That night, on that canopy bed which did not truly belong to me, I slept surprisingly soundly. Not until the sky was bright with daylight did an urgent knocking sound from outside.
"Lady Side Consort, it is time to rise. The Marquis's estate has sent people to escort you and the prince back for the bridal return visit."
The good show was about to begin.
In front of the Pingyang Marquis's estate, all was quiet and desolate. Not even a single servant was left to welcome us. Clearly, in the eyes of my dear father and the legal mother, having been carried into the Seventh Prince's estate last night, it was highly uncertain whether I would come out alive today. Even if I were lucky enough to survive, I would only be thrown back half dead, and was not worthy of having them step outside to welcome me.
But I was about to disappoint them.
The prince's grand rosewood carriage, drawn by four pure black Ferghana horses, stopped steadily before the main gate of the Marquis's estate. Dressed in a grand red formal gown of Yun brocade embroidered with peonies, and wearing a gold phoenix crown adorned with eight treasures of filigree and pure gold, I was respectfully supported by two elderly maids as I stepped calmly out of the carriage. Then I personally took the handles of the wheelchair and pushed the cold, austere Xiao Jingyan, who was clad in a black python robe, surrounded by two rows of armored guards with unsheathed blades, as we grandly crossed the high threshold of the Marquis's estate.
In the main hall, a touching scene of maternal devotion was being enacted.
"My child, how have your hands become so rough? Did that Lu family actually make you cook the broth yourself?"
The legal mother, Lady Wang, held Shen Biwei's hand, wiping away tears of distress. I looked up and almost burst out laughing. Though we had not met for a mere three days, my haughty and pampered legitimate elder sister looked as if all the life energy had been sucked right out of her. The red bridal return dress she wore, though new, was obvious to anyone with eyes to be made of the most ordinary Hangzhou silk. Even more ridiculous, the pearls and emeralds that used to crowd her head had now been reduced to just a pair of sparse, plain silver hairpins.
Lu Yanzhu, sitting beside her, still wore his usual lofty, arrogant and pedantic look. He held his teacup, completely ignoring Lady Wang's tears. He only frowned slightly and said, "Do not blame us, mother-in-law. My family is poor and my mother is a stickler for rules. Since Biwei has married into the Lu family, she must naturally observe the duties of a Lu family wife. But please rest assured, mother-in-law. In three days I will shut myself away to study hard to prepare for the autumn imperial examination. Biwei's hard days will only last for these few days."
Lu Yanzhu's ability to paint pretty pictures had truly become more and more consummate. Hearing the words prepare for the autumn imperial examination, a flash of wild, feverish hope crossed Shen Biwei's eyes. She gritted her teeth and said to Lady Wang, "Mother, I am not suffering. My husband is a man of great talent. Once he wins first place in the imperial exam, I will be the wife of the Grand Secretary, the most noble official's wife in the world. What does this bit of grievance matter?"
I raised my eyebrows, pushing the wheels of the wheelchair heavily over the threshold, making a sharp, cracking sound.
"It seems sister has great confidence in brother-in-law Lu's talent."
My cool, laughing voice rang out in the main hall. Everyone in the hall turned their heads in unison. The moment they saw me, it was as if they had seen a ghost.
"You. You are actually not dead."
Shen Biwei stood up abruptly. Her gaze locked onto me with deadly intensity, sweeping from my highly translucent jadeite earrings to my priceless court gown of Yunjin silk. Finally, her gaze fixed sharply on my neck.
Because my collar was slightly open, the clear, round, red mark that Xiao Jingyan had bitten into me last night was starkly exposed to the air. Coupled with my rosy, glowing complexion, anyone who looked would know that on our wedding night, not only did I not suffer any torture, but I had actually been thoroughly and passionately loved.
"What? Did sister hope so dearly that I would die in the prince's manor?" I pushed Xiao Jingyan into the center of the hall, looking down from above at her face, which was slightly twisted with jealousy. "What a coincidence. The Seventh Prince cherished me so much. He couldn't even bear to touch a single hair on my head. He even handed all the household authority of the prince's estate over to me. But as for you, sister —"
I intentionally prolonged my words, sweeping my gaze over her plain, pitiful hair bun, pretending to be surprised. "When you got married, sister, you brought sixty-four chests of dowry. There must have been over a dozen sets of pure gold headwear alone. Why is it that on today's return visit to your parental home, you look so shabby that you can't even compare to the senior maid by my side?"
Shen Biwei's face instantly turned the color of pig's liver. How could she possibly tell me that on her first day of marriage, Lu Yanzhu's bizarre mother used the excuse of the Lu family's strict rules, stating that a new bride should not be too flashy, and that Yanzhu needed silver to bribe the examiners for his studies, and forcibly took away the keys to her dowry chests? Not only that, but she also dragged her out of her warm bed early in the morning to make her wash the entire family's clothes by the well.
In my past life, I was the one who suffered these hardships. Now it is her turn to enjoy this ultimate treat. How does it taste?
"Impudent."
The Marquis finally came to his senses, seeing me acting so arrogantly. He slapped the table and barked in anger. "Shen Nanzhao, do you have no sense of propriety left? Is your sister someone you can mock? Apologize to your sister at once."
In their eyes, even if I didn't die, I am still that concubine's daughter whom they can manipulate at will. I didn't budge, and the smile on my face didn't fade even a bit.
On the other hand, Xiao Jingyan, who had been sitting in his wheelchair without speaking a word, slowly and deliberately turned the black jade thumb ring on his thumb.
"The Marquis certainly puts on a grand display of authority." Xiao Jingyan didn't even lift his eyelids, his voice lazy and rasping, yet carrying a spine-chilling coldness. "When did it become your place to shout at my consort? Are you reprimanding her? Or are you reprimanding me for failing to teach my wife?"
As soon as he spoke, the suffocating aura of bloodshed from his years of leading troops in battle pressed down heavily. The Marquis stiffened. His original anger was instantly extinguished by this chill, and cold sweat broke out on his forehead. He quickly stood up and bowed with clasped hands.
"Please appease your anger, Your Highness. Please appease your anger, Your Highness. This lower official would not dare. It is just that this girl has no manners."
"I am her manners."
Xiao Jingyan leaned back slightly against his chair. His slender fingers suddenly tapped heavily on the armrest.