“Husband!” Zhou Yuxin’s eyes were red as she looked at Xu Heming. She had managed, with some effort, to hide in this bridal sedan chair when no one was watching.
She thought that as long as Xu Heming saw her, he would surely not marry this Li family daughter who had appeared from nowhere.
Zhou Yuxin never considered that showing up as someone who was supposed to be dead in another woman’s bridal sedan might scare people.
At this moment, her mind was only filled with the Ruin of the Zhou family and how she didn’t want to live a hard life with Ding Chen again. She was the Princess Consort of An.
If she returned, then Xu Heming could not marry someone new.
“Shut up!” Xu Heming’s expression could no longer be described as black as ink.
At that moment, Xu Heming looked anxiously at Li Zhiwei.
He had no idea why this woman, who was supposed to be dead, had appeared in their bridal sedan.
For a moment, he didn’t even know how to explain to Li Zhiwei that she hadn’t actually died.
“Husband, don’t you recognize me?” Zhou Yuxin looked at Xu Heming with dissatisfaction and dared to ask.
In truth, Zhou Yuxin had not seen Xu Heming many times. He always wore a stern face, and she was somewhat afraid of him.
Just now, she had only thought that with the Zhou family gone, the only thing she could think of was to come back and find Xu Heming.
“Someone, drag this crazy woman who appeared out of nowhere away!” Xu Heming signaled to Qingsong.
He didn’t understand why Zhou Yuxin had suddenly come back to life, but today, she must not ruin his happy wedding day.
When Qingsong saw Zhou Yuxin in the bridal sedan, he was also startled. Worried that someone might recognize her, he directly took a cloth and covered her head.
“How dare you!” Zhou Yuxin was shocked in her heart. She hadn’t expected Qingsong to be so bold as to lay hands on her.
Qingsong was afraid that Zhou Yuxin might say something she shouldn’t, displeasing Prince An.
Li Zhiwei’s expression wasn’t good. That woman was clearly someone Xu Heming knew.
“Don’t you owe me an explanation?” Li Zhiwei looked at Xu Heming, asking with dissatisfaction.
“She looks very much like Qingshi’s mother,” Xu Heming said after a moment of silence, telling the truth.
“And then?” Li Zhiwei stared straight at Xu Heming, trying to find an answer in his face.
“I can’t give you an answer right now. I don’t know who she is, nor why she’s here. But rest assured, my princess consort will only be you, and there will be no other women in the residence.”
Xu Heming looked at Li Zhiwei with a serious and earnest expression, speaking cautiously.
Li Zhiwei let out a sigh.
“Your Highness?” The ritual officer ran over, looking at Xu Heming with confusion as he still held Li Zhiwei, standing before the bridal sedan door.
“If we don’t leave soon, we’ll truly miss the auspicious time,” the ritual officer said anxiously.
“Weiwei, about this, I will definitely give you an explanation later. You have my word, no one can shake your position in the Prince An’s residence.” Xu Heming looked at Li Zhiwei with a pleading expression.
Li Zhiwei looked at Xu Heming, and after a moment of silence, she spoke in a low voice: “Xu Heming, I’ll trust you for now. But if I find out there’s something between you and her that you’re hiding from me, I’ll pack my things and go back to the Li family.”
“Good!” Xu Heming breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this.
As long as Li Zhiwei didn’t decide to call off the wedding right then and there, he would have the chance to investigate the matter.
He wouldn’t bear this unjust accusation.
Li Zhiwei’s heart was uneasy.
If that woman really was Xu Qingshi’s mother, would Xu Heming keep her?
If that were true, then what did that make her?
All the way, Li Zhiwei couldn’t stop thinking about it. Even when she arrived at Prince An’s residence, she didn’t notice anything unusual.
Li Zhiwei’s dowry was remarkably lavish. In the end, Li Tianyou had put together one thousand six hundred and ninety-nine carrying cases for her.
In fact, by the time Li Zhiwei herself had already reached Prince An’s residence, people were still hauling dowry items out of the Li family home.
“Good heavens—the Li family is unbelievably wealthy! The scale of this dowry completely redefines what people in the capital think of when it comes to marrying off a daughter.”
“Exactly. How will people in the capital ever marry off their daughters after this?”
“Tsk, tsk. Didn’t they say the Li family has found their long-lost son? And they’re giving their daughter this much silver for a dowry—won’t their son be furious?”
“Well, the son was never raised by them, while the daughter has been spoiled since she was little. It’s hardly the same thing.”
“If you ask me, it’s probably because they’re afraid Prince An won’t marry Miss Li, so the Li family had no choice but to offer such a massive dowry.”
“Hmph, what good does a big dowry do? The Li family started out as merchants. Sure, now they hold a government post, but it’s not like they can help Prince An much.”
“Prince An is already a royal lord. If you ask me, he’s no fool—with a dowry this big from the Li family, Prince An’s residence will be set for life.”
On the streets, everyone who saw Li Zhiwei’s even more extravagant dowry was green with envy.
But Li Zhiwei paid no mind to these comments. Her thoughts were elsewhere: if Xu Heming really insisted on keeping Zhou Yuxin, how should she handle it?
At that moment, a crowd had also gathered at the entrance of Prince An’s residence, all eager to get a look at the future princess consort entering the house.
“Let the prince kick the sedan chair door!” the ceremonial official announced loudly.
Xu Heming gave the sedan door a light kick, then called out with a hint of nervousness, “Weiwei.”
Li Zhiwei was still lost in thought about Zhou Yuxin, so she didn’t hear Xu Heming calling her.
When Xu Heming got no response, his grip tightened.
Could Li Zhiwei be having second thoughts?
At that thought, Xu Heming didn’t hesitate. He lifted the sedan door and swept Li Zhiwei into his arms.
“Hey! What are you doing?”
Startled by suddenly being lifted into the air, Li Zhiwei was frightened.
The onlookers laughed when they saw Xu Heming couldn’t wait to carry the bride out.
“Oh my—who would have thought Prince An would be so impatient!”
“Put me down, right now,” Li Zhiwei said, blushing at the teasing remarks of the crowd.
“Not letting go,” Xu Heming replied, a smug grin spreading across his face at the sight of her flushed cheeks.
A brazier was still set up at the entrance of Prince An’s residence.
“Your Highness, please don’t break with tradition,” the elderly wedding matron reminded him tactfully.
“Let me down,” Li Zhiwei pleaded softly.
Xu Heming ignored both Li Zhiwei and the matron. Holding her tightly, he stepped straight over the brazier and walked into the courtyard.
“Prince An actually carried her into the residence.”
“Looks like Miss Li is quite favored at Prince An’s house.”
“My, when did Prince An ever seem this eager?”
Xu Heming paid no attention to the chatter behind him. Instead, he carried Li Zhiwei all the way into the wedding hall.
When the Old Princess saw Xu Heming bringing her in his arms, the corner of her mouth twitched.
For a moment, she thought she must have been seeing things—how else could she have witnessed Xu Heming acting so willfully?
"Oh my, Your Highness, the Old Princess, look how deeply the prince dotes on the princess," Nanny Luo remarked with a smile to the Old Princess.
Chapter 494
7 min read