After Transmigrating as the White Lotus Crown Princess - Chapter 1

The original owner of this identity was indeed a woman, but now that he had vanished from his own world, he had taken her place.

Ning Huan came from a different dynasty—one that did not exist in current history books. He was fifteen years old, the youngest son of his family. Blessed with a gentle personality and stunning looks, he was the darling of his elders, especially his grandparents. He had never suffered a day of hardship in his life.

The only downside was his health; he was born with a heart condition, which was why his family pampered him so much.

The surroundings were pitch black, save for a tiny flicker of light. Looking into the bronze mirror at his familiar reflection, Ning Huan raised his hand, his fingertips grazing his forehead, the bridge of his nose, and his chin. It was a face that was both cold and enchanting—aloof and ethereal when he didn’t smile, but like a thousand blossoming peach trees when he did, appearing both heartless and deeply affectionate.

His hands were the product of a privileged upbringing. Because they rarely saw the sun, they were exceptionally pale—not the healthy pinkish-white, but like a handful of snow or a block of ice. They were not only pale but perpetually cold, as if frost were congealing at his fingertips.

It was definitely his body; there was a tiny red mole between his pinky and ring finger.

While the Ning family was a lineage of martial generals, and though Ning Huan was physically weak, he still possessed some martial arts skills.

Suddenly, a cold voice echoed in his mind: “From today onward, you are the Third Young Lady of the Dingyuan Marquis Manor.”

The voice told Ning Huan that it was called a “System.”

Ning Huan listened indifferently, his slender fingers lightly tapping on the tabletop. Before him was a dressing table that sat somewhat unevenly, cluttered with a chaotic array of jewelry. Having been raised alongside his elder sisters, Ning Huan was familiar with the names of such ornaments.

The jewelry and clothing prevalent in this place were similar to those of his original dynasty.

However, he wasn’t sure if everyone in this world had a “System” or if he was the only one. Being in a strange land, Ning Huan remained cautious and listened to what the System had to say.

“Do you remember the storybook you read a few days ago?”

Ning Huan frowned slightly as the memory surfaced. He had been spending the summer at the imperial villa and had picked it up from a prince’s residence. He had skimmed through the whole thing in one afternoon. He hadn’t read it closely, thinking the writing was erratic and lacked logic, yet it was strangely satisfying and addictive.

“It’s good that you’ve read it,” the System said, sounding somewhat relieved. “You have now become the Ning Huan from that book—the Third Young Lady of the Dingyuan Marquis Manor. Do you remember Ning Huan?”

Ning Huan suddenly recalled the character. At the time, he had only skimmed the book and hadn’t paid much attention to this supporting role. He remembered the character shared his name and had died shortly after marrying Mu Jinju—killed by Mu Jinju himself, in fact.

None of that was particularly strange. What was strange was that Ning Huan was a man—a genuine, biological male. Even if his exquisite features transcended gender, he was still a man.

Yet, the Ning Huan in the book was a woman.

“Oh, it’s like this,” the System explained. “The world in this book is different from your previous world. It automatically repairs ‘bugs.’ If a problem arises, the world will find a way to smooth it over.”

Ning Huan gave a half-smile. Although he didn’t fully understand the technicalities, he could vaguely guess: since he had arrived here, his existence was considered “rational” by the world’s standards.

“What about the original Ning Huan? Did she go to the place I came from?”

“Oh, she transmigrated into another book for a guest role. Female supporting characters are very busy.”

Ning Huan raised an eyebrow. “What am I supposed to do here? And what can you give me?”

“Follow the plot and do not break character. You’re physically weak, right? If you follow the plot correctly, make the male lead loathe you, and successfully provoke him into striving to become Emperor, you will be granted a healthy body.”

The System was also busy. Judging that Ning Huan was an intelligent person who wouldn’t do anything foolish, it gave a final warning: “Do not attempt suicide. Even if you die, you won’t be able to return home.”

After saying this, the System transferred some of the original owner’s memories to Ning Huan and vanished, falling silent.

Ning Huan stared at himself in the mirror, recalling the plot. He hadn’t paid much attention to the early parts and only knew the general outline.

The story began twenty-three years ago. Back then, the all-powerful Prince of Chu fell in love with the beautiful Empress. He used a poisonous scheme to murder the late Emperor and usurped the throne, forcing the late Emperor’s Empress to become his own.

The Empress soon became pregnant. It was unclear if the child belonged to the late Emperor or the current one, as she had been forced by the Prince of Chu over a dozen times while the late Emperor was still alive.

The child was born and named Mu Jinju.

Mu Jinju had known his true identity since childhood. He grew up to be perverse and eccentric. The Emperor, sensing that Mu Jinju looked more and more like his deceased elder brother and bothered by the Empress’s coldness toward him, made life difficult for the boy at every turn.

In the early stages, Mu Jinju was suppressed by the Emperor and could not even choose his own marriage. He was forced to marry Ning Huan, the Third Young Lady of the Dingyuan Marquis Manor.

The name “Ning Huan” was known to everyone in the capital.

She was famous not only for her world-shaking beauty but also for her “White Lotus” personality—hypocritical, affected, and pretentious.

While every noble youth in the capital admired her beauty, they didn’t dare ask for her hand in marriage due to family pressure. They could only view her as a goddess, admiring her from afar while fantasizing that the beauty loved them back.

The Emperor had bestowed Ning Huan upon Mu Jinju specifically hoping she would turn the Crown Prince’s manor upside down.

Later… Mu Jinju brutally murdered Ning Huan. Once his power matured, he staged his own rebellion and washed the palace in blood.

Ning Huan had no opinion on the story itself; what Mu Jinju chose to do was his own business. However, Ning Huan had very strong opinions regarding his own fate.

According to the System, even if he died, he couldn’t return home. He had to stay here. For the early stages—according to the System’s plan—he had to make the male lead hate him, let him realize how painful it was to have no control over his own life, and thus ignite his ambition for the throne.

Ning Huan valued his life. If he could live, he would choose to live. Once the male lead loathed him and started moving against the Emperor, Ning Huan would simply propose a divorce before the man could strike him down.

They would part ways amicably and live their own lives. The lead could have his harem and be a tyrant, while Ning Huan would travel the world.

However, Ning Huan was a man. Even if he was so beautiful it was hard to tell his gender, he was not a woman. Once married, it would be easy to be found out, even if the Crown Prince didn’t share a bed with him.

First was his height. Ning Huan was sixteen, a full head taller than most girls his age, and he was still growing. His brothers were all over six feet tall, elegant and handsome; Ning Huan would likely grow that tall as well. In a few years, even if Mu Jinju didn’t kill him, he would surely be suspicious of a six-foot-tall Crown Princess.

Second was the Adam’s apple. As his body developed, it would gradually become more prominent. As the Crown Princess, he would frequently visit the palace and interact with noble ladies. He could hide it in the winter, but in the summer, wearing low-cut dresses would surely cause a stir. The capital would be flooded with rumors that the “Crown Princess has an Adam’s apple.”

Finally, there was the voice. A man’s tone is naturally different from a woman’s.

It was currently early morning, just past 5:00 AM. Since it was the height of winter, the sky was not yet bright. A single candle flickered beside Ning Huan. With his long hair draped down, his youthful and beautiful face, and wearing pure white undergarments, it was truly difficult to discern his gender at a glance.

When the sky brightened, a maid entered to wake him. She pushed the door open quietly, only to find the young lady already awake, sitting before the mirror as if she had been there for a long time.

The maid gasped and spoke softly, “The weather is so cold, Third Young Lady. Why are you dressed so lightly? You stepped off the bed without even putting on your socks.”

Ning Huan’s pale eyes swept over the maid.

She had delicate features, fair skin, straight-cut bangs, and a hint of naive charm, dressed in a green outfit. Based on the memories from the System, he realized this was the original owner’s maid, Zi Su.

Being under Ning Huan’s gaze, the maid felt her heart pounding. Why does the Young Lady’s gaze feel so different today?

She was a new arrival. Because the Young Lady’s previous maid had been beaten to death, she had been bought to replace her. For some reason, looking closely, she felt the Young Lady looked even more beautiful today. Her skin was paler, the bridge of her nose slightly higher, her eyes lighter and cooler, and her entire aura had an indescribable quality.

Outsiders who didn’t see Ning Huan every day might not notice, but a maid who served her daily could spot subtle differences. To outsiders, the Young Lady was a goddess, but to the maids who saw her morning and night, there was no “divine air”—especially when they were slapped every few days.

Yet, the maid felt that the Young Lady’s “divine air” seemed to have returned.

“Are you Zi Su?”

The maid froze. Her original name was Xiao Cui. On the day she was bought, as she knelt humbly on the ground, the Young Lady felt she was “lowlier than grass” and renamed her Xiao Cao (Little Grass). She didn’t like the name.

The one named Zi Su had been beaten to death by the Young Lady a few days ago.

She instantly became nervous. “I… my name is Xiao Cao.”

Ning Huan had just taken a sip of water to rinse his mouth and nearly choked upon hearing the name. Xiao Cao? What kind of messy name is that?

Ning Huan said, “Change your name. You shall be called Die Qing.”

The maid was instantly overjoyed. Although she didn’t know how to write the characters, it sounded much better than Xiao Cao.

Die Qing attended to Ning Huan’s grooming, carefully using an ivory comb to style his long hair. “The Crown Prince is coming to the Ning Manor today. With your beauty, he will surely like you, Young Lady.”

Ning Huan felt a headache coming on.

His wedding date with Mu Jinju was approaching. In less than half a month, he would be carried to the Crown Prince’s manor in a grand sedan chair. Ning Huan never imagined that he would one day be carried off in a bridal sedan to get married.

When it was time to change, Ning Huan told Die Qing to leave and dressed himself. He was naturally not used to wearing women’s skirts and hairpins, but he needed them to conceal his true gender.

When he emerged, Die Qing was once again dazzled by her lady’s beauty.

The Young Lady’s height was superior, being a head taller than other noble ladies. Though there was no curve to her chest, her waist was extremely slender and alluring. In the morning light, her jade-white face was flawless. With such a pure and icy aura, it was no wonder the men of the capital considered her a goddess.

Ning Huan had always been casual, but now, recalling the words and deeds of his elder sisters, his pace slowed. He had no choice but to walk slowly anyway—these soft shoes were simply not meant for walking.