Chapter 8 Let Me Pledge Myself To You, Is That Enough?
New Names
叶迟 - Ye Chi
何子义 - He Ziyi
This translation is originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com please read it there. and check out other stories too.
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The first thing Yuechu saw when she entered the room was the smile on Li Qiubai's face in the mirror.
She felt that it was not an exaggeration to call it a silly smile.
Regardless of whether the Princess remembers or not, Yuechu remembers very clearly. Since the late Empress passed away, the Princess has never shown such a sincere smile in front of others.
Seeing the Princess so joyful today is a rare sight, and Yuechu is genuinely happy from the bottom of her heart.
"Your Highness, although it is said that newlyweds are very affectionate, if you continue to smile like this, what should this servant do if I lose my teeth with all the sweetness?"
Accompanying Yuechu into the room were Auntie Hua and the maids who had come from the palace. Upon hearing Yuechu teasing the Princess, many palace maids couldn't help but stifle their laughter.
Only then did Li Qiubai put away the smile on her face, set aside the dagger in her hand, and turned her face to give Yuechu a sidelong glance. "You girl, are getting bolder. You even dare to make jokes about this Princess."
Normally, even if Yuechu was given a hundred courages, she would not dare to make random jokes about the Princess.
However, today, the joy radiates from the Princess inside out, how could Yuechu not feel it? After all, all that was missing on her face were the words 'I am in a good mood today, you can just make fun of me' on her face.
Having followed her mistress for so many years, Yuechu certainly dared to make such a joke.
"It is not just seeing Your Highness happy, this servant is happy too!"
After saying that, Yuechu stepped forward with a smile and combed Li Qiubai's long hair.
Li Qiubai then noticed that Young Master Meng hadn't entered with them, and she furrowed her brows, asking, "Where's the Prince Consort?"
Seeing the Princess' mood change so quickly, Yuechu couldn't help but smile and said, "The Prince Consort was called by the disciple of the Qingyang Clan. She said to wait for you at the main gate after you are ready, and she will come over as soon as possible."
Li Qiubai reluctantly nodded.
Well, inside this room, when they were alone, she could be Meng Chang'an and Young Master Meng.
But out of this door, she can only be the Prince Consort in front of others and the Young Master of the Qingyang Clan.
Following Yuechu were a row of palace maids holding trays with toiletries and various kinds of jewelry on them.
Most of the palace maids stayed on this side of the dressing table to serve the princess in dressing and grooming. Only the two palace maids accompanied Auntie Hua to tidy up the bed.
Auntie Hua went to collect the bridal handkerchief according to the rules, so there was no one saying much. It's just that some thin-skinned palace maids will inevitably blush when they see that scene.
However, Auntie Hua searched for a long time on the bed but could not find the piece of silk handkerchief arranged according to the rules. She only found an unfamiliar brocade handkerchief.
The brocade handkerchief was covered with small plum blossoms, obviously just remnants of bloodstains, not the fallen petals she was supposed to present to the palace.
Auntie Hua's face darkened. Was she being deceived with this thing?
The young palace maid by her side seemed to understand Auntie Hua's thoughts and quickly asked in a hushed voice, "Auntie, isn't this not the bridal handkerchief you had placed earlier? What should we do?"
"Don't say anything." She lightly reprimanded in a hushed tone. Auntie Hua had already put away her grim expression and calmly placed the brocade handkerchief in a box and whispered: "Just present it to the Empress Dowager as is."
If Young Master Meng was present at this moment, she would definitely be able to recognize the brocade handkerchief. After all, the Princess used that brocade handkerchief to carefully wipe away the remaining blood on her face last night.
Unfortunately, at this moment, Young Master Meng was being led to a quiet place by someone from the Qingyang Clan, receiving instructions about what the Clan Master had said before leaving, and she couldn't see what was happening in the bridal chamber.
"Miss, did you really understand everything?"
The person who took Meng Chang'an away was Ye Chi, a direct disciple of He Ziyi, the leader of the Qingyang Clan.
Seeing Meng Chang'an absentmindedly kicking the stones under her feet again, Ye Chi finally couldn't hold it back and rolled his eyes angrily: "Forget it, I will tell you again."
"Elder Brother Ye, do not worry, I am not deaf yet!" Meng Chang'an then raised her head with a smile: "You can reassure my father. I am not stupid; I will not be easily discovered."
Today, the newlyweds were supposed to serve tea to He Ziyi, the father, but last night, when He Ziyi got some news about He Changping, he left the banquet with an excuse, thus avoiding the tea ceremony.
Among the disciples brought by the He family, only Senior Brother Ye Chi knew Meng Chang'an's identity, which is why some matters were left for Ye Chi to explain.
Upon hearing Meng Chang'an's words, Ye Chi finally dared to hand over He Changping's sword to her. "Master has already found the trace of Ye Wuyou and Changping and is personally leading a few trusted men to track them down. They should be able to bring them back soon. Just endure a little longer, as long as you stay safe for these few days."
"If you are going to disguise yourself, you must have the complete attire. For a renowned swordsman, how could he not have his sword by his side?"
"I understand."
After receiving her own elder brother's Swan Sword, which he had never let go of, Meng Chang'an immediately drew the sword from its sheath and casually traced a sword flower in the air.
"Although my master did not teach me how to use a sword, if you just want me to demonstrate a few moves with a sword, defend and attack, that is no problem. Big Brother Ye, you can rest assured. Let us not say more. I can definitely hold on until you find our elder brother. Remember to take care of my knife for me. If my knife is lost when I return to the sect, I will definitely get a scolding."
Seeing Meng Chang'an's joyful and cheerful expression, Ye Chi couldn't help but sigh, "Miss, we have really done you wrong."
The whole family was frightened by this marriage. Although everyone had been frightened since the incident, Ye Chi still felt that the most aggrieved person in this incident was the young lady who got involved in the incident for no reason. She had never been able to bear the He family name since childhood, nor had she enjoyed the love and care of the He family. Instead, she had to live in the demonic sect with her mother and take on the life-threatening responsibility of rescuing the entire He family.
This translation is originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com please read it there. and check out other stories too.
"Big Brother Ye, you are talking nonsense. We are all one family, there's no need for such formalities." Meng Chang'an smiled, sheathed her sword with ease, and said, "If there's nothing else, I will be on my way. Her Highness is waiting for me to enter the palace together."
Just after taking a few steps, Meng Chang'an suddenly remembered something and quickly turned around and added: "By the way, there is a stupid assassin locked up in the dungeon who almost ruined our affairs. He might be a friend of my elder brother. Big Brother Ye, if you have some free time, have Chief Guard Yu take you to the dungeon and see how to deal with him."
After saying that, Meng Chang'an left with peace of mind.
Throughout the Princess' residence, red silk adorned every corner. As she walked along, Meng Chang'an found herself surprisingly influenced by the joyful atmosphere that pervaded the palace. Even her steps were lighter compared to last night.
"Good morning, Prince Consort!"
The gate guards greeted Meng Chang'an with a smile and pointed to the carriage at the door, saying, "The carriage is ready. Would the Prince Consort like to get on and wait for the Princess inside?"
The Princess was going to the palace, so the carriage and guards were naturally prepared in advance.
After some consideration, Meng Chang'an thought it would be more polite to wait outside the carriage for the Princess. She smiled and replied, "No need, I will wait for Her Highness here."
Regardless of how surprised the guards' looks might be, Meng Chang'an paid them no mind. She leaned against a pillar near the gate, holding her sword.
At a glance, she had a somewhat charming and dashing air of a young gentleman.
The guard didn't know what Meng Chang'an was thinking, but he was simply moved by Meng Chang'an's behavior of standing outside in the cold wind and waiting for the Princess. He couldn't help but sigh: "The Prince Consort is truly lovesick, is he not?"
Several guards originally thought that this Jianghu* hero was not worthy of their Princess. However, Meng Chang'an's actions changed their perspective, and they nodded in agreement.
*martial arts world
They didn't know that Meng Chang'an was willing to wait for the Princess outside the carriage because she never expected that waiting like this would make her wait for a full stick of incense*.
*Time concept, the time it would take for a whole stick of incense to burn is about 30 minutes
She knew that women were slow to dress up, but she didn't know that the Princess could be so slow to this level.
Of course, if she could have known earlier, she would have gone to the carriage early to lie down comfortably and catch up on her sleep!
When Li Qiubai came out of the mansion with a group of entourage, she followed the guard's reminder and looked to the side. What she saw was Young Master Meng leaning on a pillar with her sword, drowsy.
Li Qiubai raised her hand to stop the people behind her who were about to follow, allowing her to approach Meng Chang'an alone.
Her steps became lighter and lighter, as she appeared quietly in front of Meng Chang'an. She bent down and tilted her head in front of Meng Chang'an.
Maybe she didn't feel the dangerous aura, but when Meng Chang'an groggily opened her eyes, the enlarged face of the Princess appeared before her.
Meng Chang'an was startled, and subconsciously took a step back. However, because she had no room to retreat, she hit her head against the pillar behind her.
"Hiss..."
With a loud thud that made everyone wince, even the culprit herself began to feel a bit guilty.
Li Qiubai quickly reached out, raised on her tiptoes, and cradled the back of Meng Chang'an's head with her hand. She gently used her fingertips to explore her injury, all while reprimanding, "Why are you so careless? Do I appear like a wild animal to the Prince Consort that could make you panic like this?"
Mm, as long as you can find an excuse quickly, you will not be the main culprit.
Meng Chang'an laughed and said: "Itmis nothing serious, just a bump. It is not that painful. Your Highness does not need to worry."
If they were inside the house, Meng Chang'an wouldn't hesitate and would simply push the Princess away.
But this was outside the house, in full view of the public, and she couldn't do anything that would affect their image as a loving couple.
Therefore, Young Master Meng could only take advantage of the situation and wrap her arms around the waist of the Princess, and came closer and said, "Besides, Your Highness is so beautiful, how can you be a wild animal?"
Their noses almost touched, their breaths almost audible, and the atmosphere suddenly added a touch of romance.
Although Young Master Meng's eyes were clear, the Princess could not control her heartbeat. She felt her heart racing faster and faster.
Kiss her! Kiss her!
Press her against the wall and kiss her hard!
Yuechu on the side watched with unwavering attention, clenched her fists tightly, and silently shouted in her heart, fervently hoping that someone would step in to assist their mistress in this crucial moment.
Although she really wanted to go up and lend a hand, being a maid who had received various etiquette and was knowledgeable, how could she push this act of rashness in front of everyone?
Of course, even in private, Yuechu would not dare to go behind the Princess and push her.
After all, in life, one should cherish their own life. No matter how much Yuechu wanted to, she could only silently think about it in her heart.
It is a pity that at this moment, the Princess was unable to hear Yuechu and fulfill her maid's wishes.
She just froze in place, staring blankly at the pair of eyes so close to her.
Beauty is enticing, but beauty can also lead one astray.
The first one to react was the clear-eyed Young Master Meng. She initially thought that her own actions had startled the Princess. With a dry cough, she interrupted the Princess' daze and then smiled as she took the hand that had been over her head, held it, and led the Princess towards the carriage.
"However, Your Highness made me wait for you in the cold wind for so long, so you have to compensate me well no matter what."
Meng Chang'an just said this casually because she wanted to ease the awkward atmosphere. Unexpectedly, the Princess actually took it seriously.
"Mm, that makes sense." Li Qiubai stopped in her tracks, tightened her grip on the person beside her, and with a faint smile, she asked "Then how do you want me to compensate you?"
Perhaps not expecting the Princess to take it seriously, Meng Chang'an was somewhat surprised. Nevertheless, since she had spoken those words herself, she had to follow through with them. "As long as Your Highness is happy, you can compensate however you would like!"
"Then let me..." Facing the curious gaze of the Young Master, Li Qiubai paused for a moment and then said: "Let me pledge myself to you, is that enough?"
This time it was Meng Chang'an's turn to be stunned.
After stiffly tugging at the corner of her mouth, she quietly glanced at Li Qiubai and said with a smile: "Your Highness, are you kidding me? Are you not and I already married? Why would you still pledge yourself? You cannot use such excuses to back out of your promises!"
Li Qiubai didn't say much and simply leaned in close, placing her hand on Meng Chang'an's shoulder, bringing her lips close to Meng Chang'an's ear, and whispered in a tone that only the two of them could hear, "But I intend to compensate Meng Chang'an, not He Changping."
The warm breath escaping from the Princess' lips gently brushed against Young Master Meng's ear, causing her earlobes to turn red.
