Lin Qinghe heard the guards shouting outside at night, and You Rong was startled awake, murmuring with a frown. Lin Qinghe, without opening her eyes, reached out and patted him, comforting, "It's nothing, go back to sleep, don't worry about it."
Upon hearing this, You Rong indeed stopped worrying and continued to sleep soundly.
The two slept in the side rooms of the eastern courtyard for the night. It wasn't until the sky outside the window brightened that Lin Qinghe sat up with a yawn, stretched, and looked at You Rong, who was sleeping soundly beside her.
Lin Qinghe nudged You Rong's shoulder and called out, "Your Highness, it's dawn, time to get up. Your Highness, wake up..."
You Rong frowned, his eyes still closed, and grumbled, "No, this prince is too sleepy... this prince wants to sleep more..."
Lin Qinghe sighed helplessly and threatened, "Your Highness, if you don't get up, I won't give you meat anymore, and I'll let you go hungry every day!" Sudian Novel Network
You Rong immediately became displeased, and reluctantly opened his eyes, "Princess Consort... you said so yesterday! How can you go back on your word?!"
Lin Qinghe looked at the soft and pliable You Rong and couldn't help but laugh. She pinched his cheek and coaxed, "I was just teasing you. Hurry up and get up, we need to go back, or Mother Li and the others will be worried. I won't go back on my word, as long as you listen to me, I'll give you meat every day."
"Really?"
"Of course, it's true. But... you need to get up now, be good, understand?"
You Rong's face was full of grievance, and he pouted, reluctantly saying, "This prince understands. I'll get up now."
Lin Qinghe had never seen You Rong like this, whether in that world or in reality. She found it extremely amusing and couldn't help but reach out and pinch his cheek again, "You're such a good prince..."
You Rong blinked his eyes, not batting away Lin Qinghe's hand. He gazed at Lin Qinghe intently, feeling as if he were at her mercy.
After they both got up, Lin Qinghe took You Rong's hand and returned to the bridal chamber. As soon as they stepped inside, Mother Li, her face grim, immediately approached them, demanding with anger, "Princess Consort! Your Highness! Where were you last night?! Why did you not sleep in the bridal chamber? This servant and the guards from the manor searched for you all night but couldn't find you. Where were you hiding?!"
Mother Li's stern expression frightened You Rong, and he instinctively shrank behind Lin Qinghe.
Lin Qinghe noticed this, her eyes sharpened. She gently patted You Rong's hand to comfort him, signaling him not to be afraid. She looked up at Mother Li and said coldly, "Does this Princess Consort and His Highness need to ask permission from a servant like you to go anywhere?! Mother Li, have you forgotten your place again?!"
Mother Li's face turned even uglier, and she wished she could step forward and slap Lin Qinghe twice.
However, today Lin Qinghe and You Rong still needed to enter the palace, and she was somewhat worried that Lin Qinghe might say something nonsensical in the palace. So, she gritted her teeth and endured it.
Hmph!
After today, she would deal with Lin Qinghe properly. A mere daughter from an outer concubine's household, did she really think that marrying this foolish prince would make her a phoenix?
Mother Li knelt down, kowtowed, and admitted her mistake, "The Princess Consort misunderstands. There were assassins in the manor last night. This servant heard movement in the room and rushed in with the guards. I didn't expect to not see His Highness and the Princess Consort. I was worried sick, and I might have lost my proper respect in front of the Princess Consort. I beg for the Princess Consort's forgiveness."
Lin Qinghe's brows furrowed subtly.
There were assassins in the manor last night?
It seemed like a wise decision not to sleep in the bridal chamber. Otherwise, she might have already kicked the bucket.
Lin Qinghe collected her thoughts and asked Mother Li, "Were the assassins caught?"
"Replying to the Princess Consort, the assassins escaped and were not caught."
"Then report it to the yamen, and let them investigate. Fortunately, this Princess Consort and His Highness were not injured."
Mother Li's eyes flickered slightly and she said, "Yes, fortunately, His Highness and the Princess Consort are safe. Otherwise, this servant and the others would deserve death. I just don't know where the Princess Consort and His Highness went last night? Why weren't you in the bridal chamber all night?"
Lin Qinghe sneered inwardly. She knew exactly what Mother Li wanted to ask. Lin Qinghe didn't answer and directly ordered, "It's getting late. Go order someone to bring water. This Princess Consort and His Highness need to wash and change. We have to go to the palace to pay our respects to the Emperor and the Empress Dowager later."
Mother Li still wanted to ask more, but Lin Qinghe preempted her with a stern command, "Are you not going down yet! Didn't you hear what this Princess Consort said!"
Mother Li gritted her teeth secretly and replied, "Yes, Princess Consort, this servant will go now."
After Mother Li retreated, Lin Qinghe pulled You Rong into the room and found a hole in the middle of the large red bedding on the bed.
If she had lain there last night, she would have been killed by an assassin's sword.
Lin Qinghe looked at the ripped red bedding, her eyes narrowing, and she fell into thought.
She wasn't stupid, and she naturally understood why Mother Li and these disloyal servants in the manor treated her with such respect. It was nothing more than them seeing that she had just arrived and had to meet the Emperor and Empress Dowager today. They were afraid she would cause some trouble, and even with Noble Consort Xiao as their backing, it would be difficult to clean up.
To make her life in the manor easier in the future, Lin Qinghe had already made up her mind on how to act in the palace today.
Mother Li ordered servants to bring water and prepare clothes. Lin Qinghe waved them away, wanting to personally help You Rong change and wash. Mother Li tried to stop her, but a warning look from Lin Qinghe silenced her, and she could only retreat.
When Lin Qinghe took off You Rong's wedding robes, she finally understood why Mother Li didn't want her to help You Rong change.
You Rong's body was covered in bruises, looking like they were from being pinched, and from being whipped with a rattan. Apart from his face, there wasn't a single part of his body that was unmarked.
Lin Qinghe's heart ached. She reached out and touched You Rong's back. He trembled in pain but didn't utter a sound.
Lin Qinghe frowned and asked, "Your Highness, doesn't it hurt?"
You Rong nodded, "It hurts..."
"It hurts? Then why didn't you say anything?"
You Rong said pitifully and fearfully, "Mother Li didn't allow me to say. She said if this prince dared to speak, when we returned to the manor, she wouldn't give me food, she would hit me, lock me in the woodshed, and... and... she'd let the dogs bite me! Moreover... Father Emperor doesn't believe Mother Li always hits me. He didn't believe it in the palace, and he won't believe it even more at the manor..."
Lin Qinghe's hand stroked You Rong's cheek, her throat feeling choked, an unspeakable discomfort, a mixture of anger and indescribable emotions.
A cold glint flashed in Lin Qinghe's eyes.
Today, she would definitely take the life of this wicked servant, Mother Li!
"Princess Consort? What's wrong? You look so scary... Did this prince do something wrong again?"
Lin Qinghe suppressed the coldness in her eyes, smiled slightly, and gently coaxed, "It's nothing, Your Highness did nothing wrong. I won't let anyone bully you again in the future. But today, when we go to the palace to pay respects to Father Emperor and Empress Dowager, you must listen to me. Whatever I ask you to do, you do, okay?"
You Rong nodded heavily, "Yes! Princess Consort is the best to me. I'll listen to Princess Consort!"
Lin Qinghe smiled and couldn't help but pinch You Rong's cheek again, "You're such a good prince..."