The Royal Reincarnation: A Girl's Journey in Ancient China

I am just a normal eighth-grade student at our school. I usually hang out with my three friends all the time but always end up getting left out. I don't enjoy being surrounded, so I prefer to spend my time at home, lying down on my bed during my free time or on weekends. I usually open my phone to watch anime or play online games. By the way, my name is Liviana. I am at home. I just woke up... just kidding, I didn't sleep all night because I was watching some anime titled "One Piece" where Monkey D. Luffy wants to be the pirate king and rule the sea. I looked at the time and it was exactly the same time my alarm clock went off, which means it was already 5:30 am in the morning. "Freaking hell... I'm gonna be late!" I instantly stood up from bed and ran to the bathroom to take a bath, and when I got out, I felt a shiver because I was still tired from not sleeping all night. My eyes still hurt from the lack of sleep. "What the heck... I swear I'm not gonna stay up late again- wait... it's Sunday, so there's another episode of One Piece, and the end season of Call of Duty and Mobile Legends is near... nah, never mind the sleep, I'm still gonna stay up all night again. We're all just gonna die after all." I didn't have an appetite to eat today, so I put on my uniform and went to school. I also struggled to find my uniform. "Motherfudging uniform! This shitty school too! Even on Fridays, students need to wear a uniform! Freaking assholes! Where the heck is my uniform again... oh, found it, hehe~" I'm literally loud at home, it's good that I'm living alone. I also looked at all my shoes to decide what I'm gonna wear today. "Hmm... I'm late but I need to find the perfect shoes or my day will be ruined... okay, let's just wear these black shoes." I said and wore my shoes. I walked to school, and when I got there, I saw my friends, Miya, Clara, and Jesh. I have a naturally serious-looking face, which can make me appear mean when I'm not smiling. I sat down on my chair and placed my bag beside me. Despite feeling hungry, I didn't have an appetite to eat today... my life felt really miserable. I decided to go to the canteen to buy some food. When I got there, I bought some food to eat. I ended up buying a lot of food because, well, food is life! I also bought some cola and went back to our room. "Heck... I just realized I wasted so much money. Never mind, I deserve this food. We're all just gonna die after all." I said and sat on my chair, reading manhua on my phone while eating since it was a vacant day and we didn't have any classes. "Oh~ I didn't know this BL manhua would be this good and intense... I feel sorry for the bottom to handle the top." I said to myself while reading the BL manhua. My friends were minding their own business, just like me. Then suddenly, a little ball hit my forehead while I was reading. It didn't hurt, but I wasn't in the mood today. When I looked around to see who threw it, I saw one of my male classmates coming towards me, saying sorry. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it. Did it hurt?" he asked, looking at my forehead. I was literally burning with anger inside, but I remained calm. (Just kidding, the words "calm" and "forgiveness" were not in my vocabulary) "No, but you're such a jerk! How dare you hit my forehead?" I said to him, grabbed the ball, and threw it back at his face. My classmates laughed because they knew I had a hot temper and was short-tempered. Then, a group of girls arrived in our room and announced that they were looking for people to join karate. So, I decided to join. My friends didn't know that I knew karate, so they chuckled when they saw me signing up on the list. They said that the karate competition would start tomorrow, so I went. "Please wear your belts because the match is about to start." The MC said, so I grabbed my black belt and put it around my waist. Many students and teachers were watching the competition. My opponent gulped when he saw that I was a black belt. All my classmates were cheering loudly for me to win. "Guys, shut up! You're embarrassing me here." I said to my classmates. They just laughed at me and shouted even more. "Crush the match!" That's just one of their shouts to me. Then I instantly looked at my enemy who attacked me first. I didn't hear the ring that meant the match was starting, but I managed to dodge his attack. I just kicked his head, which made him fall to the ground and unconscious. "Oh, I guess I made it a little harsh." I said to myself and scratched my neck. It was just a minute after the start, but I already won. Of course, my classmates cheered for me even more. I managed to make it to the final round. All my opponents before the final round were getting unconscious when I just kicked their heads once. This time, my opponent was much older than me. After the match, I still won and became the first runner-up. I received a trophy and a gold medal. After the activities in school, I packed my things into my bag and got ready to go home. My classmates were still proud of me because of the match I won. Time skipped, and I was walking back home. I live alone at home since my parents are in another country for work. While walking, I noticed a shop selling traditional Chinese dresses, so I decided to take a look. The dress was so cool, with a combination of red and black colors. It was a full set, including accessories, the dress itself, and even shoes. It was a bit expensive, but I didn't want to miss the opportunity, so I bought it using my school allowance. "I'm just going to ask my parents for more money... mwehehehehe~" I said to myself while walking home, holding the bag containing the dress. When I arrived home, I cooked my dinner and ate at the table. After finishing my food, I washed the dishes and returned to my room to take a bath. I used a hairdryer to dry my hair. Then, I looked at the box and decided to try on the dress I had bought. I tried on the sandals, accessories, hairpin, and the dress itself. I also noticed a flute and a book inside the box. The flute complemented the dress perfectly, and its black and red colors made it stand out against my fair skin. I decided to put on some light makeup, like lip tint, lashes, and eyeliner, even though I wasn't very skilled with them. Overall, I felt cool and beautiful, with my long black hair that had a touch of red in it. "Well, the money I spent was worth it. Let's see what's in this book... hmm..." I said as I opened the book. It was thick and contained information about ancient times in China. As I read through the pages, I came across some Chinese characters. It was written to say them three times, so I did, even though I didn't know what they meant. "Jìxù wǒ de shēnghuó. Jìxù wǒ de shēnghuó. Jìxù wǒ de shēnghuó." I felt my surroundings rolling and moving after reading those words. "What the heck... what's happening?... is it because I'm not sleeping early that I lost so much blood and became anemic? Hell nah, I still want t-" Suddenly, I lost consciousness and collapsed to the floor, still holding the book and the flute. When I regained consciousness, I felt someone tapping my hand. As I opened my eyes, I found myself in a different place. I saw a young man who appeared to be around my age. He was dressed in traditional Chinese clothing. I glanced down at myself and realized that I was still wearing the dress I had bought, while clutching the book and the flute in my hands. "W-Where am I?" I stammered, looking around. It didn't resemble the city where I lived. Instead, it resembled the settings I had seen in anime and manhua, depicting ancient times that I had watched and read about. Then, I heard the man speaking. "Hey, who are you? You passed out here on the street. You don't look like an orphan in that dress," he said sarcastically, raising one of his eyebrows. "W-Where am I?... What's this place? What year is it?" I asked him. He took a deep breath before answering. "It's the town of Jinja village. And what do you mean by 'year'? What's that?" he asked. My head spun. I suddenly realized that I had been transported to ancient China, where the concept of years might not exist. Perhaps this man I was talking to was simply uneducated. I stood up, and a smile formed on my lips. This was what I had always dreamed of - to be in a fictional world. "Heck... is this a prank? Or did I really get reincarnated? I-id I really got reincarnated-" I murmured under my breath. "Uhm... May I ask something?" I said, and he sighed. "You're already asking, but what is it?" he replied. I rolled my eyes at his sarcasm. "This guy... By the way, who is in control of this village? Is there a king or an emperor?" I asked. He nodded and looked around to see if anyone was listening to our conversation. It's prohibited to talk about the emperor, though. "It's Emperor Guanglu. He's quite strict. He is already old and nearing the end of his reign. They say that his son, Zhangpi, will be the one to succeed him and become the new emperor soon. He also has a daughter named Gu xiang. Zhangpi and Gu xiang are siblings but have different mothers. Do you understand now?" he explained to me. I asked him more questions, and then... I obtained all the information I needed. Then, the man left. I continued walking through the streets. As I explored the streets of Jinja village, I couldn't help but notice the vibrant colors and bustling activity around me. The market was filled with vendors selling a variety of goods, from fresh produce to exquisite crafts. The aroma of street food filled the air, tempting my growling stomach. I couldn't resist the temptation and decided to try some traditional Chinese snacks. I approached a food stall and ordered a plate of steamed dumplings and a bowl of hot and sour soup. The flavors exploded in my mouth, and I couldn't help but let out a satisfied sigh. The stall owner, an elderly woman with a warm smile, struck up a conversation with me. "Ah, you must be new here. I haven't seen you before," she said kindly. "Yes, I am. I just arrived in Jinja village," I replied, grateful for her friendly demeanor. She chuckled and continued, "Well, you've come at an interesting time. There's a festival happening in a few days to celebrate the upcoming coronation of the new emperor. The whole village is buzzing with excitement." My eyes lit up with curiosity. "A festival? That sounds amazing! Can you tell me more about it?" The stall owner nodded and began to explain the details of the festival. It involved colorful parades, traditional dances, and various competitions. There would be food stalls, games, and performances throughout the village. It sounded like a lively and festive event, and I couldn't wait to experience it. After finishing my meal, I thanked the stall owner and continued my exploration of the village. I stumbled upon a small park with a beautiful pond in the center. The sound of flowing water and the sight of blooming lotus flowers brought a sense of tranquility to my heart. As I sat on a nearby bench, a young girl approached me. She had a mischievous smile and sparkling eyes. "Hello, are you new here?" she asked, her voice filled with curiosity. "Yes, I am. My name is Liviana. What's your name?" I replied, returning her smile. "I'm Mei, nice to meet you, Liviana!" she exclaimed, bouncing with excitement. "Would you like to join me in feeding the koi fish in the pond? It's so much fun!" I couldn't resist Mei's infectious enthusiasm, so I followed her to the edge of the pond. We took turns sprinkling fish food into the water, watching as the colorful koi fish swarmed around, eagerly gobbling up the treats. Mei and I spent the afternoon together, exploring the park and sharing stories. She told me about her dreams of becoming a skilled martial artist and how she practiced diligently every day. I admired her determination and passion. As the sun began to set, we bid each other farewell, promising to meet again soon. I left the park with a newfound sense of joy and a new friend in Mei. I noticed some guards, and I wondered if they were approaching me or if it was just my imagination. Suddenly, the guards stopped in front of me, and an old lady emerged. "My lady, why did you sneak out of the palace again? It's dangerous here on the streets. Let's go back to the palace," she said, sounding worried. I was completely clueless... "H-Huh?! I-I'm the... Emperor's daughter? Gu xiang?!" I exclaimed, starting to piece things together. I recognized their attire, similar to the uniforms of maids and guards in the anime and manhua I used to watch and read in my previous life. So when the old maid referred to me as "my lady," I had a hunch that I was indeed the daughter of the emperor. Then, a memory got into my head...it was the memory of Gu Xiang