Chapter 1 The True Heiress Forced to Substitute Marry, Severing Ties on the Spot

Chapter 1: The True Daughter is Forced to be a Substitute Bride, Cuts All Ties on the Spot

As night fell in the Dongchen Kingdom.

A wedding procession, complete with music and fanfare, had already arrived at the gates of the Marquis Yongning's estate.

"Ji Yuntang, you're just a country bumpkin raised in the countryside. It's a blessing for you to be allowed to substitute for Qing Qing and marry Prince Ye. If you keep threatening us with suicide, don't blame me, your second brother, for disowning you!"

Ji Yuntang opened her eyes to see herself hanging from a white silk noose tied to the roof beam. Below, a handsome man dressed in luxurious brocade robes glared at her with utter disgust.

Beside him, a woman in a pink silk dress had red-rimmed eyes. She wiped away a tear and spoke softly to Ji Qingfeng.

"Second Brother, please don't say that. After all, Sister is the long-lost true daughter of the Marquis Yongning's estate. I'm merely a daughter switched at birth by the wet nurse. I'm already so grateful that Father, Mother, and my brothers are willing to keep me. How could I possibly cling to Sister's rightful place?"

Seeing Ji Qingqing's understanding demeanor, Ji Qingfeng's heart ached. He hugged her.

"Qing Qing, she's about to be married off. In the hearts of our family, only you are worthy of being the true daughter of the Marquis Yongning's estate. What does that Ji Yuntang amount to?"

"If it weren't for your kindness in giving up the position of Princess Consort Ye to her, an ugly woman like her would never have the chance to enter the royal family in her lifetime. Instead of being grateful, she threatens suicide to avoid getting into the bridal sedan. How could such a vulgar country bumpkin be worthy of being my sister, Ji Qingfeng?"

Their duet of words, spoken without any attempt to lower their voices, echoed in the room.

Ji Yuntang extricated her head from the noose, cracked her neck, and swept a sarcastic gaze over the two before her.

"Are you two suffering from uremia, with mouths so poisonous?"

Just moments ago, memories not her own had been forcibly crammed into her mind.

This made Ji Yuntang realize that she, a top military medical doctor from the 24th century who had died from overwork during a late-night experiment, had transmigrated!

The original owner was also named Ji Yuntang, the only true daughter of the Marquis Yongning's estate. She should have lived a life of luxury, but from birth, she had been switched and raised in the countryside, enduring a hard life of cutting pig grass and chopping firewood daily. Half her face was covered with a palm-sized black birthmark, making her extremely ugly. Wherever she went, she was called an ugly woman, which shaped Ji Yuntang's timid and cowardly nature.

A month ago, the steward of the Marquis Yongning's estate found her, claiming she was the long-lost eldest true daughter of the estate and wanted to bring her back.

Ji Yuntang was overjoyed, thinking her hardships were finally over, and she could reunite with her parents and three brothers, her good days finally here.

Little did she know, upon returning, she discovered that the Marquis Yongning's estate actually wanted Ji Yuntang to substitute for Ji Qingqing and marry Prince Ye, Luo Junhe.

Who was Luo Junhe?

The third son of Emperor Jingyang, the renowned War God Prince of the Dongchen Kingdom. He began fighting on the battlefield at the age of twelve, making immense contributions to the kingdom, praised by all.

But heroes often face cruel fates. The current Prince Ye was no longer glorious. After returning from the battlefield, he fell seriously ill.

Now, he lay in bed like a living corpse—blind, lame, his appearance utterly ruined. Apart from his two nostrils and a mouth for breathing, his entire body was festering down to the bones, completely immobile.

The so-called substitute marriage was merely a combination of a wedding to ward off bad luck and a living burial.

Marquis Yongning naturally didn't want his most beloved daughter to marry such a cripple. Although Ji Qingqing was a false daughter, she had been raised and nurtured by his side for fifteen years, fostering a deep father-daughter bond.

In contrast, Ji Yuntang, the true daughter just brought back from the countryside, became the perfect substitute candidate.

After all, what bond could there be with a daughter he hadn't even seen since birth?

Having sorted out the whole story, Ji Yuntang felt the original owner got a raw deal.

Such cold-blooded and heartless family—better off without them!

"Ji Yuntang, today you will marry whether you want to or not. Surely you don't want me to have you tied up and stuffed into the bridal sedan?"

Ji Qingfeng's gaze swept over Ji Yuntang's face covered in black birthmarks, then lowered to her neck, reddened from the silk noose. Disdain filled his heart.

This bitch was indeed pretending to be dead to gain sympathy. Truly something from the countryside, unfit for decent company. How could she compare to their beautiful and delicate Qing Qing?

"Having me substitute for the marriage is fine. From now on, I, Ji Yuntang, sever all ties with the Marquis Yongning's estate. I am no longer a daughter of your Ji family!"

Upon hearing this, Ji Qingfeng felt as if he had heard the biggest joke.

Sever all ties?

Once this good-for-nothing Ji Yuntang married into the Prince Ye's estate, she'd probably come crying back to beg them within two days.

Prince Ye's face, rotten like a demon's, had already scared off several princess consorts.

If he remembered correctly, Ji Yuntang would be his fifth princess consort.

He refused to believe this country bumpkin from the sticks could endure it.

Seeing Ji Yuntang voluntarily sever ties with the Marquis Yongning's estate, Ji Qingqing felt inwardly delighted while secretly cursing her as an "idiot."

However, her lotus-like face showed a trace of anxiety, though her tone unmistakably carried schadenfreude.

"Elder Sister, please don't act on impulse. The Marquis Yongning's estate will always be your home. If you ever can't stay at the Prince Ye's estate and miss home, you can come back to live anytime. My brothers and I..."

Before Ji Qingqing could finish, Ji Yuntang ruthlessly cut her off.

"Enough. Stop putting on this hypocritical act in front of me. Aren't you disgusted by your own face? You enjoyed fifteen years of treatment that rightfully belonged to me, letting me suffer in your place in the countryside, constantly ordered around, beaten, and used by your birth parents and brothers. If you felt even a shred of guilt, you should have rolled back to your own country home instead of scheming to bring me back to substitute for your marriage."

"Ji Qingqing, remember this: using things that don't belong to you will eventually require repayment!"

Ji Qingqing's face paled, her body swaying slightly, but her hands clenched into fists beneath her sleeves.

This damned bitch actually dared to threaten her!?

If she hadn't urgently needed someone to substitute for the marriage, what right would Ji Yuntang have to return to the Marquis Yongning's estate?

Letting her play the young lady of the Marquis Yongning's estate for a month was already giving her face. Instead of being grateful, how dare she try to snatch everything away from her?

She wouldn't allow it. Everything of Ji Yuntang's was hers.

Thinking this, intense resentment flashed in Ji Qingqing's eyes. When she looked up again, she was already crying pitifully, her delicate body swaying like a fragile white flower.

"Elder Sister, it's all my fault. I know you resent me for occupying the position of the true daughter, but I didn't do it on purpose. Perhaps I should just leave the Marquis Yongning's estate."

Ji Qingqing made as if to leave but was promptly stopped by Ji Qingfeng. His eyes filled with disgust, and he raised his hand to slap Ji Yuntang.

"Ji Yuntang, you bitch! What does the switched identity have to do with Qing Qing? She was just a newborn then."

"To be honest, all this is just your fate. You were never destined to be the young lady of the Marquis Yongning's estate."

Before Ji Qingfeng's raised palm could descend, his face was met with a backhanded slap from Ji Yuntang. *Smack!*

The young woman's eyes were icy, her red lips curled in mockery. "This slap is from me, on behalf of your sister. She has a blind brother."

"As for being the young lady of the Marquis Yongning's estate, whoever wants it can have it."

"I, Ji Yuntang, disdain it!"

With those words, Ji Yuntang picked up the red bridal veil from the table and turned to leave.

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