Sea of No Return

Hе sighеd аnd knеlt dоwn by her bedsidе, bringing his gаze levеl with her faсе, whiсh аррearеd even more vivid up clоsе.

Tо let this iсу bаrriеr remаin unbrоkеn wоuld inеvitablу lead to trоublе ovеr time. As a mаn, if he retrеated аt thе first sign оf rеsеntmеnt, this hurdlе would nevеr bе ovеrсоme.

Нer hаnd lаy at hеr sidе, onlу the very tiр visible beneаth thе widе, ornаte sleevе, раinted with rоugе likе а nеwlу sprоutеd leаf. His brоws slowly furrоwed. Веfоre, whеn shе wаs bеyond reаch, he could onlу imagine in his heаrt; now that shе was sо сlosе, why did touching her feel so difficult?

She was angry, and he feared that being too hasty would only add fuel to the fire. It didn’t matter if their wedding night had been wasted; as long as he could slightly tear open a gap, so they wouldn’t be so cold toward each other, that would be enough for him.

He clenched his hand tightly, the pads of his fingers still aching faintly from gripping the reins for too long. She probably didn’t know that he had personally guarded her all along the canal as she traveled south. He had rushed ahead on horseback to greet her at Peach Leaf Ferry. Though she was a young woman who had never traveled far, and though she had guards arranged by Xiao Duo, he could never rest easy. Murong Gaogong had forbidden him from marrying her in the capital, so he waited in Tianjin. He knew exactly how many miles her fortune ships traveled each day and how many times they docked.

Adopting his usual humble demeanor, he called softly to her, “Your Highness, we are husband and wife now. If there is anything troubling you, you can speak to me. In the past, you lived deep in the palace, under the care of the Empress Dowager and protected by The Emperor. Now, at the Southern Garden, I am your closest kin. From this day forward, we are one. Please trust me.”

Wanwan was only pretending to sleep, so she heard every word. He spoke eloquently and movingly. If their marriage had been ordained by fate, even if The Emperor had sent her as a spy, she would have gladly married him. Yet the reality was so disheartening. He had schemed once; who was to say he wouldn’t scheme against her again?

Seeing no reaction from her, he sighed heavily once more. “I fear you will never understand my feelings for you. If one day The Emperor were to betroth you to someone else, that would be my greatest regret. We’ve met a few times, and at Tanzhe Temple, I said all I needed to say. You’ve just arrived here and are still unfamiliar with me, but there’s no rush—we’ll grow closer in time. I dare not pressure you, but I beg you to see my heart. I’m not afraid of waiting; I only fear that you might misunderstand me, for then I would truly be wronged without recourse.”

Though Wanwan’s eyes were closed, her brows knitted together. According to him, he had taken on the reputation of a scoundrel simply because he feared she would be betrothed to someone else, forcing him to resort to such a desperate measure in haste? Yet what she saw was his calculated scheming. With someone so deep and cunning, it was hard to tell which words were true and which were false. The only way to minimize the harm to herself was to assume the worst of everything.She turned to look at him, a faint, helpless smile on her face. "Your Highness knows I grew up in the palace and have always kept a certain distance from others. You are quite right—we are still unfamiliar with each other. Please allow me some time to see if we can get along." As she spoke, she pushed herself up to sit. "I was being willful earlier, and it was truly improper of me to behave so discourteously in front of you. As for misunderstandings, there certainly are none. Your Highness acts with honor and integrity—what misunderstandings could there possibly be? It’s just that I am shy and find it difficult to adjust for now. I must ask for your understanding."

Her words were exceedingly humble, lacking the arrogance and willfulness typical of noble ladies. Yet that phrase "honor and integrity" struck right at the sore spot—indeed, even with a gentle and pleasant demeanor, her words could cut to the bone.

She still appeared innocent and harmless, slightly shifting aside. "Does Your Highness wish to share the bed with me?" Though her words said one thing, her eyes grew cold.

There was nothing inherently wrong with consummating the marriage on the wedding night, but what would come after? It would surely make her dislike him even more. No matter how urgent his desires, he could not do it. At most, he could hold that hand warmer for a few more nights.

He smiled. "Today is our wedding, and all eyes are watching from outside. If I leave now, it will become another piece of gossip tomorrow. I shall borrow Your Highness’s precious space to rest for the night, so that I may give a proper account to the Imperial Concubine at dawn."

He straightened her pillow and patted it gently. "The journey has been long and tiring. Don’t stay up—get some rest. If there’s anything to discuss, we can still talk while lying down."

Such attentiveness left little room for criticism. Wanwan slowly lay back down, then heard him say, "After resting for another couple of days, once you’ve recovered your energy, I’ll take Your Highness out to explore. Jinling has many beautiful sights—the white egrets on clear waves, the evening glow over Black Garment Lane... The Jiangnan region thrives by the water. Compared to the grandeur of the north, Jiangnan is more delicate and exquisite. Your Highness has been confined in the palace for sixteen years, and during the journey here, you seldom disembarked. Now that we’ve settled, there will be little else to occupy your time. If you wish to go out for strolls or admire the flowers, no one will stop you."

Wanwan was still young after all. Even if she sometimes acted mature, when speaking of things that interested her, she retained the innocence of a girl.

"Is the evening glow over Black Garment Lane one of the forty scenic spots of Jinling? 'Lush orchids and jade, all dazzling treasures; the Wang and Xie families’ legacy spreads its fragrance far and wide...' Did the two most distinguished families of the Wei and Jin periods reside there?"

He confirmed it. "I have a residence there, which once hosted Seal-holding Xiao and Consort Duan. The Wang and Xie families were illustrious for generations, and their dwellings were exceptionally elegant—white walls and black tiles, without ornate carvings, yet exuding an aura of noble purity."

Mentioning Xiao Duo and Yin Lou softened her expression. "Ah, yes," she said, "they stayed in Nanjing for a while. When we have time later, take me to see it."

He naturally agreed, and her smile filled him with immense joy. Children had this trait—their joys and sorrows were fleeting. With a little effort, it wouldn’t be long before she changed her mind.

However, she did not alter her attitude toward him just because they had exchanged a few words. Pointing to the Arhat couch in the distance, she said, "Your Highness will have to make do there for tonight. I’m tired, and whatever else there is to discuss can wait until tomorrow. I’m going to sleep."He stood there, unable to help a bitter smile. The palace assigned maids for night duty every evening, so even if there was an extra person in the room, she wouldn’t find it unusual. But she forgot he was her Imperial Consort, a living man, yet she trusted him completely. Before long, her breathing steadied, and she was already asleep.

He touched his forehead, tiptoed to the couch, and was relieved to find brocade cushions and a hidden pillow—much better than sleeping outdoors in the military camp. From this position, he could see her. Even if they weren’t sharing a bed, at least they were under the same roof, their relationship a step closer. He no longer had to worry about that Xiao Duo preening and tempting her in front of her. Her tears and smiles for others were all in the past. Now that she had married him, she was his. If such a situation arose again, it would surely be his own fault.

Loving someone to this extent was truly unimaginable. He had always been indifferent toward women. Those he kept in his chambers were merely for carrying on the lineage. The Yuwen Clan had this old rule: to become the Heir Apparent, one must first have a son. If you reached twenty without an heir, even if you were born of the Principal Consort, you were unfit to inherit the old Prince of Nanyuan’s golden seal. So a son was essential, the foundation for standing firm in the Princely Mansion. Now that he no longer had to worry about that, with ample room to plan his love life, he found himself filled with tender affection like a greenhorn, even casting aside those grand ambitions to the winds.

Compared to her, he had fallen too deep, perhaps to the point of drowning. Ama had once said that those who achieve great things must not be entangled in romantic sentiments. He thought being devoted only to her couldn’t be too harmful. Take away some things, replace them with others—once a woman marries and has children, she will ultimately be of one heart with her husband. As for her maiden family, though she may grieve, she will forget, and indeed, she will forget.

Sharing a room with a beauty, the night was bound to be restless. He woke up, vaguely wanting to check on her. Perhaps the mansion’s servants, worried she wouldn’t adapt to the southern bed, had laid the bedding too thickly. Coupled with her tightly wrapped ceremonial attire, at first only her hands were outside the covers. But by the time he closed his eyes and opened them again, she was lying flat on top of the quilt.

It was truly astonishing. She was a princess of graceful bearing—who could have imagined she’d be like this at night! He went over and pulled the corner of the quilt to cover her. She smacked her lips twice, swung a leg in an arc over, and pinned down half the quilt as well.

He watched with a pained expression for a long while. Afraid she’d be embarrassed if he woke her, he sat on the footboard all night, trying every way to share the quilt, fearing she might catch a chill.

Wanwan woke quite early, a habit ingrained over more than a decade. The palace forbade sleeping in, and the Morning and Evening Salutations had fixed times. If you rose later than the Empress Dowager, what was the point of paying respects? The Empress Dowager would have no patience for you.

When she opened her eyes and saw a mass of fiery red bed curtains, her mind went blank for a moment before she remembered she was now in Jiangnan. Turning her head, she saw the Prince of Nanyuan leaning over the edge of her bed and was instantly stunned…

Why was he sleeping here? Hadn’t she told him to go to the couch? Leaning so close—was he trying to peek? The thought angered her. This man truly had no manners, taking advantage of Nanyuan being his territory to openly bully her!

She straightened her collar, wiped the corners of her eyes, and coughed with a remarkably loud voice, startling him awake.He quickly rose to his feet, straightened his robe, and bowed to her with clasped hands. The look she gave him could only be described as contemptuous.

"This is the Princess's Residence. It would be best if the Prince of Nanyuan did not disrupt proper etiquette. When the Princess retires, the Imperial Consort may not approach without being summoned. You now..." Her face was full of displeasure, her eyebrows furrowed deeply. "I think I should call Nurse Matron in to have a proper discussion."

What could he say? That you were tossing and turning all night, and I was just trying to cover you with the blanket? He was afraid she would lose face, so he endured the scolding without a word, bowing his head and meekly agreeing.

Wanwan merely frowned, thinking to herself that someone so scheming was indeed unreliable in character. Sneaking a look at someone in the middle of the night—what a despicable act!

A faint light began to show through the window; it was time to get up. With a sullen expression, she threw off the quilt, only to realize something was amiss. What was wrong with the bedding in Jiangnan? It actually wrapped around her! After struggling to pull it free several times, she realized it was indeed her own fault—she had slept on top of the quilt again.

So, had she wronged him? He had been kind-hearted, yet she had scolded him senseless. He probably had a bellyful of resentment now, didn't he?

Her face flushed red. "I'm not usually like this..."

He nodded earnestly. "It's the servants in the residence who are not attentive enough. They don't know Your Highness's habits. When Your Highness feels hot, naturally you would struggle free."

Yes, that was exactly the reason! Wanwan had originally thought men were not particularly attentive to details, but surprisingly, this Prince of Nanyuan, while skilled in scheming, was also quite considerate.

With an elegant smile, she got out of bed, slipped on her soft shoes, and said, "Today, I must have them rearrange things... rearrange them properly, and it will be fine." Firmly refusing to apologize was also part of her pride as a princess.

On the first day after the wedding, according to tradition, the new bride was to pay respects to her in-laws. Since the old Prince of Nanyuan had long passed away, only the Old Imperial Consort Dowager remained. When the sun rose higher, she would bring the household of the Princely Mansion to the Eldest Princess Residence. Wanwan needed to wash up and prepare herself properly to receive them.

The night attendants outside heard movement in the room and called out from under the eaves by the window, "Greetings to Princess Chang." Then, one of the doors opened, and servants filed in carrying hot water, everything proceeding just as it had in the palace.

Tong Huan and Xiao You had naturally been promoted to supervisors here. Dressed in purple robes and wearing flower-adorned black gauze caps, they entered the room cheerfully. However, when they saw the wrinkled ceremonial robe on her, they could no longer smile.

Ask what had happened? Both of them were still wearing their clothes from the previous night. Anyone with eyes could see the situation clearly, so asking would be pointless.

No one dared to say much. Wanwan, acting as if it had nothing to do with her, followed Tong Huan behind the screen to change clothes. The Prince of Nanyuan also had attendants to serve him. He left the bridal chamber and went to the side room.

Xiao You bit her finger and asked, "Your Highness, you didn't consummate the marriage with the Prince last night?"

Wanwan glanced at her in the mirror. "Who said a grand wedding must involve consummation?"

"So, the two of you slept in your clothes all night?" She clicked her tongue. "This lord is also quite a tolerant man."Wanwan did not find him worthy of any praise. Turning around to put on her ceremonial robe, Tong Huan brought over the cloud collar with phoenix embroidery to drape over her, then knelt to secure the hem of her skirt with a heavy golden pendant. She straightened her sleeves and adjusted the nine-pheasant crown, the mirror reflecting a figure adorned with jewels and finery. Meeting the in-laws still required a grand appearance. After today, things would become more relaxed.

Perhaps those around her had long known of her discord with the Prince of Nanyuan, so aside from the tactless Xiao You, almost no one inquired about the details of the wedding night. After finishing her makeup, she sat in a chair eating cheese curds, having only taken two bites when someone announced from the second gate that the Master of Ceremonies had set up the incense table, and the Old Imperial Consort Dowager had already arrived at the residence, requesting Your Highness to pay respects to the elders.

In truth, this practice was unprecedented, not only across dynasties but even in the current reign. Although Princess's Residences were typically established, grand weddings were usually held at the Consort's Residence. Meeting the in-laws would not require them to specially come to the Princess's Residence to receive homage. The Emperor, marrying off this younger sister, was ultimately somewhat unwilling, so the rituals were reversed, carrying a sense of humiliation.

Wanwan did not approve of his approach. The grievances between her and the Prince of Nanyuan were kept private, and she would not lose propriety in major matters. Such overt displays of pettiness would only provide others with ammunition, truly not worth the cost.

She set down the silver spoon and called for water to rinse her mouth. "Where is the Prince?"

Just as she asked, he arrived at the door, dressed in casual court attire and wearing a purple-gold crown. Standing under the sunlight in the corridor, his long brows arched into his temples, his eyelashes dark and thick, warmer than the spring light of March.