Chapter 67 The wedding is a trap, the groom is Shen Ji...
He Beiqing had nothing to say. His beloved sword still hung at his waist. He stroked the sword incessantly, and upon closer inspection, his fingertips were turning increasingly white, as if he had exhausted all his strength, both venting and controlling something.
He has no defense whatsoever!
He betrayed her once again!
And in such a despicable way!
While she waited for her future husband to consummate their marriage!
He nodded again, turning away from her burning gaze, which was full of questioning and disappointment. He suddenly felt his back being bent little by little.
Jiang Shuifu approached him, took a step forward, and stared intently into his eyes:
"You said you'd always be there for me as long as I wanted, you said you'd help me, as long as I believed you! You said you'd marry me even if he abandoned you! You said you couldn't let me suffer, so you bought a big house and even asked me to bring my family to live with you. You even took me around like a real engaged couple to prepare for our wedding, and stayed with me through the night. Every single word you said was just your scheme! Lord He, you're truly shrewd, manipulating people's hearts with such skill. How do you feel? Are you satisfied? Happy?"
Every word she uttered was like a knife to the heart. He Beiqing felt as if a giant hand was squeezing his heart so tightly that it was about to be crushed.
His whole body was numb, as if he were frozen in place, unable to move, yet he could only utter two words:
"Feel sorry."
Jiang Shuifu didn't need his apology. She took another step forward, turning her neck to admire his feigned innocence.
"You don't need to pretend to be guilty. In order to gain his favor and ensure the continued prosperity of your He family, you not only monitored me for him but also pretended to help me. In the end, you set up a flawless trap and forced me to fall into it. These are all undeniable facts! As for an apology, have you forgotten that you said the same thing last time?"
He Beiqing's long, fan-like eyelashes fluttered, concealing his sparkling eyes, but his body remained as upright as a pine tree, exuding an air of unwavering composure. Although he felt guilty, he did not regret it.
His actions, though despicable, were entirely justified.
She was right; he really is that kind of person, lying to her time and time again!
He neither would nor dared to ask for her forgiveness!
He tried to avoid looking at her expression, but he still glanced at the woman in front of him out of the corner of his eye.
So beautiful!
She looks beautiful today!
The bride's makeup was already extraordinary, bringing out her beauty to the fullest. She was extremely beautiful and extremely shy. He had never known that a woman could be so beautiful!
Seeing that he was staring in disbelief, Jiang Shuifu turned around to show him:
"Isn't it beautiful? This wedding dress of mine! Tonight was supposed to be my wedding night, but the groom has switched the bride and groom. It doesn't matter."
Hearing her sarcasm, he knew that from this moment on, she would rather have never met him, and he would never again receive her gentle laughter, her coquettish dependence.
They became strangers from then on; this was the price he had long known.
He glanced at her again, and this time his gaze was somewhat deep. Only then did he notice that there were suddenly red marks on the corners of her eyes, which looked like they were caused by violence.
He Beiqing's heart skipped a beat: "He..."
What did he do to you?
He Beiqing originally wanted to ask this question, but he stopped himself. He had no right to ask; it was his own doing! He was the one who handed her over to him!
He could only pretend to be deaf and dumb.
Jiang Shuifu's eyes narrowed, and she questioned him again with a strong sense of pressure:
"Every time he forced his way into my room, right under his nose, you distracted him and rescued me, just to gain my trust?"
"Was each subsequent injury also a ploy to gain my trust?"
He hesitated, unsure whether to speak or not; partly for the public good, mostly for personal gain, and he was doing it willingly.
Her questions became increasingly pointed:
"So, including the traditional Chinese medicine Shen Jizhao gave us last time?"
He Beiqing's eyes narrowed instantly, and he unconsciously took a small step back. Then he stopped immediately and looked at her with shock. He was shocked by her insight, but he was also unwilling to expose the dark side that he had tried so hard to hide. After years of navigating the officialdom, he was no longer a simple young man in fine clothes and riding a spirited horse.
But since he had done it, he wouldn't deny it; he nodded.
"It's just a booster, to get you to come closer to me, but it's only a small amount of qi and blood surging medicine, it won't harm people."
It won't harm her.
He knew Shen Jizhao wouldn't hurt her, otherwise he wouldn't have done this.
She was right!
The reason Jiang Shuifu would make this guess is not only because Jiang Wanwan has said more than once that she did drug him, but not with an aphrodisiac, and that she is innocent. Everyone thought her words were just sophistry, including Jiang Shuifu herself.
But now that the deception has been exposed, and considering his actions, she has to reconsider her words.
Besides, she always had a vague feeling that Jiang Wanwan didn't have that much courage; at most, she had just bought "sleep aid" from a charlatan.
At this moment, Jiang Shuifu heard the answer and found it absurd and laughable. He had actually gone to such lengths for Shen Jizhao. However, seeing the joyful expressions filling the room, she could understand. Wasn't this all a carefully orchestrated scheme he had set up for her?
The purpose was to keep her by Shen Jizhao's side.
Since Shen Jizhao went to such great lengths to "marry" her, he didn't intend to patiently and slowly nurture her like before. If she wasn't mistaken, this small space would probably be her gilded cage for a long time to come.
He was trying to imprison her in a roundabout way.
He Beiqing opened his chest, looked directly at her, and poured out his innermost story:
“I am not just a scion of a noble family who only knows how to wield swords, drink wine, and ride horses for pleasure. I am an official, and I am also a swordsman. More than what I yearn for, I understand what I should do and what I must do.”
Jiang Shuifu nodded, without questioning his words: "I see it now, I only regret that I only see it now. If you were born into the royal family, you would probably be a formidable opponent to Shen Jizhao."
He remained silent, unsure whether to rejoice that she understood him or grieve that she saw through his shameful side. Then he raised the sword at his waist, tenderly stroking it inch by inch, his tone grave:
"Do you still remember the wound on my arm? It was from an enemy ambush while I was in the army. It stretched from my shoulder to my wrist. His Highness saved me. After the victory in that battle, His Highness saw that I couldn't hold the sword, so he personally bestowed upon me this Fire Lotus Sword, which was presented by the enemy country. The Fire Lotus Sword is fiery red all over and is as rare as a treasure. He said that no matter how rare a sword is, it is not as precious as a general who will be remembered in history. He told me to use this sword to protect my country and rebuild my spirit. But at that time, I was just an unknown nobody. Yet he was willing to encourage me in this way. I swore then that I would only be loyal to him! I will never regret it!"
His gaze froze, as if he were returning to a memory from the past, to those dark yet hopeful days of his life, before a bitter smile crept onto his face.
"You say I consider His Highness a friend, but that's not true. He is my master, and I am his subordinate, nothing more. I am willing to risk my life for him, from the bottom of my heart. Nothing in this world can compare to the word 'willing.' You can think of me as a death squad member!"
Jiang Shuifu was shocked by his affection. His loyalty to Shen Jizhao could be described as that of a loyal bodyguard. Their relationship was one of complete obedience; he obeyed orders without question or disobedience.
But she didn't entirely believe him. She tiptoed closer to his ear and blew on it.
"Really? I thought you... "
Upon hearing this, He Beiqing took a deep breath, his breathing becoming rapid, and his whole body seemed frozen, extremely stiff.
The girl's unique fragrance wafted from his ear, lingering there, and her light breath sent shivers down his spine.
He didn't back down, nor did he create distance. He stood there stunned for a long while, staring at the teasing smile on the face of the person before him. After a long pause, he uttered only three words, defining her as...
"Miss Fu!"
Miss Fu is Miss Fu, and can only be Miss Fu. He dares not even dream of her.
He Beiqing stared at her intently:
“During the Flower Festival, you shared your wish with me. My first wish was for your health and His Highness's health… Miss Fu, I sincerely hope you are well. Please give His Highness a chance. If you are still unwilling then…”
Jiang Shuifu understood the implication in her words and laughed out loud:
"So what if you don't want to? You're going to help me again? This time you helped me into his bed, where will you help me next time? Do you think I'll still believe you? Do you think I'm that stupid?"
He Beiqing lowered his eyes. It was getting late, and he shouldn't say more. He turned to leave, but before he could walk out, something hit him on the back, making his bones creak.
Jiang Shuifu scoffed dismissively, "Wait! Take your things away! I find them dirty!"
It was the spice he had given her. He Beiqing slowly picked it up. It turned out she had actually used it and even brought it to their "new home".
As he stepped out of the enchanting room, the red lanterns outside shone upon him with every step he took.
Perhaps the bright red candlelight was too dazzling, so he lowered his head and put the spice box inside his clothes. Suddenly, his chest flashed and emitted a pomegranate-like gem-like light.
He slowly reached up to his chest, inside his robe, where a woman's hairpin was hidden, burning him.
This hairpin had once deliberately scratched his sword sheath, but little did it know it could also carve his heart.
He didn't lie when he proposed to her, on the condition that, if possible, he wanted to have a proper wedding ceremony.
But he was not qualified. Just like when kneeling to worship the Flower Goddess during the Flower Festival, he couldn't even kneel down with her. That would be a desecration of her.
Not to mention today's three bows, he was just an observer from beginning to end.
His second wish was too much to ask for; he dared not be greedy.
Jiang Shuifu was the only one left in the new house. She had already finished washing up and was just waiting for Shen Jizhao to come in.
Shen Jizhao pushed open the door shortly afterward. In that instant, he was transported back to the time when they were in the East Palace, where they slept together in the same bed and were intimately close to each other in their nightgowns.
"solitary······"
She didn't seem to mind his presence, which left him speechless.
Jiang Shuifu's words were concise and to the point:
"You've achieved your goal. Now tell me, what are you going to do next? Are you planning to lock me up here and keep me like a pet? Do you want me to serve you every day?"
Shen Jizhao's veins were faintly visible again:
"All I want is for you to come back to me. What have I done wrong? You're making a scene and want to leave, so I have no choice but to resort to this method. As long as you agree, I'll let you go!"
His only response was a predictable sneer.
She refused, so he took his time, sitting down beside her. At that moment, the two of them stood shoulder to shoulder like a real couple, talking intimately.
"Do you think my nightgown looks good? I really like it, I always wear it! Would you like to take a look?"
Upon hearing this, Jiang Shuifu's eyes darkened. She glanced at it casually and thought, "Ha, it really is the nightgown that she made herself and then tore up."
"That's right, I picked it up and mended it for a long time. Fortunately, it's still wearable. I will never ruin it again, and I will not force you. I want to pursue you. All I want is a chance! Whatever you like about him, I can have too. I can change anything!"
Shen Jizhao was telling the truth. This time, He Beiqing's matter gave him an unprecedented sense of crisis. He couldn't lose her. She liked gentle and refined young men, so he would change. As long as she was by his side, she had the final say.
Jiang Shuifu breathed a barely perceptible sigh of relief. As long as he didn't touch her, she didn't care about anything else. Since she was already here, she might as well make the best of it. Since she couldn't leave, she might as well get some rest. This day had exhausted her.
"Go away, I want to sleep!"
Shen Jizhao was reluctant. He hesitated for a long time, pleading like an extremely insecure child who needed to be coaxed:
"Can I sleep with you, just sleeping peacefully, without touching you?"
He desperately needed to be close to her to ease his anxiety and the fear of losing his beloved possession.
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Author's Note: Shen Gouzi is probably the most servile among those forced into this situation, being forced while simultaneously kneeling on his knees.
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