Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Sigh. I made the Fifth Prince angry again.

Looks like Mother was right. Sometimes, no matter what you’re thinking, you really can’t say it out loud.

After I said I wanted to kiss the Fifth Prince on the mouth, he shoved me away hard and said with a cold expression, “Marrying you was only a temporary measure. When we divorce in the future, I won’t shortchange you on benefits. As for anything else, don’t even dream of it.”

Fine, fine.

I behaved myself and followed at the Fifth Prince’s side as he entered the palace.

Zi Xiao and Lei Shan were stopped outside the gates, so I was the only one who could push the Fifth Prince in.

The worry hidden in their eyes told me that ever since the Fifth Prince had become disabled, he must have suffered no small amount of difficulty.

I took hold of the wheelchair and said softly, “You two can rest assured. I will protect His Highness well.”

The moment we entered, the entire room of laughing, chatting people fell silent at the same time.

I kowtowed to Her Majesty the Empress, then took my seat with the Fifth Prince.

The Crown Prince asked with concern, “Fifth Brother, how has your health been?”

The Crown Prince had barely finished speaking when the Sixth Prince could not wait to mock him. “Fifth Brother injured his legs. I’m afraid he was rather powerless on his wedding night, wasn’t he? Tsk, tsk, tsk. What a pity for Fifth Sister-in-law, such a lovely beauty. She’ll have to live like a widow from now on.”

The Crown Prince frowned and said, neither too harshly nor too gently, “Sixth Brother, do not be insolent!”

The Sixth Prince laughed it off. “Forgive me, Crown Prince. This younger brother misspoke without thinking.”

I picked up a cup of wine and walked up to the Sixth Prince.

When the Sixth Prince saw me, his face turned slightly red.

In front of everyone, I poured the wine all over his face.

He said angrily, “Fifth Sister-in-law, what are you doing?”

He startled me so badly that I staggered back a few steps.

Hiding behind the Fifth Prince, I said in a small voice, “I only wanted to offer Sixth Brother a toast, but… but his breath was simply too foul. The smell made my hand slip. The Empress and His Highness won’t blame me, will you?”

The Fifth Prince took my hand, pulled out a handkerchief, and wiped it off. Then he said mildly, “It was an unintentional mistake. How could Her Majesty the Empress blame you?”

The Empress, who had been pretending to be deaf and mute, finally spoke.

First, she scolded the Sixth Prince for being rude. Then she reproached me for lacking proper etiquette and punished me by ordering me to copy out Admonitions for Women when I returned.

And just like that, the matter was lightly brushed aside.

I lowered my voice and said to the Fifth Prince, “I’m not copying it.”

He raised an eyebrow and asked, “You’re not afraid the Empress will punish you again?”

With nothing to fear, I said, “What’s she going to do, send people to the prince’s estate to beat me? Hmph.”

Mother said that I only had to show the Empress respect on the surface. In my heart, I had to be closest to the Fifth Prince.

The Empress was the Fifth Prince’s stepmother. She did not really count as my proper mother-in-law.

As long as the Fifth Prince was willing to protect me, whether she wanted to punish me or beat me, she would not actually be able to do it.

At the banquet, the Crown Prince and the other princes and princesses used the joy of the newlyweds as an excuse to take turns coming over to toast the Fifth Prince.

As I watched him drink, I noticed he began glancing lightly outside.

I knew he was looking for Lei Shan to serve him.

But at that exact moment, the Sixth Prince walked over, his expression gloomy, and said, “Fifth Brother, I sent your attendant out on an errand. If you need to use the privy, how about this younger brother takes you?”

The Sixth Prince reached out, about to push the Fifth Prince’s wheelchair.

I walked over, stepped on his foot, and squeezed him aside.

Then, right in front of him, I wiped down the wheelchair handles he had touched.

The Sixth Prince stared at me and asked darkly, “Fifth Sister-in-law, what is the meaning of this?”

I answered honestly, “Exactly what you think it means.”

The Sixth Prince had body odor. Although it was cured later, he had always been paranoid about it.

After this, he would probably scrub himself raw when he got back.

Once I finished speaking, I quickly pushed the Fifth Prince and ran toward the privy.

Only when I looked back and saw that the Sixth Prince had not followed did I let out a breath of relief.

Worried, I said, “I heard the Sixth Prince is especially petty and vengeful. He won’t chase after us and hit me, will he?”

The Fifth Prince asked in an indifferent tone, “If you’re this timid, how did you dare offend him?”

How could I let such a perfect chance to claim credit slip by?

I immediately straightened my chest and said proudly, “Of course I dared! I said I would protect Your Highness well!”

Even if the Fifth Prince and I could not be husband and wife, I could still be a meritorious subject.

What if the Fifth Prince really did ascend the throne one day, like Mother said he might?

Wouldn’t I be able to snag myself a commandery princess title or something?

At that thought, I grew rather giddy.

I hurried to help the Fifth Prince untie his pants and said attentively, “Your Highness, let me help you.”

He tried to refuse, but I figured he was just thin-skinned.

So I forced myself to help him.

In the end…

I accidentally hurt him, then helpfully tried to check his injury.

The Fifth Prince completely lost his temper. “Get out!!!!”

After we came out of the privy, I lowered my head and, after struggling for a moment, said, “Your Highness, I actually do like you quite a bit in my heart. Do you truly not want to live as husband and wife with me?”

With an expression of utter despair, the Fifth Prince said, “Shen Yufu, I am telling you plainly. If I, Xiao Shuo, ever fall in love with you, may I turn into a dog!”