The Prime Minister’s Little Wife

Chapter 1: Breaking Off the Engagement

“Xu Zhizhi, how dare you do something so vicious?”

Xu Zhizhi was stunned by the thunderous voice, her head spinning. Before she could even regain her senses or open her eyes, a heavy slap landed on her face. The searing pain made her see stars for the first time, and the force of the blow sent her tumbling to the ground.

The noise around her was overwhelming. She could vaguely see the surrounding people pointing and whispering about her.

When she finally opened her eyes, she saw that everyone around her was dressed in coarse, ancient clothing. They looked like villagers.

At first, she thought it was some kind of prank, but then a flood of information suddenly filled her mind.

She was Xu Zhizhi, but not the Xu Zhizhi from the 21st century anymore.

She had become Xu Zhizhi, a peasant girl from Qili Village in the Great Sheng Dynasty.

A young man in a blue robe stood in front of her. It was he who had slapped her. A man hitting a woman—how utterly lacking in grace.

Xu Zhizhi remembered who this person was: her fiancé, Jin Zijun.

Jin Zijun looked at Xu Zhizhi with disgust and said angrily, “If you have even a shred of decency, kneel down and apologize to Miss Wang immediately. Otherwise, I will definitely call off this engagement.”

In this era, a woman’s reputation was extremely precious. If a woman was publicly rejected by her fiancé, it would bring great shame, and she would likely never be able to marry again.

The “Miss Wang” Jin Zijun mentioned was actually a green tea bitch.

The original Xu Zhizhi had seen Wang Shishi flirting with Jin Zijun and, out of jealousy, had deliberately targeted her.

Wang Shishi was from Luocheng, not Qili Village. She had only arrived in the village half a year ago.

Xu Zhizhi, on the other hand, was a native of Qili Village, so dealing with Wang Shishi should have been easy.

Unfortunately, the original Xu Zhizhi wasn’t clever enough. She had tried to turn the villagers against Wang Shishi by spreading rumors about her.

But Wang Shishi had set a trap, and Jin Zijun found out.

Now, in front of everyone, Xu Zhizhi was cornered by Jin Zijun and a group of villagers, utterly humiliated.

The original Xu Zhizhi probably never expected Jin Zijun to treat her like this.

Xu Zhizhi looked at Jin Zijun, who was standing up for Wang Shishi. The man had a decent-looking face, but his actions were anything but decent.

His family was dirt poor. If it weren’t for Xu Zhizhi constantly helping them, they would have starved long ago.

He had lofty ambitions but no means to achieve them. All he cared about was passing the imperial exams, so he spent all day studying and refused to do any manual work.

Since he didn’t farm, he had no income.

What the original Xu Zhizhi had done wasn’t right, but for this scumbag to go this far was too much.

And now he was threatening her with breaking off the engagement.

Xu Zhizhi would rather stay single for the rest of her life than marry such a scumbag.

He hadn’t even achieved anything yet, and he was already looking down on his fiancée.

If he ever did succeed, who knows how terrible he would become!

Before Xu Zhizhi could speak, the green tea bitch Wang Shishi immediately put on an innocent act. She tugged at Jin Zijun’s sleeve and said softly, “Brother Zijun, please don’t make things difficult for Sister Zhizhi because of me. It would be a shame to ruin your relationship.”

“Shishi, you’re just too kind. That’s why this woman dares to bully you,” Jin Zijun’s attitude toward Wang Shishi instantly softened.

But when he turned to Xu Zhizhi, it was as if she owed him eight million taels of silver. He glared at her with gritted teeth.

Xu Zhizhi immediately retorted, “If you want to break off the engagement, then break it off! We’re not even married yet, and you’re already flirting with another woman. If we were married, what would I do? Today, just because of a few words from this woman, you brought all these people to surround me. What, are you trying to do something to me? You’re the one who’s being improper, yet you’re forcing me to kneel and apologize to her. Do you even have a heart? All these years, I’ve been sending you food and washing your clothes every other day, and you’ve never shown an ounce of gratitude. Instead, you’ve been nothing but cruel to me. Well, I’m done serving you!”

Xu Zhizhi’s words came out like a machine gun.

The villagers of Qili Village were shocked by her outburst.

Everyone had thought Jin Zijun might be the village’s only scholar, with a bright future ahead. He had already passed the preliminary imperial exams and become an official candidate.

Moreover, Jin Zijun was handsome and dignified. Xu Zhizhi had always been clingy toward him.

Everyone thought it was natural for Xu Zhizhi to chase after him. After all, who wouldn’t love such an outstanding man?

Xu Zhizhi had gone through so much trouble to secure this engagement, and now she was the one calling it off.

But after hearing her words, they began to understand her grievances.

Especially the women in the crowd, who could easily empathize with her.

The way Jin Zijun and Wang Shishi had been acting around each other was clear for all to see.

And today, Jin Zijun had practically stomped on Xu Zhizhi’s dignity in front of everyone. It was no wonder she was heartbroken and wanted to end the engagement.

The difference in how Jin Zijun treated Wang Shishi and Xu Zhizhi was like night and day.

Anyone with eyes could see it.

Wang Shishi, hearing Xu Zhizhi’s words, was both embarrassed and angry. She said indignantly, “Sister Zhizhi, how can you slander Brother Zijun and me like this?”

Jin Zijun, who had always disliked Xu Zhizhi’s roughness, waved his sleeve dismissively and said, “Xu Zhizhi, you’re a vulgar woman, unworthy of any respectable family. Since you’re the one calling off the engagement, let it be so. Let the villagers bear witness.”

“Jin Zijun, you’re not even married yet, and you’re already acting improperly with another woman. I’ve done nothing wrong. You have no right to break off the engagement. I, Xu Zhizhi, will be the one to end it. I won’t let you tarnish my family’s reputation.”

“Xu Zhizhi, you’re being completely unreasonable!”

Jin Zijun’s face turned green with anger.

As a scholar, his reputation was everything. If he were publicly rejected by a woman and his name tarnished, how could he ever face his peers or hope to pass the imperial exams?

Thinking this, he suppressed his anger and said to Xu Zhizhi, “Xu Zhizhi, if you just apologize to Miss Wang, I’ll let bygones be bygones. It’s never too late to admit your mistakes.”

“Jin Zijun, do you think I’m a fool? Today, for the sake of this woman of unknown origin, you hit me and forced me to kneel in front of everyone, trampling my dignity. Why on earth should I apologize to Wang Shishi?”

Xu Zhizhi sneered.

Wang Shishi, putting on a magnanimous act, said to Jin Zijun, “Brother Zijun, it’s fine if my reputation is ruined. Please don’t let this affect your relationship with Sister Zhizhi. Don’t make her apologize.

If a woman calls off an engagement, her reputation will be ruined. Sister Zhizhi might never be able to marry again!”

(End of Chapter)