I was a stepmother in ancient times, and I led my whole family to wealth.

Chapter 486 Management loopholes at Bright Moon Manor

An Ying felt as if that gaze was piercing her flesh, more biting than the north wind in December.

His throat felt like it was stuffed with a wad of soaked cotton; he opened his mouth several times before finally managing to squeeze out broken syllables: "This...this...this..."

Seeing An Ying's hesitant expression, Dongfang Jin understood everything and snorted coldly.

When she looked up, her phoenix eyes narrowed slightly, like sharp blades tempered with ice, and the upward curve at the corners of her eyes was three times more intense than usual.

The usual faint smile still lingered at the corners of his lips, but his jawline was taut, revealing a cold, hard line.

"Yu Ying," she spat out through gritted teeth, as if ice shards were shattering between them, "Investigate thoroughly! You know what happens to anyone who breaks the rules!"

Yu Ying suddenly appeared, knelt on one knee, and said firmly, "Understood!"

After saying that, he disappeared from everyone's sight.

Cang Lingchen, Hua Yunshu, and Lu Yunqing stood there, listening to Dongfang Jin's cold words, unsure whether to sit down or leave.

Cang Nanxi was startled by the sudden chilling aura emanating from his daughter, causing him to raise an eyebrow.

His resounding words, in particular, made the wine glass between his fingers tremble slightly.

I thought the rules of Mingyue Manor were just for show, but I never imagined that my daughter's aversion to women who were concubines was so deeply ingrained.

When An Ying mentioned that Xie's son's concubine was pregnant and provoking the wife, her eyes flashed with icy rage.

It was even three degrees colder than the snow that never melts on the snow-capped mountains of Dongzhou.

Just how many filthy things has this child witnessed during the years he's been missing?

Thinking about it, he tightened his grip on the wine cup slightly.

Cang Lingchen snapped out of his daze and quickly replied, "Don't worry, little sister. With your big brother here, I'll definitely handle it."

After saying that, he left in a hurry with Hua Yunshu and Lu Yunqing.

Watching them leave, Helian Shuo suddenly gave Dongfang Jin a thumbs up.

Her eyes gleamed, and her tone was full of praise: "Xiao Jin, these rules are brilliant! Now, Xie Wenfeng has really walked right into the line of fire."

As he spoke, his fingertips unconsciously traced the tabletop, a flicker of disgust crossing his eyes—

His family were military officers, and he had been fed up with the backstabbing and sordid affairs in the backyard since he was a child.

Thinking of his father, Helian Shuo couldn't help but let out a soft sigh.

Back then, my father only had my mother in his room. They were a loving couple and would sometimes practice martial arts together.

Back then, his father would always pat his head and say, "A man's heart is very small; it can only hold one person he truly loves."

Since his grandfather, his eldest uncle's family, and his parents were murdered, and his aunt went to the palace, he and his sister have been living with his great-grandfather's family.

To prevent his sister from being bullied, he approached his maternal grandfather and uncle to find her a family with a clean backyard.

Later, he accidentally met Gu Yunlang and asked his cousin to observe him secretly for a period of time.

After confirming that the man was a good match, he proposed marriage to his sister himself, which caused quite a stir at the time.

Thinking about it, her hand unconsciously pressed against her heart, as if the warmth of her father's palm still lingered there, her expression filled with a rare tenderness and solemnity.

Dongfang Jin raised the tip of her nose slightly and snorted heavily: "Hmph, if you dare to break the rules of my Bright Moon Manor, you'll have to suffer the consequences."

My place cannot tolerate such filthy things defiling it.

Before she finished speaking, she raised an eyebrow and sent a cold, sharp gaze sweeping over everyone present.

Even her adoptive father and three little nephews couldn't escape this sharp scrutiny.

"In my opinion, all men are big pigs, all of them are muddle-headed fools who think with their lower bodies."

As soon as she said this, Changsun Lan couldn't help but chuckle, his tone carrying a hint of doting: "Girl, you can't be too absolute in your words. Not everyone in this world is like the person you think of."

Upon hearing this, Dongfang Jin curled her lip in disdain, her expression clearly saying, "I don't believe it."

Gu Chenglin watched their interaction and felt something was off. He glanced at his father-in-law and saw that he looked normal.

He then picked up the wine pot and poured wine for each of them in turn.

Helian Shuo hurriedly waved his hands, his ears turning red with anxiety: "I'm different! I'm not that kind of person!"

Dongfang Jin slammed his hands heavily on the table, leaned forward, and stared at them with piercing eyes.

A cold smile curled at the corner of his lips: "Tch, in your understanding, don't men all have three wives and four concubines?"

Do you think this is the only way to show your status as members of a prominent family?

Moreover, in your eyes, a man who only marries one wife in his entire life is probably considered a lowly person.

Upon hearing this, Helian Shuo panicked and stammered, "No, it's not what you think..."

Changsun Lan...

Is that what she really thinks?

Is it monogamy?

What she said wasn't wrong; aren't most ordinary families monogamous?

However, men with a little wealth would marry several wives to continue the family line and increase the clan's population.

But why does she hate it so much?

Although he only had one wife, he also had several concubines and would occasionally take care of his physical needs outside.

In his mind, children only needed to be born to his wife; illegitimate children were unnecessary. But now it seems…

She glanced at Gu Chenglin almost imperceptibly. A wife, huh? No wonder…

But Dongfang Jin didn't want to pay any attention to them. She rolled her eyes and then lowered her head to eat heartily.

His nonchalant attitude made it seem as if he was ignoring their words.

Cang Nanxi looked at his daughter, his heart aching terribly. Years ago, she had disappeared with one of his concubines.

His concubines had no real relationship with him; they were merely playthings given to him by local officials.

He took them into the backyard to keep those people in check, but he had no choice in the matter.

From as far back as she can remember, this girl has always looked down on those women and often teases them.

But he would occasionally...

But... even though this girl has amnesia, she still doesn't like women other than her wife.

Is this why she doesn't want to have children with Gu Chenglin?

Thinking of this, a sharp pain shot through my heart.

He drank a glass of wine to suppress the pain and comforted her, saying, "Alright, with your older brother here, they can't cause much trouble."

Dongfang Jin nodded: "Father, don't worry. With Granny Su and the Xu brothers around, Hua Lingshu and that woman will be fine."

After saying that, he picked up another crayfish and ate it with great relish.

She rescued the two Xu brothers from the prison in Yangchun Prefecture, Yizhou.

Although they are brothers, they are more than ten years apart in age, and they look more like father and son.

I heard that their father devoted all his energy to medical research, and if it weren't for their parents' pressure, they probably wouldn't exist.

When their mother gave birth to Xu Yuanzhi (the younger brother), she was old and her health was damaged, so she passed away not long after giving birth to him.

This younger brother practically grew up alongside his older brother.

Their family were originally skilled doctors in the area, with the two brothers possessing exceptional medical expertise.

The older brother studied medicine, while the younger brother preferred pharmacology; as a result, the two brothers worked together seamlessly.

One treats the patient, and the other prescribes the right medicine for the patient.

He also frequently provided free medical consultations and medicine to the poor, which earned him great popularity in Yangchun Prefecture.

However, because he refused to join the monopolistic practices of the local medical clinic alliance, he was framed by a group of medical clinic owners.

Those people bribed the apprentices around them, and even Xu Changqing's (brother's) wife, to secretly tamper with the prescriptions and fabricate medical accidents.

They bribed the government officials to imprison the Xu family father and son. To prove that his family was innocent, the father committed suicide on the spot.

Unfortunately, those people had already set up a trap, and even Xu Changqing's wife came out to testify, so no one believed them anymore.

After that, those people joined forces and divided up the Xu family's assets.

After Xu Changqing and his son were imprisoned, his wife not only wrote a divorce agreement and a letter severing ties with him, but also remarried, taking a portion of the family property and their child with her.

If she hadn't overheard the gossip of those sparrows, she wouldn't have known about this injustice.

So after she robbed those people and brought the two brothers out of jail, she set the cell on fire.

After learning about what happened at home, the two brothers decided to leave that heartbreaking place.

So she sent the Xu brothers directly to Granny Su's side.

This way, their talents won't go to waste, and more importantly, her home is peaceful.