Transmigrated into the Villain's Cannon Fodder Ex-Wife (Transmigrated into a Book) - Chapter 1

“Pah! This shameless wretch is still alive!”

“She hasn’t managed to cling to the general yet; how could she bear to die after marrying a poor soldier?”

Lin Chu raised her head, her gaze vacant as she looked at the two women standing in front of her.

She still couldn’t believe it—she’d actually transmigrated into the very novel she’d been hooked on.

In the original story, the male and female leads were responsible for all the sweet, romantic moments, while the villain was a ruthless and charismatic figure who could crush anyone in the book with his eyes closed.

The problem? The villain had a foolish, venomous ex-wife—one Lin Chu had ranted about plenty of times while reading. The next thing she knew, she’d blacked out, and when she woke up, she was that cannon fodder ex-wife!

Lin Chu could practically cough up blood in frustration.

The cannon fodder ex-wife, named Tan Yun, was originally a maid in a wealthy household. When the family fell from grace and their estate was confiscated, all the women were exiled to the frontier as punishment.

Upon arrival, the exiled women learned they were to be distributed as wives to meritorious soldiers. Panic spread, and many tried to end their own lives, but the guards ignored them, forcing them to resign themselves to their fate.

Some cunning women sought out soldiers with decent prospects, while the more attractive ones ended up as concubines for officers.

Tan Yun, a rare beauty even by frontier standards, quickly attracted attention. Soldiers and officers sent her gifts in secret, hoping to win her favor. But, having been a maid in a wealthy household, Tan Yun wasn’t easily impressed by cheap trinkets. She accepted their offerings with an aloof attitude.

The women who had entered the vice-general’s tent were inevitably jealous, and the cannon fodder ex-wife, being ambitious, figured she ought to surpass them someday.

Her ambition soon led her to target the lord of Qiang City, the general himself. She dreamed of becoming his legitimate wife, but her background as a criminal made that an impossible dream.

The general’s favored concubine, jealous and feeling threatened, spread rumors about Tan Yun, accusing her of having numerous lovers. The soldiers who once admired her began to avoid her.

The exiled women also looked down on her, gossiping and spreading vile remarks behind her back. The soldiers, too, would often make vulgar jokes about her while drinking.

Outraged, Tan Yun went to the general’s tent, determined to offer herself. But the general’s favored concubine, always wary of her, rushed in soon after, crying and making a scene.

The general, unwilling to strain his relationship with his favored concubine over a woman he hadn’t even touched, decided to give Tan Yun away to Yan Mingge, a soldier notorious for his violence.

Yan Mingge, the villain, was the eldest son of a marquis family. When his house was brought down by political enemies, its former glory disappeared, and he was sent to the army.

However, the lord of Qiang City was part of the same faction that took his family down, so no matter how much military merit Yan Mingge gained, it was withheld. To this day, he had only reached the rank of a “Baihu”¹.

Unaware of Yan Mingge’s low status, Tan Yun assumed he was at least a land-owning officer and agreed to the match, thinking she could avoid competing with the general’s concubine. But when she saw their mud-brick house and barren living conditions, she broke down in tears and tried to annul the marriage.

But they had already completed the wedding ceremony, so it wasn’t her place to say no.

Tan Yun went to extreme lengths, even making a scene, claiming she was already the general’s woman.

The matter escalated; while most knew she was just desperate to become the general’s concubine, rumors spread anyway. Her beauty and her previous attempts to get close to the general left people unsure of the truth about her relationship with him.

The general gave her away as a wife, which Yan Mingge took as an insult. He completely ignored her antics.

Realizing there was no hope for a life of luxury, she slipped and hit her head while causing a scene, immediately passing out.

Coincidentally, the barbarians attacked the city, causing panic everywhere.

Yan Mingge grabbed his saber and went to the camp, completely ignoring his new wife.

And that was how the original ex-wife died in the story.

Lin Chu, unlucky as she was, transmigrated just at that moment.

“Look at her fox-like demeanor—she’s trying to seduce men in the street! A shameless woman like her would even taint the water if drowned!”

The voice brought Lin Chu back to her senses.

She saw a skinny woman holding a basket, her gaze full of disdain.

“What crime did Commander Yan commit to deserve such an unrestrained woman as a wife!” The plump woman spat, spraying Lin Chu with spittle.

Lin Chu wiped her face with her sleeve before raising her eyes to look at the two women.

“Am I married to your sons?”

“Pah! As if you’d be worthy!” the plump woman scolded.

Lin Chu forced a smile,

“Then what kind of person I am is none of your business.”

“You… You little wench, shameless! Watch me tear that mouth of yours!” The plump woman lunged to hit her, but a few other onlooking women quickly held her back.

“Aunt Liu, you have a straightforward temper, but don’t let this wench drag you into trouble! I bet she’s just hoping you touch her so she can pretend to be hurt and extort you!”

The plump woman spat on the ground before leaving in a huff, muttering curses.

The onlookers whispered and laughed, but Lin Chu let it all go in one ear and out the other, only cursing inwardly at the miserable turn her life had taken.

The sun rose over the eastern hills, spreading a bit of warmth on her.

Lin Chu looked at the city walls of Qiang City in the distance, where the slightly faded “Zhao” banner fluttered in the cold wind. This was an era not recorded in any historical texts.

With fewer people on the streets, Lin Chu finally walked slowly towards the butcher’s shop.

The butcher had noticed her long ago; in fact, everyone in Qiang City, probably even the three-year-olds, knew about her story.

The butcher also looked at Lin Chu with scorn.

“Give me a piece of meat,” Lin Chu said with a calm face, feeling deeply resigned.

There was no food at home. If not absolutely necessary, she wouldn’t be out here embarrassing herself.

Meat was fatty, nutritious, and would last her a few days with some wild greens thrown in.

The butcher crossed his arms, scanning Lin Chu’s disheveled state,

“Girl, you need money to buy meat.”

Lin Chu took three old copper coins from her sleeve and placed them on the counter,

“There.”

These three coins had been pried from a crack in her wall.

The butcher stared at the three coins until his eyes almost crossed. In all his years selling pork in Qiang City, this was the first time he’d seen someone try to buy meat with just three coins.

Before the butcher could explode, Lin Chu said,

“Whatever it can buy.”

The butcher thought she must be here to cause trouble. He knew about her reputation and didn’t want to get entangled. If he drove her away, she might make a scene, so he pointed to a bucket of pig offal under the counter,

“Three coins can only buy that.”

The pig offal hadn’t been cleaned and reeked. Lin Chu frowned at it for a moment before reluctantly agreeing,

“Then I’ll take it.”

It wasn’t fatty, but there was enough of it to last her a few days.

Her response surprised the butcher; no one ate pig offal, it was usually just thrown away once the meat was sold.

“Isn’t this Tan Yun?” A female voice spoke, drawing Lin Chu’s attention.

Compared to her disheveled state, the speaker looked neat and refined.

She wore a clean yellow skirt, a newly tailored rose-red short coat, and her oiled hair was neatly styled with a silver hairpin. Her complexion was rosy, and on closer inspection, it was evident she’d used powder. Next to her stood a servant girl carrying a basket.

In the harsh frontier of Qiang City, few could afford makeup, and even fewer could afford servants.

As expected, the butcher immediately changed his demeanor upon seeing the woman, putting on a warm smile,

“Oh, it’s Madam Qianhu. Here, take a look—I saved this fine piece of pork loin just for you!

Compared to her disheveled state, the other woman was much more presentable.

She wore a clean, light-yellow cloth skirt and a newly tailored rose-red short jacket. Her hair, smoothed with hair oil, was neatly combed, adorned with a silver floral hairpin. Her complexion was rosy, clearly enhanced by some makeup, and she had a maid standing beside her, holding a vegetable basket.

In Qiangcheng, this harsh border town, there weren’t many families who could afford makeup, and even fewer who could afford maids.

Sure enough, as soon as the butcher saw this woman, his demeanor changed immediately to one of enthusiasm.

“Ah, it’s Madam Qianhu. Are you here to buy some meat? Look, I’ve saved this fine piece of flank pork just for you!”

The woman was named Lan Zhi. She used to work as a maid alongside the original character. Since she could read a few words, she always held herself in high regard, constantly clashing with the original character. When they arrived in Qiangcheng, she behaved sensibly and demurely, and because of her literacy, she was given to a Qianhu²  as a reward for his merits.

However, she ended up being too ambitious, which didn’t end well for her. If one had to use a word to describe Lan Zhi, it would be just two characters: cannon fodder.

Lan Zhi glanced at a piece of flank pork, her eyes then fell on Lin Chu’s bucket of pig offal,

“This is a good piece of meat, so we can’t let some worthless toad have it, right?”

The maid beside her let out a giggle.

Lin Chu knew they were referring to the original character wanting to be the general’s concubine—a classic case of a toad wanting to eat swan meat!

Lin Chu mentally rolled her eyes. Why must cannon fodder make life harder for other cannon fodder?

She was too lazy to engage in sarcastic back-and-forth and pretended not to hear, continuing on her way.

Lan Zhi called out to her again,

“Tan Yun, wait.”

She turned and instructed the maid beside her,

“Xing’er, take this piece of meat to her basket.”

She handed three strings of cash to the butcher, then used her handkerchief to dab at imaginary tears, stepping forward a few paces.

“Tan Yun, we used to work together back then, and you were so well-regarded. And now…” She even used a crying tone, “You can’t even afford a piece of meat! Once my Lord returns from the battle with merits, I’ll definitely ask him to help your husband. After all, we’ve always been like sisters!”

Lin Chu looked at the large piece of flank pork that had been placed in her basket, her eyes practically glowing green with excitement—she didn’t hear a word Lan Zhi was saying, except for that last bit about “good sisters.” She immediately put down her basket and took hold of Lan Zhi’s well-manicured hand,

“Thank you, sister!”

Since the other party was giving her such a generous piece of meat, she might as well call her “good sister” as she wished!

Lan Zhi hadn’t expected Lin Chu to react like this. Thinking of Lin Chu’s hand, which had just handled pig offal, she felt a sudden revulsion, and yanked her hand back, wishing she could wash it dozens of times.

Lin Chu stepped forward, with a look as if she wanted to clasp Lan Zhi’s hand and have a heartfelt conversation,

“Sister Lan Zhi…”

Lan Zhi was so startled that she retreated, nearly hiding behind her maid, barely maintaining an awkward smile,

“It’s getting late, I should be heading back. You should head home soon too.”

With that, she grabbed her maid and hurriedly left, almost fleeing.

Lin Chu was in an exceptionally good mood. She had spent three coins on a bucket of pig offal, and now someone had given her such a big piece of pork—how could she not be happy?

Returning home, Lin Chu quickly dealt with the pig offal, and then cleaned up every corner of the house.

The original character was hated by everyone like a rat crossing the street. If she wanted to live peacefully, she would have to change her ways and be a decent person!

Lin Chu was holding a feather duster and tidying up the house when suddenly the rickety courtyard door was kicked open.

“Quick! Get Brother Yan inside and lay him in the inner room!”

A group of armor-wearing, sword-bearing soldiers barged in. Lin Chu froze when she saw them, and they paused upon seeing her as well.

However, they soon bypassed her and laid the blood-soaked man on the bed Lin Chu had just cleaned up.

An old man with a goatee, who appeared to be a doctor carrying a medicine chest, entered afterward and began taking the pulse of the half-dead man.

Lin Chu belatedly realized that the bloodied man on the bed should be her villain husband.

She tilted her head to glance at the bed, when suddenly a blood-stained broadsword was placed against her neck.

“If anything happens to Brother Yan, you will accompany him to the grave!”