Qingyun City, the southern district of Qingzhou Kingdom.

    The aftermath of the great flood had been efficiently managed. The citizens received widespread aid, and within a few months, the majority of the damaged areas were restored.

    In the northern part of Qingyun City, where the damage was minimal, stood an unremarkable medium-sized manor, blending in with the surrounding noble estates. However, recently this manor had become well-known to everyone.

    The head of this manor, having made significant contributions to the flood relief efforts, had won the hearts of Qingyun's citizens. This talented noble was then appointed by the Emperor as the Left side Deputy Chancellor and had left for the capital a month prior. His name was Mu Cui Ming, the patriarch of the Mu family.

    This event had propelled the Mu family into a tiger with wings, soaring high into the upper echelons of the capital's noble society. As such, the Mu manor in Qingyun City became known to everyone and highly respected.

    Although most of the Mu family members had relocated to the capital, the Qingyun manor still had its occupants. Among them was Elder Mu Furen, who, due to chronic illness, could not endure long travels and thus stayed in Qingyun City for treatment, cared for by her youngest granddaughter, the seventh young lady of the Mu family.

    As the summer heat began, the morning sun quickly raised temperatures, stirring all the residents from their slumber to greet the new day.

    In the eastern wing of the Mu manor, a five-year-old child lay drenched in sweat on her bed, as if caught in a terrifying nightmare. When the sunlight streamed through the window and shined on her eyelids, it woke her with a start.

    Gasp!

    The child sat up in a panic, breathing heavily, her frail body soaked in sweat, her small fists clenched involuntarily.

    Her clear, wide eyes reflected a mix of anger, shock, and sorrow as if she were lost in a bewildering trance.

    As she regained her senses, she scanned the room and then looked at her own body in confusion.

    Am I... not dead?

    She unclenched her fists, turning her palms over again and again. Her big, round eyes looked at the changes of her body with a puzzled look. Her body had...

    Krrrrr

    The door opened with a familiar, gentle voice she hadn't heard in a long time, making her feel nostalgic, "Is the young miss awake yet? If not, we'll be late for the temple visit with the Elder Furen."

    A twelve-year-old maid entered with a washbasin and towel. Seeing her young mistress awake, she couldn't help but smile, "You're awake and didn't call for me. I could have helped you wash up. Look…how sweaty you are in this heat."

    The child remained silent, her big, round eyes wide opened, staring as if afraid the maid would vanish, just a figment of a dream.

    This maid, named Su Su, grew up with her and was her closest companion and the most important sister who always took care of and protected her.

    Until that day. The day she and her elder sister were accused of poisoning Lady Ping An. Su Su had stood up for them, seeking evidence to dispute the charges, but to no avail. Accused of betrayal, she was beaten to death.

    But now...Su Su was standing before her!

    Though younger than when they last met, it was undoubtedly her!

    This was her, Su Su!

    The child reached out to caress the maid's cheek without realizing it, causing Su Su to pause in surprise. The maid turned her head and looked at her little mistress, before being alarmed when she saw tears that streamed down the child's wide eyes.

    "Wa…What's wrong, Miss?" Su Su asked, her voice trembling. She dropped the towel and hurriedly wiped her wet hands on her clothes before holding the shaking child, "What’s wrong, Miss…Why are you crying? Tell me what's wrong."

    When the child heard the questions filled with concern, she then threw herself into Su Su's arms, crying,

    "Su Su, sob...Su Su, I'm sorry...sob…I…I’m sorry I couldn't protect you...sob…I…I won’t let you be harmed again… boo-hoo…"

    Confused by her young mistress's words, Su Su thought she must have had a nightmare, so she chose not to dwell on it, focusing instead on comforting her.

    "Don't cry, Miss. Crying too much will make your eyes swell,"

    The child who had been crying for a long time suddenly regained consciousness. So, she stopped crying, letting Su Su gently wipe the tears from her face. As she calmed down, her thoughts became clearer, and she began to grasp the reality of her situation.

    If this wasn’t a dream, and Su Su was here, and she was alive.

    Then…was everything before just a nightmare?

    No!

    It wasn’t just a dream.

    She remembered every event, every feeling, and every pain vividly.

    It was real!

    "Su Su, where are we now?" she asked, lifting her gaze with curiosity. Su Su was surprised by the question but replied without much thought, "We're at the Mu manor in Qingyun City, Miss."

    The Mu manor in Qingyun City...their old home?

    She looked into Su Su's eyes, surprised, then asked, "What year of the Xingping era is it now?"

    "The third year of the Xingping era, miss."

    The third year of the Xingping era?

    "Has everyone in the manor moved to the capital yet?"

    "The patriarch, along with the Furens and the young misses, left for the capital a month ago."

    A month ago?

    Everything was still as she remembered. So, this wasn't a dream; it was a reality she had already experienced!

    She had returned!

    I've returned!

    “Ha ha ha”

    Suddenly, the little figure on the bed burst into laughter without warning, startling her devoted maid.

    The young miss had been asking odd questions and now laughed without reason.

    Could she be ill?

    Surely...

    The laughing figure didn't realize she appeared ill in the eyes of her devoted maid. She kept laughing, exhilarated and joyful. At last... she had returned!

    Heaven had shown mercy, granting her a chance to avenge the blood debt!

    The debts of her past life, she would reclaim them all and make them pay!

    She would make them regret treating their siblings like this!

    Yes...she wasn't anyone else but the Seventh Young Lady of the Mu family, Mu Yingying, who had once endured a brutal past and now returned to her five-year-old self, before the tragedy that would come in ten years.

    Heaven had been kind, and she would not let it down. She would drag all those wicked people to hell herself!

    Once Mu Yingying pieced everything together, a mysterious smile spread across her small face, sending chills down the spine of those who saw it.

    Time waits for no one. She couldn't delay; there was much to do before those two mother and daughter could act against her.

    Mu Yingying, who had just thought it through, turned to Su Su, "Su Su, please tell my grandmother that I'm not feeling well and can't accompany her to the temple today."

    "A…Alright, Miss."

    Su Su responded in confusion.

    Her young miss's changing moods: one moment sad, the next cheerful, then laughing, then crying, surely her young miss was seriously ill.

    When Su Su reported to the main house as instructed by Mu Yingying, the Elder Furen didn't mind. She ordered Su Su to take good care of the Seventh Young Lady

    And to call a doctor if her condition worsened. Then, the Elder Furen left for the temple outside the city that she frequently visited.

    After washing and dressing, Mu Yingying led Su Su to a medium-sized house not far from where she lived, which was the residence of her mother who died three years ago.

    In her previous life, after her father moved the family to the capital in a rush following the Emperor's decree, there was no time for preparations. Once they settled in after living in the capital for a few months, Bai Lijun, the second Furen, sent people back to the old house to move valuables and business documents of the Mu family, as well as her mother’s dowry, back to the capital.

    She couldn't let that woman take her mother's dowry!

    Though her mother wasn't wealthy, she was intelligent and had expanded those valuable assets into many significant business ventures in Qingyun City.

    These assets could provide a good return if managed well...

    These were meant for her and her three siblings to use, and no one else had the right to touch them!

    Because, in the past life, they were still young, their father was easily influenced, and their grandmother didn't care about the manor's affairs, so no one opposed Bai Lijun's actions, allowing that wicked woman to enjoy the stolen wealth with her three siblings.

    But she wouldn't let history repeat itself!

    These belonged to her and her siblings. That wicked woman had no right!

    Moreover, these assets would be crucial for her revenge. With wealth, certain matters could be more easily managed.

    "Miss, why are we at the Furen's house?"

    Su Su asked while picking up the wooden fan to ward off the dust in the room, so it wouldn't come near her mistress. This house had been left untouched for over three years since the Furen's departure, as the second Furen had forbidden anyone from entering, allowing dust to accumulate.

    "We're here to take something,"

    Mu Yingying replied calmly, leading her small figure straight to the innermost room, her eyes scanning for those business documents.

    "Su Su, help me find the documents related to the businesses that were my mother's dowry."

    "Yes, Miss,"

    Su Su, although a servant, had grown up alongside the young miss and had learned to read and write, unlike most common maids. They searched together for a long while but found nothing initially.

    As Mu Yingying rested, her gaze accidentally fell upon an old wooden box hidden under a shelf against the wall. She walked over, picked up the box, dusted it off, and upon opening it, discovered rolls of paper detailing ownership and business rights to various shops within Qingyun City.

    Her big, round eyes sparkled immediately. A quick glance revealed no less than ten businesses, not a large number, but each was a significant trade with branches extending to other cities, growing continuously!

    "Did you find it, Miss?"

    Su Su peered at the wooden box on her mistress's lap. Seeing that her young miss had found what she was looking for, she hoped they could leave this dusty place soon, fearing for her young miss's health. "Let's leave here then, Miss. Staying longer might make you choke on the dust."

    "Um," Mu Yingying carefully placed the important documents back into the box and turned to Su Su, "Could you find a lamp for me?"

    "A...Huh?" Su Su paused, and repeated that request puzzlingly, "A lamp, miss?"

    "Yes,”

    “A lamp to light,"

    Mu Yingying confirmed with a smile, her bright eyes gleaming beautifully like a night sky, making other people mesmerized. After Su Su received the confirmation, she complied, albeit confused.

    It was broad daylight, and the sun shining brightly; why did the young miss want a lamp lit?

    Was the young miss planning something unusual, or was Su Su not understanding her instructions?

    The more she pondered, the more bewildered she became…

    While Su Su went to fetch the lamp, Mu Yingying leisurely surveyed the interior of the house. Valuables like paintings, vases, and jewelry were all gone, leaving the house empty. For the past three years, only Bai Lijun could access.

    It was clear who had taken those valuables. If not for Bai Lijun's contentment with her luxurious life so far, she would have seized these business documents long ago.

    But soon, in the next three months, her greed would grow. Spurred by the competitive and covetous nature of high society, combined with Bai Lijun's lack of modesty, she would send people to fetch all the valuables and claim her mother’s businesses as her own because she needed money to spend lavishly.

    Bai Lijun, oh Bai Lijun...without these businesses, where would you find the funds to maintain your lavish lifestyle?

    With this thought, a mysterious smile crept onto the young face, making the five-year-old child seem more like a cunning little devil doll.

    Su Su returned with the lamp as instructed, "Here's the lamp, Miss."

    "Check outside, Su Su, see if anyone's around. I'll follow you out soon. If someone sees us here and tells Bai Lijun's people, we'll be in trouble."

    Mu Yingying tucked the wooden box beside her waist and stretched out her other hand to pick up the lamp from Su Su's hand. When Su Su heard this, she quickly walked outside to be on the lookout as ordered. If Bai Lijun's people came looking for trouble, they would be in trouble for sure.

    After ensuring Su Su had gone, Mu Yingying made one more round outside the house to ensure no servants were nearby. Fortunately, the manor was nearly empty.

    Moreover, most servants were working at the Elder Furen's main house, leaving this abandoned building unnoticed.

    Returning to the front door, she entered the document storage room in the innermost, then hurled the lamp onto the floor with force.

    Crash!

    She watched the flames slowly spread throughout the house. A mischievous smile spread on her lips before she turned and left as if nothing had happened.

    These documents, Bai Lijun must had checked them. If they suddenly vanished, she would surely find out soon. Then made it big, burning down the house would erase all evidence!

    After all, the building was already abandoned, and in this hot weather, with no one to look after it, a fire wouldn't be surprising...