GTB Chapter 69

Chapter 69: His Highness Was Drunk Last Night

Shí Yan’s eyes were deep as he thought, “Couldn’t she use a stool? Why must she reach like this…so laboriously.”

Seeing her successfully bring down another quilt, he quickly retracted his gaze and lowered his eyes to read.

Jiang Jiuchu closed the closet doors and looked around. It seemed the largest empty space was in front of the bed, but looking at the person leaning against the headboard, she decided it was best not to sleep in front of him.

She looked at the space at her feet and decided to make a pallet next to the wardrobe, at least it would be more convenient to get the bedding.

With that thought, she found a handkerchief, squatted down, and wiped the area. Although it didn’t look dusty, she still cleaned the area in front of the wardrobe thoroughly.

Thinking about how this high-quality redwood floor was as smooth as her family’s table, she figured sleeping on the floor wasn’t too bad.

Shí Yan, looking at the book, twitched the corner of his mouth. She certainly liked to be clean, but he wondered how long this delicate little girl could last sleeping on the floor?

Jiang Jiuchu spread out the quilt and had just sat down, not even had time to lie down, when darkness suddenly descended.

She was a little speechless. Wasn’t this person just reading? Why did he suddenly blow out the lights? Couldn’t he wait until she lay down?

As she pulled up the quilt, she thought that her mother had really misjudged this time. This man didn’t seem to have even the most basic manners, let alone any consideration or tenderness for women.

Oh well, that was a good thing, she didn’t mind.

Just as Jiang Jiuchu lay down, she felt an emptiness behind her head. Oh no, she seemed to have forgotten to get a pillow.

“Ugh! Never mind, just get through the night! Tomorrow, I’ll take one of the pillows from the bed and put it in the wardrobe, so I won’t forget.”

But Jiang Jiuchu, who was used to sleeping with a pillow and had never made do before, not only had to lie on a hard surface but also had no pillow.

Lying on her back made the back of her head hurt, lying on her side made her cheeks hurt, and she tossed and turned, unable to find a comfortable position. An hour later, she still hadn’t fallen asleep.

Helpless, Jiang Jiuchu sat up and looked in the direction of the bed, but it was too dark to see anything clearly.

After hesitating for a while, she finally sat up, threw back the covers, and decided to go and get the other pillow.

She stepped barefoot on the floor, using the faint moonlight coming through the window and her knowledge of the layout, and slowly crept towards the bed.

She moved very lightly, afraid of waking the person on the bed.

After reaching the bedpost, she planned to follow the edge of the bed to the head. But what she touched was a curtain. Why did this man have curtains up when it wasn’t even summer yet?

She followed the curtain to the middle, then lifted it and slowly felt her way to the head of the bed. Supporting herself on the edge of the bed with one hand, she reached inside.

However, the moment her outstretched hand touched something warm, she instantly pulled it back.

She was a little startled. She seemed to have touched the man’s face, or maybe… his mouth. Thinking that he was supposed to be sleeping on the outside, wasn’t he?

Jiang Jiuchu paused, then slowly reached in again, until she touched smooth hair. She propped her hand there, then reached past Shí Yan towards the innermost side, and quickly touched the other pillow.

Her eyes lit up, and she slowly pulled the pillow out. As she left, the hair that had fallen on the man’s face also moved away.

In the darkness, Shí Yan’s eyes were deep as he watched the dark figure leaving the curtain. He raised his hand and touched his cheek, wiping away the itchiness, but the fragrance still seemed to linger in his nose.

He took a deep breath. If he couldn’t see any hint of admiration for himself on this woman’s face, he would have suspected she was seducing him.

“Ah!” A brief cry of pain interrupted Shí Yan’s thoughts.

Jiang Jiuchu pursed her lips, enduring the pain as she sat down on the floor. Her small face was wrinkled in a grimace. After a long while, the piercing pain in her big toe slowly subsided.

She hadn’t been so careful when she returned, and her pace had quickened a lot, but she hadn’t expected to kick the leg of the table.

Shí Yan lifted the curtain and looked at the limping figure. His thin lips barely moved, and a very soft “So stupid” hadn’t reached Jiang Jiuchu’s ears before it dissipated into the darkness.

Jiang Jiuchu lay back down, thinking, “I really picked up a watermelon and lost… a watermelon.”

But at least the pain would pass. If she didn’t have a pillow, she probably wouldn’t be able to sleep all night.

The night quietly passed, and a ray of morning sun shone through the window into the bridal chamber.

The curtains were drawn back, and Shí Yan, putting on his shoes, walked to the wardrobe. He glanced at Jiang Jiuchu, who was sleeping soundly on the floor, then took off his shoes and stepped onto her bedding. Reaching out, he opened the wardrobe and took out a set of red brocade robes.

“Your Highness, Miss, someone from the Empress Dowager’s palace is here.” Green Willow’s voice came into the room, and Jiang Jiuchu frowned in displeasure, turned over, and continued to sleep.

Governess Li, outside the door, looked at Green Willow and said, “You’re the maid that Seventh Royal Consort brought, right? Your Miss is now married to Seventh Highness. You shouldn’t call her Miss anymore.”

“Yes, Governess, Green Willow will remember next time.” Green Willow knew that this governess was the Empress Dowager’s personal attendant, so she immediately and respectfully acknowledged her mistake.

“Hmm,” Governess Li nodded, waiting for the door to open.

“Aren’t you getting up yet?”

The pleasant male voice entered Jiang Jiuchu’s ears, startling her awake. She instantly opened her eyes wide and, after clearly seeing Shí Yan in front of her, realized where she was.

Seeing Jiang Jiuchu’s blank expression, Shí Yan kindly reminded her, “Someone from the palace is here. If you haven’t slept well, go to bed and sleep, otherwise…”

“Someone from the palace is here? Shouldn’t we be going to the palace?” Jiang Jiuchu asked in confusion while quickly folding the bedding.

Shí Yan watched the woman hastily pulling open the wardrobe and stuffing the bedding inside. A trace of interest flashed in his eyes, but he only gave a faint reply of “I don’t know” before turning and walking towards the door.

The moment Jiang Jiuchu closed the wardrobe door, the room door opened.

Jiang Jiuchu realized that she hadn’t put on her shoes yet, so she quickly picked up her boots, ran to the bedside, and sat down, pretending to have just woken up.

“Your Seventh Highness, excuse me. This old servant is under the Empress Dowager’s orders to come and retrieve something.” Governess Li bowed slightly to Shí Yan, explaining her purpose.

Shí Yan didn’t speak but stepped aside.

Governess Li walked to the bed, bowed slightly to Jiang Jiuchu, and said with a smile,

“This old servant has disturbed Seventh Royal Consort, hasn’t she? Seventh Royal Consort can sleep a little longer. The Empress Dowager said you can enter the palace to serve tea later. This old servant is just here to take the *yuanpa* in advance.”

Jiang Jiuchu’s face turned pale upon hearing this. How could she have forgotten about this?

She ignored Governess Li and looked at Shí Yan behind her. Seeing that he was drinking the hot tea that a young maid had just brought in and gave her an “I can’t help you either” look, she stopped looking at him.

“Seventh Royal Consort?” Governess Li, looking at Jiang Jiuchu’s expression, called out with some suspicion.

“Oh, I understand.” Jiang Jiuchu withdrew her gaze and had to brace herself to lift the covers and look for the so-called *yuanpa*.

Finally, she found a white cloth on the inner side of the bed and timidly handed it to Governess Li, saying apologetically, “That… His Highness was drunk last night.”

Governess Li was stunned upon hearing this. She hadn’t expected that the wedding night hadn’t been consummated. She turned her head to look at Shí Yan, who was minding his own business drinking tea, and didn’t look like he was hungover from last night.

She thought for a moment, and didn’t take the clean *yuanpa* that Jiang Jiuchu handed her. Instead, she said, “Then this old servant will come and take it tomorrow.”

As soon as she finished speaking, she noticed that there was only one pillow on the bed. A pair of eyes instantly flashed with shrewdness, and as she retreated, she inconspicuously surveyed the room.