As the maid's words echoed in his mind, Li Rong reluctantly resigned himself to his fate. With a heavy heart and a mind still reeling from the shock of his circumstances, he began to don the bridal attire laid out before him. The red fabric felt foreign against his skin, making him more aware that he was now living the life of this body's original owner.
As he finished dressing he once again looked at his new face in the old bronze mirror adorning the bridal clothing, but before he could fully process the surreal sight before him, the door creaked open once more. As Li Rong looked up a gaggle of young female attendants entered the room. They chattered amongst themselves, casting disdainful glances in Li Rong's direction as they circled around him like vultures ready to tear flesh from bone.
With deft fingers, they set to work, roughly combing through his long, flowing hair and applying layer upon layer of thick makeup to his delicate features. Li Rong gritted his teeth against the pain of their ministrations, the young maids mocking him as they worked
But as the maids continued their torturous primping, something stirred within him. Fragments of memories that were not his own began to surface, like pieces of a puzzle slowly falling into place.
He recalled his family—the prestigious Rong clan—and the complicated dynamics that defined their relationships. His father, Wu Rong, once a humble commoner turned advisor to the emperor, had taken his mother, Lei Zhen, as his first wife and promised to give her a life much better than that of a simple commoner. But as his fame and fortune grew, so too did his disdain for those of lower status.
His father wanted the backing of a renound lineage so he went after the daughter of a high ranking family, Xing Xeiren, who was not willing to be a second wife. So Lei Zhen was relegated to this position which only served to exacerbate the rift between herself and Wu Rongth. Xing Xeiren had tormented Li Rong and Lei Zhen at every turn, stripping them of their dignity and their rightful place within the family, even resorting to lowering their budget and having the kitchens serve them rotten food at every meal.
Lei Zhen's health deteriorated steadily under the strain of this mistreatment. The harsh living conditions, insufficient food, and emotional torment, took a toll on her physical and mental well-being. Despite Li Rong's efforts to support and care for her, Lei Zhen's weakened condition eventually succumbed to the harsh realities of their circumstances, leading to her untimely demise. Her passing left Li Rong bereft and alone, fueling his resentment towards his stepmother.
His younger sister Mao Rong harboured deep resentment towards Li Rong, she had always been interested in the young master of the Liang family and would visit him daily in an attempt to the future young miss of the Liang household. However, the young master of the Liang family had no interest in her whatsoever and treated Mao Rong as an annoyance.
It was Mao Rong's treachery that had nearly cost Li Rong his life. Having ordered the maids to force poisoned soup down his throat the evening prior.
But fate had other plans. Li Rong's grandfather, Lei Zhen's father, had secured an engagement between Li Rong and the young master of the Ling family—a union forged in gratitude for a debt of life. His grandfather had saved the elder of the Liang family after assasins had attempted to murder him while he was traveling through their village.
Li Rong was led out to the outer courtyard, he couldn't help but feel the weight of his family's disdain bearing down upon him. Their eyes followed him with a mixture of contempt and indifference as he climbed into the bridal caravan awaiting him.