The Gilded Cage - Chapter 121
Promise – I Can’t Help It If It’s Come To This (1)
By candlelight, he examined her face carefully.
He was happy to see that she was suddenly willing to leave the prince for her future.
However, here, apart from sincere gratitude, there did not seem to be much to do with him.
He could not help but feel a sense of melancholy in his heart. The good thing is, this was a big step for her.
He knew that it was too difficult to get the women of this world to leave their husbands of their own accord. The law that had been in force for hundreds of years did not allow a woman to initiate a divorce without her husband’s permission, and the so-called divorce was only a man’s charity to a woman’s dignity so that the woman had less of a “moral abandonment” status.
The higher the status of the man, the less freedom the woman would have.
Just like his mother, who was neglected and disliked by the previous emperor because of her low birth, and who endured the coldness and ridicule of other concubines day in and day out, but still never complained to her husband, and, even before her death, was grateful that he had fulfilled her last request and sent him, her son, to Ganzhou.
He also met many concubines who fought in the palace, seeing each other as enemies, but never complained to the Emperor who caused all this and flattered him with all their hearts.
When he was young, he only felt confused, but later, he saw more people and things, only to understand that it was a kind of self-paralysis in the face of the unchangeable status quo.
If she had not been supported by revenge for her father, how would she have seen the Prince’s character clearly? To be able to resolutely decide to leave on her own initiative was already very gratifying.
“Good.” He rubbed her cheeks affectionately and dropped kisses on her temples as if he was gently coaxing his well-cared-for little girl.
This girl, like a seed quietly spitting out tender shoots under his careful watering, made him both surprised and compelled to wait patiently.
“Your Majesty, the water will get cold.” Chu Ning wanted to get up.
He turned his head to see and reached out to pull her down so that she fell into his arms. “Today, I did not make you tired?”
The low voice transmitted into her ear, hooked her heart, and she could not help but blush and say, “Tired, A’Ning is tired.”
The only thing that was on her mind was Xiao Yu and Zhao Yue, so she forgot about the exhaustion she was feeling.
He laughed lightly, kissed her on the ear, carried her up, put her on the long bookcase, and twisted a towel to wipe her carefully.
The ink had long been wiped off, except a few spots on her back, which he gently wiped off for her. She leapt off the bookcase, bit her lip, and looked for the original clothes that had been sent back to her. Then, she put them on one by one, combed her disheveled hair, and was preparing to go out. He walked behind her reflection in the gold mirror and touched a gold hairpin.
The tip of the hairpin was cool and fine, following the brush of her hair, the flower inlay on her eyebrow, the straight bridge of her nose, gently sliding down and finally landing on her jaw, poking her face up to meet his gaze.
“This hairpin, leave it with me, okay?”
She fluttered her eyes, biting her lips and answering “Yes.”
Liu Kang escorted her palanquin back, and Cuihe was waiting for her. The other whispered, “The guards say that the Crown PPrince is to be back soon. “
Chu Ning nodded gently and walked to the bedchamber, changed her clothes, and loosened
her hair.
Within a few moments, Xiao Yu had indeed returned.
She took a deep breath, tried her best to hide her heart, put on her usual smile, and pushed the door to welcome him.
“Your Highness is back.”
Xiao Yu was full of fatigue and looked a bit depressed, but when he saw his gentle and agreeable wife, he reluctantly pulled the corner of his mouth, “Yes. Was the Lantern Festival nice?”
Chu Ning nodded, tenderly removed his outer shirt, and brought a warm hand towel to wipe his face: “There were lights of various colors, and many people. It can be compared with the lively lantern fair of the folk.”
Besides, she naturally felt good to have someone with her.
She was hesitant to test him, but he suddenly took the initiative to speak. “I met with Duke Xu today.”
Chu Ning held up her hand towel and said in a soft voice, “Your Highness has been working hard, and you still have to go see Duke Xu on the first day of the first month.”
Xiao Yu waved the others away, reached out and took her by the hand, stopped her from washing for him, took her to sit on the couch, and asked in a deep voice, “A’ Ning, have I treated you well these past two years?”
Chu Ning’s heart trembled and she almost let the word “no” come out before she could hold it back.
