The Substitute Bride

The heir of the Marquis of Zhongyong, Song Yuguang, has won countless battles and is arrogant and unrestrained. After being blinded by a vicious plot, his temperament changed drastically. He shut himself away, and even his closest family could barely get near him.

The Marchioness wanted to find her son a beautiful, gentle noblewoman to be his wife, stay by his side, and care for his every need. After searching high and low, she settled on the legitimate daughter of the Earl of Guang'an.

But the day before the wedding, the bride disappeared.

Qi Fengxiao grew up in a country estate, unknown to the world. Her life was as worthless as a blade of grass, though she was as lovely as an orchid.

She was suddenly brought back to the Earl's residence and forced into the bridal sedan. As she was carried away, Qi Fengxiao heard her stepmother threaten her in a low voice: "If you can win the marquis's favor, Mother will tell you where your mother is, so you can reunite. If you fail, don't blame me for selling you off just like I sold your mother!"

Qi Fengxiao did not dare disobey. Though she was terrified of the heir's unpredictable temper, she was gentle and attentive, doing everything she could to serve him.

Everyone knew she prayed for him to regain his sight and willingly wore a veil every day, showing him unwavering devotion and profound affection.

Song Yuguang believed it, too.

Her slender waist and soft voice became the gentlest comfort in his darkness. He decided to go along with the mistake.

Who could have guessed that after his marchioness returned to her family home, she would come back a different person?

Soft on the outside, strong on the inside vs. sharp-tongued but soft-hearted

Notes:

1. Pure fantasy setting, one-on-one romance, both leads are sexually inexperienced.

2. The male lead is blind at first, but he will recover later.

3. The female lead has a golden finger, but does not know it.

There are several completed novels in my author profile. Please add my upcoming novel, Beauty Chooses a Branch, to your favorites!

Synopsis of Beauty Chooses a Branch:

When the princes of Great Jin choose their primary consorts, they traditionally select from families of officials ranked sixth grade or below. Xu Lingyu, the daughter of a minor official, has no grand ambitions. She only wants a simple, peaceful life. To avoid being chosen, she plans to find a man she likes and marry him as soon as possible.

As luck would have it, a scholar moves into the house at the end of the alley. He has no parents and lives alone, comes from a respectable family, and though he wears plain clothes, he carries himself with an air of refined distinction. He also has a good temper.

Xu Lingyu decides he's the one!

The matchmaker visits, and he doesn't even have to marry into her family. Xu Lingyu thinks the matter is all but settled, only to have him turn her down!

Clever as she is, Xu Lingyu presents "proof" that their families had arranged a betrothal when they were children. The magistrate's office draws up their marriage contract on the spot.

After a year of marriage, her husband, Jia Qinggu, leaves for the capital to sit the imperial examinations. Xu Lingyu waits for him to fail and return, so he can become a teacher and live happily with his wife and child.

But her husband passes the highest exam and doesn't come home, while the parents-in-law she thought were dead arrive incognito.

The Empress: "I hear that I was an old friend of your mother, and that I even arranged your betrothal to Qingjia when you were children?"

Jia Qinggu, Gu Qingjia?

Xu Lingyu understands, is stunned, and then panics. She sucks in her belly. "How could that be? Someone must be abusing their power to settle a personal grudge. It's all made up!"

Her mind races. She has to find a live-in son-in-law quickly to hide her belly.

Theme: Strive for what you want and keep hoping.