Teng Yu’yi remained pressed against Lin Chengyou’s back, not daring to raise her head.

Fearing any sound might escape, her cheek stayed firmly against Lin Chengyou’s neck. She could sense that Lin Chengyou had reached the limits of his endurance. His skin burned hot, the pulse in his neck beating rapid and urgent. This feverish sensation seemed contagious, leaving her mouth dry and tongue parched.

After enduring for what felt like an eternity, Teng Yu’yi tried to lift her head from Lin Chengyou’s neck. She thought if their skin wasn’t touching, perhaps both of them would feel more at ease. But as soon as she moved, the Soul-Binding Beast transformed into a soft rope and pulled her back.

Teng Yu’yi stole a difficult glance at Lin Chengyou. The Soul-Binding Beast only ever obeyed its master’s commands, so this could only be Lin Chengyou’s instruction. Sure enough, Lin Chengyou tilted his jaw slightly, clearly meaning for her to stay still.

Though Gu Xian knew martial arts, in his current state of passion, his senses weren’t as sharp as usual. However, this didn’t mean that any significant movement wouldn’t alert him.

Being caught in such a situation would benefit no one.

Having endured until now, Lin Chengyou was nearly at his limit. Even the slightest movement from Teng Yu’yi made his ears burn and his heart race. If she kept moving, there was no guarantee they wouldn’t both fall.

Fortunately, the room finally grew quiet.

Lin Chengyou and Teng Yu’yi both let out sighs of relief.

But then they heard Wu Yingying say something between pants, and immediately the room filled again with subtle, intimate sounds.

As they listened, Lin Chengyou snorted in derision.

It was obvious that Gu Xian was kissing Wu Yingying.

He was no longer an outsider to such matters. He had kissed Teng Yu’yi several times already.

He felt quite confident in this area – Teng Yu’yi enjoyed his kisses, unlike what was happening in the room, which sounded more like someone gnawing on food—

Forced to continue listening to the sounds from within, Lin Chengyou’s expression grew increasingly disdainful.

Teng Yu’yi, having grown impatient from waiting so long, was also secretly pursing her lips. Her eyes darted around and caught sight of Lin Chengyou’s contemptuous expression.

Oh? Just as she was wondering what Lin Chengyou was sneering at, they heard the round table creak. It seemed Gu Xian had lifted Wu Yingying from the table, and from the sound of footsteps, they appeared to have returned to the bedside.

Lin Chengyou had just started to feel somewhat relaxed, but hearing this commotion, he couldn’t help but curse Gu Xian a hundred times over in his heart.

Fortunately, this time the pair didn’t continue their activities. After some conversation, Gu Xian dressed and reluctantly left the bed.

After waiting a moment to ensure the coast was clear, Lin Chengyou reached back and shifted Teng Yu’yi from his back into his arms. He lightly sprang onto the window frame with her and listened carefully for a while before whispering in her ear, “Go now.”

Teng Yu’yi nodded while in Lin Chengyou’s embrace.

Lin Chengyou steadied Teng Yu’yi’s waist as he lowered her down. Following the moves he had taught her before, she executed a graceful kite flip through the window.

Though her movement was swift enough, it still startled Wu Yingying behind the screen. Wu Yingying was about to cry out, but upon recognizing Teng Yu’yi, she fell silent.

Teng Yu’yi walked over with her hands behind her back, smiling: “Last time I was in your room, I saw something quite nice. I didn’t have time to ask about it then, but I’ve been thinking about it ever since. Where have you hidden it? Let me borrow it for a while.”

Outside the window, Lin Chengyou smiled silently.

Only Teng Yu’yi could act so righteously while essentially being a thief.

This wasn’t a negotiation – it was a robbery.

But without such methods, they would never obtain the Red-Bearded Wing.

Gu Xian’s infatuation with Wu Yingying went against all moral principles, mostly due to her beauty. Currently, this woman’s looks were fresh enough without needing the Red-Bearded Wing, but in the future, to maintain Gu Xian’s interest, she would inevitably need magical treasures to preserve her appearance.

As this item was unique in the world, Wu Yingying would never willingly part with it. Even if a sage personally requested the Red-Bearded Wing from the Nanzhao Kingdom, Wu Yingying would likely claim it was lost. As for whether Lin Chengyou remained blind or not, what did that matter to her?

But Teng Yu’yi’s demand was different. She held Wu Yingying’s weakness – if this matter got out, the King of Nanzhao would likely have Wu Yingying secretly executed to preserve the royal family’s and his son’s dignity. Then she would lose not just wealth and status, but her life as well.

Clever people excel at weighing advantages and disadvantages. Wu Yingying’s ability to capture the affections of both the Prince of Xinchang and Gu Xian couldn’t have relied solely on her pretty face.

As he had predicted, Wu Yingying didn’t dare cry out, only glaring viciously at Teng Yu’yi: “What do you take my place for?! Coming and going as you please—”

Teng Yu’yi searched the room at her leisure. After a moment, she seemed to find what she wanted, tossed out the words “You owed me this!” and climbed back out the window the way she came.

Lin Chengyou bent down and smoothly caught Teng Yu’yi in his arms. She happily pressed something the size of a pigeon’s egg into his palm. Lin Chengyou smiled, kissed her forehead, and with one leap, carried her gracefully onto the roof.

***

Halfway along their journey, Teng Yu’yi warmed some wine according to the instructions in the secret manual. Lin Chengyou took the wine cup and was about to take the Red-Bearded Wing when Teng Yu’yi panicked and quickly grabbed his hand: “Are you sure you want to take it?”

“After all your effort to get this for me, wouldn’t it be wasteful not to use it?”

“I’m afraid—”

Lin Chengyou pointed to the Soul-Binding Beast: “This serpent can detect both poison and evil. It’s already examined this Red-Bearded Wing and found it free of both.”

“But this isn’t a normal medicine. What if it harms you after you take it?”

“Yu’yi, when did you become so timid?”

Teng Yu’yi: “I—”

“The Witch Queen’s personally refined parasites can’t be neutralized by ordinary medicines. Now that we have the Red-Bearded Wing, we must at least try it.”

“I still—”

Lin Chengyou suddenly said: “Our wedding is approaching. I don’t want to marry you while blind.”

Teng Yu’yi fell silent.

Lin Chengyou smiled: “On our wedding day, I want to see you with my own eyes.”

Teng Yu’yi’s face grew hot. Something about Lin Chengyou’s words seemed strange. To prove it wasn’t just her imagination, she leaned in to examine his expression. Though Lin Chengyou’s face remained neutral, his ears had turned red.

“Why are you blushing?” she asked curiously.

“You’re too close. Be careful not to spill my wine,” Lin Chengyou leaned back, chuckling softly.

Just as Teng Yu’yi was about to speak, Lin Chengyou took advantage of her distraction to quickly swallow the Red-Bearded Wing.

Teng Yu’yi was so nervous she broke into a sweat. After waiting anxiously for a while, she couldn’t help but help Lin Chengyou remove his blindfold: “How is it?”

Lin Chengyou frowned, then slowly shook his head.

Teng Yu’yi sighed. Perhaps it wasn’t that the parasite was difficult to cure – Lin Chengyou was originally a righteous person, but he had used dark arts to save her, going against heaven’s principles. Such actions naturally invited heaven’s punishment.

After a moment of silence, Lin Chengyou’s expression returned to calm: “Don’t worry, perhaps it will work in a few days. We do what we can and leave the rest to heaven. We’ve done everything possible; now we’ll leave the rest to fate.”

***

This wait lasted until a month later.

Over such a long period, the Red-Bearded Wing should have taken effect, but Lin Chengyou’s eyes showed no signs of recovery.

Days of hope gave way to repeated disappointment. After feeling dejected for several days, Teng Yu’yi gradually pulled herself together. Having died twice, she understood well that nothing in this world was perfect. Perhaps, as Lin Chengyou said, doing one’s best was enough. If Lin Chengyou could be so accepting of his blindness, how could she spend her days sighing?

Now she had more important matters to attend to, as her wedding date with Lin Chengyou drew ever closer.

That evening, the Teng residence was unprecedentedly busy, with well-wishers streaming in endlessly. Jeweled carriages blocked the front gate so thoroughly that not even water could flow through.

According to reports, the Ministry of Rites and Daoist Master Qingxu had together cast several divinations using the Liuren, Taiyi, and Leigong methods, finally determining two auspicious dates based on Lin Chengyou and Teng Yu’yi’s birth times – one in half a year, and one tomorrow.

After discussion between the Teng residence and the Prince’s mansion, they unanimously agreed to set the wedding date for the earlier option.

Though the date was soon, Teng Yu’yi’s dowry had been prepared since she was young. After Madam Teng’s passing, the estate managers continued following her arrangements, adding items year by year. Over time, they had accumulated ten full carriages of fine silks alone.

From half a month ago, Madam Du and Du Tinglan had been helping with preparations daily. Teng Yu’yi herself stayed busy, rising early each day to either check the dowry storehouse with her father or review her trousseau and receive guests with her aunt and cousin.

The young ladies from Xiangxiang Academy all knew the Teng family had no matriarch. Since learning of the happy news, those close to Teng Yu’yi, such as Zheng Shuangyin, Deng Weili, Liu Siniang, and others, volunteered to help write wedding cards and prepare lists. They arrived together at dawn each day and stayed busy until after dinner before departing with cheerful conversation.

Both Du Yuzhi and his son had taken leave from the Imperial Academy.

As Teng Yu’yi bustled about with her senior maids Chunrong and Biluo, she would often see her uncle and cousin hurrying past. Her father’s leg was already weak, and with so many daily tasks to manage, her uncle handled everything her father couldn’t attend to, while Shaotang spent almost every day in the storehouse helping check various gift lists.

At such times, Teng Yu’yi’s chest would fill with an indescribable ache. Though her uncle was learned and had lived with integrity all his life, his overly rigid personality had prevented him from realizing his ambitions. In her previous life, after losing both his daughter and wife, he had fallen into a lonely decline. Though Shaotang still couldn’t fully support the family, at least he wasn’t as timid and cowardly as in her previous life.

This turning point had originated on that night of the Shangsi Festival. Thinking of this, Teng Yu’yi missed her Little Ya even more.

Every night before bed, Teng Yu’yi would prepare Little Ya’s favorite stone-frozen wine and fresh fruit at the window altar, but when she checked in the morning, the wine and fruit would always remain untouched.

Feeling melancholy, Teng Yu’yi specifically consulted Daoist Master Qingxu about this. The master explained that such ancient divine swords choose their masters, appearing suddenly and departing without notice. With the curse on her body removed, it had fulfilled its purpose – there was no use trying to keep it, better to let it go.

That evening, as Teng Yu’yi was chatting intimately with her aunt and cousin, Butler Cheng came to relay a message that the master requested her presence.

Madam Du was both surprised and delighted, quickly pulling Teng Yu’yi from her embrace: “Perhaps the young master’s eyes have recovered. Hurry, dear child, go ask your father what’s happening.”

Teng Yu’yi rushed to the study and upon entering saw her father seated on the couch.

His cane set aside, her father was gazing pensively at a small vermillion kite in his hands.

This kite was very familiar to Teng Yu’yi. The year her mother passed away, she had been depressed with grief, so her father had made this small kite to cheer her up. She remembered that day her father wore a casual long robe as he slowly led her by the hand from her room.

In the garden, her father first crouched before her and silently watched her for a while, then held the small kite up to her eyes and earnestly taught her how to control the string. Teng Yu’yi had refused to let her father play with her, running off after just a few instructions.

After running some distance, she looked back to see her father still standing there watching her. Her father was still young then, but her mother’s death had aged him considerably in just a few months. That gaze of his, as deep and still as a hidden pool, Teng Yu’yi would never forget.

Not long after, her father had been ordered to lead troops against Tibet and left home. One day when Teng Yu’yi missed him, she secretly took out the kite and spent a quiet afternoon flying it alone in the garden.

Afterward, fearing damage to the kite, she had carefully stored it in her room. She thought it had been lost long ago, but it had turned up recently while checking her dowry.

Her father must have recalled this memory as well.

Teng Yu’yi’s nose stung with emotion – her father looked so desolate. After her marriage, he would be the only one left in the mansion.

“Father.”

Teng Shao looked up at the sound, and upon unexpectedly seeing his daughter’s strange expression, forced a warm smile and set down the kite: “I called you here because there’s something I want to tell you.”

Teng Yu’yi quietly sat down across from her father.

“This morning at court, His Majesty bestowed rewards for suppressing Peng Zhen’s rebellion. From the start of the campaign, Lin Chengyou led the Divine Strategy Army to successfully recapture Yangqiao and Wokou, then continued to take several key cities from Peng Zhen’s forces, earning the highest merit in crushing the rebellion. His Majesty has granted him the title of Prince Qingyuan, along with a mansion and two thousand households as his fief. The mansion is in Qinren District – after your wedding, you’ll first stay at the Prince’s mansion, then move to your residence once the new one is renovated.”

Teng Yu’yi was stunned for a moment. “Qing” meant to cleanse and purify, while “Yuan” subtly matched both Lin Chengyou’s childhood name and his rank among the royal family. His Majesty’s love and expectations for Lin Chengyou were evident just from this title.

She blushed as she continued listening.

“There’s one more matter to tell you – His Majesty has agreed to erect a monument outside Nanyang City.” Teng Shao’s gaze grew distant. “Your grandfather made great contributions to protecting the realm, but his actions in feeding the people during the siege violated moral principles. Four thousand lives, four thousand wronged souls – commoner or noble, all lives matter equally. His Majesty sighed deeply and said that while he couldn’t revoke your grandfather’s posthumous honors as they were bestowed by previous emperors, after careful consideration, he has ordered your grandfather’s portrait removed from the Lingyan Gallery and your grandfather’s and uncles’ names struck from the record of meritorious officials. The History Office will add a summary and a monument will be erected outside Nanyang City so all passing commoners may know the truth of the Nanyang siege. This monument will be crafted by the empire’s finest artisans using the most durable stone, said to last a thousand years without falling. There’s no need to worry about it being lost to the dust of time. While the dead cannot return, truth can never be extinguished. Your grandfather’s merits and faults will be left for future generations to judge.”

With this, the Teng family’s ancestral glory would be completely gone.

Yet Teng Yu’yi felt relieved. The Battle of Nanyang had brought the Teng descendants great glory, once envied by all, but wasn’t this also an enormous shackle? When that dazzling halo descended, a curse came silently with it. She and her parents had paid a terrible price to repay that debt.

Return it.

She and her father could now walk upright beneath heaven.

“His Majesty also said that descendants shouldn’t be punished for their ancestors’ wrongs. Your father’s years of fighting the Tibetans in the east and west, and your sacrifice in jumping into the well to stop evil – these merits are enough to offset the great wrong. Moreover, these were voluntary righteous acts by us father and daughter, deserving separate recognition. His Majesty wished to ennoble me as Duke of Jin and grant you a thousand rolls of silk, but I firmly declined. I… I want to use these rewards to hold a memorial service.”

Teng Yu’yi’s eyes grew moist: “For Mother?”

“Your mother willingly gave up her blessings to help us break the curse.” Teng Shao said hoarsely, “I often think that your mother’s life was dragged down by the Teng family. If she hadn’t married me, she surely would have lived peacefully and happily.”

As he spoke, Teng Shao’s voice grew quieter.

Teng Yu’yi straightened up and declared: “Father, such words truly fail to honor Mother’s devotion. If Mother had felt even the slightest regret, she would never have performed that ritual. These days while checking my dowry lists, everything was arranged by Mother in the half year before her death, and most of your daily wear was prepared by her then. I believe Mother never regretted marrying you, nor giving birth to me – that time in Huaixi, when Father willingly wore the reversed Dunjia Yuanshen Sutra to help break your daughter’s curse, did you feel any regret in that moment? Wasn’t Mother’s heart just the same as yours?”

By the end, both heat and words caught in her throat.

Teng Shao broke down in tears.

He had lost his father and brothers at age four, raised by his widowed mother. To uphold the Teng family’s legacy of loyalty and valor, he had gone to battle in his teens, always shouldering everything alone. Though naturally gifted in warfare, becoming renowned at a young age, just when he thought he could bear all of life’s storms, fate had played a cruel joke – he couldn’t even protect his beloved wife. Since learning the truth, he had lived every day in remorse, the soul-eating pain enough to crush him.

His daughter was exceptionally perceptive, seeing straight to his core. One word of comfort from her was worth more than all the world’s finest medicines.

For a moment, the room fell silent as Teng Shao closed his eyes, tears streaming down his face without his notice.

“Father.”

After a long while, Teng Shao gathered himself, though his voice still trembled: “My good child, your words have eased my heart greatly. That you can think this way shows how well you understand your mother. Tomorrow you’ll be married, and afterward, I won’t be by your side. You must carry your mother’s love for you and live well. The better you live, the happier your mother and I will be.”

Teng Yu’yi said nothing, just kept wiping away tears.

Teng Shao gazed at his daughter through tears, his face slowly regaining its resolute expression: “I’ve said what I needed to. You’re to be married tomorrow morning, so you should sleep early tonight. Go now.”

Looking at her father’s empty left leg, Teng Yu’yi felt extreme heartache and fell to her knees before the couch: “Father lost his leg, and after I leave, no one will help you grind ink or make tea. These past ten years, I couldn’t properly be with you. Only after dying once did I understand how difficult things were for you. Since last year’s Shangsi Festival, I’ve been filial at your knee for barely a year – for me, it’s not enough—”

Teng Shao anticipated what his daughter would say and cut her off hoarsely: “Silly child, the wedding date was set by His Majesty – how could it be changed? Everything you’ve done for me far outweighs the word ‘filial’. Think about it – if not for your fearless efforts this past year, we father and daughter could never have escaped our fate.”

Teng Shao smiled contentedly: “I just learned from His Majesty that Lin Chengyou petitioned him the other day. He said you’d lost the Little Ya sword and might not be able to accumulate merit fighting evil with him anymore. Knowing both your concern for your mother and his worry about remnants of the hook curse, he wants to go with Master Yuanjue to Nanyang after the wedding to perform rites for the deceased commoners. It’s a grand ceremony, and Nanyang is a thousand li from Chang’an. With his blindness, the journey will be far more difficult for Lin Chengyou than others. That he would go to such trouble just to help the Teng family clear its karmic debts shows how much he values your concerns.”

Tears welled in Teng Yu’yi’s eyes.

Teng Shao smiled kindly through his tears: “Your heart is pure and clean. A good child like you should marry someone who values loyalty and righteousness. Tomorrow you’ll marry your beloved – if your mother knew you’d chosen such an outstanding young man, how happy she would be.”

Teng Yu’yi’s eyes brimmed with tears as she remained unwilling to leave her father’s knee.

Teng Shao bent down and firmly helped his daughter up.

“If we continue, I’ll become too emotional. Think of all the hardships you and Lin Chengyou endured to reach today – you should be joyful. There must still be many things to attend to in your room. Go now.”

Teng Yu’yi wiped her tears and kept looking back as she left. At the doorway, she turned to see her father still silently watching her, his figure in the lamplight as still as a mountain.

***

With so much on her mind, Teng Yu’yi didn’t fall asleep until late at night. While sleeping deeply, she vaguely felt a pair of hands gently caressing her face.

With Little Ya gone, spirits often visited her dreams. The Mystic Sound Bell at her wrist rang softly, its sound as gentle as those hands.

Though Teng Yu’yi couldn’t open her eyes, her lashes grew wet.

“Mother…”

Only her mother had such delicate fingers, and only her mother would caress her so tenderly.

“Mother…” Teng Yu’yi sobbed softly in her dream, “Have you come to see your daughter wed…”

Those hands rested on Teng Yu’yi’s shoulders, patting gently, just as her mother used to do to soothe her to sleep in childhood.

Teng Yu’yi murmured tearfully, childlike: “The man your daughter is marrying… do you approve…”

A sigh echoed faintly, both reluctant and joyful.

Teng Yu’yi’s brow gradually relaxed as her mother’s hands, like a gentle breeze, slowly smoothed away all the parting sorrow and regret in her daughter’s heart.

When Teng Yu’yi woke in the morning, she found her pillow wet with tears.

Before she could get up herself, Madam Du arrived with two wedding attendants to pull her from her bedding.

Weddings traditionally took place in the evening, but there were many daytime ceremonies to complete. Having slept poorly, Teng Yu’yi kept nodding off. Though seated at her dressing table, her head bobbed back and forth.

Madam Du and Du Tinglan steadied Teng Yu’yi’s head while the attendants did as they pleased.

Most of the household hadn’t slept last night and had already been busy for hours. As Teng Yu’yi was led behind the screen to don her wedding dress, she suddenly heard her aunt asking her cousin: “Shaotang said that?”

Du Tinglan made a sound of agreement: “The young master hasn’t been in Chang’an for days. He only rushed back to the Prince’s mansion before dawn today. When Shaotang went to deliver things, he happened to hear the servants at the gate discussing it. Everyone in the mansion was worried the young master wouldn’t make it back in time, but fortunately, he returned just in time.”

Teng Yu’yi immediately became alert.

Nanyang was a thousand li from Chang’an – he couldn’t have returned so quickly from there. It must have been somewhere else, but with the wedding so close, where could Lin Chengyou have gone?

Madam Du asked hopefully: “If the young master could leave Chang’an alone, perhaps his eyes have recovered?”

“The young master had a large group of guards with him, and Shaotang said he still wore a blindfold,” Du Tinglan sighed softly.

Just as Teng Yu’yi was listening intently, sudden laughter erupted outside as ladies from various noble houses arrived together. By evening, all preparations were complete when drums and gongs suddenly sounded, and excited maids ran in: “The wedding procession has arrived!”

The room grew even busier.

The attendants handed Teng Yu’yi a prepared fan and supported her on either side.

Teng Yu’yi held the fan handle steady, breathing deeply as she walked out along the laid carpet. The carpet was richly decorated with flowers, silent under her feet. All around was joyful laughter, and even through the fan she could feel the friendly gazes.

Suddenly there was quiet sobbing behind her – it was her aunt and cousin. Teng Yu’yi couldn’t bear their sadness and felt her own strong reluctance to part. She turned to comfort them, but the attendants firmly stopped her: “It’s bad luck to look back on your wedding day.”

Madam Du and Du Tinglan hurried forward, forcing smiles as they urged: “Yu’yi, take care of yourself.”

Reaching the main hall, an attendant whispered in Teng Yu’yi’s ear: “General Teng will give you away.”

Through the gauze of her fan, Teng Yu’yi dimly saw a tall figure in the courtyard, leaning on a cane but standing very steady.

Drawing near, Teng Yu’yi lowered her gaze to see the hem of her father’s robe, and suddenly tears fell like rain.

It was the Buddha-head blue robe she had sewn for her father with her own hands.

Usually, her father was too precious with it to wear it, but today he had solemnly put it on.

Tears brimming in her eyes, Teng Yu’yi knelt and kowtowed three times with resounding thuds: “Father, please take care of yourself.”

Teng Shao nodded through his tears, and after a moment said: “Today my daughter is getting married – it should be joyous. Rise, let Father escort you out.”

Teng Yu’yi followed her father’s steady steps, moving forward one step at a time. Upon reaching the second gate, ceremonial music suddenly rose. The entrance was filled with fine carriages and horses, crowded with members of the wedding party. Looking around, they were either Chang’an’s famous scholars or noble youths friendly with Lin Chengyou.

There were also five Daoist priests from Dongming Temple, including Juesheng and Qizhi.

The crowd surrounded a young man in red robes, mounted on a white horse with a purple saddle. He was as handsome as jade, bright as the morning sun, his bearing graceful, smiling before he even spoke.

The wedding attendants, seemingly seeing such a handsome groom for the first time, held their breath. After a moment of silence behind her, some ladies from out of town whispered: “So this is the Crown Prince of the Prince of Cheng? He truly looks like a painting come to life.”

Juesheng and Qizhi craned their necks on horseback, and upon seeing Teng Yu’yi emerge, happily called out: “Senior Brother!”

The five Daoist priests teased: “Look at these two silly boys – what ‘Senior Brother’? That’s your Senior Brother’s bride.”

Everyone burst into laughter while Juesheng and Qizhi scratched their heads sheepishly. Five Dao, remembering how difficult the path had been for Teng Yu’yi and Lin Chengyou, had a trace of wistfulness in his smile.

Everyone was so happy that Teng Yu’yi’s heart felt warm, but she dared not look around. She only found it strange that as soon as she appeared, she felt two burning gazes fall upon her. Though it wasn’t early, she was certain that the gaze came from Lin Chengyou’s direction.

She felt puzzled – Lin Chengyou had taken the Red-Bearded Wing a month ago but showed no signs of recovery. Being blind, how could he gaze at her so intently?

Could he see again?

But if he had truly recovered his sight, how could Lin Chengyou not let her know in advance?

As she was thinking this, planning to steal a glance at Lin Chengyou, the two attendants wordlessly pushed her into the carriage.

***

Teng Yu’yi sat properly in the green-curtained chamber, surrounded by candies and money, the interior quiet while drums and pipes thundered outside.

The cleansing ritual was done, the fan ceremony completed, the wine-sharing ceremony finished, and the hair-binding ceremony concluded. With the rites complete, she and Lin Chengyou were now officially husband and wife.

In a little while, Lin Chengyou would return to the green chamber. Thinking of this, Teng Yu’yi unconsciously clutched her heavy green-blue wedding dress.

She only regretted that during the ceremonies, there were too many people around for her to properly observe Lin Chengyou, but even in those glances, she caught his gaze upon her.

Those eyes were as black as ink, their smile seeming to ripple into her heart.

She knew that given Lin Chengyou’s nature, he wouldn’t want to wear a blindfold on his wedding day, but none of his movements were those of a blind man.

During their bows to heaven and earth, Lin Chengyou would occasionally turn back to smile at her. Though the Prince’s mansion was vast, taking considerable time just to walk from the main hall to the green chamber, no matter where they performed the rites, Lin Chengyou never forgot to look after her.

When the attendants scattered the curtain decorations, many jade flakes and fruits fell on Teng Yu’yi’s head. During the wine-sharing ceremony, Lin Chengyou casually helped remove a small fruit from near her temple, an action that revealed such tender feelings it sparked laughter in the chamber.

“It seems the young master is very fond of his bride.”

“Indeed, with such a beautiful bride, who wouldn’t be fond of her? Look, the young master and bride sitting together truly make a perfect pair.”

Thinking back on this, Teng Yu’yi was almost certain Lin Chengyou could see again, but she still couldn’t believe he would hide it from her. Lin Chengyou should know how happy this news would make her, yet he had kept it secret.

Moreover, she was the one who had stolen the Red-Bearded Wing.

The more Teng Yu’yi thought about it, the more annoyed she became. Suddenly hearing footsteps outside the curtain, her heart tightened but then relaxed as she listened more carefully.

It was Biluo and Chunrong, followed by seven or eight elderly women and young maids.

“Miss, the hot water is ready. You must be exhausted from such a long day. Why not change into your nightclothes after washing?”

Teng Yu’yi raised her eyes to examine the unfamiliar elderly women, who were so humble and kind that they were longtime servants of the Prince’s mansion. She had wanted to ask Biluo “Did you notice if Lin Chengyou can see again?” but seeing them, she smiled faintly and swallowed her words.

The green chamber was divided in two – the outer part was the wedding chamber, the inner part was the washing room.

Teng Yu’yi went to the washing room to remove her heavy wedding dress and bathe, emerging dripping wet from the tub.

As Chunrong and Biluo were helping dry her, they heard an elderly woman outside exclaim: “Oh! The young master has returned so quickly.”

Then came footsteps – indeed it was Lin Chengyou. Upon entering, he seemed to pause, then asked with a smile: “Where is she?”

This “she” naturally referred to Teng Yu’yi.

Teng Yu’yi’s heart leaped to her throat as she hurriedly had Chunrong and Biluo help her dress. Only after being completely covered did she feel slightly relieved.

“She won’t be lost,” they heard the elderly woman say with a laugh. “The young miss is washing inside.”

Lin Chengyou made a sound of acknowledgment, then after a pause said: “…If there’s nothing else, you may all retire.”

Teng Yu’yi looked down at herself, wearing only her nightclothes, and softly told Biluo and Chunrong: “Go get my outer clothes.”

Biluo was startled: “You’ve already changed into nightclothes, why put on outer garments?”

Teng Yu’yi cleared her throat: “Don’t argue. Just get them.”

Biluo refused: “You’ve been wrapped up all day, the wedding clothes are sweaty, and it wouldn’t be good to put them back on.”

Teng Yu’yi said: “Then… then go find me something else to wear.”

Chunrong sighed helplessly: “Miss, isn’t this being unreasonable? The trunks have all been sent to the young master’s east wing – it would be quite troublesome to fetch them now.”

“I don’t care. Figure something out.”

The two maids simply left Teng Yu’yi behind, hurrying out of the washing room. After leaving, they seemed to merely bow to Lin Chengyou before departing, and in an instant, the outside fell quiet.

Teng Yu’yi quietly walked to the curtain, about to pull it aside to look out when someone passed a skirt through.

“Is this what you were waiting for?”

It was the blue-green middle skirt she had just taken off.

Teng Yu’yi’s heart skipped a beat as she heard Lin Chengyou say from beyond the curtain: “Would you like me to get you anything else?”

Author’s Note:

[Translation of author’s note about the novel’s development, reception, and creative choices omitted for brevity]