The Beloved Daughter of a Military Family

War fires flare along the borders of the Great Sheng Dynasty. The five sons of the family charged with defending the nation heroically march off to battle, any one of them liable to die for their country at any moment. Before they leave, the old matriarch tearfully begs for an imperial decree to arrange a marriage for her fifth son to a daughter of the Cui family of the Earl of Anding’s household, who is rumored to be exceptionally fertile. The Earl of Anding’s daughters either pretend to be sick or disappear, but Cui Ling thinks this is a fine match. The family has high status, so no one will bully her; they’re filthy rich, so her standard of living won’t suffer. She’ll be the youngest daughter-in-law, with no responsibilities and an easy life. Her husband won’t be back for three or five years, so she can enjoy the peace and quiet. And if he happens to die, she’ll be a widow and receive government benefits! For a woman who has spent her whole life scheming against others and now wants nothing more than a peaceful retirement, this is just too tempting! Amid the chaos, Cui Ling calmly announces, “I’ll marry him!”