Chapter 62 Jealousy.
The grand wedding of Prince Duan, which everyone in the court had been eagerly anticipating, was shrouded in an eeriness.
The palace's attitude was cryptic; although they performed the proper etiquette, a closer look revealed a cold indifference.
If it were an ordinary member of the imperial family, they would have been humbled and trembling with fear at this time. But Prince Duan did the opposite, preparing with great enthusiasm. From the betrothal to the wedding, he did everything within the bounds of propriety to make it as grand and enthusiastic as possible.
Both the Prince Duan's residence and the estate in the suburbs of Beijing hosted three days of continuous banquets, as if they wanted the whole world to know that the Prince Duan was getting married.
On the day of the wedding, only angels from the palace delivered congratulatory gifts; no one attended the ceremony.
No secrets stay hidden forever. The farce in the Empress's palace had already spread far and wide, and many ministers who had once hoped to curry favor with him now only felt contempt for Qin Lie.
Even if a princess from the previous dynasty was truly beautiful, she could be kept outside the palace, or even if she were kept inside, it wouldn't be unreasonable to give her the title of a concubine.
Which founding emperor didn't have several concubines and princesses from the previous dynasty in his harem? It's really not a big deal.
Even among these disdainful ministers, there were quite a few who kept princesses from the previous dynasty.
The princesses of Emperor Jiahe were all beautiful, so beautiful that they were unforgettable, yet none of them ruined their future for them.
Moreover, Princess Yongjia was notorious. For Prince Duan to marry her was tantamount to publicly placing a blatantly cuckolded hat on his own head. —After her marriage, Princess Yongjia made quite a few moves in the capital. Even without that farce in the palace, could she really have concealed her identity?
Seeing that Prince Duan had no future and with the palace adopting such an attitude, very few ministers came to the banquet.
Qin Lie didn't expect much from them; his subordinates were already quite a lively group.
Since they were all from military backgrounds, Qin Lie ordered his men to prepare dozens of jars of fine wine, declaring that they would not leave until they were drunk tonight!
He said that, but he pretended to be drunk and went back to the bridal chamber early.
He lifted the veil and saw her beautiful face, and a smile involuntarily appeared on his face as he asked, "Have you been waiting impatiently?"
In reality, the one who was impatient was him. After drinking the nuptial wine, he embraced her and fell onto the bed.
This was their wedding night, and he no longer had to exert himself so much and endure so much.
After a passionate and lingering kiss, he didn't stop, but instead guided her hand to the buttons on his wedding robe, saying, "Take them off."
Even though there were several layers of clothing between them, she recoiled as if burned by fire.
Qin Lie chuckled: "Didn't the nanny already teach you? Why are you still hiding?"
The instructor said that love between husband and wife is normal, and should be accepted, enjoyed, and actively pursued.
Tonight is their wedding night, and she suppresses her shyness as she slowly undresses him.
Qin Lie thoroughly enjoyed her shy and timid demeanor, but her slow pace meant she couldn't unbutton a single button for a long time. He feared he would die of heatstroke if she were to take off his burdensome clothes.
Thinking of this, he took the initiative, pulled her into his arms, kissed her lips, and unbuttoned her clothes.
However, even after he tried, he couldn't get the hang of it. The wedding dress, specially made for the wedding, required a delicate touch to untie the double knots, and the more anxious he was, the less he could untie them.
Lingyi was lost in a daze from being kissed when she suddenly heard a tearing sound. In a few moments, her expensively made clothes were reduced to rags, which he casually tossed off the bed. It was like a lychee shedding its red shell to reveal its fresh, juicy flesh. He lowered his head, swallowed her gasp, and began tearing at his own clothes.
His hurried movements suddenly stopped. He lowered the bed curtains, then took off his last garment and covered her with it.
He wanted to make up for the hasty and incomplete time during their wedding night, so he tried his best to be gentle with her. In the dim bed curtains, their lips and teeth rubbed together, their bodies intertwined. How could Lingyi resist his methods? She trembled and had an orgasm, falling back onto the bed, gradually coming to her senses from her daze.
Just as he was about to get serious, she felt his burning heat and couldn't help but tremble.
"What's wrong?" He didn't miss any of her reactions.
"I...I'm scared." Her voice trembled.
He pressed his forehead against hers, his voice low and husky: "What are you afraid of?"
She shook her head, unsure how to answer, but tears welled up in her eyes.
Even in the deepest love, when a woman completely entrusts herself to someone, she also experiences fear of the unknown future.
Her fear was so real that he could feel it acutely.
He had waited so long for this night that it was negligible.
For Princess Yongjia now, her body is not a weapon or tool, but a shackle that carries her true feelings and expectations.
He should have accepted her and made her completely his, then she would have trusted and relied on him more wholeheartedly.
Sensing her fear, he stopped what he was doing and couldn't help but recall their wedding night many years ago.
She must have been just as scared back then.
No, at that time he was a complete stranger to her, and she would only be a hundred times more terrified.
But at that time, he was blinded by hatred, indulging in her body while secretly slandering her as scheming, promiscuous, and fickle. Overwhelmed with guilt and resentment, he tenderly kissed her forehead and prepared to get up, saying, "Since you're afraid, there's no rush. There's plenty of time..."
He didn't finish his sentence, because she reached out and pulled his neck down, her eyes glistening with a shy yet tender and courageous light. "I... I can... because it's you, so... I'm willing..."
A sudden boom echoed in my mind, and something collapsed into dust.
The next moment, he held her tightly, wishing he could crush her into his arms.
How could there be such a person in this world? A single sentence could cause him sleepless nights and unbearable pain, and another could fill him with boundless joy, like the arrival of spring. His heart overflowed, wanting to say something to her, but at this moment, anything he said seemed too disrespectful. He could only restrain himself by kissing her forehead, cheeks, and chin, finally settling on her cherry lips, wishing he could kiss her a thousand times, even devour her whole.
Finally, steeling his resolve, he abruptly lowered himself, and heard her cry out in pain, "Your Highness..."
He was startled and stopped what he was doing. He gasped for breath and instructed, "Don't call me Your Highness, Qin Lie. Just call me Qin Lie."
Not a general, not a prince, and not a husband.
He is Qin Lie, Qin Lie who belongs exclusively to Princess Lingyi.
"Qin Lie..." she called softly, her fingers gripping his back.
Because of his violent temper since childhood, his grandfather told him to remember his flaws, which is why he was given such a name, which he has never liked.
But when she said it, it sounded so beautiful.
He coaxed her, "Sweetie, say it again."
She blushed and refused to answer, but he chuckled softly in her ear. The night was still long, and he would always find a way to get her to tell him.
That night, she cried out and begged countless times before he finally let her go, rolled off her, and after a short rest, carried her into the bathroom.
Lingyi was drowsy, but still remembered to remind her, "Don't get your hair wet..."
He then pushed her hair out of the bathtub before putting her inside.
After he cleaned her up, she had already fallen asleep. He carried her out of the bathtub, sat on the couch next to the tub, and dried her body with a fine cotton towel, not even missing her toes, before carrying her out.
Someone had already cleaned up the mess on the bed and replaced the bedding with new ones.
He gently placed her on top, brushed her hair to one side, then bent over and lay down beside her, placing his hand on her waist and his forehead against her neck, as they drifted off to sleep together.
Although the Emperor granted Qin Lie a three-day wedding leave, the two changed into the attire of a prince and princess early the next morning to go to the palace to express their gratitude.
The carriage rumbled along, and only the two of them remained; the shyness of a bride finally welled up within them.
Lingyi sat with her head down, not daring to look Qin Lie in the eye.
But ever since he got into the car, he has been staring at her intently, and even tried to take the opportunity to get close to her and be intimate.
Lingyi's meticulous makeup was not to be messed with. He held her hand and played with it repeatedly, as if he could make something out of it.
The closer they got to the palace, the more nervous Lingyi became, forgetting all about being shy.
She was a princess, but never a royal daughter-in-law.
Qin Lie reassured her, "Just follow me from now on, there's nothing to be afraid of."
Despite his words, Lingyi remained uneasy, saying, "Neither the Empress Dowager nor the Empress likes me..."
Qin Lie said, "You don't need to like them. You only see them a few times a year, so just be polite."
Even in ordinary households, one should be filial to one's parents-in-law, let alone in the imperial family.
Lingyi hesitated: "But..."
"No buts," Qin Lie said. "You're marrying me, not them. According to the Three Cardinal Guides and Five Constant Virtues, the husband is the head of the household. If you wrong yourself, I will be unhappy. If I'm unhappy, then you've failed in your duty. You can weigh the pros and cons yourself."
Lingyi listened to his serious nonsense and wanted to refute him, but before she could even open her mouth, her eyes unconsciously curved into a smile.
She took his arm and said sweetly, "I'll do whatever you say."
Upon arriving at the palace, they were indeed met with a cold reception.
The Empress Dowager and the Empress only gave them gifts and did not invite them to stay for a meal before letting them leave the palace.
Lingyi silently sat in the carriage, looking rather listless.
No matter what Qin Lie said before, how could she be happy if she wasn't liked by others?
Qin Lie didn't try to persuade her. When the carriage stopped, she felt the journey was too short. She lifted the curtain and saw the carriage stopped in the middle of a bustling city. She couldn't help but turn around and look at Qin Lie.
Qin Lie smiled slightly: "Would you like to go to a restaurant for a meal?"
Lingyi immediately forgot all her unhappiness, her eyes shining like morning stars, and nodded emphatically.
Qin Lie helped her put on her veil before leading her inside.
It was afternoon, and the place was packed with guests, with people even queuing outside. The innkeeper personally came over to greet them and led them straight to a private room on the third floor.
The private room was filled with the aroma of iced soup, and outside it faced a stretch of green river. Across the river was the imperial palace with its red walls and yellow tiles. The location was truly exceptional.
The shopkeeper brought over the menu for Lingyi to choose from.
Originally, this arrangement was unnecessary; any signboard would have sufficed. However, upon entering the restaurant, many people in the lobby were ordering from the menu, and Lingyi glanced at it a few more times, prompting Qin Lie to make this deliberate arrangement.
Lingyi found it quite novel, flipping through the menu and occasionally asking questions. The innkeeper answered her earnestly, and in the end, she selected six dishes. —Originally, she wanted to order more, but worried that Qin Lie wouldn't be able to eat it all. She was self-aware enough to know that she was only there to taste the food; most of it would end up in Qin Lie's stomach anyway.
After the shopkeeper noted it down, Qin Lie instructed him not to use seasonings from the Western Regions.
The shopkeeper said, "Don't worry! Our family has been around for a long time, and we only use recipes passed down from our ancestors. No matter how good or bad other ingredients may be, we will never use them indiscriminately!"
Qin Lie was finally relieved.
One dish after another was served quickly, and once all the dishes were served, the servants closed the door from the outside.
Although only the two of them remained, they had only eaten a few bites since getting up early in the morning and were now starving. All the dishes were delicious and visually appealing, yet Lingyi still ate slowly and deliberately, taking small bites without making a sound, displaying elegance and poise.
She ate for a while, then looked up and noticed that Qin Lie hadn't touched his chopsticks and was just staring at her. She couldn't help but scold him, "Why aren't you eating? What are you doing staring at me?"
Qin Lie said, "I was just thinking about the time you went to the restaurant in Jizhou."
Lingyi asked, "Did we often go to restaurants when we were in Jizhou?"
Qin Lie laughed: "Only that one time. You weren't going to eat, you were going to find me."
She had a financial problem and had no choice but to confront him at the restaurant.
It seemed like she was deliberately staging a chance encounter, but in reality, he was waiting for her to come to him.
—If he hadn't tacitly approved, how could Qiu Min have found out his whereabouts?
He has always been calm and composed, and he can't stand people who are pretentious or affected.
But when he's with her, he's not even honest with himself.
—It was clearly me who couldn't wait to see her, yet I still pinned the blame on her.
Even when she set up a mourning hall for Emperor Jiahe, she did the same thing first, then used it as an excuse to make her own point.
He took advantage of her under the guise of being drunk, then acted innocent after getting what he wanted.
Looking back now, I realize how utterly despicable I was.
"I won't go looking for you!" Lingyi maintained the poise of a princess, denying it even though she didn't remember. "Didn't you say we were a pair of sworn enemies? That we'd only ever hate each other? Why would I look for you?"
This time, Qin Lie flatly denied it: "How can you take my angry words seriously?"
Lingyi settled the score later: "You spoke with such certainty, so of course I believed you!"
Qin Lie chuckled: "Whether we're a pair of sworn enemies or not, don't you know after last night? If we were, how could we be so compatible?"
"Don't say it!" Lingyi was anxious. She leaned over and covered his mouth with her hand to prevent him from saying anything more embarrassing.
Although she exerted force with her hands, she kept her head down, not daring to look into his increasingly deep eyes.
She knew he was telling the truth. Last night, apart from some initial swelling, she didn't experience the tearing pain the nanny had described. The subsequent harmony made it easy to imagine how familiar it must have been for her body to remember it even if her mind couldn't.
She could figure these things out herself, but she wouldn't allow him to tell her!
She had just eaten osmanthus cake, and there were crumbs on her hands. He stuck out his tongue and licked them off, and sure enough, he saw her face turn bright red instantly.
Although he was tempted, he backed down, saying, "Alright, alright, you can eat slowly. I won't tease you anymore."
She was too thin. Although she had always been slender, she was never this frail. It was rare for her to have something she liked, and Qin Lie hoped she would eat more.
Yesterday, after her wedding, Lingyi didn't eat much. This morning, she only ate a few bites. This time, however, she ate quite a lot.
Back at the Prince's residence, the carriage stopped inside the gate, and Qin Lie led Lingyi slowly back to digest their food.
After getting married, she was to live with Qin Lie. When she walked to the outside of Qin Lie's courtyard, she saw seven or eight people standing outside. Hearing the noise, they all turned around and bowed to the two of them.
Lingyi immediately tried to pull her hand away, but Qin Lie refused, leading her all the way to the front hall where they sat down.
Those men were several stewards from the Prince's residence.
They each had their own duties: some carried the public account books, some carried the servants' register, and some carried the warehouse keys.
Now that Lingyi has become a princess, she should take charge of the household affairs, and these matters should be handed over to her.
The Prince's mansion only had a few masters, so there wasn't much to do. However, the public assets were considerable. Although only the important matters were discussed, it still took about half an hour to listen. Lingyi listened attentively, maintaining her composure, while Qin Lie sat and drank tea to the side the entire time.
After everyone left, Qin Lie looked at her droopy face and asked gently, "Are you tired?"
"It's not that I'm tired, it's that I'm afraid," Lingyi said honestly. "With such a large family business, I'm really afraid I won't be able to manage it well."
The nanny taught the princess how to manage a household, but his vast fortune was not just a simple home.
Qin Lie laughed: "Princess, you may lose, but I will do my best to win."
Seeing her frowning, he took her hand and comforted her, "We brought them here today just to let them know they have a new master. In reality, they're all seasoned veterans of their jobs; as long as they don't harbor any disloyalty, there won't be any major mistakes. You don't need to worry about anything. Just ask around and check on things from time to time, making sure they never forget you as their master." He paused, then added, "If you really don't want to get involved, that's fine too. With me here, no one will dare to look down on you."
Lingyi relaxed a bit, "In that case, I'll take care of it for now."
After thinking for a moment, he asked again, "Since you've let me see even the manager, what about the children? Why don't you let them come to see me?"
Qin Lie said, "I was afraid you would be upset if you saw them, so I didn't let them come over."
Lingyi couldn't help but regret the words she had said that day in the palace. She had thought she had escaped death, filled with fear and trepidation, and deeply moved by his willingness to share life and death, which led her to speak so recklessly. Those words, though rambling, boiled down to one thing: she was jealous.
She's no longer a princess, just a queen, so she shouldn't have these kinds of emotions.
So, she adopted a virtuous, kind, and understanding demeanor, and said to him, "They are your children, and as their legal mother, it is only natural that I should love and protect them..."
Under his knowing gaze, she could no longer continue with her high-sounding words.
He sighed softly, "I married you, not some Princess Consort of Duan. You don't need to be perfect in every way, much less flawless. I have only one request: that you tell me everything, whether you're happy or sad, without hiding or avoiding it. That way, I'll know what I should and shouldn't do."
His sincerity touched Lingyi deeply. After a long while, she said, "I won't lie to you, even now, thinking about those children still makes me sad, but..." She gently leaned into his arms, "Compared to losing you, that sadness is really nothing..."
Qin Lie lowered his eyes, concealing the shock in them.
The princess's words perfectly encapsulate his predicament.
How could he forget Song Pingkou? But compared to losing her, those things really didn't matter.
However, he realized this too late.
His beloved princess, who seemed like a parasitic vine, was actually far braver and more open-minded than he was.
He lowered his head, found her lips, and kissed them fiercely.
He imprinted his unspeakable resentment and hatred, anger and regret, love and desire on her lips and body.
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