Shen Peitong was born into a family of merchants. She traveled across nations with her father and brothers, commanding immense wealth and living a carefree life.
But her father, as sly as a fox, went away on a trip and came back with an imperial decree in his arms. Smiling, he said to her, “My child! I've arranged a splendid marriage for you. You'll be one of the most exalted people from now on. No one will ever call you a lowly merchant's daughter again, and you can wear all the jewelry and fine silks you like.”
Shen Peitong raised her lovely brows. “A member of the imperial family?”
Her old father bent toward his daughter, beaming with pride. “Almost as high as you can get!”
Shen Peitong instantly lost interest. “I won't marry!”
The prosperous Jing dynasty was the most rigid about propriety and looked down on merchants more than any other of the five nations. She could live carefree in any nation; why go there to suffer?
“My child! You have to marry! If you don't, all our trade routes in Jing will be cut off!”
Shen Peitong... Cutting off her source of wealth was like killing her parents...
Wei Xiaoheng was the most dashing young man in the entire capital. He came from a fine family, was handsome, and could live comfortably for generations on his ancestral inheritance alone.
Then an imperial decree struck like a clap of thunder: he was to marry a merchant's daughter, one who didn't even have a fixed address. “I won't marry her. Absolutely not! Don't I have any pride?”
But his father sent twelve handwritten letters and settled the details of the marriage in urgent dispatches.
Wei Xiaoheng was close to tears. He went from chasing after girls and dogs to carousing every night, embracing beauties in front of the capital's noble young men. “What lowly merchant's daughter? This heir has no interest in her.”
The entire capital was waiting to enjoy the spectacle of this ridiculous marriage. Even the marquis's residence had prepared a replacement bride.
But what was with nine bridal sedan chairs arriving at the door...? Good heavens!
