Marrying the Prime Minister in a Year of Famine: The Auspicious Wife Brings Prosperity

Chu Yue, a modern medical student, transmigrates into the body of a thirteen-year-old girl with the same name in a drought-stricken ancient village. The original owner was forced into an arranged marriage with the eldest son of the Lu family to settle her father's gambling debts. Upon waking, Chu Yue immediately agrees to the union, recognizing that her biological family treats her as expendable and that survival in the mountains is safer than returning to her abusive parents. She is sent to the Lu household, where she meets Yun Cuihe, a frail widow raising three young sons, and her eighteen-year-old husband, Lu Xinghe, a talented scholar who has abandoned his imperial examination dreams to support his family.

Chu Yue quickly establishes herself as a valuable member of the household by utilizing her knowledge of traditional medicine and resourcefulness. When Yun Cuihe suffers a sudden illness, Chu Yue stabilizes her using acupuncture techniques, earning the respect of her new family. During a trip into the mountains to gather wild vegetables, she identifies valuable medicinal herbs, including Bupleurum and Panax notoginseng, which provide crucial income. The family also encounters a wild boar, which Lu Xinghe kills after a dangerous confrontation, securing a significant source of food and revenue.

Conflict arises when a greedy neighbor, Aunt Li, attempts to extort meat from the Lu family. Chu Yue boldly defends her mother-in-law, scolding the antagonist and driving her away, which solidifies her position within the household. Lu Xinghe, initially reserved and burdened by responsibility, begins to warm to Chu Yue, acknowledging her intelligence and capability. The couple travels to the nearby town to sell the wild boar meat and herbs, where Chu Yue demonstrates sharp business acumen by purchasing large quantities of grain in anticipation of an impending famine caused by the prolonged drought.

As they settle into their married life, Chu Yue and Lu Xinghe navigate the challenges of poverty and social dynamics in the village. Chu Yue prepares meals from discarded ingredients, such as pig intestines, transforming them into delicious dishes that impress her family. Meanwhile, Lu Xinghe discovers that someone has sabotaged their rice paddy by breaking the irrigation dike, threatening their meager harvest. Despite these hardships, the relationship between Chu Yue and Lu Xinghe deepens, marked by mutual support and growing affection. Chu Yue encourages her husband to consider pursuing his academic ambitions again, suggesting that her contributions to the family income could alleviate the financial burdens that forced him to give up his studies.

The story highlights Chu Yue's adaptation to her new life, her strategic planning for survival during the drought, and the gradual development of a genuine partnership with Lu Xinghe. As they face external threats from villagers and internal struggles with poverty, the couple works together to improve their circumstances, with Chu Yue's modern knowledge and medical skills serving as key assets in their journey toward stability and prosperity.