The Crown Prince, having been tutored by the greatest Confucian scholar of the era, had been steeped in the teachings of sages since childhood. The principles of propriety and righteousness were etched into his bones, and he naturally held those around him to the same standards. Never before had he encountered such a brazen, shameless woman.
Yet, having given his word, there was no room for him to retract it.
Marchioness Wuning remained in disbelief. Suppressing the storm of emotions within her, she spoke as calmly as possible, "Thank you for your intervention earlier, Your Highness. Rest assured, this matter was merely a necessary ploy to deal with King Moshan. Once the envoys from Xiliang depart, the Marquis of Wuning's household will not trouble you further with this..."
Yun Kui grew increasingly confused. "Mother..."
"So, the Crown Prince was just using words to brush off King Moshan?"
"My future husband is slipping away?"
The Crown Prince's lips thinned slightly as he replied coolly, "It was no mere deflection. The Marquis and his lady were already in the midst of selecting a husband for Miss Sheng, and the Eastern Palace happens to be in need of a Crown Princess. Miss Sheng... is gentle, virtuous, and pure of heart. Her Majesty the Empress is most fond of her. If the Sheng family is willing, I shall discuss with the Ministry of Rites to select an auspicious date for the betrothal gifts, draft the imperial decree, and prepare for the wedding ceremony. Once Miss Sheng comes of age, she shall be welcomed into the Eastern Palace."
Marchioness Wuning first sought her daughter's opinion. Yun Kui, catching her mother's meaningful glance, immediately waggled her eyebrows in response.
"Mother, say yes! I’m all for the Crown Prince!"
Seeing her daughter's lovestruck expression, Marchioness Wuning knew her weakness for handsome faces had struck again.
"But Yun Kui is still young. She has been spoiled by her father and me all these years, lacking the decorum expected of a noble lady. I fear..."
Yun Kui's face fell, and she obediently straightened her posture.
The Crown Prince said impassively, "It is of no concern. Before entering the palace, the Imperial Household Department will send instructors to teach her the proper etiquette. Her Majesty the Empress and I will also guide her."
Marchioness Wuning gradually calmed, but a deeper worry took root.
"From the Crown Prince's words, it seems His Majesty and the Empress have already given their approval. My daughter's marriage into the Eastern Palace is all but certain. But once she steps into the palace, it will be like diving into an unfathomable sea. She is innocent and naive—how will she serve a cold, unfeeling husband? How will she navigate the intrigues of the inner court?"
Meanwhile, the Marquis of Wuning hurried back from the imperial city, only to learn upon arrival that the Crown Prince had visited his residence—not only to dismiss King Moshan but also to claim his daughter as his bride!
A seasoned veteran of the court, he had weathered many storms, yet even the news of King Moshan seeking his daughter's hand before the Emperor had not shaken him as much as this.
He strode into the hall, catching sight of his daughter's flushed, exhilarated face. Suppressing his turbulent emotions, he first bowed to the Crown Prince.
The Crown Prince motioned for him to rise. "King Moshan will trouble you no further, Marquis Sheng. As for the matter of the Crown Princess's investiture, His Majesty will issue an imperial decree in due course."
The Marquis of Wuning and his wife expressed their gratitude, though their hearts were conflicted.
Had this been an ordinary noble family seeking marriage, he would have scrutinized every relative, ancestor, and even the prospective son-in-law's usual companions to ensure his character was upright, his household peaceful, and his daughter's future secure.
It was precisely these considerations that had delayed their decision in recent days.
But now, they were to be bound by marriage to Emperor Jingyou himself, with the Crown Prince—second only to the Emperor—as their son-in-law. Overwhelmed by both awe and joy, he knew that not even King Moshan, let alone the Emperor of Xiliang, would dare contend with the heir of Dazhao for a bride. Yet he feared his daughter, unaccustomed to the rigid protocols and cutthroat politics of the palace, would struggle. The Crown Prince, an unsmiling iceberg, seemed unlikely to share tender affection or harmonious partnership. Would his daughter suffer in such a marriage?
The Crown Prince listened silently to the couple's unspoken thoughts, his expression unreadable. "I must return to the palace to report to His Majesty and Her Majesty. I take my leave."
The Marquis and Marchioness hurriedly composed themselves and escorted him out.
Before departing, the Crown Prince found his gaze inexplicably drawn to the young girl standing demurely in the corner.
Meeting his eyes, her almond-shaped ones sparkled, her lips curving into a smile before she hastily remembered propriety and bowed. "Farewell, Your Highness!"
"Farewell, my future husband! May you live a thousand years!"
The Crown Prince withdrew his gaze, his emotions complicated.
No matter.
She was still just a girl. The proper decorum could be taught to her in time.
Upon returning to the palace, the Crown Prince went straight to the Kunming Palace.
The Empress, having heard Cao Yuanlu's report, was satisfied to learn that the Crown Prince had just returned from the Marquis of Wuning's residence.
"You met with the Marquis and Marchioness?"
The Crown Prince nodded.
The Empress studied his perpetually impassive face and nearly laughed. "I thought you would present me with a list of refined noble ladies as candidates. Who would have thought that the moment King Moshan set foot in the Marquis of Wuning's residence, you couldn’t sit still? You didn’t even wait to report to me before rushing out to stake your claim..."
The Crown Prince replied, "...I chose her only out of deference to Your Majesty's wishes. Since you are confident in molding her into a suitable consort, I have no objections. As the candidate favored by both His Majesty and Your Majesty, I could not allow King Moshan to disrespect her."
The Empress waved a hand. "Enough of your reasoning. The decision is yours. The royal protocols must be observed—the betrothal gifts and ceremonies shall be prepared this year. I will also send instructors to the Marquis of Wuning's residence to teach her the proper etiquette. Once she comes of age next year, she may enter the Eastern Palace."
The Crown Prince responded indifferently, "As you command."
At the Marquis of Wuning's residence, the couple held a heartfelt discussion with their daughter.
The Marquis asked, "Do you truly fancy the Crown Prince? We’ve never heard you express any desire to marry into the Eastern Palace before."
Yun Kui pursed her lips. "I never thought much about marriage at all. But with the situation so urgent, and having to choose someone, the Crown Prince is peerlessly handsome, a true dragon among men. Becoming the Crown Princess is an opportunity others can only dream of—why should I complain?"
Lady Qi sighed. "You only see his looks, but do you know his temperament? Have you considered what life in the Eastern Palace will entail? He is the heir apparent, yes, but the inner court is a den of rivalry and schemes. How will you manage?"
Yun Kui glanced at her solemn parents and whispered, "But Mother and Father also met for the first time, sparks flew, and you didn’t even know each other when I was conceived..."
The Marquis and Marchioness exchanged stunned glances, exclaiming in unison, "Who told you that?"
The Marquis frowned. "She’s an unmarried girl—why would I speak of such things?"
Lady Qi flushed with embarrassment. "I certainly wouldn’t either!"
Yun Kui scratched her head guiltily.
The truth was, she had seen it in a dream.
She had witnessed her parents' amorous encounter in a cave—more than once.
Strangely enough, at some point, she had gained the ability to glimpse into others' dreams. Though it was unreliable, her parents, being the closest to her, were the ones whose dreams she visited most often.
Well... let’s just say their dreams were far from their usual dignified facades.
Each parent blamed the other for corrupting their daughter’s innocent mind, and the two nearly came to blows.
Tossing and turning through the night, unable to sleep, the Marquis of Wuning pulled his wife into his arms and sighed deeply. "Enough. What’s done is done—we must accept it as it is. Truth be told, the Crown Prince may not be such a bad match after all."
Lady Qi sighed. "But he isn’t you. Put politely, he’s dignified and proper. Put bluntly, he’s cold and unapproachable. Not like you, who loses control at the slightest provocation."
The Marquis coughed lightly. "Now, that’s unfair. All these years, I’ve only ever lost control with you. I’ve never spared another woman so much as a glance."
Lady Qi snorted. "That face of yours is just like the Crown Prince’s—deceiving young girls into a daze."
The Marquis stroked his chin. "I inherited my looks from my parents. Being handsome isn’t a crime, is it? Besides, you like it too. Or have you forgotten how you were the one who kissed me first in that cave?"
Blushing furiously, Lady Qi clapped a hand over his mouth. But the moment her eyes landed on her husband’s strikingly handsome features, her anger inexplicably melted away.
She sighed. "People aren’t wrong—I really was lucky. I escaped my bloodsucking elder brother’s family, went from a country bumpkin to a marchioness overnight. When I followed you to the capital without a second thought, I told myself that if you ever betrayed me, I’d just return to being a healer and treat it all as a dream. Yet all these years, you’ve remained devoted… But the imperial family has too many rules, too many formalities. The Crown Prince is so aloof and proud—who knows what kind of life Yun Kui will have? Becoming royalty, becoming the future Empress… it’s all so distant to me. I only ever hoped she’d marry a decent man who’d cherish her as you’ve cherished me."
The Marquis patted her shoulder. "Don’t worry. The Crown Prince is proper and measured in all things. He may not be warm, but he won’t neglect her either. As the imperial family’s chosen Crown Princess, she’ll be given all the respect she deserves."
Remembering their daughter’s radiant smile, the Marquis chuckled. "In terms of gentleness and virtue, there are hundreds of noble ladies in the capital. But our daughter’s sweet, artless charm is one of a kind—who wouldn’t adore her?"
Lady Qi nodded. "True. Perhaps His Majesty and Her Majesty saw a side of Yun Kui at the birthday banquet that others don’t know. Otherwise, why would they pass over all the noble ladies in the capital and choose our daughter?"
"Exactly," the Marquis agreed. "The Crown Prince may seem cold now, but that’s only because he hasn’t spent time with her. Once they’re together day and night, and he discovers how delightful she is, even an iceberg would melt. If even Yun Kui can’t win his affection, then no woman in the world ever could."
Having reassured each other—and themselves—the couple finally relaxed.
With his soft, fragrant wife pressed against him, the Marquis felt a familiar heat rise. Without another thought, he rolled over and pinned her beneath him.
The candlelight flickered all night long.
Lady Qi hadn’t expected that after so many years of marriage, with their daughter nearly grown, her husband would still have such energy and enthusiasm—keeping her up every night.
Breathing heavily in her ear, the Marquis murmured, "Teach our daughter well before the wedding. You’re quite skilled yourself."
Lady Qi: "…"
In early May, the imperial edict of appointment arrived at the manor, and notices were posted throughout the capital.
No one among the noble families could have guessed that the Crown Princess would be the Marquis of Wuning’s daughter—a girl known only for her beauty and her complete disregard for decorum.
By mid-May, the Imperial Household Department sent tailors to take measurements for the Crown Princess’s wedding attire and jewelry. The betrothal rites dragged on until the end of the year.
Then, the Imperial Household Department dispatched instructresses, along with the Empress’s personal attendant, Lady Yan, to teach Yun Kui the rituals and protocols for the coronation and wedding ceremonies. Three more months slipped by.
The night before the wedding, Lady Qi brought an illustrated manual to her daughter’s room.
The images of intertwined mandarin ducks weren’t entirely unfamiliar to Yun Kui. Out of respect—and instinctive shyness—she had never scrutinized such scenes in her parents’ dreams.
As she flipped through the pages, Yun Kui asked eagerly, "Mother, the Crown Prince seems so icy. Do you think he’ll be willing to… consummate the marriage?"
The figures in the manual were bare and intimate, just like her parents in their dreams.
Thinking of the Crown Prince’s breathtakingly handsome face, Yun Kui flushed. Would His Highness kiss her lips and nibble her neck the way her father did with her mother?
Lady Qi couldn’t promise anything, but she knew from experience that some men, no matter how proper they seemed in public, became entirely different once their robes came off. Not wanting to pressure her daughter, she only said, "All men enjoy it."
Yun Kui’s eyes sparkled with excitement. "Then I’ll study hard!"
Lady Qi: "…"
That night, Yun Kui lay on her bed, kicking her legs and twisting her waist, mimicking every position in the manual with an intensity she’d never shown for her studies.
When she finally drifted off, she was surprised to dream of the Crown Prince—whom she hadn’t seen in so long.
Red silk swayed, candlelight flickered. It was their wedding night. The Crown Prince, resplendent in his ceremonial robes, lifted the embroidered veil (patterned with symbols of fertility) with a ceremonial rod, slowly revealing the bride’s face.
Yun Kui watched as the veil rose, exposing a face of peerless beauty—yes, definitely her own.
And the "her" in the dream was shockingly bold, batting her lashes and puckering her red lips to plant a kiss on the Crown Prince.
Before she could see his reaction, the dream abruptly ended.
Yun Kui jolted awake.
What was that?!
She was a shy person! Even in her dreams, she wouldn’t dare disrespect the exalted Crown Prince!
Wait…
She suddenly realized she’d been an observer in the dream, watching the scene unfold without participating.
If it wasn’t her dream… then it had to be—the Crown Prince’s!
So, the Crown Prince had dreamed of their wedding night… and of her kissing him!
Aaaaaah!!!!
