Volume 1 Chapter 7: Ruining Someone's Reputation

  Today's Great Zhou, the emperor in his forties is wise and sagely, under his governance, the entire Great Zhou has a clean and honest government, with civil and military affairs being handled separately. It is indeed a rare prosperous era.

  Whenever there is a death, the yamen must have a coroner's initial report of the cause of death.

  At that time, even if there were fights within the compound, it was unlikely to result in loss of life. If a death did occur and was discovered, the consequence would be "a life for a life".

  During this period, the infighting was more about ruining reputations. The Confucian scholars of Zhou Dynasty governed the country and attached great importance to reputation.

  Reputation is more important than life to Confucian scholars. And the common people also value reputation, just like Xie Wenjing's grandmother, who killed her opponent and won a good reputation, she was indeed a master of house fighting.

  "Ah, granddaughter understood, thank you grandma for reminding!" Xie Wenjing had already been able to conceal her hatred.

  Next, this old woman will have to tell herself that the Zhai family's land and grain are not harvestable, and her father's life-saving medicine will be gone by next year.

  "Sister, when you go see big uncle, I want to come along too, is that okay?"

  Suddenly, Pei Yezhu, who had been timid all along, looked at Xie Wenjing with a face full of expectation, and there was even a hint of mist in her eyes, which made people feel pity for her.

  Xie Wenjing couldn't help but laugh, a bittersweet smile. It was this soft and pitiful cousin who personally handed her the medicine, watching her take the infertility-inducing drug, and had also taken away her fiancé from her past life.

  Forget it, a man like that, I'll give him to this dear cousin for this life. However, the infertility medicine, she has to drink it herself!

  "Okay, when I go, I'll take you with me!"

  Xie Wenjing knew that she absolutely couldn't underestimate this currently weak little girl, who had been following the old woman for several years and was probably being trained by her to be extremely cunning and calculating.

  "Ah! Thank you, Sister-in-law! You're really great!" Pei Yezhu's face turned red as she smiled at Xie Wenjing.

  It's just that kind of lovely smile that makes one willing to die for her in their past life, and even if that man is deeply in love with her, while oneself is left alone in an empty room, it's still worth it.

  That self of the past was really foolish! The person who can pretend is the most fearsome enemy! She will give you a fatal blow in your unawareness, and yet you still miss her kindness.

  "Wenjing, you've grown up, and grandma should let you know about our family's current situation."

  Our Xie family, in Yangzhou, looks like a wealthy and influential family, but actually, over the years, this family has been just an empty shell.

  Fortunately, there is still a field in the house, and the rent collected every year can also be used to buy precious medicine for your father. However, this year's several heavy snowfalls have frozen to death large areas of wheat fields and vegetable fields.

  This year, your father's medicine and some famous calligraphies and paintings at home can be sold to support the family for a few more months. What I'm afraid of is that when the time comes, oh, if your father is still alive, you'll have a father after all, and although your mother is tired, she'll still have someone to rely on.

  Grandma is worried about your father's medicine, and also worried about you children. Getting married costs money, our Xie family looks prosperous but actually doesn't even have a decent shop.

  And you, as the eldest daughter of our Xie family, are also from a scholarly family in Yangzhou. If your dowry is too humble, Grandmother fears that you will be bullied by the Zhao family for the rest of your life.

  "Grandma is counting on you, your uncles will soon be coming to Yangzhou too. At that time, it's inevitable that they'll want to see you, so make sure to entertain them well. Grandma feels like she's lost face and still has to rely on you to entertain your uncles and add to your future dowry."

  As expected, this old woman's words to herself are still the same as in her previous life, both encouraging and deceiving herself into getting her uncles to prepare a dowry for her. She is also deceiving herself into doing business, deceiving herself into earning money for her father's life-saving medicine, disregarding people's contempt, ruining her reputation, and making enough money for the Xie family.

  At that time, I was very grateful to my uncle and aunt. Every time they came to see me, they were very fond of me and gave me gifts constantly.

  At that time, after hearing my grandmother's words, my first feeling was to feel ashamed of my uncles. And even more so, I felt guilty towards this old woman, feeling that she had worried about me too much.

  At that time, I thought to myself, since my uncles have been so good to me, I absolutely cannot be so unfilial again.

  Grandma also said it clearly and understandably, the Xie family is now in decline, it's even difficult to get the lifesaving medicine for Father, let alone have money to prepare a dowry for herself. If she wants to marry into the Zhao family with dignity, she can only rely on her uncle's household.

  At that time, I still pitied the old woman and thought to myself: if I could make money, wouldn't she stop making things difficult for me? Father also wouldn't have had an accident due to lack of medicine, and my dowry would not be a problem either.

  "Grandma, if only I could follow my uncles to make money and do business, I would not only be able to earn my own dowry but also earn money for father's medicine."

  Xie Wenjing said that in her previous life, she replied to her mother with such words. This period of time was a turning point for herself, and it was the transition period from being everyone's beloved daughter to becoming a businesswoman.

  Xie Wenjing remembered that after she answered this old woman like this, the old woman looked at her silently and then said to herself: Take care of yourself, and then left.

  The old woman's expression didn't change at all. She really said that and then walked away with her niece after sighing.

  Xie Wenjing watched as the old woman led her cousin away, and suddenly felt that her footsteps were so light, this was her true intention:

  Ruined his own life, ruined his brother's life, ruined his parents' life, and also ruined the lives of his uncle's cousins, avenging the death of his grandmother two years ago!

  It wasn't until today that I realized how deep and ruthless this woman's thoughts are, able to kill without spilling blood, yet still gain a good reputation among people.

  In her past life, she was incited by this old woman to leave home with her uncles despite her parents' strong opposition, starting a life of being seen as an evil wife by the world.

  That generation of oneself successfully supported the already declining Zhao family, and also supported the empty-shell-like Zhao family, and unapologetically grasped the wealth of both families.

  At that time, Xie's family and Zhao's family were on the one hand pretending to be self-sufficient and content with their lives, while on the other hand constantly asking themselves for money to maintain their huge household expenses.

  The two families spend at least tens of thousands of taels of silver each year, and even if they had hundreds of thousands of taels in assets at the time, it would not be enough to support the two families' extravagant lifestyle.

  Not to mention the expenses of younger brothers and sisters getting married, all of which came out of his own pocket.

  At that time, I had a clear view of both families and knew that if I stopped, they would still face bankruptcy in a few years. So at that time, I insisted on continuing to do business.

  At that time, although I was despised by the world as a shrew, as long as I thought to myself, suffering alone could support two families, it was worth it. Even if my parents couldn't understand me.

  But grandma understands me, supports me, cousin trusts me, relies on me. That's enough.

  Looking back at myself now, I was so silly that it leaves me speechless.

  His self-righteousness hurt his parents' hearts, and his neglect of his brother's upbringing made him a notorious young master in Yangzhou, causing his parents to be heartbroken for themselves and their son.

  Reborn, I can no longer neglect to discipline my younger brother and will not do things that displease Father and Mother again. Cherish the care of Father and Mother for me.