The Weepy Bride Mistakes Her Husband

Qiao Man, nicknamed Yuanbao, had been a crybaby since childhood. When he was nine, his parents sold him to bring good fortune to his sickly husband, the eldest young master of the Duke’s household. On their wedding night, Qiao Man saw the man lying on the wedding bed, his face ashen, and burst into tears, smearing the carefully applied rouge all over his face. That very night, he was sent to the Duke’s residence. The Duke was the empire’s great general and guardian of the realm. Over eight feet tall, broad-shouldered and long-legged, he had already earned outstanding military honors before turning thirty. His eyes and brows were filled with bloodthirsty severity. “Using a child to bring good fortune to someone is absurd.” The servant holding Qiao Man knelt on the ground, trembling so badly that even his apology came out in a quiver. Qiao Man cried until he was nearly unconscious. Through his hazy awareness, he felt a pair of large hands lift him, then found himself wrapped in a scorching embrace. He clutched the man’s clothes, his cheek brushing against the firm line of the man’s jaw. In a daze, he called out, “Daddy.” That night, Qiao Man slept in the Duke’s courtyard. From then on, Qiao Man had a daddy who couldn’t bear to see him shed a single tear. When the eldest young master died, his wives and concubines were supposed to hang themselves and accompany him in death. The Duke said nothing, and no one in the residence dared cross him. They all treated the rules of propriety as worthless. Qiao Man hid under the covers, crying as he wrote a farewell letter. When someone found him, they pinned him to the bed and kissed him fiercely for two hours. “Yuanbao, be Daddy’s wife.” For the sake of power, the Emperor ordered a marriage. Qiao Man swore he would never be a secondary wife, packed a little bundle, and climbed over the wall to escape. After enjoying a few carefree days outside, he started missing Daddy and went to the post station to ask after him. To his surprise, soldiers had the post station surrounded. When he asked why, his vision went black. The great general who guarded the realm had rebelled. And he had put up an enormous reward for the capture of someone named Qiao Man. An astronomical bounty! Qiao Man: Huh? Why does my butt feel a little sore? Am I imagining things? Reading Guide: 1. The eldest young master is adopted. The top is 22, with a 13-year age gap: an older husband and younger wife. 2. The early part is ordinary child-rearing, and the later part is ordinary romance. The political scheming has zero intelligence; I’ll try to make it smooth and worldly. 3. One-on-one, happy ending. Blurb finalized on October 4, 2026 Theme: Learn about historical marriage customs