A Pact of Gold and Jade

The Grand Age Needs No Wu Hooks (original title), launching in January 2027 [household intrigue / sweet and satisfying / mutual devotion / strong leads / single-couple / one-on-one]

Scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants: merchants rank last. They cannot sit for the imperial exams and are treated like members of the lowest class.

Xi Jia was born into a merchant family, and not only that, he was a collateral relative whose father died young.

When he heard someone had come to propose a marriage, he asked only three questions:

"Which family in the capital?"

"The Yan Prince's residence."

"Do they hold a title?"

"He's a son by a concubine. He has an elder brother and a younger legitimate brother, so he's unlikely to inherit the title."

"And what about him personally?"

"A Hanlin Academy compiler, frail and sickly."

Xi Jia tapped his abacus on the counter. "I'll marry him." He accepted the marriage contract!

No legitimate mother-in-law to lay down the rules, no need to compete for a title. A bureaucratic family in the capital, and his mother in Jiangnan could hold her head high.

As for a husband who only showed up once every ten or fifteen days?

Perfect! He was busy opening shops. As long as his husband didn't interfere with his business, that was all that mattered. And if he died young, even better!

Yan Fuchen, third son of the Yan Prince's residence, born to a concubine.

His mother died early, his birth was lowly, his temper was unruly, and he spent three days ill for every two days on his feet. He'd never had an easy life.

His legitimate mother found him a merchant family as in-laws. While other families had childhood sweethearts growing up together, Yan Fuchen was fated to be paired with a broken drum and a rotten mallet.

He didn't care.

Until he discovered that this person was actually quite capable:

He drove his stepmother's shop into ruin, uncovered the prince's residence's rotten accounts, and sold off the servants who betrayed their master.

Yan Fu put the key to his private treasury on Xi Jia's desk. "Want to manage it?"

Xi Jia didn't even look up. "I can, but I take forty percent."

Even a hundred percent would be fine.

You belong to me, so naturally the money does too.

Xi Jia always thought this marriage was a stepping stone that would let him change his fate by marrying into a powerful family, and nothing more.

Until one day, his trade route was cut off. Following the trail, he found that the trouble led straight to his own husband.

Later, all the accounts of the prince's residence piled up in Xi Jia's courtyard. His stepmother was so angry she smashed a tableful of fine china. One after another, the people who opposed Yan Fuchen at court fell, and even the fighting at the border finally came to an end.

Emperor Kangde praised him: "Yan Fuchen's marriage is a blessing to the household and a stabilizing force for the realm."

A beautiful, money-savvy, prosperity-bringing recipient X a scheming powerhouse who makes a living off his spouse

P.S.

1. Marriage first, love later; a substitute marriage; a normal male-male relationship; male spouses are accepted by default; no children.

2. The pursuer seems innocent but is actually calculating. He falls in love first, and he loves deeply.

3. The recipient is clever and rich, rich, rich.

4. He isn't really living off his spouse! [Synopsis screenshotted on January 25, 2026]

A writing exercise. Just read it for fun. No extreme fans, please. There are also completed novels in my profile. Weibo: @Jinjiang_SleepyAndNeverUpdates. Come visit!

Theme: Only love can break the world's schemes and conspiracies.