Chapter 6

The banquet wasn't over yet. A roomful of guests craned their necks waiting for news from the bridal chamber, stealing occasional glances at the Chancellor's household.

Everyone present was an official. They saw each other daily—whether allies or political enemies, they all knew exactly what each other was feeling at this moment, and could only bow their heads to hide their smirks. Chancellor Lu wore a stiff expression, enduring the sympathetic gazes of his colleagues and subordinates, his heart twisting with anxiety.

He simply didn't believe Anan couldn't get through this.

In Chancellor Lu's heart, Anan was a special child.

Because of a difficult birth, Anan had been as weak as a kitten when born, seeming like she might expire at any moment. But Anan grew up slowly, very quietly—never causing trouble, never making a fuss, becoming the most obedient and well-behaved young lady in the Chancellor's manor. Moreover, Anan was filial and thoughtful, with a round apple-red face, fair and rosy. When she smiled, it could melt hearts. Her cat-like pupils gazing at people made her look like a kitten acting cute and coquettish—utterly heart-wrenching.

Chancellor Lu's three legitimate sons and three legitimate daughters had all been strong-willed since childhood. If one was unhappy, they'd talk back to him, their father, and he could do nothing about them. Thus he often complained of unfilial children. Only obedient Anan let him enjoy the pleasures of fatherhood. Anan had just grown up, and he cherished her humble birth, determined to find her a good match so she could live comfortably. Who knew the Empress Dowager would interfere, taking a fancy to Anan and decreeing her marriage to Prince Su—surrounded by people waiting for her to die in various ways. How it pained him as a father!

With Anan's dough-like personality and her habit of being cluelessly silly at critical moments, how could she handle palace people, imperial princes, ministers, and their wives? The thought alone was worrisome!

Chancellor Lu kept a stiff face, glaring at these colleagues watching the show alongside his several sons, his heart anxiously awaiting news from the bridal chamber.

When Anan was shaken awake, she smelled the rich aroma of food, making her mouth water instantly.

So hungry, so hungry...

"Miss, His Highness ordered the kitchen to prepare some food. Please get up and eat quickly," Xiaocui said softly, helping Anan sit up.

The imperial physician had taken her pulse, spouted some medical jargon, prescribed medicine, and left swaying with his medicine box. That look in his eyes as he departed... well, anyone would understand.

As for the guests waiting outside for news—let's not mention them for now.

Anan's eyes immediately locked onto the steaming dishes on the table, making her stomach hurt even more. In her past life as a student, she'd often skipped meals to study for good grades. By the time she got into university, she'd given herself gastritis. Whenever she didn't eat on time, her stomach would ache. This condition had come with her when she transmigrated.

Anan had originally been quite happy to transmigrate as the Chancellor's daughter—food, clothing, housing, and transport would never be lacking. Who knew that getting married, because of the Chancellor's wife's "inauspicious" theory and a certain maid's foolishness, would leave her starving to the point of fainting?

Anan only wanted to eat. Her blood-deprived brain magnificently ignored her surroundings. Ruyi was equally single-minded in serving her mistress, helping Anan to the table—until a cough sounded. Prompted by the accompanying maids, this master-servant pair who weren't "in the know" finally discovered the bridegroom was still there.

Anan was startled, then lowered her brows and eyes demurely, letting Ruyi help her step forward to bow. As her knees bent slightly, a pair of large hands lifted her up. Then she was detached from Ruyi's grasp and strong male arms hoisted her to the table.

Anan was embarrassed. Though she was weak, she didn't need to be carried like a cat!

Prince Su quietly handed her a pair of chopsticks, then watched as someone, attended by maids, ate with extremely standard and rapid movements, showing him only the top of her head. Seeing her eat with such relish, Prince Su inexplicably found his own appetite. He took the rice a maid served him and began eating too.

After a busy day, both bride and groom were hungry.

So-called marriage wasn't like in novels—the groom enters the bridal chamber, lifts the bride's red veil, they drink cross-cupped wine, then lights out and into bed, no tooth brushing, no makeup removal, no bathroom breaks, just straight to "fairy wrestling"...

Anan felt marriage was just this—no different from ordinary life.

After the maids and matrons tidied the bridal chamber, the two also freshened up under their attendance. Anan still wore her bright red wedding attire, sitting carefully on the new bed, peeking at Prince Su—her current husband.

Royal disciples had excellent genes. Prince Su's appearance was fine—refined and handsome, the very image of an ancient scholar. Only his expression was too serious. That upright bearing, that unique noble aura of royalty, made people afraid to meet his eyes. The scholar image was greatly diminished, giving an unfathomable feeling.

Hope he's not Bluebeard...

Anan's thoughts ran wild. At the critical moment, she discovered she was uncontrollably nervous. She didn't notice the matrons' ambiguous expressions as they left, nor did she notice her personal maid Ruyi being whisked out of the bridal chamber by a sharp-eyed, quick-handed maid.

"Sister Rulan, Miss can't sleep without me..."

"Little hoof, what chaos are you adding? Miss won't be able to sleep *with* you!"

"Ah ah, Sister Rulan, I'm telling the truth! Miss has bad sleeping habits, likes hugging people to sleep. Without me to warm the bed..."

"Pah! Little hoof, don't sully the Princess Consort's reputation! Today is the Princess Consort's wedding night—do you understand or not?"

"Ah..."

The foolish maid was finally taken away by a sensible one.

Anan pressed her head low, her apple face flushed bright red, looking like she had no face to show anyone.

With such a foolish maid, who knew if it was fortune or misfortune.

Prince Su pursed his lips, forcefully suppressing the amusement rising to his mouth, discovering this master-servant pair was extraordinarily interesting. Looking now at his new wife sitting on the bed edge, trying to minimize her presence—her lovely apple face red, shifting her bottom uneasily with a worried expression—she was quite spirited. Seeing his princess consort so lively, he estimated many people would lose money tomorrow.

Prince Su cleared his throat. "Princess Consort, let us retire!"

Anan nearly jumped up. She finally raised her head to look at the man standing before her, extending her hands to indicate she would undress him. Anan cursed feudal society's male superiority, yet still rose slowly, walked over slowly, her hands trembling as she undid his clothes.

Anan was truly terrified! She'd heard that thing hurt terribly! Especially with a strange man! Didn't know if he'd know what to do! Heard he liked men—what if he entered the wrong hole and she died! What if...

Right, this girl had scared herself pale.

Prince Su's face was solemn, expressionless as he watched the girl before him trembling like a sieve. Her delicate frame only reached his chest, making him suspect if she'd really come of age. But they said she'd had the coming-of-age ceremony—fifteen years old, right? Yet looking at her small bundle, her rosy apple face deathly pale, an unbidden pity rose in him.

Anan trembled as she undressed her newly appointed husband. Off came the outer robe, then the white inner garment. Loose silk draped over the man's tall frame, revealing a stretch of firm chest. A thick, masculine scent rushed at her. Comparing their proportions, Anan grew even more afraid.

Whether in past or present life, Anan had seen some adult films and erotic paintings. She knew the wedding night was just that! But theory was one thing, practice another! She was only fifteen now, her body not fully developed, and she had to do that—only destruction awaited...

A large hand caught Anan's badly shaking hands. Anan timidly lifted her head. In the dim candlelight, she saw the man's handsome face, his deep dark eyes. Her traitorous heart pounded—ah ah ah, so scared, she'd really never done this!!!

Not giving Anan a chance to scream, the man frowned, pressed his body down, directly scooped Anan into his arms, then cupped her head and kissed her soft, red lips.

The man was somewhat clumsy, only acting on instinct, biting haphazardly. But it terrified the inexperienced Anan into freezing. By the time Anan realized what was happening, the mandarin duck-embroidered bed curtains had been casually swept down, blocking the lamp light. She was pinned on the bed, her clothes already stripped away, the two of them bare before each other.

The man's firm chest pressed against her soft breasts. Deep black eyes glittered with bright light, staring at her red apple face.

"This King's name is Chu Baining!" The man's voice was hoarse, as if suppressing something. "What is your name?"

Hearing this, Anan felt a pang of sadness. Things had gone this far and he still didn't know her name—truly heartbreaking. Was this the unspoken rule of feudal privilege society?

Too much of a trap!

"Lu Shaoqi. S-small name Anan..." Anan answered purely on instinct, even blurting out her pet name in a trembling rush.

"Anan..." Prince Su murmured, then lowered his head and kissed the watery black eyes of the woman in his arms.