Chapter 585: 670
Xiao Cui was scared out of her wits. As the young lady’s personal maid, she was supposed to be standing guard outside the bridal chamber, but she had been neglecting her duty by resting. This was a serious dereliction of duty, even if she had only dozed off for a moment.
If faced with a master with a bad temper, this incident could be used as an excuse to beat her to death.
How could Xiao Cui not be afraid?
"If you’re tired, go and rest." Chen Mo didn’t mind. She was just an ordinary person, and it was normal for her to rest after standing outside for so long. In his previous life, he had often slacked off at work.
"Your servant... is not tired, not tired, I beg the Prince for forgiveness." Xiao Cui thought Chen Mo was being sarcastic and immediately knelt down in front of him, kowtowing.
"I pardon you, now leave," said Chen Mo, rubbing his forehead, not intending to waste more words on her. After speaking, he entered the bridal chamber.
Xiao Cui knelt on the ground, unsure whether to leave or stay.
...
After entering the bridal chamber, Chen Mo tidied his robe slightly and looked inside.
By the bedside, Qi Nichang sat quietly, covered by a bridal veil. Despite the little incident outside earlier, she seemed oblivious to it, sitting there without any reaction. It wasn’t until Chen Mo lifted her veil that he realized she was in a daze.
Being in a daze on your wedding night, Qi Nichang was the first bride to do so.
"Nichang, what are you thinking about, so lost in thought?" Chen Mo waved his hand in front of her.
"I was thinking you have quite the nerve. I was, after all, the Late Emperor’s Consort Yu, and you dared to openly marry me." Qi Nichang’s gaze flickered, her expression toward Chen Mo tinged with complexity.
"If you’re not afraid, why should I be?" Chen Mo chuckled, taking the nuptial wine and sitting beside her, handing her a cup.
Qi Nichang frowned slightly. In the great blunder orchestrated by her brother, she was the one who showed interest in him first. His statement wasn’t wrong.
Qi Nichang didn’t explain. They crossed arms and drank. As he placed an arm around her shoulder, she asked the question:
"Do you... like my body, or do you... like me?"
Without thinking, Chen Mo replied, "Liking you and liking your body, these two things don’t conflict. I like both."
"I want to hear the truth," said Qi Nichang.
Chen Mo appeared slightly lost in thought, then, after a moment of silence, he said, "Of course, I like you."
That was not Chen Mo’s true feeling. Her question about liking her or her body clearly asked if he had feelings for her.
There were feelings, but certainly not to the extent of marriage.
The reason they could enter the realm of marriage was, first, because she showed interest in him, and second, Chen Mo wasn’t averse to beauties. He valued her looks and saw an opportunity to win over his subordinates. Rejecting a gift would be a waste.
However, he wasn’t a fool and would certainly not speak the truth.
Besides, he believed that after marriage, feelings could be developed.
There’s a saying, isn’t there, to develop love after marriage.
"Let’s just say what you said is true then." Qi Nichang rested her cheek on Chen Mo’s shoulder. Whether it was true or not no longer mattered now that everything had happened. What was important was after marriage...
After a slight hesitation, Qi Nichang blushingly addressed him, "Husband."
"Wife." Chen Mo embraced her shoulder, gently pulling her as they lay on the bed. He entwined his fingers with Qi Nichang’s delicate hand, curiously inquiring:
"Nichang, in your impression, what kind of person am I?"
"Should I speak the truth?"
"Of course."
Qi Nichang had long formed an opinion of Chen Mo’s personality. After hesitating for a moment, she said:
"You are domineering to the weak, dashing, capable in both literature and martial arts, concerned with power, and eliminate dissent but still possess a sense of national interest..."
Chen Mo: "..."
Upon reflection, what Qi Nichang said did seem to describe him a bit.
"Actually, I’m only occasionally domineering to the weak, and I have reasons for that..." Chen Mo weakly retorted.
Qi Nichang rolled her eyes. Back in the palace, he nearly did something to her, and later, he even threatened her. Wasn’t that domineering to the weak? And there were several instances afterward...
"Fine, fine."
Chen Mo stopped arguing, flipping over and picked Qi Nichang up, heading toward the bridal chamber’s exit.
Qi Nichang’s heart tightened with some panic. Was he angry? Where was he going on their wedding night?
"You... Husband, where are you going, don’t do anything rash..."
"Ah..."
"Why are you still here?" Upon exiting the bridal chamber and seeing Xiao Cui still outside, Chen Mo frowned slightly and said, "You don’t need to serve here anymore, hurry and leave..."
His words were heavy, and Xiao Cui reluctantly left, turning back every few steps.
...
"There you go." Standing outside a room, Chen Mo, with a smile in his eyes, looked at Qi Nichang’s nervous little face and couldn’t help but curl his lips.
"What place is this?" Qi Nichang still had no idea what Chen Mo intended to do.
"Wanqiu lives in here," Chen Mo laughed.
She was first stunned, then she screamed, seemingly understanding Chen Mo’s intention, "No..."
"Too late. Tonight, I’ll domineer once more." Opening Ye Wanqiu’s room, Chen Mo carried Qi Nichang inside.
The room’s lights quickly lit up, and a dumpling, holding a half-eaten fish, ran out, realizing that tonight both its owner and the woman who used to bully it would be bullied.
"Husband, Sister Yu, what are you... what is..." came Ye Wanqiu’s drowsy voice from the room.
"No..." Quickly, the synchronized voices of two women sounded, followed by darkness as the candles went out...
...
With the first light of dawn, before the sun had risen, Prince Zhen Nan’s Mansion began to bustle.
Chun Lan led a group of maids, carrying heated water, to each of the ladies’ rooms to assist with their washing.
Zhu’Er, carrying hot water, had just arrived at the young lady’s room when she saw that the young lady was already awake, hanging out the bedding outside.
Zhu’Er hurriedly put down her things to help, saying, "Miss, leave such tiring work to us maids."
Cao Xiyue, startled by Zhu’Er’s sudden appearance, stopped her from taking the quilt out of her hands and quickly protested, "No... no need, I’ll do it myself."
"Is it wet?" Zhu’Er paused, "Miss, did you wash the quilt? Why wash the quilt so early in the morning?"
Cao Xiyue’s face flushed, she turned away to avoid Zhu’Er’s gaze, saying, "...Fell to the ground... got dirty, happened to get up early, nothing else, so I washed it."
Zhu’Er was a bit skeptical, but she was quite young and didn’t understand much, so she didn’t think much more, only saying, "Miss, you just got married, washing quilts on the second day. If others see, they might think Prince Zhen Nan’s Mansion is treating you poorly, making you do a servant’s chores.
In the future, leave such things to us maids."
"...Okay." Cao Xiyue responded vaguely.
"Miss, since you’ve washed your room’s bedding, there must be no quilts left. I’ll go to Sister Chun Lan to get one," Zhu’Er said.
