It was early spring, and I, the proud heir of the Duke of Zhenhai, found myself dressed in a bridal gown, sitting in a flower-adorned sedan chair, being carried into the estate of Prince Liang.
The one who was supposed to marry him was my older sister, but she had eloped with someone else. To cover for her, I reluctantly put on women's clothing and played the part.
I waited from dusk till nightfall, but Prince Liang never came to my room. Hungry beyond belief, I sneaked out to the kitchen, where I overheard two maids gossiping:
“The prince has been entertaining guests in the front hall all night. The matchmaker tried three times to get him to the bridal chamber, but he wouldn’t go. He must really dislike the new bride , he didn’t even bother to lift her veil.”
“Yeah, he’s been drinking in the garden every night lately, saying he’ll never marry the one he truly loves. I guess he thinks this new bride isn’t much to look at.”
I popped up from behind the stove and asked, “What makes you say that?”
“She’s too tall , doesn’t look delicate at all. If you tried to hold her, she’d probably crush you,” one maid said, shaking her head, before realizing who I was. “Oh, who’s there?”
I stepped out confidently. “Your lady of the house.”
With that, I grabbed a wine bottle and went off to find Prince Liang. How dare he not like my sister? Sure, she wasn’t exactly lovable, and she didn’t like him either, but still here I was, cross-dressing for the sake of both families’ peace, and he couldn’t even be bothered to lift the red veil.
I found him in the corridor, looking like he was being forced toward the back courtyard.
“I heard you don’t want to lift my veil, so I’ll do it myself.” I tossed the veil aside, revealing my head full of elaborate hairpins, and pointed the wine bottle at him. “So, Prince, what’s your problem with me?”
He sobered up instantly, staring at me for a long while before his lips curled into a smile. “No problem at all. My lady is stunning , I’m very pleased.”
Huh, so meek? Did I look so tough that I scared him?
Whatever. I told the servants to bring him wine, clinked my bowl against his, and declared, “I have only one wish: let’s just get through tonight and drink this wedding toast ”
He cut in, “Drink this wedding toast, and may we be bound together in the next life as well.”
“Why are you reciting poetry while drinking?” I asked.
He quickly clinked his bowl with mine again. “You’re right, less talk, more drinking.”
We downed our drinks in one go. Prince Liang happily took my hand. “Let’s head back to the bridal chamber. Tonight is precious.”
He was energetic, practically dragging me along.
Was it really going to be this easy?
Inside the room, he sat beside me, staring intently. I started to feel uneasy. “What are you looking at?”
He blushed and lowered his gaze. “My lady, today is our wedding night…”
I jumped up in shock. “What’s that supposed to mean? You want to sleep with me?”
The more I thought about it, the angrier I got. “Prince Liang, don’t think I don’t know you have someone else in your heart. You didn’t want to marry me, but now you see my face and suddenly want to consummate the marriage? You’re such a lecher!”
He raised his hand in a mock oath. “I’ve always admired you. If I’m a lecher, it’s only because you’re so beautiful.”
“So just because I’m good-looking, you think you can sleep with me? Maybe ask if I like you first ,how drunk are you?”
I shoved him out of the room and clapped my hands. What a guy, thinking he can just sleep with me? He doesn’t want a wife? Well, I don’t want a wife either!
The next morning, Prince Liang shook me awake. “Time to go to the palace and greet His Majesty.”
I panicked and smeared on a thick layer of rouge.
The Emperor’s face twisted in pain when he saw me. “Liang, your bride has a… unique approach to makeup, I see.”
“I did it,” Prince Liang said, kneeling beside me. “She was too weak to manage it herself this morning, and I didn’t want us to be late, so I did her makeup in a hurry.”
“You’ve worked hard,” the Emperor said, giving me a sympathetic look. “Last night and this morning, both.”
Tsk. Prince Liang took the blame, but something felt off.
The Emperor looked at me again, squinting. “Liang, why does your bride look so much like Qiao Yulin?”
My heart skipped a beat: I am Qiao Yulin! I visit the palace all the time , the Emperor definitely recognizes me…
Prince Liang calmly replied, “They say siblings take after each other. Of course the brother and sister look alike.”
“Don’t you have your own wife? Why are you staring at mine?” Prince Liang pulled me into his arms, looking forlorn.
“I never saw my father growing up. I was taken from my mother’s side as a baby and raised by my older brother.”
The Emperor sighed. “I only looked a little , no need to be so possessive. You two are so inseparable, you’d better not go looking for trouble outside.”
“Thank His Majesty,” Prince Liang said softly to me.
“Thank you, Your Majesty,” I said, pitching my voice high and bowing low.
The Emperor looked like he wanted to crawl into a hole.
Prince Liang asked, “He called you brother now where’s the gift for changing how he addresses you?”
“Fine, fine, take it all…” The servants brought out chests of gold, jewels, and fine dresses. I was bored until I spotted the Emperor’s famous Crimson Cloud Bow behind him.
“Your Majesty, that bow is magnificent,” Prince Liang said instantly.
“Are you robbing me?” the Emperor retorted.
Prince Liang lowered his eyes. “I never saw my father growing up. I was taken from my mother’s side as a baby…”
“Take it, take it! Just go! And don’t come back to the palace this month!”
Prince Liang handed me the Crimson Cloud Bow, looking bashful. “This bow belonged to the Emperor himself. I saw you glance at it and thought you’d like it, so I asked for it.”
I wanted it so badly! But I had to remember, I was supposed to be a lady.
“I....I’m a refined noblewoman, why would I like such a violent thing…” I said, trying to sound demure.
“True,” Prince Liang said with a sigh. “It weighs fifty pounds, after all…”
“Whoa, that’s amazing! Really?” I grabbed the bow, drew it, and aimed at a goose outside, letting the arrow fly. “Definitely special , I could shoot three hundred paces with this.”
Prince Liang’s lips curled into a sly smile.
Uh oh....my cover was slipping!
I quickly added, “I come from a family of generals, so I learned martial arts from a young age. I can spar evenly with my brother, and even with you, Prince.”
“Oh, so Yulin told you he’s as good as me? He must have been bragging , I’ve never lost to him.”
That jerk! Even if it’s true, who gave him the right to say it in front of my ‘sister’?
I forced a smile. “Hehe, is that so? We’ll have to spar sometime. But now, you should take care of your duties. I’ll wait here.”
Prince Liang wrapped his arm around my waist and kissed my cheek. My face burned , I couldn’t believe he kissed me through all that makeup. What a guy.
Dazed, I wandered into the imperial garden, where I heard a crisp voice: “So you’re the Princess Consort of Prince Liang?”
I turned to see Prince Liang’s cousin, Lady Mingzhu.
I mimicked her tone. “And you must be his loyal follower?”
She looked like she wanted to pick a fight, but instead asked, “Why are you so tall?”
“Long legs. Jealous?”
“My cousin would never like a woman as tall as you!”
“Who says? He loves my long legs. Look.” I hiked up my skirt and patted my thigh.
Lady Mingzhu was furious. “Your voice is so deep,,,,you sound like a eunuch!”
“I lost my voice last night. Don’t you know what newlyweds do? The wedding night is wild, you know.”
She stamped her foot. “You’re so vulgar!”
“Yeah, I’m vulgar, but he married me, not you. You’re so mad, aren’t you?”
Lady Mingzhu’s face turned red. “Someone, slap her and push her into the pond!”
“Hey, can’t win with words so you want to fight? Don’t make me hit a girl.”
I’d trained in martial arts since I was a child. In the capital, only Prince Liang could beat me. Was I supposed to be afraid of a few old maids?
I dodged and spun, easily flipping the maids over, then strode up to Lady Mingzhu.
“What are you doing?!” she squeaked, tears welling up.
I grinned, reaching for her gold hairpin and pinching her chubby cheek. But just then, a familiar voice called out, “Yulin, what are you doing?”
Lady Mingzhu ran to Prince Liang, clutching his arm. “Cousin! She bullied me!”
Prince Liang glanced at her, then at me. “How did she bully you?”
“I just said she’s too tall and not pretty, and she beat up my maids.”
“You little brat, two-faced as always…” Prince Liang turned his dark gaze on me. “How is she not pretty?”
I grinned and jumped up. “Yeah, tell her! Who’s the prettiest woman in the capital?”
Prince Liang gave me a courtly nod. “Of course, my wife is the most beautiful.”
“See? Hear that?” I strutted over and stood beside him, chest out, looking down at Lady Mingzhu.
She frowned, let go of his arm, and stepped back, looking both hurt and scared, as if thinking: What a weird couple…
But she wasn’t done. “Cousin, she not only beat my maids, she said all sorts of indecent things to me.”
“Oh? Like what?” I asked, curious.
Lady Mingzhu bit her lip and blurted, “She said you two spent your wedding night in wild bliss!”
I gaped. “I did not! Don’t make things up!”
Prince Liang’s eyes widened, and he grabbed my sleeve. “That’s not something to share with others.”
“Huh?”
He looked serious. “Of all life’s joys, the wedding night comes first.”
“Uh… what?”
“Cousin, last night was your sister-in-law’s wedding. Her first night as a wife, she was so happy she almost missed this morning’s audience. She told you because she feels close to you. don’t take it the wrong way.”
Lady Mingzhu burst into tears and ran off, probably feeling like her cousin had run her over with a carriage.
I turned to Prince Liang. “Why would you say that? You’re ruining my reputation!”
He lowered his eyes, giving me a tragic silhouette. “This morning, everyone in the city is saying I was kicked out of the bridal chamber and had to sleep in the study.”
“Really? How did they know?”
He didn’t answer, just looked at me sadly. “I just wanted to regain a bit of my manly pride.”
I actually felt sorry for him and sighed.
“My cousin has always had feelings for me. When she grabbed my arm just now, I was nervous. I wondered if you’d think I was a flirt.”
“I always thought you’d marry her,” I admitted. I used to laugh about how fierce your wife would be.
“I’m not that kind of man,” Prince Liang said, taking my hand. “Now that we’re married, I’m yours for life. I won’t take a concubine or marry anyone else. I only want you, forever.”
He was so sincere that I was at a loss for words. “Oh… well, you’re not so bad.”
I wondered if my sister’s lover was as loyal as him.
“After this, I doubt my cousin will bother me again.”
“If she does, I’ll deal with her for you.”
“Just don’t hurt her too badly.”
“Don’t worry, I know my limits.”
“Then I can rest easy.” Prince Liang smiled at me, like a spring breeze. “What would you like for dinner? Shall I take you to Phoenix Pavilion for drinks tonight?”
“Absolutely!
Chapter 01
*
Comments
Post a Comment