Today Wei Rao woke up later than yesterday when she served tea to the elders, but this time she woke up naturally. She comfortably rolled over halfway in bed, and when she opened her eyes, she felt refreshed and clear-headed, as if she hadn’t been pestered by Lu Zhuo in the middle of the night at all.

Recalling that moment, Wei Rao’s eyes sparkled as she involuntarily shrank deeper into the covers.

She had been sleepy, but once it began, it made one immerse completely, both shameful and delightful. No matter how proper and decorous they were during the day, at that time, they were completely honest with each other. He was no longer some aloof and gentle young master, and she was no longer some willful and unrestrained princess. She and Lu Zhuo were simply a man and woman, breathing intertwined, intimate beyond measure.

So this was what being husband and wife meant.

The maids came in to serve her as she rose. When Wei Rao emerged from the inner chamber, Lu Zhuo also came over. He had risen so early yet still hadn’t eaten breakfast.

“The young master said he would wait to eat with the princess,” Bitao explained with a smile.

Wei Rao glanced sideways at Lu Zhuo.

Lu Zhuo helped pull out her chair, inviting her to sit.

Breakfast still included tonic soup. Wei Rao drank half a bowl, and her complexion of fair skin touched with red became even better.

The timing was neither too late nor too early. After eating, Wei Rao and Lu Zhuo set out.

The carriage was already prepared. Lu Zhuo helped Wei Rao into the carriage, and entering the compartment, the two were alone together once more. Being newlyweds, whenever such moments arose, Wei Rao couldn’t help but uncontrollably recall the nighttime scenes. She didn’t know what Lu Zhuo was thinking beneath his gentlemanly disguise, and fearing he might look at her with that kind of gaze, she simply leaned against the carriage wall and closed her eyes to feign sleep.

Lu Zhuo sat with proper posture, hands resting on his knees, while from the corner of his eye, he could see her fair face and red lips. The rumbling sounds made by the turning wheels made the carriage compartment seem overly quiet, quiet like nighttime, the kind of night when one could do as they pleased. Her hands seemed to still be hooked around his neck, her soft moans and sobs seemed to still sound in his ear.

Only now did Lu Zhuo realize how poor his self-control was in her presence.

“Before the princess married, how did your mother treat me?” Lu Zhuo took a sip of tea and spoke to divert his attention.

Wei Rao’s long lashes moved slightly as she answered truthfully: “Since I was willing to marry you and it was an imperial marriage decree, mother naturally hopes we can be a loving couple. However, mother still resents you in her heart and probably won’t give you pleasant looks in the short term.”

Lu Zhuo could understand this.

Parents’ protection and concern for their children were different. For instance, if someone plotted against him, Lu Zhuo could have the patience to slowly investigate clues, but if someone plotted against his child’s life, Lu Zhuo would wish to immediately catch the culprit and kill them with one blow.

Those few times he had offended Wei Rao, at the time, he seemed to have his reasons for each. Afterward, he reformed and immediately went to make amends to Wei Rao, hoping to gain her forgiveness. But if a future son-in-law offended his daughter the way he had offended Wei Rao, would Lu Zhuo consider the problem from the son-in-law’s perspective? No, he would only grab the son-in-law and teach him a lesson, make him roll far away and never appear before his daughter again.

Thinking of this, Lu Zhuo felt even more fortunate.

He could win Wei Rao back. Wei Rao had grown up because Wei Rao was sufficiently free, giving him the chance to see her. If Wei Rao were still a young girl living beside her parents, if she were an obedient daughter who listened to her parents’ commands, Lu Zhuo might truly have missed her.

Lu Zhuo reached out and grasped Wei Rao’s small hand resting on her leg.

Wei Rao was startled and opened her eyes to look over. Just as she was about to scold him for misbehaving, she met Lu Zhuo’s gaze full of remorse.

“If I could do it over, I definitely wouldn’t treat you that way,” Lu Zhuo said.

Wei Rao thought for a moment and smiled: “If you could do it over, you could avoid the enemy situation on the battlefield and wouldn’t be injured. If you weren’t injured, how would I have married you for good fortune?”

Lu Zhuo was stunned.

Wei Rao looked at him with amusement: “If that were the case, what the young master planted in the back garden would be tree peonies.”

Though she was smiling, her gaze was already beginning to turn cold. Lu Zhuo reacted quickly, smiling as he said: “When I spoke of doing it over, I meant only that time would go back, but I would still remember you. Since I remember, how could I marry someone else? I would first break off the previous engagement, then properly court and marry the princess.”

Wei Rao snorted: “Then, grandmother and all of the capital would suspect you were possessed by evil spirits.”

Lu Zhuo looked at her: “Not possessed by evil spirits, but bewitched by a peony spirit’s enchantment.”

Hearing this, Wei Rao slapped his hand away and scolded in a low voice: “Who cares to cast enchantments on you? It’s simply that you’re lustful and desire-driven, just pretending to be a gentleman.”

Lu Zhuo smiled apologetically: “Yes, yes, yes, I’m the one blinded by lust – it has nothing to do with the princess.”

So glib with words. Wei Rao glared at him and turned her face away, ignoring him.

Lu Zhuo coaxed her, and the carriage became quiet again. Only then did he think with lingering fear about another possibility. If he hadn’t been injured on the battlefield and had never met Wei Rao, then his marriage to Miss Xie Liu would have proceeded as planned…

The moment this thought arose, Lu Zhuo cut it off and, for the first time, felt grateful for the injury he had suffered years ago.

They arrived at the Imperial City.

Lu Zhuo got out of the carriage first. As soon as he looked up, he saw Han Liao walking out from inside, wearing the dark gold official robes of the Longxiang Army.

Lu Zhuo acted as if he hadn’t seen him, only reminding Wei Rao to put on her veiled hat.

It shouldn’t be worn when entering the palace, but women’s carriages all carried veiled hats and face veils. Lu Zhuo didn’t want Han Liao to see Wei Rao.

Wei Rao was puzzled why Lu Zhuo would make such a request when suddenly a somewhat familiar voice came from outside: “Is Shoucheng accompanying the princess to pay respects to the consort?”

Lu Zhuo ignored that person.

Wei Rao put on her veiled hat and leaned out from the carriage compartment. Turning her gaze, she finally saw Han Liao, who had walked to Lu Zhuo’s side.

Though Han Liao had married her cousin Zhou Huizhen, Wei Rao’s only close encounter with him was still at the dragon boat race four years ago, when Han Liao, Lu Zhuo, Qi Zhongkai, and others finished competing and came together to Zhaixing Tower to pay respects to Emperor Yuanjia and the Empress Dowager. Later, when Han Liao visited the leisure estate, Wei Rao, as a female guest, had no opportunity to see him. Of course, even with the opportunity, Wei Rao had no interest in meeting him.

Wei Rao vaguely remembered that when she first met Han Liao four years ago, her impression was of a dignified-looking man who appeared very young. Seeing him again after four years, Han Liao finally looked more like a middle-aged man of thirty-five or thirty-six. When he smiled, there were several more wrinkles at the corners of his eyes, and though his appearance was outstanding, his gaze seemed murky, lacking the scholarly elegance of Lu Zhuo’s Fourth Uncle.

A lustful man – what good bearing could he have?

“Cousin Rao, congratulations on your marriage,” Han Liao said with burning eyes upon seeing Wei Rao, as if trying to penetrate that thin veil.

Wei Rao was nearly disgusted to death by him, saying coolly: “Lord Han should call me Princess instead.”

Han Liao acted as if he hadn’t heard Wei Rao’s distaste, continuing to curry favor: “We’re relatives by marriage – cousin and brother-in-law, calling…”

Before he could finish, Lu Zhuo directly supported Wei Rao’s hand and walked past Han Liao toward the palace gates.

Han Liao didn’t deserve to see Wei Rao’s face, nor did Wei Rao deserve to waste words on him.

Wei Rao understood Lu Zhuo’s meaning and walked forward without looking back.

The married couple walked side by side – one tall and straight like fine bamboo, the other slender like a vine. Han Liao stopped outside the palace gates, watching Wei Rao’s retreating figure and slightly narrowing his eyes.

The things Wei Rao had done to Lu Zhuo before marriage – throwing teacups and making Lu Zhuo go into water to gather herbs – the women criticized Wei Rao for lacking propriety. Han Liao only felt the fire in his chest growing hotter. In his heart, Wei Rao was like a true fairy – beautiful beyond words and too proud and disdainful toward mortals. But the more she was like this, the more urgent his desire became to capture Wei Rao and personally destroy all her arrogance.

“In the future, when you encounter him, you needn’t even speak to him.”

After walking some distance, Lu Zhuo instructed Wei Rao with an unpleasant expression.

Wei Rao nodded, then became curious: “I dislike him because of my cousin’s situation. What grievance do you have with him?”

The two had once argued because Zhou Huizhen was marrying Han Liao, but the focus then wasn’t on Han Liao. Han Liao’s lustful habits wouldn’t be enough to make Lu Zhuo disdain even basic pleasantries with him. Just now, before she had even gotten out of the carriage and before Han Liao had tried to curry favor, Lu Zhuo had already been rude to Han Liao.

Lu Zhuo’s expression grew colder as he explained in a low voice: “When he was engaged to your cousin, he once approached me for conversation and spoke quite disrespectfully about you sisters.”

Wei Rao frowned. She could imagine what kind of words came from Han Liao’s dog mouth.

“That’s why I wanted to persuade Old Madam through you to change her mind,” Lu Zhuo said, looking deeply at Wei Rao. Though he hadn’t understood it at the time, thinking back now, he had already cared about Wei Rao then – otherwise, why would he meddle in Zhou Huizhen’s affairs?

Wei Rao had no idea what he was thinking, only assuming Lu Zhuo was again emphasizing that Han Liao wasn’t a good match for her cousin.

Wei Rao also felt ashamed because of her cousin’s choice, but given the circumstances at then, her grandmother had no better option.

“Children are all debts. When you reach grandmother’s age, you’ll understand,” Wei Rao said. Having already argued about this once before, she had no intention of saying more this time.

Lu Zhuo was amused by her old-fashioned manner, teasing: “Is the princess already thinking of making me shoulder debts so soon?”

Wei Rao turned her head in confusion, then realized what he meant, her face immediately flushing crimson.

This interruption cast Han Liao to the far corners of their minds.

Consort De lived in Zhaoning Palace.

Lu Zhuo and Wei Rao were led by palace attendants to Zhaoning Palace and discovered the Fourth Prince was also there.

The Fourth Prince was already six years old this year. When they met at Xing Palace last year, Wei Rao had noticed her younger brother had become much more sensible and well-mannered. Now, having lived in the palace for another half year, the Fourth Prince seemed to have lost even that bit of remaining childishness, his every gesture resembling a prince raised in the deep palace from childhood, mature beyond his years.

“This subject pays respects to the Fourth Prince.” Lu Zhuo respectfully bowed to the Fourth Prince.

The Fourth Prince nodded and said he was excused, his gaze falling on Wei Rao’s face. He finally smiled: “Sister and the young master, please wait a moment. Mother Consort will be here shortly.”

Wei Rao wasn’t in a hurry. She sat with her younger brother, softly asking whether he was accustomed to living in the palace.

The Fourth Prince pressed his small lips together.

He didn’t like the imperial palace. Not only was it small, but there were particularly many detestable people.

Zhaoning Palace was tolerable, but the young eunuchs and palace maids in other palaces liked to gossip. The Fourth Prince had heard many unpleasant words about Mother Consort and his sister. He was very angry and told Mother to have Mother punish them, but Mother said one could control mouths but not hearts – the best method was not to care and to have a clear conscience.

The Fourth Prince didn’t quite understand. Mother was gentle, so he went to find Father Emperor for justice. Father Emperor said that as a prince, he could also punish palace servants when they made mistakes. So the Fourth Prince caught two palace maids and had them beaten with boards, but witnessing those two palace maids being beaten until they wailed miserably, the Fourth Prince felt equally uncomfortable.

Father Emperor then found him a supposedly very capable tutor. The Fourth Prince, suddenly having many more lessons, was already too busy to run around the imperial garden and listen to gossip…

Before the Fourth Prince could tell his sister about his troubles, Xiao Zhou Shi emerged.

She only glanced at Lu Zhuo once, then gestured for Wei Rao to follow her to the inner hall.

Wei Rao bit her lip. She guessed that mother and grandmother would both, like Duchess Ying, be concerned about the consummation issue between her and Lu Zhuo.

Of course, Xiao Zhou Shi had to be concerned – this was a major issue related to whether her daughter would be happy after marriage. Lu Zhuo had been so infuriating – if he couldn’t even serve her daughter well in bed, what use was it for her daughter to marry him?

Xiao Zhou Shi was not only concerned but also asked much more explicitly than Duchess Ying. This was also karma Lu Zhuo had created for himself – who told him to be so infuriating during his first marriage? Otherwise, with his status as a military general, Xiao Zhou Shi really wouldn’t need to worry too much about his capabilities.

Of course, Lu Zhuo created the karma, but all the embarrassment went to Wei Rao.

“Why is mother the same as grandmother?” Wei Rao said, covering her face.

Xiao Zhou Shi: “Nonsense – who told me I was born by your grandmother?”

Wei Rao couldn’t escape and had to truthfully answer her mother’s questions.

In the outer hall, the Fourth Prince would look at Lu Zhuo one moment and not look the next, wanting to appear mature but revealing his inner conflict due to his young age.

“Does Your Highness have some trouble?” Lu Zhuo asked perceptively.

The Fourth Prince glared at him: “Mother Consort said you didn’t like sister at all before, and you made sister suffer great grievances.”

Lu Zhuo felt ashamed and admitted, “This subject did indeed cause the princess grievances, but it wasn’t from dislike.”

The Fourth Prince didn’t believe: “If you liked sister, how could you make sister cry?”

Lu Zhuo smiled bitterly: “Your Highness doesn’t know – liking someone is like studying. Some people are naturally gifted, while others are too stupid. Though they like someone, they don’t know how to show it properly. This subject is that kind of stupid material.”

The Fourth Prince, seeing his sincere appearance, tilted his head thoughtfully: “Like when I like a bird but don’t use the right method, keeping it in a cage and causing it to die?”

Lu Zhuo looked with surprise at the six-year-old child across from him.

The Fourth Prince knew he had understood correctly and looked at Lu Zhuo even more fiercely: “Did you harm my sister?”

Lu Zhuo quickly said, “This subject wouldn’t dare. This subject was just not good with words and hurt the princess’s feelings.”

The Fourth Prince said angrily, “Hurting her feelings isn’t allowed either!”

Lu Zhuo: “Exactly, so this subject already knows his mistake and will never let the princess be hurt again in the future.”

In the inner hall, Wei Rao and her mother had just finished their intimate conversation and were about to come out when they heard Lu Zhuo’s promise.

Wei Rao looked toward her mother.

Xiao Zhou Shi was very gratified. Her learning was limited – she might not be able to teach her son how to be an excellent prince, but she would teach her son how to be a good younger brother.