Scent of Cherry Blossoms (Ongoing)

Chapter 9 - The Wedding (Part 4)

Xiao Ming sat on the edge of the bed with the red veil still over his head. Liu Mei and the palace maid stood on both sides of him, guarding him.

Five hours passed.

Xiao Ming’s stomach grumbled and he groaned. “I’m so tired!” He pulled the veil off.

The palace maid quickly said in a soft, feminine voice, “Prince Consort Xiao, you mustn’t remove your veil. As per tradition, the husband must be the one to remove the veil from the bride. It is not the thing for a bride or anyone other than the groom to remove the veil.”

Xiao Ming blinked at the palace maid, and thought back to when the 3rd Prince took his veil off outside his home. “The groom has already removed my veil; therefore, tradition has not been broken.”

The palace maid frowned. She did not understand his statement. Considering Xiao Ming’s high position as Prince Consort of her Master, she decided to do nothing further. As for Liu Mei, she stood still and observed. She was unsure of what to do.

Xiao Ming ignored them and took off his headpiece. He gave it to Liu Mei, who quickly put the headpiece away. Xiao Ming stood up to stretch his limbs and rub his neck. The weight of the headpiece was killing him! His hand reached out to comb his hair and felt the hairpin the 3rd Prince had placed on his head earlier. He frowned and bit his lip angrily. Xiao Ming pulled the hairpin out from his hair and cursed at it as if it was the 3rd Prince. “Punk, I’ll teach you a lesson when I next see you!”

The palace maid’s eyes glittered with interest when she heard Xiao Ming speak carelessly about the 3rd Prince. The corners of her lips tilted slightly upward in amusement. The Prince Consort has some spunk to speak in such a tone. Will he still have the guts to do the same in Master’s presence? It will be quite interesting to observe.

Suddenly, Xiao Ming’s stomach growled hungrily. He rubbed his stomach and cursed the 3rd Prince again for making his stomach growl. This made the palace maid chuckled at Xiao Ming’s cursing and a mischievous idea came to him. Liu Mei frowned at the palace maid.

A few feet away from the bed was a table full of delectable dishes and wine. The palace maid slightly bowed at the waist to Xiao Ming and gestured to the table. He said with a sweet smile, “Prince Consort Xiao, there are food and wine at the table.”

“Good,” said Xiao Ming. He walked to the table to sit down and placed the hairpin upon the table.

Liu Mei was worried and said, “Prince Consort Xiao, one must wait for one’s husband to arrive first and then dine together. It is a rule.”

Xiao Ming waved her concern away with a careless gesture of his hand. “It’s fine. It’s fine. I’m hungry. I will not wait for him.” He scoffed and mumbled, “Who wants to wait and eat with that crybaby! I’ll not leave him any!” He began stuffing his mouth with food.

Dismissed by her young lord, Liu Mei bit her lips and became silent.

The palace maid’s lips quirked up and she walked to stand by Xiao Ming. She poured the wedding wine and offered the cup to Xiao Ming. “Prince Consort Xiao, here is some wine.”

Xiao Ming waved his hand to decline the wine. “I don’t like wine and alcohol. Get me some water.”

The palace maid chuckled. “Prince Consort Xiao may not know. This is Nine Layers of Heaven wine. It’s a popular wine used for wedding nights. It is sweet and refreshing unlike many other wine. Please do try some.”

Xiao Ming looked at the cup of wine in the palace maid’s hands. Then his eyes strangely drifted to her hands due to the odd thickness of her hands. Xiao Ming frowned in thought.

“Prince Consort Xiao?” The palace maid’s sweet voice startled him.

“Hm? Uh, okay.” Xiao Ming shook his head and took the cup of wine. He took a sip. It was indeed sweet and refreshing. Xiao Ming actually found it to his liking. He downed the wine.

The palace maid smiled and poured some more into the cup. “Please have some more.”

Xiao Ming nodded and drank some more. He ended up drinking three cups and became drunk. Then, he knocked out on the table. Liu Mei went to him worriedly and tried to shake him awake.

The palace maid frowned. How is he so weak to alcohol? The show won’t be any fun if the Prince Consort fell asleep.

Just as the palace maid thought that, the double doors to the bed chamber opened to reveal a night sky and a tall, imposing figure. It was the 3rd Prince.

Tian Jin saw the sleeping figure of Xiao Ming on the table and then glared at the startled palace maid. “What is the meaning of this, Zeng Fang?”