None of the pre - wedding plans were put to use. What with the sleeping pills, daggers, and hairpins. Mei Qingxue thought she was ridiculous. It was just a marriage, yet she had been on high alert. That gentle and jade - like man must have become someone else's family member last night, just like her. Thinking of her only first love, it withered away before it even bore fruit.
Mei Qingxue sighed, and sighed again. She had just finished offering tea to her mother - in - law, and now she had to return to the Prime Minister's Mansion to show off her sickly husband. Mei Qingxue rubbed her forehead, shook her head, and turned her face towards the window. Her slender hand made a gesture seemingly casually, sending a signal to the shadow trailing behind the carriage that she was safe.
The shadow had always been loyal and guarded Mei Qingxue dutifully. He knew that the sickly Sixth Prince had long discovered him, because during the tailing process, he saw the Sixth Prince looking in his hiding place several times intentionally or unintentionally.
Du Gu Qing looked at the little woman beside him, a smile curving his lips. It seemed that his little princess had quite a few secrets. Du Gu Qing saw the loneliness at the corner of Mei Qingxue's mouth.
He knew she was struggling with his other identity. He really wanted to be the Jade - faced Gentleman forever, but he was born into such a family, and all this destined him to be at the center of the power storm, unable to avoid it.
The problem was when to tell her the truth. It was absolutely not the time now. Du Gu Qing lowered his head and saw that Mei Qingxue was still holding the big red envelope given by Concubine Qin. He joked, "My dear princess, what are you thinking about while holding the red envelope from Mother?"
"Nothing... nothing." Mei Qingxue looked down at the red envelope in her hand. "Guess how much money for makeup Mother gave?"
"It's all for you. I won't guess." Du Gu Qing smiled. He had watched Concubine Qin put the money in the red envelope. How could he not know how much silver note was inside? "Open it and take a look!"
Seeing that Du Gu Qing didn't cooperate, Mei Qingxue pouted and opened the red envelope. This was the biggest - amount red envelope she had received in ten lifetimes.
"One hundred thousand taels... of gold!" Mei Qingxue stared at the huge - amount gold note in her hand in shock. She could hardly believe it. "This is the money for makeup?"
"Yes!" Du Gu Qing nodded.
Mei Qingxue grinned, "Is there any money for snacks, clothes, or travel expenses?"
A royal concubine had so much money, which was equivalent to the income of all her shops in several years. It seemed that her title of the richest person in the capital was self - proclaimed. Any royal concubine in the palace was richer than her.
"No." Du Gu Qing was stunned for a moment, then grinned, "When you give birth to a little prince for me, won't all my property be yours? Don't worry, princess. For your grand business, I'll make a sacrifice."
Mei Qingxue rolled her eyes. "No. We'll sleep in separate beds tonight!"
The soreness in her waist and legs hadn't subsided yet. If that lecherous man pressed on her again tonight, she might as well be run over by the carriage.
Mei Qingxue moved her joints and glared fiercely at the culprit beside her. Looking at his smug smile, anyone would think that this sickly prince was harmless. Anyway, Mei Qingxue would never believe it.
If that lecherous man dared to make advances on her again tonight, she would let him taste the special products of her Bihai Pavilion, make him numb all over and itch unbearably, and see if he would be honest. She would turn his fake impotence into real impotence!
All of Mei Qingxue's gnashing of teeth fell into Du Gu Qing's eyes. That lively and intelligent woman was right beside him. She was the one he wanted, but unfortunately...
"Princess." Du Gu Qing propped his head on his hand and leaned his head on her shoulder. "I suddenly feel dizzy. Let me lean on you for a while!"
The tall Du Gu Qing lay on Mei Qingxue's shoulder sideways. This scene was extremely strange. His arm went around Mei Qingxue's slender waist, and he tightened his arms, hugging her tightly in his arms as if he was afraid she would run away.
"Are you pretending again?" Damn it. Was her body so tempting? Just as she was about to push that rascal away, she found that his arm went limp and drooped down.
Mei Qingxue poked Du Gu Qing's head with her finger. Seeing that he didn't respond, she lifted his eyelids and saw that his pupils were slightly constricted. She knew she had wrongly blamed him.
"So he really fainted." With such a weak body, why didn't he restrain himself last night? He was so brave when being a lecher, but now he was a coward. They would arrive at the Prime Minister's Mansion soon. Did she, a weak woman, have to carry him in?
Muttering a few words, Mei Qingxue laid Du Gu Qing's head on her lap so that he could lie more comfortably.
"You know your body is weak, but you still act tough?" For some reason, she felt a familiar smell on Du Gu Qing. Because of that person, she couldn't be fierce to him anymore. Maybe that person would be an eternal memory in her life. She would never see him again, Brother Yu!
Mei Qingxue didn't notice that a sly smile curved Du Gu Qing's lips as he lay on her lap. His little woman was indeed tough - mouthed but soft - hearted. It would be the fifteenth soon, and he wouldn't be able to suppress the poison in his body by himself. Would it be okay to tell her the truth then? That's settled.
Du Gu Qing made up his mind that he would "often" be away from home in the future so that Mei Qingxue could freely enter and leave the Prince's Mansion and do what she wanted. He didn't want to restrain her nature.
"Your Highness, we've arrived at the Prime Minister's Mansion." The carriage stopped. Han Chao gently called the prince under the window but didn't dare to speak loudly.
"The prince has fainted. Help this princess carry the prince in." Mei Qingxue gently lifted the curtain on the window. The person speaking was Du Gu Qing's guard.
"Yes, princess." Han Chao lifted the curtain and helped the "fainted" Du Gu Qing out.
"We welcome Your Highness the Prince and Your Highness the Princess." Leading the group to welcome them at the door were Prime Minister Mei and his wife.
Mei Haoxuan. Mei Qingxue saw her elder brother in the crowd at a glance. She even saw the pain in his eyes, so she gave him a soothing smile. "Father, Mother, Brother. There are no outsiders. First, help the prince in. The prince is in poor health and can't stand the wind."
She lifted the corner of her mouth, trying to give a proper smile to the people around her.
Mrs. Mei's eyes were red, and her tears were almost falling. Prime Minister Mei kept winking at his wife. After all, it wasn't only their daughter who had come back, but also the fainted son - in - law and the strange - looking guard.
As soon as they entered the Prime Minister's Mansion, Mei Qingxue asked the maids in the mansion to help Du Gu Qing back to her boudoir before marriage to rest. When there were no outsiders in the main hall, Mrs. Mei grabbed her daughter's hand and cried. Prime Minister Mei also coughed twice. Their beloved daughter had married such a sickly husband. It was said that he didn't have a long life.
"Xue'er, you've suffered." Mrs. Mei kept calling her daughter's endearing names. Her crying made Mei Qingxue's eyes turn red. Mei Haoxuan turned his back directly. His beautiful and delicate sister...
"Mother, Xue'er isn't suffering." Mei Qingxue took out the gold note given by Concubine Qin. "Look, even the money for makeup is one hundred thousand taels of gold. Mother, daughter has married quite well. The prince is just a bit weak, but as long as he receives good treatment, there should be no problem. Maybe those rumors deliberately exaggerated his illness."
Prime Minister Mei looked at his wife. He had previously guessed that the Sixth Prince's illness was not that simple, and now it seemed that his suspicion was not unfounded.
"But..." Mrs. Mei couldn't stop her tears. What was the use of having money? She would have to be a young widow. How could she live the rest of her life?
"Brother, now that your sister is back, what? Are you just showing your back to your sister? Or has your sister become a vicious and venomous person since she got married?"
Mei Haoxuan turned around. Mei Qingxue could clearly see that his eyes were a bit red. She knew that he really loved her and was worried about her life. "Xue'er, you know I'm not like that."
Mei Haoxuan didn't know what to say. Xue'er's marriage was the order of that person. They had no way to change it. Now seeing his sister forcing a smile, he felt extremely sad. Before she got married, the whole family had held her in their hands for fear of dropping her and kept her in their mouths for fear of melting her. Such a pampered sister had married a man who was not a good match. How could he, as an elder brother, bear it?
"Brother, don't worry about your sister. With my personality, I won't suffer anywhere. Since I've married the prince, I'll be his wife from now on. Father, Mother, Brother, don't worry about Xue'er. Although the prince is weak, he is really good to Xue'er. Those who spread the rumors that the prince is this bad and that bad should sew up their mouths."
The whole room was so gloomy. What could she say? Could she tell them that the prince was very energetic when it came to the matter between men and women? She couldn't say it.
Anyway, he was weak. With slow recuperation in the future, it should not be a problem. Mrs. Mei hesitated and looked at her beloved daughter. "Really? Isn't he...?"
Didn't they all say that the prince was impotent? Now that her husband and son were present, how could Mrs. Mei ask such a question? So Mrs. Mei changed her words and said, "When will your mother be able to hold her grandson?"
Mei Qingxue's face turned red all the way to the back of her ears. It was said that the ancients were reserved. They were really reserved. "Mother, why are you so impatient? Xue'er is still young."
As a woman of experience, Mrs. Mei observed her daughter's expression and carefully looked at her walking posture. She immediately had an idea in her mind. Maybe the rumors were really untrue.
"I'll pick out some good tonics for you when you go back to the Prince's Mansion later."
As soon as Mei Qingxue heard this, she almost broke out in a cold sweat. If that lecherous man took more tonics, she wouldn't be able to get out of bed. It was him who should take the tonics, okay? But she still replied, "Great, Mother. You're so considerate."
Mei Haoxuan stared blankly at his sister acting coquettishly in their mother's arms. She was just the same as before, without any change, and there was no sign of being wronged. "Xue'er, if your husband bullies you, you must tell your brother."
"Brother, he is so weak. Where do you need to take action? Your punches would kill him." Mei Qingxue pouted. If her elder brother took action, she would really become a young widow. If that lecherous man bullied her, she would surely make a mess of his Prince's Mansion when she got back.