Chapter 54

Chapter 54: Prince Chu Promises Her a Lifetime of Monogamy? Xiao Zhiheng's words were not loud, yet they stirred an inexplicable bitterness in her heart. Her mother had said that beautiful faces would lead to being deceived by men, and yet now, Prince Chu, knowing full well she was ugly, was still willing to promise her a lifetime of monogamy? In her past life, she knew Prince Chu was a good man. Now, he was making such a vow to her? To be honest, she didn't believe it. After all, her reputation for ugliness was known throughout the world. Prince Chu was a man too—there was no way he wouldn't be repulsed. She wanted to see just how many days he could treat her well. Xiao Zhiheng noticed her silence and assumed he had frightened her. He too was pleasantly surprised—in fact, he felt an inexplicable affection for her. When he was wrestling with death, on the verge of dying, it was Jia Qingcheng who called out to him at his bedside, urging him to wake. Now, he had married her. No matter what she looked like, no matter how coarse and unsightly she was beneath the bridal veil, he would cherish her for the rest of his life. He would never let anyone bully her again! "I know you must not believe me, but I will prove with my actions that everything I say is true!" With that, Xiao Zhiheng personally reached out to help her sit down. "Come, be careful." Jia Qingcheng had never experienced such gentleness from a man. This was completely different from the temperament of Prince Chu, the War God. She had originally assumed Prince Chu would be difficult to get along with, but after meeting him today, she realized rumors were not to be trusted. But she didn't understand—since he knew she was hideously ugly, why would he agree to the bride swap? Or perhaps he thought he was going to die anyway, so it didn't matter who he married? "Thank you, Your Highness." Xiao Zhiheng helped her to the table and seated her, then turned his back to her, not wanting her to see him staring at her face. He knew she must be very sensitive and self-conscious. So, he had thoughtfully prepared a veil for her, also preserving her dignity. "Put it on." Afraid she might think he would peek, he deliberately turned his back to her. Jia Qingcheng gently lifted her bridal veil and saw Prince Chu facing away from her. At that moment, she couldn't describe what she felt. Moved, or inexplicably saddened—no one had ever been so considerate of her feelings. She didn't misunderstand and think he was disgusted by her and that was why he asked her to wear the veil. Rather, this veil gave her all the dignity she needed. In her past life, when she was with Pei Wuliang, he always liked to take her from behind, making her face away from him. At the time, she thought it was a peculiar preference of his. Only now did she realize—he was disgusted by her face, and didn't want to look at it and lose his appetite. "Are you ready?" Xiao Zhiheng's voice was calm. When he heard no movement from her, he thoughtfully reminded her, "I'm turning around now." The moment he turned, he saw she had already put on the veil. What kind of face lay beneath it, he didn't care. He only cared about preserving her dignity. "Your Highness, this concubine is ready." She was so nervous she stumbled over her words. After all, she was now facing Prince Chu Xiao Zhiheng. Seeing how nervous she was, Xiao Zhiheng sat down. "You needn't be so constrained. Though we haven't performed the wedding ceremony, in my heart, I have long since recognized you as my wife." What? He had recognized her as his wife? Jia Qingcheng was confused. "Your Highness, did we know each other before this?" Clearly, they did not. Xiao Zhiheng smiled, then personally poured a cup of wine and handed it to her. "My life was saved by you. The steward told me everything. Qingcheng, I don't care how the outside world judges you. I don't care whether your face is beautiful or ugly—it doesn't matter to me. This veil—whenever you're ready, whenever you feel you no longer need it, you can lift it and face me at any time!" Xiao Zhiheng spoke with conviction, wanting her to fully relax and settle into life at Chu Wangfu. Naturally, he didn't mind what her face looked like. He was not the type to judge people by beauty or ugliness—he valued inner beauty more. There was no denying that Xiao Zhiheng's words filled her with gratitude. She didn't actually need to wear the veil to face him, but she also wanted to test him—if she kept wearing the veil, would Prince Chu truly have only her as his woman? Or was all this simply because she had saved his life, and he was saying these things out of gratitude? "You don't have to look at me like that. I know you don't believe me, but I'm willing to wait for that day." Though his illness had not fully recovered, his voice already carried strength. Jia Qingcheng's heart was flooding with emotion—this was the tenderness she had never received in her past life. In her past life, Pei Wuliang had treated her well, but he never comforted her with such gentleness as Prince Chu did. She had thought Pei Wuliang simply didn't know how to soothe a woman. Only now did she realize—it wasn't that he didn't know how, but that he didn't want to. Pei Wuliang didn't love her. She wasn't worthy of his tenderness. But she never expected to receive such tenderness from a dying Prince Chu. Whether it was real or not, she would be grateful to him. He had protected her last shred of dignity and self-respect. "Your Highness, no one has ever said such things to me. You are the first." "Is that so?" Xiao Zhiheng admitted that he was not skilled at coaxing women, after all, he was not the type to say sweet words. However, everything he said came from the bottom of his heart. When he was on the brink of death, he had secretly vowed to find the woman who had called out to him, and now, he finally knew that she was none other than Jia Qingcheng, the so-called ugly woman of the capital. What if she was ugly? He did not care! "Yes, Your Highness's recovery is the thing that brings me the most joy." Xiao Zhiheng exchanged a smile with her, and for the first time, the two shared a moment of mutual understanding. "Your Highness, should we not drink the nuptial wine?" She reminded him that it was time for the nuptial wine. Xiao Zhiheng quickly leaned closer to her, their breaths mingling. Under the candlelight, her veiled face appeared even more alluring, her eyes shimmering like autumn waters, bright and radiant as stars, deeply captivating Xiao Zhiheng... She exhaled a rich fragrance that inexplicably unsettled him. Suppressing the restlessness within him, he completed the final nuptial ritual with her... After it was done, Xiao Zhiheng suddenly coughed violently. Jia Qingcheng snapped back to reality—oh no, His Highness had just recovered and should not be drinking! "Your Highness, are you alright?" "Cough, cough!" Xiao Zhiheng coughed incessantly. Though he was suffering, he still tried his best to reassure her. "I am fine, I merely drank a bit too hastily. Rest assured and sleep well tonight; I will not touch you." Jia Qingcheng: "..." What did he mean by that? Seeing that Xiao Zhiheng seemed about to leave, Jia Qingcheng grew a little anxious. "Your Highness, where are you going on our wedding night?" Could it be that his body was not strong enough to consummate the marriage? But looking at him, he did not seem incapable of moving. Xiao Zhiheng naturally knew of the entanglements between her and Pei Wuliang, and he understood that matters of the heart could not be forced. Therefore, he was willing to wait. He would wait until she had let go of her burdens. "Do not worry, I am not going anywhere. You must be tired today, so rest well. I will set up a small bed in the outer chamber and keep watch over you. Sleep now." What? He was going to keep watch over her from outside? How could that be? Suddenly, she reached out and gently tugged at his robe, her voice tinged with a hint of grievance. "Your Highness, do you also find Qingcheng's appearance too ugly to want me?"