The Princess Consort Wants to Rebel Every Day - Chapter 3

We chose our wedding day with almost no thought. He was marrying without his heart in it; I was marrying without affection. There was nothing special about the date.

The only unusual thing was that Jiang Yuhe cried, for once in her life.

“That damned old bastard! If he doesn’t like breasts this big, is he even a man?”

Busy putting on my wedding clothes, I still found a moment to pat her shoulder. “Don’t worry. He’s definitely a man!”

When she saw the size I indicated with my hands, Jiang Yuhe cried even harder. She pounded her ample chest until it shook. “Useless things! Useless things!”

…It wasn’t entirely their fault.

The Regent’s residence was far livelier than the quiet Jiang household. Zhou Ting’an bore the title of Regent, after all; every official in the capital had reason to attend. Even the young emperor came.

His name was Zhou Di. At three, Zhou Ting’an had hoisted him onto the throne by the back of his collar. He had endured twelve years of it and was now fifteen.

Of all the former emperor’s sons, Zhou Di had been the least favored. Had Zhou Ting’an not killed their father, the boy would likely have been put to death. He therefore held his elder brother in great respect.

The moment he saw Zhou Ting’an, his eyes stayed fixed on him. As emperor, he should have received tea from Zhou Ting’an. Instead, he lowered himself to serve his elder brother.

Zhou Ting’an’s face darkened. “All the officials are watching, Your Majesty. Why demean yourself like this?”

But Zhou Di kept smiling. “It’s my elder brother’s wedding. An eldest brother stands in a father’s place. You deserve this tea.”

Zhou Ting’an’s expression eased. He had raised the boy himself, and his gaze softened when it fell on him.

I laughed coldly to myself. Looking at the young emperor’s neck, I wondered how much strength it would take to snap it.

That night, red wedding candles flickered in the bridal chamber.

Zhou Ting’an came in smelling of wine, sent the maids and matrons away, and used the tip of his two-meter blade to lift my red veil.

“You look quite fine tonight.”

I wiped the sticky rouge from my lips and tugged him off balance. He fell beside me, his head landing against my shoulder.

“Your Highness, this is a map of Longnan’s troop deployments. Do you have enough men to wipe them out in one stroke?”

A draft made the candlelight shiver, and the shadows shifted across the map. Zhou Ting’an leaned on my shoulder and studied it without speaking. At last he asked, “Are you serious?”

My phoenix crown was heavy. I pulled out a few hairpins, set the crown on the table, and looked back at him.

“You spent eight years in Xiliang. Without my grandfather’s help, you would have died there. Let’s speak plainly. Xihai treated you with cruelty and betrayal. Don’t you want to settle that score?

“The young emperor is growing into his power. The Empress Dowager is in good health, and the Marquis of Longnan backs her. With the stain of killing your father on your name, you can only remain Regent. That may be tolerated while the emperor is a child. Once he comes of age, will there still be a place for you at court? The officials hold their tongues in public, but in private, which of them doesn’t call you a villain who killed his father and sovereign? Once the young emperor holds power, the first man he will remove is the elder brother who has supported him all these years.”

I lifted Zhou Ting’an’s chin and smiled. “Can you accept that, Your Highness?”

His eyes deepened. He let me hold his chin, his voice rough with wine. “Jiang Qingye, you’re even bolder than your legitimate elder sister.”

“Do you regret marrying me? Had you married Jiang Yuhe, you could have spent your days drinking, dancing, and enjoying yourself. With me, you’ll have to sleep with one eye open.”

Zhou Ting’an smiled. He brushed the back of his middle finger across my cheek, stroking it again and again. “That’s what makes it interesting, isn’t it?”

The next morning, I clutched my aching waist and thumped the bed.

I had thought we would be allies, so I might as well offer him a little sweetness. I hadn’t expected that once this older man got his first taste, he would keep me up all night.

If I hadn’t trained in martial arts since childhood, his inexhaustible energy might have sent me after my mother before the night was half over.

I thought of my grand rebellion, got dressed, settled into a firm horse stance, and worked the stiffness out of my waist.

Ha! Another day to strive for greatness.

The residence had a large courtyard, and the one directly inside the main gate was larger still. When Zhou Ting’an and I fought there, I had noticed how many weapons it held. Only today did I realize it was the residence’s training ground.

The guards were drilling in ranks under Zhou Ting’an’s personal attendant, Xiao Qi. I watched with my arms folded and found their effort wanting.

“What is this? A game? You think a few horse stances and spear thrusts count as training?”

Xiao Qi saw me and came running over with an ingratiating smile. “Ah, Second Miss Jiang, you’re up. Listen to me—Princess Consort, of course! Did you sleep well? Are you comfortable here? If anything isn’t to your liking, tell me. I’ll see that it’s put right.”

I ignored him, pulled the whip from behind my waist, and struck at the guards without another word.

There were plenty of them, and they could manage a brawl, but one on one they were hopeless. Not one dared catch my whip.

“If you don’t give me everything you’ve got today, don’t blame me for what happens next!”

“Ah!”

“Ah!”

“Aaaah!”

Half an hour later, I surveyed the groaning guards sprawled across the ground. I was not impressed.

No wonder Zhou Ting’an wouldn’t rebel. With a pack of good-for-nothings like these, when would he ever reach the throne?

“Starting tomorrow, you’ll train here at dawn. I’ll inspect you every three days. Show no improvement twice in a row, and you can leave the residence!”

The more I thought about it, the angrier I became. I snapped a tree in the courtyard as thick as my arm with one stroke of my whip, then headed out.

Xiao Qi stared after me, dumbfounded, his legs trembling.

Later, the capital was full of rumors that the Regent had proved unable to perform on his wedding night, and Second Miss Jiang had taken her frustration out on his guards…

Wretched gossips.