Chapter 68

68 Your good fortune has begun with me

Court Lady Hong stood up, grabbing the robe in her hands. “Miss Hua, I will tell the Queen and bring a new wedding dress for her.” She told her not to be scared and wait a little for her.

“Court Lady Hong, I will wear it. Please don’t tell the Queen,” Li Hua said.

“But, why?” Court Lady Hong was puzzled to hear her. “We are supposed to arrange a new wedding dress for Miss Hua. In two hours, the wedding ceremony will start.” She looked troubled and worried.

Li Hua smiled and took the wedding robe from her. “I do not want the Sixth Prince to know about it. Somehow, His Highness will find out about it, and then anything can happen. Court Lady Hong is well aware of the Sixth Prince,” Li Hua said. “I know the needlework. I can make the dress better. Please provide me with the needle-threads box, a silk red, and golden fabric, and I will renew it,” she assured Court Lady Hong.

“But-”

“No ifs and buts, Court Lady Hong. We have limited time to turn it into something wearable,” Li Hua reminded her. Court Lady Hong nodded and asked the servant to bring what Li Hua had demanded.

Li Hua settled on the bed and spread the upper robe of her wedding dress on the mattress.

“It is completely destroyed, Miss Hua. I shall tell the Queen about it. I will make sure the word doesn’t go to the Sixth Prince,” Court Lady Hong assured Li Hua.

“The Sixth Prince will find out anyhow. I don’t want any more fights because of me,” Li Hua stated. She didn’t want Lóng Wei to create any trouble that would bring him to the door of the cold palace. She would be thrown out before even starting anything. No! She would not let this happen.

.....

The maidservant brought the wooden box and put it on the mattress.

Li Hua opened it and picked a few threads from one of the sections carved inside the box. She picked the needle and put the golden thread in it.

She used the scissors to cut the fabric and covered the giant hole, which was at the front. Court Lady Hong wondered how Li Hua would make it wearable and unnoticeable to the others.

An hour later, Li Hua put down the needle and showed the dress to Court Lady Hong and the maidservants present in the chamber. It surprised them. No one could say that the dress was torn. Li Hua made the flowers using silk fabric and covered the tiny holes with them. She had completely changed the dress look. Though the Queen would recognize the dress, it wasn’t a matter of concern.

Li Hua had made a design with threads at the front with the red silk covering the torn part. She had stitched the way that it appeared that an experienced tailor did the embroidery on it.

Luckily, the high waist skirt had not torn much, so it didn’t take her time to repair it.

“Miss Hua is talented,” Court Lady Hong praised her, which made her smile. These were many of the few household chores, in which no one could beat her. She vividly remembered how she defeated the noble ladies in a contest of embroidery organized once in the Xinshui town.

That was the first time, when Feng Lao praised her and had a tiny conversation with her. It was one of the best memories that she held for him.

“Miss Hua, come down to get dressed in your wedding dress,” Lady Hong said. The maidservants helped Li Hua in wearing that dress.

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Once she wore the dress, she settled on the puffy stool in front of the dressing table. The dress looked light when it was in the hands, but once it was worn, its heaviness was easily felt.

Her hair was brushed, and then it looped into a hair bun. Court Lady Hong brought the box that Lóng Wei gifted Li Hua yesterday, which had all sorts of accessories in it.

The golden hairpins were put straight into the large hair bun. Two locks of her hair strands were kept loose, which hung down to the side of her temples.

The buyao was put at the top of her head and fixed well into her hair. She felt that her head would bury in the weight of those accessories.

Now, it was her turn to apply makeup to her face. The beautician brought the soft pad to Li Hua’s cheek and applied the powder to them. Li Hua closed her eyes as if it was time to apply the eye makeup. The red colores extracted from the roses were put over the eyes.

She then brought the tiny brush dipped in red to her forehead and made a beautiful plum-shaped flower mark between Li Hua’s brows.

Li Hua opened her eyes and looked at herself in the mirror. She looked pretty. However, she was not a bit happy.

“Please part your lips, Miss Hua,” the beautician said and put the red paper between her lips. Li Hua pressed her lips tightly to it, and the red color filled her lips. The beautician used the brush to draw the lip lines and spread the lip color evenly.

A red powder was applied to her cheeks, making it appear like a natural blush.

“Miss Hua looks pretty. She has a beautiful face,” Court Lady Hong complimented her. Li Hua passed a tiny smile to her and looked at the jade bangles which Lóng Wei had purchased for him. She was ready to wear them when a maidservant came to deliver a message.

“The Sixth Prince is here,” the maidservant informed Li Hua, who was surprised to hear it.

Court Lady Hong walked out to ask Lóng Wei about the reason for him coming to the Western Palace.

“I want to see her. Tell the servants to leave the chamber,” Lóng Wei said coldly. Court Lady Hong furrowed her eyebrows and walked in. She informed Li Hua, who was perplexed.

Court Lady Hong asked the other maidservants to follow her, and they all came out of the chamber soon.

Lóng Wei walked in and closed the door behind him. He saw Li Hua in front of the dressing table. However, she had covered her face with the veil.

Lóng Wei walked to her and looked at the table where the four red jade bangles were placed. “I am glad that you had not worn them,” Lóng Wei picked the one jade bangle and got on his knees.

Li Hua clutched the material of her dress and gently grasped her hand. He put two jade bangles on her right wrist while two on her left wrist. Li Hua didn’t utter a word and looked through the veil at his face. He looked happier than the rest of the days.

“With this, I have tied your fate with me. Your good fortune has begun with me, Li Hua,” Lóng Wei pronounced.

She flinched when Lóng Wei kissed the knuckles of her right hand, and she curled her fingers.

“The wedding is in the next ten minutes. Prepare yourself to become the wife of Lóng Wei.” He rose to his feet after gently putting her hand on her lap.

He saw the jade rings, which he bought for them and picked them up. “You didn’t wear these earrings,” Lóng Wei asked after putting the jade rings inside his pocket.

“I am still not ready, Your Highness,” Li Hua said.

“I want to help you wear them, but I know you won’t be ready to show your face. A promise is a promise between us,” Lóng Wei said. “Come soon,” he added and walked out of the chamber.