Chapter 1 Substitute Bride
[Exclusive Release]
"The auspicious time has arrived—"
The wedding attendant's shouts rang out outside the courtyard gate. Chi Ying, her face covered by a large red bridal veil adorned with mandarin ducks, stepped into the wedding sedan chair amidst the rising and falling sounds of gongs and drums and cries of congratulations.
From the Changyuan Earl's Mansion to the Zhaowang Mansion, spanning the distance of most of the capital from the west to the east of the city, the bridal sedan chair bumped and swayed all the way, and the joyful music played by the suona seemed to be tinged with sadness in the biting cold wind of early spring.
Along the way, the chatter of onlookers was constant.
"Their own daughter married a blind madman, and the Changyuan Earl and his wife can still greet guests with smiles."
"King Zhao is known for his violent temper and cruel methods of torturing people. If this young lady from the Chi family marries into him, she will likely meet a tragic end!"
"That's not necessarily true. I heard that King Zhao was seriously injured and his life is hanging by a thread. He couldn't even come to the wedding today. It's possible that this girl will become a widow as soon as she marries him..."
The crowd discussed the matter animatedly, with some even betting that the girl could survive a few more days in the Prince Zhao's residence.
Little did they know, the bride inside the bridal sedan chair was not Chi Yingyue, the legitimate daughter of the Marquis of Changyuan.
Instead, it was the third daughter, Chi Ying, who was raised in the manor as an illegitimate child.
The bright red veil swayed gently, concealing the girl's fair and delicate face.
Chi Ying sat upright in the sedan chair, maintaining the dignified demeanor befitting a legitimate daughter of the Earl's family. However, her pale, jade-like fingers, tightly clenched around her handkerchief, betrayed her fear and unease.
How can one not feel apprehensive?
The abandoned illegitimate daughter of the Earl's family was secretly replaced by her own sister and married off to that infamous devil who had one foot in the grave. No one could remain calm in that situation.
Before her marriage, her stepmother, Lady Yin, fed her mother a few days' worth of Jiji Pills, and her mother, who had been bedridden for many years, visibly recovered some of her health.
Chi Ying knew then that she had no choice but to marry into this family.
My mother was originally my father Changyuan's concubine. Seven years ago, she bumped into the pregnant Yin Shi while playing, causing her to miscarry. My father was furious and whipped her and my mother without saying a word.
Whether she had bumped into her stepmother's pregnant belly and caused the death of her child, she was certain she hadn't; she hadn't touched Yin's belly at all! But no one believed her.
Her mother protected her fiercely, enduring forty lashes herself. When she was sent to the village, she was nearly half-dead. After that, her health deteriorated, and she almost didn't make it through last winter.
She tricked the old woman guarding her and ran away, returning to the Earl's mansion to kowtow and beg for medicine. Little did she know that when Madam Yin saw her face, she had a different idea...
Chi Ying closed her eyes, her clenched nails digging fiercely into her palms.
To this day, she and her mother are still paying the price for a mistake that never happened.
...
In the evening, the wedding procession slowly came to a stop outside the Prince Zhao's residence.
The sounds of gongs and drums and the clamor gradually subsided, replaced by the orderly and solemn footsteps of the guards of the Prince's Palace, and the cold, grating sound of weapons rubbing together.
Chi Ying stepped off the bridal sedan chair, her mind no longer on anything else. She held her breath, her heart pounding in her throat, fearing that her identity would be exposed.
Fortunately, it was just a routine patrol, and no one suspected anything.
Soon someone approached and spoke in a gentle, smiling woman's voice: "Your Highness, this servant is Qionglin from Consort Zhuang's side, and I have come to greet Your Highness."
Chi Ying's palms were sweating profusely. She breathed a slight sigh of relief upon hearing this and tried her best to keep her voice steady: "Thank you, Aunt Qionglin."
Qionglin said, "His Highness Prince Zhao is still recovering from his serious injuries and is unable to personally greet you today. Consort Zhuang is also bedridden and should rest. Therefore, there is no grand banquet at the residence. I hope Your Highness will understand. His Highness and Consort Zhuang will make it up to Your Highness in the future."
Chi Ying nodded slightly, indicating her understanding.
She was a substitute bride, so she didn't care about being glamorous or respectable; she wished she could be invisible.
Perhaps it was because of her overly casual attitude that Qionglin took a second look at the newlywed princess.
I thought that although the princess's family was not prominent, she was still a pampered daughter of a noble family. Given His Highness's current situation, these young ladies from high-ranking families would either cry and refuse to marry, or complain that the royal family was not polite enough and neglected the bride. I did not expect that the princess would accept everything calmly, with a gentle voice, as if she had no temper at all.
This is quite different from what I had heard before.
Last year, when the emperor bestowed the marriage upon her, Consort Zhuang had people inquire about the character of the eldest daughter of the Chi family. They all said that she was spoiled and arrogant, and it was common for her to act domineeringly and bully others in the mansion. However, in the past few months, she has been waiting to be married in the mansion and has rarely gone out. So, no news has been heard. It is likely that the Earl's mansion hired someone to teach her properly, which is why she has changed her temperament.
In any case, a gentle temperament is always a good thing.
"Your Highness, please watch your step and come inside."
Chi Ying nodded slightly and, supported by the matchmaker, entered the mansion. She stepped onto the saddle and over the brazier in an orderly fashion, and then entered the inner courtyard of the Prince's mansion.
The wedding ceremony thus came to an end.
There was no wedding ceremony, no guests, and no elaborate wedding rituals such as sitting on the bed, scattering the bridal curtains, or drinking the nuptial wine.
There wasn't even a groom.
The matchmaker removed the handkerchief from her, and Chi Ying looked at the empty wedding bed, secretly relieved.
Qionglin entered from behind the screen and was greeted by a beautiful face as radiant as spring blossoms.
The bride before him had eyebrows like the furrowed mountains of spring, eyes like the rippling waters of autumn, a waist as slender as flowing silk, and bright moon earrings. Her full, rosy lips were even more alluring than the crimson bridal veil. She was truly graceful and charming.
Even an old man who had lived in the deep palace for more than twenty years and had seen countless beauties was now filled with amazement.
Following her gaze, Qionglin looked at the empty bridal chamber and hurriedly explained, "This is Shuyu Zhai. The Princess Consort will stay here temporarily. His Highness Prince Zhao is currently recuperating at Yan Gui Lou in the east. Once his injuries have healed, he will consummate the marriage with the Princess Consort as soon as possible." Chi Ying nodded slightly, "Thank you for your trouble, Aunt."
Noticing Qionglin's slightly surprised expression, she realized that she might have been too calm and easy to talk to.
Not only did he not care about the marriage, but he was also indifferent to King Zhao's health.
As the princess consort of Chi Yingyue, how could she ignore her "husband"?
After a moment's hesitation, Chi Ying finally spoke with concern, "Your Highness Prince Zhao... are you alright? Do you know who injured you?"
Qionglin hesitated for a moment, then sighed and said, "This is a long story."
Chi Ying had a vague idea of what was going on.
For years, she had lived on the estate with her mother, Aunt Xue, completely oblivious to the affairs of the capital. The power struggles in the court were too distant for her. It wasn't until the eve of her arranged marriage that her father and Madam Yin briefly mentioned the current situation of the Prince Zhao's mansion to her, so that she wouldn't be completely ignorant.
This story begins with King Zhao's elder brother, King Ding, Yan Xueji, who died in battle.
Prince Ding was the eldest son of the emperor. He was a man of both literary and military talent and was known as a wise prince. However, he died five years ago when he was on a campaign in the Western Regions. Consort Zhuang could not bear the pain of losing her son and suffered from hysteria.
After Prince Zhao left the palace to establish his own residence, Consort Zhuang was also allowed by Emperor Chongning to leave the palace to recuperate, and the mother and son lived together in Prince Zhao's residence.
But last year, the truth about Prince Ding's death in battle came to light. It turned out that Prince Rong colluded with Prince Ding's generals to lure him into an enemy ambush, causing this most powerful contender for the throne to die on the battlefield.
King Zhao was hunting down and destroying his eyes by King Rong while thoroughly investigating the truth behind his brother's death.
King Zhao was seriously injured and blinded, Consort Zhuang was half-mad and half-insane, and she happened to look seven parts like her elder sister Chi Yingyue—this was the reason why she, a down-on-her-luck nobleman, dared to secretly marry a concubine's daughter in the emperor's presence.
What Chi Ying couldn't understand was that Prince Zhao was now blind and completely out of the running for crown prince. Consort Zhuang was also mentally unstable and acted inappropriately, offending Emperor Chongning several times. The mother and son had already lost the emperor's favor, yet she didn't know who wanted to kill them all.
Seeing that she remained silent, Chi Ying did not press further, as expressing her concern for King Zhao was enough.
Qionglin waved to the outside, and a maidservant and four other maids stepped forward and bowed.
The head maid was nearly forty years old, with narrow eyebrows and round eyes. She wore a blue silk jacket and her every move was neat and proper. The four maids behind her all had the same hairstyle and clothes, and they also looked neat and capable.
Qionglin introduced, "This is Aunt Fangchun. From now on, she will serve the Princess and assist her in managing the affairs of the inner court. The people behind her are named Qingzhi, Yinqiao, Sangzhi, and Peilan. From now on, they will serve the Princess in her daily life."
Aunt Fangchun stepped forward and curtsied, and the four maids followed suit.
Chi Ying nodded and called out softly.
In fact, she had brought two maids with her this time, who were obviously sent by her stepmother to monitor her. Now that five more had come, she couldn't very well refuse them.
She scanned the people in front of her one by one, unable to tell which group was more dangerous.
From now on, she can only stay on high alert and constantly remind herself not to make the slightest mistake, otherwise, not only will the crime of deceiving the emperor cost the entire Changyuan Marquis's mansion, but she and her mother will also suffer a terrible end.
In the evening, Xiangqin and Baoshan helped her remove her makeup, and then served her meals and helped her wash up.
Chi Ying was still not used to being served. Over the years, she had lived with her mother in a farm outside the city, with only a maidservant by her side to do laundry and cook. Her mother was unable to move around easily, so it was Chi Ying who had to work hard to feed her. But now, in the eyes of outsiders, she was the legitimate daughter of the Marquis of Changyuan's family, and she should have been used to a life of being waited on hand and foot since childhood. No matter how reserved she was, she had to restrain the urge to do things herself and let them serve her.
After bathing, Chi Ying sat on the couch to rest when Aunt Fangchun came in with a booklet. "Your Highness."
Chi Ying reached out and took the booklet. When she saw the pictures of men and women making love, she couldn't help but blush.
Aunt Fangchun looked at the beauty under the lamp and felt that under the warm yellow candlelight, her fair skin was surrounded by a hazy arc of light, like fresh snow and flowing moonlight. Without the glamorous makeup of the daytime, she appeared more like a lotus flower in clear water, making all the cosmetics seem vulgar.
After a moment of distraction, Fangchun said gently, "The rules for consummating the marriage must have been explained to you by Madam Bo. However, our Prince's situation is a bit special. Consort Zhuang specifically instructed me to give you some pointers before you consummate the marriage, so as to help you and the Prince get married as soon as possible."
Chi Ying lowered her shy expression and nodded gently.
In fact, Lady Yin had never taught her these things. She had only heard that King Zhao was seriously injured and would soon die, so she assumed he was no longer able to have sex. Therefore, Lady Yin did not have the patience to teach her about sexual matters.
Fangchun said, "Although His Highness is blind, he does not like to be served by others. He eats, dresses, and washes himself. His actions are almost no different from ordinary people. However, he has no experience in bed matters and has never had a concubine or maid before. In addition, because he is blind, the Princess Consort needs to take the initiative in bed."
Chi Ying lowered her eyes even further. She herself didn't know how to take the initiative...
Fangchun noticed her embarrassment and said gently, "Your Highness is blind and cannot experience the pleasures of ordinary people. Therefore, Your Highness needs to use methods such as caressing, kissing, and riding to please Your Highness and arouse your interest. If Your Highness is willing to take the initiative to explore, Your Highness is requested to cooperate and find the right position..."
Fangchun then showed her a few positions that could help her conceive.
The page Chi Ying turned to happened to be about riding, and the image was so impactful that her fingers trembled slightly, and her ears and neck flushed red.
A note from the author:
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May this article bring you good fortune!
I'll be giving away red envelopes in the comments section for the first three chapters. Thank you for reading my story! [Sprinkling flowers]
[Update Time]
Updates every night at 10 PM, except in special circumstances (like with clips). I will ask for leave in advance if something comes up.
[Reading Tips]
A gentle, resilient, and honest person & a blind, dark-hearted, and skin-thirsty individual
The male lead is quite scheming in the early stages; the title already hints at him being the "villain." He's not a morally upright, gentle gentleman, but suffers from severe skin-craving syndrome, only for the female lead. His blindness will improve later, but his skin-craving syndrome will not.
The male lead falls in love first. Don't ask why he falls in love; it's just a "physiological attraction." He loves the girl from head to toe, every single hair on her head. He'd die if he didn't get close to her, but he's also good at pretending. He can control himself, but he can't control himself for long.
[1v1, both are virgins]
Please add "Female Assassin, But a Silly Beauty" to your favorites in the pre-order! [heart emoji]
After losing her memory, Mingxi was told two things—
Her name isn't Mingxi, but Mingqi, a female assassin entrusted with an important mission by the organization.
Her mission was to become a seductive undercover agent and assassinate the powerful and ruthless Prince Jingbei.
Mingxi (Benboerba version.jpg): Huh? Me?
After losing his memory, Mingxi forgot all his martial arts moves. He was too weak to lift anything, and fearing that people would discover he was actually a useless nobody and that the organization would kill him, he could only tremblingly raise his knife to ensure he could complete his mission.
She infiltrated the Jingbei Prince's mansion as a beauty and successfully gained the Prince's favor with her looks, during which time she frequently received missions from the organization.
Task 1: Poison the Prince of Jingbei's wine.
Mingxi thought it was unacceptable; the Prince of Jingbei liked to feed her personally, and what if he poisoned her too!
Task Two: Slit the throat of Prince Jingbei while he is sleeping.
Mingxi still couldn't do it. She couldn't bring anything to His Highness's bed, not even clothes. How could she hide a knife?
The organization had no choice but to issue her an ultimatum:
They drugged the Prince of Jingbei, causing him to die from exhaustion!
Mingxi: I'm going through this now, let's see how it goes...
However, as Mingxi waited and waited, instead of him dying from exhaustion, her belly grew bigger day by day.
Mingxi tearfully tried to return to the organization, but the man blocked her way, forcing her into a corner. "You flirt and run? There's no such thing as a free lunch."
Mingxi and her child were trapped in the Prince's mansion, and in the end, she became a princess in a daze and was pampered to the extreme.
Mingxi: I feel ashamed before the organization (∩_∩)
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