Chapter 3 — Wedding Day Switch: My Husband Traded Me Away

His fingertips were icy cold, carrying a faint medicinal fragrance that mingled with the heavy, metallic stench of fresh blood.

"You are very smart."

He spoke, his voice low and devoid of warmth.

"Much smarter than Shen Rou, who only knows how to cry."

Withdrawing his hand, he reached for a clean piece of white cloth lying nearby and began to slowly wipe the crimson stains from his skin. Only then did I see clearly that his hands were smeared with a dark, viscous liquid, parts of which had already dried into a crust of deep brown.

"This Prince detests trouble."

He continued as he cleaned his hands, every movement deliberate and chillingly composed.

"Now that you have stepped across the threshold of the Prince's Manor, you shall keep to your proper place and refrain from causing me any bother."

"Otherwise, not even Prime Minister Shen will be able to protect you."

"This humble maiden understands."

I lowered my head and replied in a steady tone.

"Dismissed."

He waved a hand, appearing suddenly fatigued. I offered a deep curtsy, turned around, and prepared to leave the oppressive chamber.

"Wait."

He called out once more. I halted my steps and turned back to look at him.

"What is your name?"

"Shen Hua."

"Shen Hua..."

He repeated my name once, his voice lingering as if he wished to carve those syllables into his memory.

"Remember this: from this day forward, you are the Princess Regent."

"Understood."

I backed out of the room. The very moment the heavy wooden doors clicked shut behind me, the tense muscles in my back finally relaxed. A cold sweat had already thoroughly soaked through my inner garments. Waiting for me in the dim corridor was an elderly matron whose bearing marked her as the estate housekeeper.

"Princess, please follow this old servant."

She led me to a remote courtyard. It was exceptionally secluded, and deathly quiet.

"From now on, the Princess shall reside here."

The matron's tone was chillingly indifferent, barely concealing a deep-seated contempt. I chose to ignore her attitude. Pushing the door open, I found the interior furnished with severe simplicity—one might even call it barren. It was abundantly clear that my status within the Prince Regent's Manor was lower than that of a favored maidservant.

The following morning, I woke up before dawn. According to custom, a newlywed bride was required to pay her respects and serve tea to her elders on the morning after the wedding. However, the Prince Regent's Manor possessed no elders. Feng Yuan himself was the law of this household. As I hesitated over whether I should make my way to the main courtyard to offer greetings, the very same matron from yesterday arrived, trailed by two servant girls carrying my breakfast.

"Princess, the Prince has matters to attend to today; there is no need for you to present yourself."

She set the food down, her tone remaining as frigid as before. Breakfast was sparse indeed: a single bowl of plain rice congee and two meager steamed buns. I picked up my chopsticks, intending to eat, when the matron spoke up once more.

"Princess, this manor has its own strict rules. Though you hold the title of Princess, there are certain matters this old servant must make clear to you beforehand."

"The servants in this courtyard have all followed the Prince through seas of blood and corpses; their tempers are far from gentle. It would be wise for the Princess not to provoke them."

Though phrased as a reminder, the words were a thinly veiled warning. A warning meant to make me recognize my place and banish any foolish notions of wielding authority in this forbidding place. I laid my chopsticks down and turned my gaze upon her.

"What is your name?"

The matron was momentarily stunned, clearly not expecting me to respond with a question of my own.

"This old servant is Mother Zhang."

"Mother Zhang."

A faint smile touched my lips.

"You spoke of rules, and indeed, every great household has its own code."

"Yet it would seem you have forgotten a fundamental truth."

"Whose word carries the greatest weight here—mine, as the legal mistress and Princess, or yours, mere servant that you are?"

Mother Zhang's expression shifted instantly, draining of all color. Perhaps she had never imagined that the substitute bride hastily shoved into this marriage on day one would dare to suppress her so forcefully from the very beginning.

"Princess, this old servant..."

"Slap your own mouth."

I dropped the command casually. Both Mother Zhang and the two maidservants standing behind her froze in sheer disbelief. They stared at me as if I had just uttered the most absurd and blasphemous notion in existence.

"Princess, what did you just say?" Mother Zhang's voice trembled with rising indignation.

"I said, slap your own mouth." I repeated, my voice not loud, yet carrying an unyielding authority. "A mere domestic servant dares to lecture and gesture before her superior; who gave you such audacity?"

"You!" Mother Zhang shook with rage. "Princess, do not forget, this is the Prince Regent's Manor, not the Shen residence! This old servant serves the Prince directly!"

She invoked Feng Yuan's name, believing it served as a shield against my wrath. I picked up the bowl of plain congee and took a slow sip. The rice gruel was already cold.

"Precisely because this is the Prince Regent's Manor, I am your master."

I set the bowl down and stared coldly into her eyes.

"The Prince Regent took me as his wife; regardless of the reason behind it, I am the Princess Regent bestowed by imperial decree."

"To show disrespect toward me is to show disrespect toward the Prince Regent, and an affront to the imperial house."

"Can your shoulders bear the weight of such a charge?"

My words left Mother Zhang utterly speechless. The fury on her face gradually curdled into stark terror. No matter how much face she held as a senior servant, she could never cross the inviolable boundary between master and servant.

"Slap your own face, or shall I have the manor guards assist you?"

I offered her the final choice.