Gifted Bride of the Sinned Prince

“Indeed,” Xiaoming said and smiled at her. “Does Sister Jingfei trust her brother?” he asked.

“Yes. Why does he ask?” She curiously gazed at him.

“Do not marry Li Jianjun,” Xiaoming pronounced.

The smile from Jingfei’s face disappeared as she was bewildered by Xiaoming’s sudden statement. “Why did the Brother say that? Is he joking with me because I will leave tomorrow morning?” she asked.

“Why will your brother joke with you like this?” Xiaoming questioned her. “Li Jianjun is not the right person for you,” he stated.

“Why does my brother think that Jianjun is not the right man for me?” Jingfei inquired. “I think Elder Brother got some misunderstandings against him,” she asserted and told him how considerate Jianjun was toward her.

“I have found something against Li Jianjun. He will not be loyal to you after the marriage. He visits the brothel house to seek pleasure. I found it out from a source. Jianjun wants to marry my sister to become the Governor of Qinping. He is not affectionate to my sister at all. Everything that he showed you was a lie,” Xiaoming finally said and waited for her response.

Jingfei’s body turned colder to learn that. Her throat dried and she felt a sudden numbness in her body. What did she just hear? “How can it be possible? Jianjun gifted me a painting in the morning and he said that he loves me,” Jingfei said and a tear trailed down her cheek.

.....

“Is Brother telling the truth?” Jingfei asked as her hands trembled in fear.

“Jingfei, your brother would not have told such a big thing to you. You also know how happy your brother was when you told him that you liked Jianjun’s personality. However, your brother cannot let you marry a man, who will always be disloyal to you,” Xiaoming stated.

Jingfei lowered her head and sobbed. Her fate was worse. First, Huang Xi refused to marry her. It took her time to come out of his thoughts. She thought Jianjun was the right man for her, but she found out his true face too.

“How did Brother Xiaoming find out about this? I want to know,” Jingfei asked and she raised her head to look at him.

“Xu Zifan found out about this. He has come to inform you in the morning, but Jianjun threatened him for taking his life. He was scared that he would return and through Huang Xi he contacted me,” Xiaoming briefed Jingfei.

Jingfei recalled how Xu Zifan wanted to tell her about something important. How naive she was! She should have listened to him first instead of leaving with Jianjun.

“I would like to meet Xu Zifan,” Jingfei expressed her desire.

“It is not possible at this time,” Xiaoming said. “Also, rain is falling,” he added.

Jingfei hummed and wiped the tears from the pad of her fingers.

“Did Brother tell our Father about this?” Jingfei asked him.

Xiaoming shook his head and refused. “I wanted to tell my sister first,” he answered.

“I would like to request my Brother to stay quiet till the morning,” Jingfei requested.

“Why?” Xiaoming asked her the reason.

“Because I will reveal the truth,” Jingfei said while her tears again filled with tears. “Li Jianjun did wrong by playing with my feelings, my emotions. He wanted to marry me to use me for his benefit. Jingfei does not spare the people who humiliate and use her,” she said with a furious expression.

Xiaoming let her do what she wanted to do. He was happy to find that Jingfei trusted Xu Zifan’s words and he curiously asked about it.

“Because Xu Zifan is an honest man. He would not have said such a big thing if it was not true. Also, I have troubled Li Hua so much despite the fact that he helped me. His truthfulness is evident in his personality. Elder Brother, I request you to call Xu Zifan too in the morning,” Jingfei asserted.

“I will do that,” Xiaoming agreed to her request.

“Thank you, Elder Brother,” Jingfei said.

“Jingfei, I would like you to re-think this. It is not considered auspicious if a bride does not go to his groom’s house after wearing the wedding dress. That is why I want you to reconsider your decision,” Xiaoming affirmed.

“If we talk about it now, then Jianjun will give a hundred reasons to prove himself right. Father has a deep trust in the Li Family. Xu Zifan may get punished and Jianjun may harm him. I am thinking that way.” Jingfei explained to Xiaoming the reason why she wanted to reveal it in the morning.

“Xu Zifan and Feng Lao are safe. So, you should not worry about that. Father may delay the marriage of Sister Jingfei to make an investigation. I am more concerned for my sister. She will wear the wedding dress, and then she will not get into the sedan. For a brother what can be more rejecting than seeing the unhappy face of his sister on the day she was supposed to marry.”

Xiaoming did not want Jingfei to feel terrible as Jianjun would come to the palace to take her.

“Brother, I am Jingfei. I make others cry when a person does terrible things to me. Trust me, I will be alright. I want to expose him to the way that he had to accept the truth. I want to kill Jianjun for doing this to me. The Crown Princess was right. Most of the noblemen go to the brothel houses and have fun there. I want to show the real face of Li Jianjun in front of everyone tomorrow morning. The way he broke my heart, I want to break him and ask Father to throw him in prison.” Jingfei took deep breaths while saying all such things.

Xiaoming found out that his sister was stronger than he had thought. A smile was carved on his lips and he told Jingfei that he respected her decision.

~~~~~~~

Chang Shi came to see Li Hua and asked her why she returned the servant with dinner. “Her Highness isn’t supposed to skip her meals,” Chang Shi said.

“I have no appetite, Brother Chang Shi,” Li Hua said with an upset look. “I am worried for my elder brother and Feng Lao,” she stated.

“Her Highness worries will not bring the solution. I am sure that the Crown Prince has helped them. Her Highness should take her dinner,” Chang Shi made her understand and asked the servant to walk in. He instructed the servant to set the dinner table for Li Hua.

“But I do not want to eat,” Li Hua said in a low voice when her stomach growled. She quickly covered it with her hand while Chang Shi smiled at her.

“Her Highness’ body needs energy,” Chang Shi opined and asked Li Hua to sit on the floor mattress.

When she didn’t come, Chang Shi told her that he would tell Lóng Wei about it. She peered at him and told him that Lóng Wei would not scold her.

“Her Highness is right. But the Prince may scold Xu Zifan and Feng Lao for not taking care of his wife,” Chang Shi affirmed. “Her Highness will not be able to defend them,” he stated.

“Fine. I will have dinner,” Li Hua said and came to the floor mattress. She sat on it while the servant stepped back.

“Brother Chang Shi can leave,” Li Hua said.

“I will leave after Her Highness finishes her dinner,” Chang Shi replied.

“I am not a child on which Brother Chang Shi has to keep his eyes,” Li Hua remarked.

“But Her Highness acts like a child at the moment,” Chang Shi stated and smiled.

“When did I?” Li Hua frowned.

“A moment ago,” Chang Shi replied.

“Brother Chang Shi loves to tease me,” Li Hua said. “Why does he not have dinner with me? It will be more awkward for me when he is watching me,” she suggested to Chang Shi.

“I am not allowed to eat with Her Highness,” Chang Shi reasoned.

“Not even with a younger sister?” Li Hua’s brows arched.

Chang Shi turned quiet when Li Hua asked him to take the seat. The servant asked Li Hua if he should bring more meals to which she nodded.

“But I—”

“No ifs and buts, Brother Chang Shi. Have a seat and let’s have dinner together,” Li Hua asserted.

Chang Shi after hesitating a bit, sat down as Li Hua was not ready to take her dinner if he would not take meals with her.

After the servant brought more dishes and another pair of chopsticks, he left the room while Li Hua enjoyed dinner with Chang Shi. She earlier noticed that he was all alone in such a big house, so she wanted to give him company at the dinner at least.