Evelyn Carter was getting married today.
But she hadn’t even left the house yet—
And already, she was the punchline of the entire capital.
"Miss Carter, even though His Highness is marrying two wives today, he still saved the title of the main consort for you. That's already a huge favor."
"It’s just that both of you will be entering the household at the same time. As a lady from a respectable family, you should understand the bigger picture."
"And besides, everyone knows you've been in love with His Highness forever. Now that your wish has come true, you must be thrilled."
Mrs. Gray’s face wore a practiced smile, but the sarcasm was impossible to miss.
Evelyn’s grandfather had once been one of the top physicians in Dongling.
He had saved the life of the prince's mother, which earned the Carter family a shallow tie to the royal house.
"I understand His Highness’s intentions," Evelyn said calmly, lowering her eyes so no one could read her face.
Mrs. Gray nodded approvingly at her response.
"Miss Carter really is sensible. Then during the wedding ceremony, please step aside gracefully."
"The prince said, as long as you’re willing to yield today, everything else—clothes, food, silver—you’ll never lack any of it."
What started as polite testing had now turned into flat-out commands.
They were basically telling her to stand aside and not interfere with the ceremony between the prince and his concubine.
It was beyond insulting.
Anyone with a backbone would’ve lashed out. But Evelyn? She merely smiled and said, "Thank you for the reminder, Madam Gray. I won't forget it."
"Good, good." Mrs. Gray looked pleased.
So the second daughter of the Carter family really was as timid and useless as the rumors said.
After leaving those instructions, Mrs. Gray went off to exit arrangements, making sure no one caused trouble later.
Once she was gone, Clara Smith couldn't hold it in anymore. "Miss, how could you agree to that? They’re walking all over you! We should go to the Master and tell him everything."
Evelyn just gave a quiet chuckle, then gently picked up the red wedding veil and put it over her head.
Being a ‘princess consort’ in name only?
Even becoming a concubine officially—her family would still jump at it.
She was nothing but a piece in this transaction, openly priced and sold. She never had a say.
Arthur Johnson knew it. The Carters knew it.
Too bad the original Evelyn Carter didn’t.
So when news arrived that Arthur would marry two women today—
She hadn’t seen the trap until it was too late.She got so worked up, she died from the sheer rage.
Now sitting here is Evelyn Carter—top doctor back in China, master of both medicine and poisons, famously called the Ghost Physician.
She’d died under strange circumstances in her last life, and when she opened her eyes again, she was already in this unfamiliar place—still Evelyn, now the unwanted second daughter of the Carter family.
Her birth mother, Clara Carter, came from the renowned Song family of physicians. But after the Songs fell overnight, Clara couldn’t bear the blow; she fell gravely ill and eventually passed away.
And the moment she died, Edward Carter wasted no time making Sophia Carter his official wife. He moved the whole lot of them into the Song family’s grand estate and rode the coattails of their old connections to land himself a spot at the Hanlin Academy. As for Evelyn—she was pushed from being the legitimate daughter to the status of a concubine’s child.
“I know you’re hurting, Miss,” Clara Smith said softly, her voice choked with emotion. “If only Lady Clara and the old master were still here, you wouldn’t have had to suffer like this.”
“I’m fine,” Evelyn replied coolly. “They’re the ones who should be crying.” Her tone was flat, but her eyes were sharp, no sign of the weak girl she used to be.
Now that she was in charge of this body, she sure as hell wasn’t going to get pushed around anymore.
The Johnson residence put on quite the show for appearances’ sake.
Waiting at the gates was an elaborate sedan chair, carried by sixteen men—big, imposing, very formal.
Evelyn didn’t pay much attention. She let out a yawn and leaned back, planning to snag a quick nap inside.
A while later, the music kicked in—it meant they’d arrived at Prince Arthur Johnson’s home.
“Time for the groom to open the bride’s door!” the bridal attendant chirped happily.
But her sedan door never moved. Instead, someone outside shouted cheerily, “The Princess has entered the gates!”
Which meant the bride had gone in—but Evelyn was still sitting in the sedan.
To everyone else, she had already been demoted to being just a concubine.
Evelyn calmly pulled off the wedding veil and lazily stretched her limbs.
There wasn’t a hint of the usual noble-lady posture. Instead, her movements were nonchalant, a bit sultry, even.
Just as she was figuring out her next move—
Bang! The sedan door flew open with a slam.
In that instant, the world seemed to hold its breath.
“...”
Through the golden tassels of her phoenix crown, she saw the man standing at the entrance.
Sharp features, dark and unreadable eyes—cold as ice, no warmth at all.
That was Arthur Johnson—the man she was supposed to marry.
