Chapter 432: Chapter 432
Soon, soft murmurs rose from the bed, mingled with faint, delicate feminine moans.
Unlike the Grand Princess's domineering nature, perhaps due to his years of chronic illness, Xie Huai was a very gentle person, in… every sense of the word…
Although being meticulously attended to was nice, there was no denying that for a moment, staring into the watery, phoenix-like eyes of the person before her, An Ning even felt the urge to flip him over and take charge.
However, raising her head to glance at the undimmed, brilliant red decor surrounding them—it was their wedding night, after all—An Ning ultimately restrained her restless little impulse.
Because of his years of cold syndrome, Xie Huai's body always carried a slight coolness. An Ning was different. The dual blessings of spiritual energy and her wood-type ability, though both were quite shallow, were enough to keep her body in excellent health. Even repeatedly invaded by the chill, her body remained as warm and smooth as fine jade.
The night passed. Early the next morning, when An Ning woke up and tried to stretch her limbs, she discovered she was almost entirely wrapped up, held firmly in an embrace like an octopus's grip.
By now, the sky outside was already bright. The person beside her was clearly sound asleep, showing absolutely no sign of waking up.
Well, he could sleep in even later than she could!
She had an excuse to change her habits and sleep in from now on. While her heart leapt with secret joy, An Ning reached out and poked the person beside her. As expected, as Xie Huai stirred awake, the hand she had just extended from the covers was gently pulled back in.
In the morning light, the voice of the person beside her was still slightly hoarse. As their eyes met, it soon gained threads of amusement:
"Sleep in, don't worry. Mother is probably still doing her morning exercises right now."
You're the biological son, you call the shots. And since she was tired from yesterday anyway, An Ning didn't stand on ceremony now. She immediately closed her eyes again.
Pulling her a little closer into his embrace, Xie Huai then contentedly closed his own eyes.
By the time the two woke up again, it was nearly the end of the Chen Hour. The Grand Princess had already completed two rounds of her morning exercises and had even handled a large batch of official business. Seeing the two arrive now, she didn't say much, only casting a glance at her son's face, which clearly radiated springtime satisfaction, and couldn't help but give a soft, clicking sound of mild disapproval.
When she reached out to accept An Ning's daughter-in-law tea, she was brisk and straightforward.
During the meal, seeing that this mother-in-law had no intention of having her serve, An Ning didn't do anything unnecessary. Leaning slightly on the support of the person beside her, she soon sat down openly and generously.
Perhaps unable to bear watching the young couple's clingy behavior, or perhaps because Her Highness was genuinely very busy, after asking a few simple questions and just finishing breakfast, she directly waved her hand, dismissing them.
Returning to their rooms, before long, someone delivered the residence's various account books, along with keys to all the storehouses and such.
The meaning was clear. Aside from the Grand Princess's main hall and some important offices, all these matters would henceforth be handed over to An Ning, the new daughter-in-law.
She really was an efficient person!
Reaching out to take the items, An Ning didn't decline now. It was easy to imagine that for someone as busy as the Grand Princess, constantly preoccupied with all sorts of affairs, these trivial household matters weren't worth her attention.
Rather than leaving them to servants, it was more appropriate to place them in the hands of her daughter-in-law. It also conveniently allowed her to see what capabilities this new daughter-in-law had.
However, managing a household was also a commonplace matter for An Ning. Calculating the time, dealing with these things each day wouldn't take long. She could treat it as a pastime for when she was bored.
In short, during these first few days after her arrival, aside from her new husband being a *little* bit clingy, life in the Grand Princess's Residence was quite comfortable.
It had to be said, compared to life in the women's quarters, being able to sleep until waking naturally, spending days appreciating flowers, boating on the lake, and playing around everywhere was pretty nice.
As the current emperor's own nephew, the couple naturally had to enter the palace to pay their respects on the second day after the wedding. With her mother-in-law leading the way ahead, the journey was naturally smooth and unobstructed.
Inside the Qian Yuan Hall, Emperor Sheng'an had finished his breakfast early. At this moment, he was gazing down with a gentle expression at the young couple below, who looked like a perfect pair of jade figurines.
Regardless of any private apprehensions, on the surface, the current emperor was still a good younger brother and a good uncle. After a simple exchange of courtesies, the emperor on the throne soon called for them to rise with appropriate warmth and authority.
Only, the moment she raised her head, An Ning could clearly see the emperor's gaze above noticeably pause for an instant. A flash of unmistakable admiration passed through his narrow, phoenix-like eyes.
Xie Huai beside her seemed to sense something. Through the wide sleeve of his robe, he soon took his wife's hand in his.
He was the emperor, after all. After that brief pause, Emperor Sheng'an soon returned to normal, asking a few more routine questions before the party proceeded towards the Empress Dowager's palace…
On the way back, held tightly in Xie Huai's embrace beside her, An Ning's expression remained unchanged, but her mind couldn't help but recall some earlier conjectures, or rather, doubts.
Inside her spiritual sea, the system was still chattering away:
"What's that dog emperor's problem? Could he be coveting your beauty, Host?" But An Ning was already pondering inwardly:
"System, if I remember correctly, in her previous life, the original host died from an infection after being bitten by a rat in prison, right?"
And it was in a prison holding all those members of the Zhou family… yet the rat uniquely and precisely bit only the original host, and no one else…
After an uncharacteristically urgent bout of passion, before the dressing table, An Ning raised her eyes to look at the bronze mirror that reflected every detail with perfect clarity.
Without a doubt, the face in the mirror was that of a genuine, great beauty. Almond-shaped eyes, peach-blossom cheeks, a gaze like clear water. Though her features weren't exquisitely perfect to the twelfth degree, they possessed an extraordinary ethereal purity. They also held a unique, vivid clarity, like a mountain spring or the warm glow of sunlight, making one feel exceptionally comfortable at first glance.
This was the original host's appearance, and also the original host's inherent temperament. Even An Ning's arrival had only strengthened some of this body's innate qualities.
Both in looks and disposition.
Thinking of the flash of admiration in that emperor's eyes today, and the glances that still occasionally fell upon her, however well concealed.
An Ning raised her eyes, looking at the person in the mirror with slight appreciation. Rather than being struck by *her*, it was far more likely that the original host herself held a sufficiently strong attraction for this emperor.
So, regarding the events of the previous life, An Ning couldn't help but wonder. Was the so-called crime of implicating the nine clans really just a simple case of harem strife and slaughter?
Was the other party's true objective, in the end, Eldest Sister… or was it the original host herself from the very beginning?
Feeling the occasional, slight coolness emanating from behind her, An Ning soon snapped back to the present.
No hurry. She'd find out eventually…