The Legend of Concubine Su

Xiaoru accompanied Su Jingyue to the most famous embroiderer in the capital to customize dresses for the palace selection, and also bought some rouge and powder.

As the two were selecting fabric, they saw Qi Jiaojiao, her belly slightly bulging, slowly walk into the cloth shop, followed by two maids from the Lin residence. It turned out they were there to order a wedding dress for the bride. Qi Jiaojiao looked at Su Jingyue with a smug look and said with a smile, "Miss Su, I'm pregnant and it's inconvenient for me to perform the formalities. Please forgive me." With that, she turned and led the maids out of the cloth shop and back to the Lin residence.

Su Jingyue stared blankly, her eyes wide open. Her mind was in a mess, and she couldn't comprehend the scene before her. She felt a chill rising from the soles of her feet and spreading throughout her body. She trembled uncontrollably.

She bit her lip tightly, tears welling up in her eyes, but she fought hard to hold them back. She murmured painfully, "How could she be pregnant? Could it be Lin Fei... No, it's impossible. Lin Fei wouldn't do this to me. He's not that kind of person..." Her voice was filled with despair and pain, as if her heart had been completely torn apart.

She didn't want to believe it was true, but the truth was in front of her, and she couldn't escape it. She thought of every little moment she had spent with Lin Fei, and those sweet memories now became sharp blades that pierced her heart. She felt like a ridiculous clown, having been deceived so deeply.

Su Jingyue felt like her whole world was collapsing, and she didn't know how to face this cruel reality. She fell into deep self-doubt and self-blame, and began to doubt whether she really understood Lin Fei, and whether the relationship between them was just an illusory dream.

Her heart was filled with contradictions and struggles. On the one hand, she wanted to believe Lin Fei, but on the other hand, she could not accept the facts before her. Her emotions were like waves in a storm, constantly impacting her fragile mental defenses.

At this moment, Su Jingyue felt extremely lonely and helpless. She didn't know what to do in the future, nor how to regain the trust and courage she had lost. She could only silently endure the pain and wait for time to heal her trauma.

A few days passed, and the Lin residence was festooned with lights and bright red wedding characters plastered everywhere. The maids and servants bustled about, preparing for the impending wedding. Lin Fei stood at the doorway with a wry smile, watching the guests come and go. Only he knew the bitterness in his heart, but he still had to face this day.

Elsewhere, Qi Jiaojiao wore a meticulously tailored bridal gown, the rich fabric shimmering delicately in the sunlight. The red silk was embroidered with an exquisite phoenix pattern, so lifelike it seemed ready to take flight at any moment. Her phoenix crown, inlaid with dazzling gems, shone with a captivating light, complementing her beautiful face perfectly.

The maids carefully put a red veil on her. The veil was like a mysterious veil, gently covering her face, but adding a sense of shyness and mystery.

Lin Fei also changed into his groom's attire. His clothes were made of dark blue satin, embroidered with golden dragon patterns, giving him a solemn and majestic appearance. He mounted a snow-white steed, the saddle also meticulously crafted, inlaid with gems and pearls, gleaming brightly. Lin Fei wore a forced smile, his heart filled with mixed emotions as he prepared to marry his bride.

The scene was bustling with activity, but Lin Fei's heart was heavy. He didn't know what the future held for them, so he could only silently accept his fate. Su Jingyue, on the other hand, watched silently from afar, her eyes filled with sadness and disappointment. The wedding procession marched majestically through the streets, the sound of music and drums echoing throughout the city. The bridal sedan finally arrived at the gate of the Lin Mansion, and Qi Jiaojiao, supported by her maids, slowly entered.

What followed was the traditional wedding ceremony: first bowing to heaven and earth, then bowing to parents, then the couple bowed to each other, and then they were sent to the bridal chamber.

Qi Jiaojiao sat upright on her wedding bed, covered with a vibrant red satin quilt in a mandarin duck pattern. The table was filled with a fruit plate symbolizing good fortune, including red dates, peanuts, longans, and lotus seeds. The dragon and phoenix candles burned quietly, emitting a soft glow. She sat there quietly, waiting for Lin Fei to come and lift her red veil.

Meanwhile, Lin Fei was in his study, silently gazing at the butterfly hairpin Su Jingyue had given him, his heart filled with conflict and helplessness. He drank his wine, muttering to himself with a wry smile, "Oh, God, why do you like to play tricks on me so much? I can't even marry the woman I truly love, but instead I'm forced to marry someone I don't love."

He recalled every little detail of his time with Su Jingyue, and a wave of sadness filled his heart. However, reality ruthlessly separated them, leaving him in a painful struggle.

Qi Jiaojiao sat in the bridal chamber all night. She knew that she had forced this relationship, but she was still unwilling to give up. She thought to herself, "No one else can get what I can't!" Her eyes were full of viciousness and determination.

The next morning, Qi Jiaojiao called her maid Lamei and said, "Lamei, accompany me to pay my respects to the master and his wife." Lamei replied respectfully, "Yes, Concubine."

Inside the Lin residence, Lin Fei's parents were seated at the head of the table. Lin Fei's father was a virtuous official and a high-ranking official, while his mother was a lady of the first rank. Qi Jiaojiao carefully knelt down with tea in hand, saying softly, "I, your daughter-in-law, pay my respects to you, my father-in-law and mother-in-law. Please have some tea." Seeing this, Madam Lin quickly said, "You are pregnant, so there is no need for such formalities. Lamei, please help the concubine to sit down." Lamei bowed and replied respectfully, "Yes, madam," then helped Qi Jiaojiao sit down on the chair. Qi Jiaojiao quickly thanked her, "Thank you, mother-in-law."

Mrs. Lin took Qi Jiaojiao's hand with a kind look on her face and said gently, "Jiaojiao, if you need anything in the future, just tell me directly. Don't be shy!" She patted Qi Jiaojiao's hand gently and continued, "You are pregnant now. You must take care of yourself. Don't overwork yourself, and don't worry too much about yourself, so as not to affect the health of the fetus. Just rest assured and take care of the baby. That will be the greatest reward for me!"

Qi Jiaojiao's face was filled with a happy smile. She said gratefully, "Thank you, mother-in-law, for your concern and love. You are so kind!" Madam Lin smiled and nodded, then asked, "What did the imperial physician say? Is your fetus stable?" Qi Jiaojiao replied happily, "To answer my mother-in-law, the imperial physician said that my fetus is fine and told me to get more rest and stay cheerful." Madam Lin nodded in relief and instructed, "That's good. You must follow the imperial physician's advice and eat more nourishing foods on a regular basis to ensure the healthy growth of your baby."