I was a stepmother in ancient times, and I led my whole family to wealth.

Chapter 2 Confusion, the Fang family comes to the door.

This howl startled Dongfang Jin, who was deep in thought.

Damn, she's still alive? What's with all the wailing?!

Something's not right. Where am I? Why is someone crying and making a scene in her yard?

No! No! That old woman just now seemed to be calling out "Fang Jin," a jinx? A bringer of misfortune? What does that mean?

"Brother! You just got married, and you already insist on dividing the family property? Look how angry you've made Mother. Is this how you show filial piety as the eldest brother?" A woman's voice followed, sounding accusatory.

Wait, big brother? Who? Could it be the eldest brother-in-law of this family? But that doesn't seem right either.

"I don't want to live anymore. This jinx came into the house and this unfilial son is already trying to split up the family."

"Gu Chenglin, you unfilial son! Don't you know that parents don't separate their households while their children are alive? Huh? You've grown wings now! What did that jinx attract you to..." The old woman's shouts and curses were rather shrill.

Gu Chenglin? Isn't the husband of this body named Gu Yaohui?

"Brother, Fang Jin fell ill as soon as she entered the house, and she's been bedridden for three days. I think you should send her back to the Fang family."

"I'll have my mother-in-law find you another woman from a good family, someone who's good at bearing children. Even though this daughter-in-law is already married, she's too thin and got sick as soon as she entered the family, so she's not good at bearing children, is she?" Another woman said sarcastically.

Dongfang Jin was filled with doubt: Another "Big Brother"? The first one to call someone "Big Brother" must be the younger sister.

The one who calls the older brother "Big Brother" and the one who cries "Grandma" is the younger brother's wife.

No! No! Didn't Fang Jin say she was marrying a scholar who had passed the imperial examination? Wasn't this scholar the youngest in his family? What's with this "elder brother"?

Thinking about it, I dragged my aching body and slowly moved to the window.

He dipped his index finger in saliva, poked a small hole in the window paper, leaned forward, and looked out with one eye.

As a result, she saw nothing in the courtyard, because outside the hole in the window paper was a tall man with broad shoulders, a narrow waist, and long legs.

Huh? Why are you using crutches? And is there an injury on your back?

Holy crap! Can anyone tell her what's going on? This isn't how the story is supposed to go!

"Mother, the Fang family has come. I heard they not only brought a letter severing ties, but also the village chief and elders of Fangjia Village."

As the gloating words of the man outside grew closer, Dongfang Jin became even more speechless and confused.

Who was she actually marrying in place of someone else? Did the Fang family come? And they brought a letter of severance? Severing ties with whom? Her?

Hehe, great! She'll see what's going on.

But it's good that it's broken, because then no one will know that the core inside this body has been replaced.

"You shameless old hag, you dare send my family a letter of divorce? I'll tear your old face to shreds..."

Dongfang Jin heard the cursing coming from afar while she was inside the house, and her body trembled involuntarily when she heard the sound.

She knew it wasn't her shaking; it was more of an unconscious action by the original owner of the body, Fang Jin.

This is Fang's mother, or rather, her adoptive mother—Fang Youshi.

The Fang family—Fang's father, Fang Dequan. One son, Fang Kun, 19 years old. One daughter, Fang Yingying, 16 years old.

Fang Jin, 15 years old, damn 15 years old, she's already 26!

A letter of divorce? What the heck is this? Looks like neither of these families are any good. Let's fight, it'll be better if they fight.

In Fang Jin's memory, she saw a girl's tragic life.

They truly got up earlier than the chickens and went to bed later than the dogs, eating leftovers all the time, and sometimes they weren't even full.

She would often take the blame for her older siblings, and then get a mixed double beating from both men and women. She was often thrown into the woodshed to sleep and not allowed to go inside to sleep.

No wonder they left so resolutely, without a trace of regret. Why wouldn't they leave?

Ah! The wicked ancient times!

15 years old! No human rights!

In ancient times, marriage was a major life event, and it was arranged by parents and matchmakers.

In an era where filial piety was paramount, and family discipline was so arbitrary that anyone could be beaten to death—a patriarchal system where people were considered to deserve it!

Dongfang Jin sighed silently. Perhaps he was disappointed in his biological parents?

Indeed, it's been so many years, ten years! And no one has come looking for her.

How many decades does a person have in their lifetime? This was especially true in ancient times when the average lifespan was less than fifty years.

In that home where she was constantly beaten and scolded, did she hope every day that her relatives would come to rescue her from her misery, and were she disappointed every time?

So, when she left, she had a smile on her face as if she had seen the light of day again?

Fang Jin, go in peace. I will be fine and try my best to live on. Don't worry, I will take your advice and won't deliberately seek them out. Just like you said, we will meet again if fate allows.

After she finished speaking these words in her heart, the tightness in her chest disappeared instantly. She knew that Fang Jin had left for good.

Haha... Her era, Dongfang Jin's era, has arrived! A letter severing ties with her family? Bring it on! Bring it on! Hurry up and bring it on!

"Giving your family a divorce certificate is too cheap; my son is going to marry your eldest daughter."

But what's the meaning of your Fang family sending over a sickly, worthless little daughter?

"It's already good enough that the Gu family didn't send your Fang family to the yamen to commit marriage fraud," Old Lady Gu shouted, hands on her hips.

"Damn you, Gu, you didn't say that when you took 20 taels of silver from me."

"You could have just said someone who was breathing, but you old fool, why didn't you send my family a letter of divorce sooner? You took our money, and now you're waiting until my youngest daughter is married before sending it."

Dongfang Jin: "..." Breathing? Worthless? I'm the most valuable, okay? I achieved financial freedom when I was ten years old.

Then she heard two old women fighting in the dilapidated courtyard.

Hit them! Hit them hard! It would be best to take this to the authorities!

She finally understood: one person wanted to settle things by paying money, while the other took the money but felt it wasn't right and wanted to back out.

Neither of them is kind-hearted!

As she hit him, Old Lady Gu shouted, "Your family cheated people first, and you're the one who's dishonest!"

Dongfang Jin: They did lie first, but all crows are black.

Granny Fang grabbed her hair: "Pah, you damned bitch Gu, you clearly agreed when I came to talk about this."

You said you'd marry my youngest daughter to your eldest son and give me 20 taels of silver, and that would be the end of it. But after only a few days, you've gone back on your word.

Dongfang Jin: That's not appropriate. Try taking another 20 taels.

"Fang, you bastard, who told you to come in and never get any credit? You even made my eldest son cause trouble by dividing the family property."

Dongfang Jin scoffed: "My sister is unconscious, and your son is arguing with you about separating the family property. What does that have to do with me?"

"Your eldest son is arguing about separating the family property, so you send my family a letter of divorce?"

"if not?"

“You slut, Gu, you still say otherwise? You didn’t say that your eldest son was injured and had a broken leg. Give me back my 20 taels of silver.”

Dongfang Jin: Why didn't you mention the matter of the student who passed the imperial examination?

Thinking it over, he shifted his body again, leaned down, and looked with one eye, because the fighting had stopped.

Also, just now when those two old women were fighting, why did the boys join in and start fighting too?

“If my son hadn’t been injured, how could he have married your servant’s little daughter?”

Dongfang Jin glared: Bah! You're the slave! Your whole family are slaves!

"I don't care, give me back those 20 taels of silver."

"Pah! You wish!"

As they were talking, the two started fighting again.

Upon hearing this, Dongfang Jin leaned against the wall, her headache lessening, and she gradually began to remember some things.