Chapter 1

Chapter 1

I was reborn on the day of my wedding.

The first thing I did after coming back was snatch away the cup of wine laced with the Virtuous Wife Charm and pour every last drop down my husband Shen Yanzhi’s throat.

He clutched at his neck and coughed for a long while, staring at me in terror and disbelief.

I threw my head back and laughed. “As its original owner, you know better than anyone what this charm feels like, don’t you, Your Majesty?”

The Virtuous Wife Charm was exactly what its name implied. Anyone afflicted by it would devote themselves wholeheartedly to the first person they saw upon opening their eyes, just like the countless virtuous wives in this world.

In my last life, I was careless for one moment and fell victim to Shen Yanzhi’s Virtuous Wife Charm.

Back then, he was nothing more than an abandoned pawn Zhuanzhou had tossed over in a marriage alliance to curry favor with Duzhou.

But under the charm’s control, I lost my mind and acknowledged him as my lord. I led the Duzhou Iron Cavalry to fight in every direction for his sake, and even took the initiative to gather beauties into his harem so he could forge alliances with every faction.

He established his capital, proclaimed himself emperor, and ruled over all under heaven, while I exhausted my blood and sweat, my body riddled with wounds and pain, and died at thirty.

The title of virtuous empress spread far and wide among the common people, yet no one knew it was the greatest insult they could have given me.

Now the wheel of fortune had turned. This time, the one who drank the Virtuous Wife Charm was him.

The moment I saw the charm take effect, I immediately began crying poverty, from provisions to armor, from medicine to weapons.

With his mind damaged by the Virtuous Wife Charm, Shen Yanzhi heard that his wife’s family was in dire straits and grew even more worried than I was. He declared on the spot that he would donate one hundred thousand dan of grain and fodder to the Duzhou military camp.

The young manservants and maids he had brought from the Shen Family were so frantic outside the door that they were just shy of breaking it down, but I still thought it was not enough.

One hundred thousand dan? Who was he trying to brush off?

Did he think I did not know? Although Shen Yanzhi was only the unfavored youngest son of the Shen Family, he was exceptionally gifted in commerce.

At this point in time, he should already have several merchant caravans and workshops under his command.

The glassware produced by those workshops sold extremely well in the north. The annual net profit from his caravans’ northern routes alone was more than enough to support the Duzhou cavalry.

Besides, I remembered that glass workshops were not the only thing in his hands right now.

“I heard that one of your caravans discovered an iron mine last year near the border between Duzhou and Zhuanzhou, Husband…”

My eyes shone brightly. “If we had that iron mine, our soldiers would no longer have to worry about weapons or armor!”

Shen Yanzhi did not even think carefully about where I had obtained such confidential information. Hesitation crossed his face, and struggle filled his eyes.

It was as though the charm and his reason were fighting madly inside him.

In the end, the charm still overpowered his reason.

A resolute look appeared on Shen Yanzhi’s face, and he nodded heavily.

“Duzhou and Zhuanzhou have always been close, and you and I are husband and wife.

“It is only one iron mine! Since you have asked, how could I possibly be stingy?”

There was no deed for such a private mine, so he directly took out his caravan seal and gave it to me.

“With this seal, along with this secret letter written in my own hand, my men will naturally understand that it is my will.”

“Young Master!”

The servants Shen Yanzhi had brought with him truly could not hold back anymore. From beyond the door, one of them shouted,

“Young Master, your situation in Zhuanzhou was already difficult at every turn. Now that you have come to Duzhou, unfamiliar with the people and the place, you first give away one hundred thousand dan of grain and fodder, and now you are giving away that iron mine…

“If anything changes in the future, what will you do?”

“What nonsense are you spouting?” Shen Yanzhi snapped.

“I am a son of the Zhuanzhou Shen Family and the husband of Jiang Yuxue, Cavalry General of the Duzhou Iron Cavalry! What do you mean, what will I do in the future? Could Duzhou possibly deny me a mouthful of food?”

I chimed in as well.

“Exactly! We people of Duzhou are the most grateful and loyal. I, Jiang Yuxue, have been blessed with extraordinary fortune to be joined in marriage with a wonderful man like my husband.

“Now that he has also gifted me an iron mine, my heart is already filled with love for him. How could I bear to mistreat him in the slightest?

“For Zhuanzhou to say such a thing is truly heartbreaking!”

The young servant said anxiously, “General, please see clearly! Those were only this lowly one’s personal words, not Zhuanzhou’s intent!

“This lowly one is the young master’s milk-brother. I am used to being unruly in front of him and failed to watch my tongue for a moment. I hope the General will not take offense.”

“You truly cannot watch your tongue. But on account of your young master, this general pardons your offense. Withdraw.”

The young servant outside sounded so anxious he was almost crying.

“The young master’s maternal family is surnamed Guo. They are the Guo Family of Zhuixian in Zhuanzhou. The caravan was entrusted to him personally by his maternal uncle of the Guo Family. Now that the young master is giving the mine away, his uncle…”

“So the Guo Family deserves a share of the credit as well.”

I clapped my hands and laughed. “Do not worry. Now that I know of this matter, I will not forget the Guo uncle when rewards are handed out in the future.”

“Did you hear that? The General has already said she will keep every meritorious person in mind.”

Shen Yanzhi scolded him without mercy. “Do not forget, this is not Zhuanzhou. Before the General, how can you speak out so rashly? You are not to be so rude again!”

“…Yes. This lowly one understands.”

The servant’s voice was thick with despair. He gritted his teeth and withdrew.

I sneered. This was only the beginning.

People afflicted by the Virtuous Wife Charm were exactly like this. There would be plenty more scenes like this in the future.

My personal female guard Qingfan entered carrying a tray. She set down the teacups and slipped me a note.

I read it right in front of Shen Yanzhi.

It said:

[A servant of the Shen Family has written an urgent letter and sent it overnight to Madame Guo of Zhuanzhou.]

Shen Yanzhi’s face instantly turned ashen.