Ming Dynasty: The Crocodile King of Han Prince Zhu Gaoxu's Family

Chapter 205 Serving Tea at Dawn
The night was hazy, and the night passed quickly. The sky outside slowly began to lighten.

At this moment, in Zhu Zhanhe's bridal chamber in the Han Prince's Mansion, Zhu Zhanhe had already been awakened by his powerful biological clock.

Zhu Zhanhe woke up and looked up at the big red "囍" character pasted above the bed. He felt refreshed and happy.

Turning his head, Zhu Zhanhe saw his new bride, Xia Yunxin, curled up in his arms, fast asleep. Her pretty face was pressed against his chest, and she would occasionally furrow her beautiful brows. She looked like a kitten, her head resting on Zhu Zhanhe's arm, and her warm, fragrant breath constantly stimulated his senses.

Upon waking up early in the morning, Zhu Zhanhe, already in a rage, unconsciously raised his head again. However, considering that they had just gotten married yesterday and that his new bride had worked until midnight, she must be exhausted. Besides, according to custom, the new bride was supposed to serve tea to her mother-in-law later. Therefore, Zhu Zhanhe could only indulge in the act for now.

"Hmm~, Your Highness~" Perhaps sensing Zhu Zhanhe's movements, Xia Yunxin, who was sleeping soundly, gently frowned, shifted uncomfortably a few times, and tried to hide even more in Zhu Zhanhe's arms to avoid the invasion of that wicked hand. She also gently rubbed her head against Zhu Zhanhe's chest.

No, let's postpone the tea ceremony! Faced with the temptation of his new bride, Zhu Zhanhe simply couldn't resist and decided to do some morning exercise instead.

Zhu Zhanhe had just mounted his horse and hadn't even begun to gallop across the battlefield when suddenly, a noise came from outside the door.

The sudden rattling of the door latch was particularly clear in the quiet morning. Immediately afterward, a figure carrying a basin of water walked in.

"Waaah~, Your Highness, please, I still need to serve tea to my mother-in-law later!" Xia Yunxin was also awakened from her sleep by her beloved's sudden intrusion. She opened her eyes groggily, enduring the discomfort in her body, and pleaded with trembling hands.

"Miss, son-in-law, you're awake. It's time to get up and wash; we need to pay our respects to the Princess later." Zhu Zhanhe had no desire to get up at his wife's request. But just then, Xiao Zhi's voice came from inside the bedroom, indicating that she had arrived.

"Ooh~" The bed curtains were gently lifted by a corner, and Xiao Zhi's chubby little face came in, but what she saw was a scene that was just as embarrassing as the night before. Xiao Zhi quickly covered her mouth to keep herself from making a sound.

"Your Highness, Miss, it's time to get up~" Xiao Zhi mumbled shyly.

"Alright." Looking at his wife's misty, bewildered eyes, and then at Xiaozhi's shy expression, Zhu Zhanhe knew that his morning exercise was out of the question. So he gave his wife a big kiss on the cheek before slowly getting up from his bed.

"Ugh~, Xiao Zhi, help His Highness wash up first, and help him get dressed." Zhu Zhanhe's sudden attack made Xia Yunxin cover her mouth repeatedly, but she still calmly arranged the morning's affairs.

"Yes." Seeing that her son-in-law had already crawled out of bed, Xiaozhi knew exactly what she was supposed to do, so she nodded shyly in agreement.

"Your Highness, please put on some clothes first." Xiao Zhi, with her keen eye, brought Zhu Zhanhe a long robe to put on.

Zhu Zhanhe didn't stand on ceremony and sat down casually on the edge of the bed, letting the little girl drape a robe over him, because getting back to work was the priority.

Xiao Zhi shakily brought over a basin of warm water and a clean white cloth, and began to help Zhu Zhanhe clean the Dragon Ditch...

After Xiao Zhi's cleaning, Zhu Zhanhe felt even angrier. What a nuisance! But Zhu Zhanhe could only suppress his anger, because his newlywed wife was watching...

Soon, Zhu Zhanhe was dressed, and then it was his new wife Xia Yunxin's turn. Perhaps because of shyness, Zhu Zhanhe was kicked out of the bedroom and not allowed to watch his wife get dressed.

Zhu Zhanhe, who was sitting in the main hall, drank about two cups of tea when he saw Xiaozhi helping Xia Yunxin, who was walking unsteadily, out of the bedroom.

"My lord!" Zhu Zhanhe saw his wife and quickly stepped forward to help her up. He saw that his wife was dressed in the attire of a noblewoman, her face glowing, her eyes smiling, and she was even more beautiful than yesterday. "This must be because I've been taking good care of her!" Zhu Zhanhe thought shamelessly to himself.

"Your Highness~" Xia Yunxin, who was being supported by Zhu Zhanhe, was not in a good mood for a moment. She did not expect Zhu Zhanhe to personally get up and help her. She was a little surprised, and her eyes were full of joy and happiness.

"Sir, please sit down and rest." Seeing that his wife couldn't walk too easily, Zhu Zhanhe knew he had gone too far, so he was very attentive. "Your Highness, according to the rules, we should first pay our respects to my mother and serve her tea." Although Zhu Zhanhe's concern made Xia Yunxin very happy and sweet, she knew that a newlywed wife must gain her mother-in-law's approval!

Although Xia Yunxin had met the Princess Consort of Han before marrying into the family and knew that the Princess Consort of Han was very satisfied with her, she was still the Crown Prince's principal wife and the future princess consort, and she still had to abide by the proper rules.

“Okay, let’s go together.” Zhu Zhanhe did not object to his wife’s words. Instead, he and Xiaozhi helped Xia Yunxin walk into the main hall of the Han Prince’s Mansion.

On the other side, Princess Wei of Han arrived at the main hall of the palace early in the morning, dressed in her finest attire.

At this moment, she is talking to Xiuer.

"What did you say?
"That brat! He has no sense of compassion at all!" The Princess Consort of Han got up early and was listening to Xiu'er recount her son's behavior last night.

“Your Highness, everything you say is true. The young couple is coming over to pay their respects right now. You can see for yourself.” Aunt Xiu’er also frowned in dissatisfaction.

Yes, Princess Wei of Han arranged for Aunt Xiu'er to eavesdrop outside her son's bridal chamber!
Princess Wei, the wife of the Prince of Han, was extremely dissatisfied with her son's behavior at night! After all, this daughter-in-law was a newlywed, yet this boy had been making a ruckus until the wee hours of the morning, showing no consideration for his mother whatsoever!

"They're here, they're here." Just as she was about to say something more, Xiu'er suddenly reminded Princess Wei of Han that her son and daughter-in-law had come to pay their respects.

"Greetings to Mother!" Under the astonished gaze of Princess Wei, the Prince of Han, her son Zhu Zhanhe, supporting his wife Xia, walked somewhat awkwardly into the main hall, slowly knelt down, and began to pay his respects.

"Get up, get up quickly."

"Xiuer, quickly help my daughter-in-law up." Seeing her daughter-in-law's unsteady gait and the frown on her face as she knelt, Princess Wei of Han felt a pang of heartache and quickly told Xiuer to help her up.

"Thank you, Mother. Thank you, Aunt Xiuer." With the help of Zhu Zhanhe and Xiuer, Xia Yunxin slowly got up and thanked Princess Wei and Aunt Xiuer respectively.

"Why are you being so polite with me, child?" Aunt Xiu'er said to Xia Yunxin with a smile, while giving Zhu Zhanhe a disapproving glare.

"My dear child, if you're not feeling well, you should rest. Sit down quickly," Princess Wei said, noticing her daughter-in-law's furrowed brows.

"Mother, we still need to serve tea." Xia Yunxin said with a smile, and upon hearing this, Princess Wei's face immediately showed even more satisfaction.

"Xiao Zhi." After Xia Yunxin finished speaking with Princess Wei of Han, she called out towards the outside of the main hall. Immediately, Xiao Zhi came in carrying two cups of tea.

"Mother, please have some tea." Although she was feeling unwell, Xia Yunxin, with Zhu Zhanhe's help, slowly knelt down in front of Princess Wei of Han and respectfully offered her a cup of tea.

"Good!" Princess Wei of Han accepted the tea with a smile, took a satisfied sip, and said loudly.

"Father is not at home, please have Mother drink in his place!" Then, Xia Yunxin picked up another cup of tea and respectfully offered it to Princess Wei of Han.

"Good! Good child!" Hearing her daughter-in-law's words and seeing the teacup offered, Princess Wei of Han suddenly had tears in her eyes. She silently accepted the teacup and took a satisfied sip.

(End of this chapter)