Although the wedding was rushed, Li had made preparations over the years, so she had the least to worry about regarding the dowry.
What pained Li the most was that although Lin Yuqiao was already fifteen after the New Year, she was still too young. Generally, noble ladies of the Great Qin Dynasty got married at the age of sixteen, but Lin Yuqiao was rushing to get married as soon as she reached the age of marriage.
Li was afraid that she was too young and her temperament was too unruly, so she decided to keep her away from her.
Despite these concerns, Lady Li was still grateful to Prince Huaiyang for standing up for her at this crucial moment. Sending Lin Yuqiao to his residence as a concubine would undoubtedly put Prince Huaiyang under considerable pressure; the first hurdle, getting past his wife, would be difficult.
Lin Yuqiao is the legitimate daughter of a marquis, while the Princess Consort of Huaiyang comes from the Wang clan of Nanyang. The two are practically equal, and if one had to choose, Lin Yuqiao might even be slightly better than the Princess Consort. With such a good background and beautiful appearance, it's easy to imagine that someone like that entering the household would inevitably become a major threat to the Princess Consort.
Since the Prince of Huaiyang is risking his own family's peace to help them, they should know how to be content and grateful.
Therefore, fearing that Lin Yuqiao might not know how to back down and would cause trouble in the Huaiyang Prince's Mansion, Madam Li reminded and nagged her every day before her marriage, deeply afraid that her daughter would suffer because of this.
"A husband always hopes that the woman beside him is gentle and virtuous. Once you enter the household, you must lower your head. It's not a grievance for you to lower your head first, but it's not dignified if someone else forces you to."
Lin Yuqiao lay on the table next to Li Shi, listening to her mother's earnest lecture, her hands supporting her cheeks, looking somewhat lazy.
Since learning that she was going to become a concubine in the Prince of Huaiyang's mansion, Lin Yucheng sent her a letter from afar, along with many local products from Yanzhou to add to her dowry.
In his letter, Lin Yucheng wrote about everything he knew about the Prince of Huaiyang, offered words of comfort, and assured Lin Yuqiao that he, as her older brother, would do his best to serve the Prince of Huaiyang and ensure that she would have someone to rely on in the Prince's residence.
Upon seeing the letter, Lin Yuqiao felt both heartened and relieved, realizing that Lin Yucheng was now hopelessly entangled in the Prince of Huaiyang's mess because of her. The worst part was that the novel she'd read in her past life ended too early; the emperor hadn't even been replaced yet.
What worries Lin Yuqiao most now is not what she will face as a concubine, but that things have long since moved beyond the timeline of the original novel, and neither she nor Li Shi know who will be the ultimate winner.
If the Crown Prince ultimately prevails, Lin Yuqi, with her mediocre abilities, might not gain favor, but the Prince of Huaiyang has a great reputation and considerable power; the new emperor won't let him off easily. If she implicates Lin Yucheng and the Li family, how can she face these loving relatives?
With a sigh, Li was a typical domestic woman who wouldn't think about these political issues; she could only keep them to herself.
Time flies, and before we knew it, it was time for our wedding.
Lin Yuqiao felt a little uneasy, after all, her life's destiny had been decided so easily.
From the moment she was born, she had her mother's protection and her brother's love. Although her father was biased, he never mistreated her. Now, she was about to embark on a new chapter in her life, and no one would be there to protect her like Li Shi had, shielding her from all the storms of life.
From now on, she will have to fight for everything she wants. If she wants her husband's favor and affection, she will have to snatch it from other women. Not only will she have to protect herself and strive to survive in the inner palace, but she will also have to protect her child like Madam Li did, and raise him to be a good son despite being born out of wedlock.
On the eve of her wedding, Lin Yuqiao leaned against her mother's chest, smelling the familiar scent on Li Shi's body, and cried her heart out one last time.
After she finished crying, she had no right to shed any more tears. The backyard of the Prince of Huaiyang's mansion would become the battlefield for the rest of her life.
At the hour of Chou (1-3 AM), Li woke Lin Yuqiao up to perform a facial massage and comb her hair.
"One comb to the end; two combs and the girl's white hair reaches her eyebrows; three combs and the girl has many children and grandchildren; four combs and the old man has good luck and meets a noble person on the way; five combs and the five sons pass the imperial examination and come to join the family, five silver bamboo shoots and a hundred kinds of good things."
The invited nun Quanfu combed Lin Yuqiao's hair, and Li's tears kept flowing down her face.
Her daughter was about to get married, but her mind was filled with memories of the past.
Lin Yuqiao lay in a bright red swaddling cloth, blowing bubbles and smiling at her. When she was learning to walk, she stumbled and rushed into her arms. She clearly called out "Mother" for the first time. When she was three years old, she picked a flower from the garden and gave it to her. When she was six years old, she went out of the mansion to see the lanterns for the first time. When she came back, she happily ran around her with a rabbit lantern...
"My Qiao'er!" Madam Li watched as Lin Yuqiao, dressed in a pomegranate-red wedding gown, kowtowed to her. She pulled her into her arms, wishing her daughter were still a babbling baby, so she could hold her in her arms forever and shield her from the wind and rain.
"Madam, don't be sad. If Qiao Jie cries, her makeup will be ruined. It's a joyous day, so don't miss the auspicious time."
The ladies who came to help persuaded Madam Li to pull Lin Yuqiao out of her arms and have her older brother, Lin Yuqi, carry her into the bridal sedan chair.
As the bridal sedan chair swayed along the way, Lin Yuqiao wiped away her tears and slowly calmed herself down.
There was no groom to greet the bride, and even the main gate of the Huaiyang Prince's Mansion was not opened. The bride, who entered the mansion through the side gate, was directly helped to the side courtyard by the matchmaker.
Although the princess had specially arranged for Lin Yuqiao to live in the largest side courtyard of the mansion because of her high social standing, it was not on the central axis of the mansion. Even though her head was covered and she couldn't see clearly, Lin Yuqiao could still sense it.
In the bridal chamber, she once again deeply felt the lowliness of a concubine. Not only was there no bright red wedding dress and no wedding banquet attended by the entire clan, no dragon and phoenix candles and no wedding wine, but there weren't even any relatives to watch the festivities, because she was not entitled to it.
Quietly following the wedding attendant's instructions, Lin Yuqiao sat on the bright red wedding bed, her heart unusually calm. She needed to plan her future path.
According to Lin Yucheng's letter, the Prince of Huaiyang was an ambitious man who wielded considerable influence in court. He was a deep thinker, cautious and self-disciplined, skilled at winning people's hearts, and devoted to virtuous men rather than women. He was very kind to his subordinates and never hesitated to go to great lengths to bestow favors upon them.
The inner courtyard of the mansion was also peaceful. Besides the virtuous princess, the Prince of Huaiyang also deserves credit for managing all his wives and concubines effortlessly. This is why he dared to bring Lin Yuqiao into the mansion; he was confident that he could handle the issue of wives and concubines.
Lin Yuqiao felt that such a person must be a macho man at heart, with ambitions for the court and worldly affairs, and only interested in women for amusement. Therefore, she probably wouldn't have high expectations; being considerate and gentle would be best, making things easier. Judging from the information about the inner quarters that Li had given her, Wang and Concubine Jiang did indeed belong to this type.
So, if Lin Yuqiao wants to stand out in the Prince of Huaiyang's mansion, she needs to strive to be different and leave a mark on his heart, but she also needs to maintain a proper balance and not go overboard.
Liu Heng, the Prince of Huaiyang, is the same age as Lin Yuqiao's elder brother, Lin Yuqi, but is twelve years older than Lin Yuqiao. Although he is only twenty-seven, in the prime of his life, in ancient times, as a man approaching thirty with power, he had seen all sorts of situations and received all sorts of favors from beautiful women. Moreover, Liu Heng was not lustful at all.
Lin Yuqiao knew that she was just a young girl, and anyone could see through her tricks at a glance; the two of them were simply not on the same level. Rather than embarrass herself, she decided to try a different approach.
As she was thinking, she didn't realize that it was already completely dark outside. Hearing the greetings coming from outside, Lin Yuqiao's heart couldn't help but tighten.
Lin Yucheng told her everything except what the Prince of Huaiyang looked like. According to what Li Shi had learned, the Prince of Huaiyang was said to have the demeanor of a gentleman, so he must be a kind-looking man, and perhaps a bit chubby.
Lost in aimless daydreams, Lin Yuqiao even considered the possibility that the Prince of Huaiyang might be a fat man with a big belly and a greasy face.
As the footsteps faded into the distance, Lin Yuqiao held her breath in nervousness. The instant the veil was lifted, she saw the true face of the Prince of Huaiyang.
Contrary to expectations, Liu Heng, the Prince of Huaiyang, was a young and handsome man with an upright posture and an imposing presence. He was slender, with fair skin and deep-set features.
Her eyebrows were as black as ink, which made her eyes appear as bright as black whirlpools, constantly drawing people in.
Lin Yuqiao stared, a little stunned. Her red lips parted slightly, and her almond-shaped eyes, full of water, were wide open. Paired with her slightly flushed face, she looked innocent and childlike, appearing even younger than she actually was.
"Your Highness is very handsome."
Now, the phrase "Life is always full of surprises" keeps echoing in Lin Yuqiao's mind. The title of concubine has become a fact, and there's no use in wallowing in self-pity. She can only boldly move forward and win the present.
Hearing Lin Yuqiao's somewhat childish words, Liu Heng felt that she was even more naive and immature.
However, Lin Yuqiao's smile was very bright, with shallow dimples appearing and disappearing at the corners of her mouth. Liu Heng saw this and felt great, feeling that all the effort he had put in to bring her into the household was worthwhile.
He couldn't resist gently touching the slightly mischievous dimple with his finger. To his surprise, it was soft and delicate to the touch, as smooth as a flower petal dripping with morning dew, which stirred his heart.
Lin Yuqiao pouted, looking at him with confusion after being suddenly poked.
Looking at her expressive face, Liu Heng found her incredibly delicate and adorable, and reached out to touch her face again.
"I already complimented Your Highness on your good looks, why didn't you return the compliment?" The person who was taking advantage of him glanced at him, seemingly disgusted by his lack of manners.
Lin Yuqiao felt that the best way to get along with someone like Liu Heng was to say what she meant and express herself.
"What gift should we return?" Liu Heng raised an eyebrow, finding it quite interesting, and asked.
"The prince didn't compliment my looks! Am I not beautiful?"
"Haha." Liu Heng couldn't help but laugh, deliberately pinching Lin Yuqiao's chin and looking her over.
"It's alright."
Huh? She's just okay! Lin Yuqiao stared wide-eyed at Liu Heng, as if to say, "Are you kidding me?"
In fact, Liu Heng had heard that Lin Yuqiao was exceptionally beautiful before, and seeing her today, she was indeed as beautiful as rumored. However, she was still young and had a childlike quality, so she wasn't quite stunning.
"I've never seen a girl prettier than me!"
Liu Heng held her in his arms, looking at her proud yet endearing expression, like a little pet, so he continued to tease her.
"You haven't seen it, but I have."
When Lin Yuqiao came to her senses, she realized that she was already in Liu Heng's arms without even noticing.
Although they had only just met, Lin Yuqiao already sensed the other person's charm. He was approachable and warm, with no sense of distance whatsoever, making it easy to lower one's guard and making him a very easy person to get along with. It seemed that if he wanted to, he could quickly become familiar and close to anyone.
"I've also seen people who are more handsome than the prince. My second brother is more handsome than the prince."
Lin Yuqiao still muttered defiantly, but her words sounded a little guilty. Lin Yucheng had a handsome yet sharp look, while Liu Heng was gentle and refined, like spring orchids and autumn chrysanthemums, each with their own unique characteristics; the two were evenly matched.
Liu Heng wasn't particularly competitive when it came to looks, so he just smiled and let it go after hearing Lin Yuqiao's words.
"Are you hungry? Have something to eat."
Liu Heng had dinner brought to him and sat opposite Lin Yuqiao, eating a little as well.
As soon as she picked up her chopsticks, Liu Heng saw that she didn't hesitate at all, picking out her favorite foods and putting them into her bowl, swallowing them bite by bite, looking like she had a great appetite. Although it wasn't unseemly, the way she ate, like a little squirrel, was quite novel to Liu Heng.
"I haven't eaten anything all day, I'm starving."
Feeling Liu Heng's scrutinizing gaze, Lin Yuqiao was a little embarrassed and angry, but she still didn't stop eating.
Just as Lin Yuqiao was forming her initial impression of Liu Heng, Liu Heng was also making his own judgment about her.
She has an innocent and childlike nature. Whether it's the princess or any other woman, they are all shy and gentle when they are by his side, but she is straightforward and natural, and just now she even dared to glare at him.
Did you decide that you wouldn't hold it against her, or did you think you would be more tolerant of her because of Lin Yucheng?
However, her thinking was indeed correct. Liu Heng was quite tolerant of the women around him. As long as they didn't cross his bottom line, he wouldn't get angry.
He just hoped that Lin Yuqiao was smart, so that he would spoil her a little more for Lin Yucheng's sake.
Lin Yuqiao ate until she was about 70% full before putting down her chopsticks; she had been starving all day. Compared to her good appetite, Liu Heng only took a few bites and then stopped, making her seem as hearty and straightforward as a man.
"Isn't Your Highness hungry? No wonder you're so thin if you don't eat properly."
Holding her teacup, Lin Yuqiao secretly thought Liu Heng was too thin; he probably wouldn't have any abs. She hoped he wasn't just good-looking; what if he was all show and no substance? That would be a tragedy for her.
Liu Heng was unaware of Lin Yuqiao's hidden thoughts, nor did he expect that Lin Yuqiao would think so far ahead. He just found it amusing.
"You're the one who ate like a little pig."
"No pig is as good-looking as me."
Seeing Lin Yuqiao showing off her looks again, Liu Heng pulled her over and sat her in his lap. He brushed his lips against her cheek, moved to her ear, and whispered teasingly, "Yes, you really are a pretty little pig."
The person being teased felt their ears burning hot, as if they were about to be scalded. Smelling the faint scent of incense on the other person, Lin Yuqiao didn't know where to put her arms. Her heart was pounding unusually loud, and she felt that Liu Heng must have heard it.
Although she had seen everything in modern times, she was still a virgin. Thinking about the upcoming grand wedding night and the set of "Happy Buddha" that Li had kept hidden away for her, Lin Yuqiao felt her whole body stiffen.
Sensing her discomfort, Liu Heng noticed it was getting late and released her to wash up and prepare for bed.
Emerging from the water, Lin Yuqiao applied rose-scented lotion to her body as usual. This was a recipe given to her by Granny Jiang, using extracted petal juice as the main ingredient, which both moisturized the skin and added fragrance when applied to the body.
After changing into a light red mandarin duck bodice and a thin nightgown, Lin Yuqiao touched her chest, took a deep breath, and then went out.
He lifted the timid, bunny-like girl standing before him onto the bed and buried his face in the crook of her neck, taking a deep breath.
"It smells so good." His voice sounded a little hoarse.
Liu Heng tore open Lin Yuqiao's nightgown to reveal her bodice, and began kissing her from her neck down. Lin Yuqiao's skin was so delicate, appearing even whiter under the light red bodice, leaving a trail of clear kiss marks with his movements.
The skin beneath him smelled not only of roses but also a faint scent of milk. Liu Heng's Adam's apple bobbed slightly, and he ripped off her last layer of clothing. The naked woman lying beneath him was like a young animal, tender and soft, making him want to bite her and swallow her whole.
Lin Yuqiao's arm slipped under Liu Heng's armpit, crossed over his back, and she took the initiative to kiss his lips. At first, she slowly sucked and ground, and when she got the chance, her little tongue skillfully darted into his lips and teeth, disregarding any rules and rushing in recklessly.
From the very first woman he'd been with, he'd always gotten straight to the point. Liu Heng, who had never kissed before, was a little surprised. Before he could react, her tongue was already inside him, the tip brushing against his teeth, teasing his own. He held her soft, playful tongue in his mouth, biting it lightly as if to punish her, then, just as she was about to pull away, he reluctantly followed, chasing after her and clinging to her territory.
One night, the mandarin ducks intertwined their necks, tender and affectionate, needless to say.
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