Chapter 248: Neglect on the Wedding Night

Chapter 248: The Snub on the Wedding Night

The guests' gazes pierced like countless fine needles, stabbing into the four figures in red.

Murmurs of gossip spread from all directions, as if threatening to strip them of their dignity.

Wang Bishan's shoulders trembled slightly, while Zhao Ruowan, the legitimate daughter of the Zhao family, twisted the wedding handkerchief in her hands until her knuckles turned white. Huo Xianyue, the legitimate daughter of the Huo family, was so enraged that her chest heaved, and she nearly ground her teeth to dust beneath the veil.

In this suffocating silence, only Cui Zhilan, the legitimate daughter of the Cui family, stood as steady as a stone.

Deaf to the whispers around her, she turned her head under the heavy red veil and spoke in a voice that was not loud but clear, reaching the flustered wedding attendant's ears:

"Since the prince has left, please ask the wedding attendant to tell the steward to take us to the back courtyard!"

The wedding attendant snapped out of her daze after this overly casual ceremony, forcing an embarrassed smile, nodded repeatedly in agreement, and hurried off to find the steward.

Before long, the steward, who had followed Xiao Lingchuan earlier, arrived with several maids.

His face was expressionless, his gaze devoid of sympathy or disdain, as if handling a routine chore.

"Four secondary consorts, please follow this old steward."

Without offering any explanation, he turned and led the way, taking them away from the main hall where they had become the laughingstock.

The group passed through covered corridors, bypassed rockeries and gardens, and were finally led to an independent courtyard named "Zangjin Ge" (Pavilion of Hidden Brocade).

The courtyard was elegant enough, but its location was remote, far from the main compound, and utterly desolate.

Each of the four secondary consorts was assigned a room, all identically furnished: festive red candles burned brightly, and on the table were placed exquisite wedding wine and a cold evening meal, long since devoid of warmth.

They sat on the edge of the bed, the heavy red veils pressing down on them like mountains, making it hard to breathe.

Time ticked away as the candle flames flickered. Their hope turned to anxiety, then their hearts sank deeper and deeper.

Finally, footsteps sounded outside the door.

But it wasn't the man they'd been longing for—it was the steward, back again.

He brought a message from Xiao Lingchuan, his voice icy: "The prince is tired. He says the secondary consorts should go to bed on their own. He will not be coming tonight!"

With a crash, Huo Xianyue threw off her veil and slammed it to the ground.

Her beautiful face flushed crimson with rage, her eyes wide as she glared at the steward: "The prince refused to perform the wedding ceremony with me, and now he abandons me on my wedding night? I am the legitimate daughter of the Huo family! How dare he humiliate me like this!"

The steward did not even lift his eyelids, looking at her coldly: "Secondary Consort Huo, since you have entered the Jing Prince's residence, you should know that the rules of this residence are set by the prince. How can a secondary consort interfere? Please remember your place and don't forget why you're here. I'm sure the head of the Huo family told you that things like love and harmony are not likely to happen in the Jing Prince's residence."

These words were like a bucket of ice water poured over her head.

"You!" Huo Xianyue trembled with rage but couldn't get a word out in retort.

Of course, she understood. She had not married a husband, but a position of power, a transaction.

But reason was one thing; she had always been pampered and adored. Never had she suffered such a disgrace!

The dignity of a new bride had been shattered the moment she stepped into the residence.

How could she ever find a foothold in this unfathomable mansion from now on?

The steward ignored her and went to the next room—Wang Bishan's.

Wang Bishan had already removed her veil, her eyes rimmed with red. Seeing the steward enter, she quickly took a heavy embroidered pouch from her sleeve and quietly slipped it to him, her voice pleading: "Steward, please put in a good word for me with the prince. Tomorrow... if the prince has time, could you ask him to come visit me?"

In Zhao Ruowan's room, it was much the same, with promises of even greater rewards, just for a chance to see the prince.

The steward did not accept their gifts. He bowed slightly and spoke cautiously: "I appreciate the secondary consorts' intentions, but the prince's movements are not something this old servant can control. It is late, and I suggest the consorts rest early."

After declining, he went to the last room.

In Cui Zhilan's room, she had somehow already removed her veil and was sitting upright at the table, leisurely pouring herself a cup of tea.

Her face showed neither joy nor anger. When she saw the steward, she merely lifted her eyes calmly.

After hearing the steward's words, she neither displayed Huo Xianyue's fury nor the scheming of Wang Bishan and the others. Instead, she nodded serenely: "I understand. Thank you for your trouble, steward."

With that, she picked up the teacup and sipped it contentedly, clearly unperturbed by her new husband's neglect.

The steward bowed and left, crossing the silent courtyard and heading straight for the study.

Inside the study, candles burned brightly.

Xiao Lingchuan had long since changed out of his garish red robe and was dressed in a dark casual garment. He sat by the window, holding a cup of clear tea. The curling white mist blurred his cold, handsome features.

"Your Highness," the steward said respectfully, reporting everything that had happened in detail at Zangjin Ge.

Xiao Lingchuan listened, his fingertips lightly stroking the warm cup, his expression indifferent.

"Huo Xianyue is arrogant and quick to anger; Wang Bishan and Zhao Ruowan are eager to curry favor. These three families are not a concern." He took a sip of tea and spoke slowly, his voice cutting through the stillness of the night. "But this Secondary Consort Cui must be watched closely."

The steward was somewhat surprised by this: "Why is that, Your Highness? It seems to this old servant that Secondary Consort Cui is not contentious or competitive, and her temperament is steady. She doesn't seem like she'd be hard to get along with."

Xiao Lingchuan let out a barely audible, cold laugh. He set down the teacup, a sinister glint in his dark eyes: "Not contending, not competing—that's exactly the clue."

"A woman, coming into the Jing Prince's residence as a secondary consort, being humiliated during the ceremony and neglected on her wedding night, yet staying calm and not caring about winning my favor... This proves that she did not come to the Jing Prince's residence for an alliance with me, nor for wealth and honor."

His voice dropped, carrying an icy certainty: "She must have another motive!"

The steward's spine stiffened as realization dawned. Cold sweat beaded on his forehead: "Yes, Your Highness! I understand! I'll immediately have someone keep a close watch on Secondary Consort Cui!"

—

In the main bedchamber.

Jiang Shuning had just blown out the candle and was about to go to sleep. Before she could even settle into the covers, the bed suddenly dipped under a heavy weight, and she was pulled into a scorching embrace by an arm like iron.

She stiffened, and before she could react, Xiao Lingchuan's voice, laced with anger and displeasure, growled in her ear: "You dared to go to sleep without waiting for me?"

"Your Highness?" Jiang Shuning exclaimed, still startled, and asked instinctively, "Isn't tonight... your wedding night?"

She had thought that tonight she might finally catch a brief respite from his suffocating embrace.

"So what?" In the darkness, Xiao Lingchuan's tone carried a hint of sarcasm, but his arm tightened around her. "You know very well why I married them."

He was holding her so tightly that she could barely breathe. She couldn't help saying, "But they are still your official secondary consorts. If word gets out that you did not stay in their chambers tonight, it might upset the aristocratic clans..."

He let out a disdainful sneer: "I've already done them a great favor by letting them bear the title of Jing Prince's secondary consorts. What? Do the clans expect me to serve them one by one, like a courtesan in a brothel?"

Jiang Shuning's tense nerves seemed to be tickled by this remark, and she couldn't help but burst out laughing.

"Alright! You dare to mock me?" Feeling her laugh in his arms, Xiao Lingchuan pretended to be angry. Rolling over, he pinned her beneath him, his hand skillfully finding the ticklish spot on her waist. "Let's see how I punish you!"

"I... I didn't..." Jiang Shuning couldn't bear this. She squirmed and twisted in his arms like a fish out of water, laughing until tears almost came to her eyes, but she refused to beg for mercy. "The prince himself said something so improper, how can he stop others from laughing..."

The darkness in the room seemed to grow warm and intimate because of this moment of playful banter.

Outside the door, the maids on night duty blushed and silently covered their ears.

Don't listen to what shouldn't be heard! Don't listen!