Gifted Bride of the Sinned Prince

“Miss Lin, here is the dress the Fourth Prince has sent,” the servant told Lin Jiao, who took the dress from her. She checked it and found the Hanfu dress was beautiful.

The peach-colored Hanfu with red flowers was imprinted on it embellished her beauty. Two long braids hung down from the temples of her forehead. She was dressed like a princess. Lin Jiao for the first time found herself pretty in that dress.

“Where is the Fourth Prince?” Lin Jiao asked. “I want to see His Highness,” she said.

“Follow me this way, Miss Lin,” the maidservant said. They both halted outside the chamber of the Fourth Prince.

There were no servants outside, so they could not ask for permission to go in. “I will check if the Fourth Prince is inside. Please wait here, Miss Lin,” the maidservant said.

“It’s fine. I can go inside. If the Fourth Prince will not be inside, I will stay there and wait for him,” Lin Jiao said.

The maidservant didn’t stop her from going in since Lin Jiao was the betrothed to Prince Mingquan and she let her walk in.

Lin Jiao stopped near the floor seating arrangement and put her hands behind her back. “Where did the Fourth Prince go?” She murmured and took a step back. She bumped into Mingquan and immediately turned to look at him.

.....

Lin Jiao’s eyes widened to see his bare chest and she raised her head to meet his gaze. Mingquan stared into her eyes with an amused look.

“Will you leave your hands from my chest?” Mingquan requested her and she withdrew her hands. He smiled to see her gestures. She had lowered her head in shyness.

“This dress is made for you,” Mingquan said as he tied the knots on his inner robe. “I knew you would look pretty after a complete dress-up,” he stated and smiled at her.

“His Highness should get ready. I will wait for him outside,” Lin Jiao said when Mingquan grasped her wrist and pulled her back. His calloused fingers rested under her chin and he lifted it.

“Stay here. I will dress up quickly,” Mingquan said. His hand slowly moved down and he took a step back before leaving her hand.

“Are the servants not helping His Highness?” Lin Jiao asked him.

“Why? Do you want to help me in dressing up?” Mingquan questioned her.

“No!” Lin Jiao refused and shook her head.

“They are in the dressing chamber. I saw you through that window,” Mingquan said and pointed his finger to their left. “I will be back soon,” he said and walked away.

Lin Jiao stood there while waiting for him to get ready. Though there was a curtain on the window, she could see Mingquan’s face. Her heart skipped a beat and she brought her hand to her chest to feel the beat.

“The Fourth Prince is a nice person,” Lin Jiao murmured and realized that she admitted it finally to herself.

~~~~~~~

Ye Xin strolled outside her house, waiting for Xiwan. The guards asked her to go in, but Ye Xin didn’t listen to them.

“He told me he would come to take me in the evening,” Ye Xin murmured and stomped her foot on the ground.

As the evening fell, her father and brother returned home.

“What are you doing outside?” Her father, Ye Wan Li asked her.

“Nothing. I was waiting for my Father and Brother,” Ye Xin said. Ye Wan Li didn’t pay much heed to it and walked in while her brother locked his arm around her neck.

“Ahh! Stop, Brother Ling,” Ye Xin tapped on his arm.

“First tell your brother whom are you waiting for outside?” Ye Ling asked her as he loosened his grip around her neck.

“No one,” Ye Xin lied to him. She didn’t want to tell him about Xiwan yet.

“I don’t believe you,” Ye Ling said and lowered his arms. “I will tell Father to keep an eye on you then,” he tried to threaten his sister.

“Brother Ling, why are you annoying me? Aren’t you tired from work?” Ye Xin asked him and started to walk toward the stairs of her house. Ye Ling went after her and they entered the entrance of the residence.

“Tell me what are you up to these days?” Ye Ling asked him again.

“Brother Ling, nothing is going on,” Ye Xin replied.

“Lin Jiao will get married by next month. You will be alone then. Shouldn’t you agree with Father about getting married? Some nice proposals Father is getting these days for you. He is yet to tell you about them,” Ye Ling informed his sister.

“Brother Ling, why are you telling me about this now?” Ye Xin asked.

“Don’t you know I was outside the capital for a few days? I returned yesterday only,” Ye Ling muttered.

“Brother Ling, I have someone whom I love. I will marry him only. Please help me when I talk about it with my father,” Ye Xin couldn’t hide it from her brother and ended up telling him.

“Who is the man? When did it happen? You turned out to be clever,” Ye Ling said.

“I will bring my man soon home to introduce to Father. Please help me that time, Brother Ling,” Ye Xin stated.

“First tell me who is the man who won the heart of my sister,” Ye Ling asserted.

“Does Brother Ling know Xiwan?” Ye Xin asked him.

“Xiwan? Who?” Ye Ling questioned her. “Don’t tell me you are not seeing a man from the noble class,” he stated.

“Brother Ling!” Ye Xin got annoyed. “He is a close friend of Prince Mingquan. I will tell more things later to you when I bring Xiwan home. Please don’t tell anyone about this,” she stated.

“I won’t tell anyone,” Ye Ling said and patted her head. “Thank you for being truthful to your brother. I suppose the man is nice that’s why you love him,” he said and smiled at her.