This remark was naturally Zhu Yu's pretext.
From the moment she opened her eyes and came into this world, she became the concubine's daughter of Zhu Cheng, a vassal king of Shuo Country, and her biological mother was originally a maid by the side of Princess Shuo.
This time, the Emperor decreed that Zhu Cheng must marry his daughter to Lu Qing, Prince Xiaoyao, without specifying that it must be a legitimate daughter, only that the age should be appropriate.
Princess Shuo had three sons and only one daughter. Although she was of suitable age, Princess Shuo was by no means willing to part with her only daughter.
Everyone knew that Jin Country was the foremost among the Four Seas and Five Countries, and the Emperor of Jin was the Sovereign of the World, towering above other vassal kings. The children of any vassal king bestowed a marriage edict were more like hostages held in Jin Country rather than forming alliances.
Moreover, Lu Qing, the Prince Xiaoyao, was not the bloodline of the Emperor Jin but was adopted from clan relatives when the Emperor Jin had no heirs.
Although he seemed to enjoy much favor, when he came of age, the other princes born to the Emperor Jin and his concubines were given the title of One-character King, but only this adopted Lu Qing was titled Two-Character King.
Princess Shuo even heard that Lu Qing lived up to his title as "Prince Xiaoyao," seeming indeed to live quite freely, often frequenting elegant places in the Capital, drinking and making merry with scholars and poets.
In short, he was not a person to be underestimated.
Given all these considerations, it was no wonder Princess Shuo was adamant about not marrying her legitimate daughter into such a situation.
Zhu Cheng, feeling helpless, chose the most beautiful among the concubine's daughters of appropriate age in his household and sent her to Jin Country for marriage.
As the most outstanding in appearance among all the concubine's daughters, Zhu Yu became today's Princess Xiaoyao.
Zhu Yu had no particular thoughts about this. After all, in her previous life, she had too many thoughts and accidentally became the ace forensic doctor in the bureau, eventually working herself to death, collapsing on her job at a young age.
So even though she opened her eyes to a strange world this life, Zhu Yu only thought it was Heaven's mercy, granting her a vacation.
All ideas of independence, career striving, she had already achieved in her previous life. This time, she had no ambitions, only wanting to be a lazy silkworm, idling through the days. After all, it was impossible in this time to stay unmarried and be supported by her maternal family for life; she didn't mind finding a new "boss" who is busy with social engagements, rarely paying her any attention.
However, the developments on the day of her wedding seemed quite far from what she had anticipated.
"Madam is indeed extraordinarily wise." Lu Qing raised his eyebrows slightly, not doubting Zhu Yu's words, casually offering a half-hearted compliment, and casually pouring two cups of wine from the jug on the table, "Today, thanks to your help, otherwise, who knows when Duke Yan would stop pestering.
However, how did you deduce that the guard was not dead?"
"Complexion." Since she had already intervened, Zhu Yu had no intention of hiding anything, openly admitting, "I saw in the crowd when the old coroner examined, and as his fingers touched the guard's cheek, the subcutaneous purple blood bruises dispersed slightly with pressure, then returned, indicating the person's blood had not yet coagulated.
If the blood hasn't coagulated, the person isn't dead.
When one is poisoned, they often struggle due to excruciating pain through the intestines, so fingers being tattered is common, or hands may convulse into claw-like shapes.
Upon closer examination, I found the guard's hands relaxed without fierce spasms, thereby deducing he wasn't poisoned to immediate death."
"How were you sure the jade cup the guard used wasn't poisoned?" Lu Qing lowered his eyes, playing with the wine cup by his hand, and asked again.
"I couldn't be sure." Zhu Yu shook her head honestly, "However, that jade cup was broken to pieces; even if I couldn't prove it wasn't poisoned, I speculated they couldn't prove it either.
I leveraged Prince Yi to prove the jade cup's innocence. If Duke Yan wanted to show I was wrong, he would inevitably cause Prince Yi unnecessary trouble.
Duke Yan, protecting Prince Yi in every way, naturally wouldn't want to cause him problems, so he had to accept my conclusion without choice."
"Why did you choose to help me out of the predicament?" Lu Qing raised his eyes to look at Zhu Yu. His eyes were extraordinarily beautiful, as if they could draw one's soul while staring, making one dazed, "If tonight you couldn't save the guard, have you thought about the consequences?"
Zhu Yu stared into his eyes: "If I couldn't prove the guard wasn't dead, then Prince Xiaoyao would likely also be in more trouble.
Entering the Prince Mansion, the prince's success and failures are now mine too, so naturally, I wish the prince well in all things."
This answer seemed to satisfy Lu Qing, who laughed aloud, picked up his wine cup, and downed the content in one go before handing the other cup to Zhu Yu.
Zhu Yu took it and drank.
Lu Qing took the empty cup from her hand, placed it aside, then started to take off his wedding robe, revealing the inner clothes beneath.
Zhu Yu was stunned for a moment: "Prince isn't going out tonight?"
While she sat idly in the wedding chamber, she overheard two women whispering outside, claiming Lu Qing rarely stayed overnight at the mansion, often mingling at music houses and such.
On the wedding day, the steward of the household still advised against leaving on the wedding night, as it was an imperial edict, and being too neglectful might be hard to explain to Your Majesty.
At the time, Lu Qing neither agreed nor disagreed, his attitude vague.
Zhu Yu thought perhaps he was only curious, came back to stay a while longer, and wouldn't remain overnight.
"Madam indeed had a good understanding of your husband-in-name before entering the door." Lu Qing raised his eyebrows upon hearing it, scrutinizing Zhu Yu by the bed, "It seems, I should get to know Madam well too."
Zhu Yu was taken aback, pondering how to respond appropriately, then saw the man in inner clothes getting up suddenly, striding over, approaching her at the bedside.
His sideburns brushed against Zhu Yu's cheeks, slightly itchy, with light alcoholic breath washing over her face, making Zhu Yu's breathing stagnate subconsciously, a faint blush emerging on her face.
Lu Qing placed one hand on the bedside, almost enclosing Zhu Yu in his embrace with the other hand reaching out to pull a brocade quilt over the screen side couch.
Only then did Zhu Yu's breathing return to its normal rhythm, relaxing her hand, secretly smoothing the bedspread she had wrinkled.
"Here in the Capital, everyone is eyes and ears." Lu Qing looked at Zhu Yu with a smile, "A bride of an imperial-edict marriage, spending her first night alone, it would make any noble lady or noble woman in the Capital dare to lord over you.
What's more, today you offended Duke Yan to help me out, I can't let you fall into such straits for both public and private reasons."
He then went behind the screen, and soon after, extinguished the candle.
Zhu Yu rustled out of her outer garment, just lying down when Lu Qing spoke again from the other side of the screen, "It's indeed more convenient dressed as a man to go out, but these coarse cloth garments don't fit well, I'll have someone tailor a few for you."
"No need to trouble the Prince," Zhu Yu wasn't sure of his intent, quickly declining instinctively, "Today was truly a last resort, I, a woman of the inner quarters, don't need to appear in public often, surely won't need such clothes."
In the darkness, Zhu Yu waited for a response from Lu Qing, but without receiving it soon fell into a deep sleep.