Chapter 1 The Wedding, A Beauty Like a Painting
In an exquisite and elegant boudoir, a young woman dressed in a magnificent wedding gown sat facing a mirror, her bright and pretty face radiating a gentle smile.
The girl's mother was doing her hair and makeup. Looking at her daughter, she felt both gratified and heartbroken. Her daughter, whom she had raised for so long, was about to get married. She couldn't help but tear up. "I originally wanted to keep you for two more years, but I never expected that the imperial decree for your marriage would be issued just as you came of age."
Jiang Fenghua comforted her, "Your daughter is marrying into the royal family to become a princess. She will be rich and powerful, living a life of luxury and ease. Your life will definitely be good. Mother, you don't need to worry. Your daughter will be fine."
"Yes, yes, my daughter is truly blessed. Among so many noble ladies, Her Majesty the Empress chose you at first sight to be the Princess Consort of Prince Heng. He is Her Majesty the Empress's own son, and Her Majesty likes you so much, she will certainly not neglect you in the future." Feng Jingyuan wept with joy, thinking of Prince Heng's handsome appearance, overflowing talent, and illustrious power. Her daughter was stunningly beautiful, proficient in all the arts, and the Jiang family's scholarly background was a perfect match for Prince Heng.
“Mother is right,” Jiang Fenghua replied obediently.
Feng Jingyuan's sorrow turned to joy, and she carefully instructed, "Ruan Ruan, you are the apple of your parents' eye at home, and we naturally treat you like a precious jewel. But now you are getting married. Marrying is not the same as being at home. A woman's marriage means entering a new family. Marrying into the royal family is even more different from marrying into an ordinary family. From now on, you must be sensible, observe etiquette, do everything yourself, be obedient and dutiful, be a good wife and mother, and be filial to your parents-in-law..."
"Daughter understands." Jiang Fenghua hugged her mother, her eyes cold and indifferent. The imperial favor was nothing but empty words, the most heartless of all.
In her previous life, she was always mindful of etiquette, personally attended to everything, kept to her own standards, and devoted herself to serving her mother-in-law, even going so far as to flatter and obey her. She was the most virtuous and obedient of all the princesses.
Unfortunately, her gentleness, obedience, and understanding did not earn her husband's affection, but only his indifference and coldness. Her mother-in-law's kindness towards her was also fake. She was chosen as the Princess Consort of Heng only because her father was considered a breath of fresh air in the court, which would help dispel the emperor's suspicions about the Prince of Heng. Once she was no longer of use, she would be kicked aside.
In the end, when Prince Heng ascended the throne, he made his concubine Su Tingwan his empress, but she was only given the title of virtuous consort because she had given birth to two children.
What's even more ridiculous is that he and she consummated their marriage only because of the effects of the drug. Otherwise, he would never have wanted to touch her for the rest of his life. Unable to gain her husband's love and being neglected and disliked by him, her life in the Prince Heng's mansion was not easy.
She thought that God had been kind to her, as she became pregnant with the emperor's child on her first try. She thought that with a child, her husband would pity her for the sake of the child and at least be closer to her. But she was wrong. The birth of the child made him even more disgusted with her.
To make matters worse, her marital relationship was strained, and her two children began to dislike her and were even unwilling to be close to their biological mother. Her biggest regret was that she had never been able to raise her two children well. In the end, she died of depression at the young age of thirty-five.
Perhaps out of divine mercy, she was reborn back to the age of five. For the past ten years, she has stayed indoors, diligently improving herself in preparation for the imperial decree to grant her marriage.
Since Xie Shang is destined to become the most noble and powerful man in the world, she will not give up the right to offer herself up. Similarly, she will use his power to become the most noble woman in the world. She will never give up again in this life, nor will she give Su Tingwan another chance. No matter what means she uses, she will surely rise to become the empress.
Today, Shengjing City is bustling with activity, and the streets are filled with the sounds of gongs and drums.
The Emperor bestowed a marriage upon Jiang Fenghua, the second daughter of the Jiang family, to Prince Heng, Xie Shang, as his princess consort. The Ministry of Rites was instructed to handle the wedding arrangements. The grand wedding procession arrived at the Jiang residence, a spectacle unparalleled in Shengjing.
Jiang Fenghua, dressed in her finest attire, boarded the royal wedding sedan chair. From this day forward, she would be a royal daughter-in-law, officially recognized as the Princess Consort of Heng, the future Crown Princess, and even the Empress of Emperor Xuanzong—a position she would firmly hold onto.
The ten-mile-long procession of red bridal attire was dazzling and magnificent. The grand wedding procession, like a long dragon, headed towards the Prince Heng's mansion. Passersby stopped to watch and couldn't help but sigh at its grandeur and majesty.
She thought: Even if Xie Shang was unwilling to marry her, he would still be dressed in his wedding attire and wait obediently at the gate of the Prince's Mansion to greet her today, and the Empress would come to witness the ceremony and offer her blessings.
In this life, she will absolutely not lower herself and sit idly by to await her death.
All she knew was: If a person doesn't look out for themselves, they'll be doomed.
After an unknown amount of time, the master of ceremonies' voice, "Please, Your Highness, kick the sedan chair door," instantly pulled Jiang Fenghua back to reality. She straightened her back immediately, the gold and jade-inlaid phoenix crown making her neck ache, but she had to endure it.
She was always composed and dignified. Granny Wang from the palace had taught her manners for a month in the mansion, and everyone repeatedly told her that she must not make any mistakes on the wedding day. She just obediently nodded in agreement.
The sedan chair door opened, and the master of ceremonies placed a red silk ribbon in her hand. Immediately afterwards, a fair hand with distinct knuckles reached in. She gently touched it with her jade-like fingers and felt that his fingertips were icy cold. His aura also gave her a cold and aloof feeling that kept strangers away. In her previous life, she was so immersed in joy that she did not notice this at all. Now she finally understood that it was not that he was cold-blooded, but that his body was instinctively resisting her touch. However, she did not care.
Prince Heng, dressed in a magnificent wedding gown, walked steadily ahead of her. Jiang Fenghua, supported by her maid, also walked slowly forward. She paid no attention to the noise of the guests around her, focusing only on her embroidered shoes.
Just as she stepped over the brazier, her embroidered shoes landed on Xie Shang's wedding robe. He stumbled, and the red silk in his hand slipped into the brazier and instantly caught fire. The flames then spread along the red silk in Jiang Ruan's hand. Everyone instinctively dodged. Jiang Fenghua was terrified when she saw the flames on the red silk. In her panic, she seemed to grab onto something and lunged straight toward the brazier.
At the same moment, Xie Shang instinctively reached out and caught her by the waist, feeling that her waist was slender and soft.
Jiang Fenghua threw herself into his chest without hesitation, pressing herself tightly against him. Then her wedding dress fell into the fire. Xie Shang watched as he spun her around and picked her up. He didn't intend to get close to her, but he couldn't bear to watch her die. In front of everyone, he couldn't possibly push her away without any manners.
Unexpectedly, Jiang Fenghua suddenly pressed herself even closer to him, wrapping her arms around his neck as if she were extremely frightened, and a refreshing, girlish fragrance wafted into his nostrils.
He looked down and saw a stunningly beautiful face with exquisite features. Her eyebrows were like crescent moons, her eyelashes trembled slightly, and her beautiful eyes were wide open, revealing a hint of fear and unease after being startled. She was so beautiful that he felt sorry for her. Her lips were painted with rouge, like cherry blossoms in full bloom. She was truly a beauty like a painting.
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