Chapter 1: The Entire Household is Cannon Fodder

In the middle of the night, the gates of the Marquis of Yongchang's manor swung wide open, with lanterns on both sides illuminating the area as bright as day.

A night watchman passing by stood at the entrance and looked in, seeing the manor in a state of chaos. Distinguished guests in expensive attire came and went, while the sound of wailing from within shook the very mountains.

Before Gu Nanxi could even open her eyes, the archaic sounds of funeral music, the chanting of monks and Taoists, and the weeping of men and women rushed into her ears all at once, causing an inexplicable sense of anxiety.

"Mother, where is Big Brother? It is Grandfather's funeral, such an important day—why hasn't he arrived yet?" The chirping voice of a young girl made Gu Nanxi's forehead throb with pain.

Gu Nanxi opened her eyes uncomfortably, only to be met by the sight of hanging white funeral curtains and a crowd of men and women dressed in mourning hemp.

The bright, beautiful young girl pouting in front of her and constantly peering outside was none other than her own useless youngest daughter.

Gu Nanxi let out a heavy sigh. In her previous life, she had died from overwork after staying up late to grade her students' exam papers.

In her daze, she had been bound to a "Compassionate Mother System," requiring her to transmigrate into the book *The Merchant Daughter's Counterattack* to play the role of the Marchioness of Yongchang.

The Marchioness had two sons and one daughter. The eldest son, Su Xuanming, poured both money and heart into the female protagonist—a merchant daughter—only to be used as a stepping stone and die a tragic death.

The second son, Su Yunting, was sickly yet insisted on throwing himself into the martial arts world, only to be framed by a treacherous master and reported by the female protagonist, leading to the execution of the entire household.

The youngest daughter, Su Yunyan, was a hopeless romantic who desperately wanted the Emperor to dismiss his harem for her, which angered Noble Consort Tong and resulted in her being confined to the Cold Palace, where she starved to death.

The mission of the Compassionate Mother System was to enrich the characterizations of these villainous cannon fodder characters and then continue with the original plot.

Gu Nanxi was speechless. So, her task was to compensate them for their lack of maternal love in childhood, only to lead the entire family to the afterlife?

Fine. Whether dying early or late, it was still death; she might as well just lie flat and let things rot before dying.

Gu Nanxi closed her eyes again, preparing to sleep through it.

"Host! Wake up! We are approaching a critical moment! The eldest son, Su Xuanming, is about to bring the female protagonist to cause a scene in the mourning hall. Hurry up and get up to act!" The Compassionate Mother System shouted incessantly in her mind.

In order to successfully marry the female protagonist, the eldest son, Su Xuanming, would hatch a plan to have the female protagonist participate in Grandfather's funeral procession to solidify their marriage and simultaneously raise her fame.

The original owner of this body would naturally disagree, fainting from anger on the spot. This would prevent the female protagonist from entering the family, ruin Su Xuanming's reputation, lead to his expulsion from the academy, and cause him to harbor a grudge against the original owner.

"Stop sleeping! Wake up!" The Compassionate Mother System was extremely anxious.

Gu Nanxi couldn't help but ask in her mind, "Aren't you a Compassionate Mother System? Why don't you find a way to change the villains' fates?"

The system replied as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, "To die for the female protagonist is the best possible ending. It's better than the villains watching helplessly as the female protagonist marries someone else and spending their lives in misery!"

Gu Nanxi: "Then what is the point of your existence?"

"To allow the villains to receive the maternal love they once lacked within their limited lifespans."

Gu Nanxi choked up. Wasn't this just more torment for the villains? They would have a beautiful family and a successful life, only to lose their lives simply because of a failed romance.

Forget it. A cannon fodder must have the awareness of a cannon fodder.

And as the mistress of this Marquis manor, wasn't she also cannon fodder?

Gu Nanxi tilted her head and fell back asleep. "Call me when it's my turn to appear."

Before the system could respond, the youngest daughter, Su Yunyan, grew anxious first. "Mother, why are you sleeping again? Without you to preside, what will happen to this funeral!"

Gu Nanxi fell into a deep sleep. To her, the urgent cries in her ears were nothing more than the mindless chanting of a turtle; she simply refused to listen.

Su Yunyan stamped her feet in frustration.

"Madam, people from Minister Lin's household have arrived."

"Madam, there are not enough servants to attend to the front courtyard."

"Madam, the procurement department says the price of ingredients has risen today, and the budget is insufficient."

A group of servants crowded around Su Yunyan, throwing one problem after another at her, yet Gu Nanxi, behind Su Yunyan, continued to sleep soundly.

Seeing the manor in such a chaotic mess, Su Yunyan's eyes filled with tears. She wanted to seek help from her grandmother, but looking around, there was no sign of her anywhere.

Having no other choice, Su Yunyan had to step up and take charge of the mess. "If there aren't enough people in the front courtyard, move them from the back! If the back is short-handed, move them from the gatehouse!"

The servants swarmed in and swarmed out.

It was a mess, devoid of all order.

Su Yunyan felt as though she were surrounded by mocking gazes, making her feel utterly humiliated.

At the back gate of the Marquis of Yongchang's manor, the eldest son, Su Xuanming, tightly held the hand of a woman dressed in plain cloth with a silver hairpin. His expression was full of guilt. "Jingniang, I am sorry you must enter through the back gate today. In the future, I will surely bring you in with an eight-bearer sedan."

The woman called Jingniang gave a gentle smile. "The late Marquis loved you to the bone. Now that he has passed, I only wish to fulfill my filial duties for you. If the Madam insists on disagreeing, do not clash with her for my sake. She only possesses a heart full of love for her son."

Su Xuanming pouted. "In her heart, the position of the Marchioness is the most important thing. When has she ever truly cared for me? Don't worry, if the gatekeepers dare to stop us, I will force our way in!"

Jingniang's eyes brimmed with tears, but she turned her head away so Su Xuanming wouldn't see. "I trust you."

Seeing this, Su Xuanming wanted nothing more than to pull Jingniang into his arms to comfort her.

However, time was pressing, and the next part was a hard battle; he could not allow himself to be distracted!

Su Xuanming led Jingniang toward the back gate. Along the way, he saw the servants rushing about in extreme panic.

Surprisingly, not a single person stood up to stop him!

Su Xuanming was bewildered. His mother's ability to manage the household was top-tier; she handled everything personally, and the manor had never been this chaotic.

What on earth was happening?

"Brother Su," Jingniang called softly.

Only then did Su Xuanming snap out of it. He led Jingniang from the back courtyard all the way to the front, arriving before Gu Nanxi without any obstruction.

"Mother, tomorrow is Grandfather's funeral. Jingniang also wishes to attend to pay her respects."

Su Xuanming stood before Gu Nanxi, his tone sounding as if he were asking for permission, yet it was as firm as iron.

Under the urging of the Compassionate Mother System, Gu Nanxi finally drifted awake.

"Hit him! Scold him! This unfilial son is actually trying to stage a coup in the mourning hall! It is utterly treasonous!" the system incited in her mind.

The surrounding guests also noticed this scene and began to whisper.

"Isn't that woman Jingniang? The 'Medicine Beauty' from the Li family's medicinal herb shop in the east of the city?"

"That's her. The students at the Imperial Academy all chase after her, yet who would have thought she would set her sights on Su Xuanming?"

"What's so strange about that? Those with more power than Su Xuanming couldn't marry her, and those who could marry her aren't as powerful as Su Xuanming."

"This Jingniang is quite something, being able to instigate Su Xuanming to cause a scene in the mourning hall."

"She managed to bypass several older brothers to become the head manager of the Li family's herb shop; how could she not have some tricks up her sleeve?"

"The esteemed heir of the Marquis of Yongchang's manor actually wants to marry a merchant's daughter. His reputation has fallen into the mud, trampled upon, and it can't even be picked up."

"If she gave birth to Su Xuanming, she might as well have given birth to a piece of char siu. If I were the Marchioness, I would certainly kick them both out."

(End of Chapter)