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The palace had never looked more fancy. Every hallway was decorated with red silk banners and gold ornaments. Lanterns shaped like blooming lotuses gave off a warm, flickering light even during the day. Servants ran around like busy ants, carrying trays full of exotic fruits and sweet-smelling flowers. Soft, pretty music filled the air. It was Lu Hua's wedding day to the Sixth Prince, Xuan Zihao.
But despite all the splendor inside the palace walls, Lu Hua couldn't see much of it. A heavy, pretty golden veil covered her face completely during the ceremony. She felt like a precious vase being carefully moved around. She could hear the whispers of the royal family - the sound of fancy clothes, the quiet talk of princes and princesses, and the Empress's happy sighs. Through the edge of her veil, she saw fancy shoes and the bottoms of robes. The ceremony was a mix of bowing and the strong smell of incense.
Meanwhile, all over the kingdom, the Empress showed off her pride. Royal announcers, dressed in their best uniforms, stood in busy town squares, small villages, and crowded city markets. They spoke loudly and clearly, telling everyone about the happy marriage of the Sixth Prince and Lady Chun Luhua. It was a clear message: See how important this marriage is.
Back in the palace, after the last bow that sealed her fate, Lu Hua wasn't taken to a big party. Instead, quiet, respectful servants led her through quieter hallways, away from the celebration sounds. They took her to a beautiful but lonely part of the palace - the Sixth Prince's private area. She was brought into a fancy bedroom, and the door shut quietly behind her.
The room was very fancy. The walls were covered with rich tapestries showing peaceful scenes. A big bed full of silk pillows took up one side. A small table by a window had lots of yummy food - roasted duck, soft dumplings, sweet cakes, and nice-smelling tea. It smelled really good.
Lu Hua stood stiffly for a moment, the heavy ceremonial headdress pressing down on her head like a crown made of lead. The silence felt thick around her. Minutes passed. Then more minutes went by. The only sound she could hear was her own breathing under the heavy golden veil. Soon, boredom took the place of any nervousness she felt.
'This is silly,' she thought to herself. 'Sitting here like a statue, waiting for a ghost prince.'
With a sigh that made the edge of her veil flutter, Lu Hua reached up. She carefully unpinned the fancy, jewel-covered headdress. It felt heavy when she took it off, and she put it on a chest nearby with a gentle thud. A feeling of relief spread over her head. Then she took off the thick golden veil. She blinked as the light became brighter. She shook her head, letting her hair loosen from where it had been pulled tight. The air felt nice and cool on her face.
Fanning herself with her hand because the room was warm, Lu Hua's eyes couldn't help but look at the table full of food. Her stomach growled loudly in the silent room. She hadn't eaten well all day because of the wedding preparations.
'Well,' she thought to herself, 'he's really taking his time. There's no point in letting this feast get cold.'
Giving up the idea of waiting quietly on the bed, Lu Hua walked over to the low table. She knelt down gently on a cushion, picked up a pair of pretty ivory chopsticks, and started to eat. The roasted duck skin was just right, crispy, and the dumplings were full of tasty filling. She poured herself some nice-smelling tea. It all tasted so good. While she was eating, her mind drifted to thoughts about the mysterious Sixth Prince.
'What's he like?' Lu Hua wondered, taking small bites of a sweet pastry. 'The Empress said he's quiet. Beihe and Fuquan said he hardly ever leaves his rooms. Is he shy? Stuck-up? Sickly? Maybe he's just really boring? Or... maybe he's secretly horrible?' She shrugged, then took another bite. 'Honestly, it doesn't matter. Quiet is okay. Boring is okay. Even if he's secretly horrible... well, I can deal with it. As long as he leaves me alone most of the time, we'll be fine. All I really want is peace and quiet.'
She was happily scooping some glazed vegetables when the heavy wooden door to the bedroom slowly creaked open.
Lu Hua looked up, her chopsticks stopping in mid-air.
A young man pushed himself into the room in a wheelchair. He moved the wheels gently and smoothly, his head tilted down a little. Maybe he was expecting to see a bride sitting quietly on the bed, wearing a veil. He looked up… and suddenly, he froze.
His eyes, wide and surprised like a deer caught in light, stared at Lu Hua. She wasn't on the bed. She wasn't wearing the veil. She sat at the table, looking comfortable, her cheeks a bit full of food, chopsticks in hand, seeming perfectly at home.
He jumped so hard that his chair moved a little. A small, choked sound came out of him - it wasn't a scream, but it was a loud gasp of shock. His face turned red right away.
Lu Hua, surprised for a moment, swallowed her food. Seeing how flustered he looked - his wide eyes, the red blush on his face, and how tightly he held the wheels of his chair - she couldn't help it. A small snort of amusement slipped out before she could stop it.
She quickly made her face serious again, putting down the chopsticks. Her eyes, though, stayed on him. Now that the shock was going away, she really looked at her new husband.
He looked... younger than she thought, maybe because he was so shocked and his cheeks were still red. His face was nice and smooth - not tough like his twin brother, but more... gentle. He had thick, dark eyebrows, big eyes still wide with surprise, a straight nose, and lips that were now tight and embarrassed. His dark hair was neatly pulled back, showing off his soft jawline. He wore formal wedding clothes in dark blue silk, which seemed a bit strange on the chair.
'He's actually... really cute,' Lu Hua thought, surprised and not expecting it. He looked like a scared, well-dressed rabbit. All the talk about a grumpy, quiet prince faded away when she saw this embarrassed young man in a wheelchair, who looked like he wished he could disappear.
The silence grew, feeling heavy and awkward, with only the smell of roasted duck left hanging in the air.
The silence felt heavy after the prince's sudden flinch. Lu Hua, getting over her surprise quicker than her husband, thought it was better to do something than just look at him. She stood up smoothly, her eyes twinkling with playfulness even though the moment was serious.
"Well, hello there, handsome," she said, her voice as sweet as honey, using the nickname that came to her mind when she saw his wide, startled eyes. "Didn't mean to scare you half to death."
The prince's blush, which had begun to fade, came back strong, making his neck and ears red. He looked very flustered, struggling a bit with his chair's wheels. "I... I... handsome?" he managed to say, his voice so quiet it was hard to hear.
Lu Hua nearly burst into laughter at how cute he looked, all confused. "Come on," she said, going back to the low table and patting the cushion next to her. "The food's getting cold, and I'm really hungry. Join me?"
He paused for just a moment, still trying to understand what was happening - his bride, without her veil, eating casually and giving him nicknames. He moved his chair closer to the table, stopping across from her cushion. Lu Hua didn't make a fuss or offer help; she just watched him move with ease, showing she respected his ability to do things on his own.
She slid a plate of soft dumplings towards him and filled a cup with tea. "Here," she said, picking up her chopsticks again. "No reason to let it get cold just because His Highness was late."
He took his chopsticks, still looking a little lost, but he picked up a dumpling. They ate quietly together for a bit, the only noises were the soft clinking of their dishes and the sound of their clothes moving. The tension started to fade away.
Finally, the prince spoke, his voice soft but clear. "Lady Chun... Lu Hua..." He stopped and corrected himself. "Do you... dislike me?"
Lu Hua stopped, a piece of sweet pork almost at her mouth. She put down her chopsticks and looked straight at him. His face was serious, almost like he could get hurt easily. "Dislike you? Why would you think that? We just met like... ten minutes ago."
He looked down at his plate, running his finger along the edge. "It's... because of this," he said, pointing quickly to his legs and the chair. "People usually... expect things. Or feel... uncomfortable. Or pity." He said the last word as if it was unpleasant.
Lu Hua gave a gentle snort. She ate the piece of pork and said, "Honestly? I don't care," picking up a steamed bun. "Does the chair stop you from talking? Or thinking? Or enjoying good food?" She waved the bun at the table. "Does it make you mean or unkind? Doesn't seem so to me. You're good company as far as I can tell. Now, are you going to eat that last dumpling or can I have it?"
He blinked, surprised by her straightforwardness, then a small, barely there smile showed on his lips. He slid the plate with the last dumpling to her. "Please."
As Lu Hua took the dumpling with a happy look, she chose to speak into the quiet. "I heard stories about you, you know. Before today."
"Oh?" He sounded careful.
"Yeah. That you're very quiet and never leave your palace. They said you spend all day reading scrolls and looking at walls like a sad poet." She took a bite.
He actually laughed a little, a soft, warm sound that caught her off guard. "Well... the reading part is true. I like books. The wall-staring... not so much. More like... thinking. Or looking at the garden." He glanced at a window showing a peaceful courtyard under the moonlight. "And I leave my rooms... sometimes."
"See?" Lu Hua said, wiping her fingers gently with a napkin. "Rumors are mostly silly. Books are good. Gardens are nice. It's better than running around making trouble like some other princes." She looked at him with understanding.
He nodded slowly, beginning to relax more. It felt surprisingly comfortable, even though they were strangers married to each other. He took a sip of his tea, then cleared his throat. The easy feeling changed back to a bit of awkwardness.
"There's... something else," he began, his cheeks turning pink again. He looked down, not able to meet her eyes. "Mother... the Empress... she was very pushy. Before I came here."
Lu Hua raised an eyebrow, putting a piece of candied fruit in her mouth. "Pushy about what?"
He took a deep breath, his eyes still on his tea cup. "She told me... very clearly... that I must... consummate the marriage tonight. As soon as I got here."
"What?!"
Lu Hua choked hard. The candied fruit got stuck in her throat. She coughed and gasped, hitting her chest as tears came to her eyes. The prince seemed scared.
"Lady Chun! Are you okay?" He looked around quickly for water, his calm gone.
Lu Hua finally swallowed, coughing a bit more, her face red from choking and from being so surprised and embarrassed. "Consum-? Tonight?!" she said in a rough voice, wiping her eyes. "The Empress said that?!"
The prince looked really sorry, his face turning very red. "Yes! I... I'm sorry! It was so blunt And... I was surprised too! Please, don't feel pushed!" He spoke fast, his hands moving nervously. "It's okay! We don't have to! Not tonight! Not... not until you feel ready. Really! can wait! Months! Years! As long as you need!"
Lu Hua took deep breaths to calm down, fanning her face with her hand. The idea of the formal Empress giving such clear orders was just as shocking as the order itself. She looked at her husband, her very flustered, very sorry, very cute husband who seemed ready to disappear from how embarrassed he was.
She let out a shaky laugh. "Years is okay I guess." she said, her voice still a bit hoarse. "But... tonight?" She shook her head with determination. "No. No way. Let's... let's go slow, okay? One step at a time."
Relief showed clearly on his face. "Slow. Yes. Slow is good. Very good."
"Exactly," Lu Hua said with certainty, working to steady herself. "For tonight? We finish this great food. Then, we sort out where we sleep without any extra rush. Deal?"
"Deal," the prince agreed right away, sounding very thankful. He took his teacup again, his hand shaking just a little. "More tea?"
"Please," Lu Hua said, sliding her cup over to him. She grabbed another pastry, wanting to feel calm again. 'One step at a time,' she thought, looking at her unexpectedly shy and kind husband.
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