Chapter 1

In the first month of the Zhiping era of the Northern Song Dynasty, the Guangyang Mansion in Kaifeng was festively decorated with lanterns and the sound of firecrackers. The two stone lions guarding the main gate were surrounded by numerous carriages, and countless servants stood by, awaiting the arrival of the guests. These servants, too, wore joyful expressions, as they had received generous rewards that day.

Today was the day of the Grand Duke of Guangyang's grand wedding. Those who could enter the mansion to offer their congratulations were all prominent figures in Kaifeng, and officials below the fourth rank were not even qualified to attend the banquet. Therefore, being able to enter the mansion was a symbol of status, and not only were the guests full of honor, but the servants waiting outside also stood tall, looking at the commoners with a hint of disdain.

The Grand Duke of Guangyang, named Zhao Yan, was the third son of the current emperor, and he was just fifteen years old. He was known in Kaifeng as a notorious playboy, often engaging in fights, gambling, and other vices with his friends. Whether among the nobility or the common people, the Grand Duke of Guangyang was synonymous with a dissolute young man.

Despite Zhao Yan's poor reputation, he was still the son of the Emperor of the Song Dynasty. Therefore, when he got married, all the prominent figures in Kaifeng came to offer their congratulations. The current Emperor of the Song Dynasty, named Zhao Shu, was the fifth emperor of the Song Dynasty, historically known as Emperor Yingzong. Historical records about Emperor Yingzong are limited because he only ruled for four years. This year was the first year of his reign, and his eldest son was the historical Emperor Shenzong, who supported Wang Anshi's reforms. Zhao Yan, who was getting married today, was Shenzong's younger brother from the same mother.

In the main hall and side halls of the mansion, a luxurious wedding banquet was underway. The prominent nobles and officials of Kaifeng, along with their families, gathered there, and many of them were already drunk. Although attending a wedding should be a joyful occasion, a closer look would reveal that many of the young noble sons had no joy on their faces. They drank the celebratory wine with expressions of sorrow, jealousy, or despair, turning the fine wine into bitter medicine.

In contrast, most of the women in the side halls were smiling. The noblewomen with grown sons were happily discussing their sons' engagements, as their sons had previously refused to get engaged but now seemed to have given up. They could finally look forward to having grandchildren. The young daughters of officials also gathered, blushing and discussing which young men were the most talented and what kind of husband they should choose in the future.

The stark difference between the men and women at the banquet was due to the new Grand Duchess of Guangyang, Lady Cao Ying. She was the daughter of the Cao family, the foremost military family of the Song Dynasty. Not only was she stunningly beautiful, but she was also skilled in needlework and well-educated. It was said that she even knew medicine. The Cao family was the foremost military family, and the current Empress Dowager Cao was from the Cao family. Cao Ying was the Empress Dowager's niece, making her of extremely noble birth.

Lady Cao Ying was a sought-after match for many families. Many noble sons in Kaifeng had proposed to the Cao family, but all were rejected, reportedly because Lady Cao had very high standards and found none of the suitors worthy.

While many noble sons were secretly heartbroken over Lady Cao's high standards, they never imagined that the notorious Grand Duke of Guangyang would successfully propose to Empress Dowager Cao and thus marry Cao Ying, reuniting the Cao family with the imperial family.

Lady Cao Ying, a talented and beautiful noblewoman, and Zhao Yan, the son of the current emperor, seemed to be a well-matched couple despite Zhao Yan's poor reputation. However, Cao Ying did not see it that way.

The red candles flickered, and the warm silk curtains hung in the bridal chamber. The new Grand Duchess, Cao Ying, had already had her veil lifted by the good fortune matron. She sat alone on the red bed, wearing a floral headdress and a large-sleeved ceremonial robe. Two maidservants had been with her, but she had sent them away. Cao Ying's face showed no joy; instead, she held a delicate short sword in her left hand and repeatedly drew and sheathed it, the smooth blade gleaming in the candlelight.

Cao Ying came from a military family, a lineage of generations of military leaders in the Song Dynasty. Her ancestor, Cao Bin, was a famous general in the early Song Dynasty. After Emperor Taizu relieved the generals of their military powers, Cao Bin and others wisely surrendered their powers, and the Zhao imperial family rewarded them with generations of wealth and status.

Many descendants of these generals became excellent military leaders due to their family traditions. The most outstanding were the Cao and Gao families, who not only had a long history of military service but also frequently intermarried with the imperial family. The current Empress Dowager Cao and Empress Gao were from these two families, and Empress Dowager Cao was Empress Gao's aunt, highlighting the prominence of these families.

Cao Ying's grandfather was Empress Dowager Cao's younger brother, making Cao Ying her niece. However, Cao Ying had little affection for her aunt, as it was she who arranged her marriage to the Grand Duke of Guangyang, Zhao Yan, despite her strong opposition. Under family pressure, her opinion was ignored.

Cao Ying was filled with anger and resentment. She had always been the most beautiful and talented among her cousins and had been doted on by her family elders. While other girls in her family aspired to marry scholars, Cao Ying believed that only a great general like her ancestors Cao Bin and Cao Wei could be a true hero. Although military leaders were not as respected as civil officials in the Song Dynasty, Cao Ying still dreamed of marrying a young general, preferably one as handsome and brave as Di Qing. Unfortunately, she was born too late, and Di Qing had died many years ago.

Compared to Cao Ying's ideal husband, the Grand Duke of Guangyang was the opposite extreme. Although Cao Ying had never met Zhao Yan, she had heard of his notorious reputation. He was said to be greedy, promiscuous, and capable of any evil. A few years ago, he was banished from the palace for molesting a palace maid. Outside the palace, he became even more reckless, spending his days with his friends in taverns and brothels, often getting into fights over women. His bullying and violence against the common people were common occurrences. Zhao Yan's reputation in Kaifeng was well-known, and Cao Ying, having a wayward cousin who associated with Zhao Yan, knew him even better.

The thought of spending the rest of her life with Zhao Yan filled Cao Ying with immense pain. Her character was fierce, and she would rather die than let Zhao Yan touch her. On the morning of her wedding, she had hidden her favorite short sword in her wedding dress, planning to commit suicide in the bridal chamber to preserve her honor.

However, when she was about to leave for the wedding, she saw her mother crying and apologizing to her, as her mother, despite knowing Zhao Yan's character, had to marry her off for the family's sake. Her father, usually strong, was full of guilt, turning away and unable to look at her, with more white hair in his temples. Her older brother sighed heavily as he carried her down the stairs, while only her younger siblings and nieces and nephews laughed and played without a care.

Thinking of her family, Cao Ying's heart softened. Her death would not only affect her but also her parents and siblings. Zhao Yan, being a prince, would consider her suicide an insult to the royal family. To save face, the Cao family would likely face severe punishment. While the entire Cao family might not be affected, her branch of the family would suffer a significant blow, and they might even be expelled from the Cao family to preserve the family's reputation.

Thinking of the severe consequences her suicide would bring to her family, Cao Ying sighed and stood up, walking to the window. She opened it and looked at the dark, overcast sky. Although it was night, lightning occasionally flickered through the clouds, and distant thunder could be heard, suggesting that it might rain soon.

"Heaven, if you truly have the power, strike down Zhao Yan with lightning, and I will vow to live a life of virtue and piety to repay your kindness!" Cao Ying looked up at the dark sky and whispered, but to her disappointment, the lightning in the sky did not change, continuing to roll through the clouds without striking Zhao Yan, who was drinking in the main hall.

Cao Ying sighed again, realizing her wish was futile. She had already formally bowed to heaven and earth with Zhao Yan and met Emperor Zhao Shu and Empress Gao, marking them as a married couple. Even if a deity descended, it would not change this fact.

Cao Ying looked down at the sword in her hand, a gift from her grandfather on her birthday. It was not only beautiful but also extremely sharp, a cherished possession. However, the sword, though sharp, could not sever the bonds of family. Cao Ying could not bear to part with her family.

"Since it is no longer needed, what use is it?" Cao Ying suddenly threw the sword out the window, and soon the sound of it landing in the pond outside was heard. The sword, now in the water, would likely never be found.

As the hour of Hai approached and the wedding banquet in the main hall was nearing its end, Cao Ying sat back on the bed with a blank expression, resigned to her fate.

"Bang!" The door to the bridal chamber was suddenly pushed open, and a strong smell of alcohol rushed in, making Cao Ying frown. A staggering figure entered the room, and the maidservants outside quietly closed the door. It was clear that the heavily drunk person was the notorious Grand Duke of Guangyang, Zhao Yan.

Although Cao Ying was already resigned to her fate, she could not help but feel curious about her future husband. She turned to look at him, but the sight disappointed her. By the red candles, Cao Ying could clearly see Zhao Yan's appearance. He was not unattractive and could even be considered handsome, but his face was pale and sickly, with dark circles under his eyes and sunken cheeks, making him look listless.

Cao Ying's grandfather was a renowned physician, and she had learned much about medicine from him, making her stand out in the noble circles. She immediately recognized that Zhao Yan's condition was due to excessive drinking and debauchery. Although he was young and could recover, it would take a long time and great willpower, which Cao Ying did not believe Zhao Yan possessed.

The drunk Zhao Yan looked up at the beautiful bride and chuckled, "Indeed, you are the most beautiful woman from a military family. I, Zhao Yan, am truly lucky to have such a beautiful wife!"

Cao Ying did not react to Zhao Yan's compliment. Drunk, he did not notice her blank expression. He staggered to the table, poured himself a cup of wine, and took out a small porcelain bottle from his robe. He opened the bottle, gave Cao Ying a lecherous smile, and poured the powder into the wine, drinking it all in one gulp.

The table was not far from Cao Ying, and when Zhao Yan opened the bottle, she smelled the medicine. Familiar with medical knowledge, Cao Ying immediately recognized the contents. Even if she did not know the medicine, the label "aphrodisiac powder" on the bottle was enough to tell her that Zhao Yan had taken an aphrodisiac.

"You..." This discovery almost made Cao Ying faint. She clutched her dress, her eyes filled with humiliation and anger. If this were to be known, not only would Zhao Yan be disgraced, but Cao Ying would be unable to face it. She regretted throwing away her sword and was determined not to endure such humiliation, even if it meant the destruction of her family.

"Hehe, on the wedding night, how can we do without something to enhance the mood? Don't worry, my dear, soon you will know what true bliss is." The drunk Zhao Yan did not notice Cao Ying's anger and even made a lewd comment, thinking that Cao Ying was already his wife and that such talk was harmless.

As Zhao Yan approached, Cao Ying felt almost driven to madness. She had never hated anyone as much as she hated Zhao Yan. Being in the same room with him was a great insult, let alone spending the wedding night with him.

Thinking of this, the fierce Cao Ying suddenly reached for the hairpin in her hair. She had already prepared to submit for her family's sake, but Zhao Yan's behavior had crossed her底线. She would not let this man touch her, even if she was already his wife in name.

The drunk Zhao Yan did not notice Cao Ying's change in demeanor. His mind was filled with lewd thoughts, and he continued to approach her with a lecherous smile.

Just as Cao Ying was about to pull out the hairpin, determined to die rather than suffer such humiliation, a sudden commotion came from outside the bridal chamber, accompanied by the screams of the maidservants, indicating that something frightening had entered the mansion.

Hearing the commotion, Cao Ying