Newlywed nightmare
In the bridal chamber, the halo of the red candles cast an ambiguous warm color on everything.
Han Shaoheng had changed out of a casual silk gown and was sitting at the table with a smile on his face, his eyes gently gazing at Ling Xiuqing as she was helped in by Chuntao. His gaze was like a deep pool, seemingly wanting to drown her.
"Xiuqing, you've worked hard." He stood up, naturally took her from Chuntao's hands, and let her sit down next to him.
Ling Xiuqing's heart was beating so fast that even her breathing was trembling. She had never been so close to any man before.
Chuntao tactfully stepped aside and filled the wedding wine cup for them. Then she lowered her head and stood quietly in the corner, like a lifeless shadow.
Han Shaoheng picked up the wine glass and passed it to Ling Xiuqing's lips, his voice filled with bewitching tenderness: "Xiuqing, drink this glass of wine, and from now on, you and I will never be separated."
Never separate.
These four words were like the sweetest honey, instantly melting the last trace of nervousness in Ling Xiuqing's heart. She raised her eyes, met Han Shaoheng's affectionate gaze, and without hesitation, took his hand and drank the wine in the glass.
The wine was slightly sweet, with a strange fragrance. It slid down the throat into the stomach and quickly turned into a warm current that spread throughout the body.
She watched as Han Shaoheng finished drinking the wine in the glass, and the two of them intertwined their arms, completing this sacred ceremony.
But for some reason, a sudden feeling of drowsiness came over me.
The candlelight in front of her began to blur, and Han Shaoheng's handsome face began to appear double. Ling Xiuqing shook her head, trying to stay awake, but her body felt as heavy as if it were filled with lead.
"I... I feel a little dizzy..." She leaned softly on Han Shaoheng's shoulder, her voice as thin as a mosquito.
"I'm tired, or maybe it's the aftereffects of the alcohol." Han Shaoheng's voice was still gentle. He supported her and placed her on the wedding bed covered with a dragon and phoenix quilt, and carefully took off her embroidered shoes.
Ling Xiuqing's consciousness grew increasingly hazy, her eyelids heavy as if weighed a thousand pounds. Before she fell into complete darkness, she seemed to see Chuntao, who had been quietly sitting in the corner, slowly approaching, a strange smile on her face that she had never seen before.
Is it an illusion?
She didn't have time to think about it and fell into a deep sleep.
In her dream, she seemed to fall into an icy abyss and could not escape no matter how hard she struggled.
After an unknown amount of time, a loud commotion woke her up from her confusion.
"That's outrageous! It's simply bringing disgrace upon our family!"
"Open it! Break the door open!"
It was the father's angry roar and the servants' messy footsteps.
Ling Xiuqing opened her eyes suddenly, but the first thing that caught her eye was not the familiar bridal chamber curtains, but an enlarged, terrified face of a strange man!
She screamed and shrank back suddenly, only then realizing that her wedding dress had become disheveled, the collar wide open, revealing her snow-white skin. And beside her, lying beside her was a servant wearing only a short, close-fitting jacket!
What's going on?!
"Bang!"
The door was thrown open with a tremendous force, and Father Ling Xiong, surrounded by a group of family elders, rushed in with a sullen look on his face. When they saw the scene on the bed, everyone's face showed shock and contempt.
"Evil girl!" Ling Xiong was so angry that he was shaking all over. He pointed at Ling Xiuqing on the bed and was so angry that he couldn't speak.
"Dad! No! I don't know what's going on!" Ling Xiuqing was completely panicked. She hurriedly pulled her clothes together, shook her head desperately, and tears burst out of her eyes.
The servant was so frightened that he knelt on the ground, rolling and crawling, and kowtowed repeatedly: "Master, please spare me! Master, please spare me! It's...it's the eldest lady..."
"You're talking nonsense!" Ling Xiuqing screamed, her mind going blank.
At this moment, Han Shaoheng, dressed neatly, walked out from behind the crowd. His face was pale, his body was shaky, and his eyes were full of pain and disbelief.
He looked at Ling Xiuqing, his lips trembling: "Xiuqing... why? Why do you do this to me?"
The word "why" was like a poisoned blade, piercing into Ling Xiuqing's heart.
"Shao Heng, please listen to my explanation! Someone framed me!" She cried and reached out to him, trying to seek his only support.
However, Han Shaoheng took a step back as if he was scalded.
In the crowd, Chuntao fell to her knees with a thud, gasping for breath. "Master, it's all my fault! It's my fault! Last night, my son-in-law drank too much and rested in the hall. I... I saw that there was no movement in the young lady's room, so I didn't dare to come in and disturb her... Who knew... Who knew that this would happen!"
Every word she said was pushing Ling Xiuqing into an abyss of no return.
Ling Xiuqing was struck by lightning, and she finally understood.
That glass of wine, that strange smile, everything was a trap! A deadly trap set for her by her most trusted husband and closest maid!
She glanced sharply at Han Shaoheng, his usually gentle face now shone with cold disappointment. Behind him, Chuntao, looking up, a fleeting, triumphant sneer played across her lips.
At that moment, Ling Xiuqing felt as if she had fallen into an icy cave, and her whole body was cold.
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