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

Xiao Jinghan narrowed his phoenix eyes, staring intently at Liu Yuansheng, and said, "You dare to hurt my Yan'er? You're courting death!"

Liu Yuansheng leaned against Ying'er's chest, and it took her a while to react. She turned her head and stared at Xiao Jinghan.

This was the first time she had seen Xiao Jinghan's face clearly.

He had a pair of striking phoenix eyes with deep-set sockets, paired with a pair of jet-black, sword-like eyebrows, which gave him a very imposing presence. He could intimidate people with just his eyes.

However, the lines of her nose and mouth are extremely soft, her face is angular and her bone structure is excellent, giving her a face that can captivate the world.

Liu Yuansheng glanced at it, then lowered her gaze, stood still, and remained silent.

The servants in the room were silent, none daring to speak up for Liu Yuansheng. Xiao Jinghan handed the sleeping child to a maid, gently raised his hand, and ordered the maid to take the child back. Then he walked past Liu Yuansheng and sat on the wedding bed.

The two wedding attendants looked at each other, hesitated for a moment, and then came over with the nuptial wine, forcing a smile as they said, "Third Young Master, Third Young Madam, let's drink the nuptial wine."

"Get out." The wedding attendant had barely finished speaking when Xiao Jinghan raised his hand to rub his eyes and said, "All of you, get out."

The matchmaker held the nuptial wine, not daring to move.

"Can't you understand me?" Xiao Jinghan kicked over the bamboo stool in front of the bed. "Get out!"

"Yes, Third Young Master!"

Seeing that Xiao Jinghan was angry, the servants hurriedly retreated. The matchmaker placed the nuptial wine in front of the nearly burnt-out dragon and phoenix candles, glanced at Liu Yuansheng with pity, and tightly closed the door.

In the joyous bridal chamber, only Xiao Jinghan and Liu Yuansheng remained.

Xiao Jinghan had drunk too much and had a splitting headache. He suppressed his anger and looked at Liu Yuansheng standing in front of the bronze mirror, feeling that the other party was ethereal and unreal, like a beautiful ghost in red standing in front of him.

When I hit her, I could feel that her face was terribly cold, like a block of ice frozen for a thousand years.

He disliked this woman very much.

Especially tonight, after hearing many unsavory things about her, he disliked her even more.

He didn't care whether the rumors were true or false; the fact that he had married a woman embroiled in scandal was enough to give him a headache.

Looking in the bronze mirror, he saw that the place where he had hit was already red and swollen.

Xiao Jinghan's mind raced, wanting to say something, but drowsiness overcame him, and he fell asleep on the couch before he could speak.

The next morning, Xiao Jinghan woke up leisurely and opened his eyes to find Liu Yuansheng still standing there.

Xiao Jinghan felt a chill run down his spine, sat up, and looked around. He found that Liu Yuansheng had not made any moves and had actually stood in front of the bronze mirror all night.

Xiao Jinghan's gaze was deep and focused as he turned the jade thumb ring on his right hand, silently watching Liu Yuansheng in the bronze mirror.

Her face was deathly pale, expressionless, and she was emaciated and lifeless, as if she were about to reach the end of her life.

Yet she was exceptionally beautiful, especially her eyes, which, despite their emptiness, were still captivating and alluring.

Xiao Jinghan stared at Liu Yuansheng for a moment, then called over a servant.

The servants who had been waiting outside filed in. The matchmaker at the front, seeing the scene inside, dared not say a word. She lowered her head, quickly tidied the wedding bed, and quietly put away the clean wedding veil.

The maidservants helped Xiao Jinghan wash up and change clothes, while Ying'er and Sui'er helped Liu Yuansheng sit down in front of the dressing table, preparing to help her with her grooming.

Liu Yuansheng had been standing on the ground all night, and his bones were stiff. His feet were so numb that he couldn't move them at all. It took him a while to feel the blood flowing through his body.

She let Ying'er and Sui'er dress her up like a puppet until the person in the mirror had her hair tied up in a high bun, adorned with exquisite hairpins and rings, and dressed in gorgeous clothes. Only then did she realize that it was already dawn.

Xiao Jinghan had also finished washing up. He was dressed in a crimson brocade robe with wide sleeves, over which was a moon-white undergarment. The collar was embroidered with cloud patterns and trimmed with borders. He wore a pearl and jade belt at his waist, with a jade pendant with tassels hanging from it. His black hair was neatly tied up with a gilded jade crown. He was tall and elegant, and his movements were graceful and dignified, showing the noble and dignified demeanor of a member of the imperial family.

Seeing that the two were already dressed, the matchmaker whispered a reminder, "Third Young Master, Third Young Mistress, it's almost time. Please hurry to Mingzhi Hall."

"Understood." Xiao Jinghan straightened his clothes, glanced at Liu Yuansheng who was still sitting in front of the dressing table, and said coldly, "What are you still standing there for?"

Liu Yuansheng kept her eyes down and remained silent, as if she hadn't heard Xiao Jinghan's words at all. Seeing this, Ying'er gently took her arm and said, "Miss, please get up. It wouldn't be good to miss the time for paying your respects."

Liu Yuansheng then slowly stood up and followed Xiao Jinghan to Mingzhi Hall.

Inside Mingzhi Hall, Duke Zhenguo Xiao Xiuyan and his second wife, Madam Yuan, sat upright in the hall, with their eldest son Xiao Jingting and eldest daughter-in-law Xie Qinghe sitting below them.

Xiao Ruowei, the second young lady of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion, entered the palace as a concubine, and Xiao Jingzhuo, the fourth young master, became the Crown Prince's study companion; neither of them were in the mansion. Therefore, when Liu Yuansheng stepped into Mingzhi Hall, only Xiao Jingting, who had never met her before and was in a wheelchair with a leg disability, stared at her for a couple of seconds.

"Your son and his new bride have come to pay their respects to your father." Xiao Jinghan ignored Madam Yuan's presence, knelt before Xiao Xiuyan, and kowtowed.

Liu Yuansheng knelt down behind Xiao Xiuyan and said, "Your daughter-in-law greets Father and Mother."

Xiao Xiuyan looked at his son and daughter-in-law with no joy on his face, appearing unusually indifferent. Madam Yuan, on the other hand, seemed unconcerned, her eyes fixed elsewhere, as if she couldn't see Liu Yuansheng and Xiao Jinghan.

In the silence, a servant brought tea, which Liu Yuansheng served in turn. After drinking the tea, Madam Yuan slowly said, "From now on, you are the daughter-in-law of the Xiao family. From now on, you must be dutiful, respect your husband, manage the household well, be filial to your elders, and maintain harmony with your sisters-in-law. Husband and wife should respect and love each other, be tolerant and forgiving in all things, and not be petty or gossipy. Do you understand?"

"I've got it," Liu Yuansheng said calmly.

Xiao Xiuyan waved his hand impatiently, "Alright, you've had your tea and the ceremony is over. Go see your grandmother."

Liu Yuansheng then got up and went to Baohe Hall with Xiao Jinghan.

Inside Baohe Hall, the old lady was playing chess. When she saw Liu Yuansheng and Xiao Jinghan arrive, she ordered someone to remove the chessboard, and grasped Liu Yuansheng's hand, saying, "Good child, you've come. Please sit down."

After bowing, Liu Yuansheng sat down next to the old lady, keeping her head down and not saying a word.

"You don't need to be so formal here. I hate those rigid and boring rules the most." The old lady said, glancing at Xiao Jinghan, whose face was cold. "You brat, please sit down too."

Xiao Jinghan was filled with helplessness and had no choice but to sit down next to Liu Yuansheng.

The old lady smiled as she looked the two of them up and down, growing more and more satisfied. "Look at them, truly a match made in heaven! No one but Yuan Sheng is worthy of my wretched child. And no one but my wretched child is worthy of Yuan Sheng's fairy-like face!"

After saying that, he laughed to himself.

The old lady laughed, but none of the servants dared to laugh, because Xiao Jinghan's expression was truly unpleasant.

Everyone in the household knew that Xiao Jinghan had been framed at the Princess's residence, resulting in a scandalous affair where he was caught drunk and sleeping in the same bed with the newly recognized legitimate daughter of Prime Minister Liu. At the time, Xiao Jinghan was determined to investigate the truth and teach the schemer a lesson, but the old lady insisted that Xiao Jinghan marry Liu Yuansheng.

Xiao Jinghan disagreed, so the old lady resorted to crying, making a scene, and going on a hunger strike. The Duke of Zhenguo and Xiao Jinghan couldn't take it anymore and finally agreed.

"This old woman may not have many other skills, but she's absolutely brilliant at matchmaking! Every match I've arranged has gone well!"

After chuckling to herself for a moment, the old lady grew even happier. She patted Liu Yuansheng's hand and said slowly, "Back then, I took a liking to your mother and wanted her to be my daughter-in-law! But that Liu fellow beat me to it! Fortunately, I met you, and now this old woman's wish has been fulfilled!"

As she spoke, she unconsciously turned Liu Yuansheng's hand, then paused in surprise.

On that slender, fair wrist lay a dark red, centipede-like scar.