1 Prologue

It all started when Mother came home running, her face full of excitement as she hugged me. Father soon followed behind, arms crossed like how he always does when he accomplishes something. I let go of Mother and ask, "What's the matter?"

Mother replies, "We finally found you a husband!"

Father nods, "Finally, someone to preserve our bloodline."

And just like that, I knew my life took a sudden turn to somewhere I never thought I would be in.

Xx Xx Xx Xx

My name is Zhou Mei Zhen, the only daughter of Zhou Jiao-long, one of the lords in our land. I am part of the Zhou Family, one of the most powerful families in our land. It was a custom to arrange marriages for the children of the families so as to preserve the bloodline. My cousin, Zhou Jin, is currently one of the only male children and was immediately sent to marry Li BaoZhai, eldest daughter in the Li Family.

It's quite complicated, but I'm sure you'll get used to it. Since my cousin, Zhou Jin, is set to marry someone, I thought I could escape arranged marriages. I began to relax every day with all of the things I have in my room. Books, paintings, I thought my life would be easy as long as I stayed in my family house with all my servants and maids. But no, it wouldn't be like this.

It started when the Wang family's Lord Wang Ju-Long announced that his only son was ready to marry anyone worthy of his hand. As you may have guessed, the Ten Families were excited and all presented their daughters to Wang Ju-Long and his son. Of course, my parents rushed me to their family mansion along with the other women fighting for the young prince. I didn't want to win. I didn't want to get married. Sure, it will bring defeat and sadness to my family but I didn't want to give up my whole care-free future to a man I never knew.

I never met the prince. We only had the chance to talk to Lord Wang Ju-Long and his wife and that's it. No little Prince Wang. He apologized constantly that his son was shy and that made me more willing to not marry him.

Weeks passed and news broke out that Prince Wang finally chose a bride.

And it was me.