The bridal chamber was decorated in a blaze of red, with the mandarin ducks frolicking quilt scattered with longan, lotus seeds, and lilies—all auspicious foods with wonderful meanings. She was now the only one in the room.Huiyin truly wished she could just pull off the bridal veil herself; she was growing rather bored.Suddenly, she heard what sounded like someone kneeling outside, followed by a series of footsteps. The footsteps sounded very steady and composed. Huiyin thought to herself—could it be Li Cheng arriving?Just as she was thinking this, she sensed someone approaching, and suddenly the veil was lifted.The man before her wore a first-rank crimson wedding robe of gold-threaded brocade with raised patterns, a gold-trimmed auspicious cloud belt at his waist, and his dark hair bound with a Canglong crown. The crown was crafted from pure gold, adorned with swirling cloud patterns made of twisted threads, with twin dragons encircling both sides and a precious pearl at the top, giving the impression of two dragons guarding a pearl. It made him appear tall and distinguished in bearing.Especially his appearance was completely different from what Huiyin had imagined. He had a pair of peach blossom eyes, and his handsome features carried a hint of roguish charm, making him look very much like one of those frivolous playboys.Thinking of this, Huiyin felt that one truly could not judge a person by appearances. This Li Cheng might look like that, yet he was actually a devoted romantic at heart.Li Cheng's impression of Huiyin was another matter entirely. From a distance, she was the very image of a Yan-Zhao beauty—tall in stature, with a curvaceous figure, deep-set eyes, and a straight nose. Especially her small face, slender long neck, and skin like piled snow made her seem like a flower of wealth and nobility. A single glance into her eyes could leave one's mind blank, momentarily forgetting everything.The two were strangers to each other. After exchanging a glance, Huiyin rose and performed a bow: "Young Prince."Her voice was remarkably sweet and coquettish—not forced or affected, but seemingly natural.Hearing this, Li Cheng felt somewhat uneasy: "Princess."Huiyin hadn't seen him before, but now that she had, he appeared even more handsome than Li Heng. Regardless, she felt somewhat relieved in her heart.Just as the two had exchanged their formal greetings, the matchmaker entered to arrange for them to drink the nuptial cup. Huiyin rarely drank alcohol—wine easily depleted one's constitution. Her father, in recent years, had favored several concubines and loved his drink, and his fighting prowess had long since declined.Even for women, indulging too deeply in sensual pleasures could easily leave the body weak and depleted.She took a small sip of the wine, then set it back on the table.With the matchmaker withdrawing, the two were alone together again. Huiyin still didn't know what Li Cheng thought of her. She feared that if she were too forward, she might later be ridiculed for being presumptuous.Fortunately, Li Cheng spoke up at the right moment: "I heard you encountered bandits blocking the road along the way? Are you unharmed?""Oh, thank you for your concern, Young Prince. I am perfectly fine. Thanks to General Yuwen's careful arrangements—he first had us take shelter in a temple. It happened to rain at the time, so we hid from both the rain and the bandits. By the time we came out, the bandits had already been wiped out." Huiyin said with a smile.Despite her sweet voice, she spoke crisply and briskly. Li Cheng glanced at her and nodded: "That's good to hear. I've been fighting in Xiapi these days—it must have been hard on you."Seeing that he showed concern for her, she naturally felt she should show concern for him in return, so she said: "I'm fine. But you, Prince, have been fighting with such devotion—were you injured at all?"Li Cheng pointed to his shoulder: "Took an arrow here. The wound is shallow—nothing too serious."At the sound of his injury, Huiyin immediately said, "If you're injured, why were you drinking just now?""Because this is our wedding day," Li Cheng replied without a second thought. Now that they were married, he might not be able to love her deeply, but he should at least respect her.Huiyin looked at him seriously and asked, "Is it still bandaged now?"Li Cheng nodded.Huiyin glanced at him and said, "In that case, tonight you take the bed, and I'll sleep on the couch over there. Since you're injured, you need to rest properly. If you don't mind, tomorrow I'll cook—hmm, what should I make? Pigeon soup can leave scars, pork trotters are too greasy, and beef is a trigger food. Black bean and black fish soup—that's my specialty. I'll stew that tomorrow."Seeing how quickly she was making arrangements, one might think they were already familiar with each other, but Li Cheng shook his head and said, "No, you take the bed, and I'll take the couch.""That won't do. If my parents found out, they'd say I was mistreating you." Huiyin's soft, sweet voice showed no sign of yielding.Usually, women who met him were almost always deferential and respectful, owing to his status. He noticed that Zheng—Huiyin—was not like that at all. She was completely like a young girl, and it was clear her family doted on her immensely, yet she was spoiled without being indulgent. He had been away at war, and she showed no displeasure, nor did she demand the consummation of their marriage. She simply eased the awkwardness in a moment.Li Cheng lowered his head. "I can't let you sleep on the couch either."Huiyin smiled. "Then let's both sleep on the bed. That bed is big enough anyway—we just won't touch in the middle." After saying this, she added, "I'll go bathe and freshen up first."She seemed to let out a sigh of relief.It was strange—in all his life, Li Cheng had never met a woman like this. She had the ability to turn the tables and take charge, even though this was Prince Huaiyin's residence when he walked in, and he was the master of the house.Huiyin bathed and freshened up very quickly. She often felt that soaking too long made her skin swell up like pork. So after removing her hairpins and bathing, she came out. When she approached, Li Cheng glanced at her and then looked away.Huiyin stepped over him and lay down on the bed, letting out a comfortable little moan. "Finally, I can lie down. Today was so tiring."She truly just wanted to sleep early. She wasn't particularly fixated on the matter of consummation, especially since he was injured—he needed to take care of himself.After speaking, she really closed her eyes, but the fragrant scent emanating from her made Li Cheng's blood rush, and he couldn't fall asleep.Huiyin was just drifting off when she saw a dark shadow looming over her. It was him, leaning in, lifting her chin and kissing her with soft, delicate kisses. This left her a bit bewildered, but she opened her eyes with some concern and, between breaths, said, "Your wound…""It's nothing serious. Tonight is our wedding night—if we don't consummate, what will others think?" Li Cheng wondered if he was just making excuses for himself.A princess consort married from Jizhou, and on the first night of the wedding, if the young prince didn't touch her—word would spread and she'd become a laughingstock immediately. Huiyin understood this logic well. Moreover, the next day, a specialized wet nurse would come to collect the so-called bridal cloth, and the servants would be waiting outside. If the first night went poorly, the princess consort's standing would be ruined.Li Cheng's hands moved nimbly like fluttering butterflies. Seeing how skilled and practiced he was, Huiyin found that it spared her a great deal of pain.The clouds and rain had just ceased, and they had called for water twice. Huiyin, fearing that his wound might reopen, helped him reapply the medicine.While she was changing the dressing, Li Cheng watched her cheeks flushed pink, exceptionally lovely, and inwardly cursed himself for being consumed by lust—how was he any different from a beast? Fortunately, she believed him.Huiyin's movements were practiced. She first used strong liquor to clean the wound, wiping away the seeping blood and the surrounding sweat and oils, then applied the medicinal powder, and deftly tied the gauze.Li Cheng noticed her skill and couldn't help asking, "How do you know how to clean wounds like this?"Naturally, Huiyin had often helped Li Heng with such things in her previous life, since she was his nominal "beloved consort." But now she couldn't tell the truth, so she could only say, "It's because of my younger brother, of course. He's a few years younger than me, and when he gets hurt sometimes, I help him tend to it."After finishing, Huiyin walked back to the bed and suddenly her legs gave way slightly. Li Cheng naturally saw this, and the corner of his mouth curled up slightly.Once the two lay down, Huiyin probed tactfully, "How many concubines do you have? That way, I can prepare greeting gifts accordingly. I came from Jizhou and don't know the customs of your household."Li Cheng quickly replied, "I have no concubines. My parents passed away one after another, and I have been in mourning ever since."Huiyin was somewhat satisfied, and she asked again, "Then is there someone you hold dear in your heart? I mean a woman."She had always been one to strike directly; going around in circles only made herself miserable. With her looks and talents, if Li Cheng treated her poorly, she wouldn't bother pretending to be some virtuous wife.Li Cheng glanced at Huiyin, quite surprised. "Why would you ask that?"Not answering directly like before meant there was something to it. Huiyin said playfully, "If you're only willing to be husband and wife in name, then we'll be courteous with each other, not interfering, and I'll be very proper. But if you treat me sincerely, then you'll gain a beautiful, affectionate wife who will devote her heart and soul to you."
Chapter 8
Rebirth of the Empress