Since the day when Xiao Wang expressed his intention to the Emperor in the Imperial Study that he wanted to marry Ruan Jiu as the Crown Princess, he immediately started to make arrangements for their wedding.
Counting the days, in just three days, the gu worms in Ruan Jiu's body would take effect. By then, Ruan Jiu, both her body and heart, would belong only to him.
"Miss Ruan, your wedding dress is ready," said the head maid of the Bureau of Costume respectfully, holding the wedding dress in front of Ruan Jiu.
For the grand wedding ceremony of the Crown Prince, the entire Bureau of Costume had been working day and night for five days to finish this wedding dress.
Ruan Jiu nodded slightly, took the dress, and then walked into the inner chamber.
After changing into the wedding dress and coming out, Ruan Jiu saw Xiao Wang sitting on the soft couch.
Xiao Wang's eyes lit up when he saw Ruan Jiu in the wedding dress. But soon, that glint of light disappeared, replaced by a look of gloom.
He shouted angrily at the head maid of the Bureau of Costume, "I told you to make the wedding dress. Is this what you come up with to deceive me?"
At first glance, the wedding dress looked dazzling on Ruan Jiu. But on closer inspection, it was obvious that the dress didn't fit her figure well.
The maid was so frightened that she immediately knelt on the ground and stammered, "Your Highness, this dress was made according to Miss Ruan's measurements!"
"Then why is it so big?!"
"I... I don't know either..."
Xiao Wang's eyes turned cold. "You must have been lazy and slack! Guards, lock up all the maids and eunuchs in the Bureau of Costume in the Department of the Palace Servants and give them twenty strokes of the cane!"
Hearing this, the maid cried out, "Your Highness, I'm innocent! I really didn't slack off!"
"Your Highness," Ruan Jiu quickly stepped forward and persuaded, "It's not their fault. I've had a poor appetite these days, so I've lost some weight."
Only then did Xiao Wang notice that the sleeves of Ruan Jiu's dress were empty.
It was all his fault that he had been so busy with the wedding arrangements these days that he hadn't noticed Ruan Jiu had lost so much weight.
Could it be because of the gu worms? But the wizard had said that as long as Ruan Jiu took the medicine on time, it wouldn't cause any harm to her body.
Then he frowned and looked at Lan Yu, saying coldly, "Why didn't you tell me earlier?"
Ruan Jiu said, "Your Highness, it was me who didn't let Lan Yu tell you. These days you've not only been busy dealing with state affairs but also preparing for our wedding. I just had a poor appetite. I didn't want you to worry."
"A Jiu, nothing in this world is more important than you," Xiao Wang said, looking at Ruan Jiu with doting eyes.
Xiao Wang's words made Ruan Jiu slightly dazed. She seemed to have heard these words somewhere before.
She smiled brightly. "A Jiu will definitely eat well and not let Your Highness worry."
Seeing Ruan Jiu's obedient look, Xiao Wang couldn't help but pull her into his arms.
Ruan Jiu lay on Xiao Wang's chest, listening to his strong and powerful heartbeat. The smile in her eyes suddenly disappeared.
It was almost time. The memories she had lost were about to come back.
These days, she had pretended to be docile during the day, but at night, she had endured the excruciating pain of the gu worms gnawing at her bones. But fortunately, more and more fragmented memories were emerging in her mind. She believed that she would be able to piece together all the memories before the wedding.
-
After dinner, Ruan Jiu carried a bowl of chicken soup to Xiao Wang's study.
After all, before all the truths were revealed, she still needed to hide herself and act obedient.
But when she entered the study, she found that although the candles were lit, Xiao Wang was nowhere to be seen.
Ruan Jiu put the chicken soup on the table. She didn't leave in a hurry but carefully examined the furnishings in the room.
After staying in the Eastern Palace for so long, this was the first time she had come to Xiao Wang's study. She couldn't help but be curious about what the Crown Prince's study looked like and what books he usually read.
So she walked to the bookshelf beside and took a quick look at the books on it. They were all history books and political essays. Although boring, they suited Xiao Wang's character.
Just as she was about to leave, a lotus-shaped river lantern in the corner caught her attention.
Xiao Wang actually had such a girlish thing?
She walked forward and picked up the lantern. To her surprise, there was a slightly yellowed note hidden inside.
She looked around carefully to make sure no one was there, then took out the note.
When she unfolded it, several lines of delicate handwriting came into view.
"May you be happy every year, and may all your wishes come true.
The wind has its promise, and the flowers never fail.
We'll never let each other down year after year."
In an instant, countless fragments of memories began to surge in her mind.
Suddenly, the gu worms in her body began to stir again, as if they were constantly biting her skin and gnawing at her bones. This time, the attack was more violent than ever before.
"Ah!"
With a shrill scream, a bitter and fishy taste welled up in her throat and gushed out. It landed on the ground, blooming into bright red flowers.
Just then, Xiao Wang walked in from the door. The scene in front of him made his eyes widen in shock.
He quickly stepped forward and caught the tottering Ruan Jiu. His whole body trembled involuntarily.
He exclaimed, "A Jiu, what's wrong with you?"
Ruan Jiu's eyes turned scarlet. She immediately broke free from Xiao Wang's arms and stared at him fiercely.
Her body tilted backward. She looked up at the hypocritical and terrifying man in front of her.
That lotus-shaped river lantern was the one she and Xie Jingchu had released together on New Year's Eve.
She remembered!
She remembered everything!
"Xiao Wang, what on earth are you doing? Why are you treating me like this?!"
Xiao Wang was slightly stunned.
After noticing the change in Ruan Jiu, he felt a faint uneasiness in his heart. But he still looked at Ruan Jiu with gentle eyes. "A Jiu, what are you talking about?"
After saying that, Xiao Wang reached out his hand to Ruan Jiu, trying to close the distance between them. But Ruan Jiu raised her hand and knocked his arm away. Her eyes were instantly filled with disgust and coldness.
Xiao Wang's Adam's apple rolled. A look of loneliness flashed across his eyes.
"What... what have you remembered?" His voice trembled, as if he was afraid.
"I've remembered everything! Xiao Wang, you're a madman!"
Xiao Wang looked at Ruan Jiu in front of him in disbelief, who was so different from a few days ago.
He shouted, "Impossible! How could you have regained your memories!"
"Do you think you can imprison me with such a despicable method? It's really ridiculous!"
Ruan Jiu endured the intense pain in her body with difficulty. Her voice was hoarse.
Even so, she still stubbornly opened her eyes full of disgust and glared angrily at Xiao Wang. The scarlet in her eyes made her pale face look even more pitiful.
As the past memories surged in her mind, the gu worms in her body became even more restless.
A more intense pain filled her whole body, making her tremble uncontrollably.
The bitter and fishy taste in her stomach welled up in her throat again.
Her vision went black, and she fell straight to the ground.
At the last moment when her consciousness faded, the vague figure that had always been in her mind finally merged with Xie Jingchu's smiling face.
Ruan Jiu lay on the ground, a faint smile floating on her lips.
A Jing, I'm sorry for forgetting you for so long.