Daily Life at Prince Jin's Manor

Zhao Yuan'an marries above her station.

The highest-ranking official her family has produced so far is her father, a fourth-rank Deputy Minister of the Court of Judicial Review. In the capital, where a third-rank official appears every three steps and a royal relative every five, the Zhao family is hardly anyone of importance.

Still, being a small family has its advantages. The Zhao household is simple, and Zhao Yuan'an is the only girl in three generations. She has grown up cherished and pampered, waiting only to be matched with a good family and become its principal wife.

But she never expected an imperial decree to arrive, making her the Princess Consort of Prince Jin.

Xie Sheng, Prince Jin, is the youngest son of Consort Shu. He, too, has been doted on since childhood. He's also a shameless rascal, always up to mischief, fishing, or bird-watching. In short, he spends every day doing anything but proper work.

The Zhao family is distraught that their precious girl has been matched with such a wastrel. So what if he's a prince? Yuan'an is marrying above her station. What if he bullies her? What will she do?

Yuan'an is annoyed too. There are so many rules to follow after marrying into the imperial family. If she'd known, she wouldn't have been so picky before. Any one of the men she'd met earlier would have been better than marrying a prince.

Xie Sheng is even more annoyed.

His brothers have been laughing at him lately. Every one of them has an excellent wife, so what on earth happened with his match?

In short, even before their wedding, the betrothed couple can't stand each other.

Then the wedding day arrives.

When Xie Sheng lifts the red veil and sees Zhao Yuan'an's pretty, radiant, youthful face, his breath catches.

Well, perhaps they can make this marriage work after all.

But Yuan'an launches straight into a tirade: "Everyone knows Prince Jin thinks far too highly of himself to care for someone from a humble family like mine. I won't interfere with whatever you do from now on. Do as you please. I never wanted to marry you anyway. We'll just put on a show in public."

Xie Sheng is so angry he nearly faints.

Xie Sheng is a contrary sort. The more Yuan'an says that, the more determined he is to stay in the principal bedroom, much to her annoyance.

A firecracker of a woman and a firecracker of a man end up together. One day people hear that Prince Jin has been thrown out by his wife; the next, they hear the couple went to complain to Consort Shu separately. By all appearances, they're destined to become enemies.

But now their eldest son is about to get married. The Princess Consort of Prince Jin returns to her family home as usual, and Prince Jin follows after her, practically pleading to come along?

Theme: Live well and make every day rich and fulfilling