The journey to Zhou is exhausting mentally and physically.

Much to Shan’s dismay, you refuse to keep the veil on while in the carriage. It makes no sense, because the only people around are those hired by your own parents. They have all seen your face before.

By the third day of traveling, you have pulled most of the ornaments from your hair. Surely you will be able to bathe when you arrive. The ornaments and jewelry will have to be removed for that anyway.

The carriage presses quietly through the gate. Shan smartly remembers to cover your face with the veil that way the guards were unable to see your face when they insisted on inspection. It would be bad if your reputation was destroyed. Hopefully your nickname has not spread this far. Still, your eyes will startle people at best. No need to give you even worse issues.

Being transferred back to the palanquin makes you grumble to yourself. You really just want to walk up to the palace. It would be so much faster than this. You can remember watching dramas in which some impatient princess rushed through the ceremony and ran on foot. It was funny as a show, but you are not willing to test how accurate modern dramas are. You probably will not get to go back to modern day Korea if the emperor kills you for being insolent.

Hopefully you will get to eat soon. Shan has not let you dine as normal so you do not risk messing up your clothes. You do not have the heart to tell her you will not outgrow the beautiful wedding attire so quickly, so you just end up starving.

“Halt!”

When the palanquin suddenly stops, you startle out of the slight daze you are in. The voices outside do not sound particularly friendly.

“How dare you stop the wedding procession of Princess Meizhen!” Shan sounds more indignant than you feel.

Her passion is adorable, you think with a small smile.

Carefully, you pull the drape so you may peer outside.

A handful of guards have blocked the route you are taking. Those in the back look very uncomfortable, while the boisterous leader is almost smug. Either someone bribed him, or he is overconfident in his abilities. It is most likely the former. Someone this arrogate without someone behind them for protection does not tend to live long.

“What is the problem?” Your voice is soft and slightly raspy from not using it much.

The guards jump in shock, which makes you frown. With the veil on. They should be unable to see your eyes.

“These idiots won’t let us through, Your Highness,” Shan complains. She has been glaring at the lead guard the whole time.

“Not just anyone can come and go here, let alone to the Crown Prince’s palace,” the guard states with a smirk. “You need to prove your identity.”

I could show them my face, you ponder. How many blue-eyed princesses have they seen?

Before you can commit a faux pas, Shan reaches into her own sleeve and tugs something out. It’s a plaque, but you are not quick enough to read what it says. She holds it out so that all the guards can get a good look.

Whatever it is makes the men go pale. The smugness disappears, replaced by fear and dread. Although this man tried to sabotage me, I know he will be severely punished for failing. He also faces punishment for his insolent statements.

Knowing this, all of them drop to their knees. “We have sinned! Please forgive us, Crown Princess Consort!”

Today is the start of your survival here. You cannot come across as weak, or a pushover. You will be constantly harassed otherwise. However you cannot damage your husband-to-be’s reputation by being cruel right off the bat, either. No, it is best to be merciful for now. These guards didn’t really hinder me anyway.

“It’s my wedding today,” you state, proud of how composed you sound. “It would not be right to have you killed for your behavior.”

Even through your veil, you can see them shaking. A sigh escapes you, so you drop the curtain again.

“Kneel here for an hour, and then you are free to go,” is your final word.

Shan scolds the guard who are frozen in shock. “Are you not going to thank Her Highness for her mercy?”

“Thank you for your mercy, Your Highness!”

“Let’s go, Shan,” you say quietly.

“To the Crown Prince’s mansion!” the maid orders.

---

Zhaohui chuckles after Chang finishes his report. The shadow guard had been monitoring you since you arrived to the city. He had just witness your party being intercepted, and stayed to see how you handled it. It amuses Zhaohui that you seem to have realized the situation and responded accordingly. If you had gone about it differently, the consequences would be much worse.

“Have them continue to watch over her,” he orders.

“Yes.”

Zhaohui makes his way out of his study and towards his bedroom. If you are here, there will only be a few hours until the wedding. He might not require as much time to get ready, but he still needs to start. The bath should be ready by now.

Who could have bribed the guards? He ponders it as he removes his clothing on his way through toward the giant bath in the adjacent room.

It was not a well thought-out plan, so he doubts the empress is involved. She would know better than to try to turn you away with a handful of minor guards. He does not think it was a joke his brothers would try. If anything, they would be trying to get you into his home faster.

“Your Highness? Fifth Prince is here.”

Speak of the devil… Shaking his head, he sighs. “Send him in, I suppose.”

“Big brother!”

Zhaohui grins a little. “Hello, Shoiming. Can I help you?”

Shoiming takes in the scene or a second, before his face lights up. “Are you getting ready for the wedding?!”

“Obviously. My bride is here in the main palace now.” After a moment of consideration, he fishes with: “Hopefully she will arrive without any more complications.”

The shock followed by indignation on his younger brother’s face is enough to convince him. It definitely wasn’t Shoiming then.

“Who would dare? I’ll have him beaten to death!”

Zhaohui is taken aback by the outburst, but just ends up having to smother a laugh. He moves to get in the bath, enjoying the heat as it soothes the aches and tension from him.

“I’m still figuring out who is behind it,” he admits.

With a thoughtful noise, Shoiming plops down. “The only one I can think of is... Chaoxing.”

That is who Zhaohui is leaning towards as well. The niece of the empress has wanted to marry him since they were kids. He thought it was irritating back then, too. Now, she keeps escalating. The fact the empress is backing her only makes it worse. Accepting her as a concubine will just be welcoming a spy into his house.

It is good Chaoxing is only interested in being the legal wife for now. The last he heard, she threw a tantrum at the thought of being a concubine.

“You will need to protect sister-in-law from that one,” Shoiming says with a thoughtful frown.

Zhaohui sighs, but agrees with the assessment. At least it is unlikely that Chaoxing can team up with any of the concubines he has already been forced to accept into his house thanks to the empress’s machinations. If anything, they would probably consider Chaoxing as a threat.

Does that mean they will see the Qin princess as a threat? He barely resists the urge to groan out loud, but does pinch between his eyes.

If only his eldest brother was still alive. Then the Crown Prince’s harem would be his problem. Or, if the second prince would get off his horse and return from the border. However, everyone knows that the last thing this older brother wants to do is inherit the throne. Zhaohui has accepted the role and all the responsibilities that go with it.

The wedding preparations do not take very long once he finishes bathing. Shoiming even helps get him dressed, which is incredibly endearing. The longest part is getting his hair styled, but even that he has gotten used to. After twenty years of managing long hair, waiting for it is nothing.

By the time the auspicious moment arrives, he is completely ready. He follows the eunuchs, who indicate the path he should take to the grand hall. One of them looks anxious about something, which makes him frown slightly. He abruptly pauses, causing those ahead of him to stop and turn back. The nervous one peeks up at him.

“Why do you act in such a conspicuous manner?”

The eunuch does not hesitate, dropping onto the ground. “I have sinned. Please punish me, Crown Prince!”

Frowning, he stares at the eunuch. “What makes you so anxious?”

When the eunuch hesitates, the head eunuch kicks him. “Answer His Highness!”

“This lowly servant has heard rumors about the new Crown Princess Consort. This person is scared and stupid.” The shaking in fear almost makes Zhaohui feel sympathetic.

Lei kicks the kowtowing man again. “Gossiping about the imperial family? Do you still want your life?!”

The shivering increases. “Hearsay! I never spoke it, nor did I spread it, I swear!”

Zhaohui sighs heavily. There is not time for this; he is expected to appear at the auspicious time. Interrogating the eunuch is taking too long.

“What rumor have you heard?”

“A-About Her Highness’s nickname in Qin,” is the timid answer.

Another kick. “Does His Highness have to ask and beg?!”

“Sh-She is called the Witch Princess!” the eunuch whimpers.

When Lei goes to kick him again, Zhaohui holds up a hand to stop him. This is not the first time he has heard that nickname, he just never connected it to the person he is about to marry. Surely she would not be married off if she were truly a witch.

“Send him to the punishment bureau, tell them to give him twenty hits and then release him.”

He does not wait to see if the order is followed or not. He will trust that his worlds will be obeyed. After all, he still needs to get to the ancestral hall for the ceremony.

The rest of the way is clear of obstacles. After carefully climbing the many stairs, he still manages to be there on time. He takes his spot to wait, preparing to wait awhile even though the bridal caravan should be here shortly. He is surprised to find himself almost excited to finally meet.

Fortunately, he does not have to wait very long. A lavishly decorated sedan is carried to the base of the stairs he just climbed. A maid helps the bride down. With the veil obscuring your face, there is no way to even get a glimpse of you. He has to wonder if that is intentional, after all, even the painting provided by Qin barely had any real details. Still, if you are hideous, then he will just do his best to keep you safe.

---

There are way too many ing stairs, you think angrily.

The procession up the steps is slow-going. Not only does your head feel unnecessarily heavy due to all the adornments in your hair, but the long skirts threaten to get tangled in your legs with every step.

Please don’t trip, do – not – trip! This becomes your mantra as you make your way up the multiple flights.

It is a good thing you have the veil after all. You can hide how difficult and nerve-wracking this situation is. Your grimaces and baleful glares aimed at the stairs are invisible to on-lookers. The material also hides the fact your focus is on your feet and not on your new husband.

If this was a drama or webcomic, he would be gorgeous. The thought makes you huff softly in laughter. I’ll be content with average looks, average intelligence – whatever, as long as he is not cruel. And preferably not hideous.

When you finally top the last step, you barely bite back a cheer. If anyone saw your relief, they would be scandalized. At least you can grin as wide as you want with the veil, no one will see.

With a deep breath, you continue over to where the Crown Prince is waiting in front of an altar. You are guided to stand across from him so that you may bow to each other at the appropriate part.

Closing your eyes once you are in position, you breathe out slowly. Alright, Kang Miok. You can do this. Just take a peek to see how he looks. You keep your head bowed, but slowly drag your gaze up. Although the robes do not fit close enough to show his body like a t-shirt and jeans would, you still get hints at what is underneath.

He is several inches taller than you with wide shoulders. The cloth drapes across his chest and stomach in a way that makes it obvious that he is at least not overweight. You think you might see a glimpse of muscle, but there is just too much fabric.

Now, last but not least… You finally raise your eyes to the Crown Prince’s face.

Your whole body stiffens. How? How is this possible?!

The Crown Prince of Zhou looks identical to Park Seonghwa of ATEEZ.

It is lucky your body can run on autopilot. You barely register the wedding ceremony, although you participate as you should.

Your head feels like it will explode, your thoughts are rushing so fast. This does not even make sense! How could an ancient Chinese prince look like a Korean K-pop idol? Granted, it should not be possible for you to be a princess, yet here you are.

Did he reincarnate, too? It does not seem likely. Mostly because you cannot see how it could have happened. He was perfectly safe when you ran out after the cat. Why would he have died, too?

Maybe this means you are not dead, but asleep. Your subconscious is just plugging Seonghwa’s face into the dream.

No, Miok. This is not a dream. You already had that hope dashed. There might not be a reasonable explanation for this, so you will just have to accept it. The Crown Prince looking like Seonghwa is growing on you. Who knew he would look so good in Chinese period costume!

You do not get to ponder this for long, because the ceremony concludes quickly. You take the Prince’s hand and allow him to lead you down the steps towards his sedan and his home.

As you walk, dread and anxiety start to kick in. Part of you recognizes it as insecurity that crosses over from you previous life. Seonghwa is so far out of your reach. It feels surreal that you just married someone who is off-the-rails attractive. In your last life you never would have imagined even talking to him, let alone being in a relationship. If you were not under constant supervision, you would be pinching yourself.

“I am sure you are tired,” the Crown Prince says quietly. “You just need to make an appearance at the feast, then you can retreat to the room. I’ll come find you after.”

That is surprisingly considerate. You really just want to eat and nap, after all. However, you are sure you are not supposed to eat while the veil is on. Surely they don’t starve every bride?

“Thank you, Crown Prince,” is your soft reply.

It hits you that maybe you have been starved on purpose, but cannot think of a reason to do so. As a political marriage, it could be catastrophic if you died as soon as you entered the palace. Minsheng, at the very least, would be enraged. He could potentially goad the king into action and declare war. That would be awful.

“You may call him Zhaohui when we are alone,” he says.

A furtive glance at him shows he is smiling softly. Almost as if he senses your gaze, his grin widens.

It is almost uncanny the way the smile fades and takes away most of the warmth. Although he does not exude danger, you find yourself missing the glimpse of a gentler man from before. However this cold demeanor makes more sense for a prince. It seems to be like armor he dons to keep himself safe.

You can respect that.

As promised, you only have to make a brief appearance. After a toast to your and the Crown Prince’s health, Zhaohui motions for a maid to come and you to a place to rest. There is no mention of food, and just thinking of it makes your stomach cramp up and growl. If the maid notices, she remains stubbornly silent. It might save your pride to ignore the noise, but you will happily toss your pride aside for delicious food.

“His Highness will visit after the feast,” the maid says as she opens the doors.

When she sees you glancing around curiously, she continues, “This is Snow Lotus Pavilion. It is the residence of the Princess Consort.”

You are impressed.

The furnishings are much more lavish than in Meizhen’s rooms in Qin. Yet it still is not excessive or gaudy. It does not look like someone trying to flaunt their wealth. The flow of people is nice, too. You can feel yourself relaxing.

Before the servant can leave, you turn to her. “Please have food delivered here.”

The maid hesitates, before bowing slightly. “Heavy foods are not recommended as they can potentially affect the first night. However, I will have a tray of light things to eat be brought to Your Highness.”

To say you are disappointed is an understatement. You have been anxiously waiting for the chance to actually eat real food. Maybe they really are starving me…

“Alright, you may go.”

With one last bow, she disappears through the door.

Immediately, your hands move to rip the veil off, but you stop yourself from touching it. Removing it is a big deal, so you should comply with customs you are unfamiliar with.

You take a few minutes to wander around the room. Aside from the bed, there is a screen for dressing behind and a small table to sit at. On this table is a beautiful tea set. The pot is currently steaming so it must have been brought here recently. You pour yourself a cup and lift the glass. The aroma is pleasant, but that’s not all. There is something familiar about it, too. You just cannot place it.

You quickly drink the first cup, too thirsty to savor it like you should. After that your second and third go down more slowly. The flavor is actually pretty good.

You go to sit on the bed to wait. Hopefully the meal they prepared is as delicious as everything else you have eaten since you woke up in this body.

You barely even notice falling asleep.

---

By the time everyone is drunk, Zhaohui wants nothing more than to go to bed. However, he knows doing so would be humiliating for you in front of his concubines. He needs to show you enough favor to keep you safe, but also not do too much that it ignites jealousy and grudges. He does not want to paint a target on your back.

There are no maids loitering outside your rooms. In fact, aside from the faint light coming from inside, there is no sign anyone is even here.

When he walks in and sees you lying on the bed, he cannot help the sigh. He is not sure what to do and is loath to act, because forcing you awake is not something he really cares for.

As he turns to leave, there is a pathetic whimpering from your direction.

He turns back immediately and moves to your side.

Up close, it is obvious you are not peacefully resting. Your neck and chest are flushed, you’re sweaty, and you are trembling. He would bet that your face is also red.

The next sound you make sends a jolt of arousal through him. He frowns as he takes in the room. Seeing the teapot, he moves to get it.

A small, strong hand suddenly latches onto him. “Hurts,” you whimper. “It’s too hot. Help me, please?”

If he was not sure before, he definitely is now. Somehow, someone in his mansion has drugged you. It is most likely only the fact your wedding attire is difficult to remove on your own that keeps you clothed. He supposes he can consider himself lucky. Clearly, he cannot trust his own servants, so he is sure that rumors of your breach of etiquette would be around the palace by morning.

Sighing again, he leans over the bed. “I can help you with the heat by removing some layers.”

You only nod, body trembling.

As he leans over you, your hands bunch the covers into your fists. He wonders what is going through your mind, but figures it is best not to ask. Instead, he gently pulls you up into a seated position, doing his best to ignore your muffled moans and squirming.

He does not bother with the ceremonial stick, grasping the veil in his hand and jerking it off quickly.

It is a little strange to see that you have your eyes closed. Maybe it is helping you fight the effects of the unnecessarily strong aphrodisiac, though, so he brushes that away.

“I’ll help you with your hair now,” he informs you, although he is not sure why. He just feels extremely protective of you for some reason.

“Th-Thank you,” you whisper, shivering.

He smiles a little to himself, but reaches up to gently remove the ornaments from your hair.

It is just your luck that your scalp is sensitive on a normal day. Under the influence of the drug in your tea, just the slightest touch has waves of tingles and heat crashing over you. It is all you can do not to touch him or beg him to touch you. If you keep your eyes shut, you cannot see him and be even more tempted.

He’s your husband now. Giving into temptation certainly will be fine, your brain helpfully points out.

You shake your head, missing the confusion that crosses Zhaohui’s face. Even if you do want to give into temptation, you should keep your eyes closed. The color will scare him away. Aside from Shan and Minsheng, he is the nicest person you have met so for.

The sensation of your loosened hair tumbling down your back elicits a gasp from you. Involuntarily, your eyes pop open. The sharp intake of breath makes you glance up to where Zhaohui is hovering over you.

To his credit, he only looks shocked. There is not even a hint of fear or revulsion.

However, now all you can focus on is…

Zhaohui holds perfectly still as you raise your hands towards his face. He is not sure what to do about the dazed look in your eyes.

“You’re so beautiful,” you say almost reverently.

Startled, he feels his ears and face heating up. Sure, he is aware that he is an attractive man. He has heard the giggling of maids as he walked by. His concubines have showered him with compliments about being handsome.

Yet it makes him feel almost shy to hear you call him beautiful. He is not even sure how to respond.

As your fingers lightly brush along the sides of his face, he suddenly has the overwhelming urge to kiss you.

So he does.

The noise you make has him gently pressing you down into the bed as he deepens the kiss. Your response is enthusiastic, arms moving to grasp his shoulders so you can tug him down on you. The way you begin to eagerly tug on his clothes pulls a low chuckle from him. He gently redirects your hands for now, and you obediently comply. It seems you are just as eager to touch him through clothing as you are to undress him.

He would have to be a corpse not to respond to your exploration.

Unable to hold himself back anymore, he begins to remove your outer garments impatiently.

Whoever drugged you will not have things go their way, he silently promises. He will keep you from humiliating yourself and help you ride out the effects. As his Crown Princess Consort, he will do his best to take care of you.