Chapter 1
Chapter 1
Seeing Shen Qinghe’s face again, I couldn’t help but fall into a daze.
She was only eighteen now. Even without dressing herself up, she was already a peerless beauty capable of toppling kingdoms.
Tomorrow was supposed to be her wedding day with Marquis Ding’an.
But Father had suddenly received news from the palace.
At the Princess’s Flower-Viewing Banquet, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince had fallen in love with my elder sister at first sight. He had already gone before His Majesty to request her hand, swearing that he would marry no one but her in this life.
Silence hung over every corner of the marquis’s estate like a dark cloud, heavy and oppressive.
For the Shen Family, marrying into a marquis’s household had already been reaching above their station.
But when even greater wealth and glory were placed before them, they suddenly felt they had lost out. They felt wronged.
Father frowned without a word. Mother sighed in regret.
Shen Qinghe, who had just been happily trying on her phoenix coronet, took it off and pushed it aside, never sparing it another glance.
Suddenly, her beautiful eyes shifted toward me.
“Little Sister, would you like to marry into the marquis’s household and become the Marchioness?”
“Huh?”
Shen Qinghe stepped forward and took my hand, coaxing me gently.
“My dear sister, with your looks and talents, it would be very hard for you to find a better family than this one.”
“Why don’t you marry in my place tomorrow? That way, we’ll have an explanation for the marquis’s household too, won’t we?”
Father and Mother agreed with delight.
In my previous life, I had refused outright.
Shen Qinghe froze, then let go of my hand in disappointment.
Her beautiful eyes filled with tears, as though she had suffered some terrible grievance.
Father and Mother had never seen her look like that before. They immediately panicked.
“Qingwu, how can you be so insensible!”
“If Qinghe weren’t giving way to you, how could such a wonderful marriage ever fall to you?”
Seeing how stubborn I was, they had someone lock me in my room and keep strict watch over me.
By the time I woke up groggily, the wedding dress was already on me, and my makeup had already been done.
Once the red veil was lowered over my head, two rough servant women seized my arms like they were carrying a chick and forced me into the bridal sedan.
When Jiang Yunzhou discovered that the bride had been switched, he didn’t dare utter a word because of the Eastern Palace’s power. He could only vent all his resentment on me.
My life afterward was unspeakably miserable.
In this life, I naturally could not repeat the same mistake.
I kept my face calm and pretended to be obedient.
“Yes. Your daughter will obey Father and Mother’s arrangements.”
After returning to my room, I immediately packed a bundle, preparing to hide outside for a while first.
I had just reached the rear courtyard when I saw a dark figure vault over the wall beneath the dim moonlight, moving with remarkable agility.
I blinked curiously.
I was far too familiar with that silhouette. I would recognize him even if he were reduced to ashes!
Jiang Yunzhou. What was he doing sneaking into the Shen Family’s residence?
Hugging my little bundle, I quickly followed after him.
He looked around furtively. After making sure no one was nearby, he ducked straight into Shen Qinghe’s courtyard.
Shen Qinghe’s shriek was quickly muffled.
“Qinghe, don’t be afraid. It’s me.”
Jiang Yunzhou kept it brief.
“I know everything. The Crown Prince wants to marry you. Tomorrow morning, your parents plan to have your younger sister get into my bridal sedan in your place, don’t they?”
Shen Qinghe was utterly shocked.
Through the shadows cast on the window lattice, I saw Jiang Yunzhou stiffen and explain through gritted teeth.
“Qinghe, you may not believe this, but I was reborn. I know everything that happened in my previous life.”
“After you married the Crown Prince, he left you alone in an empty room. Even after he ascended the throne, he only made you a Noble Consort, leaving the position of empress vacant.”
“He ignored your bitter pleas and threw Lord Shen into prison, where he was confined for the rest of his life.”
“Qinghe, listen to me. Marry me properly tomorrow, all right? I can treat you well for the rest of your life!”
My eyes widened in surprise.
Jiang Yunzhou had actually been reborn too!
I instantly breathed a sigh of relief. Since he clearly remembered the events of his previous life, he certainly wouldn’t be willing to marry me. I wouldn’t need to go out and hide after all.
But Shen Qinghe did not believe him. She shoved him away and said coldly,
“Young Marquis, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“It is improper for us to meet in private. Please leave at once!”
Jiang Yunzhou refused to give in and looked like he was about to keep pestering her.
An idea flashed through my mind, and I shouted toward the outside of the courtyard,
“Someone, come quickly! A thief has broken in!”
My cries quickly drew the household servants over. Father and Mother hurried over as well.
When they saw Jiang Yunzhou inside my elder sister’s boudoir, their faces changed drastically with shock.
Jiang Yunzhou’s gaze happened to fall on me. He swept a quick look over me from head to toe, then revealed the same impatient, disgusted expression he had worn in my previous life.
Father politely invited him to the main hall.
“Marquis, tomorrow is the day you are to come receive the bride. For you to barge into my daughter’s boudoir in the middle of the night like this…”
Jiang Yunzhou had no patience for circling around the matter. He sat down in the grand armchair and went straight to holding him accountable.
“Lord Shen, if I had not come tonight, I fear the bride I married tomorrow would have been swapped for someone else, wouldn’t she?”
Father’s face paled, but he forced a smile.
“Marquis, what are you saying?”
Jiang Yunzhou did not buy it. He gave a cold snort.
“Fine. Then when I come to receive the bride tomorrow, I will lift the bride’s red veil in front of all the guests and verify her identity.”
“If the person beneath that veil is not Qinghe, but some random nobody…”
He glanced at me from the corner of his eye, his face full of contempt.
“Then don’t blame me for humiliating the Shen Family in public!”
“Who are you calling a nobody?”
I could never stand his veiled insults. My mouth moved faster than my brain, and the words burst out.
Jiang Yunzhou froze in astonishment for a moment, then looked at me suspiciously.
My heart sank.
Oh no.