67 I will torture you everyday
Finally, the wedding day arrived. Li Hua could not sleep well the entire night. No, she was not excited about her marriage with Lóng Wei, but she feared what would happen after the marriage? Because of that reason, she tossed and turned on her bed for the entire night.
“Why did Miss Hua have dark eye bags? Did she not sleep well?” Court Lady Hong got worried. She remembered that Li Hua had gone to bed early in the night, then why had this happened.
“Can I sleep a bit more, Court Lady Hong?” Li Hua asked her andid down on the bed. What did she even ask? Sleep more?! She could not sleep the entire night, and she needed a good sleep to recharge herself else, she would indeed faint in the wedding hall.
Pulling the nket up, she closed her eyes.
“Miss Hua, the Queen will be here in a while. I suppose that Miss Hua cannot sleep,” Court Lady expressed her concern, which Li Hua ignored. Her eyelids were getting heavier because of the sleep that was ready to take over her.
“Miss Hua! Miss Hua!” Court Lady Hong repeatedly called out Li Hua’s name, who had already fallen into a deep slumber.
Her eyes opened, and she tilted her head. To her surprise, the Queen was standing tall in front of her. She found herself on the bed, and in one swift movement, her feetnded on the ground, and she bowed before the Queen.
Shocked. Embarrassed. Bewildered.
“Will the Royal Mother punish Li Hua for sleeping till mid-noon?” Li Hua heard the voice of the Third Princess, Xiaolian.
.....
“Forgive me, Your Majesty, for being unable to wake Miss Hua up.” Court Lady Hong was on her knees, apologizing to Zhu Liling.
Li Hua also apologized to the Queen. “Forgive me for sleeping for too long, Your Majesty,” Li Hua said in her humble tone.
“A servant can never be a virtuousdy,” Jingfei remarked, who was also present in the chamber. She had no intention toe to see Li Hua. However, she could neither refuse her mother for not apanying her.
“Why did Li Hua wake upte on her wedding day?” Zhu Liling asked. Her tone was soft.
“Your Majesty, Li Hua could not sleep the entire night. Li Hua thought to take some sleep in the morning, but it turned out to be noon. Please punish me for my recklessness.” Li Hua repeatedly apologized and even asked the Queen to punish her.
“Li Hua must be restless before her wedding day.” Zhu Liling brought her hand under her chin. “She should not be asking for punishment on such an auspicious day,” the Queen said and asked Court Lady Hong to start the preparation to make Li Hua ready.
“I will see Li Hua in the wedding hall,” Zhu Liling said before leaving, apanied by the three other Princesses.
Li Hua was taken to the bathhouse. She repeatedly apologized to Court Lady Hong for sleeping sote. She removed herst night’s clothes and put on a white satin robe before entering the bathtub.
The warm water calmed every nerve in her body, and it soothed her out. Her tiredness because of not getting proper sleep had gonepletely.
The servants helped her bathe. Various essences were used in the water, along with the rose water. The expensive soap bar and the exquisite hair shampoo from the Queen’s manor had been sent for her.
After getting a proper bath of two hours, she was brought back to the chamber. Two maidservants dried her hair using a conventional method, where the heat of the incense sticks was trapped in tiny cauldrons and then that would dry the moisture in the hair.
Court Lady Hong brought Li Hua’s wedding dress which she had to change.
“Why is the dress torn?” Court Lady Hong was shocked to see the red wedding dress. Li Hua was shocked to hear her and asked the maidservants to let go of her hair.
She swiftly rose to her feet and walked to Court Lady Hong. “Miss Hua, I have kept it safe. How could this get torn?” Tears appeared in Court Lady Hong’s eyes. The maidservants had also turned upset. It was an inauspicious thing that could ever happen to a bride. Li Hua took them in her hand to check and found it was intentionally cut, from many ces.
“Did someonee here after Miss Hua left for the bathhouse?” Court Lady Hong inquired of the maidservants, who remained quiet. One of them answered that they all were present in the bathhouse.
Court Lady Hong started to scold them when Li Hua asked her to calm down.
Suddenly they heard augh echoing in the chamber and they all were shocked to see Jingfei. She folded her arms and came to Li Hua, who lowered her eyes.
“Did the First Princess do it?” Court Lady Hong asked her.
“Yes,” Jingfei answered and gazed at Li Hua, who did not utter a word. “Go and tell the Sixth Prince I did it,” she said with an evil grin.
Jingfei picked the phoenix robe of the wedding dress and looked at the big hole that was made at the center. She started tough again.
“The First Princess should not have done this. It was an auspicious day for Miss Hua,” Court Lady Hongined. She could not raise her voice either, as it would increase the tension between them. Court Lady Hong belonged to the Queen’s manor, but she was humble in nature. If she wanted, she couldin about it to the Queen, but that would only increase Li Hua’s troubles.
A woman, who cannot prevent her wedding dress from getting destroyed, can never lead a happy married life- everyone knows this.
“Just like this torn dress, your life is also ripped. Because of you, my beautiful face bore such torture, and the Sixth Brother tried to kill me. Stop dreaming of bing the official wife of the Sixth Brother. It is the time when you should run away from the pce because if by any chance, you get married today, I will torture you every day,” Jingfei threatened Li Hua, who lifted her eyes for a small fraction of time, their gazes met.
Jingfei threw the robe on the floor and stomped her foot over it.
“First Princess!” Court Lady Hong got shocked and tried to stop her.
Jingfei pressed the wedding robe down her foot and stained it with the dust. Court Lady Hong got on her knees and tried to remove the dress from under Jingfei’s feet, but it was in vain.
Jingfei chuckled and left the chamber.