Chapter 6: The Virgin Test (2)
Within two steps, He Changdi had moved in front of them and snatched the sandalwood box in their hands. Then, in front of everyone, he opened the lid. Upon seeing the spots of red on the white handkerchief inside, He Changdi coldly looked towards Chu Lian.
His chest heaved in frustration. He found it hard to believe that she had even prepared this from early on. She had covered all her bases! So she could do anything for the sake of that man!
After having the box shoved back into her hands by Third Young Master, Senior Servant Liu stared blankly at him, completely stunned by He Changdi’s reaction. She really didn’t know what kind of fit Third Young Master was having today. Earlier, she had heard rumours that Third Young Master wasn’t happy with this marriage, so it seemed like it was true. However, since the two of them had already consummated their marriage, they had to spend the rest of their days together. Third Young Madam was a legitimate daughter of the House of Duke Ying and this matter involved the reputations of two families. Furthermore, Third Young Madam was kind and seemed like a good lady. Third Young Master had gone a little overboard with humiliating Third Young Madam like that. She definitely had to report this to Madam and let Madam knock some sense into Third Young Master.
He Changdi didn’t know that his one thoughtless action had caused Senior Servant Liu to think of reporting his actions to his mother.
“Since nothing’s the matter, Third Young Master, this old servant will take her leave.”
Chu Lian instructed Senior Servant Gui to escort the two senior servants out, then sent Jingyan to prepare the gifts she would need to present when meeting the more senior members of the family later that day. She had already written out a list last night and handed it over to Jingyan to arrange for her.
Only the two newlyweds were left in the bridal chamber again.
He Changdi abruptly sneered and walked to her side, looking down on her with his height. “It seems like you were already prepared. I’ve underestimated you. So you don’t even have a single shred of honour left! How could you falsify something like that?!”
Chu Lian was in the middle of inserting a jade orchid hairpin into her cloud-like hair bun. Upon hearing him speak, she glanced at him. However, she didn’t angrily shout back as He Changdi had imagined. Instead, she smiled at him with an appropriate, easygoing smile as beautiful as a blooming peony.
“Didn’t you wake up in the bridal chamber this morning, my dear husband? How could I have falsified anything?”
“What are you talking about?!” He Changdi was so angered that laughter bubbled out of his throat. He fixed his narrowed gaze on Chu Lian, a little surprised that she would speak to him in that manner.
Suddenly, he said, “I wonder how Xiao Wujing would react if he discovered your actions!”
Chu Lian frowned and searched through the memories she had of the novel. She realised that she hadn’t seen any mention of a person called Xiao Wujing… at least, not in the first half of the book that she had read.
“Husband, it’s getting late, we have to go and pay our respects.” Chu Lian finished putting on her accessories and turned to He Changdi. With a smile on her face, she then bobbed in greeting, her posture as perfect as one would expect from a noble young lady.
He Changdi’s eyes were still tightly glued onto her. After realising that there wasn’t a single glimmer in her eyes and that her expression was level and sure, even leisurely, his brows started to furrow together.
He Changdi turned around, and completely dropped the suspicion that Chu Lian had reincarnated like he did.
If Chu Lian had reincarnated as well, she couldn’t possibly forget who Xiao Wujing was!
Actually, Xiao Wujing had been mentioned before in the novel. Xiao Wujing was originally named Xiao Bojian, and he was the male lead of the book… However, the first half of the book had not mentioned Xiao Bojian’s other name at all, so Chu Lian was completely clueless.
Within the bridal chamber, the newlywed couple looked to be getting along well on the surface, but in actual fact, they were of different minds.
He Changdi cast a glance at Chu Lian standing by his side. Although she was different in some ways, she was still the same person as before: full of malicious intent and trickery. For the sake of herself and Xiao Wujing, she had never cared about the lives of others.
Senior Servant Gui was already getting a little anxious while waiting in the outer chamber. She quickly came in to give them a gentle reminder: “Third Young Master, Third Young Madam, it’s getting late.”
Chu Lian made a sound of agreement before tossing a sideways glance at He Changdi. His expression was icy cold as he stepped out of the bridal chamber first.
Xiyan, who was supporting Chu Lian as she followed behind He Sanlang, couldn’t help but frown. She looked at the beautiful face of her Sixth Miss in worry.
Xiyan was more steady than the other personal maidservants, and Senior Servant Gui relied on her the most. She was older than Chu Lian by a year. Born into the Ying Household as one of the family’s servants, Xiyan had been serving Chu Lian since they were little. However, she had always treated the Sixth Miss Chu Lian as her own sister.
Ever since the Sixth Miss’s engagement had been decided, there had been a rumour circulating around the Ying Household. Supposedly, there was some unmentionable secret behind Matriarch He bringing He Sanlang over and specifically requesting an engagement to the Sixth Miss of the House of Ying.
Although the status of the House of Duke Ying had declined in the past few decades, they were still born of nobility and had, for a few generations now, worked hard to ‘expand’ their family tree. When it came to Chu Lian’s generation, there were eleven daughters alone in the household…
Only the old Duke of Ying had a place in the imperial court, and none of the males of the younger generations seemed to stand out. Since the House had declined to such a state, it should have been hard for the ladies to even marry into another noble house, but it just so happened that these ladies had somehow become famous for a rather special trait.
The eldest miss from the previous generation married the grandson of the Marquis of Fu’an and gave birth to two healthy sons after three years.
The second miss married the second son of the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Official Personnel Affairs and her first child was a boy.
The third miss was sent far away and was married to the military commissioner of Guizhou; she gave birth to a pair of sons in the second year of her marriage.
……
After that, the first child of any bride coming from the House of Duke Ying would, without any exceptions, be a son. This matter had spread all over the capital, Shenyang, two years ago for a period of time.