Under the supervision of the ceremonial attendant and auspicious women, amidst continuous sounds of blessing, Liang Zhe lifted the red veil from Qin Shuying’s head with trembling hands.

Their eyes met, and they saw warmth and smiles in each other’s gaze.

Qin Shuying was already naturally beautiful and refined, but today with her elaborate makeup, she possessed an even more breathtakingly stunning beauty that left Liang Zhe completely mesmerized.

Qin Shuying felt somewhat embarrassed under his gaze. She glanced at Nanny Fu and the others, then softly called out, “Ziyu.”

Only then did Liang Zhe come to his senses, saying involuntarily, “Shuying, you look absolutely beautiful today.”

Nanny Fu beamed with smiles, while Ziteng and the others covered their mouths and giggled secretly.

The ceremonial attendant said, “Master, rest assured, the First Madam is right here. From now on you can look at her every day, until your family is filled with children and grandchildren, until the earth grows old and the heavens crumble.”

This made the dozen or so maids including Ziteng burst into laughter, and Qin Shuying’s face quickly reddened as she cast a gentle reproachful glance at Liang Zhe.

This single glance made Liang Zhe’s heart feel light and immeasurably comfortable. He smiled brilliantly, turned to look at Ziteng, and said, “Reward her with double ingots!”

The ceremonial attendant was immediately delighted. Double ingots meant ten taels of silver, and for just a casual remark! She immediately said several more auspicious phrases.

Except for Ziteng, Lu Ye, Hong Juan, and Huiyun, the other maids were seeing Liang Zhe for the first time and had long been stunned by his distinguished bearing. Now with his smile, everyone couldn’t help but blush.

The ceremony concluded.

Nanny Fu and the ceremonial attendant tactfully organized everyone to move outside the door, leaving only the married couple, Qin Shuying and Liang Zhe.

Liang Zhe crouched down, lifting his head slightly to look at Qin Shuying sitting on the edge of the bed, her face bashfully lowered.

“Shuying, you’re truly so beautiful.”

Qin Shuying’s face grew even redder and her heart beat faster, leaving her at a loss.

Despite all the mental preparations she had made beforehand, she never expected that at the moment Liang Zhe lifted her veil, she would feel an indescribable happiness.

In that instant, she must have been treating this marriage as a major life event, right?

Not as an alliance.

Not that.

Actually, during these past few months, repeatedly seeing Liang Zhe’s emotional expressions, Qin Shuying had wanted to ask him: didn’t we originally agree this would only be an alliance?

But every time she thought of Princess Fuping’s words, she would swallow back the words that had reached her lips.

She truly couldn’t bear to see Liang Zhe disappointed.

So now, had her thoughts changed?

Did she really want to spend her life with Liang Zhe?

After a few years, wouldn’t she need to divorce?

…

“Shuying, are you… are you happy?”

Seeing Qin Shuying remain silent, Liang Zhe grew somewhat nervous.

Seeing his nervousness, Qin Shuying’s heart softened, and she smiled, “Ziyu, I’m very happy.”

Liang Zhe grinned broadly, and Qin Shuying felt dizzy looking at him. Please don’t smile so breathtakingly, all right?

Don’t.

I won’t be able to maintain my composure.

Qin Shuying didn’t dare look at him anymore and instead stared at her own feet.

Liang Zhe thought she was shy and smiled foolishly, breathing a sigh of relief. “Shuying, do you know? Today is the happiest day I’ve had in over ten years. Although I made thorough preparations, I was still constantly worried that complications would arise. Fortunately, they didn’t get their way. From now on, with you by my side, I’ll no longer be alone. Shuying, I’m very happy. Feel this—can you sense it?”

Without allowing her to refuse, he pressed Qin Shuying’s hand to his chest. Qin Shuying wanted to pull back as if burned, but Liang Zhe was insistent, and her palm pressed against his heart.

There, his heartbeat was rapid, strong and healthy.

Qin Shuying murmured, “Ziyu…”

He gazed at her, his eyes burning with intense passion. Qin Shuying found it difficult to breathe.

He suddenly knelt on the footstool, straightened his body, aimed for Qin Shuying’s lips, and kissed her impulsively.

“Mmm…”

Qin Shuying watched helplessly as he pressed against her, but she only stood dazed, forgetting to avoid him.

The man’s breath and his passion instantly surrounded her.

Qin Shuying was stunned for a moment, then hastily leaned back, trying to avoid him.

But Liang Zhe suddenly reached out to embrace her waist, applying slight pressure. Qin Shuying had nowhere to escape and found herself nestled in his arms.

…

After a chaotic period of passionate kissing, Liang Zhe looked at Qin Shuying, who had gone limp as mud in his embrace, and said reluctantly, “Shuying, I still need to go entertain the guests. You rest first—don’t wait up for me.”

Qin Shuying’s face was flushed with fever. Covering her face, her voice sounded muffled behind her palms, “Mmm…”

How could he do this?

Her heart was beating like a drum—what should she do?

Liang Zhe looked with satisfaction at Qin Shuying, who was too shy to lift her head, chuckled “hehe,” and walked out.

Qin Shuying sat on the edge of the bed, her emotions like a lonely boat drifting on the ocean, rising and falling, floating without anchor…

When Liang Zhe pushed open the door, he saw Lu Ye peeking around curiously.

Lu Ye pointed at his lips, “M-Master, why do you need to apply rouge on your mouth too?”

Nanny Fu looked over and nearly jumped up, slapping Lu Ye aside with one hand, “Silly girl, go away.”

Then she followed Liang Zhe, lowering her voice, “Master, you should wipe your mouth.”

Liang Zhe hadn’t come to his senses yet, but since Nanny Fu said so, he obediently wiped until Nanny Fu said it was good, then strode away with large steps.

Watching Liang Zhe departing with spring in his step through the brightly lit courtyard, Nanny Fu stood in a daze for a moment.

Nanny Fu returned to the bridal chamber, where Qin Shuying sat with her face flushed red and head lowered.

Ziteng was helping Qin Shuying remove the elaborate decorations and complex hairstyle from her head, while Lu Ye, Hong Juan, and others assisted nearby. Huiyun stood to one side, lost in thought.

Lu Ye marveled admiringly at the luxury and spaciousness of the marquis’s mansion, “…Miss, just our Songtao Residence alone must cover over a hundred acres. It truly is a marquis’s mansion—look at these furnishings, every piece is exquisite, each one worth a thousand gold…”

Nanny Fu entered, glanced at Qin Shuying, secretly amused by Liang Zhe’s impatience while also feeling happy for Qin Shuying. “No one can calculate accounts like Lu Ye. We should have had you replace Lan Chou at the shop from the beginning.”

Lu Ye said cheerfully, “Nanny, do you think what I said just now was right?”

Nanny Fu surveyed the bridal chamber and said, “Properly speaking, now that the First Madam has entered the household, she should be living in Qianxi Garden. Lu Ye, you need to calculate this account carefully—figure out how to move into Qianxi Garden.”

Qianxi Garden was currently occupied by Liang Yunshan and Luo Meixiang.

According to the customs of Great Zhou’s prominent families, after the eldest legitimate son married, the household management should be controlled by the eldest legitimate son’s wife, and the main residence should also be occupied by the eldest legitimate son and his wife, while the parents should move to other courtyards.

If the family held a noble title, it would definitely be the son inheriting the title who lived in the main residence and managed the household.

However, the Liang family’s situation was special. Liang Zhe had not requested to be enfeoffed as heir apparent, so although he was the eldest legitimate son and now married, where exactly he should live was still a problem.

The question Nanny Fu raised left everyone momentarily stunned.

Then Hong Juan smiled, “Lu Ye, Nanny is right. We should be living in Qianxi Garden. Tomorrow we’ll go to Qianxi Garden—you must observe carefully and calculate well.”

The bridal chamber immediately became lively again, with chatter filling the air continuously.