Heavy snow fell, and the biting wind pierced to the bone.
Inside the Chong State Duke’s Residence, lanterns blazed brightly and the atmosphere was festive—both young masters of the household were marrying the two daughters of Grand Tutor Lin on the same day, and the two couples were awaiting their wedding nights.
Lin Shutang lay on the soft, large red bed, her body aching all over and her head throbbing with pain.
She struggled to sit up and realized she was completely naked—not even a single undergarment remained.
She quickly pulled the bedsheet off and wrapped it around herself, trying to sort through the flood of information in her mind.
An hour ago, she had crashed into the sea after her brakes failed.
She had transmigrated into the Dayuan Kingdom, a dynasty over two thousand years ago that was only recorded in unofficial histories.
The Dayuan Kingdom was prosperous and powerful, but the emperor was fatuous and tyrannical—he not only doted on his concubines at the expense of his wife but also persecuted loyal officials.
Years ago, he had murdered the Crown Prince’s entire family, and later, he exiled the entire Chong State Duke’s Residence, a household that had once fought valiantly on the battlefield.
Unfortunately, she had transmigrated into the body of the new bride of the eldest branch of the Chong State Duke’s Residence.
The original Lin Shutang shared the same name as her. She was the legitimate daughter of Grand Tutor Lin. Her birth mother had died early, and a concubine had gained favor in the household. She had been bullied all her life until she was raised by Old Madam Lin.
Before Old Madam Lin died, she arranged a good marriage for her—to Duan Qingyang, the heir of the eldest branch of the Chong State Duke’s Residence.
The old Duke of Chong State had two sons: the eldest branch’s eldest master, Duan Chong, and the second branch’s second master, Duan Feng.
Duan Qingyang was the eldest son of the eldest branch’s master and the old Duke’s eldest grandson, so he naturally inherited the position of heir.
Duan Yanzhou, on the other hand, was the son of the second branch’s master. Because his father was born of a concubine, the entire second branch was unpopular and often bullied by the eldest branch. He was also a sickly invalid.
Lin Wanwan had been betrothed to Duan Yanzhou long ago, but because she despised him for being a sickly invalid, she had long since seduced the heir, Duan Qingyang.
Together with Duan Qingyang, she had schemed to drug Lin Shutang on the night of the four-way wedding, strip her clothes off, and dump her into Duan Yanzhou’s bridal chamber, waiting for the rice to be cooked—so to speak.
However, Lin Shutang remembered reading in historical records that after the entire Chong State Duke’s Residence was exiled, natural disasters ravaged the land and ice sealed the cities. It was Duan Yanzhou who, after the disasters receded, led troops back to the capital and became emperor overnight.
From that perspective, swapping husbands didn’t seem like such a bad deal.
Just then, a sound came from behind her—the sickly one had arrived.
“Sister-in-law, why is it you?”
Lin Shutang turned to look.
Duan Yanzhou stood at the door in a large red wedding robe, snow falling behind him. His red garments blazed like fire, and his skin was fairer than snow. Though his complexion was pale to the point of being sickly, his bearing was cold and noble, like a clear breeze and bright moon—pure and radiant.
Lin Shutang was momentarily stunned. Was Lin Wanwan blind? How could she give up someone this handsome?
Before her, his face was as pale as thin paper, with high brow bones, deep-set eyes, and a straight, prominent nose. The cold, sharp profile of his face was exquisitely chiseled, flawless in every way.
Lin Shutang held his gaze for a moment.
Duan Yanzhou immediately shut the door and strode toward her with large steps. He was tall with broad shoulders and a narrow waist, making the wedding robe look exceptionally fine on him.
“Sister-in-law, why are you in my room? Today is your wedding day with the eldest branch’s eldest brother.” His deep, magnetic voice rang out as a slender, fair hand extended an outer robe toward her.
Seeing this, Lin Shutang remembered she was only wrapped in a bedsheet. She quickly took the robe and draped it over herself, then said seriously, “Yanzhou, Duan Qingyang drugged me in a scheme to swap wives with you. Right now, he’s probably already in the bridal chamber with my half-sister.”
A flicker of surprise crossed Duan Yanzhou’s cold, stern face, his sword-like brows knitting slightly. “Duan Qingyang has grown increasingly outrageous—to think he would go so far as to swap marriage partners!”
He turned to leave as he finished speaking, but Lin Shutang reached out and grabbed his wrist. “Wait.”
Duan Yanzhou looked back, his deep, profound eyes stirring slightly as he gazed at her hand gripping his.
Lin Shutang quickly said, “Yanzhou, given where you and I stand now, even if we told the old Duke, it would be of no use. Why not…”
“Why not we simply let the mistake stand… He marries my younger half-sister, and you marry me…”
Duan Yanzhou was taken aback. He slowly raised his head to look at her, a trace of surprise flickering across his originally indifferent face, his gaze dark and unfathomable. “Sister-in-law, do you not despise my frail constitution?”
“I don’t.” Lin Shutang said sincerely. Having studied medicine since childhood and even served on the battlefield, she feared no difficult or complicated illness—she could even bring the dead back to life.
Besides, he might not even be ill.
She glanced at his hands with their clearly defined bones, faint calluses visible on them—unmistakable signs of one trained in martial arts.
A man capable of leading troops back to the capital to claim the throne could hardly be a weakling.
The coldness in Duan Yanzhou’s eyes gradually dissipated. He gave her a long, deep look, then turned and left the bridal chamber, pulling the door shut with force.
Lin Shutang was puzzled, watching his retreating figure with some confusion. Could it be that he was the one who despised her?
She touched her own face—surely she wasn’t missing a nose or an eye.
Just then, the door was pushed open again.
Duan Yanzhou braved the wind and snow, quickly closing the door behind him, then strode to her side and pressed something into her arms. Gone was his cold demeanor from moments ago; his gaze was now warm and gentle, as mild as jade. “It snowed heavily today, and the old woman in the courtyard didn’t think to add more charcoal. Take this hand warmer to warm yourself.”
He spoke softly, snow dusting his shoulders and the tips of his hair, his slender fingers red from the cold. “Shutang, Duan Qingyang is despicable and shameless—that is his fault. Rest assured, from today onward you are my wife, and I will treat you well.”
The red candle flickered as Lin Shutang held the hand warmer. Not only did her body grow warm, but her heart felt warm as well. Her sickly husband seemed rather decent after all.
She nodded, then her mind suddenly sparked with a thought. She quickly asked, “Yanzhou, what is today’s date?”
Duan Yanzhou answered with a hint of confusion, “Today is the third day of the twelfth month, Dayuan year seven. Why do you ask?”
Lin Shutang calculated the time in her mind. According to the history books, the Chong State Duke’s entire household was to be raided on the fourth day of the twelfth month—that is, tomorrow.
Tomorrow morning, both branches of the Chong State Duke’s Residence would be raided, and the entire family would be exiled to Qinan.
Qinan was located in the south, considerably better than the bitter cold of the northern wilderness. But this winter would last an entire year—the most severe natural disaster in recorded history, sweeping across all of Dayuan, the entire nation sealed beneath ice and snow.
In such extreme cold, even ordinary folk would struggle to survive, let alone exiles lacking food and clothing.
Lin Shutang suddenly felt a chill run down her spine, a coldness seeping through her entire being.