Chapter Twelve
"Tell me, did my father really go to that beautiful sister's place?" Xu Qingshi asked excitedly.
"Reporting to the young master, His Highness stayed overnight at Songmo Courtyard," Moyu, Xu Qingshi's attendant, hurriedly replied.
"Really? He didn’t leave halfway to sleep in his study, did he?" Xu Qingshi asked with a worried expression.
He didn’t fully understand, but he had secretly asked Nanny Jin about it. She said that as long as his father stayed at Songmo Courtyard, he would soon have little brothers or sisters.
Though, to be honest, he wasn’t particularly desperate for siblings.
But he also didn’t want the stepmother he had worked so hard to bring home to be sent back.
Wouldn’t that be a slap in his face?
The next morning
Xu Heming tried to get up, only to realize there was someone in his arms.
For a moment, he was taken aback before remembering—he had married Li Zhiwei yesterday due to the southern flood crisis. But he wasn’t a lustful man, so how had he lost his senses and consummated the marriage with Zhiwei?
At this thought, Xu Heming sighed inwardly.
Seeing the bruises covering the woman in his arms, he scolded himself—how could he have been so rough?
Had he really been deprived for too long?
Even now, Xu Heming had no idea that the soup The Old Princess had given him the night before was spiked.
Li Zhiwei felt as though her entire body had been trampled by a carriage.
Having lived two lifetimes, she finally understood—was this what marriage was like?
Yet she was well aware that the prince held no affection for her.
Silently, she resolved to be the best princess consort she could be.
She would take care of The Old Princess and the young master for him.
"Your Highness, Princess Consort, it’s time to rise. The Old Princess is waiting for the morning tea ceremony," Qingsong’s soft reminder came from outside the door.
Hearing this, Li Zhiwei hurriedly tried to get up.
"Rest a while longer. I’ll go alone," Xu Heming said, knowing she had just experienced her first night and that he had taken her three times without restraint.
"Your Highness, it’s customary for a new bride to serve tea to The Old Princess. I mustn’t be discourteous," Li Zhiwei murmured, biting her lip. Though she appreciated his concern, she couldn’t afford to act spoiled and neglect her duties as a daughter-in-law.
"Very well. I’ll accompany you, and afterward, you may return to rest properly." Xu Heming’s impression of Li Zhiwei improved slightly due to her sensible attitude.
Naturally, his demeanor toward her softened a bit more.
At Cian Hall
"The Old Princess, they’re coming, they’re coming!" Nanny Luo exclaimed excitedly upon seeing Prince An and Li Zhiwei approaching in the distance.
Though The Old Princess said nothing, her eyes flickered toward the entrance.
Meanwhile, Xu Qingshi sat nearby, yawning. He didn’t understand—his father had taken a new mother, fine, but why did he have to wake up at dawn and wait here?
Did having a new mother mean he couldn’t sleep in anymore?
If that were the case, he might as well send this wonderful stepmother back to the Ruan Marquis Residence.
"Grandmother, is it over yet? If so, I’m going back to sleep. I’m still exhausted," Xu Qingshi grumbled impatiently.
"You silly child, this stepmother was the one you picked yourself. Today is her first day as a bride—shouldn’t you be here to show your support?" The Old Princess chided, though her tone was more amused than stern.
"Grandmother, would Father really hit the new consort?" For some reason, Xu Qingshi's mind conjured an image of Xu Heming whipping Li Zhiwei with a cane.
The thought of Li Zhiwei possibly getting hurt soon made him wide awake.
He had to protect her, after all—Li Zhiwei was now his person too.
"You silly child, what nonsense are you talking? The prince dotes on the princess so much he wouldn’t dream of laying a hand on her," Nanny Luo chuckled from the side.
After all, the prince had called for fresh bathwater three times last night. Surely, he was utterly smitten with the new princess—otherwise, he wouldn’t have lost control like that when she was still so inexperienced.
"Nanny Luo, how do you know Father doesn’t hit people? He’s terrifying! Outsiders say he could scare children into silence at night," Xu Qingshi argued disapprovingly.
"Your father may be fierce, but only to outsiders. When has he ever been harsh with you?" The Old Princess shot her grandson an exasperated look before smiling.
Just then, Xu Heming entered the inner courtyard, supporting Li Zhiwei by the arm.
"Your daughter-in-law greets Mother with respects," Li Zhiwei said, trembling slightly as she knelt before The Old Princess.
The Old Princess glanced at her son, who looked somewhat awkward, and thought to herself: So, he really was swayed by her beauty. Though her tonic last night had played a part, she knew her son well—if he hadn’t been willing, no one could have forced him.
Clearly, he fancied this Li woman.
"Your son greets Mother," Xu Heming interjected with a bow, subtly reminding The Old Princess that his wife was still kneeling.
"Nanny Luo?" The Old Princess ignored her son and instead signaled for Nanny Luo to bring the tea.
Today, she, the old matriarch, would finally drink the ceremonial tea from her new daughter-in-law.
"Princess, please serve The Old Princess the tea now," Nanny Luo urged, quickly handing the cup to Li Zhiwei with a smile.
"Mother, please accept this tea," Li Zhiwei said meekly, raising the cup respectfully above her head, her heart uneasy.
In her past life, on her wedding night, Lin Jitong had never entered her chamber—instead, he had gone to Zhou Yutang’s room. And when she went to serve tea to her mother-in-law the next morning, only Zhou Yutang was present.
That was when she learned the Lin family had secretly demoted her to a concubine. The servants had forced her head down, making her serve tea to Zhou Yutang as an inferior.
She had wanted to resist, but all the attendants she brought had already been dismissed by the Lin family.
No one in the household would listen to her.
Even if she tried to send word to her parents, there was no one left to help.
Her dowry had long been moved to her mother-in-law’s courtyard. The only saving grace was that she had hidden the keys on her person, forcing the Lin family to tread carefully for fear of going too far.
"Good. Now that you’ve stepped through the gates of An Manor, you are one of us. From this day forth, your every word and action must uphold the dignity of this household. I care not why you married into An Manor, but since you are now its princess, you must bear heirs for my son soon—give Qingshi a few younger siblings." The Old Princess eyed Li Zhiwei pointedly.
She worried Li Zhiwei might feel inferior as a merchant’s daughter compared to the noblewomen of the capital, shrinking back in fear and tarnishing An Manor’s reputation.
Whatever her origins, she was now the princess of An Manor—no one could bully her so easily.
Moreover, she truly wished for a granddaughter.
"This humble wife will heed the teachings of the Old Princess." Li Zhiwei did not find the Old Princess's words improper at all. Compared to Zhou Yutang's words in her past life, these were already quite gentle.
"Mother, your son and Li Zhiwei still have urgent matters to attend to. If there is nothing else, we shall take our leave." Xu Heming feared that kneeling for too long would strain Li Zhiwei's health and quickly spoke up.
