Peaceful Seven

One marriage contract, two families. A merchant's daughter and the legitimate young master of the Xie family of Chen Commandery would never have crossed paths without that contract. When their fathers arranged their betrothal, the Xie family was already in decline, and the money in his household could barely cover their expenses. He felt deeply inferior in Ning Ning's presence. She tried to help him several times, only for him to scold her for reeking of money. Ning Ning found him rigid and wooden, while Third Master Xie disliked her spoiled, talentless ways. She could speak with animals and see wandering spirits invisible to ordinary people. They all urged her not to marry Third Master Xie. “My lord, Third Master Xie in the neighboring courtyard is so awful. Manman doesn't want to marry him.” But when Ning Ning was fifteen, Third Master Xie went to the capital for the palace examinations and came first, earning the title of top scholar. Her eldest brother, missing for years, also became a rising star at court and was made Duke of Cheng. Their fathers' wager had paid off beautifully, but for Ning Ning, it was the beginning of a tragic fate. Third Master Xie won the emperor's favor and rose to the rank of one of the Three Excellencies. His mother, Madam Xie Chen, had always looked down on merchants, and once they reached the capital, she tried to arrange for him to marry a daughter of the Cui family of Qinghe before the Ning family arrived. After Ning Ning reached the capital, she heard that he was at death's door. When she went to his residence to ask after him, she learned that he had been beaten half to death for standing up to his mother. “You never liked me anyway. If you accept that marriage, you can avoid this beating. Then we'll just say our fathers made the betrothal up as a joke while drinking, and it was never meant to be taken seriously.” But for the first time, Third Master Xie disregarded the rules between men and women and firmly took her hand. His phoenix eyes blazed like flames, breathtakingly beautiful. “Qingqing, trust me.”