A Couple Transmigrates to the Northern Song: He Becomes a Top Graduate, She Becomes the Richest Woman

Dual transmigration|Feel-good imperial examination story|Business and farming|A powerful couple|Court intrigue|Emperor Renzong of Song|Historically researched|One-on-one romance|Happy ending

In their previous lives, they lost contact not long after getting married and remained separated for more than twenty years. They never saw each other again before they died.

In this life, a 50-year-old Northern Song historian and a 48-year-old economics master’s graduate transmigrate to the reign of Emperor Renzong of Song. He becomes Chen Mianzhi, an impoverished 18-year-old scholar, while she becomes Lin Zhao, a 17-year-old farmer’s daughter.

He doesn’t know she is in the Song dynasty, and she doesn’t know he has transmigrated.

He uses his knowledge of history to pursue success in the imperial examinations, rising from top candidate in the county exam to third place in the palace exam, with policy essays that astonish the court. She uses her business acumen to build a company, starting with a bar of soap, and turns “Zhaoji” into a nationwide enterprise, becoming the richest woman in the land.

They both fight their way upward, all so the other can find them. But fate plays tricks on them again and again: she goes to the capital just as he leaves; he arrives in Luoyang just after she has gone. They are no more than three streets apart, yet they keep missing each other.

Until one rainy night, he walks down the street soaked to the skin, while she stands beneath an umbrella at the entrance to her shop. He looks up, and she freezes.

He says, “The rain at West Lake that year was actually quite heavy.” Tears stream down her face. “You’re lying. It was sunny that day.”

After they reunite, the couple join forces and become unstoppable. He pushes through new reforms at court, while she provides financial backing behind the scenes. He writes policy essays, and she supplies the data. He pacifies Western Xia, and she ensures the supply lines are cut.

In this life, they rise from poor farmers: one becomes a chancellor, the other wealthy beyond measure. In this life, they have children and remain together until their hair turns white. Every regret from their past life becomes a happy ending in this one.