Chapter 1: Transmigrated into an Evil Stepmother

“You poisonous woman, you’re going to pay for this!”

Gu Wanning stared at the red sandalwood carved bed canopy with eyes that wouldn’t close, a letter clutched in her hand.

She couldn’t understand why, after years of doing good deeds, she would be transmigrated while watching a handsome man’s video.

—She transmigrated into the daughter of a treacherous minister and was even betrothed to Xu Weibei, who had become her father’s sworn enemy at a young age.

The bad news was that Xu Weibei, to express his opposition, had brought four concubines into the mansion on their wedding day.

The good news was that Xu Weibei had led his troops to the northwest on that same day, leaving the four concubines in Gu Wanning’s hands, allowing her to mold them as she pleased.

The even worse news was that three years had passed, and Xu Weibei was returning.

The even worse news was that the four concubines had been treated terribly by Gu Wanning, and Xu Weibei had written a letter angrily calling her a poisonous woman, saying that he would settle the score with her upon his return.

It was no wonder that Gu Wanning, having just accepted her identity, fainted upon seeing the letter.

Who was Xu Weibei?

He was the only grandson of the Great Princess who wielded a sword, a mischievous demon in his youth, who had grown up to achieve numerous military feats, a tyrannical and arrogant man who had even beaten the Emperor’s own son, Prince Qin, the Marquis of Yingchuan!

Such a Xu Weibei, wouldn’t he skin her alive upon his return!

There was still one day left before the enemy arrived on the battlefield, no, in the backyard.

Gu Wanning, the scapegoat, the office worker, transmigrated at this time.

No—

Gu Wanning roared in her heart, her heart breaking.

If watching handsome men on her phone was a crime, she was a heinous criminal, but couldn’t they just give her a quick death?

What to do? Online help needed, really urgent.

“Madam, Madam, are you feeling better?” Er’ya, her personal maid, walked in with a bowl of medicine, her eyes red-rimmed, her face filled with worry.

—This was Er’ya, a childhood friend from the village, who had been recognized and brought back to the mansion by Gu Wanning.

This was the original owner’s impression and memory.

“I’m fine, I’m feeling better.” Gu Wanning said, not daring to reveal her transmigration.

“Although the Marquis is returning, you shouldn’t be so scared that you fall ill.” Er’ya placed the medicine on the bedside table, “Let it cool down for a while, I’ll feed it to you. You and the Marquis were betrothed by the Emperor, he is the Marquis, but your father is the Chief Minister, the Grand Secretary, we’re not climbing up to the Marquis’s mansion.”

Is this a matter of climbing up?

Isn’t he saying that I abused his concubines and is coming back to settle the score with me?

“Madam, what’s wrong with you today? You weren’t like this before.” Er’ya’s face was filled with innocent stupidity, “Didn’t you say that you are the mistress, and it’s your duty to set rules for the concubines? Besides, you haven’t starved them, how can you be bad to them? What’s wrong with doing some work? If you don’t work, is that called living?”

They weren’t even deprived of food, white steamed buns were provided, chicken, duck, fish, and meat were always available…

For Er’ya, that was a life of luxury.

Gu Wanning recalled the previous owner’s actions and didn’t think that Er’ya’s casual explanation could fool anyone.

First, she had set strict rules for the four concubines in the mansion.

Morning and evening greetings were fine, but they also had to recite the “Concubine’s Code” every day, such as, if they dared to talk back to the mistress, they would be punished by kneeling; if they were disrespectful to the mistress, they would be punished by kneeling; if their clothes were not in order, they would be punished by kneeling; if they were lazy, they would be punished by kneeling…

In short, the four concubines’ knees were probably covered in calluses.

Secondly, although she was young and beautiful, she didn’t want the four concubines to share her husband’s favor, so she came up with a “poisonous scheme.”

—She stipulated that the concubines had to get up at two o’clock in the morning every day and go to work with Er’ya.

The work included, but was not limited to, feeding chickens, ducks, and geese, and if the mansion’s steward hadn’t cried and begged, they would have raised pigs too; they also had to sow seeds, plant rice, weed, catch insects, and harvest…

In short, she wouldn’t let them idle.

After all, the vast garden of the Marquis’s mansion, what was the point of planting useless flowers and plants, they couldn’t be eaten or worn.

The large lake, used for irrigation, didn’t even need to compete with other families for water, not planting crops was simply a waste.

The most important reason was that they were exposed to the sun and wind, aging rapidly.

Just as they were talking, there was a sound of hurried footsteps outside, and then a little maid reported from the corridor, “Madam, the Marquis has returned!”

Gu Wanning was struck by lightning!

Damn it! This guy is as unreliable as the weather forecast, he said he would come tomorrow, why is he here early?

“Quickly, Er’ya, where are the four of them! Call them all here!”

She couldn’t let Xu Weibei see the four of them alone first.

If they were in front of her, the four concubines should be afraid of the previous owner and wouldn’t dare to complain.

A temporary reprieve is a reprieve.

“They’re building cucumber frames!” Er’ya said.

“Then let’s go too.” Gu Wanning decided immediately.

She had to prove that she was “leading by example” and also working, and it would also avoid directly confronting Xu Weibei, giving her more time to think.

When the four concubines saw the mistress coming, they knelt down from afar, their heads bowed, showing that the “family rules” were strict and the “Concubine’s Code” was powerful.

“You, raise your heads.”

Accept the intimidation of her gaze!

However, as soon as the four concubines raised their heads, Gu Wanning almost couldn’t hold back.

The four concubines were darker than each other, all of them were eighteen years old, the age of flowers, but they had been cruelly ravaged—they were charred.

Xu Weibei, upon returning and seeing these four pieces of charcoal, what would he think in his heart…

Li Shi, the eldest concubine, tentatively asked in a low voice, “Madam, do you want us to plant something?”

Gu Wanning thought to herself, “Xu Weibei is back, do you want him to give you sons?”

She might be complaining, but she still had to maintain her composure.

“The Marquis said that someone complained to him, saying that I bullied you, huh? I heard that you recently brought something to the Marquis?”

“Replying to Madam, yes, this servant did, no, not really…” The eldest concubine trembled, her words incoherent, “This servant only sent the Marquis a new garment, no letter. This servant swears to heaven, there was absolutely no intention to harm you.”

“Is that so?” Gu Wanning drawled.

Silence fell again, the air seemed to freeze, making people feel suffocated.

Li Shi’s father was a sixth-rank sesame official, not a big shot in the capital.

She was usually quiet and reserved, and in her spare time, she would do needlework, she was skilled in embroidery, so the previous owner had been quite kind to her.

She shouldn’t be so bold… right?

The other three…

“If you want to know who complained, you can ask me directly.” A man’s cold voice came from the entrance of the garden, interrupting Gu Wanning’s thoughts.

Gu Wanning looked up and saw a man standing at the entrance, in his early twenties, with sword-like eyebrows and star-like eyes, deep eye sockets, a high nose bridge, a tall and straight figure, clad in silver armor, holding a sword in his hand, his aura was awe-inspiring.

If it wasn’t the stallion Xu Weibei, who else could it be!

Xu Weibei looked at Gu Wanning, his gaze sharp and fierce, hiding a blade-like sharpness, “In broad daylight, you are so brazen!”

“Marquis, let’s talk calmly, be careful of the wind blowing your tongue.” Gu Wanning saw him, her fighting spirit rose exponentially, her words were a smile but her eyes were cold.

Although she was scared to death inside, she wouldn’t allow herself to lose.

Yes, the previous owner was wrong, she shouldn’t have tormented these equally pitiful women.

But the problem was, why was Xu Weibei yelling at her?

He brought four concubines into the mansion on their wedding day, what kind of good thing was he?

If she really wanted to fight tooth and nail, she would accuse him of favoring concubines and neglecting his wife!

Thinking of this, Gu Wanning sneered, “I’m giving my concubines a lecture, does the Marquis have something to say?”

Although she didn’t want to cause trouble, but now that it had come to this, then let’s fight.

You are the Marquis of Yingchuan, you have a Great Princess grandmother, but my father is the Chief Minister, my elder brother is in the Hanlin Academy, my second brother is married to a princess, my third brother is in the Jinwu Guard, my brother-in-law is a prince, am I afraid of you?

She was a little guilty about facing the concubines, but facing the stallion, Gu Wanning was stronger when faced with strength, her fighting spirit instantly filled to the brim.

“Jealousy, talkative, you have committed the seven sins of divorce, I will divorce you.” Xu Weibei roared.