Transmigration: The Cannon Fodder's Comeback Begins with Exile

Yun Shu, a modern woman, dies after falling from her office balcony while intoxicated following a malicious layoff and a breakup. She transmigrates into the body of Mo Yun Shu, a cannon-fodder character in a novel set in the Da Yu Dynasty. The original host was the daughter of imperial merchants who married into the powerful Du family against her will. Her husband, Du Jingsheng, was infatuated with a concubine named Xiao Rou and only consummated the marriage under duress, resulting in the birth of a son, Du Chen’an. Trapped in unrequited love, the original host wasted away until her family was implicated in a treasonous rebellion led by Heng Wang. The entire Du family, including Yun Shu, is imprisoned as the current emperor, a sadistic ruler known for psychological torture, prepares to exile them three thousand li north.

Upon waking in the prison cell, Yun Shu quickly assesses her dire situation. She recognizes that staying in the capital means certain death or torment under the emperor’s perverse decrees regarding women’s marriages and divorces. She also realizes the original host’s fate was sealed by her foolish devotion to a husband who despised her. Yun Shu resolves to survive and protect her son, who in the original plot died during the exile journey. She observes the toxic dynamics within her cell, noting Du Jingsheng’s continued infatuation with Xiao Rou and the family’s internal conflicts. When the imperial eunuch arrives to offer the women a chance to divorce the Du family and reclaim their dowries, Yun Shu immediately seizes the opportunity. She coldly signs the divorce papers, rejecting Du Jingsheng’s rage and reclaiming her independence.

Yun Shu retrieves her substantial dowry, which includes land deeds and silver hidden in a false bottom of a toy box, items the thieves overlooked. She confronts Xiao Rou, who attempts to claim Yun Shu’s shops, and physically asserts her dominance, humiliating the concubine. Returning to her natal Mo family, Yun Shu confronts her mother and brother, who are more concerned with social status than her well-being. She reveals her plan to join the exile caravan northward, a decision that shocks them but ultimately secures her safety from the emperor’s wrath. Her brother, Mo Yunlie, a shrewd merchant, agrees to help her by assembling a merchant convoy to escort them, leveraging the Mo family’s extensive network of favors and connections.

At the traditional farewell pavilion, Yun Shu reunites with her son, who has suffered greatly in his father’s neglect. She tenderly cares for his injured feet and ensures he is fed and clothed before the procession departs. During the journey, Yun Shu travels in a separate carriage with the merchant convoy but secretly provides for the Du family exiles. She bribes the escort officers to allow her to care for her son and distributes food, medicine, and money to other family members, including her mother-in-law and the former Princess Consort of Heng Wang. Her actions draw suspicion from the Bureau of Imperial Affairs, a terrifying secret police force serving the emperor, but she manages to deflect their inquiries by maintaining a low profile and masking her beauty.

As the group travels north, the harsh conditions test everyone’s endurance. Yun Shu uses her modern knowledge and resources to mitigate suffering, such as lancing blisters and providing warm water. She observes the Du family’s internal struggles, particularly the spoiled behavior of her stepdaughter Du Ruozhu, whom she criticizes through her son’s example of resilience. The narrative highlights Yun Shu’s determination to alter the tragic fate of the original characters, especially her son, while navigating the political dangers posed by the emperor’s agents. The story sets the stage for a long journey of survival, where Yun Shu must balance her maternal duties with the constant threat of imperial retribution and the dwindling resources of the exiled party.