After returning to the capital to farm, the abandoned concubine made a comeback.

Zhu Ling held Lin Qin's hand as they strolled among the pavilions and towers of the Prince's Mansion.

With its carved beams and painted rafters, the Prince's mansion was indeed a magnificent sight, but Lin Qin couldn't feel happy at all.

Looking at the complex, maze-like layout before her, only one thought crossed her mind: If I get up to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night, won't I get lost?

“This is your yard,” Zhu Ling said, pointing to a charming little courtyard. “Do you like it?”

Lin Qin looked at the colorful and exotic flowers and plants in the yard and nodded reluctantly.

She prefers a large vegetable garden where she can freely cultivate her garden to these delicate flowers.

As Lin Qin walked down the long corridor, she vaguely heard the whispers of several servants.

"Is that the abandoned concubine that the prince brought back? I heard she used to live on the estate..."

Shh! Keep your voice down, don't let her hear you.

Lin Qin remained outwardly calm, but inwardly she felt as if she had been pricked by a needle.

She knew that she was ultimately an outsider, and that she could never be as free and unrestrained in this royal palace as she was on the farm.

There always seemed to be a sense of oppression in the corners of the Prince's mansion.

Lin Qin felt like a bird trapped in a gilded cage, unable to spread its wings and fly even with fine clothes and delicacies.

"If you're tired, get some rest," Zhu Ling's voice interrupted Lin Qin's thoughts. "I'll take you around to see the sights tomorrow."

Lin Qin nodded, watching Zhu Ling's departing figure, her heart filled with mixed feelings.

Back in her room, she sat weakly on the edge of the bed, her mind filled with images of the farm and its adorable animals…

Suddenly, she heard a faint sound outside the window… “Who’s there?”

Lin Qin cautiously walked to the window, gently pushed it open, and saw a fluffy little head peek in, its round eyes curiously looking at her.

"Isn't this Little Yellow?!" Lin Qin exclaimed in surprise.

Xiao Huang was a small mongrel she raised on the farm; she never expected it would also come to the Prince's Mansion!

How did this little guy find his way here?

Lin Qin hugged Xiao Huang tightly, the fluffy touch warming her heart, as if she had returned to the carefree farm life.

But then Lin Qin's mood turned heavy again.

For love, she gave up her carefree life on the farm and the small shop she had built from scratch, but now she feels suffocated even when she's in this deep palace.

Was it all really worth it?

She stroked Xiao Huang's head, her feelings a mix of emotions.

"System, do you think what I'm doing is right?" Lin Qin asked in her mind.

"Host, you're currently in a period of confusion and need to do something to prove your worth!" The adorable system immediately offered a suggestion, "How about we analyze the Prince's mansion's accounts?"

Lin Qin's eyes lit up. That's right, how could she have forgotten her old profession?

She's a modern-day financial whiz, an expert at bookkeeping!

Without hesitation, Lin Qin found the steward and offered to help the Prince's Mansion organize its accounts.

The steward looked disdainful, thinking to himself, what could this abandoned concubine possibly know?

But out of consideration for the prince, he reluctantly agreed.

As a result, Lin Qin only took one day to organize the messy accounts in the Prince's mansion into an orderly manner and pointed out many loopholes.

The butler held the ledger, dumbfounded, hardly believing his eyes.

This isn't some abandoned concubine; she's clearly a financial genius!

The news spread, and the entire Prince's mansion was in an uproar.

The servants' attitude towards Lin Qin underwent a dramatic change; their previous whispers turned into admiration and awe.

They never expected that this seemingly frail woman would possess such astonishing abilities.

Lin Qin smiled slightly. She wanted to tell everyone that she was not just a village girl who could only dig in the vegetable garden. She could also live a wonderful life in this magnificent royal palace!

Just as Lin Qin was winning praise for herself, an unexpected discovery made her frown.

She discovered that one account seemed problematic; the amount was substantial and its source was unknown.

Could someone be pulling the strings behind the scenes?

Just as she was about to investigate further, she heard footsteps outside the door, followed by Zhu Ling's voice, "Qin'er, what are you doing?"

Zhu Ling entered the room and saw Lin Qin frowning and deep in thought, staring at a mountain of account books. Several sheets of paper covered with numbers were scattered on the table.

He walked over with a pained expression and gently hugged her from behind: "Qin'er, why do you have to work so hard? The servants will take care of the affairs of the Prince's Mansion."

Lin Qin turned around and looked at Zhu Ling's concerned eyes, feeling a warmth in her heart: "I just want to prove that I'm not a good-for-nothing who only knows how to eat and do nothing."

Zhu Ling embraced her and whispered in her ear, "Silly girl, you will always be the most precious person in my heart." The atmosphere in the room became warm and cozy, and Xiao Huang rubbed against Lin Qin's feet, gently wagging its tail.

However, not everyone in the Prince's Mansion was happy about Lin Qin's change.

Some former members of the Prince's mansion harbored resentment towards Lin Qin, this suddenly appearing abandoned concubine, and were always trying to trip her up.

A few days later, the royal palace held a banquet to entertain envoys from neighboring countries.

The head maid in charge of arranging the banquet deliberately made the menu a mess, including some foods that the envoys from neighboring countries would avoid, in an attempt to embarrass Lin Qin in public.

Before the banquet began, Lin Qin discovered a problem while checking the menu.

She didn't panic; instead, she calmly rearranged the menu and had the kitchen prepare some backup dishes.

Halfway through the banquet, the envoy from the neighboring country indeed raised objections to the dishes.

The head maid gloated, waiting to see Lin Qin make a fool of herself.

However, Lin Qin calmly ordered the prepared dishes to be served and cleverly explained the meaning of the dishes, thus easing the awkward atmosphere.

The envoy from the neighboring country praised Lin Qin's wit and talent, and the tense atmosphere eased accordingly.

Seeing this, the head maid's face turned extremely ugly, but she was helpless.

She hadn't expected Lin Qin to be so difficult to deal with.

After the banquet, Lin Qin returned to her room and found a letter on the table.

She opened the letter and read: "Your Highness, be careful, walls have ears."

The news that Lin Qin had gained a foothold in the Prince's Mansion spread like wildfire throughout the capital.

The former abandoned concubine has now become a princess praised by everyone. This is simply the best satisfying novel script of the year!

The head maid's "troublemaking" plan completely backfired, and instead of gaining an advantage, she became Lin Qin's stepping stone.

Now, all those in the Prince's mansion who harbored resentment towards her obediently shut their mouths, becoming quieter than quails.

Lin Qin also completely let loose, turning the Prince's mansion's account books upside down and even finding a few "parasites" along the way.

Now things are much better. The Prince's mansion's financial situation has improved visibly, and the servants' monthly wages have all increased.

Those servants who used to look down on Lin Qin now avoid her like the plague, afraid of offending this "goddess of wealth".

Lin Qin's reputation grew louder and louder, and the atmosphere in the Prince's mansion also underwent subtle changes.

Before, everyone would look lifeless when they met, but now everyone's face is beaming with enthusiasm for making money.

Even the air in the Prince's Mansion was filled with the scent of "common prosperity".

In the stillness of the night, Lin Qin stood by the window, gazing at the starry sky, a ripple of emotion stirring within her.

She has adapted to life in the Prince's mansion and has earned the respect of everyone, but is she really happy?

She recalled her days on the farm, a time of poverty but freedom, where she could see the bright sunshine and breathe fresh air every day.

Now, however, she feels trapped in a golden cage, unable to experience true freedom despite the luxuries she enjoys.

"What are you thinking about?" Zhu Ling appeared behind her without her noticing and gently put his arm around her waist.

Lin Qin snapped out of her daze, turned to look into his deep eyes, but didn't know how to answer.

She wanted to tell him her thoughts, but she was worried that he would misunderstand.

She could only manage a weak smile: "It's nothing, I'm just admiring the beautiful starry sky."

Zhu Ling hugged her tighter and whispered in her ear, "Qin'er, as long as you're happy."

Lin Qin nodded and buried her head in his chest, but felt even more confused.

She didn't know if she had fully accepted life in the Prince's mansion, nor whether she could regain her former freedom.

The next morning, Lin Qin and Zhu Ling took a walk in the garden of the Prince's Mansion.

Sunlight filters through the leaves, casting dappled shadows.

Lin Qin's expression was somewhat solemn, as if she had something to say but didn't know how to begin...

"Your Highness," a servant rushed in, "someone from the palace has come, saying that Her Majesty the Empress summons the Princess..."