he sighed for a long while. At the request of the Madam, he absentmindedly and casually gave Anan a name.

Lu Shaoqi.

Anan was the seventh among the sisters in the clan, hence "Shaoqi."

Anan: =—= How simple and direct!

Although Anan was an illegitimate daughter, the Prime Minister’s Madam was a sensible woman and did not mistreat her. Her food, clothing, and daily expenses were kept to the standard of an ordinary family’s illegitimate daughter—not a cent more, not a cent less. It was very proper.

And Anan, following the etiquette of this society, lived quietly and obediently as an illegitimate daughter, striving to grow into adulthood.

Everyone who met Anan thought she was a girl with a very good temper—gentle, mild, and worry-free. She never argued with the decisions of her elders, unlike her brothers and sisters who were so rambunctious they constantly drove Prime Minister Lu to practice his "lion’s roar" every day.

Whenever Prime Minister Lu was driven to a roar by his brood of children, he would always pull Anan in front of him to "cleanse his eyes," sighing and lamenting: Why couldn’t those unfilial children learn from Anan and be children who didn't cause their parents worry?

Anan would blink: "Father, what’s wrong today? Are you hungry?"

It must be stated here that of the three sons and three daughters in Prime Minister Lu’s manor, everyone except Anan was born to the Prime Minister’s Madam.

Children born of different mothers rarely show closeness, especially since Anan’s mother was a third party—a standard mistress. It was already a blessing that the legitimate children didn't trip her up on her path to growing up; could one really expect them to grow up as close as sisters?

Don't dream; people are inherently selfish.

Fortunately, Anan’s aptitude was truly poor. Her brothers and sisters, who had inherited the excellent genes of the Prime Minister and his Madam, really looked down on Anan’s mediocrity. Anyone who had seen Anan’s mother was baffled: with such a beautiful mother and such an outstanding father, how could they produce an ugly duckling?

Of course, this was an exaggeration. Anan wasn't ugly; she was quite round, a petite and dainty little person. Her slightly chubby, baby-faced cheeks were pink and tender, very cute. Even her skin was soft and rosy, and when she smiled, there were two dimples on her cheeks that seemed to smile right into one's heart. This was why, whenever the Prime Minister was infuriated by his group of unfilial children, he would grab Anan to "cleanse his eyes."

However, none of this could overcome the Lu family’s good genes, the precociousness of the ancients, or the fact that the ancients were burdened with various skills like zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting. Nor could it overcome the fact that the fashion of this world was for slender, graceful ladies. Since the aesthetic of the time favored the likes of Zhao Feiyan, Anan’s appearance seemed "non-standard."

To be honest, in the course of Anan’s growth, she was not only slower than others in speaking, but also slower in learning to read. By the age of three, she still couldn't speak clearly. By the time she was five and supposed to learn basic feminine skills, she would prick her fingers while doing needlework. She couldn't remember a musical score after reading it a dozen times, and she would start to doze off the moment she squinted at a chessboard. As for calligraphy and painting, it was all just a mess of ghost-drawn symbols that made anyone who saw them sigh. And poetry... well, she couldn't even speak clearly, so don't even count on that!

In short, anyone who witnessed Anan’s learning process would sigh; this girl was a lost cause.

Compared to Anan’s three sisters—who recited the Four Books and Five Classics at three, practiced the five arts and needlework at five, and became renowned talents in the capital by seven—they were so glorious and peerless, known as the "Three Beauties of the Lu Family." Once they turned twelve, matchmakers nearly wore out the threshold of the Lu house, and all the suitors were from wealthy and powerful families.

So, Anan really didn't measure up! It was no wonder no one bothered her; such an untalented girl, in this capital where talents gathered like clouds, was truly the type to be lost in a crowd and never found again.

Anan wept internally: qaq, rebirth is just too much to handle, isn't it? The language and writing of this world are basically a foreign language! How can she, accustomed to simplified Chinese characters, bear this?

By the time the three daughters were married off in grand style and only Anan remained in the manor waiting to be wed, the Prime Minister’s Madam began to worry.

Anan was fifteen. Just after the Madam presided over her coming-of-age ceremony, the people of the capital were surprised to discover that the Prime Minister’s family still had an unmarried young lady. Once people learned that this young lady was merely an illegitimate daughter, some housewives became excited.

Ah, this was a good opportunity to build a connection with the Prime Minister’s family!

The Lu family daughters would not marry into anything less than a wealthy and powerful family, and they would not marry anyone who wasn't a legitimate heir. But a little illegitimate daughter? It would be acceptable to ask for her as a primary wife for one's own illegitimate son.

Thus, after receiving many batches of visiting ladies, the Prime Minister’s Madam felt depressed.

Anan’s marriage suddenly became a thorn in the Madam’s side.

Although Anan’s birth was not glorious and felt like a slap in her face, she had raised her for so many years. Watching her coldly, she found that this girl was sincere and could be considered filial to her parents and siblings. Any lingering resentment had dissipated with the death of Anan’s mother. The clever Madam knew that there was no point in holding a grudge over something that had already happened and losing face with her husband; it was better to do her duty and keep her husband’s heart. Besides, even a dog raised for a long time develops affection, let alone a person.

It was also considered the Madam’s kindness that she didn't try to destroy Anan. Instead, she ensured that everything she ate, used, and was taught was handled properly, leaving no room for anyone to find fault, while also making the Prime Minister feel guilty toward his original wife.

Therefore, the Madam had never treated Anan poorly. How could she follow the wishes of others and marry Anan off to a large family as a concubine’s daughter-in-law? Anan’s status destined her to never have a grand, glorious wedding like the other Lu daughters, but marrying into a small household to be a comfortable mistress of the house was more than enough.

Who should Anan be married to?

The Madam felt she should choose carefully—someone not too far or too near, with no bad habits, someone ambitious who wouldn't beat his wife...

Soon, an imperial decree from the palace forced the Madam to put aside the matter of Anan’s marriage.

The Empress Dowager, bored and having nothing better to do, suddenly summoned the unmarried young ladies of various families to the palace for flower viewing.

And so, Anan was pushed onto the stage, taken into the palace by the Madam for flower viewing.