The Dragon Princess's Reluctant Marriage

“You want to see me undress, is that it? Fine, I'll do it right now!”

“What?!”

The “Regent King” standing before me, his face dark as iron, unfastened his gold-and-jade-inlaid belt.

“?”

It's been centuries, and you're still playing this game? Addicted, are you?

The “Regent King” lifted my chin, his voice dripping with contempt. “Little Consort, cat got your tongue?”

Enough was enough. No more patience required. I grabbed his hand.

“Wake up. You're the Heavenly Emperor. Stop with the roleplay already!”

1

Today was my wedding day.

Nine cranes led the way ahead, a pair of resplendent sacred birds carried lanterns, and eighteen golden-maned celestial steeds pulled my wedding chariot straight into the clouds.

I sat inside, dressed in my bridal finery, recalling the scene from last night.

My father had spoken to me with grave sincerity:

“…My child, who knows when you'll return to our home in the South Sea. You must remember one thing: don't, under any circumstances, bore the Crown Prince…”

Tch. This old man.

I raised a hand to cut off his nagging.

“Father, your daughter is, by any account, one of the greatest beauties across the Four Seas and Eight Deserts. Stop worrying about useless things. I'm going up to the Heavenly Court tomorrow. The most important thing right now is: did you put Hao in my dowry or not?”

Father stroked his dragon whiskers, hemming and hawing for a long time before finally saying, “Dear daughter, marriage isn't a pleasure trip. You're not going to the heavens for fun. Once you and the Crown Prince are on good terms, I'll send Hao over. No need to damage your marital harmony over this.”

I panicked instantly, grabbing his sleeve and wailing, “Father, just let me take him! You know I can't live without Hao! Keeping him from me is worse than killing me, boohoo hoo hoo!”

Father was speechless. He put on a stern face and growled, “Coral, calm down. Go up to heaven tomorrow and get married properly. Otherwise, I'll lock Hao in the sea prison and you'll never see him again!”

End of recollection. My hands trembled weakly. Father was so heartless. I'd never even met this Heavenly Crown Prince, and he was marrying me off like this, not even letting me take Hao!

My life in the Heavenly Palace from now on was bound to be a living hell.

2

Wedding night. Red candles blazed high, shadows flickered, two figures should have been one.

No, no. Not yet two.

Right now, I was the only one sitting on the bridal bed, waiting.

The wedding feast was held at the Crown Prince's Jade Bloom Palace. In the front hall, guests clinked glasses and exchanged pleasantries. There was none of the raucous bedchamber teasing I'd feared, but why wasn't anyone coming to see me, hey!

Damn it. I was the only princess of the South Sea! The one and only, unique in all the realms, silver-and-gold dual-colored sphere!

Ah, no. The one and only, unique in all the realms, silver-and-gold dual-colored little dragon beauty!

Father said that on the day I hatched, the sky over the South Sea blazed with extraordinary light, the waters surged without cease, and every creature in the sea was bathed in that radiance—a most auspicious omen.

The old man got so excited his whiskers floated and his horns glowed as he told me the story of my birth.

Stop right there! That's not the point!

The wedding chariot had departed the South Sea at noon, passed through countless immortal mountain caves, and only reached the Heavenly Court at dusk.

So, right now, I was really hungry!

Although I was a famous beauty across the Four Seas and Eight Deserts, I had an even more renowned title: the Number One Foodie Immortal of the Three Realms.

Ask me which immortal lord in all the heavens and earth was the most handsome, or which celestial maiden was the most beautiful? Sorry, I couldn't tell you.

But ask me which fairy brewed the most fragrant celestial dew, which mountain peak bore the sweetest immortal fruit, which cave housed a skilled chef—well, then you were asking the right dragon.

Seriously, if you wanted to talk about this, I was wide awake.

I earned my “Number One Foodie Immortal” title at a Heavenly Court banquet. Back then, I was young and foolish. I went up to heaven and didn't know how to socialize, so I just buried my head in eating.

No matter how fragrant the beauties, they couldn't compare to the fragrance of the food in my mouth!

Some immortal lord or lady must have seen my gluttonous display and told everyone else.

“The South Sea Princess Coral is especially fond of Heavenly Court cuisine. She eats extremely fast and has a particularly large appetite.”

From then on, everyone knew I loved to eat and could eat a lot.

And why did I cry to my father that I couldn't live without Hao? Because Hao was a disciple of the God of Cuisine!

That same banquet was the culprit. Ever since I tasted the God of Cuisine's cooking, I'd been obsessed with that flavor, dreaming of it day and night. I thought that night was the happiest moment of my life!

I wished I could be happy every day, but I couldn't just kidnap the God of Cuisine to the South Sea to be my personal chef, could I? So, I had to go through a lot of trouble to find his most outstanding disciple, Hao.

But this hunger of mine wasn't real hunger. I was born an immortal, so I didn't feel physical hunger. It was just an endless craving for exquisite delicacies.

Tsk. Just thinking about it made me annoyed with this Crown Prince!

I mean, he wanted to marry me without even asking for my opinion, just sending the Heavenly Emperor directly to propose.

My father was just a little old man, ruling over a puddle-sized patch of the South Sea, working diligently day after day. How could he refuse the big boss, the Heavenly Emperor?

I'd lived for three thousand years and read countless storybooks. In all those tales of arranged marriages, the girls never had a happy life. Blind marriages only led to meeting the wrong person and ending up old and ugly. To be happy in life, you had to actively seek love!

But then I thought again. With my status, I wasn't really worthy of the Crown Prince.

My seven or eight older brothers were all born of my mother, and they were all over a hundred thousand years old. I was just a bastard daughter my father brought back from outside three thousand years ago.

Thinking about it made me a little sad.

Father once told me, “You're no different from your brothers. No matter who bore you, you're all my dear children. Having the chance to have you as my daughter in this lifetime is a blessing I cultivated for hundreds of thousands of years. Little Coral is the South Sea's most precious treasure.”

I was so moved I cried my eyes out, boohoo.

But as much as Father loved me, he still couldn't withstand the Heavenly Emperor's power and had to marry me off.

Poor me, boohoo hoo hoo.

3

The more I thought about it, the angrier and more wronged I felt!

I was about to shed a single, crystal-clear, perfectly flawless dragon tear.

“Creak—”

Just then, someone pushed the door open.

Tsk. The doors in this Heavenly Palace bedchamber weren't very good quality, it seemed.

I couldn't see clearly from under the red veil, and I didn't dare casually use my spiritual sense to probe.

Joking aside, this was the Heavenly Court. I was just a little bastard dragon. How could I dare to act up on someone else's turf?

The newcomer must be the Crown Prince. I pulled myself together, adjusted my expression for a while, and put on a smile.

But why wasn't he moving from the doorway?

Come on, move it (scratch that)!!!

Was he standing guard at the door?

Finally, I couldn't help it. I secretly lifted a corner of my veil.

“Put it down.”

The voice was clear and cold as jade, like water striking stone, carrying an innate aloofness and loneliness that was strangely compelling.

I silently put the veil down. The next moment, he lifted it with a spell.

?

So you told me to put it down just so you could lift it yourself.

Fine, fine. You had to lift the veil yourself. Quite the show of protocol.

“Coral? The Peach Blossom Princess of the South Sea?”

(Thanks for the title, Dad. Even I can't understand it.)

I looked up at the sound of his voice and saw his face.

A pair of captivating, amorous peach-blossom eyes, two sharp, sword-like brows. Handsome features paired with an aloof gaze—the very image of a cold-faced lord from a storybook.

Wow. Jackpot. This Crown Prince was definitely the number one handsome man across the Four Seas and Eight Deserts. All my earlier curses were shoved back down and silenced.

Not bad. Looks-wise, he matched me.

But I saw the Crown Prince staring at me, momentarily lost in thought.

I nodded and was about to stand up to bow to him.

“No need. Rest. I just came to take a look.”

With that, he turned to leave.

What the hell???

He was leaving me here alone?

Was I not beautiful enough?

Didn't I spark his interest?

Or was he just incapable?

As if sensing my skeptical gaze, he looked back at me.

“I have matters to attend to, hence I cannot stay. Princess, you won't feel slighted, will you?”

I hurriedly waved my hands in denial. “No, no, not at all. If Your Highness has things to do, please go ahead. Don't worry about me.”

He nodded, closed the door, and left.

I sat back on the bed, dazed for a moment, remembering my father's advice to “get along well with the Crown Prince.”

Funny. There was no chance to get along at all.

Oh well. I didn't have any feelings for him anyway.

From now on, I'd just treat this as a change of scenery for eating.

Maybe I could even get to taste the God of Cuisine's cooking again up here in the Heavenly Court.

Hehehe…

4

This cold and heartless Crown Prince, whose title was Lingzhen, was said to be a golden dragon.

Actually, he wasn't much older than me—just over four thousand years old.

But he was the exalted and unparalleled Crown Prince of the Heavenly Court!

At such a young age, he'd already developed a personality that looked down on all beautiful dragons, believing only golden dragons were supreme.

I was truly speechless.

Logically, since I'd attended several banquets at the Heavenly Court, he, as the Heavenly Emperor's only son, should have been there too.

But I'd never seen him before. Strange.

So I spent the entire wedding night alone.

The next morning, a celestial maiden was already waiting outside to attend to me.

“Your Highness can call me Hattie.”

The little maiden wore a lovely peach-pink dress.

“Pretty little maiden, why are you called that?”

Hattie quickly waved her hands. “Hattie is just Hattie. It's the name my master gave me. It definitely doesn't mean I'm a spy or anything!”

“…Alright.”

I know you're a spy now.

On the second day of marriage, I had to pay respects to the Heavenly Emperor and Empress.

So Hattie led me out of the Jade Bloom Palace and headed towards the Qionghe Palace.

A celestial attendant led me inside. As soon as I entered the hall, I saw the Heavenly Emperor and Empress on their high thrones.

I'd been to banquets at the Heavenly Court before, but because I didn't like socializing, I always found a secluded spot to eat and had never seen the Emperor and Empress up close.

From a distance, I thought my in-laws were both exceptionally handsome.

After I performed the formal bow, they came down to speak with me.

Now I could see them more clearly.

The Heavenly Emperor, Haotian, looked about forty or fifty percent like his son, but Lingzhen was much younger and more handsome.

He stroked his small goatee and said, “Since Peach Blossom has entered my Heavenly Court, we are one family. No need for such formalities.”

Funny. You tell me this *after* I've already performed the formalities.

I hummed a vague reply and secretly observed the Heavenly Empress, Shuwan.

Oh, heavens! What an incomparable beauty!!!

Lingzhen was nothing compared to his mother!

“Coral has just arrived at the Heavenly Court and must be feeling quite unaccustomed to things. Today, I'll show you around. You can tell me anything,” the Empress said, beautiful and gentle, holding my hand and chatting for a long time before leading me to the rear hall and laying out a table full of delicacies.

“Thank you, Empress Mother. You are truly beautiful.”

I was very smooth when it came to adapting to my new identity. At that moment, I was holding the Empress's sleeve and replying with a hint of shyness.

The Empress smiled. “I heard you have a great interest in food. I specially asked the God of Cuisine to prepare these new dishes. Come, Coral, try them.”

Ah, what? The God of Cuisine?!

Sorry, beautiful Empress Mother. Your sleeve isn't as tempting as the food.

After I'd eaten my fill and left the Qionghe Palace, accompanying the Empress on a stroll, I suddenly remembered something.

Why wasn't my husband accompanying me to pay respects to my new parents?

It was as if the Emperor and Empress had agreed to say nothing about Lingzhen's whereabouts.

Didn't they know he'd left last night? Or were they covering for him?

The Empress seemed to sense my question and asked, “Coral, Lingzhen didn't return on your wedding night. Do you resent him?”

I obediently replied, “Coral bears no resentment.”

She sighed and led me to sit under a peach tree. “Actually, you don't know this, but Lingzhen has been cultivating outside with the Divine Father since he was a child. The days he spends in the Heavenly Court can be counted on one hand. Sometimes I only find out he's returned, and by the time I rush to the Jade Bloom Palace to see him, he's already gone before I arrive. Even for your wedding, he only came back just before the feast began.”

I was very surprised.

The Divine Father—that was the son of Pangu, the creator of the universe, a god who could even intercept the Heavenly Dao. So Lingzhen had been cultivating under such a great deity.

No wonder I'd never seen Lingzhen at the Heavenly Court. He was so busy he'd only taken time out to get married. This…

Then I thought about myself, lazing around the Dragon Palace every day, asking my father for food, drink, and fun.

We were both good-looking dragons. He was good-looking and hardworking. I was good-looking and lazy.

What did that prove?

It proved I knew how to enjoy life!

The Empress patted my hand again. “Lingzhen hasn't been with us since he was young, which has made him cold and detached. The Emperor and I feel very guilty about it. Fortunately, we'd heard that the Peach Blossom Princess of the South Sea was lively, interesting, and a wonderful person. That's why we chose you as our daughter-in-law, hoping you could warm his heart a little and make him stay in the Heavenly Court more often.”

Empress Mother, although you are beautiful, I really don't want to keep your son here!

But seeing the hope in her eyes, I thought of my own father, far away in the South Sea. Ah, I kind of missed that grumpy old man.

If she could see her child more often, the Empress would surely be much happier.

In the end, I agreed.

“With a wonderful daughter-in-law like you, Lingzhen will surely come home more often.”

Some people smiled on the surface and replied, “Empress Mother speaks wisely.”

But inside, they were crying their eyes out.

5

After that one meeting on our wedding night, I lived alone in the Jade Bloom Palace for an entire month.

I never even got a chance to help the Empress keep Lingzhen at home.

Everyone in the Heavenly Court was gossiping that the Crown Prince deeply loathed his wife, and that I must be living a miserable life in the Jade Bloom Palace.

When the rumors reached her, the Empress immediately came to comfort me. She even specially held a banquet, warmly pulling me to sit beside her to save face.

After that banquet, the gossip died down considerably. But it only made me feel more guilty towards the Empress.

It was ridiculous. We were already immortals. Why did we still act like the gossips in storybooks, making up lies to slander others without knowing the truth?

Harming others without benefiting oneself. Truly speechless.

They had no idea how *un*miserable my life was!

Hattie, though a bit simple, was a superb cook (only slightly inferior to Hao). She made me three meals a day, plus snacks and treats in between. I was immersed in a honey pot of delicious food.

When I asked, I found out she was also a disciple of the God of Cuisine, specially sent by the Empress.

Even though she was a little spy, Empress Mother was really kind, boohoo.

“Then you must know Hao?” I asked, holding a plate of dried fruit, chatting with Hattie by the pond behind the palace.

This had originally been an ordinary spring. But after I (a very experienced connoisseur of food, drink, and pleasure) discovered the excellent water quality, I had it expanded into a jade pool for daily bathing and relaxation.

“You mean Senior Brother Hao? I know him, but I was very young when I joined Master's tutelage. Senior Brother was almost done with his training by then, so we rarely saw him. Later, I heard he went to the South Sea.”

I cast a spell to warm the water. Hattie's face was flushed pink from the steam.

“So, which number disciple are you under the God of Cuisine?”

“I'm the youngest, the junior师妹.”

At this, I got excited.

“Omo. Junior师妹 and Senior Brother.”

Hattie backed away, a look of panic on her face. “Your Highness, what is that look for? There's nothing between me and Senior Brother!”

Such a young girl. She blushed and got flustered after just one comment. Easy to tease.

“Alright, alright, I'm just teasing you. But can you tell me why you keep calling me 'Princess'?”

Logically, the Crown Prince's wife should be called Crown Princess or by her title, Peach Blossom Immortal.

Hattie sat back down, blinking and pursing her lips. “I just think 'Princess' sounds nicer.”

I nodded. It did sound nicer.

I just wondered whose spy this little celestial maiden really was, to be specifically instructed not to call me Crown Princess.

Pfft. It was just a title. I didn't care about it anyway.

After soaking for a while, Hattie went to prepare the evening meal (midnight snack), so I got up, dried myself off, and headed back to the bedchamber.

But as soon as I pushed open the door, I saw someone sitting in front of the screen.

“Crown Prince? Why are you back?”

Lingzhen looked up at my words, his expression cold.

“This is my bedchamber. Why shouldn't I return?”

Ah, wrong thing to say. Time for damage control!

“Of course, of course you can return! This is the Jade Bloom Palace, your residence. Welcome to your palace, esteemed Crown Prince.”

“…”

I could clearly see the coldness in his eyes turn into anger.

What the hell? Why didn't the classic lines from the storybooks work?

I looked down, thinking. Lingzhen asked again, “You were outside the hall just now. Didn't you sense someone inside?”

“I… I don't usually use my spiritual sense inside the Jade Bloom Palace.”

Joking aside, besides you and me, who would sneak into the bedchamber? Why would I need to use my spiritual sense to check?

He stood up and walked past me slowly.

By the time I reacted, he was already out the door.

What was this all about?

Remembering my promise to the Empress, I steeled myself and chased after him.

6

“Crown Prince, where are you going? Are you busy again tonight?”

Tch. I looked at myself disdainfully. Trotting after him with little steps, I looked just like a little maid.

Lingzhen glanced sideways at the “little maid.” “Something to say?”

“I… I don't have anything to say, but, um, the moonlight is like water, the stars fill the sky, the scenery of the Jade Bloom Palace is so beautiful. Why don't you set aside your busy affairs and stay the night?”

As soon as I finished speaking, Lingzhen stared at me with a “are you okay?” expression for a few seconds.

I blinked my big eyes and said affectionately, “Actually, actually, it's because I, your new bride, miss you so much. I want to spend more time with you to cultivate our feelings.”

Lingzhen turned and walked away.

Awkward as hell.

I rushed to catch up with him, but my hand slipped.

“Riiip—”

A corner of the Crown Prince's magnificent robe.

Torn.

Now there were two awkward people in this palace.

I saw Lingzhen's back stiffen, his hands under his sleeves clenching into fists.

I bet he was thinking about opening a hole in my forehead.

I put down the piece of exquisite fabric in my hand and weakly suggested, “The… the Heavenly Court's tailor shop really needs to update its materials.”

“…”

He took a slow, deep breath. “Since my 'bride' so desperately wants me to stay, then I shall…”

I looked at him expectantly.

“…*Not* stay.”

Great. I didn't get him to stay, and I made an enemy.

Half a month passed since Lingzhen stormed off.

I had failed the Empress's request and felt too embarrassed to go pay my respects or chat with her.

The Heavenly Court had strict rules. Even the Crown Princess couldn't just wander into other palaces.

Sigh. Such a boring life in the Heavenly Court.

I missed the waters of the South Sea. I missed the free forms of the countless creatures in the deep sea.

The plants swaying with the current, the fish and shrimp playing among the coral, the large and small tidal pools in the shallows, the sunlight casting shimmering reflections on the waves, the faint salty smell carried by the sea breeze.

And my reliable, if easygoing, old father!

The sea! My home!

“So the South Sea is really that wonderful…”

After listening to my vivid description of the South Sea's beauty, Hattie's face showed longing.

“That's my happy home. I really want to go back.”

“…But, Your Highness, you are the Crown Princess of the Heavenly Court now.”

Yeah. I was the Heavenly Court's Crown Princess now.

“Hattie, what if I snuck back to the South Sea?”

Hattie started waving her hands frantically again. “You can't, you can't! Now that the Crown Prince is away, you are the master of the Jade Bloom Palace. You represent the palace's image!”

That damn Lingzhen! He was so damnable!

“This Lingzhen, all he does is fool around outside every day! Leaving me all alone at home, lonely, miserable, a widow with a child!”

“What?! You… you're pregnant? But the Crown Prince didn't stay last time…”

Hattie was dumbfounded, her eyes wide, twice their usual size.

“You… you snuck out to have an affair with an immortal!”

“…”

Never mind. I read too many storybooks. She wouldn't understand.

Unexpectedly, the next morning, a small token appeared in front of my door.

This was… a Heavenly Court pass?!

Ahhhhh! With this token, I could come and go from any part of the Heavenly Court! I could visit the God of Cuisine to discuss culinary arts, or go to the Moon Palace to admire it with Chang'e!!!

Wonderful. Absolutely wonderful.

But where did it come from?

Hattie knew nothing, so I stopped worrying about it.

Anyway, a wonderful life in the Heavenly Court was beckoning me!

7

Enjoy life while you can; don't let your golden cup face the moon empty.

I found this line in a poetry collection from the Jade Bloom Palace's study.

Perfect. It perfectly described my blissful life recently.

Every day, I'd get up, enjoy Hattie's cooking in the Jade Bloom Palace, then read a couple of storybooks with some pastries and snacks by my side.

At noon, I'd use the pass Lingzhen had given me to go mooch a meal off the God of Cuisine.

I had to say, the God of Cuisine was a great guy.

Hattie had introduced me to her master the first time, but we'd gotten to know each other well since then.

The God of Cuisine's real name was Tao. He'd supposedly become the God of Cuisine about seven or eight thousand years ago. Before that, he was a chef in the mortal world, and somehow ended up in heaven.

His title sounded like a chubby uncle, but that wasn't the case at all.

Based on his looks alone, Tao could be described as elegant and handsome. He had a kind face and spoke very gently.

The only time he was silent was when he was cooking, treating his ingredients with the utmost seriousness.

Thanks to my status as Crown Princess and South Sea Princess, and my connections with Hao and Hattie, Tao was very friendly towards me.

Plus, I was a true connoisseur of food. My palate, which had tasted delicacies from all over the world, could appreciate his meticulous handling of ingredients. After a few discussions, the look in his eyes when he looked at me definitely held more depth.

After a while, we became quite close (which made it even easier for me to mooch meals, hehe).

But strangely enough, I always felt a vague sense of familiarity with Tao. It was one of the reasons we got along so quickly.

Maybe it was because we both had a pure love for food.

Curious about Tao's ascension to immortality, I couldn't help but ask him one day during lunch.

“Brother Tao, where were you in the mortal world? This mandarin duck roll is really good, *burp*.”

Tao poured me another cup of tea. “In Qiantang. A prosperous and bustling place.”

“I heard you were a famous chef in the mortal world, renowned far and wide at a young age. That's amazing. This hundred-flavor soup is very rich, *burp*.”

Tao picked up a piece of fish and put it in my bowl. “I wasn't exactly young. I just loved studying food since I was a child and put more effort into it than others.”

“Sigh, you ascended to immortality with your skills. That's incredible! Don't be so modest. This croaker is incredibly fresh, *burp*.”

Tao stopped what he was doing and looked at me seriously. “Princess, you're mistaken. I didn't ascend because of my cooking skills.”

I was stunned for a moment. The God of Cuisine was in charge of all food and drink in the world. If not for his skills, then why?

“It's a long story. About ten thousand years ago, the war of the Three Realms broke out. Tens of thousands of heavenly soldiers joined the battle. The situation was chaotic. Later, the Divine Father joined the fight with the Four Dire Beasts and stabilized the situation. But the Taotie clan was severely weakened in the chaos, leaving only a single young beast and a few lingering souls.”

I stopped eating as I listened. I'd heard of this great war, but never the details.

“As luck would have it,” Tao said, taking a sip of tea to moisten his throat, “I was that young Taotie. The only Taotie left in all the realms. I got lost during the chaos, lost my memory, and ended up in the mortal world. I took human form and grew slowly. Eight thousand years ago, the Divine Father found me and brought me back to the Heavenly Court. The Princess should know that Taotie have always loved good food. So the Divine Father made me the God of Cuisine.”

What?! Tao's true form was a Taotie?!

Seeing my disbelief, Tao smiled. “Princess doesn't believe me? I can show you my true form.”

Yes, yes, yes! I'd never seen a legendary ancient dire beast before!

A few moments later.

“Brother Tao, maybe I should go now. Let's catch up another time. Goodbye, farewell!”

Someone grabbed me by the back of my neck.

Taotie weren't famous for their ferocity among the Four Dire Beasts, but they were infamous for their ugliness.

Really. I wasn't lying.

Who would have thought that such a handsome man as Tao had a true form that was… this… this ugly…

Glaring eyes, a wide black nose, a ring of red polyps around its mouth spewing hot air. Its body, as tall as the palace, was covered in大大小小 fleshy spikes, and its tail was like a hammer, as big as my entire body.

Seeing my reaction, Tao set me down on the ground and instantly transformed back into his human form.

“Did I scare the Princess? This is what the Taotie race looks like.”

His voice was soft now, his gaze gentle, which calmed me down a bit.

I patted my chest. “But… your true form and human form… the difference is a bit big…”

Tao was taken aback, then burst into laughter. “It seems the Princess knows little about the Taotie. Taotie consider fierceness and might to be beauty. The uglier the true form… the more handsome the human form. It's different from other immortal beasts' transformations.”

I see.

But from that day on, Tao never mentioned the Taotie to me again.

I felt a bit guilty for accidentally hurting a handsome man's feelings.

8

Another sweet (mistake) month passed. I'd gotten very familiar with all parts of the Heavenly Court.

My comfortable life in the Heavenly Court was making me forget about the South Sea.

Well, I still had to think about my little old father.

That day, I was returning from drinking with the God of Cuisine. As I passed the Qionghe Palace, I saw someone walking out with a wooden face from a distance.

Strange. He looked a lot like my absentee husband.

When I got back to the Jade Bloom Palace and opened the door, I found Hattie standing there like a wooden post.

“Hattie, what's wrong?”

Puzzled, I walked up to her.

Hattie, who had been in a daze, finally woke up. Seeing it was me, her expression turned even more strange.

“Princess, why are you back so late…”

Hattie stammered.

Oh? Hattie, why are you being so coy?

“Senior Brother Hao is here…”

Aha! So that's it. The little girl was shy because she saw her crush.

Perfect, perfect! Now I could enjoy the cooking of three great chefs: the God of Cuisine, Hao, and Hattie!

“Hao is here? Where?”

“Senior Brother is in the bedchamber, but…”

I was overjoyed, my face lighting up. I couldn't contain myself. I took three steps at a time and rushed into the bedchamber.

“But… the Crown Prince is there too.”

I was wrong. I apologize for my rashness.

“Crown Prince,” I said, reacting with lightning speed (I was an immortal, after all), bowing to him. “I didn't know you were returning today. I failed to welcome you. Peach Blossom begs your forgiveness.”

Damn. So the person I saw really was Lingzhen!

Right now, Lingzhen was leaning back on the couch, holding a volume of immortal texts.

He glanced at me, his eyes carrying a mix of three parts mockery, three parts coldness, and four parts nonchalance (as often described in the storybooks I'd been reading lately). His thin lips parted, and he slowly uttered a few words: “No matter. I only returned because I had matters to attend to.”

I smiled obsequiously, my eyes darting around. I didn't see Hao anywhere.

“Is the Princess looking for something?”

Damn. Busted.

“No, no. I was just checking if the bedchamber was properly arranged. I need to make sure the Crown Prince can get a good night's sleep.”

Sleep yourself to death, you smelly dragon (since I am a fragrant dragon, he is a smelly one).

I heard a soft snicker.

“The Princess is very thoughtful.”

Of course I am.

“By the way,” he said, his gaze returning to the book. “Today, as I was passing the South Sea, someone stopped me. I brought him up to the Heavenly Court to find you.”

I cried. Hao dared to single-handedly stop the Heavenly Crown Prince just to come cook for me. Such self-sacrifice was rarely seen in all the realms!

“He seemed to be called…”

“Hao. His name is Hao.”

The creator of delicious food must not lose his name!

Lingzhen nodded slightly. “I've placed him in the side hall. Is that acceptable to the Princess?”

I was so overwhelmed by the joy of delicious food that I forgot to explain Hao's identity. If Lingzhen misunderstood, that would be bad.

But seeing how unconcerned he was about my interactions with other men, although I didn't see him as my true husband, wasn't ignoring me like this a bit wrong?

My tongue got ahead of me, and I blurted out, “Aren't you curious about his relationship with me, Crown Prince?”

Lingzhen paused in turning a page. “What's there to be curious about? The Princess's love for fine food is known across the Three Realms. It's only natural for you to keep a skilled celestial chef.”

Not bad. He guessed it before I even explained.

I smiled modestly, but before I could be happy, I heard him say, “I will be staying in the Heavenly Court for a few more days this time. The Princess doesn't mind, does she?”

My smile froze in place.

9

The true master of the Jade Bloom Palace had returned.

I, the fake one, had to step back.

Remembering the awkward incident of tearing Lingzhen's robe last time, I couldn't help but worry about the next few days of cohabitation.

Oh well. I'd cross that bridge when I came to it. First, let's eat.

I hadn't tasted Hao's cooking in so long. Just thinking about it made my mouth water.

So as soon as I sat down at the table, I started wolfing down my food.

Wuwuwu, it was so delicious!!

But sitting opposite me was that wooden-faced Lingzhen, who kept glancing at me. It made me hesitate even while eating.

He wasn't eating. Why was he sitting here watching me?

My eating speed plummeted. After hesitantly adding a third bowl of rice, I still felt like I could eat more.

Hao and Hattie, who knew me well, immediately moved in sync. One held the bowl, the other the ladle, ready to serve me a fourth bowl.

“Is the Princess always this… voracious?”

Lingzhen's one sentence froze all three of us in our tracks.

“I'm done, I'm done. I'm full.”

This damn smelly dragon!

The afternoon sun was warm and pleasant. I quickly helped Hattie set up the swing frame we'd been preparing for days.

“So comfortable.”

Swinging in the sunlight made my whole dragon heart feel much better. I couldn't help but start singing a dragon clan water song.

After a while, Hattie suddenly stopped pushing me and whispered, “Princess, stop singing! The Crown Prince is angry!”

I turned around and saw Lingzhen standing in the study next to the swing, facing me with his hands behind his back.

Even from a distance, I could see his dark expression, as if he was holding back a storm.

Ah, damn. I forgot he was reading.

“The Princess is in high spirits. Do you usually enjoy howling like this?”

???

What howling? I was singing!!!

Oh well. A dragon in the Heavenly Court must bow its head.

I apologized to Lingzhen and dejectedly put the swing away.

Ever since Lingzhen came back, I had to eat slowly, play quietly, go to bed earlier, and forget about leaving the palace. I didn't even dare to go out.

After a few days of this boring and oppressive life.

I was wilting. Really wilting.

“Wuwuwu, I really want to eat freely…”

Seeing my haggard face, Hattie reminded me, “We still have the jade pool.”

Right. Since it was already evening, I might as well go relax and get ready for bed.

I took my little clothes, a fruit platter, and a little massage hammer, humming a tune as I walked around the main hall.

“Who!”

I had just taken off my clothes and hadn't even gotten into the water when I heard movement from the other end of the pool.

“Which cowardly rat dares to bathe in this princess's pool!”

“…I was unaware that this pool had been renovated so luxuriously. Nor was I aware that I, in my own Jade Bloom Palace, had become a cowardly rat.”

“Crown… Crown Prince.”