Never Warm My Bed
In the Bridal chamber, the maidservants had arranged everything as per Court Lady Xu's instructions. An-Ying Lili had removed her veil despite court Lady Xu stressing her not to do so.
"When he will come, I will put it on, court lady Xu," Ying Lili humbly said. Su Binxi had a bamboo stick basket in her hand in which rose petals could be seen. "Why did you pluck so many roses, Binxi? They are wasted," Ying Lili proclaimed.
"Your highness, these rose petals are the symbol of love. The bridal chamber is filled with the fragrance of roses and the imperial crown prince is going to like it," Su Binxi asserted with a smile and she started spreading the rose petals on the large circular bed.
Court Lady Xu instructed the other attendants to help Su Binxi and then turned to Ying Lili. "My lady, today is your first night with the crown prince. Your mother might have told you about this still, as the second head of the imperial Palace I have to tell you some important things," Court Lady Xu proclaimed.
Ying Lili was getting irritated hearing that she had to spend the night with the person whom she hated the most there. But she was happy too because she had decided to kill him that night only.
"My lady, it will be painful in the beginning but…" Court Lady Xu was stopped by An-Ying Lili who was already annoyed by all this. Court Lady Xu apologized to the crown princess.
"The crown Prince is taking more than usual time," said Su Binxi to cheer up the mood of the crown princess, unbeknownst that the crown princess is annoyed by the Crown Prince.
One maidservant came running inside. Bowing her head she said, "The crown prince is here." Su Binxi put the red veil over the head of the crown princess and told her to not be nervous.
Both Su Binxi and Court Lady Xu stood a few meters away from the large King sized bed with bowed heads.
As the crown Prince stepped into Zhenzhu inn and all the servants bowed before him. Sheng Li entered the bridal chamber and looked at Court Lady Xu. "No one should be outside else you all will face my wrath in the morning." Sheng Li's tone was fierce.
"Yes, your highness," Court Lady Xu replied as she further lowered her head.
"You all shall leave now," Sheng Li ordered.
"Yes, your highness. The marital teas are already being served. Please take them and complete the last ritual of your marriage," Court Lady Xu humbly told the crown prince.
"I understood," Sheng Li replied when all the maidservants, Court Lady Xu and Su Binxi left from there. Sheng Li looked at An-Ying Lili and clenched his fists tightly which were behind his back. The candle lights were illuminating the bridal chamber, so he blew them off first.
Ying
When all the candles were blown off, Sheng Li stepped towards the bed where An-Ying Lili was seated. "Why are you putting on this act?" Sheng Li growled when An-Ying Lili pulled off the veil from her head and said, "I am not putting on any act," Ying Lili snapped at Sheng Li, glaring at him. She found his eyes were red as if he had drunk a lot.
Sheng Li placed his one leg beside Ying Lili and leaned towards her while Ying Lili leaned back, but it was of no use because Sheng Li had grabbed her face in between his hands. The impressions of his fingers on Ying Lili's face deepened as he pulled her towards him.
"I warned you that I do not like wild cats who snap at me. You shall feel lucky that I did not cut your tongue till now." Sheng Li's stony gaze was depicting he would not spare Ying Lili if she continued displeasing him.
Ying Lili's both hands were on his hand, trying to release it from her cheeks, but her efforts were dull in front of the crown prince.
"No one ever dared to talk with me like the crown princess does. You forget that for me there is no gender. I consider both men and women equal. I do not even hesitate in killing you but, this my father's grace on you that you are still alive," saying this Sheng Li pushed her back and Ying Lili's back hit against the soft, cushioned mattress.
Sheng Lili straightened up and turned his head to look at the teacups in which marital drinks were poured already. He went towards that table and in anger turned it away. The porcelain teacups fell and broke. Ying Lili stood up to go to the other room in the Inn as she knew if she stayed there any longer then the crown prince would hurt her.
The crown princess stepped ahead to run away when the crown prince grabbed her arm and then the next second she was pulled by him. Ying Lili acted swiftly in that situation and took out the hidden dagger from her waistband.
Directing the sharp dagger towards the crown prince, Ying Lili spoke, "You shall die." Her eyes were resentful as she recalled how her uncle told her that day that for saving himself and the people there from the wrath of the crown prince, he had to lie that he killed Song Wai. "You made a mistake by taking me here, Sheng Li," Ying Lili pronounced and it hit Sheng Li's chest.
Sheng Li did not expect this from Ying Lili, and a chuckle escaped his mouth. In his damp crisp voice, the crown prince said, "You shall know that such a small knife won't be enough to kill me."
"You are too confident of yourself, Sheng Li," Ying Lili asserted with a glare and pierced it more into Sheng Li's skin.
"I am enjoying playing with you, Crown princess," Sheng Li proclaimed when he grabbed Ying Lili's hand. "I hope you could use this opportunity in a better way," Ying Lili heard Sheng Li who had taken out the dagger from his skin.
The blood drops dropped on the floor when Ying Lili noticed the dagger was half-covered in the blood. She again tried hurting the crown prince but this time he grabbed her wrist and swiftly pushed her towards the bed, throwing the dagger away somewhere in the chamber.
Ying Lili struggled when Sheng Li pressed both hands on either side of her shoulders. "You have lost your chance to kill me. I was too easy on you but, now I think I should not undermine this beauty," Sheng Li proclaimed as he hovered over the crown princess who was struggling to get released from the grip of the crown prince.
"I heard you are the kindest woman in the entire Han Kingdom but it seems opposite to me. You want me to die!!" Sheng Li astonishingly said, keeping his distant gaze intact on the woman on his bed.
"Cruel people are not worthy of anyone's kindness," Ying Lili pronounced sternly.
Sheng Li chuckled. "Do you mean that kind people live happily? Kindest is the one who whimpers in pain. Are you ready to undergo that pain with this cruel man?" Sheng Li asked, slightly tilting his head, and a smirk formed on his lips.
The blood drops were falling on Ying Lili's wedding dress when she flinched her brows. She felt something different in the eyes of the crown prince as if he was badly hurt internally.
Leaning closer to Ying Lili's ear, Sheng Li whispered, "Never expect love from this evil and cruel man. Feed this in your mind- 'You will never warm my bed.' Remember this memorable wedding night, my dear Crown Princess."