Chapter 79: Do You Like a Whole Garden?

Qin Zhilan was startled and turned to look at Princess Pingyao, her face slightly pale: “Your Highness, I… I…”

“What about you?” Princess Pingyao asked indifferently, “What benefits can you offer to Qin Yumo? To make him the legitimate son of the Qin family, or to hand over the future management rights of the Qin family to him?”

Qin Zhilan’s face turned red: “He’s just a concubine’s son…”

“Get out.” Princess Pingyao looked around, “How dare you let an unrelated person into the bridal chamber without my consent? How do you do things?”

“Princess, spare us! We deserve to die!”

“Tonight is my wedding, I don’t want blood on my hands, I’ll spare you this once.” Princess Pingyao said coldly, “Throw the Qin family woman out, from now on, the entrance to the Princess’s residence is off-limits to anyone from the Qin family.”

“Yes.”

Princess Pingyao approached a little, looking at Qin Yumo who remained silent, and lifted his chin with her hand: “What are you thinking?”

Qin Yumo raised his eyes slightly: “Was that person really General Fengyang?”

Princess Pingyao raised her eyebrows slightly: “I thought you would first explain why Qin Zhilan was here.”

Qin Yumo said: “She came on her own, the people outside saw that she was my sister and didn’t dare to stop her.”

Princess Pingyao snorted coldly.

“It should be.” She nodded casually, “The figure, appearance, voice, all very similar.”

Qin Yumo’s hands tightened slightly: “Then, Your Highness doesn’t plan to…”

“To what?” Princess Pingyao raised her eyebrows, “Reignite old feelings? Renew past ties?”

Qin Yumo lowered his gaze and remained silent.

“For the past three years, I’ve been without him by my side, and haven’t I been doing just fine?” Princess Pingyao sneered, “Even if he is the real Ling Fengyang, so what? He left as he pleased and now he wants to come back as he pleases. Am I supposed to just wait for him?”

Qin Yumo still didn’t speak.

“He can dream on.” Princess Pingyao sneered coldly, “I wouldn’t be foolish enough to give up my entire garden for just one person.”

As she spoke, she leaned down and kissed his cheek, “Don’t think too much about it. Tonight is our wedding night, let’s drink the cross-cupped wine.”

Qin Yumo’s eyes softened: “Does the Princess prefer an entire garden?”

“Of course.” Princess Pingyao glanced at him sideways, “Don’t you like it?”

Qin Yumo was at a loss for words: “I…”

He didn’t have the qualification to like.

“No matter how beautiful and stunning a single flower may be, it will eventually wither and fall.” Princess Pingyao said, “But owning an entire garden means that won’t happen. If one bloom wilts, there are countless others in bloom, and every year, new flowers will bloom. I can favor whichever flower I choose, and I will never grow tired of it.”

Peonies are luxurious, plum blossoms are pure and cold, orchids are elegant, lotuses rise untainted from the mud, and even roses have their own beauty.

This year she might like peonies, but next year she might prefer orchids.

Today, if she’s in a good mood, she might stroll through the peony garden, and tomorrow, on a whim, she might only want to visit the plum blossom garden. The day after, sitting in the pavilion in the middle of the lake, admiring the full bloom of lotuses would also be nice.

Only a fool would give up all the flowers for just one.

“Lotuses are to be admired from afar and not to be played with, peonies are majestic and noble and not to be trampled upon, plum blossoms are pure and lofty, with their own charm.” Qin Yumo’s expression was indifferent, “These flowers each have their own charm when they are in the garden. Isn’t it better to appreciate them quietly? If you pick them every day, wouldn’t it destroy their original beauty?”

Princess Pingyao’s eyebrow twitched slightly, “What are you trying to say? Don’t tell me you want me to favor only you?”

Qin Yumo pressed his lips together, “That’s not what I meant.”

“I don’t care what you meant.” Princess Pingyao ordered someone to bring the cross-cupped wine, “To make me favor only one person, one must have the ability to deserve such exclusive favor, not just words.”

The female official brought a tray with two wine cups on it.

Princess Pingyao took one cup and handed it to Qin Yumo, holding the other herself. Then, with their arms crossed, they raised their cups and drained them in one gulp.

Princess Pingyao put down her wine cup and waved her hand, “All of you, withdraw.”

“Your Highness, I must also perform the hair-binding ceremony for you and the Prince Consort…”

Princess Pingyao interrupted her, “Skip those meaningless steps.”

The female official paused, then bowed her head and withdrew, “Yes.”

Princess Pingyao lifted her hand and took off her wedding dress, “Although your brother will soon pay the price for what he has done, it will not affect your status in the Princess’s manor. From now on, don’t bother with those unrelated people.”

Qin Yumo said, “I never thought of pleading for him.”

Whether Qin Yanshu lived or died had nothing to do with him.

Even if Qin Yanshu died, he would not fight for the inheritance of the Qin family, because those things had nothing to do with him. He was aware of his humble status and never dared to think about it, nor did he ever hope for it.

If Qin Yanshu lived, he would not scheme against him, harm him, or try to put him to death.

In short, everything had nothing to do with him.

“That’s good.” Princess Pingyao lifted her hand to undress him, “From now on, you are just my Prince Consort. All your glory and shame will be within this manor. Whether the Qin family prospers or declines, it has nothing to do with you.”

Qin Yumo held her hand nervously, “Your Highness, I…”

“What is it?” Princess Pingyao’s eyes teased, “Shy?”

“I… I’ll do it myself.” Qin Yumo nervously shrank back a little and began to unbutton his clothes.

Seeing this, Princess Pingyao did not force him and leisurely took off her wedding dress, sitting on the edge of the bed in her undergarments, “Will you be the active one or should I?”

Qin Yumo’s hand trembled, his handsome face flushed with embarrassment, “Your Highness!”

“So innocent.” Princess Pingyao lifted the blanket and lay down, “Come in when you’re done undressing. If there’s anything you don’t know how to do, I’ll teach you.”

Qin Yumo’s cheeks burned, his whole body like a boiled shrimp, as he slowly took off his robe and awkwardly lifted the blanket to lie down.

Princess Pingyao disliked those bothersome steps, so before the servants withdrew, they had already removed the dates and peanuts from under the blanket and pillow.

At this moment, the bridal chamber was silent.

Qin Yumo lay on the bed covered with a bright red wedding blanket, his heart pounding non-stop.

A soft hand reached for his chest, followed by a faint, pleasant fragrance: “Qin Yumo, isn’t your heart beating a little too fast?”

Qin Yumo trembled with tension, “Your Highness…”

Princess Pingyao sneered, propping herself up to look at him, “Qin Yumo.”

“Your Highness?”

“We are now husband and wife.”

Qin Yumo was taken aback and nodded instinctively, “Yes.”

“Husband and wife are one body, the most intimate relationship in the world, even more so than that between father and son or mother and daughter.” Princess Pingyao said, “You should learn to adapt.”

One body as husband and wife?

The most intimate relationship?

A warm current seemed to flow through Qin Yumo’s heart.

He stared fixedly at the Princess’s clear and noble features, then nodded slowly, “Yes.”