A Fake Romance Made in Heaven

The Wei and Cui families, two of the most prominent houses in the capital, had arranged a marriage between their children. The groom was the Wei family's third son, a gifted writer and the third-place winner of the imperial examinations at just eighteen. The bride was the Cui family's fourth daughter, a woman of refined talent whose paintings were worth a fortune. Anyone who heard of the match would call it a perfect union between equals. They thought so themselves. Yet on the eve of the wedding, Wei Third Young Master finished writing an acrostic poem, then sent a carrier pigeon into the night. Cui Fourth Young Lady carefully sealed away a map and tucked it deep inside the trunks of her dowry. After the wedding, their married life was harmonious and happy. They treated each other with respect and affection, living in perfect accord... Then, one day, they accidentally fell into the water while out together. When they woke, they discovered they had switched bodies. To avoid being mistaken for possessed and dragged away, they agreed to play each other convincingly until they could return to normal. [Bonus Scene 1] Wei Third Young Master fretted, "Fourth Lady, my little niece insisted on watching me paint. Then she asked me to finish that painting of a cat pouncing on a butterfly that you left unfinished last time. I couldn't refuse, so I added to it. Take a look. Have I ruined your painting?" Cui Fourth Young Lady: "...Ha ha, husband, you're quite skilled at painting too. That butterfly looks so lifelike!" Damn it, what happened to the map she'd drawn into the patterns on the butterfly's wings?! [Bonus Scene 2] Cui Fourth Young Lady asked uneasily, "Third Young Master, I went to your superior's birthday banquet, but I accidentally took the wrong gift. I brought along my own copy of the poetry collection by that renowned poet from the previous dynasty instead of the original. What should I do... Third Young Master?" Wei Third Young Master had already bolted out the door. Oh no! It had taken him two months to compile that intelligence and transcribe it into his copy using a secret writing technique! [Bonus Scene 3] At last, they successfully returned to their own bodies. Taking advantage of a visit home to see her family, Cui Fourth Young Lady finally carried out the plan she'd put off for so long. On a dark, windy night, she ran into her enemy and fought a life-or-death battle. When she woke again, the person not far away was clutching a sword wound that would not stop bleeding, examining the writing brush full of hidden poison needles in his hand. He gave her a dark smile. "My dear wife is quite the talent. So this is how the token of affection I gave you is meant to be used." Cui Fourth Young Lady wiped the poisonous blood from the corner of her mouth and lightly flicked the soft sword in her palm. She smiled coldly in return. "After sharing a bed for so long, I never knew my husband liked to hide a sword in his belt." "So, are we still fighting?" "...Give me back my body first, then we'll talk." - Reader's Guide: 1. This is not a political intrigue novel. It's a Mr. and Mrs. Smith setup, mainly about the married life of a young couple whose harmonious marriage is anything but what it seems. 2. The characters are all flawed, and they're on opposing sides. Undermining each other is standard procedure. The appeal is all the mutual suspicion, love, and fighting to the death. 3. #Although the other person keeps trying to harm me, if someone else tries to hurt them, it's the same as hurting me!# Theme: Love should be open and honest