Two absurd stories that left the people of the capital laughing their heads off.
First: The illiterate country girl from the Su family married into the Duke of Zhenguo's household in place of her legitimate elder sister, who had eloped.
Second: The Duke of Zhenguo's illegitimate son, a good-for-nothing who got winded after a few steps and looked ready to drop dead at any moment, married in place of his legitimate elder brother, who was pretending to be ill.
A replacement bride and a stand-in groom: the entire capital waited with tea bowls in hand to laugh at this "country bumpkin and sickly ghost."
On their wedding night, each of them had their own agenda beneath the bridal veil.
Su Wan felt the hidden weapon in her sleeve and trembled. "Husband, I'm afraid of the dark..."
But inside, she thought: I'll play the pitiful little thing for a few days, uncover the truth behind the massacre of my family, then fake my death and run away.
Xiao Han covered his mouth and coughed up a "mouthful of blood," leaning weakly against the wall. "Don't be afraid, my dear... cough, cough... I'll protect you..."
But inside, he thought: I'll play the invalid for a few days, then divorce her once I've rounded up all those old foxes in court.
They competed in their acting so fiercely that they somehow turned married life into one of the "Capital's Ten Most Tragic Couples."
