Princess Xuan

The bright red bridal veil was lifted, and I slowly raised my eyes to meet Li Yexuan's gaze.

A flash of shock crossed his eyes before they returned to a clear calm, making it impossible to tell whether he was overjoyed or indifferent.

"Are you hungry? Have some food."

As Li Yexuan spoke, he walked over to the table and sat down. I followed suit; although the distance was short, the heavy wedding gown was long, and my steps were far from swift.

I picked up the wine flagon, and only after pouring the wine did I realize tonight's wine was the nuptial cup wine. I stood there awkwardly, unsure whether to offer it to him or not.

"What is it?"

"Your Highness shouldn't be drinking."

"It doesn't matter." Li Yexuan took the wine cup from my hand.

I poured a cup for myself, sat down, and seeing that Li Yexuan was still holding his cup, I intertwined my hand holding the cup with his, and together we drank our nuptial wine.

In truth, neither he nor I was suited for drinking.

Li Yexuan's hand pressed onto the wine flagon, and just as he was about to pour more, I stopped him.

"Do not drink to excess. Have some food instead."

He withdrew his hand, and I moved the wine flagon a little further away, serving dishes to Li Yexuan.

At this moment, I laid down my noble yet fallen status, cast aside all past grievances, and let go of my former guards, wanting wholeheartedly to fulfill the duties of a wife.

Seeing that Li Yexuan had eaten nearly enough, I stood up and headed toward the door. I figured Kong Yulin must still be in the manor today; since Li Yexuan had been drinking, it would be best for him to take some medicine.

Before I even reached the door, my arm was caught from behind by the person following me.

"On our wedding night, where are you going?"

"I'm going to see if Kong Yulin is still around. You've been drinking, and I want to ask if he has that medicine."

Without a word, Li Yexuan pulled me back toward the table and, with his other hand, picked up the wine flagon and began to drink deeply.

"Have you lost your mind..." I hurriedly snatched the wine flagon from Li Yexuan's hand, only to find my body pulled tightly into an embrace.

"I have lost my mind..."

Li Yexuan's kisses fell upon me, touching my eyes, my nose, my cheeks...

"Stop, I'm going to find Kong Yulin for the medicine."

"You are the best medicine."

I was swept up horizontally into his arms, and the wine flagon slipped from my hand.

Alas, the wedding gown was too long, and the phoenix crown on my head was too heavy; I was utterly incapable of offering any resistance.

My body was laid upon the bed, and Li Yexuan removed my phoenix crown.

"Zijun, you are so beautiful..."

The layers of the wedding gown were peeled away. He looked at me thus, kissing me gently.

"No... Mmph..."

"Don't be afraid, it won't be like last time..."

Before he could finish his words, I began to drift into a hazy daze. I could sense he would not be as rough and rash as before, and gradually I relaxed, losing myself in Li Yexuan's tenderness. I knew not whether the wine had intoxicated me, or if he had.

"I'll go get you some medicine." Before I could even sit up, Li Yexuan pulled me tightly back into his embrace.

"I've already taken it."

"Then why didn't you say so?" Instead of rebuking him, I pressed my face close against his chest, listening to his strong and steady heartbeat.

"You are simply too foolish."

My body was once again pinned beneath Li Yexuan.

"Get down, you're so heavy."

"It's too late."

"..."

In the very end, I lapsed into unconsciousness, only feeling someone holding me tightly—so tightly that I could scarcely catch my breath.

When I awoke the next day, the space beside me was already empty.

"Princess Consort, this maid will help you wash and dress." It would take some time to truly grow accustomed to being called the Princess Consort.

I nodded and glanced at Zi'er.

Zi'er brought me a crimson dress and proceeded to help me dress and do my hair.

Breakfast was served.

"Princess Consort, please partake." Zi'er said respectfully.

"Has the Prince eaten?"

"He has."

"And the little master?"

"Reporting to the Princess Consort, the young lord has already eaten."

Instead of picking up my chopsticks, I looked at Zi'er.

"Princess Consort, is the food not to your liking?"

"Zi'er, you are someone who once served me. I want to know, where are A-Fu and A-Ling?"

"The Prince said that since the young lord has newly arrived in the Yuehua Kingdom, he might not be accustomed to strangers, so he assigned A-Fu, A-Ling, Zhuque, and Xuanwu to look after the young lord together. The Prince has also engaged a tutor for the young lord, and his studies begin today."

"Hmm." Hearing this, I had no desire to bicker over the matter; after all, he did it for the child's sake.

"The Prince also said..."

"What else did he say?"

"The Prince said that the inner courtyard of Prince Xuan's Manor is now entrusted to the Princess Consort. Shortly, the secondary consorts and concubines will all come to pay their respects to the Princess Consort..."

I had thought it merely a rumor, but I never expected it to be true. Prince Xuan's Manor was no longer the manor of years past, and he was no longer short of women around him. Perhaps in the future, he would not even be short of children.

I set down my chopsticks, unable to pick them up at all.

"Clear away the breakfast. There is a chest of my belongings in A-Fu's quarters; go fetch it for me."

Zi'er looked as though she wanted to say something, but I had already turned away and walked into the inner chamber.

Zi'er quickly returned carrying a small chest.

"You may withdraw. Call me when the others arrive."

"Yes."

I took out the key from my possession and unlocked the chest.

Inside lay a palace jade token—the symbol of the master of Fantian Pavilion—along with the Guben vine, tokens given by Dongfang Qingyu and Zijun, and quite a few miraculous medicinal herbs that the Guben vine had provided me.

Taking out that bottle of pills, I swallowed one.

After putting the contents of the chest back in order, my nerves grew somewhat taut. With barely a month left for myself, what was to become of the child?

"Reporting to the Princess Consort, everyone has arrived." Zi'er's voice sounded from outside the door.

"Understood."

Inside Qingran Residence, a dozen or so women were now gathered, filling the air with a rich fragrance. From a young age, I had disliked such perfumes, and they made me feel somewhat unwell.

I sat down.

"We pay our respects to the Princess Consort."

"Rise, all of you. Take a seat."

"Thank you, Princess Consort."

The dozen women were undoubtedly all beauties. Some smiled like peach blossoms, some wore little expression, and one possessed a fierce and ferocious countenance—who else could it be but Yun Rong? I had thought Li Yexuan would have cast her out last time, but to my surprise, she was still here.

"All of us are meeting the Princess Consort for the first time. If there is any discourtesy on our part, we ask for the Princess Consort's forgiveness." The woman speaking wore a gown of goose-yellow, appearing poised and proper.

"And you are..."

"This humble one is of the Shen family, the second daughter of Lord Shen."

"Mm. It must have been tiresome for you all to come and pay your respects today. Zi'er."

"Yes."

Zi'er led a group of young maids forward with tea and pastries.

"You are all the Prince's people, so you must all be well-read and well-mannered. May I ask who was managing the affairs of the manor previously?"

"Reporting to the Princess Consort, it was managed by myself and Secondary Consort Feng." The Shen woman spoke up.

"Princess Consort, this humble one is of the Feng family." Secondary Consort Feng offered a bow, and I bade her be seated.

"You may continue to manage things from now on."

"This... you are the rightful mistress of the household..." A look of bewilderment crossed the Shen woman's face.

"Do not misunderstand. My constitution is rather poor, and I lack the energy to trouble myself with these matters. Before my arrival, the manor was managed quite well, so I must trouble the two of you."

"Since the Princess Consort commands it, we shall naturally do our utmost."

"Mm. I dislike scheming and infighting, so taking the opportunity of everyone being here today, I will make things clear all at once. If any remark happens to make someone uncomfortable, I ask for your forbearance. As for the days the Prince visits whose quarters, I cannot control such things; you should all simply serve him with all your hearts. Furthermore, there is no need to come and pay daily respects."

"What about the first and fifteenth days of each lunar month, then?"

"That won't be necessary either. I do not care for so many rigid rules. I believe you all know that I am the Elder Princess of the Lingyun Kingdom. If I truly harbored malicious intentions, since I was able to reclaim a nation and transform from a woman of a fallen state back into the Imperial Elder Princess, I am naturally capable of putting anyone in their place. Go about your days just as you did before; there is no need to change anything simply because of my arrival."

"We shall firmly remember the Princess Consort's teachings."

"Zi'er, distribute the pastries I brought from the Lingyun Kingdom to everyone."

"Yes."

"This concubine takes her leave..."

All the women retreated outside. Doubtless, my words had far exceeded their expectations. I had suddenly appeared with a child to seize the position of primary wife, yet I neither managed the household nor required their morning greetings. In their eyes, I suppose I was simply a peculiar person.

When Zi'er returned, I feigned exhaustion and lay down to pretend I was asleep.

After Zi'er tiptoed out of the room, I opened my eyes once more, walked over to the bed, and watched as Zi'er hurried away in the direction of the study.

So it was truly as expected; Zi'er was merely sent by Li Yexuan to keep watch on me.

In the afternoon, I had Zi'er accompany me outside to find the little one.

Prince Xuan's Manor was vast, and it was not until I reached the back garden that I spotted the child holding a bow and arrow, with Li Yexuan standing nearby constantly adjusting his stance.

My footsteps halted behind the rockery. Watching the similar profiles of that father and son, I suddenly felt that nothing else mattered anymore. If my final memories could simply retain a few more images of them, that would be enough.

"Princess Consort, are you not going over?" Zi'er asked by my side.

"I won't go. Let's not disturb them. Let's return."

I went back to Qingran Residence.

In the evening, Li Yexuan brought the child along.

I watched as Li Yexuan led him by the hand into the room, yet I felt a curious surprise when the boy did not rush forward to throw himself into my arms and call me mother as he used to.

"I pay my respects to the Imperial Mother." The small body offered a bow before me, stealing a covert glance at Li Yexuan.

Without a word, I stepped forward and pulled my child into my embrace.

"Why haven't I seen you all day? Did you not miss your mother?"

"I missed Mother... No, Imperial Mother."

I lifted the child into my arms and walked over to Li Yexuan's side.

"Your Highness, he is still young. Might you allow him to call me Mother for a little while longer?" I disliked the child calling me Imperial Mother; it felt as though pure, simple affection was being tainted with politics.

"Eat your meal." Li Yexuan said this, and I took it as his consent.

I settled the child on my lap. Having not held him for a whole day, it felt as though my very heart had been hollowed out.

"Eat slowly; no one is fighting you for it."

I wiped away a speck of rice from the corner of the child's mouth and helped him to some food.

"Baby is so hungry."

"Why are you so hungry?"

"I got tired in the afternoon and wanted to eat."

My chopsticks dropped onto the floor with a clatter, and my eyes fixed on Li Yexuan.

"Mother, why did your chopsticks drop?"

"Mother didn't hold them steadily." Zi'er quickly handed over a fresh pair.

"Mother will pick some food for you. Eat slower, and be careful not to choke."

"Mm..."