Chapter 1: The Little Ancestor Is Three and a Half

Capital City.

Inside the Duke’s Manor, the maids and old servant women were all in a frenzy, holding their breath as they stared at the tiny figure curled up quietly on the bed.

Suddenly, the little doll-like child’s long eyelashes trembled slightly.

“I—I didn’t see wrong, did I? The little ancestor’s eyelids just moved!”

“She’s awake! The little ancestor is really awake! Hurry, go report to the Duke and Madam—quickly!”

“The medicine! Bring the medicine right away for the little ancestor!”

A buzzing chorus of panicked voices rushed into Yun Tang’s mind all at once.

Little ancestor?

Who?

Yun Tang tried to raise a hand, but her entire body felt like it weighed a thousand pounds, weak and soft with not a bit of strength left in it.

Her lips parted, but her throat could only force out a few hoarse, broken sounds.

She opened her eyes with great effort, her vision a blur—only silhouettes and glaring candlelight.

Wait a minute.

Wasn’t she just pulling an all-nighter at work, revising a proposal again and again, only for the client to end up choosing the very first version?

Where on earth was she now?

As her sight slowly cleared, the first thing that came into view was a carved purple canopy bed, layer after layer of brocade curtains trimmed with golden tassels.

The air was thick with a sickly-sweet medicinal scent mixed with incense.

At the bedside, there was a whole crowd of kneeling people!

All women, all dressed in ancient clothing—some young, some old.

Every face was pale, every gaze full of fear and… reverence?

Suddenly, a gorgeously dressed woman rushed inside like a gust of wind, bringing with her a strong wave of rouge and perfume.

The woman scooped Yun Tang up into her arms so forcefully that Yun Tang nearly passed out again.

She sobbed with heartfelt emotion. “Oh, my little ancestor! You’re finally awake! If something had really happened to you, how could your poor niece-in-law go on living?”

Her tears splashed onto Yun Tang’s small hand, warm and sticky. “Thank goodness you’re alright now! Otherwise, how would I ever explain to Madam, how would I face the Duke?”

Yun Tang’s tiny hand patted her back weakly, her voice soft and milky. “Niece-in-law… you… let me go first…”

The woman dabbed at the corners of her eyes with her handkerchief. “It’s only because I was too emotional.”

Being held up, Yun Tang finally caught a clear view of herself in the bronze mirror across the room.

The girl in the mirror looked no older than three and a half, her little face pale, dressed in miniature silks, and sporting two ridiculously ugly little pigtails sticking straight up—like a cheap New Year’s painting doll.

Yun Tang: “…”

No wonder her scalp hurt.

But…

Who was this kid?!

Yun Tang was dumbfounded.

So, not only had she died from overwork, but she had woken up in the body of a three-and-a-half-year-old little girl?

And apparently, this little girl’s status was pretty high!

A bowl of dark, bitter-smelling medicine was suddenly presented to her.

Yun Tang wrinkled her nose.

So bitter.

But she was too weak to resist. She could only scrunch up her little face and allow the maid to feed her one spoonful at a time.

Then, a sharp pain shot through her head—followed by a rush of memories that didn’t belong to her.

The body’s original owner was the daughter of the former Duke’s much-younger brother.

By seniority, she was the current Duke’s little aunt—the “little ancestor” of the household, the grand-aunt of all the manor’s younger generation.

The original owner had just entered the manor yesterday, and by the next day she had taken a fall—falling unconscious until now.

That was a little too coincidental.

Yun Tang’s eyes darted toward the woman holding her.

Her face was powdered snow-white, her brows and eyes sharp, now full of worry and tension.

Why was she so nervous?

Alarm bells went off in Yun Tang’s heart.

The original owner had fallen to her death. Was it really an accident?

Or…

Yun Tang’s gaze shot up and locked onto the woman’s eyes.

“Little ancestor, how did you fall down the steps of the storeroom? Do you still remember what happened? Did someone upset you? If you tell me, I’ll be sure to ask Madam to punish them for you.” The woman fussed with Yun Tang’s clothes as she spoke, as if casually probing.

Yun Tang tilted her head. In the woman’s eyes, beneath the concern, there was something else—something subtle, almost hidden—

A test.

She was probing her!

She called herself the “niece-in-law,” but her behavior didn’t look like someone openly and properly married into the family.

She looked more like someone who had used underhanded tricks to climb her way up.

And the moment Yun Tang opened her eyes, this woman immediately came to fish for information? Definitely suspicious.

A three-year-old dying from falling near the storeroom steps?

That was no accident.

Combined with this woman’s probing look, the truth was nearly obvious.

Suppressing the storm in her heart, Yun Tang forced herself to stay calm.

She was a three-and-a-half-year-old child now—one who had just “barely escaped death”!

She had to act.

Play dumb.

Act innocent.

Acting? She could do that.

Yun Tang’s mouth quivered, tears pooling in her big eyes until they looked ready to spill over.

She wriggled slightly, pointed at her arms and legs, and whimpered pitifully. “Hurts…”

Translation: I’m in pain, I know nothing, stop asking questions.

A flicker of displeasure crossed the woman’s face, but she quickly smoothed it over and cooed softly, “If you don’t remember, then you don’t remember. It’s alright, little ancestor. Don’t be scared.”

Just then, a deep, commanding voice came from outside the door:

“The Duke has arrived!”

The room fell utterly silent.

Yun Tang stopped crying, curious, and craned her tiny neck toward the door.

A tall figure appeared, blocking the doorway completely.

He was dressed in dark robes with a jade belt, his features stern and chiseled, his presence radiating the authority of someone long accustomed to power and battle.

The woman holding Yun Tang stiffened all over, her grip unconsciously tightening.

The servants lowered their heads, hardly daring to breathe.

Yun Tang’s eyes widened.

Wow. This man’s aura alone was enough to make people drop to their knees.

His gaze swept past the kneeling servants, past the woman holding Yun Tang, landing precisely on the small pale child in her arms.

Yun Tang blinked.

So this was the Duke of Dingguo, the man who commanded the capital’s military?

Her… nephew?

When the pressure in the room was about to suffocate everyone, the Duke finally moved.

He strode forward, stopping just three steps away from Yun Tang.

There was no trace of warmth in his expression—only the gravitas etched deep into his bones.

“Nephew Yun Hengzhi,” he introduced himself. Then, to everyone’s shock, he lifted his robes, bent his knees, and knelt on the ground before Yun Tang.

“Greetings, little aunt. Now that I see you safe and well, I can finally be at ease.”

His forehead nearly touched the cold floor.

A man who held the power of life and death, a battle-hardened duke, was kneeling to a three-year-old toddler?!

Yun Tang was stunned.

Would this shorten her lifespan or something?

But technically, he was her nephew.

A nephew kneeling to his aunt was only proper.

Straightening her back, Yun Tang put on her most serious face, lifted her chubby little hand, and said solemnly, “Rise.”

The servants secretly exchanged glances—this child really did look like a dignified elder of the clan addressing a junior.

Yun Hengzhi rose slowly and respectfully replied, “Yes.”

“She just had her medicine, right now—” The woman, Aunt Liu, began to speak.

Yun Hengzhi’s cold eyes cut toward her, carrying an oppressive weight. “Who are you?”

Aunt Liu stiffened and dropped to her knees in a hurry. “Replying to the Duke, this concubine is the newly brought-in consort of the young master.”

Before she could say more, Yun Tang raised a chubby finger and, with great effort, pointed at Aunt Liu. Her childish voice was soft but clear:

“Storeroom… steps… she looked at me…”

The few broken words were like stones tossed into still water.

Aunt Liu froze, her breath catching.

Yun Hengzhi’s presence grew even colder, his gaze pinning Aunt Liu like a blade. “It was you?”

Aunt Liu’s face drained of color. She dropped to the floor with a thud, shaking.

“Duke, please see clearly! I’m innocent! The little ancestor must be confused from her fall. I only went to the storeroom to fetch fabric for Madam. I just happened to see the little ancestor playing near the steps. I was about to greet her when she—she fell!”

“Take her away.”

Yun Hengzhi narrowed his eyes and raised his hand slightly.

Two tall, cold-faced guards stepped forward at once and effortlessly dragged the limp Aunt Liu out like a chicken.

“Spare me! Little ancestor! Little ancestor, please—!”

Her painted fingers clawed toward Yun Tang as she screamed, the sound sharp enough to hurt Yun Tang’s ears.

Yun Tang shrank back, peeking out from behind her tiny hands, eyes wide and shining with tears, looking every bit a frightened, pitiful child.

Aunt Liu’s cries faded quickly as she was dragged away.

The room fell into a deathly silence.

Only then did Yun Hengzhi turn back to the small figure in the corner. The chilling aura around him softened slightly, though his tone remained respectful.

“Little aunt has been frightened. I have chosen a new maid for you—she is steady, quick with her hands, and knows a bit of martial skill. From now on, she will serve by your side.”

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