"You guys donât believe me, but youâll understand when you get married!"
When the young ladies heard the word âmarriedâ,
they all blushed.
The young wife, whose speech was as fast as a train, realized her slip-up and fell silent.
The crowd was bustling.
Ordinary citizens of the Capital City watched as exquisite bridal gifts were carried past them one after another.
The commotion grew even more like boiling water.
It stayed lively for more than an entire Shi Chen before gradually calming down.
When the last set of bridal gifts passed by,
the citizens sensibly dispersed.
They couldnât enter the Princeâs Mansion anyway.
There wasnât anything more to see, right?
...
As the excitement outside gradually faded.
The celebratory atmosphere inside the mansion was just beginning.
The giant sixteen-carriage sedan was carried all the way to the back courtyard entrance.
The Fifth Prince dismounted and personally carried the Commandery Princess over.
The crowd couldnât help but express their amazement:
"Look at this lively couple!"
"Yes, indeed. The Fifth Prince is fortunate to marry Princess Hai Feng!"
"Exactly!"
Everyone was buzzing with opinions.
Listening to this, the Fifth Prince and Princess Hai Feng felt ironically amused inside.
"Great relationship? Fortunate? Haha!"
The main hall was quickly reached.
The upcoming ceremony was much simpler.
"First bow to heaven and earth!"
"Second bow to the family elders!"
"Husband and wife bow to each other!"
"Into the bridal chamber!"
The first few werenât a big deal.
At last, when Hai Feng heard entering the bridal chamber,
she completely relaxed.
"Finally, can I take a break?"
Amidst the jubilance, Hai Feng was assisted by maids to the Princess Consortâs main courtyard.
When she truly sat down in the new room,
she still felt like she was dreaming.
If not for the unfamiliar smell of tung oil in the air, she wouldnât dare believe it was real.
In her mind, there were two tiny figures fighting!
One said,
"Did you really get... married just like that?"
The other, somewhat defeated, replied,
"What else? Should I escape and let everyone die?"
The first one countered,
"But marrying him wonât make you happy, will it?"
The other smiled coldly.
"Youâve all forgotten, this is the rule of survival!"
"To gain more, you must pay!"
The first one mocked again.
"Youâre such a coward!"
The other chuckled coldly again.
"So what? Even if Iâm not, what can I do?"
"Continue to resist the marriage?"
The forced marriage nearly cost her life; sheâs had enough.
"Even without marrying the Fifth Prince, she canât find a better one, can she?"
"Nowadays, the Fifth Master at least resembles him in appearance, itâs almost enough!"
She dared not ask for more.
Finally, the first tiny figure was defeated by the second.
She ultimately compromised with reality.
Since sheâs here, she should make peace with it, what else could she do?
Isnât that what strategic marriages are?
...
Hai Feng waited from morning to noon, then to afternoon, without eating anything.
Finally, too hungry to bear it, she stood up abruptly, dizzy, and instructed,
"Someone, quickly get me something to eat!"
This ridiculous rule of the Great Chu Dynasty.
Back in her Western Xia, there were no such rules.
A wedding is a wedding, they never said not to eat!
But the maid thought differently.
"Commandery Princess, the Prince hasnât returned yet; you cannot eat!"
Upon hearing this, Hai Fengâs eyebrows shot up.
"What did you say?! What does it matter to this princess if he hasnât returned, go quickly!"
Saying that, she took out a whip from her waist.
The maid was terrified.
"Yes, yes, this servant will go right away, Commandery Princess, please wait!"
After speaking, she hurriedly left.
Hai Feng sneered and murmured: Thatâs more like it!
Not long after, several dishes of dumplings, buns, and snacks were brought in.
"Commandery Princess, these are snacks from the kitchen, something to tide you over while you wait for the feast to end!"
Hai Feng, somewhat unwilling, looked at the food.
She had no appetite at all, but what could she do when she was hungry?
With no other choice, she decided to eat a little.
Luckily, they tasted good; she ate three in a row.
After eating, her stomach stopped growling, and she felt reinvigorated.
"Good, reward them!"
"Yes!"
"Thank you, Commandery Princess, thank you!"
The maid serving the food kowtowed repeatedly.
"If thereâs nothing else, this servant will take her leave now!"
"Go ahead!"
Hai Feng slightly waved her hand.
The maid kowtowed again before leaving.
...
The room returned to silence.
With nothing else to do, Hai Feng tossed the bridal veil aside and wandered around.
"Oh wow, this room is nice!"
"Carved beams and painted rafters, luxurious and magnificent!"
"Even the hollow carvings on this table are exquisite and ornate, almost dizzying!"
The maid beside her echoed.
"Commandery Princess has good taste; I heard the Prince specially designed this for you!"
"Itâs a complete set, just to ensure your comfort."
Hai Feng smiled faintly, her gaze serene.
She thought: He dislikes me so much, would he really want me to live comfortably?
The maid lowered her head, saying nothing.
After wandering a big circle without finding it interesting, Hai Feng put the veil back on and leaned against the bedside to doze off.
The maid following her finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Fortunately, nothing went wrong.
Otherwise, todayâs wedding banquet would be considered inauspicious.
...
Hai Feng actually fell asleep.
When she woke up again, it was already dark outside.
"What time is it?" She felt a bit confused.
The maid hurriedly replied, "Itâs You Hour, Commandery Princess!"
"Why didnât you wake me!"
"Trying to make me embarrassed, huh?!"
The maid quickly shook her head.
"No, Commandery Princess, not at all..."
Hai Feng was very impatient.
"Alright, alright! Go get some water for me to wash my face!"
"Also, I want a bath!"
After a long and tiring day, isnât it uncomfortable not to wash at this late hour?!
But the maid hesitated.
"Commandery Princess, the Fifth Prince hasnât come back yet, according to the rules, you canât move!!"
Hai Fengâs eyes widened.
"What, canât move??!"
"So if he never comes, I have to keep waiting here?"
The maid lowered her head without speaking, trembling with fear.
Hai Feng impatiently waved her hand.
"Enough, enough, I wonât bathe anyway, alright"
Saying that, she indeed leaned on the bed again, continuing to wait.
After another Shi Chen or so,
the Fifth Prince finally returned.
Of course...
The way he returned was... quite indescribable.
He practically pushed the door open with his body.
Once inside, he embraced the ground with his body.
At the same time, he vomited all the food he had eaten today.
In less than a moment,
the indoor area was filled with an overpowering stench of alcohol and vomit.
Hai Feng was awakened by the smell.
She looked at the Fifth Master, lying on the floor, in extreme distress.
Her face was full of disbelief.
"What... whatâs wrong with him?"
Could he have died?
So unlucky, would she become a widow right after marriage?
The maids were also in a panic, trying to lift the Fifth Master while calling for the mansion doctor.
Everyone lifted the Fifth Prince, aiming to place him on the big bed.
Hai Feng immediately stopped them.
"No! You canât place him here!"
Saying that, she turned and pointed to the couch.
"Place him there!"
The bed was for sleeping, the room already stank, the bed shouldnât get stinky too.
"Commandery Princess?!" The maids were somewhat incredulous.