Chapter 1 My husband, you're back
North of Bianxi, the Jiang residence.
"Why are you back today? I thought my precious daughter, whom I raised with such care, only recognized that aloof, pretentious, and utterly hypocritical Crown Prince husband!"
A ruddy-faced, energetic man, puffing out his beard and with a stern expression, deliberately turned away from the woman beside him who was smiling sweetly and trying to please him.
The middle-aged man had dark, rough skin, and his furrowed brows and glaring eyes exuded a powerful and authoritative aura.
Although his body was turned to the side, his eyes kept falling on the woman, filled with concern and deep worry.
The woman's black hair was piled high, adorned with one or two white jade and light blue hairpins. A crimson silk ribbon was threaded through her black hair, and rare white translucent jade stones were also worn on her earlobes, highlighting her esteemed status.
Upon hearing this, Jiang Shuifu smiled. Her round almond eyes lifted slightly, revealing a fox-like allure. A pinkish-red bead bloomed between her cherry lips, making her look extremely lively and radiant.
Such a beautiful face should be adorned with heavy makeup, but she wore only a light touch of powder, her face was clean and fair, greatly reducing her seductive aura and adding a touch of dignified elegance.
"Father, please don't say that about him. My husband is just a little mild-mannered, but he's a good person. He's always thinking of you!"
Jiang Shuifu took out a sandalwood square box, and as soon as she opened it, a fragrant aroma of herbs wafted out.
"He knows that your knee has been hurting on one side, so he took time out of his busy schedule to send someone from the border to bring back a rare medicine. You should try it."
Upon hearing this, Pan Tao, the maidservant with her hair styled in a round bun to one side of Jiang Shuifu, immediately pouted in dissatisfaction, muttered a few words under her breath, and finally rolled her eyes slightly.
Jiang Sheng's expression did not soften; he simply sighed inwardly.
"Fu'er, why does it have to be him?"
Jiang Shuifu's initially joyful gaze dimmed for a moment, but quickly returned to normal.
She knew she couldn't fool her father.
Her husband, the Crown Prince, was a man of great achievements and accomplishments during his reign, and was deeply loved by the people.
Driven by a sense of responsibility, he devoted all his energy to national affairs; how could he have time to care about such matters?
Moreover, there was quite a bit of discord between her father and husband; the two were always at odds.
More accurately, it was Father who had always disliked Husband, and in the past he would only secretly scoff at him.
But ever since Jiang Shuifu fell in love with Shen Jizhao at first sight five years ago and said in front of everyone, "The Crown Prince is very handsome, and we are a perfect match," Jiang Sheng not only flew into a rage for the first time at the hands of his beloved daughter, but also punished her by making her kneel in the ancestral hall for three whole days.
Moreover, he made no attempt to hide his hostility towards Shen Jizhao, criticizing him almost every day for a period of time, his eyes seeming to be able to cut people.
This continued until the Emperor bestowed a marriage upon them.
After Jiang Shuifu married Shen Jizhao, Jiang Sheng gradually changed his attitude. He kept most of his displeasure to himself, but when he saw him, his face was still ashen.
Jiang Shuifu put on a coquettish expression, showing some of the lively demeanor of a young lady from her boudoir.
“Father, although my husband is cold-hearted and not very considerate, I am very happy now. Even if I don’t see him, just thinking about him makes me happy.”
Jiang Sheng shook his head. There was nothing he could do. He didn't know who his daughter had taken after; she wouldn't turn back until she hit a brick wall.
He initially thought she was just having a fleeting interest, but he never expected that she would cry so much over the slightest bump, and that she would kneel for three whole days with tears that could drown the people in the City God Temple.
He was still reeling from the shock of that moment. His Fu'er had awakened to the power of love, and he was already reluctant to marry her off. What's more, she had chosen the most heartless man in the world.
But now that things have developed to this point, he can do nothing but sigh and feel sorry for the situation.
Jiang Sheng's anger subsided. He smiled and pulled his daughter, whom he hadn't seen in a long time, around, showing her his left and right sides and asking her how she was doing. The atmosphere was very harmonious.
Time flies, and Jiang Shuifu glanced at Xiang subconsciously, instantly panicking, but her eyes held a lot more smile.
"Father, my husband is returning to the capital tomorrow, and I need to go back to prepare. Please remember to apply this medicine..."
Jiang Sheng got angry as soon as he saw his daughter stammering and looking shy.
"Alright, let's go! That scoundrel keeps calling me 'husband,' he's really lucky! If he doesn't appreciate it, I'll break his legs sooner or later!"
"Master is wise! Master is mighty!"
Jiang Shuifu was amused. In her father's and Pan Tao's eyes, she would always be the best.
She thought about it again and realized that breaking her leg was still a possibility, since her father had a lot of power.
But Father wouldn't, not because he feared imperial power, but because of her.
Although her father didn't say it, Jiang Shuifu knew in her heart that it was because of her that he had restrained his hostility towards Shen Jizhao.
He was afraid that Shen Jizhao would be angry and take it out on her.
"If you are unhappy, your father will come back to you anytime."
Before leaving, Jiang Shuifu heard Jiang Sheng's words and tears welled up in her eyes, but ultimately did not fall.
She is no longer the little girl who would shed tears at the slightest breeze.
She married the only man she had ever had romantic feelings for. Now she was his wife, and she had to learn to be a qualified Crown Princess and solve his problems in the inner quarters.
Seeing her young mistress's expression, where she couldn't even shed a tear, Pan Tao puffed up her cheeks again.
*
The Eastern Palace has been busy since it learned ten days ago that the Crown Prince was about to return to court.
Jiang Shuifu was overjoyed and ordered the palace servants to clean every garden spotless, inside and out. Except for the study, no one was allowed to enter that place without Shen Jizhao's permission.
She was too.
Jiang Shuifu glanced at the study as she passed by and then left.
One night, she went in to bring him soup without his permission. Although he did not show obvious anger, he later sent her to study etiquette and manners with the most authoritative tutor in the palace, Granny Kong.
She had been married to him for two years and had also been learning the proper etiquette for two years.
Jiang Zhou learned everything from the initial etiquette and manners to tea brewing, flower arranging, and the management of the staff in the Eastern Palace.
She is still studying and needs to consult with Granny Kong every month on the 20th.
However, she didn't go last month because Shen Jizhao was coming back, and she took leave specifically to have enough time to welcome him home.
According to the latest news from Kunning Palace, Shen Jizhao will arrive in less than three hours.
Jiang Shuifu smiled again and quickened her pace to go to the kitchen.
"Your Highness, these fish have been raised for a long time, and they are fed with river shrimp every day as instructed. Their meat must be tender and fresh. They were just caught from the lake. The lotus seedpod fish dumplings made from them will surely be a favorite of the Crown Prince."
Jiang Shuifu nodded, "But in the end, we need to replace the honey with chopped chili oil powder. We need to warm ourselves up after staying in this cold place for so long."
The palace maids received the imperial decree.
Jiang Shuifu then turned her attention to another dish, a hot pot with civet cat meat. The cook stepped forward to report:
"The civets that our servants selected are the ones that jump the most merrily in the forest. Their texture is not only tender but also firm and quite elastic."
Jiang Shuifu waited quietly for her to finish speaking, then pointed out some precautions to them, implying that they should make their dishes more intense.
The royal family's preferences should not be known to outsiders.
Therefore, Shen Jizhao's love for spicy food is not something that is openly acknowledged, but rather something she has observed and figured out over the years since her marriage.
Royal dining had many rules; a dish could not be touched more than three times.
And every time he asked someone to serve him food, he would always give them a little more spicy food than usual. Although it wasn't so much that it aroused suspicion, she still found out.
She was very happy, but only she knew it.
It felt as if she had a secret that belonged only to the two of them.
After the palace servants finished reporting their tasks, Jiang Shuifu checked the dishes one by one. Even though there were no mistakes, she still put on a show of authority and gave them a few pointers.
This is the way of managing subordinates, taught by the nanny, and also learned from Shen Jizhao.
"Let's add a few light soups last."
Jiang Shuifu thought that eating spicy food would eventually irritate her stomach, so she should have some soup to soothe it.
As she left, Pan Tao deliberately sneered at these snobbish maids. Back when her mistress had just become the Crown Princess, she couldn't even get a snack at night because of the Crown Prince's indifference.
Fortunately, although the Crown Prince was cold-hearted, he was extremely strict about rules and regulations. After learning about the incident, he immediately punished the palace servants involved.
During that period, the entire Eastern Palace was shrouded in a dark cloud. From then on, this vast Eastern Palace truly had a new mistress.
The act of giving one's legal wife dignity and respect is often confused with a husband's love and affection for her, making it difficult to distinguish.
Jiang Shuifu was overflowing with sweetness, which further strengthened her belief that things would only get better for her and him.
Jiang Shuifu looked up at the sky and saw that the sunset was about to end. She quickly rushed back to her dormitory to change her clothes and touch up her makeup.
The peaches couldn't keep up, so they reminded him from behind.
"Your Highness, slow down, watch your step!"
Jiang Shuifu wouldn't listen to any of this, and the demeanor she usually maintained because of her status was completely gone.
She turned around and called to the peaches to hurry up, her eyes crinkling with a bright smile, like the most vibrant peony in a flower forest.
Her youthful beauty was dazzling and striking, yet her eyes were clear and bright, pure and gentle, her beauty devoid of any aggression.
In that instant, the peach seemed to see a young lady before she was married, lively, spirited, and full of energy.
It perfectly matches her restless face.
"Crown Princess, would you like to wear the simple, natural Qingyun makeup again?"
"No, today I'll use snail-shaped ink to carefully outline my eyebrows, and I'll use a brighter lip rouge, and add a few dots of rouge to my face."
Pan Tao worked quickly and finished her makeup in no time.
Jiang Shuifu was already stunningly beautiful, and now with a layer of rouge, although it wasn't a bright color, her whole demeanor was no longer the usual elegant one, but rather subtly exuded a charming allure.
Looking at the radiant beauty in the mirror, Jiang Shuifu felt a little worried. Was such an outfit inappropriate?
She hesitated for a few moments, but ultimately followed her heart.
They say absence makes the heart grow fonder, so she should at least dress up nicely.
Moreover, today is the first day of the lunar month, the day they will share a room together.
After Jiang Shuifu finished dressing up, she took out a set of bright red men's sleeping clothes. One of the things that Granny Kong taught her was needlework. People who couldn't even hold a needle and thread properly before can now make a whole set of clothes.
She carefully ran her hand over the python pattern, checking again and again for any uneven embroidery.
The peach interrupted her:
"Your Highness, stop looking! This serpent is so lifelike, it's practically flying out! Only someone with no eyes wouldn't like it!"
Jiang Shuifu smiled shyly and subconsciously touched the glass jade bracelet on her hand.
It has almost become a habit for her; whenever she is happy, joyful, or frustrated and nervous, she will touch it.
As darkness fell, Jiang Shuifu sat upright on the mat, but her eyes kept darting around. At the slightest sound of footsteps, she would open her eyes wide and crane her neck to look outside.
After a long time, her eyes were still full of hope.
Finally, a figure burst into the main hall.
Jiang Shuifu was overjoyed and immediately stood up, ready to greet him, but a clear voice stopped her.
"This servant, Qiu Mei, has come on the orders of Her Majesty the Empress to inform the Crown Princess that the Crown Prince is currently in Kunning Palace."
There was no need to guess; Jiang Shuifu knew that Shen Jizhao was a filial son who valued rules and regulations, and would definitely go to his mother first.
Jiang Shuifu asked Qiu Mei to get up. Qiu Mei was the head maid of the Empress Dowager. In the past few months, whenever news of the Crown Prince was sent back to the inner palace, she was the first to relay it to the Eastern Palace.
Jiang Shuifu couldn't wait to ask a few more questions, so Qiu Mei chimed in:
"The Crown Prince said that he has not been able to pay his respects to the Empress for three months since we parted, so he will not be back for dinner today. He invites the Crown Princess to come to Kunning Palace with him."
The light in Jiang Shuifu's eyes froze for a second, then she nodded.
It is only right that she dine with her mother first; it was her oversight.
However, Shen Jizhao never mentioned his whereabouts to her. He even learned about his return to court today from his mother. Why would he make a special trip to invite her for such a trivial matter as a meal?
I'm afraid it's still the Empress Dowager's idea.
But if we go so late, too many people will disturb the Empress Dowager's peace and quiet, and the Empress Dowager has not been feeling well lately.
Qiu Mei was very discreet and never looked up to peek at anything. Pan Tao's cheeks were bulging, and she felt sorry for the Crown Princess.
Jiang Shuifu smiled gently and declined, then inquired about the Empress's health before handing the sachet for sleep, which she had just prepared at noon, to Qiu Mei.
"I remember this sachet was hung outside the Empress Dowager's curtain; it might be a bit too strong if you get too close."
The Empress treated her very well, and she genuinely regarded her as her own mother, serving her with all her heart.
She then looked down at the dishes on the table.
These are all his favorite foods.
It wasn't really to her taste.
After finishing her meal, Jiang Shuifu mustered her energy to take a bath. She carefully wiped her body until it was red all over.
She had a little scheme in mind. Knowing that Shen Jizhao didn't like strong fragrances, she applied a light rose pink lotion, and after a long time, her body began to exude a sweet and refreshing scent.
She was very satisfied.
Jiang Shuifu waited and waited, pacing around the dormitory, and before she knew it, she had rolled onto the bed and closed her eyes.
While she was fast asleep, a completely different and long-lost, refreshing fragrance of moon unicorns forcefully entered her nose.
"Husband? You're back?"
A note from the author:
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Pre-orders are here!
A confident, adorable, and stunningly beautiful woman meets a cold-hearted, ruthless, and heartless man.
Everyone says that Qiao Yinyao can use witchcraft to bewitch the handsome and virtuous Fu Zhou, making him so infatuated that a skinny girl like her could actually marry the prince.
Qiao Yinyao was very satisfied with her fiancé. He was handsome, had a pleasant voice, and treated her well. Everyone else said that he was just pretending and wouldn't really like her.
She shook her head, disbelieving; she only believed his words.
She had been looking forward to a happy wedding, but what awaited her was a scene of corpses strewn across the land, filled with wails and cries of blood.
Clad in a jet-black robe trimmed with gold, he stood high above, the howling wind whipping the sharp edges of the garments into a menacing grimace. He listened calmly to the threatening words:
"Your woman, or your throne, which do you want?"
Qiao Yinyao wasn't flustered at all, even though there was a bloody mark on her neck, because he would save her.
Fu Zhoujing picked up the bow and arrow, slowly drew it back, and hit the target with a single shot. His cold laughter rang out.
"I don't want any of them!"
Only then did she realize that he had only used her as a shield, a way to die in his place.
-
Fu Zhoujing had a handsome face, but a cruel and ruthless nature. He was ambitious and unscrupulous, climbing to the top by stepping on his own brothers.
He met a woman by chance who was perfect as his bargaining chip.
He doted on her and loved her.
Once the deed was done, she was no longer of any use, and he stopped pretending.
"If you obey, I will give you a place to stay."
But it's just a title; child, she doesn't deserve it.
Qiao Yinyao recognized his face and, under his mocking and disdainful gaze, turned and threw herself into Fu Youyin's arms.
This was the first time in Fu Youyin's life that he had met such a foolish woman, and he disregarded her girlish thoughts.
But unexpectedly, she turned out to be his sister-in-law.
He got interested; he was about to start snatching it!
Fu Zhoujing, having achieved his goal, firmly secured his position as crown prince, but his heart was filled with extreme turmoil. She was actually going to remarry! And to his younger brother no less!
On their wedding day, he, dressed in red, lifted her veil:
"I told you I would give you a home, you can't refuse!"
Qiao Yinyao slapped him twice hard, "Get out of here!"
Consumption Guide:
* Warning: Brothers vying for supremacy.
The second male lead has a lot of screen time and is a yandere (obsessive/obsessive) character.
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