We Should Consummate the Marriage, Wife
After night fell, Ah Xuan was carried away by the attendants once he had fallen asleep. The room, still faintly permeated with the scent of medicine, grew so quiet it seemed as though there was not the slightest trace of life left within it. Ling Li wore an outer robe and sat leaning against the bed, his long black hair loose, and his expression blank. His chin was sharp, his whole person pale and haggard.
No one knew how much time passed before the door was pushed open softly, and a red figure slipped inside at great speed.
Ling Li looked over with calm, unruffled eyes. When he saw that it was Rong Hua, he straightened slightly, surprise flickering across his face. “Rong Hua, why are you…”
Rong Hua shut the door and rushed straight to the bedside, throwing her arms around him and hugging him tightly. The force of it made Ling Li lean back slightly. He lifted a hand, about to pat her back, when Rong Hua abruptly straightened again. Both hands gripped his shoulders, her eyes bloodshot as she stared at him, her tone pained and confused.
“Ah Li, what exactly are you trying to do? You used Rong Ci to draw away the Crown Prince’s personal guards who were left at your side, and then you drank that thing in the Grand Shaman’s side hall… Do you know how badly you scared me when I saw you like that?! Can you tell me why you did this? Do you not like the Crown Prince at all?”
Why did he do it?
Ling Li’s breath sank slightly. He lowered his long lashes. Only after a long pause did he rasp out, “Rong Hua, His Highness said he wants to take me as his primary consort.”
Rong Hua froze. “Really? Isn’t that a good thing? Then why…”
“Good?” Ling Li lifted his face and met her bright, beautiful gaze. He shook his head, letting out a very brief laugh. His clear eyes were utterly lucid, his low, unhurried voice carrying a trace of self-mockery. “Ah Xuan and I struggled for years just to survive in that tiny town. If I truly entered the palace with him, do you think it would really be good?”
Rong Hua slowly loosened her grip on his hands, standing there dazed and silent.
Ling Li continued, “So what if he grants me the position of primary consort? So what if he conceals my identity and erases my past? I’d still be nothing more than a commoner who’s never left this small corner of the world, with no foundation at all. I couldn’t secure that position, and I have no ambition to sit in it either. Besides, His Highness’s feelings are nothing more than youthful infatuation.
How long can affection within the imperial family truly last? Even if he can protect us for a time, he might not be able to protect us for a lifetime. One misstep, and both the child and I would be swallowed whole, without even bones left behind. What’s more… His temperament has always been volatile. Right now, his feelings for me outweigh everything else, which is why he bestows such favor upon me. However… in his eyes, I once deceived him together with his personal guard.
That will always be a thorn in his heart. Once it festers long enough, one day he may very well call me to account. When that time comes, everything connected to me will become sand in his eyes and a stone in his heart, something he’ll want gone at all costs. If it were only my life, he could take it, but what about Ah Xuan…”
Ling Li paused, his expression heavy. His hand lifted unconsciously to rest over his lower abdomen. He then continued in a low voice, “The reason I don’t want this child is because if I still can’t escape this quagmire by then, at least he wouldn’t have to suffer alongside me.”
If he were fortunate enough to break free, he would want this child even less, a child bound to the imperial family. Keeping Ah Xuan back then had already been an accident. He did not want another.
As Rong Hua listened, her mind fell into chaos, buzzing relentlessly. She knew Ling Li’s words made sense, yet she could not quite accept them. She raised her hand and struck her own throbbing temple hard, frowning as she looked at him. “Ah Li, it won’t be like that. It won’t. His Highness treats you…”
Ling Li gazed at her quietly, his eyes tinged with bitterness. “His Highness treats me…”
Ling Li had always known that Ming Zhan held feelings for him, at least back then.
…In truth, before he went to accompany Ming Zhan to pay off Liu Yue’s gambling debts, Ling Li had already known him for a month. When he told Su Jingyang about it, he deliberately blurred that part of the past, unwilling to speak of it.
Back then, Ming Zhan had been afflicted with gu poison, his appearance ruined. He traveled thousands of li to Rongcheng to seek a solution. Because staying close to Wuqun Mountain improved the treatment’s effectiveness, he remained in the town for his recovery.
Ming Zhan was only seventeen or eighteen at the time. With his father favoring the second prince, his younger brother arrogant, and his own face destroyed, he, the Crown Prince and master of the Eastern Palace, could only wrap his face in layers of cloth and stew in humiliation inside the residence day after day.
He could not leave, resentment piling up in his heart, his temper growing increasingly violent, and his entire body steeped in a chilling hostility. Everything in his room had to be replaced daily. At the slightest dissatisfaction, he would smash things to vent his rage. Even the doors had been replaced several times.
At that time, Liu Yue was still alive. Ling Li was occasionally the subject of gossip, but not yet to the point of being cursed at whenever he stepped outside. He worked as a kitchen hand in the town’s largest restaurant. Because he cooked well, he would sometimes step in to stir-fry a few dishes when the head chefs were overwhelmed.
By sheer coincidence, one of the dishes he made ended up on Ming Zhan’s table. That day, Ming Zhan did not smash his bowl. He even ate a few extra bites of the dish Ling Li had prepared.
Ming Zhan’s guard, Qin Yu, took note of it. He later found Ling Li and brought him to the residence to care specifically for Ming Zhan’s daily meals and needs.
When Ling Li first arrived, he was terrified. Ming Zhan’s face was wrapped so tightly that only a pair of beautiful yet sinister eyes showed. His temper was erratic and violent. Once, because Ling Li accidentally looked at him for an extra moment while serving food, Ming Zhan nearly slashed him with a sword. Ling Li barely dodged it, but a long section of his hair was still cut away.
Ling Li was frightened out of his wits. He hid in the kitchen corner, barely daring to breathe. From then on, whenever he delivered meals, he kept his head lowered the entire time and ran off the moment he was done. If he encountered Ming Zhan stepping out to get some air, he would immediately turn and leave.
Ming Zhan grew even more irritable watching him scurry around like a startled rabbit. Malice took root, and for over half a month, he forced Ling Li to serve as a living target for archery practice.
Perhaps Ling Li’s flushed face as he balanced an apple atop his head amused him, or perhaps Ming Zhan’s face had begun to recover little by little. His mood gradually improved. He even started teasing Ling Li verbally, mocking him for being timid.
Ling Li dared not speak up, but he had already been paid a month’s wages, and guards surrounded the residence. Escape was impossible, so he endured it in silence.
Finally, during one archery session, Ling Li caught a chill and could not hold himself up. He fainted. When he awoke, he found Ming Zhan asleep at his bedside, tightly holding his hand. Ling Li did not understand why, but from that day on, Ming Zhan stopped tormenting him. He was no longer as gloomy and violent as before. His temper softened, his smiles increased. He followed Ling Li around all day, calling him Ah Li, his manner oddly intimate.
The change was too obvious. Ling Li sensed something was wrong. Coincidentally, his month of work was ending. Panicked, he forced himself to ask Qin Yu to let him leave. He did not even dare to see Ming Zhan before departing.
Yet less than two days later, Liu Yue accumulated a massive gambling debt. Desperate and cornered, Ling Li was found again by Qin Yu, who handed him enough silver to repay everything. The condition was that Ling Li return to accompany Ming Zhan until his face fully recovered and he left the area.
This “accompanying” was no longer innocent. Put plainly, whatever Ming Zhan wanted him to do, he had to do.
Ling Li agreed for Liu Yue’s sake. At first, he thought it was Ming Zhan’s will. However, when he returned and saw the unrestrained joy in Ming Zhan’s eyes, he realized Qin Yu had likely noticed Ming Zhan’s feelings and took matters into his own hands, using money to bring him back to please his master.
In truth, Ming Zhan knew nothing of it. He never suspected that the guard who had followed him through life and death for twelve years would dare deceive him. Ming Zhan had only ordered Qin Yu to bring Ling Li back. Ling Li returned, so Ming Zhan assumed he had come willingly, believing it was affection. His emotions surged, and he embraced Ling Li with overwhelming joy.
Because Ling Li had taken the money, he was obedient. Ming Zhan experienced love for the first time, youthful passion fierce and consuming. On the fifth night after Ling Li’s return, Ming Zhan finally removed the bandages. Though his face had not fully healed, his striking beauty was already clear. Ling Li stared and was momentarily stunned. Ming Zhan kissed him in the heat of the moment. Ling Li did not dodge, and Ming Zhan lost all restraint. That night, he took him.
Ling Li believed Ming Zhan’s feelings were temporary and would fade once he left. They would part ways and never meet again. He understood this yet never dared reveal it.
However, Ming Zhan was unprecedentedly serious. The days that followed were filled with inescapable intimacy. They shared a bed night after night. Ling Li’s gentle clarity became the balm that soothed Ming Zhan’s inner turmoil. Seeing him filled Ming Zhan with tenderness. Losing sight of him made him irritable. He would search the entire courtyard, only calming down after grabbing his waist and stealing a kiss.
Another month passed. Ming Zhan’s face fully recovered, and he prepared to leave the town. Ling Li felt immense relief, thinking he was finally free. Instead, Ming Zhan revealed his true identity and said he would take him back to the palace.
Before Ling Li could recover from the shock, he was plunged into panic. He feared and dreaded it. The Crown Prince’s exalted status had once been as distant as the sun. Now, he had deceived him.
Ling Li instinctively pulled free of Ming Zhan’s embrace, stumbling back several steps. He looked toward Qin Yu at the doorway, silently begging for help.
That single glance made Ming Zhan realize something was wrong. He summoned Qin Yu and uncovered the truth in just a few exchanges.
The fury that followed swept through him like a storm. Ming Zhan’s heart shattered completely!!!
To him, his sincerity had been nothing more than a transaction!!! A clumsy deception!! Only he had been the fool, sinking in too deep! He had been deceived by his most trusted guard and the person he loved! Worse still, the one he loved had approached him to repay another man’s debt! In his rage, Ming Zhan personally executed Qin Yu on the spot, without mercy, right before Ling Li.
Blood splashed across Ling Li’s face. He collapsed to the ground, stunned. When Ming Zhan, like an Asura demon, pressed a sword to his neck, Ling Li trembled violently yet did not move.
In the end, Ming Zhan still could not strike. He hurled the sword away, turned his sleeve, and left. From that day on, he vanished from Ling Li’s life.
Ling Li could never forget the blood that had sprayed across his face, scalding hot, as though it could burn the skin. He knew Ming Zhan could never tolerate such betrayal. Sparing him had only been a moment of lingering affection.
If he truly returned to the palace, Ling Li was certain his end would be even more brutal than Qin Yu’s.
That was why, despite his fear and reverence, he still struggled with all his might, unwilling to return with him.
Ling Li came back to himself and said, “Rong Hua, do you think I’m simply imagining things? I may lack experience, but I know this much. Love turning into indifference is more terrifying than hatred, especially when he is the future Son of Heaven. Once suspicion takes root… turning against each other is only a matter of time.”
Rong Hua’s chest suddenly seized with sharp pain. Without warning, large tears spilled down her face.
“Why are you crying?” Ling Li wiped her tears. Rong Hua shook her head hard, unable to explain. In the end, she buried her face in Ling Li’s arms and cried.
Ling Li patted her shoulder. Hearing her cry so bitterly made his own expression sorrowful. When her sobs eased, Ling Li hesitated before speaking again. “Rong Hua, I want to ask you for something.”
With red-rimmed eyes, Rong Hua answered, “Say it.”
“I want a kind of gu,” Ling Li said. “One that, once contracted, requires long-term treatment in Rongcheng.”
“Ah Li, you…”
Ling Li clenched the quilt tightly, his gaze resolute. “I want to stay here due to illness so he can’t take me back for now. When he ascends the throne and achieves his ambitions, surrounded by a harem of thousands, time will pass, and I’ll become insignificant to him. And Ah Xuan, his brain condition hasn’t healed yet. He must stay in Rongcheng too. Once he has other heirs, he’ll forget about us eventually. In short, I want to drag this out, drag it on until he forgets me entirely. I’m not going anywhere. I’ll stay here.”
Where his light was, that was where he would be.
Rong Hua gazed at him for a long time, eyes damp, before finally agreeing. “Alright. I’ll help you, but we’ll wait until you’ve recovered before making arrangements.”
Light flashed through Ling Li’s eyes. He nodded eagerly. “I’ll listen to you.”
After some thought, Rong Hua leaned in slightly and added, “Song Hui has already noticed. He’s the Crown Prince’s man. Rong Ci has locked him up. He didn’t resist or try to escape. He probably knows he won’t survive. If you agree, we can…” She made a slicing motion across her throat, her gaze fierce.
Ling Li froze, then said, “We can’t kill him.”
Ling Li knew Song Hui sent messages out periodically. If none went out, those waiting outside Rongcheng would notice something amiss.
Song Hui was a Crown Prince’s guard. Anything happening to him in Rongcheng would be troublesome. Such an obvious silencing would only raise suspicion.
Ling Li leaned back against the bed. After a long while, he closed his eyes wearily. “Forget it. Let him out.”
The next day, not long after Su Jingyang left, Ling Li no longer wished to lie down. He reclined against the bed, eyes closed in rest. Song Hui came in with medicine. Before leaving, he bowed slightly and said softly, “This was my failure. I did not urge you to rest properly, which led to your overexertion and the loss of the imperial child. I will personally report and accept punishment from His Highness.”
He left after speaking.
Ling Li raised a hand to his chest, staring in shock at his departing back. Cold sweat broke out on his forehead. It took him a long time to steady his breathing.
That same day, after Su Jingyang returned, he received a letter from Xu Mei.
When Su Jingyang married Rong Ci, Xu Mei and Mu Jin had attended as well. Xu Mei had wanted badly to see Rong Hua but missed her repeatedly due to various circumstances. Mu Jin had other matters to attend to. After the wedding feast, they left. Xu Mei departed with a face full of regret.
Upon opening the letter, the first thing Xu Mei wrote was an invitation, insisting they visit Wangyue Mountain Manor when they had time. He specifically mentioned Rong Hua. Apparently, missing her so many times had turned into an obsession.
Su Jingyang smiled and continued reading, then burst into laughter.
Seeing him so happy, Rong Ci leaned over to glance at it. The letter described how Xu Mei had accompanied Mu Jin to visit an old acquaintance of Manor Lord Mu. By sheer bad luck, they ran into Xu Mei’s ex’s family. His writing brimmed with delight.
He wrote that when the family saw his rounded belly, they were all dumbstruck. His bizarre former mother-in-law even suspected it was fake and tried to touch his stomach. Mu Jin stopped her and reprimanded her sharply. When they finally left, their faces were green with fury.
By the end, Su Jingyang felt a strange sense of vindication. He even ate an extra bowl at dinner!!!
After bathing, Su Jingyang sat on the bed without lying down. Through his clothes, he patted his protruding abdomen. Perhaps because of the twins, he felt his belly seemed to grow noticeably with every passing moment.
The first time he noticed the curve of his belly, Su Jingyang had felt utterly disoriented. Now he could steady himself a bit, though the odd feeling never fully left.
As he rubbed his stomach to help digestion, Rong Ci climbed onto the bed as well. The moment that warm presence drew near, Su Jingyang lifted his head and was kissed. He wrapped his arms around Rong Ci’s neck and kissed him back. He had grown used to this nightly intimacy before sleep. They were married after all, though it had only gone as far as kissing and holding.
When he felt half his shoulder’s clothing had already been pulled off and slipped down, Su Jingyang let out a muffled sound and hurriedly pushed Rong Ci away. He separated from his lips and pulled his clothes back into place, glaring at him with dark, gleaming eyes. “What are you doing?”
“What am I doing?” Rong Ci held him so he couldn’t dodge and pecked his soft lips again. His gaze locked onto Su Jingyang’s face, dark fire surging in his eyes as he continued to strip away his clothes. His voice was low and hoarse. “Did you forget? On the night of our wedding, you fell asleep the moment we returned. Your belly is already over three months now. We should consummate the marriage, wife.”
IsitRo: For anyone wondering about the wedding details, well.... tada!!! There was none! lolololol The author literally TIME-SKIPPED the entire wedding ceremony!! All that dramatic build-up about Su Jingyang not wanting to marry, Rong Ci forcing it, the big ceremony being announced city-wide............ and then the actual wedding is just a casual throwaway line many words later!! I honestly had to triple check coz I thought I missed it but reallyyyy, there was none at all 💀
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