Excitement exploded in Zhou Meng’s heart. The glee and delight seizing it were beyond what words could describe. It took all of his willpower to keep himself from immediately advancing upon Qin Yining and claiming what was now rightfully his.
There was no rush, no rush at all. She would be his tonight!!
“Go and tell all of the princess consorts to get out of the palace, now!”
Now that he’d achieved his goal, he reverted back to currying favour with everything he had. After giving orders to his attendants, he turned back to look at Qin Yining with a face full of love. “From here on, you will be my only princess consort. I don’t need any other woman!”
Qin Yining sneered inwardly. These women that he’d just thrown away like useless rags had kept him company for many years and borne him children. The fourth princess consort in particular had just given birth to a little princess. Was she to be driven away before she even recovered? Those wives of Zhou Meng were truly pitiful!
“Your Grace.” Qin Yining lowered her head and responded bashfully. “I made that demand before only because I wanted to test the depths of Your Grace’s affections. I now see that Your Grace is truly devoted to me. I don’t actually mind having other sisters around, so Your Grace mustn’t drive them away. Otherwise, I won’t even have anyone to talk to in the palace.”
Startled, Zhou Meng blinked before breaking out in chuckles, the look in his eyes turning even more gentle as he looked at Qin Yining.
“Miss Pang is truly knowledgeable and knows how to consider the bigger picture. However, I cannot renege on a promise given. I said I would disband the harem for you, so I will disband the harem for you.” With a wave of his hand, his servants accepted the order and were about to move out.
Qin Yining hastily objected, “Your Grace, please do not do so. Since I’ve agreed to marry you, that means I accept everything of yours, including your family. They are all women who have made your family fruitful and have accomplished the great deed of producing heirs.
“If the people hear of Your Grace’s actions, there will surely be someone who doesn’t understand Your Grace’s sentiments and spreads vile rumours. Wouldn’t I then be Consorts Daji and Bao Si of old, the women who caused the downfall of their nations? Your Grace, please retract your order.” She bent her knee with her request.
How could Zhou Meng possibly be willing to let her curtsey? Hands outstretched, he hastily helped her up.
Qin Yining avoided him out of modesty and lowered her head, shyly taking a step back. “Could Your Grace please grant my request?”
Zhou Meng looked down on Qin Yining’s raven hair, the adoration in his heart growing stronger. He held back a smile and ‘reluctantly’ acceded. “Alright then, I shall grant it. However, I don’t know your name even now. We’re about to be married—it can’t be that you’ll only tell me when we enter the bridal chambers, right?”
Qin Yining’s voice was soft. “Your Grace, don’t say that. My name is Little Creek, a reference to babbling brooks and bubbling streams.”
Her foster mother had found her by the creek when she was young, so Little Creek had become her name. Qin Yining didn’t want to use her real name at all, so she casually tossed out her childhood nickname.
“Little Creek? Little Creek…” Zhou Meng rolled over Qin Yining’s name on his tongue and felt that such a tastefully chosen name truly suited her. “As beautiful and gentle as water. Your name is truly as lovely and soft as you yourself.”
Qin Yining was close to throwing up from disgust. She kept her head ‘shyly’ lowered so that Zhou Meng couldn’t see her true feelings.
A complicated expression floated onto Uncle Alham’s face as he watched the two of them talk. His fists were tightly clenched and he itched to charge up and kill the perverted Zhou Meng once and for all.
However, he also worried that if he killed Zhou Meng, the four of them here would be immediately executed. The rest of the tribe back at camp would also have to face the Xiyue army and the people’s looting.
Qin Yining was sacrificing so much for the Minuo. How could he let a moment of impulse destroy all of that?
But he also couldn’t stand it if he did nothing at all. His conscience would never allow such a pure girl to serve a bastard like Zhou Meng!
A group of maids walked in bearing brand new wedding robes and jewelry.
“Your Grace, we need to help Miss Pang change. Your Grace should also get ready as well.”
Seeing that the hour was growing late and preparations for the wedding already underway, it put Zhou Meng in an even better mood knowing that he would soon be holding the beauty in his arms. He was especially lenient towards the maids, nodding with a smile before heading off to his own arrangements.
Qin Yining gave Uncle Alham a meaningful look before turning to the newly-arrived maids, “You are dismissed. I have my own people here.”
“Yes.” The maids didn’t dare to object and immediately curtsied before departing.
When they all left the hall, Qin Yining swiftly turned Uncle Alham. “The ceremony will begin soon. Now’s the chance for you to quietly slip off with Surnaa and Ulan to return to the tribe.”
Uncle Alham grew worried, “What about you?!” His voice was overly loud in his anxiety.