A Daring Vow: Choosing a Tablet Over a Traitor
A young woman’s audacious decision to marry a deceased prince’s ancestral tablet unfolds into a gripping tale of love, revenge, and power in a new historical romance SMARTOON.
March 9, 2026, marks the exclusive debut of the thrilling new SMARTOON® I Refuse to Be a Concubine! I’m Marrying an Ancestral Tablet (『妾なんてお断り！私は位牌と結婚します』) on Piccoma, the popular electronic manga and novel service. This captivating series plunges readers into a world of courtly intrigue where one woman’s refusal to be a concubine sparks an extraordinary journey.
The story centers on Gu Qingning (顧青檸), a young woman haunted by the murder of her family and driven by a relentless pursuit of their killers. Her path takes an unexpected turn when her fiancé, Lu Hangzhi (陸航之), the second son of the powerful Qin Duke’s family, delivers a shocking ultimatum: he will take her cousin, Shen Ruoying (沈若櫻), as his legitimate wife, relegating Qingning to the status of a mere concubine. In a society where a concubine holds little power or freedom, this proposition is a direct threat to Qingning’s mission.
Ruoying herself is a figure of ambition, having been previously engaged to the Duke’s eldest son, Lu Jingyu (陸景煜), before his untimely death in battle. Now, she seeks to secure her position by ‘transferring’ her engagement to the next in line, Hangzhi. For Qingning, the Qin Duke’s residence is not just a place of betrayal, but a crucial stage in uncovering the truth behind her family’s demise. To navigate this treacherous environment and gain the freedom to investigate, she needs status – a status a concubine could never provide.
Cornered but unyielding, Qingning makes an audacious decision: she will marry the ancestral tablet of the deceased Lu Jingyu. In East Asian cultures, an ancestral tablet (位牌, ihai) serves as a spiritual representation of a deceased individual. By marrying the tablet, Qingning secures her position as the ‘wife of the eldest son,’ granting her legitimate status within the powerful family, a move far more advantageous than being a powerless concubine.
Stepping into the Qin Duke’s residence with the unexpected title of ‘wife to the deceased eldest son,’ Qingning finds herself amidst a swirling vortex of love, hatred, schemes, and power struggles. Can she unearth the truth about her family’s past and forge her own path in this intricate court? The series, brought to life by original creators LinShijiu/SevenCat and artist Banksy, promises a compelling reversal romance, available exclusively on Piccoma.
This SMARTOON, published by Kuaikan Comics, one of China’s largest color vertical-scrolling comic platforms, is a testament to the growing global appeal of webtoons that offer unique narratives and vibrant artwork. Fans are already buzzing about Qingning’s bold choice, with one reader exclaiming, “Choosing an ancestral tablet over a cheating fiancé? That’s the kind of fierce heroine we need!” The first 20 episodes are available immediately, with new episodes released every Monday.
Dive into Qingning’s captivating story and witness her fight for justice and love.
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Read the series on Piccoma: https://piccoma.com/web/product/190822
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Piccoma continues to be a leading platform for digital manga and novels, offering a vast library of popular titles and original works. With over 50 million cumulative downloads as of March 2025, Piccoma remains a go-to service for readers seeking diverse and engaging stories from Japan and beyond. This release further solidifies the platform’s commitment to bringing fresh, impactful narratives to a global audience, showcasing the innovative storytelling emerging from the world of SMARTOONs and Kuaikan Comics.
