On the wedding day, my wife was abnormal

The night is dark, as dark as ink that cannot be dissolved.

Lin Zhen put one hand behind his back and held Xia Zhu's wrist tightly with the other hand. His movements seemed casual, but in fact they were full of strength that could not be broken free. His eyes kept wandering over her body and face.

In fact, Xia Zhu's figure is relatively tall among women. Although she cannot be compared with Liu Miaoyan and Qingxia, she definitely stands out from the crowd when walking on the street.

At this moment, her back was straight. Even though she was imprisoned, her bright yet calm eyes still retained the determination and stubbornness of a local official.

Lin Zhen likes these eyes very much.

His palms were dry and warm, carrying the power of a martial artist and a pampered person.

His thumb gently stroked the back of Xia Zhu's hand.

Under the dim light, the skin on the back of the hand appeared almost transparent, white and smooth, as if it had never experienced any wind or frost.

This delicacy was inconsistent with what he knew about the ups and downs of officialdom and the hardships in the border areas, which aroused his interest in exploring.

However, when his slender fingers slid along the edge of her finger and slid towards her palm intentionally or unintentionally, the touch was suddenly different.

The palm of his hand was covered with thin, rough calluses.

These are not the thick calluses left by handling farm tools or weapons, but the special marks left by the repeated sharpening of the pen handle over the years, from countless times of picking up the pen, hanging the wrist, reviewing official documents, and writing memorials.

This thin cocoon is a mark of identity and a testimony to hard work and diligence.

If it weren't for seeing her writing the official document on flood control, Lin Zhen wouldn't have wanted to touch her.

The reason why I touched her hand was to see if she was putting on a show.

"Tsk." Lin Zhen raised his eyebrows slightly. His voice was not loud, but it clearly penetrated Xia Zhu's ears. It was filled with a condescending amusement. "County Magistrate Xia's hands are truly wonderful. The back of his hand is smooth and tender, even more delicate than many young ladies in the capital, and this palm...yet it is so tough. I bet this elegant and powerful small regular script must have taken a lot of hard work under the candlelight, right?"

His eyes were fixed on her face, not missing any of the slightest changes in her expression.

Xia Zhu tried hard to pull back his hand, the force was filled with suppressed anger, and his knuckles turned white from the force.

But Lin Zhen's hands were like iron clamps, motionless.

She could only raise her chin and meet his gaze directly. There were no tears in those clear eyes, only a proud coldness.

"Your Highness, you have good eyesight and a keen sense of humor!" Her voice was cold, each word clear, tinged with the humiliation and irony of being violated. "I have studied for thirty years and served as an official for three months. I dare not say that I have devoted myself to my work, but these hands that have written countless petitions for the people's livelihood and judged countless grievances of the common people are now imprisoned in the Censorate, for Your Highness to judge and comment on. It is truly an honor for this humble official!"

She deliberately emphasized the pronunciation of the last four words.

Lin Zhen didn't care about her sarcasm at all, instead he laughed softly.

Not only did he not let go, but he pulled her hand closer, almost to his eyes, as if he was admiring a rare treasure.

He lowered his voice and whispered seductively, his breath brushing against Xia Zhu's ears, causing her to shudder with disgust:

"Xia County Magistrate, you are so tough, why do you have to endure this imprisonment? If you are willing to humble yourself and ask me for help, with my status and reputation, it would only take a word for me to reinstate you."

"Please?" Xia Zhu almost squeezed out these two words from between his teeth, as if they were the most filthy poison in the world.

Her chest heaved violently, and she was obviously trying hard to suppress her surging emotions.

She whipped her head around, her icy gaze piercing Lin Zhen. The contempt and anger in her eyes threatened to turn into tangible flames. "Haha, I never imagined that the renowned prince, Lin Zhen, whose influence in the court was undeniable and whose word was law, was actually a pervert who loved to molest female prisoners!"

"Sex maniac? Hahahaha." Lin Zhen seemed to have heard something extremely ridiculous. Instead of getting angry, he burst into an even louder laughter that echoed in the empty courtyard.

He narrowed his eyes slightly, as if sizing up a child who was ignorant of current affairs and full of childish provocation. "Xia Zhu, Xia Zhu, have you really been in this remote countryside for too long? Or has being a county magistrate made you forget the realities of life?"

He took a small step forward, his powerful aura almost enveloping Xia Zhu. "How many men in this world don't like beauty? Even Confucius said, 'Food and sex are human nature.'"

His eyes swept across her delicate eyebrows, straight nose and stubbornly pursed lips without any hesitation. His gaze was extremely aggressive, as if he was evaluating the value of an object.

"Even though County Magistrate Xia is over thirty, she still retains such charm, and the heroic spirit between her brows is even more rare. It is a pity for such a beautiful and talented woman to end up in such a filthy place as the Censorate. Isn't it a pity to let such a pearl be buried in the dust?"

"If you are willing to obey me and be my woman obediently. Then, I have my own way to make your case disappear. Not only that, I can also ensure that you will have a successful career and rise to the top. What do you think? This deal is a sure win for you." The naked words made Xia Zhu's body stiffen instantly, and every word struck Xia Zhu's heart clearly.

"Shameless!" Xia Zhu felt a surge of blood rushing to his head, and all his anger and humiliation burst out in an instant.

She used all her strength and swung her hand violently. This time, Lin Zhen seemed to intentionally relax his strength, allowing her to break free.

She staggered back a step and bumped into the cold door panel. Her chest heaved violently and her face was ashen, without a trace of blood left.

She pointed at Lin Zhen, her fingers trembling, and her voice became sharp with extreme anger:

"Lin Zhen! Even if I die, I will never yield to a hypocritical, beast-in-humane person like you! I, Xia Zhu, would rather be cut into pieces than touch a finger of yours!"

Her eyes practically spit fire. "I feel so sorry for Your Majesty! I feel so sorry for the entire Daqian! Your Majesty, who is so wise and powerful... how could she... marry such a despicable and vile person like you! This is a misfortune for the country!"

"Hahahaha! Despicable? Obscene? Unfortunate?" Lin Zhen laughed out loud as if he had heard the most ridiculous judgment in the world, and his laughter was full of arrogance and disdain.

He made no secret of his pride, with his arms slightly outstretched, pointing towards the austere Censorate in the night sky, and also seemingly pointing towards the entire Daqian territory outside the capital:

His voice suddenly rose, carrying with it an overwhelming authority that shook the dust from the eaves. "Am I despicable? Am I vulgar? But I am just like that! I conquered this vast empire for Your Majesty! It was I who defeated a hundred thousand men in Dai County with only five thousand! It was I who assisted the court and maintained peace and stability in the country! Ask around in the capital, ask around, whether they're officials or street vendors selling tea, who wouldn't give a thumbs-up and say 'Wisdom Crown Prince' or 'Long Live the Crown Prince' when they mention my name, Lin Zhen?"

He took a step forward, and a strong sense of oppression once again enveloped Xia Zhu. "Daqian is now able to recuperate, and the people can live a stable life. Which of these is inseparable from the contribution of me, Lin Zhen? How can my achievements be erased by the empty slander of a small county magistrate like you who was convicted?!"

"So what if you've achieved unparalleled success?" Xia Zhu fearlessly met his captivating gaze. Her voice was like a blade tempered with ice, each word piercing the heart. "No matter how great your achievements are, they can't cover up the filthiness in your bones! They can't erase the way you threatened me today! You're still the same pervert who exploits others' misfortunes, loves to hunt for women, and uses your power to bully weak women! You're a vile and shameless pervert! Your great achievements are but gilded paint to cover up your filthy heart!"

"Pervert? Lecher?" Lin Zhen repeated these two words playfully. Instead of being angry, he looked with interest at the thorny flower in front of him that was swaying violently in the strong wind but refused to break.

He even nodded leisurely, and the evil smile on his lips deepened.