Chapter 1 — Red Silk Entangled with Red Silk

His Royal Highness Winged King, the most handsome man in Bien Kinh, is now married. Ten miles of red pageantry, brilliant flower lanterns, people offering congratulations. The new lady is not Princess Vinh Ninh, a proud and outstanding person, but I, a shy, weak, nameless concubine. He had gentle eyes and quietly carried me off the horse. He even bent down to help me fix my messy skirt. Ten fingers intertwined, joy was abundant, everywhere was filled with the sound of blessings. At that moment, a line of words suddenly appeared before my eyes like flying bullets. 「If the male protagonist had not mistakenly recognized the benefactor to save his life in the snowy night, then how could this great fate have fallen on the female companion - a passerby like her?」 「The childhood sweetheart's childhood relationship ended up being a BE, poor female protagonist had a broken heart, went to Mac Bac alone to join the army.」 「Waiting until ten years later, the male protagonist learned the truth, was extremely miserable, left the mandarin and left home to find the love of his youth. Just mine.」 I paused for a moment, as if nothing happened, squeezing the hand of the person next to me. Then - I will never tell him who that person is.
1
On the wedding day, when I heard about these things, I was somewhat bewildered, to the point that my knuckles turned white. Noticing my hand gradually tightening, Lam Tan Tich thought I was nervous. “It's okay, I'm here.” He smiled and gently squeezed my palm as if to reassure me, bringing with it a slight itch. I unconsciously withdrew my hand and took a step back, almost tripping over the hem of my long skirt. My body tilted, he immediately reached out his hand to support me, keeping me steady. "Careful." The embroidered scarf inside fell down. Before he could bend down to help pick it up, a white-clothed lady stepped forward next to him. She indifferently bent down to pick up the scarf embroidered with the couple, smiling faintly and giving it back to me. "This scarf is so beautiful. It's been so long and you still keep it." She is Princess Vinh Ninh - the younger sister-in-law of His Royal Highness Duc Vuong. This scarf is something I secretly embroidered when I was secretly in love with King Duc. It followed me through a bitter period of time, never wanting to throw it away. Vinh Ninh once saw me and even teased me, but at that time I firmly refused. Now that she says that, isn't she secretly mocking me for what I have long sought. The atmosphere suddenly became strange, Lam Tan Tich's eyes glanced towards me. “A Mien, what's wrong?” I was startled like someone doing something shady and quickly took the towel back. “It's okay, thank you princess.” She looked at me faintly, not sure if she was happy or angry.
"The new lady should be more careful, everyone is watching."
The words were full of hidden meanings, making me suddenly remember the words on the battlefield that day. If I really am that cat-turned-prince... My hands trembled slightly, I couldn't help but tilt my head to look at Lam Tan Tich. The bright red curtain obscured my vision, but I still recognized it - his usual smile stopped the moment he saw Vinh Ninh. The two of them looked at each other, but didn't say a word. "Husband, let's go in, the mother-in-law is waiting." I uneasily pulled his red shirt gently. His eyelashes slightly drooped, he walked to me, wrapped his arms around my waist and picked me up. At that moment, we met the dark, bitter eyes of Princess Vinh Ninh. Vuong Vuong carried me through the furnace, never turning his head to look at her once. He pursed his lips, his eyes were absent-minded, and didn't say another word to me. Entering the main hall, there are congratulations everywhere. Lam Tan Tich's mother - Thanh Phi - sat on one side. My parents were smiling brightly, sitting across from me. Many mandarins came closer and smiled flatteringly:
"Miss Phuong is truly blessed. Look, Her Highness pampers her so much that she carries her everywhere she goes."
"Isn't that right? A talented boy and a beautiful girl are truly a match made in heaven!"
The guests all smiled wryly. I bowed my head gently. As things turned around, it was clear that three years ago, that praise was still reserved for King Duc and Princess Vinh Ninh. My father is a nine-ranked left-wing servant, normally no one cares, but today he was speechless. My little lady has never seen anything like this before, her face turned red, her eyes squinted from laughter. She continuously pulled Concubine Thanh's hand, constantly praising me. To the point that the madam in the palace also began to frown. Concubine Thanh remained calm, expressionless, and gently withdrew her hand. “It's like giving birth to a good daughter.” Her sharp eyes swept over people, but with an indifferent look that didn't pay much attention. When I bowed to her, I still felt the invisible pressure. Thanh Phi originally looked down on me and didn't pay attention to my background, which I understood clearly in my heart. Because I am not a talented woman, my appearance is only temporary. With her status as the head of the four concubines, how can I understand why the Winged King is so infatuated with someone like me.
2
Hi she raised her voice and shouted the last sentence: "Husband and wife pay their respects—" A clanging sound rang out, the wine cup fell to the ground and shattered, breaking the bustling atmosphere in the room. Princess Vinh Ninh, in front of so many eyes, staggered to her feet. She was drunk, her appearance was no longer as indifferent as usual, and the corners of her eyes were slightly red.
“Lam Tan Tich…”