Chapter 1: The Co-Wife

As the lamps were being lit, inside the Manor of the Marquis of Valor.

Song Qiao opened her eyes amidst a cacophony of noise, only to find herself lying in a dilapidated room.

By the dim candlelight, she saw a young maid dozing at the edge of the bed. The girl looked about her age, but her face was completely unfamiliar.

As she shifted, an unexpected wave of pain surged through her body, causing her to gasp sharply.

The maid, sleeping lightly, instantly looked toward the bed at the sound. Seeing Song Qiao awake, her face lit up with joy.

"Young Mistress, you are awake?"

"Who are you...?"

"This servant is named Peier. The Old Madame sent me to tend to you."

"What happened to me?"

Lowering her guard slightly, Song Qiao was dismayed to find that her legs would not move. They felt completely numb, refusing to obey her commands.

"Have you forgotten, Young Mistress? Two years ago, you accidentally fell from a carriage and slipped into a coma. No matter how many physicians we summoned, none could help..."

Song Qiao racked her brain for a moment, and then it came back to her.

Two years ago, she and Mu Yi had just married. On the day they were returning to her maiden home, the carriage spun out of control, throwing her out. She had struck her head and, to her surprise, had been asleep for so long.

"The manor seems so lively today. Is there some joyous occasion?" Outside, the sounds of clinking cups and occasional firecrackers puzzled her.

The smile faded from Peier's face. After a brief hesitation, she whispered, "To answer the Mistress, the Marquis is taking a wife today."

Song Qiao paused for a moment. "Mu Yi is taking a concubine?"

The news stunned her. She had never expected her awakening to coincide with such an awkward moment.

Peier shook her head slowly and corrected her. "Not a concubine, but an equal wife. The new mistress will share the status of primary wife with you. The Old Madame has already declared that once she enters the household, the authority to manage the estate will be handed over to her."

An "equal wife" was merely a euphemism. In essence, it was no different from a concubine, and could never truly compare to the primary wife.

To glorify the new wife's status in such a way meant they could neither abandon her—a living corpse—nor wrong the newcomer. Thus, they had devised this high-sounding compromise.

Song Qiao opened her mouth, but before any words could form, a bitter laugh escaped her lips.

"Please do not be sad, Young Mistress. No matter what, it is a blessing that you have awakened."

Simple-minded as she was, Peier quickly tried to console her. "Are you feeling unwell anywhere else? Today is a festive day in the manor, and the head housekeeper warned us early this morning not to wander about, lest we offend the new mistress. Please bear with it for now. I will report to the Old Madame later tonight and have a physician brought for you."

Sad?

The die was cast. What could her sadness change?

Besides, she and Mu Yi shared no affection to begin with. Had it not been for the Emperor's imperial decree, their paths would never have crossed in this lifetime.

Could she really expect Mu Yi to remain faithful to her?

To have narrowly escaped death and kept her life was already a blessing amidst misfortune.

Yet, looking around this room, Song Qiao could not even muster a forced smile.

At first glance, nothing seemed amiss, but in truth, the roof leaked, the windows were broken, and barely any candles were lit. It was clear how severely she had been neglected over the past two years.

"Has anyone from the Song family come to see me?" Song Qiao asked hoarsely.

"Yes, the Song estate frequently sends people to check on you," Peier replied quickly.

Song Qiao stared at her, paused for a few seconds, and asked softly, "Who was it that came?"

"Well..."

Peier looked troubled, unable to answer.

Song Qiao let out a soft laugh. Rather than exposing the girl's well-meaning lie, she gestured for her to rise.

It was impossible for the Song family to send anyone to see her.

The outside world believed she was the daughter of the Song family, but in reality, she was merely the daughter of a household servant—nothing more than a double sent to marry into the Marquis's manor in place of the legitimate daughter.

Originally, when the Emperor decreed the marriage between the Song family and the Marquis's manor, the chosen bride was the legitimate daughter, Song Yuan.

But Song Yuan had a lover and eloped with him right before the wedding. Left with no choice, the Song family had Song Qiao take her place. Since they had never met, Mu Yi would not be able to detect the deception.

The Song family's intention was to secure the position of the Marquis's primary wife first, and then swap her out once Song Yuan was found. Above all, they could not let outsiders seize the opportunity.

Mu Yi came from an illustrious family, was young, capable, and at the height of his prestige, making him one of the most sought-after bachelors in the capital.

It was only natural that the Song family did not want to miss this golden opportunity. Song Qiao was beautiful, and her father, a loyal and honest servant who had worked for the Song family for years, was now gravely ill and desperately needed money for medicine. With this vulnerability in their grasp, she was undoubtedly the perfect puppet.

Yet, no one had anticipated that Song Qiao would meet with such an accident.

The laughter from the front courtyard grew louder, forming a stark contrast to the quiet courtyard where Song Qiao lay. It truly embodied the old saying: *one only hears the laughter of the new bride, never the tears of the old.*

Seeing her mistress's pale complexion, Peier decided not to wait any longer. She retrieved a lantern and summoned the courage to head toward the Old Madame's courtyard.

Left alone in the room, the quiet atmosphere allowed Song Qiao's mind to wander, her thoughts drifting into chaotic speculation.

Two years had passed, and she was still the Young Mistress of the Marquis's manor.

The young maid just now had shown no suspicion regarding her identity. She seemed too innocent to be hiding anything.

This proved that her true identity had not been exposed.

Was it because Song Yuan remained missing, or had something else gone wrong?

According to Peier, the new wife was actually Mu Yi's childhood sweetheart.

When Mu Yi returned victorious from the battlefield six months ago, he had used all his military merits to request a single favor from the Emperor: to annul the betrothal forced upon his childhood sweetheart by her parents, and instead decree her marriage to him.

Such actions were proof enough of the depth of their affection.

No matter whose identity she assumed to stay, she would only invite humiliation upon herself.

If her identity were ever exposed, it would be deemed a capital offense of deceiving the Emperor. The Song family would never care about her survival.

What on earth should she do?

As she lost herself in thought, a sudden flurry of footsteps sounded at the door, even drowning out the distant music of flutes and strings. It was clear that more than one person was approaching.

Song Qiao tentatively called out Peier's name. When no one answered, a wave of panic washed over her.

Today was a chaotic day of celebration in the manor, with all sorts of people coming and going. Could some intruder have sneaked in?

While she was consumed by anxiety, the door was pushed open. Fortunately, the person who entered was Peier.

Just as Song Qiao was about to heave a sigh of relief, a tall silhouette followed close behind, stepping into her line of sight.

Song Qiao focused her gaze and froze instantly.

For the person who had entered was none other than Song Qiao's "husband"—the groom of today's wedding, Mu Yi.