HLnovel Chapter 113 The Ruthless and Disabled Crown Prince (17)
Chapter 113 The Ruthless and Disabled Crown Prince (17)
The noise outside grew louder and louder as Lu Liruan looked at herself in the bronze mirror.
Her long hair was styled in an updo, and her head alone was dazzling... which made my neck a little sore.
When Lu Liruan put on her wedding dress, which had many layers inside and out, she thought it would be a bit tight and heavy, but to her surprise, it felt light and airy. The fabric against her skin was thin, soft, silky, and delicate.
Lu Liruan couldn't help but touch it a couple more times.
Fingers adorned with nail polish lightly brushed against the fabric; the feeling was strange, as if watching someone else's movements.
The matchmaker, seeing Lu Liruan studying the clothes with her head down, assumed she was interested in the fabric.
"Does Your Highness recognize this fabric?" she asked with a smile.
"What, does this fabric have some special origin?" Lu Liruan replied casually upon hearing her question.
After hearing the matchmaker explain the origin of the fabric, Lu Liruan was genuinely surprised. This was far too extravagant!
I can't even imagine how precious this piece of fabric must be, and how much hard work and effort went into it.
"This fabric was personally selected for you by His Highness the Crown Prince..." the matchmaker whispered in Lu Liruan's ear.
"Huh?" Lu Liruan blinked, confused, thinking to herself: That crazy prince doesn't seem like the type to do something like this...
"His Highness the Crown Prince cherishes you dearly. This fabric was originally meant for the ladies of the harem, but His Highness specially requested the Emperor to use it to make your wedding dress!" The wedding attendant carefully touched Lu Liruan's wedding dress.
Her eyes revealed amazement: "Seeing is believing, Your Highness the Crown Princess, you are truly blessed!"
On the day of the Crown Prince and Crown Princess's wedding, the matchmaker naturally said whatever was pleasing and auspicious.
Seeing the surprise on Lu Liruan's face after hearing her words, she smiled even more and continued, "Even the style of your wedding dress was personally approved by His Highness the Crown Prince, which caused quite a bit of trouble for the people in the Directorate of Ceremonial!"
Women all like to hear that their husbands cherish them, whether they are common women or royal concubines, and the matchmaker understands this well.
But they noticed that the Crown Princess's face showed more surprise than joy.
The Crown Princess is truly a woman of unparalleled beauty. The matchmaker, who has accompanied so many brides in the palace and the mansions of nobles and marquises, has never seen such a stunning beauty as the Crown Princess. Surely His Highness the Crown Prince is also satisfied with her.
Lu Liruan didn't delve into what the matchmaker was thinking; she had other questions in her mind.
What exactly is His Highness the Crown Prince doing? Lu Liruan was not an innocent girl who was sheltered in her boudoir and did not know anything, so she naturally did not think that this was because His Highness the Crown Prince liked her.
From the original plot, we can know that the situation in the palace must be turbulent at this time. As a crown prince who is destined to be deposed, he is not content to behave himself and is even trying to keep a low profile.
In order to avoid being targeted by others after reverting to his former status as the Third Prince, he could secretly bide his time and prepare for future struggles.
How can he be so arrogant?
Even without seeing him, Lu Liruan could sense his arrogance.
Ji Shumin's face was so captivating that one would never forget it after just one glance. Lu Liruan could even picture him that day, with a slightly mocking smile, pale yet composed.
Lu Liruan had no idea what methods Ji Shumin had used or what he had gone through to achieve his final victory.
But now it seems... things are a bit different from what I expected...
He was willing to go to great lengths to obtain the Emperor's approval for a piece of fabric. Lu Liruan thought to herself: what's important isn't myself, but rather this piece of fabric.
Lu Liruan instantly felt her shoulders grow heavy, as if the fabric had been weighted down, making her feel strangely burdened.
It feels like... before I've even entered the palace, he's already ensnared me, as if he's already... plotting against me.
"Won't I become cannon fodder?" Lu Liruan pursed her lips.
The wedding attendant nearby hurriedly exclaimed, "Oh dear, Your Highness, you just applied your lip rouge! Quickly, someone come and help Your Highness tidy up your appearance!"
Lu Liruan rubbed the rouge paper that had been used to imprint her lipstick again, thinking absentmindedly: After entering the palace, she must find a way to figure out what he's up to.
More...
Lu Liruan sighed softly: We need to gain his trust as soon as possible. For someone like Ji Shumin, it's impossible for someone he doesn't trust to stay by his side.
Even if she were his crown princess, he would probably have countless ways to make her disappear without anyone noticing and in a perfectly logical way.
He is definitely not the kind of person who will go easy on others.
Lu Liruan's mind was in turmoil as she pondered how to get along peacefully with Ji Shumin. This was truly a difficult problem right in front of her.
When soldiers come, we'll block them; when water comes, we'll dam it. We can only take it one step at a time.
Lu Liruan felt that the task was more complicated than she had imagined, and the biggest variable was Ji Shumin, so she could only start with him.
This wedding dress gave Lu Liruan a sense of grounding, and everything around her became real again.
Madam Gao brought Lu Wanqing and Lu Wanyun into the house to say a few words to Lu Liruan, while Marquis He'an could only wait in the outer courtyard.
"Take good care of yourself. If anything happens, go and tell the Dowager Consort. Your father didn't sleep well at all last night," Madam Gao said softly, reaching out to pat Lu Liruan's head.
"Don't be afraid wherever you go, the Marquis of He'an's mansion will always be behind you."
Lu Liruan felt a lump in her throat. The sight of Marquis He'an and his wife loving their daughter truly touched her heart.
Other families hope their daughters can earn a bright future for their families like the daughters of the Marquis of He'an's family, but the Marquis of He'an's family hopes their daughters can live a comfortable life.
Lu Wanyun and Lu Wanqing only had time to hold Lu Liruan's hand with tearful eyes before the wedding attendant came to urge them: "Your Highness, the auspicious time has arrived, you should get into the sedan chair!"
A veil embroidered with grapevines fell down, obscuring Lu Liruan's view. With the help of the matchmaker, Lu Liruan could only see her red embroidered shoes and a small patch of ground in front of her.
But as she passed through the courtyard, Lu Liruan could still tell that Marquis He'an was by her side, not saying a word, but seeing her off to the last step before she got into the sedan chair.
Lu Liruan stopped and curtsied, saying, "Father, your daughter is leaving..."
Marquis He'an stopped and watched the sedan chair disappear into the distance. He and his wife held hands and let out a long sigh.
Today is just the beginning. With our daughter marrying into the palace, waves of people will surely come to offer their congratulations.
But His Highness the Crown Prince's current status is awkward, so probably... not many people will come.
As Marquis He'an had expected, even when people came, they would exchange a few polite words, leave their gifts, and then leave, making the Marquis He'an's residence seem exceptionally deserted.
"Your Highness... the Crown Princess's sedan chair, it's almost... almost here." Xiao Xizi secretly glanced at Ji Shumin in the wheelchair out of the corner of her eye.
His Highness the Crown Prince is the most handsome of all the Emperor's sons. Just by standing there, he makes all the other princes pale in comparison. He is as bright as the moon and as upright as a pine tree, making people look up to him.