Princess Shen Ai's attention was on the strange young man beside her. Prince Consort Xiu had not uttered another word after giving his respects to his elders and sat down quietly with an empty look on his pretty face completely contradicting his loud, shameless self at her palace.
Earlier. Prince Consort Xiu had woken up extremely early to cook her breakfast and barged in on the sleeping princess.
Princess Shen Ai was awoken by the noise as her maidservants, mainly Xiao Rong tried to stop the ever annoying Prince Consort. "What?" she snapped.
"I made you breakfast!" Prince Consort Xiu exclaimed.
Princess Shen Ai grimaced and rubbed her ear. "What are you doing screaming so early in the morning," she grumbled angrily. "You can't wait for me to die, don't you?"
For a second, she saw an arrogant look on his face, as if saying 'If I wanted to do that, you'd be dead already' but it was back to him grinning widely with eyes filled with pure happiness that she wondered if she was just hallucinating.
"Princess, I would never do that!" He exclaimed yet again making the grumpy expression on Princess Shen Ai's face worse. "Today is just special!"
She rolled her eyes. "I don't care if it's your birthday. Go die."
Prince Consort Xiu pouted, upset at the mean retort. He huffed and replied, "It's the third day of our marriage, and we have to go to my home."
"What?" She asked, utterly confused. "Why?"
"I…" Prince Consort Xiu had a thoughtful look. "Um… I… I forgot what it's called. You know the one where the married couple goes to the bride's house after three days of marriage?"
"Hui Men?" Xiao Xi reluctantly voiced out, sounding like an adorable little kitten.
"Ah! Yes! That one! Mother told me that San Zhao Hui Men is very significant because it's the couple's first visit to the bride's family home as a married couple!" He explained and raised his chin a little, showing that he was proud of what he knew.
But to Princess Shen Ai, he sounded like a total idiot. "You're the groom," she told him bitterly.
Prince Consort Xiu's smile fell and he looked like a wounded puppy. "Our roles are reversed," he mumbled. "So let's go," he pouted, "please."
Princess Shen Ai raised an eyebrow at his last word, his plead taking her interest. Sitting up in her bed, she straightened her back and looked at him with a beautiful smile that was unfortunately paired with the glint in her eyes that made Prince Consort Xiu shiver. "Tell me an honest reason why we should go."
Prince Consort Xiu was still pouting and he answered within a heartbeat. "Because Mother said so and… I miss her," his voice was tinged with melancholy.
Princess Shen Ai's face fell and her eyes hardened. She slightly gritted her teeth. Miss mother? She knew how that felt. He was luckier though, he still had one. The place she grew up at was one filled with black-hearted people willing to harm their own flesh and blood, much less a person who stood in their way just to gain the Emperor's favor.
She met his expectant eyes and wordlessly agreed which had the foolish Prince Consort Xiu smiling brighter than the sun, jumping and skipping around in happiness.
At present, he seemed like he was hollowed out. Did he forget to bring his emotions with him?
Mentally shaking her head to rid of the thoughts of the bipolar person that had begged her to come here, she looked around and observed the people present. A bunch of pretty concubines with some sending coquettish and flirtatious looks at their direction, particularly the pretty boy by her side, she couldn't bothered by those and instead checked out the beautiful concubines who mistook her gaze as a glare of jealousy. She could tell the difference between the wives and the concubine and she eyed the one by General Xiu Weisheng's side.
She had a slight resemblance to Prince Consort Xiu, her blond hair darker and had strands of brown with eyes a lighter shade of black. She theorized that this was the woman was the one Xiao Rong and Xiao Xi told her about when she asked them about what they knew of the XiuFu on their way. This woman was the first lady's cousin who schemed her way to being the second lady. The first lady was framed and was only demoted due to her strong backing.
Princess Shen Ai hated these kinds of women the most. She glanced at the unmoving empty doll beside her before purposely provoking his father by asking where the first lady was and why he had a concubine by his side, acting like she did not know anything.
Anger flashed in the second lady's eyes but much to Princess Shen Ai's disappointment, General Xiu had replied without a change in his expression. "Your Highness, Wang Qingyun is the lady of this household. As for my previous wife, I have already sent a maidservant to fetch her."
Princess Shen Ai harrumphed arrogantly before ignoring him. However, one of his sons who had blonde hair a shade different from Prince Consort Xiu and disdainful gray eyes eyed the male by her side and spoke, "Concubine Jiang seems to have forgotten that she is but a mere low ranked concubine now."
The other male blondie had more resemblance to the second lady and their temperaments were similar, indeed the apple never fell far from the tree… unless there was a typhoon.
Prince Consort Xiu glanced up at his younger brother before lowering his head. Princess Shen Ai narrowed her eyes at him. Wondering that since he was the second young master of this Fu with about six younger brothers that were all already married and most with child, how old was this guy?
"Little Chen," a woman spoke dotingly. Her voice was so beautiful and angelic that Princess Shen Ai was entranced. "Son, I thought only you would come and did not expect that you'd gain the Princess favor."
Princess Shen Ai blinked before looking and gaping at the womanㅡno, goddess that arrived. Although she had similarities with her cousin, she looked way more youthful and beat that hag by infinity streets! Pink petal lips curved in a smile that reached her bright emerald her eyes and wavy golden blonde hair framed the snow white face that could the downfall of the whole universe. The goddess' eyes met hers and her heartbeat fastened. Someone irrelevant spoke and the goddess looked away, the light in her eyes disappearing as she gave off a cold yet elegant aura contrasting her enthralling temperament a second ago.
Princess Shen Ai's face had reddened, the man inside her falling in love at first sight.
Although, this wasn't the first time it happened.
She thought that the goddess looked so familiar and soon after much thought, remembered that she had seen a portrait of her.
Jiang Mei Shen, the very dynasty's most beautiful and talented woman. What the- did the general save the universe in his past life to be this lucky!? After her inner monologues and recovering from the shock, she then questioned the General's IQ. Replacing a phoenix with a wild chicken, was he mentally ill?
She narrowed her eyes at General Xiu whose blank expression never once wavered and doubted his sexuality. Still though, Goddess had a face that would event bend women much less an actual man with a doubtful sexuality. The hag was looking at her Goddess as if her Goddess was scum so Princess Shen Ai stared daggers at the scheming evil woman.
Now that she'd seen the goddess, this hateful Wang Qingyun was like a cheap knock-off! She harrumphed and looked at the others. Some women looked at her Goddess in envy, jealousy and awe. There was even a few blushing, Princess Shen Ai thought they were cute. Eyeing the men, she glared at their lustful gazes despite knowing that she was being extremely hypocritical. How dare they look at their father's concubine with such gaze! Those who weren't coveting her Goddess were either ignoring her or looking at her disdain. She glared at all those who had ill intentions.
Averting her gaze to the pretty boy beside her, what she saw was out of her expectations. She expected to see him entranced at her Goddess but he was instead staring at her… like she had two heads. If only he was admiring her. Tsk, not cute at all. Apparently, he recovered his emotions when he saw his mother.
Her glare darkened and Prince Consort Xiu slightly reeled back in fear. Wisely deciding not to voice out his confusion, he instead whispered. "Princess, that's Mother." There was pride in his voice and he smiled adorably, slightly raising his chin.
Oh? Princess Shen Ai carefully scrutinized Prince Consort Xiu's face which greatly resembled her Goddess'. He had the General's eyes and his pale skin was sickly compared to his mother's glowing white but they had the same hair, nose and pink pouty lips. Although Prince Consort Xiu was very pretty, he had a boyish charm between his brows that distinguished his beauty from a woman's.
The Princess' staring made Prince Consort Xiu blush. Especially when she looked at his lips. He looked away, touching his flaming cheeks and shyly glanced her who looked at him with her dark eyes that made him feel as if she could see his soul. Kyaaaaahh, Princess is so beautiful. Why is my heart beating so fast!? This isn't right!