Everyday Life in the Prefect's Household

That year, Zhong You Ning became an orphan in every sense of the word. Her background was simple enough: her scholar father was robbed by bandits on his way to take the exams, her mother was devastated, her elder brother became a monk, and she was left all alone. Zhong You Ning had no choice but to travel a thousand li to the Marquis's residence and live there as a distant cousin. But being a distant cousin in the Marquis's residence was no easy matter. The Old Madam took pity on her distant niece and not only let her stay, providing food and lodging, but even offered to let her choose one of the masters of the house as a concubine, so she could enjoy the wealth of the estate. The masters took a liking to this distant cousin and were willing to take her into their rooms, but their wives were simply too jealous. When Zhong You Ning was reborn, the carriage carrying her had already stopped outside the Marquis's residence. Under the watchful eyes fixed on her, Zhong You Ning could only pick up her luggage and walk gracefully through the gates. Wen Xubai was a close friend of the eldest master. He had seen the cousin staying at Yongping Prefecture's residence deal with several of the masters more than once, and had scoffed at her. More than anything, Wen Xubai despised people who seemed weak and pitiable on the surface but were deeply calculating underneath. An accident brought them together, and internal and external pressures forced them into marriage, a political alliance. Wen Xubai was worried: Before the wedding: I'm afraid we won't last. After the wedding: We'll be together for a long, long time. A twist of fate / marriage first, love later A seemingly innocent and frail heroine x a stiff, bookish hero who's proper in public. P.S. - The pacing is slow. The story is mostly about family life, and the political intrigue is only as clever as the author's brain. - Meeting is fate, so I hope you enjoy reading! Theme: Be resilient and unyielding. Even when you're at a disadvantage, don't let yourself be defeated. Pick yourself up again, and you'll see a sky full of stars