My Wife Married Me for the Gossip

[The upcoming novel The Duke's Estate's Little Nemesis is a similar story. Please add it to your favorites.]

# The only two people in her family are an outgoing, vivacious general's daughter

# An introverted, purehearted young gentleman in a household full of people

# Marriage first, love later, family life, everyday antics and absurdity

The Earl of Pingkang's household was wealthy and distinguished, one of the few great noble families in the city of Dongjing.

The two branches of the Cui family, with their generations of uncles and cousins, could easily gather six tables for mahjong. Yet this prosperous and distinguished family was a place noble young ladies avoided at all costs.

Families of higher rank than the Cuis did not want to marry their daughters into the family.

Families of lower rank were looked down on by the Cuis, and finding someone of equal standing was even harder.

As a result, the marriage of Cui Zhijun, the only legitimate son of the Cui family's main branch,

was repeatedly delayed.

But Cui Zhijun devoted himself entirely to his studies at the Imperial Academy, and was always content to let marriage take its course. He even thought it was entirely optional.

But as she watched the concubine-born sons and the sons of the second branch one by one take wives, Lady Cui could no longer sit still. She refused to let her son marry beneath him.

She made her choice after considering one noble family after another in Dongjing. In the end, she gritted her teeth and sent a marriage proposal to the family of the Huainan Military Commissioner, who had even dared to reject a match proposed by the Duke of Jun's household.

The formidable Taishi family was Lady Cui's last hope. If they refused, she could only resign herself to fate.

Who would have thought the matchmaker would leave with a frown and return with a smile?

While everyone in the Cui family watched, the matchmaker calmly took a sip of tea before slowly pulling out Taishi Zheng's birth-card and setting it on the table. Then she announced loudly:

"Congratulations, Master! Congratulations, Madam! The Taishi family has agreed to the marriage between our young master and Miss Zheng!"

"A-agreed?"

That day, the Cui family forgot to celebrate and stared at one another in disbelief. No one could believe it, or even dared to believe it, but the marriage really had been arranged just like that.

-

It was not until their wedding night

that Cui Zhijun stood by the bed, gazed at the dreamlike scene before him, and finally asked her what he had always wanted to know.

"There are countless great families in Dongjing. Why did you choose me in particular, Madam?"

Taishi Zheng lifted the corner of the bed curtains. Looking at her handsome, delicate-featured husband, she smiled brightly and said, "Oh, that? I'd heard your family was lively, so I married in to have a look."

A few reminders:

Both leads are sexually inexperienced. Happy ending. Inspired by the Song Dynasty.

The setting is fictional, with many original details. Please don't overanalyze it.

Please read and discuss respectfully. Enjoy!

----Upcoming novel blurb----

# Fifth Lady, a cheerful, positive, outgoing, high-energy sweetheart

# Seventh Young Master, sensitive, scheming, sharp-tongued, low-energy and gloomy

# Bickering couple, face-slapping, family life, and everyday antics in a duke's estate.

-

Zhou Lian was the youngest son of the third branch of a duke's family, raised far from home. By the time his family found him, he had just married Jiang Wanhe, the fifth daughter of the family next door.

The couple had never gotten along, even as children.

Zhou Lian thought she was thoughtless, while Jiang Wanhe couldn't stand his penny-pinching fussiness. They could never relax around each other. If it weren't for wanting to let the grandmother who had raised him pass away in peace, Zhou Lian would never have gotten involved with someone like Jiang Wanhe in his life.

Before they set off, Zhou Lian laid down three rules for Jiang Wanhe. The most important was that she must not cry and carry on, demanding to go home. No one would pay her any attention.

Zhou Lian had thought Jiang Wanhe would know when to give up and ask for a divorce. After all, they had done nothing but exchange wedding bows, and their marriage had not been consummated.

Who could have guessed that Jiang Wanhe, who usually couldn't stand him, would say that she would follow her husband wherever he went, even if he were a chicken or a dog, and pat her chest to assure him not to worry?

What else could Zhou Lian do? He could only take her with him to Bianjing.

But who could have guessed that later...

It would be Zhou Qilang, who secretly wiped away his tears and quietly longed for home, while Jiang Wuniang was thriving in the duke's estate, a large family full of rules and etiquette, having the time of her life!

Little Lian: Lian, as in tears streaming down my face. I'm going home, even if I have to crawl...

Sweetheart: Cry, cry, cry, and you'll cry away all your good fortune! Oh, you stinker, Lian! Don't wipe your eyes on my pillowcase!

A few reminders:

The setting is fictional. Happy ending, one-on-one romance.

The plot is as absurd as ever, and it's meant to be the perfect comfort food! Our sweetheart is an absolute darling, so you won't regret giving her a chance! P.S. There's a reason she marries Little Lian and insists on following him to Bianjing. It's a shared family secret: no one in her family is ordinary. They may look like hunters, but every one of them is remarkably talented.

Theme: Everything happens for the best.