The Great Yan Kingdom was vast in territory and its strength was comparable to that of the Great Jing Kingdom. Its commerce was developed, and its land and water trade was thriving. Merchants from all over the world would come to the Great Yan Kingdom to conduct business, making it arguably the wealthiest country.
However, the royal family of the Great Yan Kingdom has few heirs, with only two sons. The eldest prince is domineering and tyrannical, while the second prince is a dissolute playboy; neither is the best candidate to inherit the throne. If things continue to develop in this way, the Great Yan Kingdom's decline is not far off.
However, the people of the Great Yan Kingdom were so immersed in the prosperity that they failed to notice the dangers hidden beneath. The Qi Prince's Mansion was the residence of the second prince, Yan Qi. After being betrothed, Yan Qi was enfeoffed as the Prince of Qi, left the palace to build his own mansion, and lived a carefree and happy life for quite some time.
He was by nature an unrestrained person, used to indulging in pleasures outside. In the past, when he lived in the palace, the Queen would constantly nag him, but now that he had established his own residence outside the palace, it was much easier for him to play around, with less control and much more freedom.
The carefree days always fly by, and it wasn't until the Qi Prince's mansion was decorated with lanterns and colorful streamers that Yan Qi realized the wedding day had arrived.
Yan Qi had little expectation for his future princess. He had frequented brothels and seen countless beauties. Those women in those establishments were alluring and diverse in appearance, showcasing the world's most alluring aspects, captivating all who beheld them.
In his eyes, the two women of Dayong were merely more beautiful than ordinary women and were lucky enough to be born as royal princesses. Moreover, he was tired of those well-bred ladies who always maintained a prim and proper demeanor, even their smiles were measured and measured, which he found truly boring. They were not as endearing as those courtesans.
Before they knew it, the wedding day arrived. Yan Qi was dragged out of the brothel by the Queen's men, and then, urged by the steward, he changed into his wedding attire. Despite his dissolute and frivolous nature, his appearance was a gift from the royal family, with a face as beautiful as jade and an air of elegance like a refined gentleman in a turbid world.
When he's not speaking, just standing there attracts the attention of a large number of women. Even knowing his philandering and lecherous nature, many wealthy young ladies still secretly harbor feelings for him.
When the news of Yan Qi's marriage arrived, countless young ladies tore their handkerchiefs in tears, their silk handkerchiefs soaked with sobs. He could be considered the dream lover of the young girls of the Great Yan Kingdom.
"Your Highness, the Queen has instructed you to strictly follow the wedding rules. You must not embarrass the future princess. After the wedding, you should at least give Yong Kingdom some face."
The steward followed Yan Qi incessantly, reminding him repeatedly, fearing that his master might act recklessly and cause everyone to lose face.
"Alright, alright, I've said it so many times, aren't you annoyed? I'm not stupid, how could I not remember? Shut up right now, or I'll break your legs." Yan Qi frowned, his face full of impatience, staring fiercely at the butler, scaring him into silence.
The steward knew perfectly well that Yan Qi meant what he said and would really break his own leg. Even if he was sent by the Queen herself, it wouldn't matter, since the Prince had once beaten the Queen's personal maid to death in front of her.
A red silk ribbon bound two complete strangers together, as if the red thread in the hands of the Old Man Under the Moon had tightly connected them—the most beautiful blessing between a man and a woman getting married. But Yan Qi, looking at the red silk ribbon in his hand, only felt annoyed and wanted nothing more than to end the wedding as soon as possible.
After the wedding ceremony, the two were recognized as husband and wife by everyone, equivalent to obtaining a marriage certificate in modern times, making their marriage legal and legitimate. Regardless of the reasons behind this marriage, it was ultimately a done deal.
A woman in a wedding dress sat gracefully on the bridal bed, which was covered with various peanuts, lotus seeds, and longans, carrying auspicious meanings. At Wuyou's command, Xiaotang dismissed all the maids and nannies, leaving only the two of them in the room, instantly making the air feel much fresher.
The bridal chamber was named Anning Courtyard, and its furnishings exuded understated luxury, making it quite exquisite and showing that great care had been put into it.
Pushing open the bedroom window reveals a lotus pond, where lotus blossoms bloom in profusion, creating a pink and white wonderland. A gentle breeze carries the fragrance of lotus flowers into the room, dispelling any artificial scents.
"Princess, why did you take off your veil? Only the groom can remove it." Little Sugar, who had just opened the window, turned her head and her eyes widened. She ran over and whispered to Wuyou.
"I'm bored and don't want to bother with these formalities. Besides, Xiaotang, do you think Yan Qi will even come into my room?" Wuyou casually tossed the veil onto a corner of the bed, sat down at the dressing table, and skillfully removed the phoenix crown from her head. Xiaotang quickly went to help her.
"Princess, don't be sad. You are, after all, the prince's principal wife, and with such beauty and virtue, the prince will surely love you over time." Recalling how the prince had hurriedly dropped the red silk in his hand and left in a hurry right after the wedding ceremony, Xiaotang couldn't bring herself to say anything against her will. She could only silently comfort Wuyou, harboring a bit of expectation in her heart.
"You heard what those maids said earlier. The prince left the palace right after the wedding ceremony, so why would he come back? He must have gone to a brothel to have fun again. Those people were very disrespectful to us. They must have known that we were in a difficult situation. From now on, in this Great Yan Kingdom, only you and I will survive."
Under Xiaotang's careful massage, Wuyou closed her eyes slightly, her black hair cascading down, adding a touch of freshness and naturalness to her appearance. Her complexion was still pale, but it was better than when she was in Yong Kingdom.
"Princess, I will follow your lead and protect you, even if it costs me my life." Xiao Tang felt heartbroken upon hearing this. The princess had just married into the family and was already facing such a situation. The days ahead might become even more difficult, but they still had to survive.
"It's not like I'm going to kill you. Just do as I say." Wuyou chuckled. This girl was indeed extremely loyal to Helan Wuyou. Even at the last moment of her life in her previous life, she still thought of him. She was a loyal servant.
Yan Qi was not an easy person to deal with. He appeared dashing and debonair, but in reality, he was a violent man by nature. In her previous life, Helan Wuyou married into another country and had no family to support her, so she could only struggle to survive in this foreign land.
At first, Yan Qi was relatively polite to him, and after a few days of being amazed by her appearance, he soon revealed his true nature. He recruited a large number of women into the palace and allowed them to humiliate and mock Helan Wuyou. After hitting Helan Wuyou for the first time and seeing that no one intervened, he became even bolder, punching and kicking him until he was covered in bruises and trembling with fear and trepidation in front of Yan Qi.
"We've both been tired from traveling these past few days, let's get some rest! As for the hardships and dangers ahead, that's a matter for tomorrow." Wuyou yawned lazily; his body was weak and couldn't withstand the strain, his sleepy eyes barely able to stay open.
And so, with Xiaotang's help, Wuyou fell into a deep sleep, her breathing shallow. The bridal chamber was dark, with only a few rays of moonlight faintly revealing the figures inside; the world slumbered.
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