I Made a Fortune with Food in Ancient Times

Pre-release novel, a marriage-first, love-later story: Has the Top Scholar's Husband Been Sent to the Crematorium Yet? Please add it to your collection! The blurb is at the very bottom.

On the first day after transmigrating, Song Jinyi had to face a deadly marriage scheme devised by her stepmother.

To stay alive, she turned the Song residence upside down the very next day, getting a taste of a high-speed escape from an arranged marriage.

To survive, Song Jinyi had no choice but to build a business from scratch, saving up money to support herself.

Step one on the road to riches: The tea-house business was already saturated, but with her unique milk tea recipe, she won over the palates of the powerful and carved out a place for herself among the many established tea houses.

Step two: In the declining snack business, she changed up the menu every single day, all year round, cementing her unshakable position. Her fame spread from Yunzhou to Shengjing, and nobles traveled a thousand miles just to sample her delicacies.

Step n: Faced with increasingly outrageous demands from the rich and powerful, who had grown dissatisfied with ordinary dishes and novelties, she opened a countryside resort instead. DIY milk tea became the latest trend.

After some time, not only was her business thriving, but the people around her had changed too!

The original owner's good-for-nothing father finally saw the error of his ways and tearfully apologized to her.

The spectators who had once mocked her all changed their tune, praising her: "Who says women are inferior to men? Women can outshine them, too."

The established merchants who had always been at odds with her all called out, asking to become franchisees of her businesses.

A little scene

The northern defenses fell, and the Northern Rong army advanced under cover of night. The nine prefectures of the north were caught in the crossfire. Song Jinyi, who had gone to buy supplies, immediately ditched her goods and headed back, but she still encountered a Northern Rong army halfway there.

The man at its head rode a fiery red-maned horse, looking bold and dashing. His emerald-green eyes were now fixed on Song Jinyi, dark and unreadable.

The man lifted Song Jinyi's chin with his riding crop and said unhurriedly, "Sister, long time no see."

It was none other than the male lead she had abandoned back then!!!

Reading Guide

One-on-one romance, both leads have had no previous partners.

Pre-release novel blurb------

Shen Wanqing was born into humble circumstances. She had always been cautious and proper, never stepping out of line. The only exception was her love for Meng Jue, a rising court noble and trusted minister to the emperor.

Knowing they were worlds apart, she kept her feelings hidden. Then, at the county princess's birthday banquet, a twist of fate brought her and Meng Jue together for one passionate night, and Meng Jue was forced to marry her.

Everyone said she was cunning, willing to ruin her own reputation just to climb into Meng Jue's bed.

The Meng family matriarch saw her as a despicable schemer who would stop at nothing, while her sister-in-law saw her as the wicked woman who had ruined her brother's chance at a good marriage. They made things difficult for her at every turn.

There was no way to defend herself, so she simply held her ground and lived honorably: she upheld her duties as a wife, cared for her parents-in-law, managed the household, and treated Meng Jue with mutual respect. Their days passed in quiet, unremarkable harmony.

Meng Jue was as graceful as a jade tree, handsome and refined. Not only did he come from a distinguished family, he was also the top scorer in the imperial examinations, exceptionally capable, and destined for a bright future. Even the princess favored him. Everyone assumed he would marry a princess, but instead he married a concubine's daughter of humble birth.

Because he believed she had drugged him at the birthday banquet, Meng Jue despised his new wife. But as they spent time together, he saw that she was gentle, diligent, and obedient, always mindful of her place. Gradually, he let go of his resentment and was willing to live a quiet life with her.

Until one day, she learned the truth behind their misunderstanding and handed him a divorce agreement

Only later did he learn that he had been wrong about her drugging him.

Only later did he realize that the wife whose eyes had once been full of love now looked at him with nothing but cold indifference.

Only later did he discover just how capable his wife was: she had won over his mother and sister so completely that they couldn't bear to be apart from her.

Meng Jue's life had always gone smoothly. In his studies, the imperial examinations, and his investigations, he had never known defeat. But when it came to love, he lost completely.

Theme: Face adversity without fear and press bravely onward.