A Royal Arrangement: The General's Daughter (Short Novel)

Chapter 4

Shadows of the Wedding Night

Yuren could not find the white box and was startled when the doors of her room opened. Her head whipped around to see the late-night intruder, and she was taken aback by his identity.

She immediately looked away when he sat at the table and began pouring tea as if she weren't there. He was still in his wedding robes, reading a parchment with a furrowed brow that suggested he wanted to tear the paper apart.

Yuren couldn't help but stare at him. His movements were calm and calculated, yet the atmosphere around him was firm and mysterious. His presence commanded attention the moment he entered the room silently. Despite everything, the fourth prince was undeniably handsome. He inherited the Emperor's build and height, but his other features-his tall nose, plump pink lips, and thick eyebrows-were presumably from his mother.

"You're staring," he said without looking up from the paper.

She quickly averted her gaze, pretending to examine the gifts to hide her flushed face. Never before had she felt this kind of intimidation from someone; she couldn't even speak to him normally, unlike with the Emperor and Empress. He was truly difficult to deal with.

For the first time, Yuren, daughter of a Major General, was at a loss for words. It was unacceptable.

After a moment, Yuren cleared her throat and asked the obvious, "Is this all of the gifts from your family?"

"I am not sure; the maids brought them here," he replied without looking at her.

Of course, the maids brought the gifts. What was she thinking? She thought to herself. Maybe she would just ask them if they saw a white box tomorrow.

"Why? Is something missing, particularly a gift that you like?" he asked, finally looking at her. His eyes stayed on her, waiting for an answer. She pursed her lips and shook her head.

"No, I think I just misplaced something inside one of the gift boxes," she lied.

"Do you want me to look for it for you?" he offered, his voice serious and earnest. She shook her head violently and stood up.

"N-no need. I'll just look for it tomorrow," she said, walking towards the bathtub and combing her hair with her fingers to hide her nervousness.

Inside the bathtub, where she changed into plain inner clothes after a brief bath, she paced back and forth. She hadn't realized earlier that they were supposed to consummate their marriage on their wedding night, and that made her nervous. She remembered the brief discussion before the wedding: let the husband do whatever he wants and have a warm bath the next morning.

That was all she knew, but still, she was restless and chewing her thumb. Suddenly, there was a knock on the bathroom door that startled her, almost making her lose her balance.

"I am needed in the main hall for a moment. I hope Yuren is not offended by my sudden departure," he said.

Her eyes widened, and a sigh of relief escaped her. Why would she be offended? She was rather pleased.

She cleared her throat and said, "Do what you must."

And that was it. After that brief conversation, the wedding night was over. She slept comfortably in the large bed after washing her face, and that was it. That was how the wedding night ended.

Yuren woke up late.

The drapes were still in place, and everything in the room remained undisturbed. Her servants did not dare to enter, unlike at her father's estate; instead, they remained outside. Yuren knew this because they were loudly whispering.