Cheng Zhao was betrothed by imperial decree to Zhou Yuanshen, the youngest ducal lord in the realm.
Zhou Yuanshen kept a concubine from a powerful family and maintained ambiguous relations with his widowed sister-in-law. He loathed the stiff, straitlaced airs of noble ladies.
And Cheng Zhao was precisely the product of the most orthodox upbringing among noblewomen.
But faced with endless strife in the ducal mansion, the concubine's provocations, and the widow's behind-the-scenes schemes, Cheng Zhao handled everything with ease with preternatural grace of one born to power.
"I came here as the principal wife. Managing his lordship’s messes is simply part of the job," Cheng Zhao said, all virtue and deference.
Once my position is secure, I shall bear an heir. And the next mess I clean up will be you, my lord duke.
——————
At first glance, Zhou Yuanshen found Cheng Zhao sly and dishonest. As the days passed, he admired her magnanimity and breadth of knowledge.
There was nothing flawed about his Duchess. The only flaw—she had another man in her heart, and she could not love him.
