Gifted Bride of the Sinned Prince

“Your Highness, do I need to practice more?” Li Hua quickly turned away and looked at the bow in her hand.

“Your husband is thinking not to be too tough on his wife,” Lóng Wei said. “Let’s end it here. You can do the rest of the practice in the evening.”

Li Hua thanked him and bowed. She put the bow back in its place and decided to take a bath. “Your Highness, I will see you later,” Li Hua said, and turned to leave when Lóng Wei stopped her.

“I can help you wash,” Lóng Wei said.

Li Hua’s eyes grew bigger, and she gazed at him in bewilderment. She found the smirk on his lips. “It is so hot that I feel like taking a bath once more with you. Let’s bathe together,” he suggested to her.

“No. I cannot take a bath with His Highness,” Li Hua said, and he left his sight as soon as possible.

Lóng Wei smiled and started to pick up the arrows. “Li Hua is making good progress,” he mumbled, and put the arrows on the table. He looked at the bow, which Li Hua broke using strong force.

“If I win today, then she will not eat for a day. But if she loses to me, then she would ask me something which I may be unable to answer,” Lóng Wei murmured. After cleaning the space, he separated the arrows that could no longer be used.

.....

“Why am I even afraid to share something about me with her? She loves me and she will definitely understand me,” he mumbled. He rested his palms on the edge of the table and closed his eyes for a moment.

He opened his eyes and realised that he should not hide anything about himself from Li Hua. If he learned everything about her, then it was her right to know about him.

Li Hua carried the water in her palms and poured it over her shoulder.

“Court Lady Hong, I want to ask you something,” Li Hua said, and she moved a little lower into the bathtub.

“Sure, Your Highness.”

“What was Prince Lóng Wei’s mother like? Could you tell me about her?” Li Hua requested.

“Concubine Yu Jun was the mother of the Sixth Prince. In the palace, it is forbidden to talk about her after what the Sixth Prince did to her. His Highness gets exceptionally angry and out of control to hear about his mother,” Court Lady Hong told Li Hua who was puzzled to learn about that.

“However, since Princess Consort wants to know about her, I will tell her,” she stated. Li Hua thanked her and keenly listened to her.

“When it was the time of Prince Lóng Wei’s birth, Concubine Yu Jun underwent terrible labor pain. We all thought that they would not survive. However, a miracle happened, and they both survived. Concubine Yu Jun fell terribly sick after that, and it took her four months to recover. She refused to see Prince Lóng Wei. In her eyes, she gave birth to a monster because of whom she was going to die.” Court Lady Hong paused when Li Hua asked her to stop.

A heart-rending past that Li Hua was not aware of. She now realized why Lóng Wei had started to despise his own mother.

“Your Highness, Concubine Yu Jun didn’t look after her son and abandoned him like he was no one,” Court Lady Hong revealed another truth to Li Hua.

“Did His Majesty not take any action?” Li Hua asked her.

“Concubine Yu Jun never let it come out until the Sixth Prince turned older. At the age of five, he complained to the King, who then punished Concubine Yu Jun. After that day, we never heard if she ever neglected her. Since I served Her Majesty, I was aware of all this,” Court Lady Hong said. She gestured to the maidservant to help Li Hua wash.

“The day when His Highness killed his mother, did he cry or feel remorseful?” Li Hua inquired.

“No. His Highness never felt remorseful for that act. His Highness should not have done that,” Court Lady Hong said. Li Hua furrowed her brows together and recalled the King’s words.

She dressed up in a white hanfu dress and went to see Lóng Wei. To her surprise, he wasn’t in the chamber. “Where did His Highness leave?” She murmured and walked in. Court Lady Hong and the maidservants stayed outside.

Something struck her mind, and she quickly walked to the door. She asked Court Lady Hong to inform her when Lóng Wei returned.

“What does Her Highness mean?” The Court Lady confusedly asked.

“If Prince Lóng Wei arrives, then don’t open the door without giving me the signals. I want to search for His Highness’s chamber. I know that it’s wrong, but please help me,” Li Hua requested. “You will help me, right?” She asked.

“I will help, Your Highness. Do not worry,” Court Lady Hong assured Li Hua.

Li Hua thanked her and walked in while Court Lady Hong closed the doors. Li Hua started with the study desk, which was at one corner of the chamber. Upon finding nothing, she searched the cupboards.

“What are you searching for so desperately?” Lóng Wei’s voice echoed in the chamber, which made Li Hua jolt at her place.

She turned to look and asked him if he was in the chamber.

“Yes. I was on the patio,” Lóng Wei said while advancing to her. “You look prettier in this dress. Do you mind telling me what you’re looking for?” he inquired.

Li Hua fiddled her fingers, unable to understand what to speak. She gulped as Lóng Wei stopped before her.

“I was curious to know what was inside the cupboards,” Li Hua said, and smiled a little. When Lóng Wei didn’t reply, she turned and closed the cupboard.

“I will ask Court Lady Hong to bring lunch for us. We both worked hard today.” Li Hua thought to escape his sight and walked past him when he held her wrist.

They both tilted their heads to peer into each other’s eyes.

“Your Highness, do you need something?” Li Hua inquired.

“Ahh.” A low scream escaped her mouth as Lóng Wei pinned her to the cupboard.

“Tell the truth. What were you looking for?” Lóng Wei’s gaze turned intimidating. Li Hua didn’t know whether she should tell the truth or tell another lie.