In the darkness before dawn, the nuptial room in Grand Prince Liang’s Residence was lit up as if it was daytime. Grand Prince Liang stood beside the bed, his face was stoic. He glared at the white silk on the bed as if the white silk could change colour.

Lu Yingying grabbed onto the wedding blanket. She was sitting like a statue. There was no red stain on the silk. She knew what the consequence was and had been wishfully hoping. She never thought of doing something to deceive him. 

“Tell me, who was it?” Grand Prince Liang finally blew up. Lu Yingying was definitely not going to say.

Grand Prince Liang’s hand flew over for a slap. He roared, “Tell me who that adulterer is!” Without waiting for her to reply, he grabbed her hair and pulled her off the bed. “You are a broken flower and you still dare to covet the position of my consort? Does your Lu family think I am a fool?!”

Lu Yingying finally spoke up. “My brother and father do not know about this. Please do not implicate others, Your Highness.”

Her words only angered him more. He pulled off his belt and started to hit her. “Who did you give your virginity to? Tell me! Tell me! Why are you not telling me?”

Lu Yingying turned her head away. She did not try to hide nor struggle. She allowed the belt to hit her over and over again. The pain slowly became numb but she did not make a sound.

Grand Prince Liang’s hand had turned numb from hitting her. He furiously threw the belt aside and smashed down all the fragile things in the room before stomping out of the room.

The next day, Grand Prince Liang brought Lu Yingying into the palace to greet the Emperor and Empress. He thought about all the women he had encountered in the past and could not believe that his consort was not a virgin. This humiliation was unbearable and he desperately wanted to kill her. However, his Imperial Father had passed on and although Lu Yingying was in the wrong, she was a consort and the daughter of a Duke. Furthermore, the Emperor had bestowed this marriage on him. If he made matters big, everyone would lose face. Moreover, his Imperial Father had been so comforted before he passed on, he could not let his Imperial Father be humiliated. Hence, he decided to pretend to be a couple with this person in front of him. 

After greeting the Emperor and Empress, Grand Prince Liang did not say much and Lu Yingying was silent as well. The Empress did not think anything was wrong and thought that Grand Prince Liang had settled down and was finally calm. Meanwhile, Lu Yingying was a new bride and might be feeling shy.

Empress Zhangsun gave a Child Bearing Guanyin to Lu Yingying. “Consort Liang, this Child Bearing Guanyn was given to me by the Grand Emperor when I married into the Qin Residence back then. Now that you have married into the Liang Residence, Grand Emperor will definitely be comforted up in heaven. Today, I am giving this Child Bearing Guanyin to you. I hope that the both of you will be in perfect harmony and give birth to children soon.”

Lu Yingying stared blankly at the Child Bearing Guanyin. She did not reach out to receive it. 

Empress Zhangsun was slightly surprised. “Consort Liang?” 

Grand Prince Liang gritted his teeth silently before smiling. “My late Imperial Father is in heaven. I will not disappoint Imperial Sister-in-law’s hopes for us.” He glanced at Lu Yingying’s sleeve and lowered his voice, suppressing his emotions. “Aren’t you going to quickly take it?”

Lu Yingying shivered before reaching out to take it. 

In a split second, Fu Rou caught sight of the bruise on Lu Yingying’s hand and frowned. Although Grand Prince Liang’s character was disagreeable, he got along well with Lu Yunji and his son. There was no need for him to be so brutal towards his newly wedded wife. 

Empress Zhangsun did not notice and smiled comfortingly. “Your Majesty, look. Getting married is really different. Within a night, Grand Prince Liang has become a lot more calm. It is not the first time that Consort Liang has entered the palace, yet she is so shy and reserved. However, as soon as Grand Prince Liang speaks, she listens obediently. Isn’t this marital harmony?”

The Emperor smiled. “You should not make fun of Consort Liang’s shyness and reservation.”

Grand Prince Liang chuckled dryly. He spoke idly with them for a while before taking leave. 

Only after seeing there was no one around them, Grand Prince Liang’s face turned cold. “If not for late Imperial Father’s intention for this marriage and I cannot let him be humiliated, I would have killed you last night. In the future, you are Consort Liang when you are out of the residence. However, as soon as you return to the Liang Residence, you are a bitch that is not even worthy of a servant.”

Lu Yingying looked on as Grand Prince Liang swiped his sleeve and left. She did not care as she took her time to walk. 

“Consort Liang.” Fu Rou caught up to her. “I saw that you were not looking good. Did Grand Prince Liang…”

Lu Yingying lowered her eyes and cut her off. “There are many things to do after getting married. It is natural to be tired.”

Fu Rou lowered her voice. “On the day that you rescued me when we were at Cangshan Mountain, did Yan Zifang…”

“Fu Siyan!” Lu Yingying’s expression suddenly became fierce. “When you meet a consort, you should be greeting me. Without my permission, you may not speak so boldly.”

Fu Rou looked silently at Lu Yingying and bowed. “Greetings, Consort.”

However, Lu Yingying did not say a second word and walked past Fu Rou. 

Fu Rou stood up and looked up. She felt that the figure in front of her was extremely weak. It was as if she was a falling leaf that had been ravaged by the autumn wind. However, after her multiple meetings with Lu Yingying, she knew that Lu Yingying was a tenacious woman. She was a woman that dared to love and hate. She was smart and no matter how many obstacles there were in her way, she could calmly get through them.

Three days later, Lu Yingying went to visit her maiden home. Naturally, Grand Prince Liang was not willing to accompany her but she did not care. As she faced her father and brother’s concern, she assured them that everything was alright. She did not mention anything about Grand Prince Liang abusing her. When she returned to the Liang Residence in the evening, there was no one to welcome her. The servants in the Liang Residence had always known how to read their master’s mood. As they saw him shout at her for the past three days and even hit her easily, no one saw her as the female master in the residence. 

As she walked past the garden, she heard the sound of a bamboo flute. She saw Grand Prince Liang drink and entertain himself with Ruji, whom he favoured. Lu Yingying’s expression did not change as she continued forward until she reached the most deserted corner of the residence. Her living quarters had been shifted here. There was a pavilion filled with cobwebs, a house that had been left unused, a bed, a table and some daily necessities. If all the daily necessities were to be collected, it would not even fill a basket.

Lu Yingying changed her clothes before entering the pavilion and getting to work herself. She started a fire, boiled water and made tea. The Liang Residence’s Madam Situ brought two maids into the house. Madam Situ lifted her head and looked scornfully at Lu Yingying down her nose.

“His Highness said that we have to take your jewellery and clothes once you return from your maiden home.”

Lu Yingying pointed to a corner of the room as she flipped open a book and sipped some tea.

When Madam Situ entered the room, she saw that the clothes and jewellery had already been placed neatly in a tray. She ordered the maids to take them before walking out. Her expression was still filled with contempt. “It will be the best if Consort has a clear view of things. Oh right, His Highness is still waiting for you to attend to him. You don’t have the leisure to read and drink tea.”

Lu Yingying sighed. She did not even have a moment of rest as she returned to the garden that she had walked past. 

The music and laughter had stopped. Ruji was seated on Grand Prince Liang’s leg as she fed him with her mouth. Her soft bosom was half-exposed as she behaved charmingly and flirtatiously. 

Grand Prince Liang glanced at Lu Yingying and tightened his grip on Ruyi’s waist inappropriately. “You are like a chunk of wood and still need me to spell things out exactly. Quickly pour wine.”

Lu Yingying saw the ambiguous scene in front of her but did not seem to care as she stepped up to pour wine. Grand Prince Liang took hold of the wine cup and suddenly pushed Ruyi away as he threw the cup at Lu Yingying. At the same time, he stood up and kicked her to the ground.

“How dare you serve me cold wine, bitch!”

Lu Yingying was disheveled as she crawled up. Her tone was cold. “The previous time, you said that you did not like to drink warm wine.”

“How dare you talk back!” Grand Prince Liang took out a whip and started to hit her. He would hit her entire body except for her face. 

Even Ruji could not stand watching and persuaded him. “Please calm down, Your Highness. If you injure Her Highness…”

Grand Prince Liang spat at Lu Yingying. “Peh! I don’t see a consort here. All I see is a shameless bitch!”

Lu Yingying suffered his hits silently. The more she did not cry out, the angrier Grand Prince Liang got. He did not stop and continued hitting her until her clothes tore from the whip and exposed numerous bloody scars. 

He bellowed, “Get lost! Tomorrow, I will be attending a banquet at the Eastern Palace. I will ask Lu Qi if he knows of your shameful deed. I want to murder you entire family!”

“I will take responsibility for my actions. My father and brother do not know about this. If they knew, how would they have allowed me to marry into the Liang Residence? I only wish to fulfil my promise to you and repay you for the help you gave my father and brother.” She spoke expressionlessly. She hugged her arms and staggered off.

Grand Prince Liang’s heart palpitated.