Ji Yunshu thought about it and felt it wasn’t quite that extreme.
Being unable to decide one’s own marriage was indeed a frustrating matter, especially when one already had a sweetheart.
But this was actually the norm in this era.
The command of parents and the words of matchmakers were not just idle talk.
Many people were betrothed by their families without ever having met their future spouses.
Zhao Heng and Wei Yuanmin were of equal social standing; in everyone’s eyes, this was a good match.
Zhao Heng might not have been entirely unprepared, either.
As soon as they returned to the manor, Madam Yao summoned Zhao Heng to her room.
Ji Yunshu didn’t go over to make herself a nuisance and went straight back to Qionghua Courtyard.
She returned to her room and changed into lighter clothes, undoing her hair bun. As her hair fell loose, she finally felt much more relaxed.
Seeing this, Mama Li nagged from the side, “You haven’t even had dinner yet, and you’ve already let down your hair. How will you see Shizi later?”
She had noticed that since the wedding, her young lady had become increasingly indolent.
With a whole courtyard of servants watching, she didn’t pay any attention to her appearance.
Ji Yunshu said nonchalantly, “What does it matter? We are husband and wife; is there any version of me he hasn’t seen?”
She thought saying this would stop Mama Li from clinging to her grooming habits, but to her surprise, Mama Li’s expression stiffened for a moment upon hearing those words.
Then, she looked as if she were hesitating to speak.
Seeing this, Ji Yunshu had no choice but to say, “I know you mean well, Mama. If you have something to say, just say it.”
Mama Li walked up to her and asked in a low whisper, “Is Shizi… incapable?”
“Huh?”
The topic shifted so quickly that Ji Yunshu didn’t react for a moment.
Mama Li continued, “It’s been quite some time since the wedding, yet you two still haven’t reached consummation…”
Ji Yunshu asked in surprise, “How do you know?”
She didn’t actually mind rolling around in the sheets with Zhao Shen. To be able to sleep with a beautiful man like him was arguably her gain.
But Zhao Shen had said the time wasn’t right yet.
Who knew what auspicious day he was waiting for?
However, to avoid people discovering that their marital relationship was still purely platonic, the two of them had been sleeping in the same bed these past days.
She wondered how Mama Li knew they hadn’t reached consummation.
Mama Li looked at her silly girl and sighed, “Not only have you two never called for water at night, there isn’t a single mark on the bedsheets. Besides, a married woman and a young maiden are always different.”
Ji Yunshu, who had seen countless adult films but lacked practical experience, marveled, “You can even tell that?”
If people in the modern era had this ability, who would still go for those restoration surgeries?
Mama Li didn’t know what was going on in her head and couldn’t help but worry for her. “Shizi is already twenty-six. Usually, a man of that age would have several children, yet he doesn’t even have a single serving girl in his room. Could it be that there really is a problem?”
Although Mama Li’s suspicion was reasonable and logical, Ji Yunshu felt, based on the results of her previous provocations, that Zhao Shen probably didn’t have a problem.
“What are you saying, Mama? Would I not know if Shizi has a problem?”
Mama Li said dubiously, “But you…”
Do you really understand?
Hearing the sound of a wheelchair turning at the door, Ji Yunshu quickly interrupted Mama Li. “Oh, stop worrying. I know what I’m doing.”
As she finished speaking, Zhao Shen entered from outside.
Mama Li, likely embarrassed because of the topic they had just discussed, hurriedly bowed to Zhao Shen and left.
Zhao Shen looked at her hurried retreat and asked, “What’s wrong with Mama Li? Did I disturb you?”
Ji Yunshu also found it a bit funny. “No, she just asked me why the two of us haven’t reached consummation yet. I said you were unwilling, so she suspected…”
As she spoke, her gaze fell toward Zhao Shen’s lower body, and she said pointedly, “You know.”
Zhao Shen’s beautiful peach-blossom eyes curved slightly, but his gaze became somewhat deep. “Do you really want to consummate? You should know that once we do, there will be no room for regret.”
Ji Yunshu said, “I won’t regret it.”
It was just consummation; how could it truly bind two people together?
Zhao Shen also saw her lack of concern, and his eyes lowered slightly. “No rush. I will wait for you.”
Wait for whom?
For some reason, Ji Yunshu felt she heard a trace of inexplicable melancholy in his tone.
So she didn’t ask further.
Just then, Lürü came in with people to serve the meal.
Looking at the table full of dishes, Ji Yunshu instantly threw the previous awkward atmosphere to the back of her mind.
There was no helping it; she had gone to the banquet today but hadn’t been able to eat because of Zhao Heng’s situation. She had been hungry for a long time.
Only after drinking a bowl of soup did she remember to ask, “What exactly happened today? Did Wei Yuanmin scheme against Zhao Heng?”
One could tell from the attitudes of Princess Chang and Duke Wei that they were the ones in the wrong today.
Otherwise, they wouldn’t have completely ignored the process of what happened and directly settled the marriage.
Zhao Shen placed a piece of food she liked into her bowl before saying, “Madam Yao and Princess Chang intended to form an alliance through marriage. Zhao Heng didn’t want to marry Wei Yuanmin and planned to push her onto me today. I had someone inform Wei Yuanmin of the plan, and she did the rest herself.”
Ji Yunshu was dumbfounded. “Push her to you? How did he come up with such a vicious idea?”
One truly had to view people with an evolving perspective.
In her eyes, Zhao Heng was still a love-obsessed mind who disregarded everything for the sake of love, yet he was already secretly using such underhanded tricks to scheme against her.
If this had succeeded, Zhao Shen’s reputation aside, whether he married Wei Yuanmin or not, he would have offended both the Princess Manor and the Ji family at the same time.
The Ji family and the Princess Manor would have become enemies because of it.
Most importantly, this was blatant revenge against her.
Wasn’t it because Yao Ruolan was unwilling to marry him back then?
Then what if Zhao Shen also had another woman?
Zhao Shen said, “Regardless of what he wanted to do this time, it won’t succeed.”
He could actually see Ji Yunshu’s wariness toward Zhao Heng and Yao Ruolan.
But no matter what, he would protect her.
Ji Yunshu said, “I know.”
Although the plot was still continuing, it was different from the original book after all.
This time, Zhao Heng was going to marry Wei Yuanmin.
The legitimate daughter of Taining Chang Gongzhu and Duke Wei.
The niece of Yong Wang.
She wondered how he would protect Yao Ruolan from Wei Yuanmin’s hands.
Thinking of this, she smiled. “It seems our days in the manor won’t be boring from now on.”
There really were no entertainment activities in this era.
Every day, she went to sleep at dark and woke up at dawn.
Besides reading books, she practiced martial arts every day.
Ji Yunshu felt her routine had never been so regular.
Zhao Shen said, “If you feel bored, we can go stay at a manor for a few days. The weather is getting hotter, and the manor will be cooler.”
Ji Yunshu’s eyes lit up upon hearing this. “Can we?”
Zhao Shen smiled. “I am a disabled man; it’s the same wherever I stay. You’ve just married in and aren’t managing the household or any affairs, so why shouldn’t you be able to leave?”
“Then shall we set out tomorrow?”
Seeing her act on impulse, Zhao Shen shook his head. “Didn’t you want to go to the Palace to see the Empress Dowager? We’ll go after you return from the Palace.”
Only then did Ji Yunshu remember she had important business to attend to.
Thinking that she wasn’t clear on the current situation in the Palace, she asked hesitantly, “Can I stay in the Palace for a few days?”