Their marriage was celebrated with great fanfare, making Zhu Li even more content and happy that she had captured the man she desired. She became almost entirely compliant with his wishes.
Bai Li Chongyan shared a similar sentiment. Being a man of ancient times, his decision to commit to a lifelong monogamous relationship and cherish Zhu Li forever was profound. He felt that as a man, the woman was at a disadvantage in such matters, and therefore, he treated her even better.
He had promised to carry her after their wedding, and on their wedding night, he fulfilled that promise. After the bridal chamber festivities, he carried Zhu Li to clean up, and the next day, he held her as she had once helped him. He dressed her, styled her hair, and applied makeup…
Zhu Li looked at him intently applying makeup to her eyebrows in the bronze mirror, feeling a sense of satisfaction she had never experienced before. At the same time, she felt a strange sense of familiarity with the scene.
*Last night, in the bridal chamber, we extinguished the bridal candle. My love, did I apply my eyebrows with the right depth?*
For whom had she worn that red dress back then?
If only those events hadn't happened, would it be…
"How is it? Does it look good?"
Bai Li Chongyan's timely interruption pulled Zhu Li back to the present.
She steadied herself.
It was all in the past. Why should she dwell on it?
She found this man perfectly to her liking, and she didn't believe she would ever tire of spending her life with him.
She smiled gently, "It looks very good."
Hearing this, the handsome face of Bai Li Chongyan, which had regained its sculpted features in recent days, broke into a smile.
"It is the Princess Consort who is naturally beautiful."
This man was like a goddess descended from the heavens. Though mysterious, he knew that everything she did was for him.
How fortunate he was!
Zhu Li turned to look at him and chuckled, "Your words are so sweet this early in the morning. Have you eaten honey?"
Bai Li Chongyan also smiled, his charm unparalleled. "I didn't eat it this morning. I ate it last night."
Zhu Li choked for a moment.
This man, who used to blush so easily before last night, could now joke with her with such ease. It seemed that, just as the storybooks said, men were naturally adept at such things, and with a little guidance, they would naturally understand.
Last night, she had taken the lead. Back then, he had been so flustered he dared not act. But after one encounter, he could now act with familiarity on his own.
He seemed like a completely different person now.
"You've learned to be cheeky."
"Your husband has learned other things too. Does the Princess Consort wish to try?"
Zhu Li: "...It's broad daylight, Your Highness. Don't push it. If you wish to serve me, there will be plenty of opportunities in the future."
*I still can't handle you?*
Bai Li Chongyan smiled meaningfully. "Very well, Princess Consort. We have all the time in the world."
Zhu Li: "..."
—
While they were in sweet bliss, the Second Prince's situation was becoming unstable.
The Emperor's imperial decree did indeed summon a host of "divine doctors." Some were genuinely skilled, while others were charlatans. They made a cursory visit to the Second Prince's manor, but none could cure him.
Some divine doctors claimed it wasn't an illness but severe nightmares that prevented him from sleeping, thus damaging his health.
However, the reason for his inability to sleep peacefully remained elusive.
Every time he fell asleep, he would be startled awake shortly after, muttering phrases like "There's a ghost" and "I didn't harm you," appearing as guilty as someone with a guilty conscience.
Rumors in the marketplace grew increasingly wild, especially those about him being haunted by a female ghost from the lake. They were described with such vivid detail, as if the storytellers had witnessed it themselves.
Even the courtesan who had drowned herself in the lake was said to have been driven to it by him.
It was said that he had promised to marry her but went back on his word after she became pregnant, forcing her to have an abortion, which led her to commit suicide by jumping into the lake.
Worse still, some directly accused him of having the courtesan murdered.
As the rumors intensified, the Second Prince, suffering from prolonged sleep deprivation, became increasingly disoriented. He was tormented to the point of looking like a ghost himself.
In desperation, the Emperor heeded the suggestion to invite a highly revered monk from a temple to treat him.
When the monk arrived, the Second Prince indeed slept soundly and was temporarily cured.
However, the monk's attention was drawn to the Prince's manor, and he paid a visit.
At that time, Zhu Li and Bai Li Chongyan were in the garden, enjoying tea and flowers.
The captain of the guards approached nervously and explained the situation, looking at Zhu Li with apprehension.
He had always suspected this person was a demon, but she treated their Prince very well and had cured his ailments. They were all genuinely impressed by Zhu Li and trusted her implicitly.
He didn't want her to be captured by the monk.
"Princess Consort, should you perhaps find a place to hide?"
Zhu Li looked up at him. "Why should I hide?"
Bai Li Chongyan also looked at the guard captain with displeasure.
The guard captain grew even more anxious but still said, "Master Lingyun is said to have great magical powers. Aren't you... a demon? What if he tries to capture you? That wouldn't be good. You should hide." SuDan Novel Network
"Who told you I was a demon?"