Chapter 3 It turns out that Gu Zhan, the childhood sweetheart, already had someone he loved. ...

But why is the blame being placed on her?

She knew that serving the emperor while ill was a great disrespect, but she could neither refuse the palace tutors who came to teach her manners nor delay the auspicious day chosen by the Imperial Observatory.

If she could, she would also like to have her parents reluctantly send her off, marry into an ordinary family she knows well, and spend her days and nights with her husband, sharing meals and seasons together, instead of living the life she has now, where serving the emperor is like walking on thin ice, like standing on the edge of an abyss, and like walking on thin ice, for fear that one word might displease the crown prince and she would lose the support she would have for the next ten years or so.

Just as she was covering her face and crying, biting her lip so hard she wouldn't make a sound, a noise came from outside the door.

Did Gu Zhan return after leaving?

In her haste, Shen Mi could not find a handkerchief, so she could only wipe away her tears with the sleeve of her wedding dress. She then hurriedly took out the box of peach blossom powder from her sleeve, her fingertips trembling as she tried to cover the tear stains on her face.

When she saw who was pushing the door open and entering, the porcelain box in her hand fell to the ground with a clatter.

That person was Cuiwei.

She was unsure whether to feel regret, resentment, or relief.

Should she regret that the person who returned wasn't Gu Zhan? Or should she feel aggrieved that her husband abandoned her on her wedding night, leaving only Cuiwei, the maid she brought into the Eastern Palace, to keep her company? Perhaps she should be thankful that it was Cuiwei, and not one of the other eunuchs or maids in the Eastern Palace, so that unimportant outsiders wouldn't see her in such a disheveled state.

Cuiwei noticed that her young mistress's beautiful face was covered in tears, her lipstick had been smeared to one side, and there was a jade belt lying on the ground. She recognized it; it was the one that His Highness the Crown Prince had worn earlier that day.

She couldn't hold back any longer and immediately rushed to Shen Mi, hugging her tightly as if that would give her some warmth in the dead of winter.

Shen Mi felt as if she were wrapped in cotton soaked with water, making it a luxury for her to even take a breath.

After sobbing for a long time, she managed to catch her breath.

She gently pushed Cuiwei away and lowered her eyes. "Don't get too close to me. I've caught a cold, and I'm afraid I'll pass it on to you."

Cuiwei refused, saying, "What are you saying, Miss? I've served you for so many years, what does my illness have to do with it?"

Cuiwei wanted to say how indifferent the Crown Prince was to her young lady, but she was afraid of touching on Shen Mi's painful memories, so she tentatively asked, "Then, young lady, shall we still wait for His Highness the Crown Prince?"

After all, she had just seen the Crown Prince frowning when he left, clearly displeased.

At the time, she thought that Shen Mi had said something wrong, but she also thought it was unlikely. Shen Mi's etiquette and manners were so impeccable that even the strict Instructor Wu could not find any fault with her. How could she have made a mistake in her words on her wedding night?

Finally, she mustered up the courage to push open the door, only to find Shen Mi crying so hard her shoulders were shaking, while she herself could not hear a sound from outside.

Even though the girl had been tormented by Instructor Wu for a month, she had no complaints and was even advised to accept it calmly. Now she is crying like this. How much injustice must she have suffered?

She thought Shen Mi would remove her makeup, change her clothes, and go to sleep, but that wasn't the case.

Shen Mi looked at the flower crown that had just been removed and said, "Cuiwei, put the flower crown back on me, and cover my head with the veil as well."

"Miss, will His Highness the Crown Prince... ever return?" Cuiwei couldn't bring herself to say the absolute truth.

Shen Mi gently shook her head, "I don't know, but propriety must not be disregarded."

Knowing that Shen Mi was always stubborn, Cuiwei could only sigh and put the heavy flower crown on her head again.

Her vision was once again covered by the red veil, as if nothing had happened, and she was still the bride, the bride waiting for her husband to return to the room.

But she didn't know that inside the Qin Zheng Hall on the other side, there was a completely different scene.

As soon as Gu Zhanfu returned to his bedroom, he instructed the palace servants to change out of his wedding clothes and put on a black robe. He then sat down at his desk to handle official business.

It was as if tonight's wedding had nothing to do with him.

It wasn't until Sun Cheng, the eunuch serving him, changed the lamp for him and whispered, "Your Highness, it's past midnight. Would you like to rest?"

Gu Zhan's attention was focused on the memorial in front of him.

Sun Cheng added, "I will bring Consort Shen to the palace early tomorrow morning."

Gu Zhan closed the memorial and got up to walk towards his usual small rosewood canopy bed.

As Sun Cheng was undressing him, he couldn't help but remind him, "Just now, when I came around from the Qingluan Palace in the backyard, I saw that the lights inside were still on."

On her wedding night, abandoned by her husband, Sun Cheng sympathized with Consort Shen, but due to the rules, he could only remind Gu Zhan to this extent.

Gu Zhan paused slightly as he took off his boots, then said, "It's alright. On our wedding night, the red candles are meant to burn all night."

He turned and left, and Shen Mi probably wouldn't wait any longer.

He felt no real connection to the marriage arranged by his father, the Emperor, and knew it was politically motivated. Firstly, it was to demonstrate the Emperor's respect for the descendants of loyal and virtuous officials; secondly, it was to pave the way for his future and enhance his reputation. After all, a concubine was not the Empress Dowager. As long as Lady Shen was content with her lot, he wouldn't mistreat her. Now that she was a concubine, he would gladly grant her the titles of Zhaoyi or Fei after the Emperor's ascension.

Sun Cheng didn't dare to persuade him any further. He lowered the bed curtains for Gu Zhan, turned off the lights, and quietly left.

Qingluan Palace.

With a "snap," the red candle shed its last tear, and the lamp went dark.

Shen Mi was momentarily dazed. She blinked her dry eyes and realized that it was already dawn.

She waited all night for Gu Zhan to return.

“Miss, you don’t need to wait for His Highness.” Cuiwei’s voice was trembling with tears.

Shen Mi raised her hand and lifted the veil. "Cuiwei, remember this: in the Eastern Palace from now on, there is no such thing as whether it is necessary or not, only whether it is right or wrong."

Then she suppressed her insignificant feelings of sadness and said, "Help me with my makeup."

According to custom, on the second day after her marriage to Gu Zhan, she was to enter the palace to pay her respects to the Emperor and the Empress, and she had to change out of her heavy wedding dress into ordinary clothes.

Both the Emperor and the Empress value frugality, and since she was not the Crown Princess, she dared not be too extravagant in her makeup or hairstyle. She wore only a vermilion-colored double-breasted ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), her hair was tied up with two gold hairpins, and she applied light makeup, which was both proper and understated.

With her appearance unchanged, after having breakfast, Shen Mi led Cuiwei to wait for Gu Zhan at the gate of the East Palace.

Gu Zhan remained indifferent to her, only nodding and addressing her as "Consort Shen".

After a month of instruction, Shen Mi had long since become accustomed to the title "Liangdi," but hearing it stiffly uttered by Gu Zhan still brought a moment of melancholy to her lips.

She quickly found a way out for Gu Zhan.

They did not consummate their marriage last night, and she had no chance to tell Gu Zhan that her nickname was "Zhi Niang".

Oh well, there will always be opportunities in the future.

To her surprise, as she stepped onto the low stool to get into the car, Gu Zhan reached out and supported her by the waist, even with just one arm, giving her enough leverage.

Shen Mi is actually a very easily satisfied person, especially after the incident three years ago. She tends to remember even the smallest kindness from others for a long time.

After her father and brothers passed away, there were very few people who were willing to treat her well.

So all the grievances and gloom that had accumulated over the past month vanished because of Gu Zhan's support.

She turned to look at Gu Zhan, but remembered the rules that Instructor Wu had taught her, and forced a polite smile at Gu Zhan, "Thank you, Your Highness."

Just when she thought Gu Zhan would get into the car after her, Gu Zhan withdrew his hand and said calmly, "It was nothing."

Shen Mi's smile froze on her face. Did Gu Zhan dislike her so much that he wouldn't even ride in the same carriage with her to the palace?

She watched as Gu Zhan deftly took the reins, mounted his horse, and the carriage curtain, which she had deliberately used to shield Gu Zhan's eyes, slowly fell down.

Since she married into the Eastern Palace, Gu Zhan has spoken to her very few times.

Perhaps it was because she was suffering from a cold, and all the other palace servants in the East Palace were avoiding her like the plague, but only Cuiwei was willing to take care of her personally, let alone Gu Zhan, who was of noble birth.

The East Palace was not far from the Inner Palace. When the carriage reached the Zhiche Gate, she and Gu Zhan changed to sedan chairs respectively.

The Crown Princess could walk alongside the Crown Prince, even in the same sedan chair, but she was only a concubine, so she could only ride in a small sedan chair and follow Gu Zhan's entourage.

The palace servants, who came to pay their respects along the way, only recognized His Highness the Crown Prince.

When she and Gu Zhan arrived at the Empress's bedchamber, Empress Li was talking to a young woman in a pale yellow jacket sitting on a round chair below. After observing her for a moment, Shen Mi guessed that she must be Gu Zhan's younger sister, Princess Roufu.

Shen Mi stood upright and greeted Empress Li and Princess Roufu one after the other.

Although Empress Li was imposing without being angry, she was kind to her. "Your maiden name has the character 'Mi' in it, right?"

"Your Majesty has a good memory."

Empress Li nodded, signaling the palace servants around her to serve her and Gu Zhan tea, and then asked them to sit down.

"You look more delicate and thinner than in the portrait," Empress Li said, looking her over. "Now that you've married Zhan'er, you should live a good life from now on. You're the only one in the Eastern Palace now, so all the affairs of the household are entrusted to you."

Shen Mi nodded respectfully, "I will heed Your Majesty's teachings. His Highness the Crown Prince... is also very kind to me."

She smiled gently and tentatively cast her gaze at Gu Zhan, but Gu Zhan didn't spare her a single glance. His furrowed brows revealed a hint of impatience.

Sure enough, the next moment, Gu Zhan stood up and said, "Mother, please talk to her first. I have some things to discuss with Father."

The Crown Prince was busy, and Empress Li seemed to have gotten used to it and did not stop him.

Then Empress Li chatted with her about some trivial matters, which she answered in an orderly manner, until Empress Li, citing her own fatigue, asked Roufu to stay and talk with her while Gu Zhan returned to pick her up.

Upon hearing this, Shen Mi's heart trembled.

When she first came in, she saw this young woman and immediately thought she was spoiled and difficult to get along with.

As expected, as soon as Empress Li left, Roufu stopped laughing and snorted, "I never thought my elder brother would marry you!"

Shen Mi's eyes showed confusion: "What does the princess mean by this?"

Roufu scoffed without any attempt to hide her disbelief, "I really don't know if you're genuinely stupid or just pretending. Since you asked, I'll tell you, so you won't harbor any improper thoughts about my elder brother."

Then she said cruelly, "You don't know, do you? My elder brother actually has a childhood sweetheart, who is the daughter of Minister Su."

Shen Mi clenched her handkerchief tightly. "Miss Su?"

Roufu went on and on about that Miss Su, "Yes, Sister Su's brother was once my eldest brother's study companion. Sister Su often came to the palace to visit her brother, and over time, she became acquainted with my eldest brother. Sister Su and I also grew up together. It was only because Prime Minister Su was transferred to Pingjiang Road two months ago that you had the opportunity to take advantage of her."

No wonder.

No wonder Gu Zhan was so cold to her, no wonder he abandoned her on their wedding night, no wonder even a eunuch and a palace tutor dared to bully her at will. It turns out, Gu Zhan had someone he loved.

Her aunt beamed with joy when she mentioned Miss Su, a stark contrast to how she treated her.

From beginning to end, she only ever occupied the position of someone else.

"Forget it, she's just a concubine, she'll never amount to anything." Roufu said this to her with utter disdain.

A note from the author:

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