The Female Cannon Fodder With Boundless Merits
Chapter 438 - 442 Shang Family Woman (Three)

Chapter 438: Chapter 442 Shang Family Woman (Three)

He felt that everyone was family, and there was no reason why his parents and younger siblings should eat poorly while others had good food.

The original owner was infuriated by her husband and son’s actions and, with a hardened heart, packed her things and returned home.

This time, to outsiders, the original owner’s behavior seemed incredibly mercenary.

Indeed, the Shang Family was known for valuing profit, proving that this daughter-in-law was no good.

Seeing her own husband fail the examinations, she abandoned her children as well.

The original owner’s children could not understand their mother’s actions and wished they were rid of this power-hungry mother who people talked about.

Thus, the original owner divorced her husband and did not ask for her dowry, leaving it all to her children.

Though they were unwilling to go with her, the original owner could not truly abandon them.

However, those children only recognized their father as family and did not even want to see their opportunistic mother.

Yuan Wen was lucky. Originally doomed to fail again, candidates ahead of him were caught exchanging test questions and were arrested.

Yuan Wen was also involved, but since he contributed little money, they did not share the test questions with him; they only hinted briefly.

It was these hints that inadvertently helped him write a decent essay, which, along with vacancies in the ranks above, barely secured him a place on the list.

Once Yuan Wen passed the examination, the Yuan Family loudly criticized the original owner for being horrible and opportunistic.

They claimed she was a curse, asking how else her son could pass right after divorcing her.

Everyone around them also degraded the original owner to curry favor with the Yuan Family.

This time, the Yuan Family was set to prosper.

Some even sought to please Yuan Wen by harming the Su Family’s business, causing hardship for her two sisters in their marital homes.

The original owner could not understand; it was all written clearly in black and white before—the price to be paid, the duties to be fulfilled.

She had done all she could, providing money and bearing children.

Yet she was labeled an opportunistic woman, and her children had emotionally estranged themselves from her.

The Yuan Family took advantage of her benefits only to turn against her afterward.

People might say she was heartless, wanting a divorce immediately upon seeing her husband fail the examination.

But wasn’t that just logical, like a business deal where one cuts losses when they know there’s no return?

Furthermore, the Yuan Family was a bottomless pit; everyone eyed the money in her hands, scheming to snatch it for themselves.

Why should they, really?

Especially when Yuan Wen inadvertently saved a noble lady of the imperial dynasty, who, upon hearing the Yuan Family’s narrative, merely remarked indifferently: this woman is unfit to be a wife, opportunistic and cruel.

This label stuck with the original owner for life.

The name Su Li became synonymous with poisonously villainous women throughout the Wei Dynasty.

In the women’s quarters, where daughters were taught, every nanny used this as a warning to instruct girls to be submissive, respectful, see their husbands as heaven, honor their in-laws, and love their sisters-in-law.

The original owner died depressed, not living past forty, closing her eyes in remorse.

Her greatest guilt was causing trouble for her own family, leading to poor marital prospects for her sister’s sons and daughters.

As for her own children, they had long been heartbroken.

Indeed, why, why must the original owner fall into such circumstances?

And those who enjoyed all the benefits they scavenged from her, then turned around to trample her into the mud.

You could say she was a bit unsympathetic, but you couldn’t say she was wrong.

Was she wrong for not improving the Yuan Family’s life?

No, not even the law says that daughters-in-law must support their in-laws with their dowries.

Was she wrong for neglecting the Yuan Family’s nieces and nephews?

No, they had their own parents, who were responsible for their inability to study; that couldn’t possibly be blamed on the distant aunt, the original owner.

Was she wrong for not giving silver to her husband?

No, they had agreed clearly from the beginning, she was to sponsor his studies, but only for the necessary expenses, not risking a fortune on a vague and hopeless chance.

Moreover, she had children and couldn’t neglect planning for them.

And those twin Dragons were even more laughable, their mother wholeheartedly planned for them, yet they failed to recognize their mother’s intentions.

Indeed, they were the Yuan Family’s breed, the ingrained selfish coldness carved deep inside.

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Su Li smirked, then took a pomegranate-colored pearl hairpin from the makeup cabinet and inserted it into her hair bun, and delicately applied a layer of cream on her hands.

Having entered the Yuan Family’s home, the original owner still had some reservations.

The elegant life of commanding servants and maids on both sides in her parental home was greatly reduced in the Yuan Family’s home.

Now, without having separated households yet, the original owner wasn’t comfortable having attendants accompany her in the house, and many tasks had to be done by herself.

However well she maintained herself, fine lines still developed on her hands.

As Su Li was dressing up in front of the mirror, the room door was pushed open from the outside.

Yuan Wen appeared in front of Su Li, smiling. As he saw Su Li’s current attire, his brow furrowed momentarily before he quickly regained his composure, though Su Li caught a flash of displeasure on his face from the mirror.

Yuan Wen stepped forward, gently placing his hands on Su Li’s shoulders, and tenderly asked, "Lady, why are you dressed so splendidly today?"

Su Li smiled faintly, seemingly casually, and patted Yuan Wen’s hands away.

She stood up, turned around in front of the mirror, and tugged at her dress, saying, "Splendid? I always dress like this."

Actually, Su Li’s attire today could be considered plain, but compared to the countryside women in cloth dresses and wooden hairpins, it was significantly posh.

Especially compared to the other two siblings in the Yuan Family.

The third sibling was okay, although their father was a poor Scholar, their mother had some property, giving them a marriage portion that wasn’t without a decent, pudding-free garment.

But the second sibling couldn’t manage that; their entire trunk had only two or three sets of clothes for changing, and since entering the home, no new clothes had been added.

Yuan Wen was indifferent towards the two siblings, but his relationship with the two brothers was still decent.

Although they had grumbled about the money spent on his education, they still willingly supported his studies, which was enough for him to feel grateful.

Clearly, their family had money now, yet they couldn’t help their brother’s family, and Yuan Wen felt very angry.

And he harbored dissatisfaction towards his beautiful Lady.

Look at the fine clothes his Lady wore, clothes his mother never had in her lifetime.

But disgruntled as he was, Yuan Wen wasn’t planning to argue with his Lady yet; he reined in his excessive thoughts and said, "I’m not saying it’s bad to dress like this; I just feel that wearing such clothes, it’s inconvenient to do things, isn’t it?"

Yuan Wen smiled, seemingly very considerate of his Lady’s needs.