Married To The Cruel Crown Prince

Nianzu rode the horse gradually as it was Chuntao's first time riding a horse. His hand was firmly yet gently wrapped around Chuntao. She was terrified in the beginning, but gradually the fear subsided. The drizzle had stopped too, so it was not difficult to ride the horse. 

She could feel the chest of Nianzu pressing against her back. "Chun, are you comfortable?" Nianzu asked her.

"Yes," she replied. "Then I will speed up. We need to reach Luoyang before the rain pours. Else we have to take shelter outside," Nianzu asserted. Chuntao hummed and nodded her head. Nianzu pulled the reins a little, and the horse started running. Chuntao's heart was thumping strangely. This feeling was nice for her. 

When she used to visit the market, upper-class women generally talked about all these things. They used to fantasize about the princes and at those times she used to wonder why they did so! When she got closer to Nianzu, she understood those feelings. Chuntao spread her arms out, gradually astonishing Nianzu.

"What are you doing?" Nianzu asked her as he slowed down. 

"I want to feel it. This is my first time on a horse and it feels like I am in the air," Chuntao affirmed. Nianzu smiled and kept the normal speed of the horse. Chuntao giggled and after a while, closed her arms. She tilted her head and looked at the face of Nianzu, which was near her shoulder. 

"It was nice," she said with a smile. 

Nianzu for a second looked at her to pass her a smile and then focussed back on the route. "I never knew it was fun until today," Nianzu stated. 

"Really?" 

"Hmm. I guess it's because I never tried to look that way," Nianzu answered. Chuntao moved her head to the front. After two hours, they reached the city's center. The people who were on that route were shocked to see the Fourth Prince with a woman. Even some of the upper-class people noticed them. "Why is the Fourth Prince with a village girl?" The son of the Minister of Justice saw them.

Nianzu took Chuntao straight to the residence of General Wang. "Your highness, where are we heading to? My house is on the other side," Chuntao complained and looked behind towards the route which directed towards her village. 

"You cannot stay in your house for a few days. I cannot take you to the Palace either," Nianzu pronounced. "Rest things I will explain to you later," Nianzu replied and tightened his hold on the reins. 

Chuntao found that they had entered a region that was for the high class. Where was the Fourth Prince taking her? She wondered. She saw the grand residences and how the soldiers guarding them. 

Nianzu stopped the horse outside a residence, probably the biggest in that region. She looked at the huge wooden board hanging at the top of the entrance of the Residence. Connecting those words, she read– 'Wang Residence'. Nianzu had gotten down from the horse. He reached his hands towards Chuntao and put them on her waist. He put her down and said, "It's the residence of General Wang." 

Chuntao's feet landed on the ground and she peered at Nianzu, who adjusted her dress and high waist skirt. "Does the Prince want me to stay here? Will it be appropriate? And I don't even know anyone. He is the General in the Army." Suddenly Chuntao had turned nervous. 

A soldier came forward and bowed before Prince Nianzu. He took away the horse of Nianzu while from inside the assistant of General Wang came. Chuntao lowered her eyes and hid behind Nianzu. 

"Your highness, please this way," Qi Wun humbly said. Nianzu looked behind and grasped the hand of Chuntao. "Let's go inside." Nianzu dragged her along with him. Qi Win dropped them to a chamber, isolated from the rest. 

"Your highness, shall I send the lunch for you two?" Qi Wun humbly asked. 

"Yes. Thank you Assistant Qi," Nianzu expressed his gratitude, who smiled. His gaze was still lowered. "His highness shall not say thank you to me. It is my duty towards his highness," Qi Wun stated. "I will send your meals in a while," he asserted and walked out. 

Chuntao looked around the room and it was magnificent to her eyes. "What happened?" Nianzu saw the frowns on Chuntao's forehead. 

"I shall not stay here. I mean this is the residence of the army's General. I will stay at my house. I will not go out and-" Nianzu placed his index finger over her lips, thus stopping her from speaking. 

"You think so much! Father has met you and after today's incident, he might again try to find you. I will talk with my father first. Till everything turns out alright, you will stay here. General Wang's residence is safest for you. Though at the moment he is not in the Capital," proclaimed Nianzu and put his finger down. 

"Your highness, please do not let yourself get harmed. If his majesty does not agree, then-" 

"Father will agree. If he does not agree, then I have another way as well. Do not worry. I do not speak unless it's necessary. However, this time it is necessary! I do not want to suffer anymore nor do I want you to see you in trouble," Nianzu affirmed and caressed her head. 

He pulled her into a hug. Chuntao lifted her hands and placed them on his arms. She felt secured this way. "And stop using titles for me. I would love to hear my name from your mouth," Nianzu said and pulled back. He cupped her face and gazed into her eyes. 

"It is still uncomfortable for me to call the Prince by his name. It will take a little time for me," Chuntao said.

"No one is here. You can call me by my name." Nianzu was excited to hear his name. 

Chuntao was still hesitant to call the Fourth Prince by his name. "N...Nian...zu… Nianzu," she pronounced his name after a few stutters. 

Nianzu broadly smiled. "Say one more time," he requested, "Please."

"Prince Nianzu," Chuntao pronounced the name again. Nianzu pulled her closer again while his hand went to her nape. He leaned down and kissed her. Chuntao placed her hand on his chest and pushed him away. 

"Someone might come," she said anxiously. 

"No one will come," he replied and closed the distance between them. This time they kissed a little longer, and more passionately. Nianzu then let go of her. He removed the conical hat and placed it on a table there. After that, he helped Chuntao in removing the overcoat. Placing it on a chair there, Nianzu stroked her head. 

"Let's have our lunch," Nianzu stated and ordered the servant to send the food in. 

The two sat around the table while the maid served food to them. She tasted the food first. "His and her highness may eat," the maid asserted. Chuntao looked at her amusingly. Before she could tell her not to call her as 'her highness', Nianzu sent her away. 

The two started eating. Nianzu looked at Chuntao and asked her why she agreed to marry a 30-year-old man. Chuntao lifted her gaze from the rice bowl to peer at him. "Ahh, because… because" she was hesitant to tell Nianzu. 

"You can tell me," Nianzu politely told her. 

"Because I could not defy the orders of his majesty, and I was not interested in seeing any man in particular. So, the first proposal which the matchmaker forwarded to me which I accepted," Chuntao replied. 

"Don't take decisions in a rush. These past few days many things happened in the Palace so I could not come to you, to check on you. I am glad that I found out about you. Earlier I thought you deserve a better man than me but now, I think no one is better than me for you." Chuntao's heart fluttered upon hearing those words. "Am I right?" Nianzu asked her. 

Chuntao nodded and passed him a tiny smile. "Prince always comes to rescue me," Chuntao stated and again started eating. Nianzu hummed, and he also continued to eat. Once they finished eating, Nianzu told Chuntao to not come out of the residence.

"I will not," Chuntao replied. "I will wait for you," she added. 

"I will see you tomorrow after attending the court. I will talk with my father today about us. Just keep your faith in me. Do not think that your relationship with me will create problems for me. I have decided to walk on a path different from others and I want the full support of the woman whom I love. That is all I need," Nianzu affirmed. 

"I am with you, Prince. I accepted your love and my feelings because I trust you," Chuntao asserted. Nianzu was delighted to hear that. 

"I shall leave. Have a good rest and do not cry. I will find out if you did cry," Nianzu warned her before leaving the chamber.. Chuntao placed her hand on her chest and felt her racing heartbeat.