The Sickly Regent Prince Who Was Abandoned as a Substitute Bride

Chapter 574

As dusk settled, the inky darkness deepened the gloom surrounding the carved beams and painted rafters of the Lu residence. Lu Yanchen's fingers traced the mottled Taotie patterns on the sword hilt, the lines polished smooth and lustrous by the passage of time. With a gentle push, the sword flashed like a bolt of lightning, the moment it was drawn from its sheath seemingly cleaving the stagnant air. The tip of the sword precisely pressed against Ye Jiuchen's throat, three inches from his throat. The tassels on his jade crown swayed gently with his movement, casting dappled shadows in the flickering candlelight, like shimmering fragments of gold.

Ye Jiuchen remained unperturbed, a faint smile playing on his lips. With a clear clang, the soft sword at his waist shot out like a serpent, instantly coiling around Lu Yanchen's neck. The blue light from the antiseptic on the sword's spine gleamed coldly in the shadows, like a pair of icy eyes fixed on their prey. The lanterns under the eaves suddenly swayed violently in the night wind, their dim yellow light flickering on the faces of the crowd. Twenty-four guards filed out on the bluestone slabs, their black uniforms gleaming like ink splashed in the moonlight. The metallic hum of their drawn scimitars echoed, their flashing blades reflecting the frosty coldness on their faces.

"Stop! What kind of behavior is this!" Dongfang Wan'er's exclamation, like a thunderclap, broke the tense stalemate. She looked at the trembling sword tip in her grandfather's hand, then at the dark undercurrent in Ye Jiuchen's eyes, and her heart tightened. Her sleeve, embroidered with twin lotus blossoms, inadvertently brushed against the overturned teacup on the stone table. The amber tea flowed like a winding stream on the blue bricks, reflecting the cold light of the clashing swords under the eaves, like a blood-red painting.

"Step back." Ye Jiuchen's voice was deep and resonant, like the sound of pine trees, carrying an unquestionable authority. The guards sheathed their swords in perfect unison, the sound of the black iron sword rings striking their belts crisp and melodious, yet twelve pairs of eyes remained fixed on Lu Yanchen's throat like hawks, poised to strike.

Dongfang Wan'er felt her palm ache from Ye Jiuchen's grip; his knuckles turned white from the force, and the thin calluses on his palm gently brushed against the jade ring on her ring finger—the "token of love" he had carefully chosen from the storeroom the day before. She looked up at Lu Wanning in the main seat; the worry in her mother's eyes and the slight trembling of her grandfather's fingers as he stroked his sword both reflected her own. A thought struck her, and she coughed lightly, as if struck by a sudden inspiration.

"Grandfather, grandmother, uncles, and mother..." As she turned, the gold-threaded peonies on her skirt bloomed like rosy clouds, sweeping across the scattered tea leaves. "Please listen to what Wan'er has to say."

The candle flame suddenly popped, and Ye Jiuchen instinctively pulled her half an inch behind him, his black wide sleeves brushing against the pearl hairpin at her temple. Dongfang Wan'er felt the rapid pounding of his heart from his chest, recalling the terrifying night three days ago, the assassin's blade flashing coldly, and him shielding her without hesitation. The scar on his face was now digging into her fingertips through her undergarment, as if telling the story of that harrowing past.

“For the seven days since Jiu Chen was seriously injured and fell into a coma, I have been by his bedside every day…” She paused, her gaze sweeping over the unhealed abrasion behind his ear, tears welling up in her eyes, “Seeing the scabs on his chest that had scabbed over and broken again, I suddenly remembered my previous life… remembered what he had done for me.”

Lu Yanchen's grip on the sword loosened slightly, and Lu Wanning gently pressed down on the back of her husband's hand, silently comforting him. Dongfang Wan'er saw tears welling up in her mother's eyes, so she simply reached out and hooked her arm around Ye Jiuchen's forearm, letting the sleeve embroidered with lotus blossoms slip down to reveal the silver bracelets that matched his on her wrist—the "Love Bracelet" made from half of his armor, each line embodying his heartfelt sentiments.

“I should have understood when he fell off the cliff for me.” She ran her fingertips over the old scar on Ye Jiuchen’s wrist, a scar left from when he shielded her from an arrow in her previous life. “But back then, I was only thinking about revenge. It wasn’t until I saw him fight to the last drop of his strength for me that Wan’er dared to say today that she was willing to spend the rest of her life to repay him.”

Ye Jiuchen's Adam's apple bobbed, and his hands, hanging by his sides, clenched and unclenched quietly. He gazed at the candlelight reflected in Dongfang Wan'er's eyes, recalling the night her soul floated before his grave, and the words he uttered to the air, "I'll come to be with you after I've avenged myself." Now, a lump formed in his throat, and he could only softly hum in response, his voice filled with tenderness and longing.

"Wan'er, are you clear about your own feelings?" Lu Wanning finally couldn't help but ask, her handkerchief twisted out of shape, her eyes filled with worry. "Marriage is a serious matter, not a game..."

“Mother, look at these bracelets.” Dongfang Wan’er raised her wrist, and the silver bracelets clinked together, producing a clear and melodious sound, like heavenly music. “He said he would bring the entire treasury of the Prince’s mansion as a betrothal gift, but he gave me these bracelets made from his own armor first.” She suddenly chuckled, and the dimples at the corners of her eyes were faintly visible in the candlelight. “What I want is never mountains of gold and silver, but someone who can shield me from harm.”

Hearing this, Ye Jiuchen abruptly looked up, meeting the cunning glint in her eyes. His earlobes instantly burned red, as if dyed by the sunset. Lu Yanchen suddenly let out a heavy snort, sheathing his sword. The jade pendant on the tassel slammed against the stone table with a dull thud: "If you dare to betray my granddaughter..."

"Grandfather, rest assured." Ye Jiuchen suddenly knelt on one knee, his black robes spreading out on the blue bricks like wings. "If I have wronged Wan'er, I, Ye Jiuchen, am willing to be torn to pieces and have my soul scattered—"

"Get up!" Dongfang Wan'er hurriedly pulled him up, the gold hairpin in her hair jingling as it swayed. "Why did you make such a terrible oath?" She pinched his earlobe with her fingertips and scolded him in a voice only the two of them could hear, "Weren't the oaths you made in your last life enough?"

Ye Jiuchen looked up at her reddened ear tips, then suddenly reached out and grasped her fingertips, gently kissing the back of her hand amidst the gasps of the crowd: "In this life, I only vow to stay with you."

Looking at the faint blush on her daughter's ears, Lu Wanning finally sighed, took the jade bracelet off her wrist, and slipped it onto Dongfang Wan'er's hand: "Tomorrow, have your father add a few more boxes to the dowry list...you silly child..."

"Mother!" Dongfang Wan'er stamped her foot, the golden bells on her skirt jingling crisply and melodiously. Ye Jiuchen seized the opportunity to get up, a yellowed piece of paper slipping from his sleeve—it was the tenth draft of the betrothal letter he had written and discarded last night, now blown by the wind to Lu Yanchen's feet. The old man glanced at the words "ten thousand taels of gold, a thousand acres of fertile land, and ten miles of red bridal procession" on it, then snorted, but pushed the paper towards the candlelight with his toe. The action seemed disdainful, but it concealed a subtle hint of tacit approval.

As An Ye and his guards retreated to the corridor, they heard Ye Jiuchen chuckle from inside the house: "Tomorrow, have the silk shop send over the finest magnolia silk. Wan'er said she wants to make a wedding dress for Grandmother..." He touched the newly hung "groom" jade pendant at his waist and suddenly remembered that this morning when his master grabbed him and asked, "How to make the bride smile even sweeter?" His ears were redder than the wedding candles, and his flustered appearance was completely different from his usual dignified demeanor.

The next day at dawn, before the morning mist had dissipated, the entire estate was adorned with red silk, giving it a brand-new look. Dongfang Wan'er sat before her dressing table, her beautiful face reflected in the bronze mirror. The newly applied floral decoration between her brows was bright and eye-catching, like a blooming red plum blossom. As she gazed at the mirror in a daze, she was suddenly startled by the arm that wrapped around her waist from behind.

Ye Jiuchen wore a wedding robe embroidered with gold-threaded unicorns, the gold threads shimmering in the morning light like a flowing galaxy. The jade crown in his hair had been replaced with a headband embroidered by her, each stitch imbued with her heartfelt sentiment. He gently and attentively placed a filigree gold phoenix hairpin into her hair: "Last night I dreamt of you wearing this; you looked so beautiful my heart skipped a beat."

"You smooth talker." As she turned around, he pressed down on her veil before she could, his warm breath brushing against her ear, carrying a faint scent of sandalwood. "When you lift the veil later, remember to smile more." He stroked the pearl tassels on her veil with his fingertips, then suddenly chuckled, "After all... I've replaced the entire treasury of the royal palace with things that can make you smile."

When Lu Wanning lifted the bridal veil, she saw her daughter clinging to the groom's sleeve, acting coquettishly. The jade bracelet on her wrist gleamed warmly in the morning mist, like a piece of jade imbued with the gentle touch of time. Gazing at the paulownia trees outside the corridor, their branches swaying gently in the breeze, she suddenly recalled the soft laughter she had heard the night before—the most touching vows in this world are never the vows of life and death amidst swords and shadows, but rather the tender touch of someone's fingertips as they adorn your hair with flowers in the soft morning light.

"Mother, look!" As she turned around, the silver thread butterflies on her wedding dress were lifelike, as if they were about to take flight. The love knot tied around her waist was woven from Ye Jiuchen's black sash, and each knot contained his deep affection.

Lu Wan gazed at the faint blush on her daughter's earlobes, then suddenly reached out and smoothed a strand of her hair. The reflections of mother and daughter overlapped in the mirror, as if time had frozen in that moment. She saw herself on her wedding day, her mother having done the same thing, pinning flowers on her hair, the warmth of her mother's fingers seemingly transcending twenty years, still as comforting as ever. The water clock on the table ticked, recording the passage of time. The sound of firecrackers outside the window startled the swallows nesting under the eaves, their fluttering wings adding a touch of life to the festive occasion.

"Actually..." Dongfang Wan'er suddenly grasped her mother's hand, the touch as soft as she remembered, yet covered in calluses—the result of years of pounding medicine, a testament to her mother's hard work and resilience. "Yesterday I secretly tried on my wedding dress and found this sewn into the pocket." She opened her palm, revealing a small silver plaque engraved with the word "Peace," its edges bearing teeth marks, clearly carved by Ye Jiuchen with his teeth. The crooked handwriting, however, was more captivating than any exquisite calligraphy.

Looking at the crooked and uneven engraving, Lu Wanning suddenly laughed through her tears. She remembered passing by the storeroom last night and seeing Ye Jiuchen hunched over his workbench, engraving knife in hand, his dark hair loosely tied back with a red ribbon, looking somewhat disheveled. At his feet lay dozens of ruined silver plaques, each bearing the weight of his dedication and perseverance. And on the candlestick in front of him sat a nearly burnt-out red candle—the "offspring candle" he had stolen from her room—its flickering light illuminating his focused profile.

"Silly child." She used a handkerchief to wipe the rouge from her daughter's eyes, but accidentally smudged it a little. "If you ever suffer any injustice in the future..."

"No way!" Dongfang Wan'er turned and hugged her mother. The gold thread on her wedding dress was digging into her chin, but she didn't feel any pain because her heart was full of happiness. "Look, he even embroidered my portrait all over his bridal veil. How could he bear to let me suffer?" She suddenly heard familiar footsteps outside the courtyard, with a hint of anxious panic. She knew it was Ye Jiuchen pacing in the corridor and couldn't help but chuckle. "Mother, listen, my groom is going to be so anxious."

Lu Wanning finally adjusted her daughter's wedding gown. The embroidery on the gown was exquisite, every stitch and thread telling a beautiful blessing. Looking at the vibrant red reflected in the mirror, she suddenly remembered her daughter as a child, sneaking into her embroidered shoes, stumbling and falling into her arms, saying in her childish voice, "When I grow up, I want to marry Mommy." Now, that small figure had grown into a graceful young woman, and every stitch on her wedding dress wove unspoken words of love, carrying her daughter's happiness and dreams.

"Go on." She gently covered her daughter's bridal veil, the pearl tassels brushing against her daughter's trembling eyelashes. "Remember... to smile more." Before she finished speaking, a cough came from outside the courtyard, followed by Ye Jiuchen's deliberately lowered voice: "Mother-in-law, may I... let Wan'er come out?" His voice had a slight tremor, just like Lu Yanchen's when he waited for her outside the wedding tent, full of anticipation and nervousness.

Dongfang Wan'er helped her mother to her feet, her embroidered shoes stepping on the soft, warm red carpet. She heard her own heartbeat overlap with the distant joyous music, as if a symphony of happiness was playing. She knew that crossing this threshold would lead to a completely new life, but the silver medal in her palm still carried her mother's warmth, the warmth of her mother's fingertips lingered in her hair, and the person who always said "I'm here" was looking at her through the bridal veil with the gentlest gaze in the world.

As the morning mist dissipated, the curtain of the bridal sedan chair was gently lifted. Through the gold-threaded tassels, Dongfang Wan'er saw a petal clinging to Ye Jiuchen's wedding robes, undoubtedly picked up from a tree while he was climbing over the wall. The petal seemed like a blessing from nature. As he reached out to help her down from the sedan chair, a piece of paper slipped from his sleeve. She spotted the words, "How to make Wan'er laugh three times a day," and suddenly burst into laughter through her bridal veil. Her laughter was clear and melodious, echoing in the air like silver bells.

Lu Wanning stood under the eaves, gazing at the perfect couple. Sunlight streamed through the red silk, weaving flowing golden patterns onto her daughter's wedding dress, like a magnificent painting. She touched the silver pendant engraved with "Chang Le" (meaning "Eternal Happiness") hidden in her sleeve, which she had slipped there when her daughter wasn't looking, a token of her best wishes. Suddenly, she understood that marrying off a daughter was never about losing her, but about seeing the precious treasure she held in her hands finally find another pair of hands that could cherish it even more carefully than she could.

As the wind swept through the courtyard, the red silk and bridal veil fluttered slightly. Dongfang Wan'er saw her reflection in Ye Jiuchen's eyes, even more captivating than in the mirror, and the faint blush on his earlobes perfectly complemented the gold thread on her wedding dress. In the distance, firecrackers exploded, startling the peach blossoms from the trees, petals falling like snowflakes. A few landed on Lu Wanning's shoulder. She suddenly remembered the day her daughter was born, on a similarly beautiful day, the fragrance of medicine mingling with the scent of milk beneath the peach trees. Now, that fragrance would eventually spread into the warmth of another home, gentle and enduring.