Grandmother Said Our House Was Too Crowded So I Kindly Helped Everyone Move To The Afterlife.

Thank you for listening to stories at Stellar Novels. Hope you have a pleasant time listening to stories. Listening to Grandmother's words, I sent the entire family to reunite with our ancestors. Grandmother taught me that if a woman is foolish, obedient, and truly honest, life will flow as smoothly as oil. So when she used the excuse that there were too many mouths to feed in the house and wanted to reduce one, I obeyed without hesitation. I pushed her into the pond. Once she drowned, there was one less vicious mouth to feed. My eldest sister and third sister were soft-hearted. They made a fuss, claiming they would risk everything for our younger brother's future. I obeyed. I sold one into a brothel and pushed the other onto the bed of a filthy old tutor, securing a bright future for our little brother. Clearly I was the most obedient one. I made sure everyone got what they wanted. Yet mother and father still planned to sell me off as a bride to ward off bad luck, even as a living sacrifice. They took the silver and instructed me once I left, I was never to look back. I should treat the whole family as already dead. I obeyed. Before I departed, I slipped the last three packets of rat poison into the water jar. Sure enough, the entire family died cleanly. Their bodies rotted until there wasn't a scrap of flesh left on their bones. Mother-in-law knew perfectly well how obedient I was, yet she still accused me of not knowing my place. Did I want to torment my husband to death and anger her to death so I could monopolize the rear courtyard? I was the most honest, obedient woman alive, so I had no choice but to not know my place and do exactly as she wished. I was born into a poor, lowly family. My parents didn't even have a decent courtyard, yet they kept having daughters, one after another, refusing to stop until they produced a son to fulfill their wish. I had an eldest sister who smiled like a fox, Jiang Yindi. I had a third sister who was willful and unruly, Jiang Jiaodi. And then there was me, Jiang Pan'er. I didn't know how to curry favor with our parents like my eldest sister, nor did I have the luck of my third sister, so I was seen as the family's little blessing. But I had one virtue—I always listened to Grandmother and lived as a foolish, obedient, honest woman. Grandmother had been bedridden and seriously ill for years. From the moment I was old enough to serve her, I washed her, emptied her bedpan, and attended her day and night. Yet she still felt I wasn't sensible enough. She blamed the family's poverty on us three sisters for not knowing how to listen. When she saw Mother's belly swelling again—far more obviously than when she carried any of us three girls—she was overjoyed. She began plotting a prosperous future for the grandson who was about to be born. She hinted that the house could no longer support so many mouths to feed, her gaze drifting meaningfully toward the new grave of the recently deceased squire on the hill behind us. That squire had raised a whole brood of children alone. Now that his sons and daughters were rich and noble, they wanted to show filial piety. They were willing to pay a sum of silver to buy a girl as a maidservant and send her down to the underworld to serve their father. Grandmother took the matter to heart. She led me to the riverbank. I understood that the family needed to reduce one mouth to feed. My eyes darkened. The moment Grandmother moved to push me into the water, I leaned aside and dodged. When she staggered in alarm, I gave her a fierce shove. Splash! Grandmother sacrificed herself for her grandson. She died a noble death. Father was a filial son. When I told him Grandmother had wanted to become a living sacrifice for the squire, he didn't say a word. He simply dragged her body away and exchanged it for five towels of broken silver. Grandmother had not lied to me, only an honest, obedient woman could live a life as smooth as flowing oil. Grandmother's bed now belonged to me. I no longer had to stay awake all night, kneeling beside it to massage her back and clean up after her, only to be slapped to the floor for the slightest displeasure and cursed until she foamed at the mouth. I had tasted the sweetness of obedience, so I would continue to listen to Grandmother's teachings. An honest, obedient woman could live a life as smooth as flowing oil. But after my little brother was born, the days remained just as impoverished. My kind, hearted eldest sister wanted to take me to the matchmaker in town. She said she would sell herself and let me bring the money home to buy our little brother a basket of eggs. Whatever was left could keep the whole family warm through the winter. She even pinned the hairpin she had saved for so long onto my hair as a keepsake between sisters. Mother and father, along with my siblings, were rarely this gentle with me. Everyone urged me to set out quickly. I understood then. Biting my lip, I smiled excitedly and asked one question. Since you're selling your elder sister, why not give me the deed of sale? Mother's eyes were icy, yet she still pressed the deed of sale for my eldest sister into my hand. I smiled and nodded, following my sister out. But on the way, I swung a stick with all my strength and smashed the back of her head. I gagged her tightly and dragged her to the black market. If she wanted to sell herself for the family's warm winter, the black market would naturally pay far more than any matchmaker. Even if she became a courtesan, at least my sister had given everything for our little brother. She wanted to sell me, but I sold her first. She whimpered and sobbed, her eyes red with hatred. I counted the silver in my pouch, hugged my own deed of sale, and never looked back. I truly did not understand. I was clearly honest, obedient, and dutiful. So why, after my parents took the silver from selling my sister, did they still beat me until my skin split and my flesh tore? But Grandmother was right. An honest, obedient woman could live a life as smooth as flowing oil. My eldest sister's hairpin now belonged to me. That winter, because my parents could not find her, the whole family drank white cabbage soup with a layer of glistening fat on top. Later, when Jiang Yaozu turned four and reached the age to begin his studies, the unfortunate truth was that our family had no money for a teacher. My clever third sister picked a basket of mushrooms and dragged me to the house of an old scholar with yellow teeth. On the way, she kept reminding me Yaozu was the family's lifeblood. His education was the most important thing. Since our parents had already let two sisters go, even if we hadn't achieved our goal, we must not turn back. As elder sisters, we should sacrifice ourselves for our little brother's future. Although the old scholar was advanced in years, he was the only literate person in this poor village and was respected by everyone. Who would dare defy him? A single complaint from him was enough to have someone beaten. The betrothal gift he collected each year was enormous. If we could marry him, the whole family would benefit. Do you understand? I understood. Marrying him would bring a hundred benefits and not a single harm. I obeyed. When my third sister stepped through the door of that lecherous old man, I helped her succeed by giving her a hard push from behind. While she crawled on the ground cursing me, I turned and locked the door with the only copper lock in the house, the one she had brought in her basket. That old lecher was a beast. Poor widows who couldn't afford the proper betrothal gift often had to go to his house to wash clothes, cook, and warm his bed. He had been fed until he was plump and glossy, his mind filled with nothing but filthy thoughts. He liked to wear a green scholar's robe and sit on the grinding stone at the entrance of the village, ogling the breasts and buttocks of passing girls. Slender and graceful, if pampered to have fair skin, she'd look like peach and plum blossoms, full-breasted and round, hipped eyes brimming with spring water. Truly a peerless beauty. The very beauty he had long admired had been delivered to his door by my own hand. He did not hesitate. Like a starving wolf pouncing on prey, he threw himself at my third sister, dragged her onto the bed. Heart-wrenching screams rang out, drawing the neighbors from all directions. Unfortunately, no one opened their mouths to help. Instead, everyone spat in disgust. They cursed my third sister for having no shame, still so young, yet daring to offer her body and seduce a man. On the contrary, the Jiang family had seized the advantage and claimed the coveted prize that was the old teacher. Once the old man had tasted the sweetness, he used the excuse that he had to take responsibility. He brought silver to the door and proposed marriage. The moment he stepped inside, he patted Jiang Yaozu's head and said, This child is intelligent. If I devote myself to teaching him, he will surely become a dragon leaping out of the pond and soaring into the sky, truly bringing glory to the family clan. One sentence made mother and father beam with joy. For the sake of Jiang Yaozu, they tossed aside all the humiliation my third sister had suffered, the mockery of the villagers, and the pain that felt like having their hearts gouged out. Mother and father smilingly agreed to marry her off. Clearly I was the honest woman who had obeyed and helped my third sister achieve her wish. Yet as the bridal sedan carried her away, she still cursed me, wishing me a miserable death. But grandmother had not been wrong. A woman who was honest, obedient, and truly compliant would have a life as smooth as flowing oil. After my third sister married, no one else accused me of wrongdoing, beat me until my head split and blood flowed, then drove me out to sleep in the woodshed. I even got an extra bowl of her portion of rice, and I no longer had to cinch my belt so tightly it cut into my flesh. But good days never lasted long. Half a year later, my eldest sister returned. She had become a concubine of a powerful noble family. Dressed in brocade and silk, she returned to her hometown in glory and brought mother and father wonderful news. The Wen family in the prefectural city was looking for someone with a hard fate to ward off misfortune. One hundred shining tails of silver were placed on the table. My eldest sister stared at me, her eyes like a tiger stalking prey. If the ritual succeeded, I would simply be discarded, sold wherever they wished. If it failed, I would be the perfect living sacrifice, wouldn't I? My third sister curled her lip coldly and pushed me forward. Second sister has the hardest fate. She will definitely turn disaster into fortune and contribute to the family. Even Zhang Yaozu stretched his neck, acting like the head of the house as he shouted at me, As a daughter, you must devote yourself entirely to the clan. I will remember your kindness. Once I achieve success and fame, I will support you. Mother and father were dazzled by the silver. Father slammed the table and declared, The Wen family is wealthy and noble. Once you leave, do not look back. Treat the entire family as already dead. I was an honest woman who obeyed. Naturally, I nodded. While scooping water to wash my face, I poured the last three packets of rat poison into the water jar. Not a single grain wasted. Then dusted my hands clean. While they held a feast to celebrate heaven, sent fortune, I turned and left without once looking back. The day I entered the city, who sold me? Song Chunhua told the Wen family that my fate was indeed hard. If she had not insisted on setting out at the exact auspicious hour that day, she would have died together with the Zhang family from the poison. An entire household had peacefully eaten rat poison and died in the courtyard. By the time anyone discovered them, the bodies had rotted through. Even the rats had gnawed them until only white bones remained. Truly terrifying. My mother-in-law was delighted that I had a hard fate and kept me. Grandmother had not been wrong. A woman who was honest, obedient, and truly compliant would have a life as smooth as flowing oil. Every step inside the Wen residence trod on soft cotton bedding like clouds. Even the servants' meals had a layer of fat and chunks of meat. Nothing less than a festival feast back at the Zhang house. The clothes they gave me were soft and smooth, the kind of fabric I had only seen covering Grandmother's face when she died. Such good days naturally had to be cherished. Even though I was forced onto Wen Jiuang's bed like a pig or a dog to complete the marital rites, I did not utter a single word of protest. Yet my mother-in-law was still dissatisfied. My husband, Wen Jiuang, had eloped with his lover and unfortunately fallen from a horse. He had been unconscious for half a month and still had not awakened. His mother had spent a hundred tales of silver to buy me, a girl with a hard fate, to ward off misfortune. If he woke, she would sell me to another dying man and quickly recoup her capital. If he died, she would blame my evil fate for killing her son and bury me with him as a living sacrifice. Either way, she lost nothing. But half a month after I entered the residence, Wen Jiuang still had not woken, though his breathing remained steady. He did not look like someone about to die. My mother-in-law grew anxious. The entire Wen clan's vast fortune rested on this legitimate son. So she listened to a shaman and ordered me to consummate the marriage with a man who was already dead but still breathing. Rich families truly were different. With money, anything could be bought, even the life of a corpse. A pill was forced into Wen Jiuang's mouth. The corpse suddenly stiffened, vigorous as a living dragon. Mother-in-law feared I would fake it, so she summoned three old midwives to strip me naked and place me on him like a piglet. After a bout of sweat, drenched struggle, and my choked sobs, they finally saw the red stain of a virgin's blood. She was very satisfied. It was just that the medicine had been too strong. Wen Jiuang had truly overexerted himself. Only when the second watch drum sounded did he tremble once and finally release. My parents had sold my body and my dignity. I only wanted to do my utmost to please my mother-in-law. Yet the moment the sky brightened, she had people drag me from the bed and force me to kneel in the snow until the sun rose high before allowing me inside. Jiang Pan'er, do you know where you went wrong? I did not know where I had gone wrong. I only remembered that every time my parents beat me with a stick, they asked the same question. Only by obediently admitting fault could I avoid more lashes. So I lowered my head, lips purple and trembling and said, I know I was wrong. We're. I drew in a sharp breath of cold air. Ah, could it be that I was not devoted enough? A teacup smashed straight into my forehead. Blood blurred my vision. Mother-in-law's every word stabbed into my heart like a knife. You have no shame. You seduced Jiuang and caused him to harm his own body. I curled in on myself, unable to believe it, and raised my head. Seduce a dead man. Ruin a corpse that had not even been buried. I might be poor, but I was not that lowly. Her gaze swept over my waist as though it were filthy. She turned away to look at the wind and snow outside, her voice full of contempt. A lowly concubine from a humble house. You're nothing but a girl bought to ward off misfortune, yet you think you've become the mistress. Do you want to be shameless, harm Jiuang to death, anger me to death, and seize the rear courtyard of the Wen family? From today on, you will sleep on the small bed. You are not allowed into Jiuang's blankets. In the Wen family, you must know your place and obey. If you dare harbor wicked thoughts, kneeling for a few watches will not be the end of it. Get out. The wind and snow howled. My body ached, my fever soared. Every step felt like walking on burning coals. Know my place and obey. That was exactly what I had been doing all along. Yet I was accused of having no shame, wanting to kill my husband, anger my mother, in law to death, and seize the rear courtyard. I was an honest woman who obeyed. Naturally, I would follow her instructions. It was just that in this rear courtyard full of women, if I was not allowed to be shameless, did that mean I had to serve my father-in-law instead? When Chunhua returned to the courtyard, she had already sold me. She was waiting. She grabbed my sleeve and hissed through gritted teeth. Was it you who put rat poison in the water? I've asked around. They treated you like a beast, beat and scolded you without mercy, so you plotted to kill the entire family, didn't you? Seeing my face turn deathly pale, she became even more convinced. Madness flashed in her eyes. Now your weakness is in my hands. From today on, if you don't obey me, I'll make you wish you were dead. I saw someone standing behind the tree and deliberately gripped her hand tightly. My nails dug into her flesh, making her tremble in pain. She raised her hand to slap me, but noticing the servant's sweeping snow in the courtyard watching, she withdrew it, forced a smile, and said, serve the young master well. The old madam will not treat you poorly. I am an outsider after all, so I will come occasionally to remind you not to be lazy. I lowered my head obediently and answered, I will obey. Aunt, come inside and drink a cup of hot tea. I've already prepared everything you wanted. I covered her mouth, dragged her into the bedroom I shared with Wen Juwang. She knew I was only pretending to be docile. She narrowed her eyes in warning the Wen family is not the Zheng family. Don't act wildly and implicate me. The Zheng family matter has already been settled with Silver. In the future you will repay me a hundredfold. I will keep my mouth shut for you. I exhaled softly and smiled faintly, but I wanted you to stay silent forever. I pulled the exorcism dagger from beneath the pillow, turned, and stabbed straight into Chunhua's throat. Fresh blood sprayed out. She clutched her neck like a chicken being slaughtered, her face full of horror, and collapsed to the floor. I found it amusing. I swung the dagger several more times, slicing her body into a bloody mess. None of the cuts were fatal, but each one brought unbearable pain. She convulsed and rolled, the thick curtains blocking all sound. I wiped the blood from my face, squatted down, leaned close to her ear, and whispered, you already knew how vicious I am, yet you still dared to come looking for death. If you don't die, who will? The Wen family paid you three hundred tales. You and my eldest sister split one hundred each. As for the debt of pushing me into a pit of fire, I haven't even started calculating yet. She tried to crawl toward the door. The moment her fingers touched the curtain, I grabbed her ankle and dragged her back. You won't get away. You wanted benefits, right? Here, I'll give them to you. I stuffed all the jewelry and silver rewards my mother-in-law had given me into her clothes. Looking at her trembling, terrified eyes that no longer could hide their fear, I smiled softly and dragged her onto my husband's bed. Hearing footsteps in the courtyard, I clenched my fist and stabbed Wen Zhuang's chest. Then I screamed at the top of my lungs, a heart-rending cry, help. Help, my husband is bleeding. One watch later, Chunhua was dragged out from the woodshed, her entire body torn to shreds. She had been caught red-handed stealing from the residence. Inside her clothes, they found the young master's jade amulet. Her cries of innocence were pathetically weak. Because I had slashed her throat, she was not dead, but she could not utter a single word. I knelt on the ground, my cheeks swollen red from the slap, and obediently wept. I knew my aunt needed money to save her gambling son. She forced me to find silver and took all the rewards the old madam had given me. I didn't blame her for that. But she should not have taken the young master's jade amulet. Aunt probably didn't know that this jade had been blessed by a high monk. If the young master lost it, his soul could not settle and his life could not be saved. Now that my husband is gone, I will have to follow him in death. I don't blame aunt for selling me. My mother-in-law is kind, the Wen family is harmonious. I have enjoyed blessings I never had before, just for silver. I had already promised. From now on, everything my mother-in-law gave me, I will yield to aunt. So why did aunt still want to kill my husband and force me to die with him? The servants competed to recount my statement. Chunhua demanded silver and nearly beat me. The items hidden on her body were exactly the things the old madam had bestowed upon me. The person sent to investigate her background returned to the residence in less than one watch. That vicious woman had deceived countless innocent girls, gagging them with cloth, knocking them unconscious, then dragging them away to be sold for money. A heartless human trafficker. Now her son had incurred a huge gambling debt. Even the silver from selling me was not enough. So she risked everything and came to the Wen family to try her luck. Unfortunately, luck was not on her side. She threatened me with the lives of the Jiang family. A coward who feared death, she tried to steal my husband's protective jade and force me to die with him. How could I willingly accept that? During the struggle, I stabbed her many times. Unfortunately, one cut struck her throat. The steward examined her for a long time before concluding it was definitely not intentional. Otherwise, it would have been a single fatal blow. How could it be such a messy series of stabs? As for the stab that entered my husband's body, it missed the heart by half an inch. It must have been Chun Hua who struck the killing blow. The Buddhist prayer beads in my mother-in-law's hand clicked loudly. In the deathly silent room, the sound was especially grating. Chun Hua groaned and struggled, raising her hand to point at me, trying desperately to produce sound from her ruined throat. No one understood what she was saying, so I spoke for her. Aunt wants me to beg for mercy on her behalf. But since she has already harmed my husband, I cannot open my mouth. Chun Hua's eyes widened in terror. She lunged forward to strangle me, only to be struck on the back of the head by the steward's staff. Blood soaked her clothes. Her eyes rolled back and she fainted. My mother-in-law closed her eyes tightly, fingering her prayer beads without once raising her head. Drag her away. The steward received the order and signaled the servants. Chun Hua was dragged off like a dead pig to the government office. The steward slipped a silver note into the official's hand, sparing them seven or eight rounds of questioning. Theft was a serious crime. She was sentenced to fifty strokes of the heavy rod. My aunt, once so good at selling people, received every single blow. Blood sprayed from her mouth as she screamed in agony. With each stroke that landed, the countless miserable girls she had once sold, just like me, received another measure of comfort. That year, when she sold my eldest sister, I could have taken the silver and the deed and escaped that ruined house forever. But Chun Hua, you had already arranged with my eldest sister and were waiting at the dock. The only road out was blocked. I had no choice but to return to the Zhang family. At that very moment, I swore in my heart anyone who blocked the path of so many women, Chun Hua, would definitely die by my hand. I watched coldly, pretending to tremble in fear, but beneath my handkerchief was wild, frenzied joy. Only after the final ten strokes had tortured her enough did they strike with full force to kill. The sound of bones shattering rang out clearly. Chun Hua could no longer even groan. Her eyes bulged, staring at me with a deathly glare. I was just a demon, after all. I already had quite a few lives on my hands. I was not afraid. Seeing the mangled flesh and blood behind her, a mouthful of fresh blood sprayed from her heart, she died on the spot. If anyone said I had acted wrongly and killed her, well, I was an honest, obedient, foolish woman. And yet I had done it. Pretending to endure my mother-in-law's scolding, I covered my mouth and secretly smiled. When I returned to the courtyard, I ran straight into the woman carrying my husband's child. She looked at me coldly. You were the one who silenced Chun Hua and made her stab him. You wretched slut, you deserve to die. Oh, another person who wanted to order me around and make me obey. The hatred surging in her eyes told me everything. She was the courtesan who had seduced Wen Ji Huang into stealing ten thousand tales and eloping with her. I was a foolish, honest, obedient woman. When I met a clever, scheming woman full of tricks, all I felt was admiration and praise. It was a pity that one slap from her wiped away every bit of that admiration. She lowered her voice, pressed close to my ear, and said, Did you really think that after consummating the marriage with him you could seize the entire Wen family once he died? Delusional. Even if he dies, you only deserve to follow him in death. If he wakes up, I will be the first to make him sell you, this filthy thing that harmed him, into the cheapest brothel to become a ruined whore. Remember this, Weldy. As long as I am not dead and the child in my belly is not lost, I am the legitimate mother of the Wen family's eldest legitimate son. You are nothing but a cheap girl bought to ward off misfortune. Her slender fingers patted my face. She warned me. If I knew what was good for me, I would obediently serve Ji Huang until he woke up. If I dared use dirty tricks to get pregnant and fight for the family property with my child, she would make me miscarry and sell me into a brothel. Before she finished speaking, the stewardess came hurrying over and dragged her away. She immediately twisted her lips into a vicious smile, clutched her belly, and wailed, My stomach hurts. She's harming my child. My mother-in-law beat me until my body was covered in wounds, skin split and flesh torn, all while lecturing me. My lowly life was not worth a single strand of her grandson's hair. It was just a pity she could not bear to kill her own son, so she still refrained from taking my life. I looked at Liu Xue as furious face. My heart calm as still water. Miscarry and be sold into a brothel, how lowly! This foolish, obedient woman had truly taken note of every detail in the plan to take my life. They would not even let me kneel in the warm Buddha Hall anymore. They drove me to the ancestral shrine. The stewardess reminded me the ancestral shrine is where the ancestors are worshipped. Keep your eyes wide open and be careful. Do not let even a spark of fire fly out and defile the ancestors. Oh, fire, was it? This foolish, obedient woman remembered that very clearly. I had only just knelt down when my father-in-law dragged his younger son Wen Jiqing inside. Father-in-law swung a wooden ruler, striking fiercely. The blows rang out sharply. The daughter of the Li family may be a secondary wife, but she is still the proper daughter of a government official. Marrying you is already a blessing. How dare you? You dare find someone to humiliate her and ruin my grand plan. You really don't know how to live or die. The cold wind howled. Wen Jiqing carried a grudge as he roared like a wounded wolf cub. Why didn't father leave this good deed for eldest brother? Two hundred pounds of flesh sent down to the underworld will definitely help eldest brother come back to life. Slap, slap, slap. My father-in-law didn't even glance at me as I knelt to the side. He dragged Wen Jiqing out and beat him mercilessly. You fight and snatch just to show off. How dare you compare yourself to your elder brother? What are you? Unless every man in the Wen family dies, I will never hand the family property over to a calamity like you. Father-in-law stormed off in fury, leaving a cold threat behind. For one full watch, no one is allowed to visit him. Let Wen Jiqing die right here in front of the ancestral tablets to atone for his crimes. But there was still one person in the ancestral hall whom he had never even looked at—me. Because I was lowly, I wasn't considered a person at all, so naturally there was no need for propriety between men and women. Wen Jiqing's back oozed thin threads of blood. He gritted his teeth in agony and cursed nonstop. He was handsome and refined, with red lips and white teeth, yet the vicious look in his eyes made him even more dangerously seductive. His black robe hung open, the jade belt loose, the golden crown tilted. He looked even wilder and more romantic than any man in the books. I had never seen anyone so beautiful. My mother-in-law had scolded me for not knowing my place. Liu Xue had accused me of using filthy tricks to get pregnant and fight for the family property, so this was what they had all been waiting for. When he noticed me staring, he gave a cold snort and turned away. You're truly lucky you saved that last breath of your husband. Guard it well. Father has devoted his whole life to your husband. If you're fortunate enough to carry a good seed, the entire Wen family will belong to you. You won't even need to kneel in the ancestral hall anymore. Watching him grit his teeth in bitter hatred, I suppressed the excitement surging in my chest and asked softly, Do you want me to set up a plan to trick them? Wen Jiqing frowned and looked at me like I was an idiot. Has warding off misfortune turned your brain to mush? You're nothing but a useless pawn who can't even get on the table. The corner of my lips curled. Without warning, I leaned in and stuffed one of his elder brother's pills straight into his mouth. While he panicked and tried to dig it out of his throat to save himself, I patted my skirt clean, smiled, and said, Right in front of your ancestor's tablets, let me carry your good seed and seize the entire Wen family. Tell me, doesn't that count as setting up a plan? His body went rigid. He lifted his head and stared at me in disbelief. You, you're insane. Whoosh! I shoved him down onto the prayer cushion, my red lips pressed close, seductive. The stewardess will come to inspect in half a watch. Do you want to claim this vast fortune with nothing but one single tremble? I didn't know if I wanted it, but I did. Whoosh! His belt was ripped away by my hand. I was a foolish, obedient woman. Mother, in law had taught me not to know my place, so I had already touched a man. Now I would go all the way and truly not know my place. The medicine took effect. Lust burned through Wen Jicheng's veins. His throat bobbed as he swallowed saliva again and again. I leaned down bit once, slowly sucked, gently nibbled. Along with his low groan he could no longer hold back his desire. Whoosh! My robes were torn open by him. Like a starving wolf, urgent and savage, he pinned me down onto the prayer cushion. You delivered yourself to my door. If you get fucked to death, don't blame me. Desire blazed like wildfire. The entire room filled with the colors of spring. I gazed at the Wen family ancestral tablets and smiled. With me. The one who knew how to obey. The Wen family's blessing had finally arrived. The taste of a living man was truly exquisite. When Madam Wu came to inspect, there was only a single curtain between us. I clasped my hands piously and bowed my head in perfect reverence. Wen Jicheng, half naked, pretended to doze with half-lidded eyes, looking elegant as though nothing had happened. Madam Wu nodded in approval and turned to leave. She had no idea my body was draped only in an outer robe, my bare legs covered in faint red marks, and hidden beneath my chest. As for Wen Jicheng, the palm he kept pressed over his heart was still gently caressing my intimate little chemistry. They say once you taste the marrow, you know the flavor. Especially since this woman had once belonged to the man he hated most. He became even more addicted, like the sweetest honey. The moment the door creaked shut, he pounced like a starving wolf, his hands clamped around my waist. He bit my earlobe and panted, use my child to take everything that belongs to him, then torture those two old fools to death. This Wen family will belong to us. My bare arms looped around his neck. Work hard. Once there's a child, we'll have everything. I didn't know whether it was excessive joy or the guilty thrill of doing it right in front of the ancestral tablets that excited him more. That day Wen Jicheng's stamina was frighteningly vigorous. He used every technique he knew on me. I had never been satisfied like this before. In my heart I secretly swore such fortune. I want to enjoy it for the rest of my life. Afterward, I leaned against his chest and whispered, can we destroy the evidence? Right before his eyes, I raised my hand and knocked over the oil lamp. In his shocked gaze I smiled. It's all gone now. The ancestral hall burned to ashes. I won't have to kneel there anymore. One fire can cleanse every bit of filth in that house. We'll simply say the wind toppled the lampstand and caused the disaster. Father, in-law still believed Wen Jicheng had been unwilling and had smashed the ancestral tablets in rage. He dragged him out into the freezing snow and beat him until he was chilled to the bone. I covered my face with a handkerchief, pretending to be terrified, then turned and drank two bowls of nourishing soup. Mother, in-law had once said I must monopolize the Wen family's rear courtyard. The only hope now rested on the child in my belly. Three months later, Wen Jiwang's neither improved nor worsened. I attended him day and night by his bedside but never slept peacefully. Wen Jicheng grew impatient. Every night he climbed the wall to come in and sow the seed for me. Sometimes it wasn't exciting enough, so he even brought his elder brother along. You're not dead yet, so you're still cold. Sit at the foot of the bed and watch me perform right in front of your own brother's soul. When desire surged, he bit my earlobe and forced me to call him husband, my lord, good elder brother. The low moans were carried away by the cold wind outside the window, dissolving into heavy gasps. Lu Xue'e came every day to visit the child's father. Sometimes she made me serve hot tea. Sometimes she found excuses to humiliate me until I lost all face. Because of her, my hands picking plum blossoms in the snow cracked from the cold. Because of her, I fell into the jade hairpin pond and burned with fever for three full days. Everyone in the residence knew, yet they looked down on her and looked down on me even more. Mother, in law thought I would have to endure such bitter days for a long, long time, but she had no idea that the moment I first felt nauseous, the number of pills forced into Wen Jiuang's mouth had increased from five to ten. The instant the oil lamp went out, the dim light from the porch lantern fell on his face, red as a boiled shrimp. Veins bulged across his forehead. His expression was twisted in agony, and his lower body swelled so hard it looked ready to burst. Madam Chu stood beside him, watching with cold eyes. She leaned close to Wen Jiuang's ear and whispered, Do you still remember Yu Honor? She was my only child. She was my entire life. But in your eyes she was worth only thirty tales. She was already engaged. She only came to the residence to deliver a pair of shoes and socks she had soon herself as a gift for me. Yet you harbored wicked thoughts, dragged her into the study, and humiliated her. I know she jumped into the well behind the garden. You spread rumors that she had eloped with a lover and gave me thirty tales of silver, boasting about your benevolence. But none of you knew. That was a knife stabbing straight into my heart. I endured. I bowed my head. Also I could take revenge. Heaven has no eyes. You didn't die back then, but today you will pay with your life. Those thirty tales bought the cheapest aphrodisiac. Today is the day I stuff it into your mouth and let you die in ecstasy." Wen Jiuang's lips trembled. His whole body convulsed. He gritted his teeth but could not draw breath. I simply watched quietly until I grew tired of it. Then Madam Chu and I went to my mother-in-law's courtyard to offer scriptures to the Buddha. Before even one incense stick had burned, a shrill scream tore through the courtyard. It's over. The young master is dead. When I returned, I saw only Liu Shui'er stark naked, blood soaking her lower body. She wailed and begged, her despair heart wrenching. She reached out to grab my skirt. I merely smiled faintly and stomped down hard, crushing her fingers. As for my good husband, he died in the most filthy and miserable way imaginable. When mother-in-law heard the news, she spat blood and fainted. The first thing she did upon waking was order Liu Shui'er, her dragged out and beaten. The girl wanted to cry for justice, but the evidence was ironclad. She could not deny it. Look at you, foolish, obedient woman. She didn't come to visit Wen Jiuang to care for him. She came to search for the ten thousand tales of silver notes he had hidden, planning to elope. Today I gave her such a perfect chance to Unfortunately, before I left I had burned extremely strong spring incense. She searched and searched until she finally touched my husband's dragon root. A man and a woman in the midst of maddening aphrodisiac smoke naturally could not resist. And Wen Jiuang having taken the medicine, indulged until he exhausted his last breath. Liu Shui'er went mad, struggling until she miscarried. Blood flowed like a river. She was caught red-handed by Madam Chu. Madam Chu, who had long sided with me, silently extinguished the incense and erased every trace of the scent from the room. Only after the child's blood had completely drained, after the Wen family had truly become childless, did she finally scream. At that moment, Liu Shui'er lay in a pool of blood, barely breathing. In the freezing snow she was stripped of her clothes and beaten until she was half dead. I watched as she was dragged away and merely sighed softly. Wen Jiuang had been waiting at the alley entrance. Not long after, he sold her into the lowest, filthiest brothel. I had never deliberately made things difficult for any woman, but as I once said I am a foolish, honest, obedient woman. She wanted to miscarry. She wanted to be sold into filth. I simply fulfilled her wish. The next one was my mother-in-law, the one I was about to anger to death. She was so furious her face turned purple. She grabbed a teacup and hurled it straight at me. If it weren't for a jinx like you failing to watch the main courtyard, how could that vixen have sneaked in? Since you couldn't even ward off misfortune, go and follow your husband in death. Her vicious gaze landed on my face, cold as ice. No, that won't do. I slowly opened my mouth. There is already the flesh and blood of my husband in my belly. It doesn't matter if I die. But mother, do you really want to kill your own grandson? What? My mother-in-law was shocked. She immediately summoned the imperial physician to take my pulse. More than one month pregnant. The fetal signs were stable. The pulse was like pearls rolling, eight or nine parts, likely a boy. Mother-in-law's joy mixed with anger. She hated me for draining her son's essence while she wasn't looking. Yet she loved this last remaining bloodline of his. Madame Wu glanced at me and gently advised, the Wen family is so grand. How could it fall into outsiders' hands? The young master's child is the old madame's legitimate bloodline. Mother-in-law hated me to the bone, yet she still had to keep me. Behind my back she gritted her teeth and said, once she gives birth, immediately smother her and bury her beside Zhuang's grave. But I was an obedient woman. Killing my husband naturally meant angering my mother-in-law to death so I could monopolize the rear courtyard as he wished. On the first seventh day mourning for my husband, mother-in-law fingered her prayer beads and chanted sutras to transcend his soul. Unfortunately the Buddhist beads snapped. The beads rolled across the floor with loud clacks. The room fell silent. Wen Jiqing pretended to frown and said, Since ancient times, a broken prayer bead has been an ill omen. Could it be that eldest brother has encountered disaster on the Yellow Springs Road? That's right, mother has always observed vegetarianism and chanted sutras for seven times seven. Forty-nine days, whenever something happened, ever since eldest brother fell ill, mother has been so exhausted she must have forgotten. He didn't finish the rest. Under her sleeve, mother-in-law's hand trembled slightly. She had clearly been moved. After leaving the Buddha Hall, Wen Jiqing asked me, Are you certain? I shook my head. When he sucked in a cold breath, I smiled again. But I am a fool who obeys. I have never disappointed anyone. His eyes turned cold. His voice deepened. This matter must be one hundred percent certain. After arranging the rear courtyard properly, mother-in-law told me to follow her to Fahua Temple to chant sutras and pray for blessings for one month. She said, Jiang Pan'er's thoughts run deep. Only by keeping her at my side can I feel at ease. I did not disappoint her. When she sat once more at the only tea table on the peak of Fahua Temple, I gently told Madame Wu to fetch a cloak. The moment Madame Wu left, I raised my brow slightly and asked, You are also a woman. Why do you always destroy other women? She opened her eyes, frowned at me, and said, What madness are you spouting now? From my sleeve I took out the hairpin that had once belonged to Wen Jiqing's concubine and held it before her eyes. Isn't this the one you once gave to your father? In-law is a gift for Qingguan. Just because she was pregnant with a son, you didn't want her to live. You even framed her for adultery, causing second brother's status to be looked down upon for years. She gave a soft, contemptuous laugh. Her eyes overflowed with disdain for life. I only wanted her to keep my husband's feet at home and stop him from philandering outside. She was too ambitious, daring to carry a son. Naturally she had to be beaten to death. A bastard spawn is unworthy of calling my son elder brother. For this life, the next life, and the three lives after, he will remain the living shame of the Wen family. I gave a soft snort. If you were so afraid someone else would give birth to a son and threaten your position, why didn't you just make father? In-law drinks sterilizing medicine. Wouldn't one decisive move be easier? But listening to such great rebellion and filial impiety, she pointed at my face and cursed. A husband is heaven. He is hope. He is the pillar. He is the How could I harm his body? Oh, so that was how it was. With a thud from behind a tree, Wen Jicheng suddenly rushed out. He grabbed her by the throat, dragged her straight to the edge of the cliff, and shoved her down hard. You couldn't bear to harm him, yet you dared to frame my mother. Now you can go die and apologize down below. Gravel clattered down. In the blink of an eye mother, in-law vanished from the cliff edge. They searched for an entire day before finally finding her body at the foot of the mountain. Her fate was truly great. Although her flesh was mangled and bloody, she was still alive when brought back. Her entire body was paralyzed. Only her eyes could still move, rolling back and forth. Madam Wu was punished for failing to watch mother, in-law carefully and allowing her to fall off the cliff. I did not hesitate. I immediately forced her to drink a bowl of Crane Crest Red, taking her life as punishment. She herself had once whispered in mother, in-law's ear, advising that after I gave birth, they should make me drink Crane Crest Red to secretly eliminate the future threat. Having been taught, I simply followed her instructions. A bowl of lethal Crane Crest Red poison quietly removed the future threat. Before the person even returned to the residence, news had already spread throughout the Wen family mother. In-law had missed her son so much that, guided by the bodhisattva, she had jumped off the cliff to When no one was around, he pulled my hand and said, Once father is gone, I will take our child and control the family business. From now on, the Wen family belongs to us. As if afraid I would burn the bridge after crossing the river, he restrained his joy, pinched my chin, pushed me against the cold stone pillar, and asked in a low, sinister voice, You won't keep the child and harm me too, will you? You know offending me will not end well. Panner, be smart. Just keep the glory and wealth in your hands, that's enough. I, a mere ant in his eyes nestled into his chest. My smile did not reach my eyes. I am wholeheartedly devoted to you. Of course I will obey your words. The urgent matter now is to eliminate father-in-law and mother-in-law, isn't it? His gaze was resolute and extremely vicious, rest assured. Once we act, we must leave no trace. I was a filial daughter, in-law. I personally took care of mother, in-law's food, drink, and daily life. I even diligently pushed her wheelchair everywhere to enjoy the scenery. Everyone praised me for being filial. Only mother, in-law's eyes were filled with resentment, as if she wanted to tear me apart. It wasn't until the Kixi festival that father-in-law used the excuse of a banquet and refused to return home. I leaned close to mother, in-law's ear and whispered softly, Didn't you want to be angered to death? Today I will help you fulfill your wish. While she trembled, I pushed her to the moat surrounding the city. My father, in-law had used the excuse of being busy and not returning home. He was currently embracing beauty on a pleasure boat, carefree and relaxed. Mother, in-law's entire body shook. I added salt to the wound. You only worried about your own small rear courtyard. Who would have thought that not long after your husband fell from his horse, he became a discarded son and father, in-law's eyes. The grandson you longed for is worth less than a copper coin to him. Because what he needs is a son born from a legitimate wife. The moment I finished speaking, that woman stood up, revealing her eight-month pregnant belly, and the charming face of the distant cousin from mother, in-law's maternal family. Father, in-law no longer had the majestic bearing he showed in the residence. He attentively cared for her belly and body, so gentle it made mother, in-law's eyes bulge and her teeth grind. But that still isn't enough. I asked again, Do you know when the woman in his heart began to Mother, in-law was horrified. I spoke word by word. You are old and your beauty has faded. You can no longer give birth to a son. Your good younger brother feared losing the marriage alliance with the Wen family, so he sent his cousin to comfort father, in-law in his sorrow. He even said the child in her belly would replace the one by your side. Are you satisfied yet? What you saw on the surface was your husband. Behind your back, he trampled you into a bloody mess. All your life you bitterly supported that good younger brother, only to have him suck you dry without leaving a single drop. Even the dignity and nobility you were most proud of was trampled by a younger, more beautiful woman. Someone as strong as you, mother, in-law, finally could not withstand the stab to your softest spot. She spat out a mouthful of blood pointing toward father, in-law's pleasure boat. Her face twisted in pain. Before she could say anything, she stopped breathing. I was an obedient woman, gentle, honest, and compliant. I had angered my mother. In-law to death, I had succeeded. As for monopolizing the rear courtyard, my gaze fell on the boat on the lake. The corner of my lips curled, and I let out a heart-wrenching wail. Help! Is anyone there? My mother, in-law has died from a fit of rage. When my eyes met father, in-law's, his face was full of shock. My eyes were red and swollen. In my mind I clearly remembered how, in my husband's morning haul, his cold gaze had landed on my belly as if seeing something filthy and disgusting. He had sneered with contempt. The Nguyen family will not allow someone of unknown origin to tarnish our gate. Abandon that dream of becoming a noble mother through your son. So the daughter, in-law, had obeyed. Before her son's body had even cooled, the news that old Master Nguyen had caused his wife's death through his dalliance on the pleasure boat spread throughout the entire clan. That woman, frightened on the boat, gave birth that very night to a baby girl. Because it was a daughter, the father, in-law, was disappointed and despairing. Not only did he refuse to give her status in the residence, he poured all the dirty water onto her head. That lowly concubine climbed into my bed while I was drunk. If it weren't for the fact that she carries the Nguyen family's blood, I would have beaten her to death long ago. She caused my wife to misunderstand and die unjustly. A person like that, I absolutely cannot allow her into the residence. In a single night, the heartless and unrighteous old Master Nguyen gained a reputation as a loyal husband who cherished his wife. He even wept bitterly in mother-in-law's morning hall, fainting repeatedly, putting on a show of deep marital love. Only I knew that he had spared no expense searching for a woman easy to impregnate, hoping to quickly produce a son to inherit the Nguyen family's property. Wen Jiqing immediately brought the person he had prepared earlier. Using the steward's hand, he delivered her to father-in-law. The white mourning banners had not even been taken down when that woman disguised as a man entered father-in-law's study. Father-in-law was supposedly mourning his late wife, crying in the study every day. In reality, he was indulging in clouds and rain with her. The disgusting heavy breathing was carried by the Nguyen to our ears. Wen Jiqing watched the entangled figures in the study and smiled coldly with contempt. I am also of the Nguyen family. Why do you still look down on me and despise me? Then don't blame me for settling both new and old grudges. You were right. I must be an honest, obedient woman. He said, Only when the Nguyen family has no heirs will the property fall into my hands. So let there be no heirs. My hand stroking my belly paused, but I said nothing. Physicians came and went in droves. Father-in-law was advanced in years after all. Not only was he unable to perform, but conceiving a child had become extremely difficult. Bowl after bowl of bitter medicine. He drank them as if his life no longer mattered. Until the fifth day after mother. In-law's funeral father. In-law entered the study after another bowl of medicine. Not long after, news came that the study had caught fire. The young clansmen who had been copying scriptures with us for mother. In-law just happened to hear that the Nguyen family head was trapped in the fire. Each of them hoped to exchange saving his life for the position of heir. They scrambled to rush into the study. Father-in-law's personal attendants wanted to stop them, but I clutched my belly and grabbed their sleeves. Hurry, my stomach hurts. Go call the physician. The attendants were anxious as ants on a hot pan, but they dared not push my hand away. They could only watch helplessly as the Nguyen family's younger generation surged into the room. The wooden door was kicked open with a bang. The scene inside was truly unbearable to look at. Father, in-law old and weak, lay naked on the desk. The woman disguised as a man straddled him, moaning and demanding. Why aren't you coming in? What are you blocking the door for? Hurry and save the family head. The people behind pushed the ones in front into the room. Old master Nguyen, still in the throes of pleasure, suddenly startled and sucked in a cold breath. The medicine had been too strong. He had planned to score a decisive victory tonight, but he could not withstand the sudden humiliation. The heroic image he had maintained all his life crumbled to dust before the eyes of the younger generation. Rage, terror, finally, he suffered a stroke from the fury and demonic fire invading his heart. While convulsing, he suddenly saw me and Nguyen Je Ching. His pupils shook. Foam bubbled from his mouth, his eyes rolled back, and he breathed his last, dying filthy, stinking and eternally disgraced. The woman screamed in terror. Taking advantage of the Nguyen family's chaos, she escaped through the back door. Clutching the pile of shining silver notes Nguyen Je Ching had given her, she left the city that very night. That woman had been fed sterilizing medicine. Although she was skilled in every bedroom technique, she could not bear children, making her the perfect filial offering Nguyen Je Ching had presented to his father. But after use, the moment she left the city, she was silenced. A woman's fate was difficult no matter where. In the morning hall, Nguyen Je Ching pasted gold paper while smiling coldly. My mother offer her pure body to you, yet you suspected I was a bastard. For so many years you never gave me face. You always saw me as a disgrace, trampling and belittling me. Now your wish has come true. The Nguyen family has no heirs. The property naturally belongs to me. He narrowed his eyes on me. I did not miss the contempt and killing intent that flashed in his gaze. Before his parents were even cold in their graves, Nguyen Je Ching had already struck. All of father, in-law's trusted aides and mother, in-law's close people were replaced by him in a single night. Even I was locked inside the residence under the pretext of stabilizing the pregnancy, not allowed any freedom to go out. The clansmen were dissatisfied. Father, in-law had left a will the property must never be handed to Nguyen Je Ching. He was surrounded on all sides and could not move. So he came to coax me. Panner, tomorrow open the door of the ancestral hall. All the clansmen will be present. Use your status as the legitimate wife of the Nguyen family to let me temporarily manage the property on behalf of our child. You know how fierce the tigers are. They will definitely take advantage of your pregnancy to tear the Nguyen family apart. I am only protecting the property for our child. Do you understand? People in the midst of storms sometimes cannot control themselves. Choosing wrong means regretting for life. I understood. I nodded and drank the entire bowl of ginseng soup in my hand. I believe you. The next day, the servants came many times to invite me. But I used the excuse of stomach pain and refused to go out. Until Nguyen Je Ching, furious, came himself to fetch me. The blue water rippled. It was the only artificial lake in the courtyard. I stood on the small bridge, paused, and called out toward him as he walked ahead impatiently. I can't walk anymore. My stomach hurts so much. It must be the child acting up. He turned back angrily, gripped my hand tightly, and lowered his voice in threat. Have you acted enough? Keep performing and I cannot guarantee the child will be born safely. He squeezed my hand until it hurt. I leaned toward him. The corner of my lips curled slightly. Does that bastard spawn deserve me risking my life to give birth? Nguyen Je Ching, you deserve to die. The moment the words left my mouth, I screamed loudly, pulled his hand, and fell straight into the lake with him. At that exact moment, several aunts led by Madam Chu arrived to visit me. The moment they stepped through the round gate, they saw the scene of Nguyen Je Ching pushing me into the water. Blood spread across the entire surface of the lake. I smiled at his horrified face. Killing my father-in-law, keeping the child, and monopolizing the property. I had done it. The child could not be kept. I curled up in the aunt's arms, trembling as I said, If second brother wants the property, just give it to him. I am only a woman. Having food and clothes is enough. Why would I harm the only bloodline Juong left behind? Third aunt, I am a sinner. I am the one who caused the loss of the Nguyen family's legitimate bloodline. Let me die. I went mad, no longer caring about anything. I slammed my head against the gate pillar. With a thud, blood flowed down my face. Fortunately, Madam Chu caught my waste in time. Although I fainted from the pain, I kept my life. I had performed perfectly. Everyone believed me. The ancestral hall was opened at the perfect time to enforce the family rules. Nguyen Je Ching, for harming his own nephew in the womb, was tied up in the courtyard. Like a mad wolf, he howled his innocence and cursed me nonstop. But the woman whose seduction had literally loved father, in law to death had returned. She brought out the silver notes and tokens Nguyen Je Ching had once given her, exposing how he had killed his father. Not only that, the tonic father, in law had drunk, had also been switched by him into poison that harmed the body. Nguyen Je Ching had planned to kill her to silence her, but thanks to the message I had left behind, she had survived. Women were soft, hearted after all. Even though she knew I had a hundred tricks that caused Nguyen Je Ching's death, she still came back regardless of everything. The crime of plotting to murder his father left Nguyen Je Ching with no way out. The little monk also timely accused him of pushing mother, in law off the cliff. Every single thing had been done by his own hand. He kept accusing me, but clearly I was a gentle, honest, obedient woman who had been molded and tormented in every way without ever resisting. When Je Ching panicked and demanded to see me. When he couldn't, he shifted the blame, claiming I had seduced him in the ancestral hall and that the child in my belly was his. But none of the clansmen believed his accusation. Madam Chu only asked one question. If it was your child, why were you willing to seize the property from it and ruthlessly kill it? When Je Ching fell silent, after fifty strokes of the family rod, he was expelled from the clan and thrown out onto the streets to fend for himself. As for me, I wore a black cloak and saw him off for the final stretch. Drizzle fell lightly. Covered in mud, he raised his head to look at me and gritted his teeth. You whore. You slut. You won't have a good ending. I bent down, pinched his chin, and smiled. How could I be a whore? I played your elder brother to death and tormented you until the end. Killing two birds with one stone. Using the methods you used against women to deal with you in return. Why can't you endure it? Some dead, some crippled. How pitiful. It's fine. The wealth and honor your son cannot enjoy, I will enjoy them in his place. Then you can close your eyes in peace. The moment the words ended, the dagger in my hand plunged deep into his heart. While quietly twisting the blade in his heart, the corner of my lips still carried a bright, calm smile that did not waver. I was an obedient woman. I wanted to help Mother fulfill her wish. But the inner courtyard had too many helpless people. Thank you for delivering yourself to my door. It was merely mutual use. You dared to say you never planned to wait until I gave birth and then kill me. Two lives with one body. In this life, and death struggle, I simply won. He clutched my hand tightly. His eyes were bloodshot. You are nothing but a woman. So what if you become the matriarch? Do you really think those little tricks can fool those old foxes and let you swallow everything? In the end, you will only be chewed clean and left with nothing. I will wait and see your ending. The rain poured down heavily. Wen Jichen collapsed to the ground, dying with his eyes wide open. As the sole matriarch of the Wen family, I fairly and justly selected an heir from among the clansmen. Those with ability would manage, regardless of gender. With a single word, every member of the Wen clan wanted to be chosen by me. They fought, they schemed, they mixed kindness with authority. I handled it all with practiced skill. Father-in-law's old loyalists were loyal to the Wen family. Naturally, they were loyal to me. Managing the property was no longer an issue. Madam Chu was an old servant of the residence. With her help, I cleared all obstacles and maintained the authority of the matriarch without the slightest difficulty. With money and power in hand, matters of love between men and women no longer mattered. Countless beauties came to seduce and curry favor, all offering themselves to bring me joy. My husband died and I rose to power and wealth. Everyone said I had encountered great fortune, but my loyal heart could illuminate the sun and moon. Even when I died, I would embrace my husband's memorial tablet and protect the property for my husband's sake. The Wen family's great enterprise was magnificent. It only lacked fame and reputation. Therefore, under the pretext of building a reputation, I opened weaving workshops, established charity halls, founded girl schools, and hired female workers. Abandoned daughters, those who wanted to study, and ladies of the rear courtyard who needed a place to stand. I gave them all a path to live. That year at the dock. The place where I had once begged to live but received nothing. Today I paved the way so that ten thousand women like me could have a shortcut. The scenery on the mountaintop was truly magnificent. They should climb up and see it for themselves. The years stretched long. By the time the Wen clan realized what had happened, my female guards had already become a force to be reckoned with. Bit by bit they swallowed the old guard of the Wen family. The entire Wen family property fell into my hands. Those women who had once been forced to kneel and beg for survival now understood. Being obedient and sensible did not require drinking poison or swallowing a sword. Beneath their feet there was now a smooth, flat road. At the age of fifty, I donated half my fortune to help the princess advocate for the imperial examination for women. Because it was too audacious, too bold, I was pushed to the forefront of the storm. Someone asked me you were originally a fallen leaf drifting on the water. How did you manage to live such a stormy life? Is there a secret? I thought and thought, remembered grandmother's aged face, and the corner of my lips curled into a faint smile. To be an honest woman, a sensible woman, an obedient woman. Only then will life flow as smoothly and richly as oil. That concludes today's story on stellar novels. We hope you enjoyed it. Please give us a like, leave your thoughts in the comments, and subscribe to stay updated with new stories. See you next time.