After Marrying the Disabled Crown Prince of the Enemy Country

Chapter 41          Imperial Decree

There was a heater burning in the bedroom. Since Le Zhi was injured, heaters had been placed all over the mansion.

But at this time, Le Zhi, who had always been afraid of the cold, felt that the temperature was a little overheated. She was so embarrassed that she had nowhere to put the two hands hanging by her side. She looked at Huo Du quietly and was speechless for a while.

He must be happy, right?

Did not the fact that the clear and undisguised gleam in his black eyes meant she was successful?

Le Zhi did not really understand the relationship between men and women. On the day when she reached the marriageable age, her imperial father promised her to Huo Xu. At that time, there were no waves in her heart, but most of the husbands and wives in the world were like this.

Mutual respect and no feelings between husband and wife for a lifetime.

But what about between her and Huo Du?

Le Zhi originally knew very well that the relationship between the two of them was nothing more than an arrangement by Emperor Qi to take advantage of Huo Du. She walked cautiously and walked on thin ice every step of the way.

In the beginning, she made Huo Du like her was for survival, and later was to make her path go more smoothly. According to Le Zhi’s expectations, she hoped that Huo Du would like her a little bit would be enough for her. But she was really not a person who could play with her feelings skillfully and easily. Even now, some things were out of her control.

However, Le Zhi thought about it, with Huo Du’s meticulous and thoughtful temperament, he would not let himself be in a vulnerable position, let alone be so foolish enough to fall into the myth of love between men and women. She believed that Huo Du would definitely be more rational than her.

Thinking of this, Le Zhi curled her lips into a smile and let out a slow sigh of relief.

Worry for nothing!

Le Zhi stared at the face of the person in front of her. Huo Du still looked at her, without worry nor urging. He was always so composed and calm.

Unlike when she was at the hot spring villa, her mind was not very sober that day. But today, her mind was sober and clear.

Le Zhi reached out her hands and gently put them on his shoulders, then her little face leaned forward, slowly pressed her lips to his lips, and gently kissed at the corners of his slightly curled lips. This was not the first kiss between them, but Le Zhi felt a strange feeling in her heart.    

Soon, she felt Huo Du’s slightly cold lips begin to warm and immediately stepped back and hurriedly ended the short kiss without hesitation.

When Le Zhi retreated, she saw Huo Du’s brows frowned noticeably, but he did not say much.

After a while, Huo Du pressed his lips with his fingertips and smiled softly. “Barely adequate but it’s all right.”

Barely adequate?

Le Zhi’s eyes were full of resentment. She glared at him with wide eyes, then turned her head away from looking at him.

There was a rustling sound from her side, and then Huo Du’s voice sounded.

“Get off the bed.”

“Huh?” Le Zhi turned her head with a slightly startled expression, “Now?”

Huo Du chuckled lightly, like a smile yet not a smile, “Otherwise? Can you fall asleep now?”

Le Zhi shook her head, moved her body quickly, and then got off the bed.

In the dead of night, the lights in the bedroom were brightly lit. The two sat at the table in their bedclothes and opened the shop’s account books once again.

After a long time, Huo Du finished the last page of the account book, and he raised his eyes to look at Le Zhi beside him. She held her head with her hands and stared at the account books on the table.

He smiled. He initially wanted to mock her a few words, but when he saw her frown, he toned down his voice, “Le Zhi, you really… don’t know how to do business.”

Hearing this, Le Zhi’s little face turned red. She bit her lip and lowered her head.

He was right that she really did not know anything about business.

Huo Du glanced at her and continued, “It can still be saved. However, pastries and candies are small businesses. Even if they don’t lose money, it’s hard to make big profits by simply relying on these businesses alone.”

Le Zhi frowned and said softly, “I can’t even do a small business, how dare I make a big business.”

Besides, she even borrowed the capital.

“Wrong.” Huo Du picked up the writing brush and put it in Le Zhi’s hand, “You grew up in the court, and most of the pastries and candies were probably made by the imperial chef in the palace and delivered to you to eat, which was naturally different from what common people eat. They are looking for high-quality and cheap things, and you don’t even have the concept of money. Naturally, you can’t find a way.”

“Then I will study hard from tomorrow.”

“Oh, good.” Huo Du raised his eyebrows and sneered, “After you’re done learning, the shop will be lost long ago.”

Le Zhi’s cheeks were red with complicated expressions.

Huo Du took a piece of paper, spread it on the table, and tapped two or three times with his finger, “Write down the things you used to use every day, including food and clothing.”

Le Zhi was puzzled but still started writing according to the words. She recalled the things she used the most every day from waking up to going to bed and then wrote them down on a piece of paper.

After a while, she put down the writing brush and pushed the paper in front of Huo Du. Huo Du lowered his eyes, quickly picked up the writing brush and circled a few places on the paper, and then handed the paper back to her.

Le Zhi looked at those places.

Flower tea, bird’s nest, fish maw…

This is?

“Most of the things you write are things used by the imperial family, courtiers, and wealthy merchants. Although the eating habits of each country are different, the few I have circled are also indispensable in the lives of the nobles of country Qi.”

Le Zhi instantly understood. Instead of starting from scratch to learn things she did not know, it was better to just do what she was good at. Several things that Huo Du circled were all produced in the country Li. Compared with the merchants of country Qi, she knew how to distinguish the quality of these things.

“Understand?” Huo Du knew that she was smart, so there was no need to say more, just a little bit of pointer was enough.

Le Zhi nodded, but she was still fearful, “I understand. Since I have already failed once, I’m afraid…”

“Le Zhi.” Huo Du interrupted her in a deep voice. “Business can rarely be achieved overnight. Even if you adjust your direction this time, no one can guarantee success. However, how do you know if you don’t try?”

Le Zhi stared at Huo Du’s eyes, a little startled. This was the first time she saw his serious appearance, and there seemed to be a resolute force in his black eyes.

She seemed to be infected and nodded unconsciously, “Yes.”

The red candle was about to burn out, and the wick of the candle flickered slightly.

“Can you sleep now?” Huo Du glanced at her, stood up leisurely, and walked lazily towards the bed.

After Le Zhi lay down on the bed and put down the curtain, she leaned on the embroidered pillow and said softly facing the inside, “Thank you.”

In the darkness, a familiar chuckle sounded. A strange feeling flashed through Le Zhi’s heart. Usually, whenever he laughed like that, there must be not a good thing.

Huo Du tutted lightly, “Le Zhi, you are really heavily in debt now.”

Le Zhi bit her lip and muttered, “Don’t worry, Your Highness. The money owed to you will definitely be paid back.”

“I’m not in a hurry for the money. Just pay back the rest first.”

“What?” Le Zhi was confused, what else did she owe him?

Huo Du snorted softly and said slowly, “Do you think you can take the shortcut in the hot spring villa for nothing?”

Le Zhi’s head went blank with a bang all of a sudden.

She almost forgot!

Taking shortcuts comes at a price.

Le Zhi was not a person who liked to take advantage of others. She asked in a low voice, “The shortcut… How do you want me to do to pay it back?”

Huo Du originally forgot about this matter, but just now she gave him a half-hearted kiss, which made him very dissatisfied. He suddenly thought of what he wanted her to do.

“It’s simple, kiss me a hundred times.” He lowered his voice, and his tone extremely serious, “Also every time you have to kiss it differently.”

Since the kiss was so half-heartedly, kiss a few more times.

A hundred different times.

Light kisses, deep kisses, suck kisses, … Just thinking about it, Huo Du felt damn wonderful.

Le Zhi was shocked by his crazy words.

Does he really know what he’s talking about?

“Why, don’t you want to?”

Le Zhi bit her lower lip, moved towards the side of the bed with the faint light from the gap between the bed curtains, wrapped around Huo Du’s waist, and kissed him with embarrassment.

Huo Du closed his eyes and felt the kiss carefully. It was not until the tip of his tongue was bitten that he reacted and responded with a smile.

Sure enough, she’s angry.

But she did not even bite through his tongue, how could that be enough?

He curled his lips.

Don’t worry, there are still ninety-nine times.

—

Yongning Palace.

“What?” Lin Qi looked surprised as if he could not believe what he heard.

The Empress was dressed in a phoenix robe, dignified and graceful. She looked at her brother helplessly, sighed, and said, “At this point, someone in the Lin family must make a sacrifice.”

Lin Qi frowned, but he did not dare to disobey his sister, “Can’t you change to someone else? I have so many daughters, why does it have to be Yuxian?”

He had many children, but Lin Yuxian’s birth mother was his most precious concubine. Lin Qi was not afraid of anything else, just her delicate tears.

Lin Wanning sneered, “Because her mind is the most unclear.” The niece she had loved since she was a child was born with a good appearance, but she liked Huo Du out of all people. It was almost like being bewitched.

According to the initial plan, it would the best if Xu’er could use Le Zhi to remove this serious threat, Huo Du. But after this period, Huo Du still live well, and looked like Le Zhi did not have many abilities.

In that case, she must change her plans. Since that girl, Yuxian liked Huo Du, why not she pushed the boat along and fulfilled her wish to marry in as a concubine.

Of course, Lin Wanning would not be so stupid as to directly ask Lin Yuxian to kill Huo Du. With that girl’s unswerving stubbornness, she would definitely not be willing. However, Yu Xian was very stupid. As long as she told a lie, the girl would definitely fall for it.

Putting Yuxian by Huo Du’s side was equivalent to a reminder from her.

It was just that once the game started, there was no turning back. This niece, as a pawn, must be abandoned after making the best use of her. Fortunately, there were many children in the Lin family, and one less Lin Yuxian was nothing.

Seeing Lin Wanning’s imposing smile, Lin Qi did not dare to say anymore. He nodded in response, then bowed and retired.

—

Taizi Mansion.

Cui Gonggong, who came from the palace to announce the imperial decree, finished reading the decree in sweat and looked at His Highness Taizi sitting in a white jade wheelchair trembling with fear.

He also came to announce the marriage decree last time. At that time, His Highness just contemplated expressionlessly for a moment, and then silently took the decree. But today, his face was so gloomy that it seemed to be covered with a layer of ice.

After a long time, Huo Du did not even have the intention to take the decree.

Because of his disabled leg, Huo Du never had to kneel to receive orders. Cui Gonggong moved his eyes and saw Taizifei kneeling beside him. He remembered the instructions from Empress before the decree was announced.

He turned his feet, took two steps towards Le Zhi, and presented the golden imperial decree with both hands, “Pay respect to Taizifei. Since you are the first wife of His Highness Taizi, it’s the same for you to receive this imperial decree.”

Le Zhi raised her eyes, and instead of looking at Cui Gonggong, she turned her head to Huo Du. He was also looking at her, with deep and cold eyes. Somehow, the pain of breaking her arm on the wedding night came to her mind, and Le Zhi unconsciously hid her hands behind her back.

The warning in Huo Du’s eyes was too obvious.

Le Zhi shrank her shoulders. She was almost certain that as long as she dared to accept this imperial decree, Huo Du would definitely break her hand.

Not accepting it.

Can’t accept it even if it means death.

The author has something to say:

Du: Hahaha. It’s alright, you can accept it. (Kiss me a thousand times and I will forgive you.)

Zhi: You dare! Isn’t this entrapment? I’m not stupid!