Chapter 10 Prince Ling
591 Words
As soon as Chu Lianruo returned to Yanxiao Pavilion, she noticed that the seat on the left side of the main hall, which had always been empty, was now occupied. There, with legs crossed and deftly spinning a small knife in his hand, sat her husband in name, Prince Ling.
Despite his rumored preference for men, Prince Ling was strikingly handsome. The five princes of the late emperor each had their own unique charm, except for the eldest who died young. The second prince was debonair and scholarly, the current emperor was reserved and imposing, the fourth prince was rather ordinary, and the fifth prince, standing before her, had well-defined features and a mischievous glint in his eye.
She had seen Prince Ling a few times when she was the Crown Princess, but after becoming Empress, she rarely saw officials from outside the palace. In just a few years, the young prince had grown into a mature and powerful man.
Chu Lianruo approached to greet him, "This concubine greets His Highness, Prince Ling."
The dagger in his hand paused. Prince Ling turned his gaze to her, scrutinizing his new concubine, and casually lifted his chin, "So you are Chu Lianruo?"
Prince Ling did not give her permission to rise, so Chu Lianruo remained kneeling. "Yes, Your Highness."
Just as she finished speaking, Prince Ling, with his embroidered boots, stepped closer. When he was half a step away, he stopped, using the cold dagger to lift her chin. He looked at her with a slightly inquisitive expression, "I didn’t expect my concubine to be such a delicate beauty, contrary to what Li An said."
Li An must be the steward, she thought. Remaining calm, she asked, "Your Highness, may I rise to speak?"
Prince Ling retracted the dagger and motioned for her to stand. As Chu Lianruo attempted to straighten up, her legs gave way, and she nearly fell, only to be caught by a strong hand. She murmured her thanks and stepped back. Prince Ling chuckled softly, "Sit down quickly, lest you faint and I have to carry you."
Chu Lianruo frowned internally. Prince Ling was not behaving as expected. She knew he had come because of Li An's complaints, but he did not seem to be interrogating or embarrassing her. Unsure of how to proceed, she decided to sit and test the waters. "Your Highness, I apologize for not preparing anything for your arrival."
"No matter," Prince Ling said nonchalantly. "Li An mentioned that my concubine reprimanded a servant on her first day here. The fellow cried so pitifully that I almost thought I had married a fierce woman."
Chu Lianruo lowered her eyes respectfully, "Yes, Your Highness, there was such an incident."
"Oh?" Prince Ling's interest was piqued.
"Your Highness, on the night I arrived, there was no hot water for bathing. The next morning, breakfast was just plain buns. I thought the mansion had fallen on hard times, unable to even afford proper meals."
Chu Lianruo's bluntness almost made Prince Ling choke on his tea. He put the cup back on the table with a loud clink, startling Siwei, who knelt down in fear and explained, "Your Highness, please calm down. The concubine had me summon Steward Li to understand the situation, but he insulted me. The concubine then called for Madam Feng, who revealed the true state of affairs. Steward Li later sent untrained servants to her, leading to the concubine's justified anger. We ask for your understanding."
Siyu quickly added, "Please, Your Highness, understand the situation."
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