A Royal Concubine Is No Match for a Merchant’s Legitimate Wife

What?! The Sixth Prince of the royal house, whom she had secretly loved for five years, is going to marry the legitimate eldest daughter of the prime minister’s family?! What’s a lowly concubine-born daughter of a general’s household like her supposed to do? What?! The Sixth Prince has become Crown Prince, and the legitimate eldest daughter has been promoted accordingly. She’ll be the empress one day?! Oh, you’re a noble Crown Prince and I’m a lowborn concubine’s daughter, so I’m supposed to become your concubine just because you want me to? Oh, you’ll give me delicacies, a grand palace, fine clothes, and jeweled hairpins? Sorry, I don’t want them. I’d rather be the legitimate wife of a merchant named Liang Ningshu than a concubine trapped behind the high walls of the nobility! Her mother spent her whole life as a concubine, only to end up without even a place to be buried. She spent half her life as a concubine-born daughter, taking great care to tread lightly in the household and avenge her mother, fighting concubines, sisters, and brothers, all so she would never have to be a concubine again! Besides, look at the dull merchant she met. He may be stiff and cold-faced, but he’s exactly the good man she’s always sought. So, with a little trickery and a bit of persuasion, she married the husband of her dreams and became the legitimate wife of a merchant. Little did she know her dull husband was actually the young heir of a noble marquis’s household. They say his legitimate mother is difficult, his concubines cause trouble, and every one of his sisters, uncles, and cousins is a handful. No matter. For happiness, she’ll fight to the end and meet them all on their own terms! The red candles burned brightly in the bridal chamber, and incense filled the air. Her dull merchant husband lifted her red veil with a smile. She blushed shyly, but saw a troubled look on his handsome face. “My dear wife, the legitimate matriarch of the family is forty-three this year. She loves dressing in gold and silver and comparing herself with others. There are eleven concubines in the household, each as beautiful as a flower, and three younger sisters who are always flirting and competing over beauty and clothes. Then there are two older brothers and three younger brothers…” “Enough. Speak plainly.” “My dear wife, I’m afraid you’ll have to put on your golden armor and fight the matriarch, the sisters, the concubines, and the uncles. What do you think?” “Husband, I’ve made all the preparations. I’ll wear my golden armor wherever I go. Let’s see how you and I can conquer everything together!”