Gifted Bride of the Sinned Prince

“Miss Hua, after the marriage with the Prince, her responsibilities will grow. Since Miss Hua lived as a commoner, she must not be aware of what an ideal royal lady is!” Lady Hong started to lecture her. Had she known that Li Hua belonged to a prestigious noble family, she would not have said this.

It was strange that Lóng Wei noticed her actions even though she refrained from following her old habits. How? That man was indeed strange. It was good that she did not need to see him until the marriage day.

Marriage day!

She sighed upon recalling Lóng Wei’s words. She agreed to marry him but forgot that he would demand sexual favors. They would become husband and wife. How would she handle that? He even refused to consider any of her rules which she wanted him to abide by.

Her heart rate increased, and every kind of thought started to appear in her head. She started to tap her foot on the floor when Lady Hong scolded her.

“Miss Hua, where is your mind? I have been calling your name. You are not supposed to do it,” Lady Hong reprimanded her.

“Lady Hong, the Sixth Prince loves me. But I do not love him,” Li Hua said, which puzzled Court Lady Hong.

“Please be specific, Miss Hua.” Her tone turned humble.

.....

“Do I need to fulfill my duties as a wife on the first day of marriage?” Li Hua clarified her question to her.

“Of course, Miss Hua. You are supposed to do it on the wedding night. After that, you will be given dates to spend the night with His Highness,” Lady Hong asserted. She said so easily that it appeared to be a big matter. However, for Li Hua, it was.

“Miss Hua, it is the duty of a woman after marriage. She is lucky to be accepted as the Sixth Prince’s wife. What if she would have been asked to become his concubine? She would not have ever been able to see His Highness’s face after the first night,” Court Lady Hong stated. She was right at her place. But Li Hua did not want such a fortunate life. She was supposed to do it with Feng Lao, who’s no more.

Lóng Wei was a good person, but he was too desperate for everything.

“Why is Miss Hua afraid? She can share her worries with me. I am here to help her only,” Court Lady Hong said humbly.

“Lady Hong, I am too scared for it. A woman shall be given a choice, no?” Li Hua asked her.

“Forgive me, Miss Hua. A woman’s duty is to serve her husband and look after her family. She must fulfill her duties at all costs,” Court Lady Hong answered.

Li Hua bit her lower lip and fidgeted with her fingers. She was troubled by the thought of her wedding night. What if she would mix a pill, which could make Lóng Wei sleep, right after he would enter the chamber.

‘Yes. I can mix a sleep-inducer pill in the wine that His Highness will drink with me,’ she thought and smiled. But the question was whom she would ask for a sleep-inducing pill. Was there someone whom she could trust in the palace?

‘Senior Brother Xiwan!’ only this name appeared in her mind. She had to meet him somehow. It was impossible to meet him in the bright daylight. Nighttime was the best time to meet him.

‘I need to meet the Senior Brother tonight. How will I go out? Senior Brother stays in the kitchen until the last meal of the servants, nearly 10 pm. Wait! I cannot meet the Sixth Prince, but I can go out and meet everyone else until today. Ah, how could I forget this?’ she smiled as she found a way to keep Lóng Wei away from him.

She had decided to find several excuses for the other nights if she would ask to spend them in Lóng Wei’s chamber. From her end, she would not be intimate with Lóng Wei and, in any way, would not betray Feng Lao.

~~~~~~

Lóng Wei reached outside the manor of the Crown Prince. As he walked on the cobblestone pavement of the courtyard, the servants lowered their heads.

“Where is the Sixth Prince heading to?” Eunuch Lishi stopped Lóng Wei from going to the Crown Prince’s chamber.

“I want to see the Crown Prince,” Lóng Wei answered.

“Forgive me, but the Crown Prince asked not to disturb him,” Eunuch Lishi said as he beamed at Lóng Wei.

“For his youngest brother, he’s always free,” Lóng Wei stated and walked past Eunuch Lishi, who quickly stood before him. He outstretched his arms, preventing Lóng Wei from going inside. Because of the Sixth Prince, Xiaoming was troubled. And Eunuch Lishi did not want him to ruin his master’s mood because of Lóng Wei.

Lóng Wei chuckled at the way Eunuch Lishi acted in front of many servants. He also decided to play with him. “Royal Father!” Lóng Wei slightly bowed his head. Eunuch Lishi got puzzled and turned his head to look. Lóng Wei got the chance. He pushed Eunuh Lishi away and ran upstairs.

“Ahhh!” Eunuch Lishi screamed upon falling to the floor. His back hurt, and a few servants ran toward him. Lóng Wei laughed and left his sight.

“Stop Prince Lóng Wei,” Eunuch Lishi shouted at the servants, who were helping him to stand up. Two of them went behind Lóng Wei, but he had already reached the Crown Prince’s main chamber.

Lóng Wei without hearing the maidservant stepped into the chamber. She went after him to stop him, but it was in vain.

Lóng Wei found Xiaoming was doing calligraphy.

“Forgive me, Your Royal Highness. I had asked the Sixth Prince to wait,” the maidservant apologized to the Crown Prince.

“You may leave,” Xiaoming said humbly. “Don’t let anyone enter anymore,” he ordered her. The maidservant bowed and stepped backward before stepping out of the chamber.

Xiaoming’s focus was still on the sheet and the brush which he had held. “Brother Lóng Wei is too desperate to see me these days,” he remarked and put the brush in the holder. He lifted his eyelids and peered at Lóng Wei.

“The Crown Prince is the one who made me desperate to see him,” Lóng Wei replied menacingly. “Why did he kill the assassin?” He directly jumped to the question.

“What does the Sixth Prince mean?” Xiaoming acted unaware.

“The Crown Prince knows well.” He advanced to the desk and bent down, placing his palms on the desk, “what I mean.”

Xiaoming smiled and asked Lóng Wei not to show him the attitude. “Since Brother Lóng Wei is here to waste my time, he must leave,” he gestured to the main door.

Lóng Wei looked down, and his eyes fell on the sheet on which Xiaoming had earlier written something.

“Only the wisest and stupidest do not change.” Lóng Wei read, and his lips twisted into a smirk. He gazed at Xiaoming. “Hasn’t these words said once by the great philosopher Confucius?”

“I am surprised that Brother Lóng Wei remembers the philosophy of Confucius,” Xiaoming affirmed.

“Which one am I, and which one are you? Shall I tell?” Lóng Wei asked him and put his finger on the word, which meant stupidest.

“This is me,” Lóng Wei stated. Xiaoming lowered his eyes to glance at it and smiled.

“In everyone’s eyes, except yours,” Lóng Wei completed his words and smirked. “The Crown Prince should not have played dirty with me. But it is good. You get stronger if you play with a person of your level,” Lóng Wei stated and dashed out of the chamber.