Chapter 25: First Days as a Princess

The short blade had only just been unsheathed when it was firmly seized by Chu Hanxiao.

"You! How?"

Xia Qiqi realized with a jolt of embarrassment that although she had successfully stripped Chu Hanxiao down to his inner garment, his gaze remained crystal clear. He had not been seduced by her at all; he had merely been playing along, acting out a scene where he was the sole audience.

A wave of humiliation and anger at being toyed with washed over her. "Let go! I want to sleep!" She didn't even bother with the submissive self-references of a concubine anymore.

Chu Hanxiao raised an eyebrow and let out a cold snort. "On our wedding night, my own Princess Consort attempts to assassinate me!"

Xia Qiqi replied sullenly, "Who tried to assassinate you?" *Chu Hanxiao! You weren't even under my spell, yet you're here adding your own dramatic flair!*

Because of her indignation, her graceful, youthful figure, partially revealed beneath the red silk robe, rose and fell with her agitated breathing. This pitiable appearance almost caused Chu Hanxiao to lose his composure once more. He gestured toward her, signaling that she was still holding the knife.

Xia Qiqi abruptly released her grip, and the blade clattered to the floor. She glared at him. "Wasn't it you who told me to find a way?"

A mocking glint flashed in Chu Hanxiao’s eyes. "Does the Princess Consort mean to suggest that I am foolish enough to kill myself?"

"I was only thinking of what you said about Aunt Jingfang." As she spoke, Xia Qiqi held out a hand, revealing a faint, thin cut on her palm. "Look, isn't this the proof of consummation?"

Chu Hanxiao finally realized that her act of drawing the knife had been intended solely to fake the bloodstain. Had he truly misjudged her? Yet, moments ago, he had nearly lost control and succumbed to her charms. After a moment of thought, he leaned closer to her.

"I shall grant your wish," he whispered, pressing his body against hers and leaning down to murmur in her ear just as she had done earlier. "Is this satisfactory?"

*Wait.* She had succeeded so easily? Xia Qiqi could hardly believe the soft murmur she had just heard. Before she could process his true intentions, he moved with lightning speed, plucking the phoenix crown from her head and letting her dark, waterfall-like hair tumble down.

Before she could react, he had bound her wrists with a thin cord. The movement was so swift she hadn't even seen where he had produced it from.

"Chu Hanxiao!"

Xia Qiqi felt a sudden, inexplicable fear. "What are you doing?" Since seeing his toned physique earlier, she had indeed toyed with the idea of seducing him, but she certainly hadn't intended for a forced encounter involving restraints.

Chu Hanxiao scooped up the bound Xia Qiqi and tossed her onto the wedding bed. "You are right; I must show respect to your father."

"Wait!" Xia Qiqi struggled on the bed, kicking her legs in frustration. "This isn't what I wanted!"

Chu Hanxiao gripped her arm, his gaze sharp. "I do not care in the slightest what you want. I only care about what I want."

"I can help you deceive the palace," she bargained. "I can even help you fool my father."

"Oh?" Chu Hanxiao’s eyes were filled with amusement. "The Princess Consort changes her tune quite quickly!"

"It's true! I can do anything you ask, and when you grow tired of me, I will vanish from your sight without a word!" Xia Qiqi was desperate to survive. "A secondary consort, a mistress, a bed-warmer... whatever Your Highness requires, I can accept it all!"

A flicker of unreadable amusement crossed his eyes. "You are quite pragmatic, Princess. However..."

"There are no 'howevers'! I have many other skills that will be useful to you!" At this moment, Xia Qiqi was possessed by a singular drive to stay alive. "Liu Mingyu!"

"Tell me," Chu Hanxiao asked, "what else are you capable of?"

Xia Qiqi’s eyes darted around as she scrambled to recall the various skills she had learned throughout her life. "I have studied dance, music, art..."

"I'm sure Your Highness will find these useful in the future!"

"I... I know some martial arts, and I can protect you at any time."

"Also, if you ever fall ill or have a headache, I can treat you!"

Chu Hanxiao’s expression grew colder with every word. Liu Mingyu knew martial arts and medicine? This was something he had never expected. Could it be? He reached out and lifted her chin, scrutinizing her face. He wanted to find an answer.

It was a beautiful face, to be sure. A standard oval shape, a smooth forehead, a petite nose, and cherry-blossom lips. Yet, compared to the face etched in his memory, it fell short—especially in the natural, confident air that the other woman possessed, which was entirely absent in this terrified creature before him.

Liu Mingyu shared many similarities with her; surely, it must have been the result of Liu Mingyu being influenced by her. If that were the case, she would certainly not wish to see him harm Liu Mingyu.

Chu Hanxiao lowered his hand and said in a deep voice, "The rites are complete. From this day forward, you are the Princess Consort of Jin."

Xia Qiqi nodded frantically. "This concubine, Liu Mingyu, will follow her husband in all things." Survival came first.

"On our wedding night, it is only natural that we sleep together." As he spoke, he moved quickly to bind her ankles with another cord. "Since you claim to know martial arts, I have no choice but to keep you tied to this bed. I never place my trust in anyone, especially not in the person sharing my bed."

"After tonight, you will return to Yuhua Pavilion. You will sleep on the inside, and I will sleep on the outside."

With that, he pulled the wedding quilt over her, wrapping her up tightly from feet to chest like a burial shroud. He then covered his own chest with a thin blanket and was soon fast asleep.

Unable to move her limbs, Xia Qiqi could only turn her head. The steady, rhythmic sound of Chu Hanxiao’s breathing eventually lulled her into a drowsy state.

He claimed he never trusted anyone. In truth, before Xia Qiqi had transmigrated, she had been exactly the same. As a medical professional, she had been trained to be rational, and her life experiences had taught her the darker side of human nature. Because she found it so difficult to trust, she had reached the age of twenty-three with only cats and dogs for company.

After arriving in this world, her memories were limited to those of the original owner, who had lived as a servant in the Prime Minister's estate. The world was not a kind place, but fortunately, there were still many soulful little animals. It was their existence that made Xia Qiqi treasure her life so dearly.

She carefully shifted her body from lying flat to lying on her side. Watching Chu Hanxiao beside her and listening to his soft breathing, she soon drifted off to sleep as well.

The next morning, when she opened her eyes, she found that Chu Hanxiao had already risen. He was crouching down, picking up the short blade that had fallen to the floor the night before, and was now walking toward her.