Spring Stirs Amid the Apricot Blossoms

A cold-outside, warm-inside soldier × a gentle-outside, tough-inside merchant's daughter (with a size difference)

[Food + farming + business + court politics] (Please add to your favorites)

Spring of Tai'an Year 24: A mutiny broke out in Luoyang.

Yao Ying took her mother and younger brother south to seek refuge with her uncle, who worked as an advisor in Bashu.

Pressured and bribed by her aunt, she took her cousin's place in a bridal sedan chair and married into the Shen family.

Rumor had it that the Shen family was poor, and that Second Young Master Shen was just an obscure nobody at the bottom of the military ranks. Apart from him, the entire Shen household was made up of the elderly, women, and children.

Yao Ying thought, So what if they're poor?

She could make money.

As long as he looked decent, was honest, and was willing to build a life together, that was enough.

On their wedding night, the red bridal veil was lifted.

Their eyes met, and both of them froze.

Yao Ying: He certainly looks decent, but what does he have to do with being honest and reliable?

Deciding to make the best of things, Yao Ying stayed with the Shen family and waited to see how things unfolded.

Later, she helped the women and children of the Shen family revive their old trade, buy land, and build houses, until they became the richest family around.

When everything had settled down, Yao Ying found Shen Changqing, intending to speak frankly with him.

"I'm an impostor. Our marriage agreement doesn't count anymore."

Shen Changqing: "I knew you were an impostor from our wedding night."

One day, Yao Ying's cousin, who had run away from her marriage and been living elsewhere, came back. She discovered that the obscure nobody she'd once looked down on had become a mighty general, a man whose every word commanded a response.

And her cousin, a mere merchant's daughter, had become the general's wife, a woman everyone envied.

She had high rank and a generous salary, wore gold and silver, and had servants at her beck and call. What a wonderful life!

She regretted it so much she could have kicked herself. All of it should have been hers! Hers!

She went to Shen Changqing to tell him the truth: "She's an impostor. I'm the real one."

Yao Ying: "Should I just leave?"

Shen Changqing: "Don't even think about it."

I've hidden 30 red envelopes in the comments. Thank you all for your support!

Theme: Fate brings people together, but wealth comes from hard work!