People always said that a bride is the most beautiful, but Fang Yun Luo did not agree.
She looked at herself in the copper mirror. The phoneix coronet on her head made her feel tacky.Dressing in a red, coa.r.s.e, muslin dress would allow her to feel more freedom.
With all her effort and skills, Jin Xiu was determined to make her Lady even more gorgeous and moving, but to no avail. The usual no makeup Lady of hers, displayed a fresh and clean grace; when her Lady put on the various cosmetics, it had made her seem even more ordinary and commonplace.
Even her body’s natural perfume was overshadowed by the rogue perfume’s scent. Her natural fragrance that could charm even the deities was currently masked by that cosmetic’s smell.
“Jin Xiu, stop applying it now. Who are you applying it for!” She knew that her maid was trying to make her more beautiful, but had made her ordinary face even more ordinary.
“Naturally it is for the Lord to see. My Lady, rumors say that the Lady Yun is like a deity. If we don’t dress up properly, how can we stand next to her?” If their master was pampered, then as their servants, they would also receive benefits.
Even if Lady Yun’s appearance was deity-like, she still wouldn’t wish to spend effort to gain the favour of some who would kick their benefactor in the teeth. It was not like Jin Xiu was oblivious to the events that occurred when her Lady went on a little trip to the West Wing. She knew that she had struck a deal with the Lord, yet she still was unwilling to give up, demanding her to obtain the Lord’s affections.
“Jin Xiu, really, don’t apply anymore. Look at me, this face is no longer who I really am. Just say that with this, it will make me mesmerising beyond compare, and just say that the Lord really was captivated by that. What will I do in the future?”
“In the future, I will do your makeup like this everyday.”
“I do not want that. I do not want to squander my time on such a useless act, more so, I do not want to squander it to please that heartless man. My herbs need tending, and the medical book that my master gave to me, I have yet to fully comprehend.” Thinking about his words, she was still quite mad.
“I don’t want to help you like this either, and the real you is far more attractive; loved by all.” Her family’s Lady possesses a kind and merciful heart, and with such a good heart, it made her temperament flawless. This is what many women lacked.
Resignedly, she put down the rouge box in her hand and said: “My Lady, the Lord has only been temporarily captivated by Lady Yun. So you must not take his words seriously. Furthermore, you should not take his other demands to heart; he knows that it was you who had saved him. Sooner or later you will be the one to receive special treatment.”
“You want me to exchange the life-saving favour for his affection!” Standing up, Fang Yun Luo went to hit Jin Xiu’s head. “What I want is a genuine, single minded love. Rather exchange the life-saving kindness for a love I wish to live.”
Coincidentally, Ai Li’s voice was heard from outside the door.
“Greetings to the Princess. The arranged wedding time has arrived, please make your way to the anteroom.”
“The Princess will immediately arrive.” Jin Xiu replied, and slowly closed up the rouge’s lid.
There was something she didn’t understand. What was a genuine, single-minded love? Wasn’t being pampered and spoilt precisely love?
“Qiu Yue, has the Lord finished his marriage yet?” All evening, all Lan Yun had thought about was the marriage between Qi Er Lun and Fang Yun Luo. She was choking on something and felt sick in the stomach. That choke couldn’t come up and wouldn’t go down, giving her a headache.
When someone’s concubine was acting this shamefully, the anteroom was bustling with festivities. She couldn’t take even half a step outside this room, let alone walk into the same room as her husband.
“The Lord has already married and the Princess has returned to her room in the East Wing already.”
“Then, when will the Lord return to the East Wing?”
“The guests in the anteroom are all gradually leaving now. It should be soon!” Qiu Yue replied.
“Qiu Yue, before the Lord returns to the East Wing, please delay him. Just tell him I’m feeling unwell and I want him to come over to see.” Last night, the Lord had left in such anger, and said that the one who had saved him was the Princess. She was afraid that with this truth, the Lord would dote on the Princess. This might also make the Lord reconsider his previous decision of not allowing the Princess to bear his children. If that happens, then she will no longer be able to become the Princess. That’s why she must ruin his wedding night. (SHAMEFUL!!!
“I know how to do it.” The battle for the Lord’s affection had already begun?!
“Then go quickly. Don’t allow the Lord to enter the East Wing.”
“Yes.” Swiftly, Qiu Yue left the room.
Qiu Yue watched the path leading from the anteroom to the East Wing like a hawk. After waiting a fair while, Qiu Yue finally saw Qi Er Lun exit the anteroom, closely followed by Ai Li.
“The servant kowtows to the Lord.” Qiu Yue quickly presented herself before the Lord.
“Get up and speak.”
“Yes.” Standing up, Qiu Yue informed: “My Lord, Lady Yun is feeling unwell. She has not eaten anything all day, not knowing what to do, this servant could only come to find my Lord.” HISSSSSSS lol
“Lady Yun is feeling unwell, so naturally my doctor should go help Lady Yun. You do not even know this?” Why would Lan Yun come bother him over such trivial things? YESSSSSSS :]
He urgently wanted to see Fang Yun Luo’s true appearance.
“My Lord, Lady Yun doesn’t want the doctor, but wants my Lord to come look at her.”
(AGAIN, SHAMELESSSSSSSSS; who falls for this)
“She want’s me?” Now it was clear that she was deliberately interrupting his and the Princess’ wedding night. Who knew, she is such a easily jealous woman, a type he did not like at all. That was why Fang Yun Luo made such requests, he was starting to look at her in a new light. “Qiu Yue, go back and tell your master that if I want to see her, I will go see her.”
“But my Lord……”
“Impudent! Qiu Yue, tonight is the wedding night of the Lord and the Princess. How can he tolerate you disturbing him here!” Ai Li refuted Qiu Yue. Before the Princess entered the mansion, any spoilt action of Lady Yun could be accepted. But now that the Princess has entered, how dare she still act this presumptuous. (YOU TELL THEM AI LI; nice guy)
“Qiu Yue, first go find a doctor to go look at Lady Yun. Tomorrow she must go give the Princess her blessings.” Qi Er Lun ordered as he stepped into the East Wing.
“Yes.” In the past, the Lord would favor the Lady Yun very much, but now listening to his tone, it seemed that he didn’t love her very much. Did the Lord really favor Lady Yun? Qiu Yue, with a face full of doubt, watched as the two disappeared into the East Wing.
“Jin Xiu, quickly put the medicine into the cups of exchange.” Lifting up her veil, Fang Yun Luo urged Jin Xiu to speed up.
(TLN: Cups of exchange are a tradition between the bride and groom.)
“My Lady, why do you need to do this?”Jin Xiu with her heart unwilling, reluctantly poured the powder into the wine and dissolved it.
“It is to guard against the expected.” She knew that Qi Er Lun was still respecting their promise, but was only afraid that with tonight’s wine dosage, he was drunk and couldn’t think clearly.
“It is to guard against the expected? With one’s own husband, what is there to guard against?”
“I have already told you, I do not want the Lord to touch me.”
“You really want this to happen?” If the Lord did not touch her Lady, then that means she will not have his heirs; another reason to take concubines. And with more concubines, the more her Lady has to defend her position.
“Of course I took it seriously.” Fang Yun Luo earnestly said.
“You are not afraid that your position will be taken from you?”
“He won’t dare to do as he pleases.” She had already clarified this with him.
“But my Lady…….”
“The Lord has arrived.”
The words that Jin Xiu wanted to say, were interrupted by Ai Li’s announcement. Fang Yun Luo rapidly put her veil back down.
“Long live the Marquis.” Jin Xiu said as she bowed down.
“You may leave and go and rest!”
“Yes.” Jin Xiu said one final good fortune towards her masters, then closed the door behind her.
Intently, Qi Er Lun waited to see what Fang Yun Luo looked like. After a time, he ordered: “Lift up your head,”
Lifting her head, Fang Yun Luo looked but avoided his face, that profound face that seemed to see through her. She could not look at him with an indifferent face; whenever she saw him, she felt anger and pain.
She was indeed ordinary looking, as her father described. But like he had stated, she a carried with her, a rarely seen temperament. With a thin and delicate body, she was extremely charming.
Fang Yun Luo, stubbornly said: “My Lord, this servant’s face cannot be compared to your beloved concubine. Please stop looking at it and let us drink the cups of exchange.”
Hearing her charismatic tone, charmed him, yet the speech was not like a daughter from a n.o.ble family. With great interest, Qi Er Lun raised her chin: “The Princess is not that lacking, you should not undervalue yourself.”
Looking at his frivolous, yet charismatic smile and manners, Fang Yun Luo laughed to remind him: “My Lord, please end the ceremony.”
“The ceremony will end.” Picking up the two cups, he neared her to give her one of the cups. As he neared her, he smelled that fragrance again. Linking hands, they drank the wine.
Following this, he took off his current clothing.
Fang Yun Luo immediately cried out accusingly: “My Lord, please do not forget the agreement between us.”
“I did not forget. Tonight is our wedding night, so we must sleep together, but do not worry; I will not touch you.” Taking off her coronet, he then took off her dress.
With only a thin silk shirt on each, they got onto the bed to sleep.