Chapter 12 Preparations for the Wedding

  Time is really running out, tomorrow I will inexplicably marry that King Jingming, Mother Fu came to tell me to take a bath and change my clothes, before I could refuse, several maids rushed over and took me to the north house, where there was a large bathtub for bathing, to be honest it's really big, can hold four or five people no problem, very wasteful of water, once I asked to take a bath, as a result when I saw those servants carrying bucket after bucket of water into the pool, I told Mother Fu, just prepare a small tub for me, this bathtub is truly beyond my means.

  But today, it seems I have to use it again. The maids quickly stripped off my clothes layer by layer and then helped me into the bathtub. The water was slightly hot, but since it's winter, this temperature is actually great. Then one of the maids started scrubbing me with a brush made of who-knows-what, while another one was rubbing something else on me that smelled really good - probably some kind of soap? Whatever, the water temperature was just right and my body felt soft and relaxed, so I just decided to enjoy it.

  "Miss? Miss! Wake up, wake..."

  "Oh! Sorry, I'm a bit tired, fell asleep, sorry."

  "It's already washed, get up."

  "Oh, okay."

  I got up, and a maid hurried over to wrap me in a large blanket, while another held a large towel to dry the water on my body. Fu Ma directed, saying "wipe here clean" and "wipe there well"... Then I was surrounded and taken into the inner room. Just as I thought I could sit down on the bed, three maids came over to put that bright red wedding dress on me. It seemed like I couldn't resist, so I let them layer it onto my body one piece at a time, until I was wrapped up like a rice dumpling. Fortunately, it was winter; if it were summer, wouldn't I be heat-stroked?

  "Here, this piece, over there, the belt is a bit crooked, this..."

  "Fortune Mother,"

  "Huh? Pull it down a bit more... Young Mistress, what's going on?"

  "Didn't see Wanday Cheng today?"

  "Because the young master will become a prince tomorrow, it's inconvenient for him to stay in this house. The king requests that he move to the side house."

  "Oh."

  "If the young lady of the Ruo State wants to see him, just send someone to inform him and he will come."

  "Got it."

  "The princess, now begins her makeup, from now on she cannot eat, cannot sleep, can only drink a small amount of water."

  "Huh? How is that possible?"

  "Miss County, this is something every bride has to go through. Just this once, please be patient..."

  "But..."

  "Only tonight, Xiao Mei, come and put on makeup for the young lady, Xiao Yao, style the young lady's hair."

  An hour has passed, and Xiaomei and Xiaoyao are still working hard on my face and hair. From time to time, I see Xiaomei frowning, I don't know if it's because she's hungry or if I didn't see clearly. For a moment, I saw a disdainful expression on her face, is she dissatisfied with my age, or my skin not being good?

  "Alright, Mother Fu, I've finished."

  "Xiao Mei, how about you?"

  "It's all right."

  "Presenting the county lord's daughter with a happy coronet and sash."

  What is a happy crown? No way, looking at Xiaoyao's big one in her hand, I was suddenly stunned. It can't be that big on my head, right? This is similar to the ancient phoenix crown, with large and small unknown colored beads inlaid on it. I don't know if it's valuable or not. If I want to take this out... it's so heavy! My neck shrunk by half instantly.

  "Fu Ma, do we have to bring this for one night as well?"

  "Yes, milady."

  "Alright, young mistress, everything is ready now. Please hold on, no matter how tired you are. Xiaolian will be waiting outside and if you need anything, just call her."

  "Hmm." Fu's mother led her people in turning around and leaving.

  "Ah, right, Princess, this is what Master Wang asked me to give you." I raised my hand to take it, and it was the half piece of black jade from Master Xiang.

  "What did the king say?"

  "No, just let me return it to you. You rest... Xiaolian, take good care of the young mistress." Fu Ma left with a few maids, closing the door behind her.

  Looking at the black jade in my hand, my mind is a mess. Marrying King Jingming should be a perfect ending, shouldn't it? After all, he's a rich man, and even if he married me as a decoration, I wouldn't have to starve or freeze. Although I don't know if polygamy is allowed here, on the surface, I'm considered his main wife, which isn't bad, right?

  "Xiao Lian."

  "Yes, County Master, what instructions?"

  "Go to the side house and call over Wan Rijiang."

  "What? Young mistress, absolutely not, before marriage, you can't see anyone."

  "Then you're not human?"

  "This...this...can it be...the young lady of the manor..."

  "Stop stalling and go call them over." Hmph, indeed I've been restricted!

  "Princess!"

  "Go at once."

  "Spare me, please! The king will behead me!" Suddenly, Xiaolian burst into tears and knelt down before me. This acting skill deserves an Oscar award.

  "Suit yourself."

  "Princess!!!!!"

  "In that case, I'll go myself."

  I took off the hood on my head and stared at her fiercely, with a face full of disdain. Although she burst into tears and snot, but that gaze, it was clear that she was gloating over my actions. Didn't she say that Prince Wang would behead her? Then what was she so smug about.

  "Princess!!!! Don't go!!!!!!"

  Xiao Lian stretched out her hand to grab me, I shook it off. As expected, it didn't take much effort, was she just pretending? The door opened, stepped into the yard, turned around and looked back, behind Xiao Lian's crying voice stopped abruptly, nor did she come after me.

  Turning my body, it's so bright, the whole Wang Fu is so bright, even if I'm a well frog, I can feel this festive light. I turned my head to look at the door, and there were lanterns hanging, red like dripping blood.

  "Come and see me every day, be honest."

  "Really?" I raised my voice again.

  Is nobody here? I walked out of the Moon Gate and there's no one. The former guard is actually not here, which means I can leave the hospital freely now.

  "Miss, your grandfather is in the study." Who was it? Two figures in the distance, I retreated back into the courtyard and hid behind a wall.

  "I must see him now."

  "But, miss, tomorrow is the prince's grand wedding..."

  "Xiao Rang, I must see him tonight! Otherwise, I will regret it for the rest of my life."

  "But the prince's study is not allowed..."

  The voices of the two women grew fainter and fainter, but who were they after all? Could it be that they were the accomplices of that demon? Never mind, never mind, it had nothing to do with me anyway. I walked out of the Moon Gate again, towards the courtyard next door, and entered the courtyard. The lights were also shining brightly, and the candlelight was reflected in the house. Could it be that they were inside the house?!

  "Hello? Are you there?" No one responded!

  "Huh?" Who? Who is it? I was gagged and dragged away, using both hands and feet, biting and kicking, but couldn't break free. Just like that, I was brought into the house of Wan Ri Cheng by this person. Who was behind me? Could it be an enemy of Jing Ming Wang? This is terrible, am I going to... My looks aren't even that exceptional, this person really doesn't have high standards.

  Goodness, I still have time to think about this, what to do, what to do! I'll try again, and once more I'm using my hands and feet at the same time. As a result, I tumble out, fall to the ground with a thud, it's very solid, and it hurts so much that I grit my teeth. I turn my head to see who the culprit is, really not looking is fine, but taking a look scares me to jump up, "whoosh" I bounce up, grab his collar.

  "You... you, what exactly do you mean?"