Chapter 3: Bridal Chamber "My Lord, please forgive me... My husband doesn't...
Shen Changfeng stretched out his hand to grab her jaw, his words as cold as the wind, "When you used a trick to get close to me that day, why didn't you seem afraid?"
Lin Meizhu trembled with pain. She felt as if he wanted to crush her and swallow her into his stomach to vent his hatred. Hearing this, she smiled bitterly. Sure enough, he also thought, like everyone else, that she was deliberately getting close to him.
His knuckles were as hard as rock, clamping down on her jaw so tightly that her words became shattered. "Your Highness, you are born into a noble family. I know I am of humble status... I dare not, I dare not even think of overstepping my bounds."
The pain in her jaw continued to ache, and tears forced by the pain fell from the corners of her eyes like pearls from a broken string. Lin Meizhu continued, "That night, the crowd was surging. I saw a child fall on the steps, so I reached out to help him. Later, I was forced to be swept onto the bridge by the crowd. I only found out later that it was you, the prince, who had walked up the bridge with me."
Shen Changfeng knew she was not lying.
The child was the niece of his good friend Qin Yan. Because the child had mistakenly wandered into the crowd, Qin Yan asked the tall and long-legged Shen Changfeng to bring her back.
Although Shen Changfeng was impatient, he still went there. When he reached the bridge, he found Qin Moyun who was having fun like a wild horse. He carried her on his shoulders and prepared to leave.
At this time, several fireworks bloomed in the night, bright and gorgeous, fluttering down like shooting stars to the earth. He had no interest in these bubble-like illusions. He ignored Qin Moyun's pleading, raised his foot to leave, and when he looked down, he caught a glimpse of the silhouette of the person next to him.
Her hair was piled high with emerald green, her eyebrows and eyes were picturesque, and the coral and pearl hairpins she wore swayed like the dancing light in her eyes.
The little girl whimpered in his ear, which annoyed him, so he stopped.
Lin Meizhu noticed a slight loosening of the tense lines on Shen Changfeng's face, but his gaze, as if it were a physical object, still held her tightly, making her breathless. "I'm new to the capital, and the people I've met are ordinary. I'm out of touch with the news. I didn't know that Your Majesty was going to choose a concubine for the palace at the palace banquet. My sisters at home suddenly caught a cold, so I accompanied my mother, Wang, to the palace banquet. It was absolutely not a premeditated act. Your Majesty, please send someone to investigate and you'll know. I hope Your Majesty will investigate carefully."
Before Lin Meizhu entered the palace, Concubine Chen had placed all her dazzling pearl hairpins on her head. But Lin Meizhu removed them one by one in the sedan chair, leaving only a few simple pieces of jewelry. Wang Shi observed her actions without a word, but her eyes showed a hint of approval as she placed her own pearl earrings on Lin Meizhu's ears.
Lin Meizhu later learned that the emperor and the late empress were a young couple, deeply in love, and their token of love was a pair of pearl earrings.
There are rumors that Emperor Qinglong was reminded of his former lover by the sight of something. Seeing Lin Meiju and Shen Changfeng was like seeing himself and the late queen, so he facilitated this marriage.
Lin Meizhu was speechless. Was she supposed to refuse Wang's kindness? Was she supposed to turn a blind eye when she saw a little girl about to fall on a bridge? She wasn't even sure if the person standing next to her was a man or a woman, so why was everyone accusing her of shamelessly trying to curry favor with someone powerful?
Thinking of this, the grievances of the past few days surged into her heart, and Lin Meizhu's voice became a little unstable, "I have no idea how I was noticed. It was clearly a dark place, and I was just quietly watching the fireworks..."
Shen Changfeng knew how she came to be noticed by the emperor.
The fireworks in the sky reflected on her face, which was as white as jade and serene. Her eyes were filled with tenderness, and the corners of her mouth were slightly raised. The hot air she exhaled formed a misty white mist in front of her face, spotless and untainted, like a goddess just out of a painting.
At this moment, she tilted her head back slightly, her neck slender and fair, her eyes slightly red, her long black eyelashes soaked with tears, gleaming in the warm yellow light of the red candle. A tear fell on Shen Changfeng's fingertips, hot, wet, and slightly itchy.
Shen Changfeng withdrew his hand and criticized: "A cowardly woman."
Lin Meizhu felt a little less frightened when he let go of her hand. Out of the corner of her eye she saw him sitting back, leaning back in the nanmu armchair. He was tall and slender, and even when he sat down, the shadow he cast was like a mountain pressing down on her. She had a premonition that he had more to say, and her heart began to lift again.
Chen Changfeng said, "You have some self-awareness. This prince does not want to pursue the past. Since you have already married into the palace, you should guard the backyard well. It is yours. The palace will not give you a penny less. But you must always be clear about your status. Don't waste your thoughts on things that are not your business, things that you should not think about, and things that you should not have. Moreover..."
This was a warning to Lin Meiju. This was the emperor's decree. The Shen family would give her a status, but it was only a status.
She could live a life of luxury in the palace, but the life that all women yearned for, where they could be in love with their husbands, would never happen to her.
In other words, she was just a vase placed in the palace, and was trapped in this luxurious courtyard for the rest of her life.
Shen Changfeng leaned forward, and the rich aroma of wine once again approached Lin Meizhu, and the hot air gently sprinkled on her ears. Lin Meizhu immediately clutched the hem of her wedding dress.
Chen Changfeng's dark eyes flashed with coldness and mockery, "Put those inferior tricks away and don't bring shame upon yourself by showing them off."
Lin Meizhu's mind flashed back to the embarrassing sex techniques that Concubine Chen had hired someone to teach her, and her cheeks immediately became hot. Concubine Chen had once told her that to capture a man's heart, one must first capture his body, making him want to taste the sweetness and linger.
She didn't want Shen Changfeng to see the clues, so she hurriedly said: "I will keep it in mind. I will abide by the wife's code of conduct, be humble and respectful, and show my respect to my husband."
Shen Changfeng looked at Lin Meizhu with her face slightly lowered. He saw that the pink blush started from her neck and spread to her cheeks, and even her fair earlobes turned light pink.
Shen Changfeng's fingertips, which had long been dried by the wind, began to itch again.
He was forced to marry a wife of humble status but with a great reputation, which made him furious. He initially suspected that this was Lin Meizhu's trick, but he found no evidence after investigation. But even without evidence, Shen Changfeng believed that it was unforgivable to have such an idea.
Seeing Lin Meizhu's clear and logical defense for herself, he felt that although she was vulgar, she was not stupid. Although he did not completely believe her, his expression eased a little. However, it was absolutely impossible for him to put aside his pride and act out a loving scene with her.
The actions of today's wedding reception, apart from the deeper meaning, were also a warning to the woman in front of him, telling her to behave herself and not ruin his plans in the future.
Shen Changfeng lifted his eyelids and glanced, only to see tear marks on the young woman's face. Though she feigned composure, she couldn't conceal the panic in her eyes, like a frightened bird. He scoffed inwardly: After all, she was raised in a humble family, timid and weak, unpresentable. She wasn't the ideal wife for a noble family in his mind. But today's beating was enough; there was no point in staying any longer.
Lin Meizhu was still kneeling on the ground. Although it was the Lotus Moon, the heat dissipated as night fell, and the coolness of the floor seeped through the cracks in her bones, making her knees ache. She watched Shen Changfeng raise his face, close his eyes, and breathe a sigh of relief. She guessed that he was a little drowsy from the alcohol, so she thought about helping him get to bed.
However, even for such a simple sentence, Lin Meiju rehearsed it in her mind for a long time before she dared to speak.
"Prince."
"Prince."
Two voices sounded simultaneously from inside and outside the door.
Shen Changfeng opened his eyes, and his phoenix eyes instantly regained clarity. He didn't look at Lin Meizhu and asked, "What's the matter?"
The person outside the door replied, "My lord, someone from the Qin family is looking for you."
Lin Meizhu recalled the connections of the Shen family that had been spread before her marriage. Shen Changfeng had always been close to the sons of nobles in the capital, and the one with whom he had the best relationship was Qin Yan, the head of the Ministry of Works. Qin Yan was also a rare gentleman among these people, a white lotus that remained untainted by the mud.
Seeing that Shen Changfeng did not respond immediately, the person outside the door added: "It's the servant girl beside the county lady..."
Lin Meizhu heard the rustling sound of clothes and looked up to see Shen Changfeng had already stood up and was dressing, clearly in a hurry to go out.
She knew very well that Shen Changfeng would not come back tonight.
She has already lost all face at the wedding ceremony today. If Changfeng passes away like this, her days in the palace will be very difficult.
At least, at least sit for a while longer.
Almost subconsciously, Lin Meiju reached out to hold him back, trying to pinch the corner of his sleeve.
There was just a slight deviation, and she hooked her little finger with his.
Shen Changfeng suddenly felt the touch of his fingertips: warm, smooth, and with a subtle tremor. This poor woman was begging him to stay, hoping for his mercy.
The itch at his fingertips spread to his palms, making him feel inexplicably irritated.
"I think I just finished telling you, always be clear about your own identity. Don't waste your energy on things you shouldn't be thinking about or caring about."
Lin Meizhu clearly felt that Shen Changfeng's eyes had changed when he looked at her. They were like a beast with black pupils erected after its taboo was touched. If she was not careful, she would be torn apart by its sharp claws.
Lin Meizhu regretted deeply: Why bother to provoke this evil god!
She immediately retracted her hand and slowly backed away, "I was wrong. I was just anxious for a moment... I beg for forgiveness, Your Highness. I won't do it again!"
However, Shen Changfeng seemed not to hear her words and pressed on step by step. Then he drew out a dagger, and a cold light flashed across the beautiful woman's face, making her pale.
Lin Meizhu was completely panicked and fell down on the mandarin duck quilt. "I really don't dare to do it again. I was wrong. Prince, please... Prince, Prince..."
Shen Changfeng pressed down with a cold blade in his hand. She hid in the shadows and trembled. Under the huge disparity in power, all resistance was futile. For a moment, she felt that Shen Changfeng would really kill her.
"Sir, please forgive me... My husband, please don't..."
When Lin Meizhu called out "husband", Shen Changfeng's throat rolled, and his eyes could not help but stare at her lips as they opened and closed. Her rosy and plump lips were wet with tears, and the water shimmered.
It's very noisy, I just want to block it out with something.
Lin Meizhu heard the sound of flesh being cut and suddenly closed her eyes. The air was filled with a faint smell of blood. She touched her neck and found it was still intact.
Shen Changfeng made a small cut on his little finger, and the white wedding veil was stained with a little red, like a blooming red plum.
He knelt on one knee between Lin Meiju's legs, maintaining a condescending attitude and playing with the dagger.
Lin Meiju stared at the dagger flying in his hand, not daring to breathe. His breath was just like him, hard to ignore. The cold aroma of wine and ambergris covered her like a fine net, and then tightened.
Lin Meiju sank into the soft quilt, and her body instinctively made her want to stay away from him.
Shen Changfeng lifted her beautiful chin with his dagger, admiring the subtle veins of blood flowing along her fair neck as her pulse beat wildly. Finally, he leaned over and sniffed gently, like a hunting leopard, confirming the freshness of its prey.
Lin Meizhu was so frightened that she lost her mind. She leaned back, her snow-white neck looking even longer. She clutched the red quilt on the side of her face. Then she suddenly heard him say with a hint of anger: "What do you think I want to do?"
Shen Changfeng retreated, his red gauze fluttering to cover the hem of his black robe, also covering up some of the reactions he was still unwilling to face. He said with a half-smile, "Wash more, you smell."
Lin Meizhu, still dazed from her shock, instinctively lifted her sleeve to smell. What was that smell? Was it the overpowering scent of powder? Or had he caught her eating the lily pastry?
Shen Changfeng stood in front of the basin, washing his hands slowly and calmly, with a half-smile on his face.
When she met his eyes full of mockery and ridicule, Lin Meiju felt a bang, all the blood rushed to her head, and her face began to burn.
The smell he was talking about was the shameless smell of money of the Lin family, the smell of poverty that came from her growing up in the countryside, and the smell of vulgarity that could not be covered up even if she wore a phoenix crown and a gorgeous dress!
But these are quietly flowing in her blood, and she may not be able to get rid of these smells throughout her life.
How ridiculous! She had thought her husband was different from others. He might have some misunderstandings about her, but as long as they were together for a long time, time would prove everything. She had thought that as long as she was sincere, he might be able to discover her good qualities.
But he had no intention of giving her this opportunity. In his eyes, she was not worthy of standing with him. Even touching her would make him feel disgusted and uncomfortable.
Lin Meiju's ears were buzzing, and when everything returned to normal, she was the only one left in the bridal chamber.
The sound of the wind was sometimes strong and sometimes weak, and the candle flame swayed in the wind.
She slowly sat up, leaned against the bed, curled up into a small ball, bent her knees and hugged herself tightly, staring at the tiny and weak candlelight in a daze.
A strong wind blew past, and the flames quickly shrank to the size of beans, and were then completely swallowed by the darkness.
A huge feeling of powerlessness came over her, and Lin Meiju made a whimper in her throat. Then, she could no longer hold back and suddenly burst into tears.
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