chapter 1

“Who did you say you were looking for?”

Duan Mansion in the Capital City, with its eaves overlapping in intricate patterns.

I stood before the vermillion gates, carrying my travel bundle, gesturing to the guards of Duan Mansion.

“Duan Jing, my fiancé. The gentlest, most handsome one in your mansion.”

After traveling a thousand miles to the Capital City, I finally arrived at the home of my fiancé whom I had never met, now dusty and travel-worn.

The guards of Duan Mansion looked me up and down with arrogant expressions. Suddenly, one of them’s eyes lit up, and he pointed behind me from afar: “Our Young Master is over there. Go yourself.”

Turning around, I saw deep in a narrow alley with gray tiles, a delicate young man in white was being cornered, his expression lifeless: “Please give me a few more days. I really have no money right now.”

He was rather thin, fair-skinned, just as I’d heard of my fiancé, making one feel pity for him.

But the thug blocking him was truly hateful, a head taller than my fiancé, holding a horsewhip and sneering coldly: “Keep running! Why aren’t you running now? When will you pay back the few taels of silver you owe me?”

“In broad daylight! Why aren’t you doing anything?” I asked the guards anxiously.

The Duan Mansion guard glanced at me sideways: “Who dares interfere with the Eldest Young Master’s affairs?”

“You…” I grew desperate. Just as the horsewhip was about to strike my fiancé, I rushed forward, spreading my arms to shield him, and mustered my courage to scold the thug, “How can you hit someone?”

It was noon, and a branch of the pomegranate tree inside the courtyard stretched out, lush and green, blocking the harsh sun.

I squinted, finally seeing the thug’s face clearly: handsome features, proud and cold.

Sharp lips, brows like painted lacquer, dressed in a red robe, broad shoulders and a slim waist-a strikingly good-looking thug.

The thug narrowed his bright eyes, speaking concisely: “Who are you?”

“I am Duan Jing’s fiancée. If you have any issues, come at me!”

When he heard the words “fiancée,” he was stunned at first, then his gaze turned intriguing, and he let out a soft “Oh”: “Duan Jing’s fiancée?”

I summoned all my courage and replied, “Exactly.”

“Do you even know who Duan Jing is?” He asked with interest, lightly slapping the whip in his palm.

“Of course I do. The Eldest Young Master of Duan Mansion, the finest man in the Capital City. Even if he owes you silver, you shouldn’t… shouldn’t use private punishment…”

The thug had a good temper, folding his hands behind his back and retorting, “If he’s the finest man in the Capital City, why would he marry a country bumpkin like you?”

His words stung me, and I retorted angrily, “Why do you care? Ours is a match arranged by our Parents and the matchmaker. I will marry no one but him, and he will marry no one but me. What right do you, an outsider, have to comment?”

The thug sneered, “Sharp-tongued.”

Suddenly, the world spun, and I was hoisted onto someone’s back.

That thug carried me off, turning and leaving.

When I came to my senses, I cried out in panic, “You… don’t be reckless… I’ll pay back the silver my husband owes you bit by bit… I won’t sell myself… I must remain faithful to him!”

“Young Master truly thanks you. Since you’re so devoted to me, then sharing a bridal chamber now wouldn’t be a grievance.”

I was stunned at his words.

Who was devoted to him?

The frail scholar in the distance, relieved after his ordeal, gave me an apologetic smile: “Miss… I already have a wife. You’ve mistaken the person. He is the one.”

Boom!

The truth was too cruel. I was dumbstruck on his shoulder, watching the narrow alley fade into the distance. Turning a corner, the young man in white disappeared from sight.

Passing the main gate, the two timid guards respectfully addressed the thug as “Eldest Young Master.”

He responded carelessly, carrying me into the mansion as if no one else existed.

Now, lying on Duan Jing’s shoulder, jolted about, I suddenly realized-I’d been played.

The gentle, jade-like, kind husband I’d recited hundreds of times didn’t exist at all.

This marriage was rushed from the start.

A few months ago, my younger brother got into trouble, and the gambling house wanted to chop off three of his fingers to pay his debt.

Just then, my Eldest Aunt returned from the Capital City and proposed a match, saying the Eldest Young Master of the Duan Family was gentle, learned, caring, and offering a hefty bride price.

Our family urgently needed money. My Parents, in tears, begged me to agree.

I thought, how could such a noble Young Master fancy me?

After careful inquiry, I learned he lost his mother young, and his father injured his leg when he was three, unable to walk, so all the family’s burdens fell on him.

All the wealthy families in the Capital City wouldn’t let their daughters marry into hardship.

Young Master Duan’s stepmother asked my Eldest Aunt to find an honest girl from our hometown whom she knew well.

Eldest Aunt secretly told me, “Young Master Duan is… not quite capable in certain matters. If you marry him, you won’t have to worry about other women, and you’ll profit. Besides, the bride price will be generous.”
Listening to Eldest Aunt’s description, I only felt that such a peerless, noble Young Master with a fate full of misfortune-if he was willing to have me, I would treat him with all my heart and honor him as an equal.

On the day the betrothal gifts arrived, my Parents packed my bundle and hurried me off to the Capital City.

The journey was long and dusty.

Who could have expected that Duan Jing was nothing but a scoundrel.

I fear this man is notorious in the Capital City, with no one willing to marry him, so they dragged a muddle-headed girl like me into the fire pit.

Turning past the corridor, a small courtyard lush with rocks, flowers, and grass suddenly appeared.

Duan Jing is very tall. As I lay slumped over his shoulder, I could touch the pomegranate branches.

But at this moment, I had no heart to admire such beauty.

He carried me straight in, unimpeded, into a spacious study, tossed me onto a small couch, and squinted at me, “So you’re the one who took two thousand taels from my family?”

Two thousand taels!

I had never seen so much silver in my life. I jumped up in agitation and argued with him, “You’re talking nonsense! It was clearly twenty taels.”

To prove it, I hurriedly opened my palm, showing a few broken pieces of silver.

“My Parents said we should be frugal at home and generous on the road, so they gave me half as travel money!” With that, I shoved it into his hand. “I won’t marry! Here, take it back. I’ll repay the rest slowly.”

Duan Jing stared at the few sweaty taels of silver in my palm, then suddenly laughed, “Ten taels-are you truly stupid, or just pretending?”

He propped one foot on the desk, his long fingers hooking the Red Cherry Pendant at his waist, lips curling in a smile, “Look closely. Just this one accessory of mine is worth five hundred taels. Ten taels can’t even buy a cricket.”

How could I have known that, in Duan Jing’s eyes, ten taels was nothing but pocket money for pleasure? Frightened, I took a step back, piecing together the truth, and froze on the spot.

My younger brother’s three fingers were only worth a mere ten taels.

My Parents didn’t marry me off-they conspired with Eldest Aunt to trick and sell me.

All the bitterness, fear, and grievance of coming to the Capital City surged up to my nose at that moment, but just before it could spill out, I forced it down.

I lowered my head, my eyes silently reddening.

Duan Jing lifted his robe and sat down leisurely, savoring my dejection, “What, figured it out? I’m afraid your Parents have already run off with the money. If they dare to take the money and flee, I’ll break their legs.”

His words were harsh, but not without reason.

It’s not that I didn’t understand my Parents’ intentions. I always thought if I endured, things would pass. But in the end, I gambled away my whole life.

Now, I could only accept my fate.

Choking back my sobs, I said, “I won’t leave. Just don’t make things hard for my Parents.”

Duan Jing’s smile suddenly turned cold. “What’s your name?”

“Zhang Wanyi, from Yangzhou.”

Right now, I was like a fish out of water, unable to struggle no matter what.

“Wanyi.” Duan Jing savored the name, lifted my chin with his whip, and gazed out the window, “You seem honest, and you look decent. What can you do?”

“Cook, weave, farm, feed chickens…”

“Tsk.” Duan Jing looked disgusted. “Who wants to hear that? Can you fight cocks?”

I shook my head blankly.

“Cricket fighting?”

Another shake.

“Sing? Guess wine? Play drinking games? Ride horses?”

…

Duan Jing’s expression grew darker and darker. “You can’t do anything?”

I admit, Duan Jing is handsome-his brows are clear, his features elegant, as if he stepped out of a painting. But just for this absurdity of his, I couldn’t bring myself to like him.

Feeling repulsed, my words turned blunt, almost wooden: “I come from a humble family. If you don’t like me, just use me as a Maid and marry someone else.”

Duan Jing let out a strange laugh. “A two-thousand-tael Maid-Young Master can’t even say that without burning his tongue.”

…

Right now, he looked at me with nothing but displeasure.

As a newcomer, I naturally couldn’t stay in Duan Jing’s room.

After questioning me, Duan Jing seemed to find even one more glance offensive, so he took a bowl of fresh tea and leaned by the window, telling me to leave.

There was only one servant in Duan Jing’s courtyard, named Chunsheng.

He was gentle and honest.

Chunsheng led me to an inconspicuous room and spoke politely, “Miss, rest assured and settle in. With Young Master backing you, don’t hold back if you’re wronged in the residence.”

How could I have the right to complain? They were a wealthy family. Their words were pleasant, but one must know their place to live comfortably.

I thanked Chunsheng and pushed open the small room.

The room was not as shabby as I’d imagined; all the daily necessities were there.

It was far better than the leaky house in the countryside.

After I finished settling in, Chunsheng returned, looking apologetic. “Miss, Young Master is hungry and asks you to make five plates of pastries to send over.”