The Groom’s Regret

Lin Jia, who lived under the Ling family’s roof, was as lovely as a flowering crabapple, charming and captivating, but unfortunately born into humble circumstances. Ling Zhao, the Ling family’s most dazzling third-place scholar and Ninth Young Master, knew he would never marry her. So, to keep her from stirring his heart, Ninth Young Master Ling acted swiftly and decisively: He picked out a husband for her and married her off. On the day Lin Jia returned to visit her family, she stood gracefully in the sunshine of the courtyard, her brows aflame with alluring charm. When she turned around, her smile was as radiant as spring flowers. She softly called, “Ninth Young Master.” In that moment, Ninth Young Master Ling regretted it. Living under someone else’s roof, Lin Jia had always been careful, never daring to offend any of the Ling family’s young masters. Fortunately, Ninth Young Master Ling took pity on the lonely and vulnerable girl. He prepared her dowry, found her a husband, and saw her safely married. Though it was a modest household, she finally had a home of her own, and from then on her life was stable and secure. Lin Jia was overwhelmed with gratitude. On the day she returned to visit her family, she turned her head and saw the third-place scholar standing beneath the gallery, watching her quietly. Ninth Young Master Ling was cold and aloof, but he was her great benefactor. So Lin Jia smiled brightly and called to him with heartfelt gratitude, “Ninth Young Master.” From that moment on, Ninth Young Master Ling could never go back to the way things were. So what if she was already married? He’d just take her back. Content warning: The author doesn’t provide content warnings. Readers who need them should not read this. Upcoming Novel "The General’s Second Wife" [Blurb] Back then, the Weiyuan Marquis household had married off a concubine-born daughter from a collateral branch to a mere horseman, hoping to recruit him to their cause. That man, born a horseman, fought his way up to become a powerful regional official. By the time the Weiyuan Marquis household wanted to share in his power, the concubine-born daughter had died. When it came to arranging another marriage alliance, the Weiyuan Marquis household could no longer pick a girl and order her to marry him as they had before. They could talk until their tongues were silver and push all the daughters of their various branches at him, but the man said, “I’ll have no one but the legitimate daughter of the fourth branch.” Everyone had heard of younger sisters taking their dead older sisters’ places as second wives. But Shao Zhen, a sickly girl whom her family had expected to care for at home all her life, never imagined they would offer her up to take the place of a clan cousin’s wife. “I’m in poor health, as you know,” she said. “The Weiyuan Marquis household can take good care of you,” the man said. “And so can I.” With long, powerful arms, a narrow waist, and strong legs, he was the terror of the battlefield. That physique alone was frightening to Shao Zhen. “How about we give it a try?” Shao Zhen said. Theme: Live well.