Zhong Baiyu takes her elder half-sister's place and marries into the Marquis of Xuancheng's household.
She was deeply unwilling, but she was lowly and powerless, with her fate in other people's hands.
But who could have guessed that the bridal sedan wouldn't even make it through the marquis's gates?
It turned out the Marquis of Xuancheng already had a wife. As the woman who came later, Zhong Baiyu was no more than a debt of favor, a so-called concubine without even a title.
Zhong Baiyu: ...Fine.
Since that's how things are, she'll make a living for herself in Huazhou, solve strange cases, catch criminals, and teach unfaithful men a lesson. Several young men keep trying to win her over, especially one particularly handsome and elegant man surnamed Duan.
As for that husband she's only heard of,
she's never met him and doesn't care about him.
Their marriage contract is just a farce to her. The road ahead is long, and she only wants to live life on her own terms.
Duan Che has always done things his own way. Wherever he goes, he acts like he owns the place. He's practically traveled every inch of Great Qi.
As for his engagement to the Zhong family? He never took it seriously.
It was just a mutually beneficial arrangement, and the other side wouldn't even send their legitimate daughter, but foisted a concubine-born one on him instead. He hadn't even asked what she looked like. He couldn't be bothered.
His family said they'd find the woman a way out? Even better. That meant she would stay far away and leave him in peace.
Who would have thought that a year later, he'd run into a woman in Huazhou
who spent every day solving cases, beating people up, and dealing with thugs without even pausing for breath?
At first, Duan Che just found her interesting. Then he became obsessed. And later... something felt off.
Until one night, as he tossed and turned, staring at the rafters for half the night, he realized: How could this woman be someone else's wife?!
Young Master Duan slapped his thigh. "This won't do! I need to end my own marriage first, then challenge that cheap husband of hers!"
So he came up with a plan:
Step one: Get rid of the wife his family has on paper for him.
Step two: Bring the woman he loves home.
If all else fails, he'll settle for becoming a kept man.
[Double secret identities, mistaken identities, an obsessive pursuit of his wife, and mystery-solving]
Reader's guide
1. One-on-one romance. The heroine and hero's names are yet to be decided.
2. Everyday-life focus.
3. This is a work of fiction. It has no connection to real life, so please don't draw comparisons.
Theme: Sincerity will eventually be recognized.
