After getting married, she spent every night alone in her room; when she asked for a divorce, he kne

Inside the Buddhist hall, the servants hurriedly helped Liu Yuansheng onto the bamboo couch, put away the blood-stained prayer mat, and wiped the floor clean.

The physician finished bandaging Liu Yuansheng's wounds and left with his head bowed. Liu Jingyuan stood by the window with a dark expression, still feeling lingering fear as he recalled what had just happened.

He had just ordered someone to bring Liu Yuansheng to the Buddhist hall when he came over and tried to persuade her to marry Xiao Jinghan.

Unexpectedly, after learning that she was determined to marry her off to Xiao Jinghan, Liu Yuansheng decided to commit suicide to prove her point, breaking a bowl and cutting her wrist with the porcelain shards.

He didn't really know much about his daughter who had been missing for several years, but he never expected that beneath her gentle and frail appearance lay a heart harder than iron.

Didn't she want to marry Xiao Jinghan?

Didn't she orchestrate the incident at the Princess's residence?

Why didn't she get married happily, but instead created unnecessary trouble and tried to kill herself?

Liu Jingyuan sensed something was amiss, but dared not investigate the truth, otherwise, Liu Yuansheng would not be the only one implicated.

Previously, he hesitated because of some rumors about Xiao Jinghan, but now it seems that he has no choice but to marry Liu Yuansheng!

While pondering, Su Tinglan led two old women into the Buddhist hall.

"How could this happen? Oh dear!" Su Tinglan rushed to Liu Jingyuan's side, exclaiming in surprise, "Master, why is your face so pale? Are you furious?"

After saying that, she gave Liu Yuansheng a reproachful look, "Yuansheng, your body and hair are gifts from your parents. No matter what, you shouldn't have killed yourself!"

Liu Yuansheng stared intently at the dust floating in mid-air, remaining silent.

Liu Jingyuan stared at Liu Yuansheng's profile and said, "You've cried and made a scene, so tell me, what do you want in return for marrying the heir of the Duke of Zhenguo?"

"I won't marry him," Liu Yuansheng said. "I have someone I love, and I said I would wait for him. You want me to betray him? I'd rather die."

"You!" Liu Jingyuan was so angry he almost fell over backwards. "You wretched child! You're trying to drive me crazy!"

"Master, don't be angry. What if you ruin your health?" Su Tinglan supported Liu Jingyuan and said sarcastically, "Yuansheng, it's better not to openly talk about the things you've done outside. You may not care about your reputation, but your father does. What do you think?"

Liu Yuansheng scoffed and coldly stared at the two of them, "Your hearts are filthy, so naturally you see no one as clean."

"How dare you say that!" Liu Jingyuan's hands trembled with anger. "Lock her up! I want to see how long she can keep up this stubbornness!"

After saying that, he snorted and turned away.

One day, two days, three days...

Day after day, Liu Yuansheng remained seated on the prayer mat.

Wasting one's life in a quiet Buddhist temple.

She neither ate nor drank, as if she wanted to starve herself to death.

During that time, no one came to see her.

On the fifth day, Liu Yuansheng gradually became delirious, listless, and haggard to the point of being almost unrecognizable. On the same day, Liu Yunheng pushed open the door of the Buddhist hall and placed a bowl of congee and an old money bag in front of her.

"You're too weak to take strong tonics, have some porridge first," Liu Yunheng said, sitting on a stool. "Also, it's impossible for you to starve to death. Even if you faint, the family physician will bring you back to life, and you'll continue to be locked in the Buddhist hall by your father until you agree. So, don't torture yourself."

Liu Yuansheng didn't heed Liu Yunheng's words; she just stared blankly at the old money pouch and asked, "What's this?"

Liu Yunheng picked up the bowl of porridge. "Drink your porridge first, and I'll tell you after you're done."

Liu Yuansheng stirred, trembling as she grasped the old money pouch, picked it up, and held it in front of herself and Liu Yunheng. "This is Abbess Jing'an's money pouch."

"What is your purpose in bringing Master Jing'an's money pouch to see me?"

Liu Yunheng lowered his head, avoiding Liu Yuansheng's bloodshot, empty eyes, and whispered, "People from the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion came today. Father said that if you don't respond, he will kill Abbess Jing'an."

Liu Yuansheng's hand trembled.

"Is he even human?"

If she refused, they would have Master Jing'an, who had raised her, arrested and threatened her!

Liu Yuansheng stared intently at Liu Yunheng, feeling as if a knife was twisting in her heart.

Liu Yunheng shook his head and sighed, "Yuansheng, just accept your fate. If you ask me, it's better to marry him. Once you're married, you can start all over again."

"Starting from scratch?" Liu Yuansheng's smile was dazed. "Starting from scratch? Heh heh heh..."

Her laughter was chilling, and after spending so many days in the Buddhist hall, she looked like a living dead person; just one look at her made one's heart tighten.

Liu Yunheng couldn't bear to look at him, so he got up and moved away, saying, "Think about it again yourself. I'll wait for your news outside."

"No need." Liu Yuansheng clenched the money pouch in her hand and called to Liu Yunheng, who had not yet left, "Tell them I'll marry him."

On the ninth day of the fifth month, Liu Yuansheng boarded the bridal sedan chair at the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion.

They went out at dusk, and by the time they entered the bridal chamber, it was completely dark.

Liu Yuansheng, dressed in a red wedding gown embroidered with dragons and phoenixes, sat quietly on the wedding couch, waiting for the groom, Xiao Jinghan, to lift her veil and drink the nuptial wine.

The bridal chamber was quiet, with only occasional whispers from servants and the sounds of them going in and out.

The two matchmakers stood on either side of Liu Yuansheng, staring at each other as the groom was nowhere to be seen entering the bridal chamber.

Ying'er, the maid who accompanied the bride, was also extremely anxious, looking out the window every now and then, but the groom, who should have been in the bridal chamber long ago, just wouldn't show up.

"What time is it now?"

Then, a matchmaker asked.

"It's past midnight," another matchmaker replied.

"Is it already this late? If we wait any longer, we might miss the auspicious time. Should we send someone to invite the young master?"

"Invite? Who should we send to invite them?"

"this……"

Hearing the servants' murmurs, Liu Yuansheng lifted her veil.

Her heavy makeup made her face appear even paler than paper, and her dark, lifeless eyes resembled a long-dried-up well.

When the two wedding attendants saw Liu Yuansheng lift her veil, they rushed forward to stop her, saying, "Oh dear, Third Young Mistress, why did you lift your veil yourself?"

"Quickly put the veil on! The veil can only be removed when the Third Young Master arrives."

While saying this, he also wanted to put the veil back on Liu Yuansheng.

Liu Yuansheng raised her hand and lifted the bright red veil, staring intently at the dragon and phoenix candles that were almost burned out.

As I watched, the scene that happened at the Princess's residence unconsciously came to mind.

That night, she woke up in a daze and found herself wrapped in a thick quilt, almost suffocating. She finally managed to break free of the quilt and climb out, only to find herself disheveled and Xiao Jinghan lying next to her, still unconscious from a hangover.

She couldn't help but scream, and then Xiao Jinghan woke up, staring at her with his gloomy and cold gaze.

For a moment, she thought she had seen the Dark Night Rakshasa, and her blood froze in fear.

Liu Yuansheng didn't understand why Xiao Jinghan would marry her.

But she knew he must be unwilling, otherwise he wouldn't have left her hanging and delayed going into the bridal chamber.

Thinking of this, Liu Yuansheng became even more silent.

Seeing Liu Yuansheng staring silently at the dragon and phoenix candles, Ying'er stepped forward and asked, "Third Miss, are you planning to make arrangements?"

Liu Yuansheng recognized the person as her dowry maid, and then said, "I'm tired."

"But the young master hasn't arrived yet," Ying'er said. "Why don't you eat something first, Miss, to perk yourself up, and then we can drink the nuptial wine when the young master arrives before making any arrangements?"

Liu Yuansheng shook his head, about to reply, when a faint cry, like that of a baby, suddenly entered the bridal chamber.

Liu Yuansheng subconsciously looked in the direction from which the crying was coming, and suddenly remembered that someone had mentioned to her that Xiao Jinghan had a child of unknown origin.

The baby was just three months old and cried every day and night, but Xiao Jinghan loved him dearly and protected him like the apple of his eye. He couldn't bear to see the baby suffer even the slightest grievance, and he hired three wet nurses just to breastfeed the baby.

"Is he the Crown Prince's child?" Liu Yuansheng asked. "Does he also live in this courtyard?"

Upon hearing this, the matchmaker hurriedly replied, "Yes, the young master also lives in the Agarwood Courtyard."

"She's crying so hard, let's go see her."

The matchmaker nodded, accepted the order, and left. Before long, she returned carrying a baby who looked like a pink dumpling.

"The wet nurse said that letting the young master roll around on the wedding bed is good for both the young master and the young mistress!"

Liu Yuansheng was surprised that the matchmaker had brought the baby over. The child was still crying, deafeningly loud, whether from hunger or sleepiness, it was unclear. Liu Yuansheng had no choice but to get up and look at the child in the matchmaker's arms, asking, "Is the baby hungry?"

"The wet nurse just fed him and said he was probably frightened by the firecrackers, which is why he was crying and wouldn't go to sleep."

Liu Yuansheng nodded and smiled at the baby in the swaddling clothes.

The child, who had been crying, stopped crying immediately when he saw Liu Yuansheng smiling at him, and just stared at her with his round eyes.

"The young master really likes the third young mistress." The matchmaker picked up the child. "Would the third young mistress like to hold the young master?"

Liu Yuansheng did not respond.

It's not that I don't like children, it's just that I feel like I'm an unlucky person and I'm afraid of bringing bad luck to the child.

That moment of hesitation caused the child to cry again.

"Oh dear, young master, don't cry anymore, you've cried so much your voice is hoarse." The matchmaker hurriedly tried to comfort the child, occasionally glancing at Liu Yuansheng with pleading eyes.

Liu Yuansheng then stretched out her hand, "Give me the child."

Upon hearing this, the matchmaker immediately handed the young master over to Liu Yuansheng. Strangely enough, as soon as he entered Liu Yuansheng's arms, the young master stopped crying and just whimpered and sucked his thumb.

This scene made all the servants in the room laugh, saying that Liu Yuansheng and the young master were destined to be together.

Liu Yuansheng felt numb and had no particular feelings.

"Now that he's stopped crying, take the young master back home and get some sleep."

As Liu Yuansheng spoke, he handed the young master over to the matchmaker. As soon as the matchmaker approached, the young master started crying again.

The baby's loud cry made Liu Yuansheng's heart clench, and her hand trembled involuntarily as a sharp pain shot through her still-healing wrist.

She barely managed to endure the pain, but eventually lost all strength, and in a flash, the soft, cuddly child slipped out of her arms like a fish.

Liu Yuansheng was caught off guard and instinctively shielded the child in his arms, falling to the ground with him to act as a human shield.

"Third Miss!"

"Third Young Mistress!"

The crowd surged forward noisily, surrounding Liu Yuansheng. Just then, Xiao Jinghan walked in and saw the child crying uncontrollably in Liu Yuansheng's arms.

Xiao Jinghan was already drunk, and seeing this scene made him even more agitated.

He rushed to the crowd, snatched the child from them, and stared at Liu Yuansheng with a gloomy gaze.

None of the servants in the room dared to speak, except for Ying'er, who timidly called out "Young Master" and then helped Liu Yuansheng up.

Despite the excruciating pain in her wrist, Liu Yuansheng slowly stood up, looked up, and met that fierce gaze.

However, before she could even see the eyes staring at her clearly, she was slapped across the face by the person in front of her. With a loud "smack," half of her face went numb.