Chapter 1 Chapter 1 A wealthy bachelor always marries a wife...
It is a truth universally acknowledged that a bachelor of means must always have a wife.
Before entering the novel "The Gilded Cage", Xu Lisha read this sentence - from Jane Austen.
At this moment, as Isabel Norman, she is witnessing its fulfillment with her own eyes.
"Dear Sir Norman, Lady Norman, and lovely Miss Audrey Norman, please prepare to welcome the Duke of Spencer by the second week of next month. With the Pope's good wishes and Her Majesty the Queen's care, I am certain that this will be a happy marriage and will bring honor to your family."
Outside the manor, the Queen's messenger, a silver-haired gentleman with a hooked nose, held his chin high and explained the matters in a noble capital accent. He also interspersed gorgeous words of praise before finally bowing to the Norman family.
"Everyone, I look forward to seeing you next time."
Behind him, ceremonial guards in royal uniforms took off their hats and saluted in unison.
"Goodbye, Sir Jarvis, and give my regards to the Queen." The Norman family responded with standard courtesy, respectfully seeing the Hook-Nose off to his carriage, which then sped away.
The dust raised by the carriage had not yet dissipated when his father, Edward Norman, rolled his eyes, screamed, and fainted. Mrs. Norman and the housekeeper and servants hurriedly supported him.
"Oh, Edward, cheer up!" Mrs. Norman patted Edward's face.
"My dear, I can't cheer up." Edward, tears streaming down his face, waved to Audrey Norman who was standing beside him. "Otti, my sweetheart, I bet there's no child in the entire Principality of Ceylon who is more innocent and kind than you. Why did the Queen choose you to marry the Duke of Spencer?"
Hearing this, everyone was filled with grief, and Audrey also started crying, "Dad..."
Mrs. Norman's nose was sore: "Don't be so cruel, Edward, don't remind me that I have lost a precious daughter."
Audrey threw herself into her mother's arms: "Mom..."
The butler and servants also burst into tears, and everyone cried together, except...Isabelle Norman.
Isabel rubbed her ears that were hurt by the crying, gently waved a feather fan, and a smile flashed in her ice-blue eyes.
Alas, what a family made of water.
Before crossing over, Xu Lisha was a worldly genius, knowledgeable and young, and dedicated to building a career in various fields. In her logic, as long as she had wisdom, no difficulty was insurmountable.
Since entering the book and becoming Isabel, the eldest daughter of the Norman family, she has witnessed another philosophy of life in the past twenty years: cry softly for small things, cry loudly for big things, and cry until the biggest problems are gone.
Just like now, with the Queen's blessing of marriage, marrying Audrey into the Duke of Spencer's house would be an extremely difficult task.
The Norman family was a destitute noble family of the Principality of Ceylon. Edward Norman inherited his ancestors' baronial title, but squandered his fortune with his exceptional ability, leaving him with only a shabby appearance, barely able to afford a ticket to a high-class ball.
However, the Spencer family is a veritable noble family. Not only do the glory and wealth of their ancestors continue to this day, but the current head of the family, Heinrich Spencer, still firmly holds real power and is one of the seven electors of the Principality of Ceylon.
Normally speaking, marrying into the Spencer Dukedom would be something that ordinary families wouldn't even dream of. Unfortunately, Heinrich himself had a terrible reputation—he was unlucky with his wife.
So far, the young, handsome and powerful Duke has had four fiancées die suddenly, all of whom were young ladies of noble birth.
Of course, it's good to be able to cling to the powerful, but if it means taking the life of their daughter, most respectable gentlemen are still unwilling to do so. Of course, there are some families in dire straits who want to take extreme measures, but they don't have this opportunity.
The Queen was concerned with the young Duke's marriage, selecting a suitable noblewoman from within the Duchy. This honor befell the Norman family, bringing joy and sorrow to some. For the Norman couple, who loved their daughter dearly, the latter was naturally the case.
"Oh! Poor Otti, listen, you must not marry the Duke of Spencer, or you will be implicated in bad luck!"
Not far away, a carriage suddenly came galloping. A plump lady wearing a royal blue crinoline skirt and a wide-brimmed lace hat started crying and shouting before she got off the carriage.
This is Mrs. Norman's youngest sister, Anna Kavan.
"Aunt Anna." Audrey wiped her tears and bowed to Anna like a lady.
Anna kissed Audrey's cheek: "Poor child."
Mrs. Norman helped Edward into the house to rest, sighing, "Anna, my dear sister, please forgive me for not being able to receive you properly. In fact, misfortune has already befallen us. We cannot resist the joint marriage of the Queen and the Pope."
"No, no, no, Jenny, my dear sister, if you knew how terrifying the Spencer family is, you would never have the heart to push Otti into the fire pit! Even if it's God's gift of marriage!"
Aunt Anna, panting with heat, followed Mrs. Norman into the living room and plopped down on the sofa, the springs of which creaked with a teeth-grinding sound under the weight.
The maid came forward to help her untie her hat, and then brought her tea and snacks: "Mrs. Anna, please enjoy your meal."
"Mm, my dear, it's still my favorite flavor." Anna couldn't wait to spread jam on the scone and devoured it. She choked while eating and quickly drank a sip of black tea. After finally filling her stomach, she continued to talk. "I know a gypsy woman in Hank County. She has extremely powerful divination skills and has visited the Charles Manor of the Duke of Spencer. She said that the Duke's fiancées died of illness one after another because of a curse!"
Mrs. Norman, also known as Jenny Carven, looked incredulous, "Curse?"
"Yes, it's a curse! This generation's Duke Spencer once served in the Marine Army. I heard he was extremely cruel during his battles against the Principality of Hersland, and he was known for his violent temper!" Anna made the sign of the cross and spoke mysteriously. "The gypsy woman told me that the Duke was possessed by the devil because of his numerous murders. After retiring, he fell seriously ill and nearly died. A local priest went to visit him, but was strangled to death by the sick Duke!"
"What?! Oh my God!" Jenny and Edward looked at each other, unable to hide the shock on their faces.
Audrey shrank back in fear and held Isabel's hand, but Isabel's face remained calm.
"So, Auntie is trying to say that his fiancée's death was due to the devil's curse! If Audrey marries him, she will definitely follow in the footsteps of those poor girls?" Isabel fanned herself with a faint smile.
"That's right, smart girl!" Anna nodded and looked at Isabel with displeasure on her face. "But your expression... this is not the expression of a sister who sympathizes with her sister's fate, my dear Bella."
"Thank you for the reminder, Auntie, but..." Isabel shrugged. "Rather than believe the gypsy woman's fallacy, it's better to believe that Dad has a unique vision. The railway he invested in became a huge success overnight, and he made 20,000 Ceylon rupees. What do you think, Auntie?"
Anna's face turned red, and she quickly covered it up by drinking tea.
After hearing this, Edward covered his face and sobbed again: "Wuwuwu..."
Jenny, her mother, disapproved of her daughter's sharp humor and glared at her, "Bella, your father is already sad enough."
Only Audrey chuckled and quietly squeezed her sister's hand. Isabel smiled back and wiped her sister's tears.
However, jokes aside, everyone knew that what Isabel said was never wrong.
The Norman family is now penniless because Edward could not resist Anna's persuasion and invested in the railway trade of the Elmer Federation.
At the time, Anna claimed that her husband, a businessman who had won over the youngest daughter of a wealthy family through persuasion, had reliable investment opportunities. She then persuaded her sister and brother-in-law to join her in making a fortune. At the time, the Norman family was left with only the meager dowry they had left for their daughter. The usually cowardly Baron finally mustered the courage to take a gamble and recoup the losses from previous mismanagement. He lost everything and even incurred a massive debt. Upon learning of his loss, Anna's unreliable husband absconded with the family fortune and has been missing ever since.
As the instigator, Anna was of course ashamed when she heard the old story brought up again. However, no one in the family was willing to blame her, except for the cruel Isabel.
In reality, Isabel rarely interfered with the affairs of the Norman family, mostly letting things unfold on their own. Firstly, this was just a book to her. Secondly, she hadn't read the novel carefully before traveling through time, and didn't even know who the protagonist was; she only remembered the synopsis.
Tired of the elite life in the previous life, it's nice to lie down and experience the daily life in the West in the 19th century.
However, Isabel was not sure whether it was the 19th century.
The novel is set in a fictional world; the Principality of Ceylon does not exist in the real world. While its customs and practices resemble those of Britain, its historical context resembles that of Germany and France. For example, the electoral system still existed within the empire, and wars between states were frequent. As the daughter of a fallen noble, Isabel's social life was limited, relying on social trends to assess the present, which is comparable to the 19th century.
If I could stay out of the story, Isabel would be happy to live a leisurely life. Norman's family, while not wealthy, is a good one: a dad, mom, and sister, three innocent, innocent people who, taken together, don't quite make up their minds. Occasionally, a foolish aunt like Anna would add a little chaos to their lives.
However, the arrival of the Duke's marriage news officially alerted Isabel, and the plot began.
She remembered the original book's synopsis: Two sisters, separated by marriage, each faced a tragic fate. The naive younger sister received a marriage from the Queen and married into the Duke of Spencer's household. She was harassed by various villains outside and disdained by the Duke within. Ultimately, she became a victim of the power struggle within the Duke's household, freezing to death one snowy night.
The intelligent elder sister, driven by debt, would marry a nouveau riche, becoming a mere window dressing. The ambitious capitalist, disgusted by her pride, would, once she had exhausted her usefulness, discard her like a worn-out shoe. The noble elder sister, depressed and succumbing to illness, also died that same night.
Before dying, the two sisters spontaneously sang the lullaby from the story's opening, the song their mother had sung since childhood. Their parents, far away in their hometown, saw no honor from their sons-in-law and, targeted by villains, faced further hardship. Upon hearing the news of their two daughters' deaths, the couple, who loved them dearly, were overcome with despair and committed suicide at home.
The ending is a routine sublimation, saying that the book reflects the oppression of women by the backward marriage system, which has created the tragedy of the times, etc.
She didn't look carefully at that time, but after she came here, she saw countless sisters around her who had suffered tragedies because of their marriages. Isabel thought she was just an ordinary passerby.
Looking back now, it turns out that she traveled through time and space to become one of the protagonists, and was indeed about to face tragedy.
The Duke of Spencer’s marriage news has arrived, can the nouveau riche be far behind?
The author has something to say:
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I've seen too many comments speculating like this. I've explained it before, so I'll post it again here.
The heroine begins as a book traveler, an outsider who doesn't interfere with the plot, like a max-level boss returning to the novice village. Regarding her father's investment bankruptcy, as mentioned before, she openly doesn't interfere in any family affairs. He never tells her about his investments (if you insist she knows, I can't help it). Secondly, when he later learns of the bankruptcy, he doesn't care; she has the financial resources to cover it. If you're patient and read a few more chapters, you'll see that she's secretly making money from her investments.
If it was just the financial crisis brought on by Hermann, Isabel would have been able to resolve it. But the Duke's marriage came first, which made her realize that they were the protagonists of the story.
The Duke's offer of marriage was irresistible. Fine, she could say she paid Hermann to settle the matter, so Isabel would marry the Duke and Audrey would stay at home. But Hermann also wanted people, not money. Considering the characters in Chapter 3, if Norman's family suddenly had extra money to pay off their debts, wouldn't Hermann have to investigate her family thoroughly? Wouldn't the marriage swap be exposed?
So only two people can exchange at the same time, and both have to get married.
I think this explanation is far-fetched, and I'm really at my wit's end, because that's how I designed it. All conflicts serve the plot. You can tell by the way she's still in the mood to tease her family that this is how my heroine is designed. She's a king of all trades, winning all the way to the end. No matter what the situation, she's there to keep me safe and secure.
Mine Clearance:
1. The heroine herself is the biggest cheat code in the whole book. If you cannot accept this and want to abandon the book, you do not need to tell me, and please do not say bad things to me.
2. Decline the logic control, this book is pure self-cutting, imaginary, empty and empty [burst into tears]
3. I wish you all a pleasant reading.
——Pre-collection of "Two Substitute Bridegrooms"——
On the eve of her engagement with Prince Huaining, the daughter of the Lin family ran away from the marriage.
Prince Huaining was known for his cruelty. Once the scandal was exposed, it would undoubtedly be a disaster for the Lin family.
Mrs. Lin was anxious to find a replacement and set her sights on her cousin who was staying at her house.
Her eyebrows and eyes are 70% similar to Lin Yanqiu. She is a beautiful, weak and easy to manipulate orphan.
—
Zhuang Yunfu is indeed easy to manipulate.
With both parents dead, he lived under someone else's roof, his fate like a drifting duckweed.
After being married off, she was briefly favored by Prince Huaining. After her identity was exposed, she was used as a scapegoat and expelled from the palace.
She thought she was free, but she fell into the golden cage set by King Huaining and became his concubine who was hidden from the public.
The two people are in love, and their love is endless...
All of this is the plot of the original book "Substitute Bride".
At this moment, the book-traveling version of Zhuang Yunfu was looking at the sinister and perverted Prince Huaining.
Zhuang Yunfu: When you encounter difficulties, just sleep well.jpg
Marrying in place of someone else? Yes! Go to the Duke's Mansion and enjoy the best food and drinks!
Robbery? Wait! I'll just lie down!
Zhuang Yunfu: This is what it’s like to be a salted fish who is used to being a social animal QVQ
—
Lin Yanqiu, who fled, did not wait for his cowardly lover, but only for a group of bandits. His money was stolen, his jewelry was robbed, and he almost lost his life!
At the critical moment, someone descended from the sky and saved the beauty heroically.
Lin Yanqiu raised his eyes - the setting sun was shining against him, and a young man with a high ponytail was holding a dogtail grass in his mouth, and asked nonchalantly: Hey, I saved you, how are you going to thank me?
Lin Yanqiu stammered: I'm sorry, all my money was stolen.
The young man rolled his eyes and was about to leave, but someone grabbed his sleeve. He turned around and met the girl's pitiful eyes: Hero, can you take me with you?
The young man said ferociously: No!
…
How could Huo Siwei, a mere knight-errant, travel the world with a burden on his shoulders?!
Looking back at the limping daughter, Young Master Huo couldn't understand why he let go!
It must be the flattery of the word "hero" that made him bewildered!
At the next intersection! I must get rid of her!
However, until the day when the soldiers from the Lin Mansion came and Lin Yanqiu was forcibly tied to a cart, he chased them alone for hundreds of miles.
There was a world of difference between the Lin family's daughter and the wandering knight. But it didn't matter, he would eventually catch up with her.
Salted Fish Substitute Princess x Damp and Perverted Regent
The good daughter of the minister x the cool and handsome ranger
——Pre-collection of "The Three Villainous Demon Brothers and Sisters"——
Also known as the villains' collective strategy to attack the protagonists
Mia traveled through a book, into the magical world of the steam age, and became the villains' biological sister.
Looking up——
The seventeen-year-old eldest brother Kane, the manic devil who will be pierced through the heart by the protagonist in the future, is now breaking his wand in two to vent his anger. The aura of dark magic scares the house-elves so much that they tremble.
The sixteen-year-old second sister Cecilia, the genius frost witch who will be sealed in the future, is carving a skull with ice spikes, and the cold air from her fingertips makes the crystal chandelier fog up.
Thirteen-year-old Mia, the only Muggle in the family who couldn't do magic, eventually died in a campaign launched by the Paladins against a family of dark magic.
The book says that her brothers and sisters will go completely crazy after her death, starting a war to massacre the magic world, and will eventually be wiped out by the righteous protagonists.
Mia: QAQ I've already traveled through a book, can't you let me live longer?!
What she didn't know was that her brothers and sisters could clearly hear her thoughts.
When the eldest brother wanted to chase away the little witch who accidentally entered the castle——
Mia's inner thoughts: Tat bro, stop it! That's the protagonist's sister!
Kane suddenly loosened his grip on the little girl's collar and dusted her off.
The little witch was confused, and then her eyes were filled with tears.
Kane: (Raises his hands) I didn't hit you!
When the second sister was about to deal a fatal blow to the noble paladin—
Mia's inner thoughts: Sis, don't freeze him! His skills are useful, they can help you block fatal attacks in the future!
Cecilia's icy fingertips paused.
The proud knight who was ready to face death opened his eyes in surprise and stared blankly at his nemesis who was walking away.
—
One day, the protagonist of the original work, the "Son of Light" who saved the world, suddenly visited.
Mia (pupils trembling): It's over! It's the hero from the book! Why is he here? Didn't he say he'd come back ten years later to kill my brother and sister?
The eldest brother Kane looked alert, and the second sister Cecilia had frost flowing on her fingertips.
The young man opposite had silver hair that shone coldly, and his voice was clear and sharp, "The other day, I accidentally entered a forbidden area. Master Kane came to my rescue, and I'm here to express my gratitude."
Mia (screaming inwardly): Wow, his eyes are light gold! What a gorgeous boy!
Kane rolled his eyes and Cecilina turned and walked away.
The young man was slightly stunned: Was there someone talking just now?
—
later--
The manic elder brother Kane was helpless in the face of the weak and crying little witch: "Stop crying, can I stand and let you hit me?"
The cold-blooded second sister, Cecilia, sneered with red eyes when the proud knight blocked the curse for her: "Fool, is it worth dying for your nemesis?"
Mia thought she had "worked hard" to reach adulthood, and when she saw the cold-hearted protagonist who was supposed to kill her entire family, she handed her a bouquet of roses covered in morning dew.
If you like it, please collect it. Love you!
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