Chapter 271: Necessary
He knew it was a sham marriage.
Just like the sham marriage between Bai Li and Zhou Jingyun.
Actually, the ceremony didn’t need to be so complicated. It wasn’t as if Bai Li thought it had to be.
The Emperor wouldn’t mind, and a simple ceremony would actually please Princess Jinyu.
But he was unwilling.
The marriage was fake, but he and she were real.
He didn’t want to be perfunctory.
Just now, listening to Bai Li talk about the process of her marriage with Zhou Jingyun, it ended after not much talk. He felt even more that it was necessary to hold a grand wedding. At least in the future, when Bai Li recalled this time, there would be a lot to talk about.
He looked at the person sleeping beside his pillow.
The night lamp was dim, and the touch under his hand suddenly became ice-cold.
It wasn’t skin, it was a mirror surface.
Bai Li wasn’t lying beside him, but across a mirror.
Li Yu looked at the mirror. Under the reflection of a piece of bright red, the mirror also became bright red.
He was dreaming.
So he had fallen asleep too.
Li Yu smiled slightly. The face of the person lying in the mirror became blurry, then clear again. The face placed on this side of his hand across the mirror surface was still the familiar Bai Li, while the left face against the pillow was another familiar person, Empress Jiang.
The smile on Li Yu’s face froze, but he wasn’t panicked. He just quietly looked at the person in the mirror.
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Empress Jiang was still there, which wasn’t actually surprising to Li Yu.
Previously, when Bai Li told him she had woken up, he was worried and wanted to fall asleep and take a look at the mirror in his dream, but unfortunately, he never dreamed of it.
He didn’t expect to see it today, on the night of their wedding.
He saw Bai Li, who said she had woken up, still with two faces.
It seemed that Bai Li had indeed woken up, but Empress Jiang hadn’t completely dissipated either.
Yes, Empress Jiang was such a powerful person, how could she dissipate just because Zhou Jingyun stabbed himself.
It didn’t matter.
He was still here.
He married Ah Li to deal with Empress Jiang.
He would make Ah Li completely get rid of this Empress Jiang ghost.
Li Yu looked at Bai Li in the mirror and gently stroked her right cheek again across the mirror surface…
The left eye in the mirror suddenly opened, looking at him, and half of her cherry lips curved into a smile.
“Little groom. ”
A female voice called in his ear.
Although it wasn’t the first time he had seen her, Li Yu let out a low cry when he suddenly saw her speak. He subconsciously stepped back, and the mirror surface shattered in his sight. The next moment, there was a bang, and his wrist hurt.
“What’s wrong？”
Bai Li’s voice came.
Li Yu opened his eyes, his vision dim and red. He was sleeping on the wedding bed, and Bai Li wasn’t beside him.
He raised his head and saw Bai Li sitting in front of the dressing table, turning around.
Was this a dream now, or was the previous one a dream？
Was this Bai Li in front of him, or…
“Had a dream？” Bai Li noticed something was wrong with him, picked up the water cup, gently dipped it in water, and flicked her finger.
Water droplets splashed on his face, Li Yu was slightly startled, and then let out a sigh of relief.
It was Bai Li, the previous one was a dream.
But he felt a little regretful.
He didn’t share a bed with Ah Li.
He touched his right hand that had bumped against the edge of the bed.
“How did I fall asleep？” He said.
When did he fall asleep？
Bai Li’s voice came from beside his ear.
“…You were exhausted. You were dozing off while eating, so I persuaded you to go to bed. You fell asleep as soon as you lay down. ”
Li Yu was a little annoyed: “It’s because I drank alcohol! It’s all their fault for making me drink! I kept saying I wouldn’t drink, not tonight, but I was still forced to drink a few cups. ”
Bai Li laughed: “You’re still too tired. I was just sitting, but you were tossed and turned all day. ”
She poured water again and handed it to him.
“Drink some water and go back to sleep. ”
She smiled again.
“You can sleep freely. The bed is so big, you even bumped your own hand. ”
Li Yu took the teacup and thanked her, laughing: “It means I shouldn’t be sleeping yet, I’m not sleeping soundly. ”
He hesitated for a moment.
“Tell me, what was it like when you and the Marquis’s Heir got married？”
Bai Li laughed: “There’s really nothing to say about ours. It wasn’t this lively. We hurriedly went through the general procedures, and on our wedding night, we went to see Zhuang Feizi off. ”
Speaking of Zhuang Feizi, there was no need to continue this topic. He didn’t want Ah Li to be sad.
“Last time he helped you, this time you helped me. ” Li Yu laughed, changing the subject.
Bai Li smiled: “We’re all helping each other. ”
The door creaked slightly, and Chun Yue’s voice came from outside.
“Madam. ” She said softly, “Madam Zhuang said everything is packed up, and Nannan is asleep. You can go over now. ”
Bai Li then looked at Li Yu: “Ask your people if they have cleaned up here, and if there are any peepers, right？”
Li Yu held the teacup and remembered. Yes, they had been “husband and wife” to the outside world for a long time, and they had a child. The child was still young, so it was only natural for the wife to sleep with the child.
She and he didn’t need to share a room to prove anything, because they already had a child, which proved everything.
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“No need to ask, it was cleaned up before the wedding. ” Li Yu laughed, “We can do whatever we want in this courtyard. ”
Bai Li said okay: “Then I’ll go over. ” She added, “Go to bed early, you’re tired today, and you’ll be even more tired tomorrow when you meet the elders. ”
Li Yu nodded with a smile: “Don’t worry, I’ll get enough rest. ”
Bai Li smiled at him again and walked out with Chun Yue.
“…Have you found my book？”
“It’s already on Madam’s bedside. ”
Their whispers came, and as the door closed, silence returned inside and out.
Li Yu sat quietly for a moment, holding the teacup.
He drank all the water in one gulp and lay back on the big red bedding with his hands spread out.
Both were sham marriages, but he was different from Zhou Jingyun.
He hoped that things would continue to be different.
For example, Ah Li wouldn’t leave him.
So, sleep well, get enough rest, everything has just begun.
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Daylight broke, and Madam of Dongyang rubbed her forehead.
Mama Xu took the ginseng soup handed over by the maid.
“Madam didn’t sleep well last night？” She said, and then chided, “Madam just needed to sit at the wedding banquet, why did you drink alcohol. ”
Madam of Dongyang snorted: “I’ve never had the wine from the Prince’s Residence, I was curious, I wanted to try it. ”
Mama Xu held back a smile and lowered her voice: “The Marquis’s Heir has already gotten up and is exercising in the courtyard. ”
Madam of Dongyang snorted again: “Then he couldn’t sleep and simply got up. ”
She said, looking at the sky outside.
“At this time, the Prince of Chu and the Princess…”
She emphasized the word Princess.
“…Should be going to Princess Jinyu’s Residence, right. ”
The Prince of Chu was rescued and raised by Princess Jinyu, and he should respect her as his mother.
But the Princess was extremely dissatisfied with the Prince of Chu’s marriage. She didn’t know what the scene would be like today.
Madam of Dongyang sat up straight.
“Quickly send someone to inquire. ”
Mama Xu was a little helpless: “What is Madam inquiring about this for. ”
Although it was said to be a Prince and a Princess, this was still a family matter. Why was Madam suddenly interested in this？
“With a senior like the Princess, no new daughter-in-law can handle it. You don’t need to see it to know. ”
Madam of Dongyang curled her lips: “That’s natural. ”
It was very difficult to meet a good mother-in-law like her.
Bai Li, you should take a good look at what a truly evil mother-in-law is like.
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There were many people waiting outside the Princess’ Residence to watch the excitement, but they didn’t expect that when the Prince of Chu’s carriage arrived, the gate opened, and the haughty servants of the Princess’ Residence stood respectfully outside to greet them.
“The Princess didn’t make things difficult for the Prince of Chu and his wife？”
“Has the Princess forgiven the Prince of Chu？Accepted it？”
“Princess Jinyu has really changed now. ”
Inside the Princess’ Residence, two advisors looked at Princess Jinyu, whose face was gloomy, and respectfully consoled her.
“If you don’t let them in, everyone will say that you are harsh, Princess. ”
“The Princess’ harshness needs to be known to the Prince of Chu and his wife, not to the world. ”
Princess Jinyu waved her hand to interrupt them: “I know, you don’t have to say anymore. ”
The advisors breathed a sigh of relief and ordered the eunuchs to “invite the Imperial Consort’s Husband in. ”
The eunuchs responded with a yes and let the Imperial Consort’s Husband, who was waiting outside the door, in.
The Imperial Consort’s Husband sat down calmly next to Princess Jinyu.
“The congratulatory gift is ready. ” He said, “Does the Princess want to take a look？”
Princess Jinyu said coldly: “No need, the gift prepared by the Imperial Consort’s Husband must be very decent. ”
The Imperial Consort’s Husband smiled and said nothing.
The eunuch outside the door shouted, “The Prince of Chu is here. ”
Accompanied by the announcement, Li Yu, dressed in formal attire, walked slowly, followed by a beautiful young woman.
Princess Jinyu’s gaze instantly fell on her. She actually didn’t want to look at her. A maid wasn’t worth her extra glance.
But perhaps the bright red dress was too dazzling, and she unconsciously looked over.
When she saw the woman’s face, her eyes were smiling, like a blooming peony.
Peony! Princess Jinyu froze. How could she think of this flower when she saw a maid.
And she hated peonies the most!
Empress Jiang liked peonies, and in order to please Empress Jiang, she had personally served peonies.
It was really hard to plant and raise flowers. The branches scratched her hands, and the soil soiled her dress. The flowers that should have been trampled under her feet were held in her hands… It was disgusting!
Why would she think of peonies at first glance! It showed how disgusting this maid was!
The anger that had been suppressed by the advisors’ consolation suddenly flared up.
“Kneel down!” She shouted.
Li Yu, who had just walked to the door of the hall, paused, and the next moment, he grabbed Bai Li’s wrist and turned to leave.
Princess Jinyu was furious: “Stop!”
