Luck Reliant Beauty – CH 123

Chapter 123: Aftermath

Jiang Mi awoke after a short nap. Her body ached all over, and she was so exhausted she wanted to fall back asleep, but a deep-seated alertness kept her awake.

Just as Jiang Mi struggled to sit up, a maid’s respectful voice came from outside, “Princess, are you awake?”

Jiang Mi replied hoarsely, “Yes.”

The maid immediately said, “Princess, Young Master has sent someone to escort you back to the mansion.”

Upon hearing the words “Young Master,” Jiang Mi instantly remembered everything from the previous night, and her face flushed crimson.

Flustered, she grabbed the bedpost and stood up. Looking down, she saw her clothes were intact and breathed a sigh of relief, but while her clothes were neat, her legs felt incredibly weak.

Sitting down again to calm herself, Jiang Mi replied in her hoarse voice, “Then let’s go.”

“Yes.”

The door opened, and several maids quickly helped Jiang Mi wash and dress before considerately supporting her out of the room. Jiang Mi glanced around and, seeing no unusual expression on their faces, as if they hadn’t discovered anything, secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

As a sheltered young lady, being helped by maids was perfectly normal, especially since a carriage was waiting for her after only a few steps.

Jiang Mi left only two maids to attend to her, and then the carriage silently drove out of Cui Mansion through a side door, heading towards the street.

The carriage Jiang Mi rode in was ordinary, and the coachman and guards were also unremarkable. Jiang Mi breathed another sigh of relief after realizing no one was paying attention to her.

Soon, Jiang Mi returned to the mansion.

It was unclear what the Three Mothers were busy with, but they had woken most of the servants in the mansion. She, the mistress who hadn’t returned home, hadn’t even noticed until she settled into her room!

Jiang Mi returned to her familiar room and let out a long sigh of relief. Exhausted, she said to the two maids, “You may go back.”

“Yes,” the two maids bowed and turned to leave.

Hearing their departing footsteps, Jiang Mi drifted off to sleep.

About an hour later, Jiang Mi woke up. Although her back and legs were still sore, she felt somewhat better.

Jiang Mi called to the maids outside, “Bring some hot water.”

“Yes.”

The maids were quick, and in no time… Buckets of hot water were quickly poured into the bathtub.

Once everything was ready, Jiang Mi impatiently dismissed the maids. The maids, not expecting her to refuse service today, hesitated for a moment before bowing and retreating.

Jiang Mi enjoyed a comfortable hot bath.

After washing and dressing, she seemed to feel better. So, Jiang Mi softly instructed, “I’m done.” As soon as she finished speaking, the door opened, and several maids entered one by one to tidy up for Jiang Mi.

Soon, the room was clean, and Jiang Mi was feeling drowsy again.

Just as she was about to fall asleep, she suddenly heard the respectful and joyful calls of several maids outside. “Master!”

It was Cui Zi Xuan! Cui Zi Xuan had arrived!

Jiang Mi was no longer sleepy. She sat up abruptly, but the sudden movement caused her to groan softly.

Just then, the door was pushed open, and Cui Zi Xuan, dressed in a silver robe, stood in the doorway.

Their eyes met, and Jiang Mi’s face immediately flushed red. Before she could react, she heard Cui Zi Xuan’s extremely gentle voice instructing her, “All of you, step back. Close the door. I have something to say to your princess.”

“Yes!”

The maids quickly closed the door and withdrew, retreating completely until they reached the courtyard gate.

As soon as the door closed, Cui Zi Xuan looked down at Jiang Mi.

Hearing him approach step by step, Jiang Mi’s face turned from red to white. She bit her lower lip, her heart pounding. “What is he going to say to me? Would he…would he think I’m not like a proper young lady?”

A true young lady would never have that kind of relationship with a man before marriage, especially since she had been quite…

Just as Jiang Mi lowered her head, letting her hair fall over her face, her hands twisting together under the covers, suddenly, Cui Zi Xuan reached out and pulled the covers away. Before Jiang Mi could even cry out, he had already lifted her and placed her on the floor.

Just as that large hand reached out and grabbed Jiang Mi’s belt, she couldn’t help but cry out, “Ah!” But immediately, her mouth was covered, and Cui Zi Xuan’s low, husky voice sounded in her ear, “Don’t scream…you don’t want outsiders to know, do you?”

Jiang Mi nodded frantically, quickly shutting her mouth.

Cui Zi Xuan’s hand continued to reach for her belt.

Jiang Mi dodged, saying, “No, don’t do this…”

She dared not speak loudly, and her movements were limited to small dodges. She was no match for Cui Zi Xuan, and in the blink of an eye, her belt was pulled out again, and her lower garment fell to the ground with a thud.

Seeing her bare legs, Jiang Mi was filled with extreme shame and indignation.

Just then, her body was lifted into the air again, and in the blink of an eye, Jiang Mi was placed on the couch by Cui Zi Xuan. Seeing him sit on the bed, part her bare legs, and look down at her, Jiang Mi was filled with extreme shame. Suppressing her anger and embarrassment, she whispered, “No, don’t look!”

As soon as she finished speaking, she felt a cool sensation there; Cui Zi Xuan had taken out ointment from a small jade box and was applying it.

…So, he had come to apply medicine for her.

Jiang Mi blushed, biting her lip and whispering, “I… I can do it myself.” Then she saw her lower body was naked, her legs lifted and placed on the man was shoulders, and she was so ashamed she almost fainted. “I said, I can do it myself!”

Cui Zi Xuan ignored her. Not only did he ignore her, but he also applied the medicine very carefully, from the outside in…

As his fingers stirred, Jiang Mi couldn’t help but bite the blanket and let out a muffled groan.

Hearing her groan, Cui Zi Xuan looked up at Jiang Mi.

His eyes were clear and bright!

Jiang Mi was so embarrassed she wanted to disappear; she quickly turned her head away.

Just then, Cui Zi Xuan, who had finished applying the medicine, stood up. He walked to the side, picked up Jiang Mi’s clothes and belt, and began to dress her.

Jiang Mi struggled, trying to grab them back. “I will do it myself!”

Of course, her strength was no match for his. In the end, Cui Zi Xuan carefully helped her put on the clothes piece by piece and fastened the belt.

By this point, Jiang Mi was disheartened and slumped back onto the couch.

But then, just as Jiang Mi lay down, her body felt light again; she was being lifted up by Cui Zi Xuan and placed on the floor once more. Feeling the man’s hands begin to remove her upper garment, Jiang Mi clutched the collar tightly. She stammered, “No need. This isn’t necessary.”

Clearly, her struggles were futile again. In the blink of an eye, Jiang Mi’s upper body was stripped naked.

She was carried like a baby by Cui Zi Xuan to the screen window. He meticulously cleaned the bruises on her body in the sunlight, especially her two white and cherry-red breasts, which were carefully tended to. Jiang Mi was so ashamed that she wished she could disappear into a hole in the ground.

Just as Jiang Mi was biting her lip and moaning as his large hands caressed her, suddenly, she heard Cui Zi Xuan’s hot breath in her ear. “Ah’Mi, I just cleaned you up; you help me out too.” As soon as he finished speaking, he stood up and pulled out his jade belt…

Nearly an hour later. Cui Zi Xuan had just stepped out of Jiang Mi’s room.

The the Three Mothers were standing at the courtyard gate. Seeing Cui Zi Xuan approach with his elegant bearing, they quickly smiled and moved closer. Mother Gong was the most uneasy. She was the first to speak: “Young Master, has something happened?” No. Why speak privately with the princess?

Cui Zi Xuan smiled, his manner extremely gentle. He nodded and said, “It’s nothing, just a slight situation with a friend. I have to go out for a while and won’t be back until before the wedding.”

The three Mothers breathed a sigh of relief. Mother Gong immediately said, “Master’s the heir to the Cui Clan of Boling; it’s normal for him to be extremely busy. As long as it doesn’t affect the wedding, it’s fine.”

Cui Zi Xuan smiled and said elegantly, “Ah’Mi is the wife I’ve always wanted to marry; how could anything change?”

Hearing this, the Three Mothers were even happier.

Amidst their joy, Cui Zi Xuan said with an air of elegance, “I’ve arranged the wedding, and Ah’Mi has nothing to do. If the Three Mothers have some free time, why not teach Ah’Mi a few dances?” He smiled gracefully. “The dance of Zhao Feiyan.”

The Three Mothers quickly bowed their heads and replied, “Alright, alright, we old servants will obey our Master.”

Satisfied with this answer, Cui Zi Xuan boarded the carriage.

…

To avoid arousing suspicion from the Three Mothers, Jiang Mi endured her discomfort and read all day. Then, as soon as night fell, she could no longer stay awake and fell into a deep sleep.

Two days passed, and Jiang Mi had fully recovered.

Jiang Mi, having recovered, was rather bored. Worst of all, the moment they saw her idle, her three mothers unanimously insisted she practice dancing, specifically Zhao Feiyan’s Palm Dance!

In reality, Jiang Mi was truly traumatized by that dance. So, after making excuses for several days, Jiang Mi finally snapped and was forced to go out into the streets: she’d rather endure the gossip of the crowd than face three nagging old women!

After wandering the streets for half a day, Jiang Mi grew hungry and chose a seemingly ordinary, quiet restaurant.

However, upon entering, Jiang Mi discovered that the place was unexpectedly exquisite and upscale, with private rooms on the second floor.

Jiang Mi didn’t have much money with her, so she went upstairs but didn’t sit in a private room to eat.

Jiang Mi was enjoying her meal when suddenly, from the room to her left, came a disgruntled snort, “Lady Jiang just got lucky! Humph, who doesn’t know she can’t even afford a decent dowry? Do you really think everyone in Mingzhou City’s here to congratulate them on their wedding? Let me tell you, many of them, like me, are here to see Lady Jiang make a fool of herself!”

Another woman sneered, “Yes, I’d love to see what Lady Jiang will do when her dowry’s being displayed.”

As she spoke, a very gentle female voice drifted over sadly, “My dowry’s a full 108 loads, while Lady Jiang has no dowry; she will inevitably become a laughingstock.”

The women had clearly finished their meal and came out talking. They didn’t notice Jiang Mi as they passed by. Only Lady Jiang heard the gentle voice reply, “Yes, we, the Wang Clan of Taiyuan, sent five members this time.”

In the blink of an eye, the noble ladies drifted away.

Jiang Mi watched their retreating figures, her brow furrowing slightly.

Just then, a man at the table behind her sighed, “In my opinion, if Lady Jiang has a dowry, she should display it publicly. I have an elder cousin who’s such a foolish woman. Her deceased parents left her a generous dowry, but she listened to her husband’s family and didn’t display it. Now, everyone says my elder cousin’s a penniless woman who married into wealth. Even her good husband’s family hasn’t stood up for her.”

The man chatted for a few more minutes, then the topic was changed by others. Jiang Mi glanced back discreetly, seeing no one she recognized, and lowered her head in thought.

Jiang Mi was lost in thought as she drifted back to the mansion. After a moment’s thought, she summoned the steward and ordered him to prepare one hundred and twenty-eight empty chests.

After Jiang Mi made her request, she didn’t notice the steward’s hesitation. A quarter of an hour later, the steward found the Three Mothers.

Upon hearing Jiang Mi’s request, the Three Mothers sighed. Mother Gong said with pity, “Princess, you seem uneasy.”

Mother Li, however, had other thoughts. She said excitedly, “Could it be that this was ordered by Master?”

Upon hearing Mother Li’s words, the others’ eyes lit up.

But their joy was short-lived. Mother Gui was the first to sigh, “Where are we going to find over a hundred boxes in such a short time? These boxes are to be carried to the Cui Clan of Boling. If they aren’t made of the finest wood and contain rare antiques, who would dare to display them?”

Mother Gui’s words immediately silenced the others’ laughter.

After a while, the steward spoke again, “Since the Princess has made this request, I will give it a try.”

To the Three Mothers’ surprise, the steward returned excitedly the next day. He said he had met a merchant named Wang who had recently taken over a ruined family estate. Among the acquired assets were 128 dowry chests prepared by the family for their eldest daughter.

Intrigued by the steward’s words, the Three Mothers went to the merchant’s house and, to their astonishment, found the chests to be made of extremely rare materials like rosewood and sandalwood.

What delighted them even more was that the merchant, Wang, wasn’t greedy at all. He stated frankly that with the chaos of war outside, he only wanted to withdraw and return home, so he would only charge them the cost price for the chests. Finally, the steward found the five thousand taels of gold given by Jiang Mi and bought the boxes and some valuable but bulky furniture that the merchant surnamed Wang couldn’t easily carry.

It was like a godsend; as they received these items, they kept marveling at Jiang Mi’s incredible luck and how her wishes always came true!