When Princess Chongyang woke up, her eyes t a canopy of deep red, and she paused in confusion before sitting up in bed to check her attire.
She couldn’t quite rember how she had fallen asleep last night, how she had returned to this bed, and the bridal chamber.
Oh, right, the bridal chamber.
She moved her body slightly and felt no discomfort, which perplexed her.
"Awake?"
Princess Chongyang quickly turned her head to see Prince Min sitting at the table, sipping tea. She imdiately threw off the covers and got out of bed, looking guilty and anxious, saying, "I’m very sorry, I fell asleep last night."
She forgot to use any honorifics.
"It doesn’t matter."
Prince Min stood up, walked over, and said, "Now that you’re awake, you should call soone in to help you wash up. We must go to the palace to greet the Emperor and the Empress Dowager; when we return, you must serve tea to Mother Consort."
"Yes." Princess Chongyang replied and, thinking of the bridal chamber, blushed and stamred, "About last night..."
Her words trailed off as she watched Prince Min take out a jade bottle from his sleeve, lift the covers, and drip a few drops onto the pristine bridal handkerchief on the bed.
Princess Chongyang watched the red plum blossom bloom on the handkerchief, and the color drained from her face. What did this an?
She bit her lip and looked at Prince Min.
He t her gaze, his expression unaffected, simply repeating, "You needn’t worry. You will always be Princess Consort Min, so there’s no need to fret."
He said this and then turned to the door: "Soone co, assist the Princess Consort in getting ready."
Princess Chongyang watched as the maids and attendants filed in, a smiling matron in a red robe glanced at the handkerchief on the bed and bead with a flourish of her handkerchief, saying, "Congratulations to the Prince and Princess Consort on their new marriage and a future filled with children."
She gathered up the handkerchief to place it in a box held by an attendant, then happily left, naturally going to bring the good news to Princess Consort Ji.
The room full of maids and attendants knelt to offer their congratulations.
Princess Chongyang smiled wryly. A future filled with children, how ironic.
Her heart fell from a height, but in a way, it was as she had expected, wasn’t it?
It’s rely a change of scenery to watch the flowers bloom and wither, the seasons change. What did this arrangent matter to her?
"Wan Chun, assist in dressing." Princess Chongyang addressed her personal maid.
From today onward, she was Princess Consort Min; Princess Chongyang was no more.
Prince Min watched as she was ushered into the bathing room by maids and attendants, then turned and left.
The Imperial Palace.
Emperor Chu greeted the newlyweds, keeping Prince Min to speak while the Princess Consort was led to et the Empress.
The Empress showed great kindness to this newly joined sister-in-law, her words were filled with concern and suggestions until Prince Min arrived to take her to et the Empress Dowager.
"Your Majesty, the Princess Consort Min still seems to be a virgin," Bilu whispered.
Empress Gongsun paused her tea drinking and said, "If Prince Min held any resentnt, that would be strange, wouldn’t it? Let it be."
It was all a matter of maintaining appearances.
Similarly, the Empress Dowager received the tea offered by the newlyweds, gifting the new bride a set of ruby jewelry as a eting gift, and after saying a couple of words, let them return to their residence.
Once the newlyweds had left, the Empress Dowager couldn’t help but say to Lian Qiao, "See, however much the Princess Consort Ji revels, the first cup of tea at her own son’s wedding is still served to . So, you see, marrying to beco the first wife is the way to do it; otherwise, you might not even get a chance to drink a daughter-in-law’s tea."
Lian Qiao laughed and chid in, "This is indeed the greatest retaliation for you."
The Empress Dowager was imnsely satisfied as the hierarchy and propriety were clearly established. She didn’t need to do a thing to make Princess Consort Ji feel disgraced; this was truly gratifying!
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