Spring Tide of a Swapped Marriage

Luo Fu is the second daughter of Inspector Luo Yuanshan, born to a concubine and raised in the Old Madam’s courtyard. She is known for her striking beauty but considered mediocre in temperament and ambition. Her elder sister, Luo Zhen, is the legitimate daughter and a palace candidate, while Luo Fu is betrothed to Pei Ji, a rising military commander. The story begins when Luo Zhen, haunted by a terrifying dream of the violent Emperor, begs her parents to swap engagements, claiming she does not want to enter the palace. Her father refuses, citing the formalities already submitted to the Ministry of Rites, but Luo Zhen persists, arguing that Luo Fu’s plain nature suits the palace better than her own.

Pei Ji, who has been deeply devoted to Luo Fu since their first meeting, visits her family to deliver gifts and request the completion of a sachet she is embroidering for him. He is unaware of the turmoil brewing in the Luo household. Meanwhile, Luo Zhen’s mother, Madam Cui, returns from a visit to her noble family in Qingzhou. There, she learns rumors that the current Emperor suffers from a mental disorder and commits brutal killings. Convinced that entering the palace is a death sentence, Madam Cui conspires with her husband to swap the sisters. They persuade the Old Madam and Luo Yuanshan that Luo Fu’s beauty makes her the better candidate for the Emperor’s favor, while Luo Zhen will marry Pei Ji instead.

Luo Fu is summoned late at night and informed that she must enter the palace selection. She accepts the decision with calm resignation, securing a dowry equal to her sister’s and preparing to hand over Pei Ji’s gifts. However, Luo Zhen, driven by jealousy and a desire to see Luo Fu suffer, demands all the gifts Pei Ji gave her sister, including the peony hairpin and mountain cherry blossoms. She believes that by taking these tokens, she can claim Pei Ji’s affection and ensure Luo Fu’s misery in the palace.

Madam Cui personally visits the Pei residence to finalize the switch, spreading false rumors that Luo Fu is ill-tempered and disrespectful, while praising Luo Zhen’s virtue and palace training. The Pei family, particularly Pei Ji’s mother and sister, are initially hostile toward Luo Fu but welcome Luo Zhen. They agree to the change, believing it to be a favorable match. Pei Ji returns home to find all his gifts to Luo Fu returned, along with a cold letter from her ending their engagement. Devastated and confused, he confronts his mother, who explains the situation as Madam Cui presented it.

Pei Ji refuses to believe Luo Fu would betray him so easily. He suspects foul play and begins to investigate the truth behind the sudden change. Meanwhile, Shen Zhirou, Pei Ji’s cousin who has lived with him since childhood and shares a secret past with him, rejoices at the news. She had long hoped to replace Luo Fu as his companion and wife. She secretly reads Luo Fu’s letter and manipulates the situation to her advantage, hiding the truth from Pei Ji while plotting to maintain her position in his household.

The story sets the stage for a complex web of deception, political intrigue, and personal betrayal. Luo Fu enters the palace with no knowledge of the schemes against her, while Pei Ji struggles between his love for Luo Fu and the pressure to accept the new engagement. Luo Zhen, armed with palace etiquette but devoid of genuine affection from Pei Ji, faces the harsh realities of court life. The narrative explores themes of fate, identity, and the consequences of ambition in a rigid social hierarchy.