“Then let’s rest. The Princess must be tired after a long day,” Zhen Heng said without any ulterior motive, only realizing its impropriety after speaking.
He had just thought about starting as friends, and now the princess might think he was an impatient, lustful man—
Thinking this, Zhen Heng’s ears reddened with embarrassment.
Princess Fuqing seemed not to notice Zhen Heng’s awkwardness and asked innocently, “Should I help you change?”
She had heard that wives should help their husbands change, but she had never done such things and feared she might be clumsy…
Princess Fuqing, who hadn’t felt shy before, blushed as she thought about helping a man undress. What if she couldn’t undo his buttons? That would be so embarrassing.
Seeing Princess Fuqing blush, Zhen Heng became even more embarrassed. He quickly waved his hands, “I wouldn’t dare trouble the Princess. I’ll do it myself.”
Worried that moving slowly might make Princess Fuqing think he was waiting for her help, Zhen Heng hastened his movements, but in his fluster, he couldn’t undo his sash.
Princess Fuqing laughed softly at this, her heart suddenly feeling at ease.
If they were both like this, there was nothing to be embarrassed about.
They lay down side by side. The red bed curtains were lowered, with the dragon and phoenix candles occasionally crackling outside, while inside, Zhen Heng’s slightly uneven breathing could be heard.
He was, after all, a normal man. Sharing a bed with a young and beautiful woman, who was now his wife, how could he not feel a hint of desire?
“Princess—” Zhen Heng softly began.
He had intended to say he would sleep on the outer couch, but there was no response.
Zhen Heng turned his head slightly and realized Princess Fuqing had already fallen asleep.
Zhen Heng was taken aback, then smiled, his heart gradually calming down.
The next day, they went to the palace to pay respects to the Emperor and Empress, as well as the Emperor Emeritus and Empress Dowager.
Princess Fuqing, worried that Zhen Heng might be nervous, reassured him, “My Imperial Father, Mother, Imperial Brother, and Sister-in-law are all very kind people.”
Zhen Heng nodded with a smile, only to encounter Emperor Jingming and Yu Jin with stern faces in Ningshou Palace.
After drinking the tea offered by the newlyweds, Emperor Jingming, now the Emperor Emeritus, warned with a straight face, “In the past, I was too busy with state affairs to pay much attention to Fuqing. Now it’s different. If I hear that you’ve mistreated Fuqing, hmph…”
Emperor Jingming thought of Princess Rongyang.
Rongyang had made many mistakes, but if Cui Xu had been a bit kinder to her after their marriage, perhaps she wouldn’t have continued to err.
Men were all untrustworthy. What if this young man had someone else in his heart and neglected Fuqing?
Thinking this, Emperor Jingming gave Yu Jin a meaningful look.
Yu Jin picked up the cue and said, “Father Emperor need not worry. I believe my brother-in-law will certainly treat Thirteenth Sister well. What kind of fool would a man be if he didn’t treat his wife well?”
Not treating Fuqing well would mean he still had feelings for Ah Si. That didn’t even need a deduction.
Daring to think of Ah Si, hah!
Bearing the murderous aura of the two men, Zhen Heng felt like he had escaped with his life when he left the palace.
Princess Fuqing was very apologetic: “Father Emperor and Imperial Brother aren’t usually this fierce…”
Zhen Heng’s mouth twitched.
Fierce or not depended on who they were dealing with.
Princess Fuqing thought seriously and suggested, “Why don’t you be a bit nicer to me in the future?”
Fearing Zhen Heng might refuse, she quickly added, “I’ll be nicer to you too.”
If the Imperial Son-in-law was nicer to her, and she was nicer to him, no one would lose out, and the Imperial Son-in-law wouldn’t be intimidated by her father and brother.
Because they weren’t yet familiar with each other, she didn’t dare explain her thoughts to Zhen Heng.
But Zhen Heng was quick-witted and immediately understood Princess Fuqing’s meaning.
Gazing into those eyes as clear as water, Zhen Heng couldn’t help but smile.
Indeed, what mattered between people was how they treated each other. If he was a bit nicer to her, and she was a bit nicer to him, these little kindnesses would accumulate. He believed that one day, it would turn into mutual affection.
No one would lose out.
The carriage jolted over something, causing her soft body to fall towards him.
Zhen Heng gently steadied Princess Fuqing by her shoulders and said earnestly, “Thank you for the reminder, Princess. From now on, let’s both be a bit nicer to each other.”