The incident at the bridge did not affect the subsequent wedding procession. The bridal sedan chair was lifted again, and the procession slowly moved forward.

Shen Han, whose heart had just settled back down, patted his chest and said, “That was terrifying, thankfully nothing serious happened.”

“Chief Instructor, did you see that? Young… the lady’s martial skills haven’t deteriorated at all,” Liang Ping stroked his chin and said, “Those swift movements just now, truly worthy of being my trained soldier.”

“Your trained soldier? You’re getting ahead of yourself,” Shen Han gave him a sidelong glance. “Do you dare say that in front of the Governor?”

“I wouldn’t dare,” Liang Ping smiled sheepishly.

“We shouldn’t call her Young Lady He anymore, right?” Ma Damei moved forward and said, “Shouldn’t we call her Young Madam?”

“That’s not right either,” Liang Ping scratched his head. “She holds an official position now, we should address her as Official.”

“Then… Official He?”

“That sounds too masculine.”

“…”

Xiao Mai bent down to pick up a wedding coin. Just as she straightened up, she heard the woman beside her saying, “How could Governor Xiao pick up the veil himself? It’s so inauspicious!”

“Indeed, and the bride’s face was seen by others, how improper!”

“…I heard she was originally from a common household, so it’s natural she doesn’t know these customs.”

“Still, that’s no excuse…”

“Hey!” A thunderous shout interrupted the gossiping women. They turned to see a scarred warrior glaring at them fiercely, shouting, “If she hadn’t gone out there, that young man would be dead now! What do you know, standing there running your mouths!”

The women were startled. The leader, being somewhat sharp-tongued, retorted, “We’re just talking among ourselves, what’s it to you?”

Wang Ba drew his sword with a “swoosh,” causing the women to pale in fright. They no longer argued with Wang Ba and quickly fled.

Jiang Jiao lightly coughed, “Brother Wang, there’s no need to frighten them so…”

“These gossiping women just love to wag their tongues, I can’t stand it!” Wang Ba tucked his sword back into his waist, glaring. “What ridiculous customs! Who made these rules? I say if there’s no such rule, then there’s no such rule!”

Being his usual domineering self, Jiang Jiao could only smile helplessly. Xiao Mai stood in solidarity with him, “Exactly! Why don’t they mention how Sister He just saved someone?”

“Let’s forgive them,” Hong Shan leaned against the bridge railing and smiled. “Among the three most eligible men in Shuo Capital, your Sister He has taken one. It’s natural for them to feel uncomfortable and vent a little. We should be magnanimous.”

“Brother He’s habit of meddling in others’ affairs hasn’t changed even as a woman,” Huang Xiong shook his head and sighed. “Rushing to help anyone in trouble, regardless of time and place. I’d say Lady He is no different from He Yan of Liangzhou Guard.”

Wang Ba snorted softly, “If she weren’t like this, she wouldn’t be herself. Let’s go,” he stuffed the string of wedding coins he had snatched into his chest, “the procession has gone far ahead.”

…

The bridal sedan chair circled half the capital before arriving at the Xiao residence.

Before dismounting, Chi Wu handed over a bow and arrow. The young man in wedding attire approached the sedan chair, drew the bow, and shot three red arrows steadily into the bottom of the chair to ward off evil spirits.

Bai Rongwei helped He Yan down from the bridal sedan and handed the red cord tied with a double happiness knot to Xiao Jue and He Yan.

Under her veil, He Yan couldn’t see anything. She had been blind for quite some time before and had grown accustomed to walking in darkness. Today, however, she entrusted herself completely to another person, placing all her trust and heart in his hands.

The new bride held the double happiness knot and was carefully led across the fire basin toward the ceremonial hall. The hall was already packed with onlookers. Lin Shuanghe stood at the front, his face beaming with joy. Yan He caught his expression and couldn’t help but speak with disgust, “What’s with that expression? One might think you’re the one getting married today.”

“This is even more delightful than my wedding,” Lin Shuanghe opened his fan. “What could be more joyous than seeing your dear friend marry your dear friend?”

“Your dear friends seem rather cheap,” Yan He mocked.

“Brother,” Lin Shuanghe looked at him, “A lonely soul like you with barely any friends, why did you come to Huaijin’s wedding?”

“You think I wanted to come?” Yan He sneered. “He Yan sent Chenxiu an invitation, and Chenxiu forced me to come. Who wants to see Xiao Huaijin get married? It’s not like nobody else has ever gotten married.” He glanced at Lin Shuanghe, “Oh, sorry, I almost forgot, you haven’t.”

“What do you know,” Lin Shuanghe closed his fan with a smile, “I wouldn’t give up an entire garden for just one flower.”

Yan He responded with a cold laugh.

As they spoke, He Yan and Xiao Jue had reached the altar. After the music played and firecrackers were set off, the couple first paid respects to the divine tablets and ancestral tablets with incense. They offered incense, bowed deeply, and returned to their positions. Then came the three bows between husband and wife.

Both of Xiao’s parents had passed away, and Bai Rongwei had brought out the ancestral hall tablets. After bowing to heaven and earth and their parents, the couple faced each other. He Yan lowered her head and bowed, and at that moment, it seemed as though an entire lifetime had passed.

As they rose, cheers erupted around them, mixed with Cheng Lisu’s excited shouts: “To the bridal chamber! Quickly, Uncle, lift the veil, I want to see Aunt!”

Song Taotao slightly furrowed her brow: “Lower your voice.”

“Why should I?” Cheng Lisu was full of excitement. “Don’t you want to see how Aunt looks in her wedding clothes?”

Song Taotao silently rolled her eyes. She indeed didn’t want to see – who would want to watch their beloved dressed in a phoenix crown and wedding dress marrying someone else? Yet beside her, someone kept babbling insensitively: “Ah! I never imagined my big brother would become my aunt, it’s truly unbelievable!”

He Yan was escorted to the bridal chamber by Qing Mei and Bai Rongwei, temporarily leaving behind the noisy crowd outside. Veiled and unable to see, she had just sat down when something was thrown at her. She caught it – several longan fruits.

Bai Rongwei smiled and said, “Congratulations, Ah He. It seems you and Huaijin will soon be blessed with children.”

He Yan: “…”

Qing Mei quickly smoothed out the wrinkles in He Yan’s wedding dress and hurriedly stuffed two finger-sized pastries into He Yan’s mouth, whispering, “Miss, eat a little to fill your stomach, the young master will be here soon to lift your veil. Please eat carefully, don’t smudge your lipstick.”

He Yan had been calm until Qing Mei’s words made her nervous.

However, eating did help calm her nerves. She had eaten three or four bites when Cheng Lisu’s lively voice came from outside: “Uncle, hurry up, don’t keep Aunt waiting!”

Followed by Song Taotao’s retort: “Be quiet, you’re the most impatient one here.”

A group of people noisily approached. He Yan, who had faced numerous challenges in both lives, thought herself experienced in all sorts of situations, yet at this moment, her palms were covered in a fine layer of sweat.

Though the bridal chamber was quite spacious, with Lin Shuanghe’s group, Cheng Lisu’s group, and Liang Ping’s group all squeezing in together, even the large room seemed cramped.

Xiao Jing handed the red-wrapped scale beam to Xiao Jue, saying, “Huaijin, it’s time to lift the bridal veil.”

Xiao Jue took the wedding scale and slowly walked to He Yan’s front.

He Yan sat with her head lowered, able to see only his black boots beneath the veil, and suddenly pressed her lips together. Today, she had not yet properly seen Xiao Jue, but once this veil was lifted, her life would be inextricably linked with his. He would become her lifelong partner.

How would Xiao Jue see her? He Yan’s mind wandered, and this moment’s nervousness seemed to take her back to her previous life, sitting before the mirror, slowly removing her mask, looking at that face beneath – familiar yet strange, like awakening from a dream, both real and illusory.

The wedding scale caught the edge of the veil, and gradually, light entered her vision. He Yan gripped the hem of her robe tightly and slowly raised her head to look at the person before her.

She fell into a pair of black eyes.

In that instant, the moonlight was hazy, the blue sky clear and bright. The man stood just one step away, looking down at her. His red robe was like fire, making him stunningly beautiful among all present. His eyes were like the night sky, yet within that night sky, they reflected a complete, clear image of herself.

In his eyes, there was no one else, only her. He Yan stared at him as if wanting this moment to last for eternity.

The room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. After what seemed like forever, Lin Shuanghe’s dramatic voice broke the silence: “Heavens! I’ve attended no less than eight or ten weddings, but this is the first time I’ve seen such a beautiful bride! What incredible fortune our Huaijin has, to marry a celestial maiden descended from heaven! What magnificent deeds must he have done in his past life to deserve such blessing!”

“Are you here to perform theater?” Yan He picked his ears and spoke disdainfully, “Such a smooth talker.”

The group of instructors led by Shen Han stood stunned, with Liang Ping even blushing as he said, “Who would have thought… He Yan in wedding attire looks even more beautiful than Lady Shen.”

“If you have a death wish, I won’t stop you,” Shen Han warned in a low voice, “but don’t drag me into it.”

“My aunt is so beautiful! Worthy of being my aunt!” Cheng Lisu excitedly clenched his fists, “I declare, my aunt is the most beautiful in Shuo Capital!”

Song Taotao held her head, but from a woman’s perspective, today’s He Yan was indeed overwhelmingly beautiful. Though she had been handsome in men’s clothing, now sitting here, looking up at the man before her, her eyes sparkled like stars in the Milky Way.

“Brother Wang,” Xiao Mai asked Wang Ba, “You have to admit, Brother He is truly beautiful now, right?”

Wang Ba impatiently waved his hand, “Just passable.” Yet he couldn’t help but glance several more times.

“Brother He looks wonderful like this,” Jiang Jiao smiled, “I can see Governor Xiao treasures her deeply.”

Men understand men best.

Bai Rongwei smiled and gently reminded them, “It’s time for the ceremonial wine.”

He Yan came back to her senses and was helped to her feet by Qing Mei. Xiao Jue picked up the wine vessel from the table and divided it into two cups. He Yan carefully took one cup, their wrists crossed as they drank together.

Bai Rongwei smiled, “With the sharing of wine completed, husband and wife become one, equal in status, never to part.”

Having finished the ceremonial wine, He Yan quietly sighed in relief, though for some reason, she dared not look up at Xiao Jue again.

After the wine ceremony, the groom had to return to the main hall. The crowd noisily escorted Xiao Jue away, leaving only Qing Mei and He Yan in the room.

As soon as the door closed, He Yan plopped down on the couch, patting her chest, “Finally done, I nearly died from nervousness.”

“Oh?” Qing Mei asked curiously, “Miss was nervous? You seemed quite at ease to this servant.”

“At ease my foot, it was all an act.” He Yan removed the phoenix crown from her head. Though it looked delicate, the pearls and jewels made it quite heavy. After wearing it for so long, her neck was sore.

Qing Mei helped He Yan set aside the phoenix crown, but when she saw He Yan starting to undo her wedding dress buttons, she was startled and quickly stopped her hands: “Miss, please leave the clothes on.”

“It’s hot in here, and there are so many layers,” He Yan said helplessly. The room’s brazier was burning strong to ward off the cold, but with the wedding dress’s multiple layers, even in winter, fine beads of sweat had formed on her forehead.

But Qing Mei was adamant: “No, Miss, you must listen to this servant on this, you can’t take it off.”

After a brief struggle, He Yan yielded, saying, “Fine, I’ll do as you say.”

She stood up, her legs numb from sitting in the sedan chair for half a day. She poured herself a cup of hot tea and began examining the bridal chamber while drinking. As she looked around, her expression grew peculiar.

When He Yan first returned to Shuo Capital, she had stayed at the Xiao residence for a while and had visited Xiao Jue’s room. His room had been stark and simple, with extremely plain colors, either black or white. But now this bridal chamber, aside from the “double happiness” characters and red paper decorations, everything else seemed gaudy. Even the table legs were covered in light pink cloth wraps, making He Yan’s mouth twitch.

How had Xiao Jue’s taste changed so dramatically in such a short time? She didn’t mind, moving from Young Lady He’s room to here was just trading one ornate place for another. But wouldn’t Xiao Jue feel uncomfortable? Look at that copper mirror with floral borders, look at those pink curtains hung with sachets… it was like a brothel!

Outrageous!

As she was thinking this, she heard Qing Mei calling softly: “Miss, Miss…”

He Yan turned around to see Qing Mei standing by the couch with a troubled expression, and asked, “What is it?”

“Miss, since the Madam passed away early, and though Miss Chenxiu was present for your wedding, she’s still quite young. A few days ago, Aunt Liu from the alley gave this servant something…” Her face turned bright red as she stammered, seemingly unable to speak. Trembling, she took something from her bosom, not daring to look at it, and quickly thrust it into He Yan’s hands, “Aunt Liu said that when young ladies get married, their mothers usually give them this… so this servant brought it back…”

He Yan looked down to find a palm-sized booklet in her hands. She gave Qing Mei a suspicious look before opening it, only to see Qing Mei hurriedly turn away.

“Oh?” He Yan took a look: “Isn’t this an erotic picture book?”

“Miss!” Qing Mei’s eyes widened, momentarily forgetting her embarrassment, “How can you say it so directly?”

“How else should I say it?” He Yan asked her, “You’ve looked at it, haven’t you? If you hadn’t, why would you be so nervous?”

“I only glanced at it…” Qing Mei was almost in tears, “No, Miss, this isn’t for me to look at, it’s for you…” When Qing Mei first gave He Yan this item, she had been extremely conflicted. Being an unmarried maiden herself, she didn’t know how to present such a thing. Who knew He Yan would be so frank, casually flipping through it and even commenting, “Aunt Liu is too stingy, this book must be from three or five years ago. The style is so outdated. If she’s giving a wedding gift, shouldn’t she give something newer? Tsk tsk, not as good as the one I read before…”

“Miss!” Qing Mei looked at her in disbelief, “The one you read before? When did you read it? Where did you read it?”

“Uh…” He Yan remembered that in this little maid’s mind, she was still the former Young Lady He, so she brushed it off, “I was just joking, forget about it.”

She turned to leave, but Qing Mei followed like a tail, “Miss, please explain clearly, when exactly did you read it?”

“I don’t remember!”

After such playful banter, time passed, and the sky gradually darkened. After He Yan had finished all the delicate snacks on the table, there was movement outside.

She quickly sat up straight, assuming a dignified and proper manner. Qing Mei went to open the door and saw Lin Shuanghe supporting Xiao Jue as they entered.

“Oh?” Qing Mei was surprised, “Has the young master gotten drunk?”

Hearing this, He Yan stood up. Lin Shuanghe helped Xiao Jue sit on the couch and smiled at He Yan, “Sister He… sister-in-law, Huaijin drank too much today, so I helped him back.”

“Why did he drink so much?” Qing Mei complained somewhat, “How can he…” She swallowed the rest of her words, giving her mistress a reproachful look. Having spent too much time with He Yan, she too had learned to speak without filters.

He Yan turned to look at Xiao Jue. He sat on the couch supported by Lin Shuanghe, head against the headboard, eyes tightly closed. His expression was fine, showing no signs of distress, though he appeared to have succumbed to the alcohol.

“Xiao Jue can get drunk too?” she mused thoughtfully.

“When everyone wants to drink with him, how could he not get drunk?” Lin Shuanghe sighed: “Huaijin’s marriage is a big event, and those martial men can drink. He’s better off – you should see the main hall, people lying everywhere, vomiting messily. Especially Yan He,” he seemed quite exasperated, “kept making Huaijin drink with him, just wanting to compete over who could drink more. Such a strong competitive spirit.”

He Yan: “Did Yan He win?”

“How could he?” Lin Shuanghe smiled, “He was carried away.”

He Yan: “…”

“Anyway, I’ve delivered him,” Lin Shuanghe waved his fan, “my work here is done. Sister He, remember to take good care of Huaijin,” his lips curled up, “the night is short, don’t waste it.”

He Yan: “Wait!”

Before she could finish, Lin Shuanghe had already gracefully departed.

“Miss…” Qing Mei said softly, “Then this servant will take her leave.”

“Where are you going?” He Yan called out, “Help me here!”

“This… might be a bit inappropriate.” Qing Mei acted as if facing a great enemy, waving her hands repeatedly, “Besides, this servant isn’t very strong. I heard that when Miss was in Liangzhou Guard, you could lift huge stones by yourself, surely you can take care of Governor Xiao alone.” She retreated toward the door while saying, “So… this servant will be going now!”

“Hey!”

This little maid was sometimes too timid, yet other times quite argumentative. He Yan sighed. Now the room truly had only Xiao Jue and herself.

She turned to look at Xiao Jue.

Even when drunk, he remained quiet, neither acting rowdy nor talking nonsense. He just leaned against the headboard as if dozing. He Yan walked over and first pushed him gently: “Xiao Jue?”

There was no response. She waved her hand in front of his face, but Xiao Jue still kept his eyes peacefully closed. He Yan let out a breath, thinking Xiao Jue must truly be drunk.

Well, she had been drunk in front of Xiao Jue before, and now Xiao Jue was drunk in front of her – one time each, quite fair. He Yan sat down beside him and leaned in to look.

With his eyes closed, his eyelashes drooped obediently like tiny butterfly wings. He Yan felt a tickle in her heart and couldn’t help but reach out to touch them.

The young man’s brows furrowed slightly. She quickly withdrew her hand, thinking Xiao Jue had awakened. After a while, seeing no reaction from him, her courage gradually grew.

He Yan had never denied Xiao Jue’s beauty. Back at Xianchang House, even though he ignored everyone, he still attracted waves of admirers. Later, as Right Army Governor, despite rumors of his ruthlessness, he never fell out of the “Top Three Dream Lovers of Shuo Capital” – all thanks to his face. He Yan moved closer, her gaze fixed on him, clicking her tongue a few times before sighing, “Graceful and otherworldly, divine as jade.”

Just looking at his face, one could hardly tell he spent his days on battlefields. How had wind, frost, and swords left no trace of wear on his face? His skin was like jade, features handsome, with an exquisitely beautiful jawline that inspired wayward thoughts. He Yan sighed – surely Heaven had taken extra care in crafting Xiao Jue. This must be what others call an enviable life!

Looking at the man leaning against the wall, mischief arose in her heart. She declared, “Such a beautiful person has fallen into my hands. It would be a waste not to take advantage of such a rare opportunity!” As she spoke, she began undoing his buttons.

The wedding clothes had many layers, and the room was stuffy. Seeing Xiao Jue’s face slightly flushed, presumably from the heat, she had the kind intention of helping remove his outer garments to lay him on the couch for an early rest. But unexpectedly, even the buttons were complex. As she lowered her head to undo them, after unfastening one and reaching for the second, suddenly her hand was caught.

He Yan looked up in surprise, meeting a pair of clear, profound black eyes. His voice was soft, seemingly teasing, “So, how do you plan to take advantage of me?”

His gaze was completely clear, without a trace of drunkenness. He Yan exclaimed, “You’re not drunk?”

Xiao Jue’s lips curled slightly: “A little bit.”

I don’t believe you at all! He Yan thought to herself. His appearance clearly showed he had been awake the whole time. Fortunately, she hadn’t done anything more outrageous earlier.

He Yan smiled awkwardly, “Well, it’s good that you’re awake…”

“Tell me,” but he wasn’t about to let He Yan off. Still holding her hand against his chest, he looked at her with an ambiguous smile: “How exactly were you planning to take advantage?”

He Yan struggled to free her hand but couldn’t break his grip. She felt inexplicably flustered, even starting to stammer, “I just… saw you wearing too much, and the room was too hot, so I wanted to help undo a couple of buttons…”

“Lying,” Xiao Jue raised his eyebrows, staring directly at her, “I think you were trying to take advantage of me.”

He Yan: “…”

Surely not! Since when did undoing a button count as taking advantage?

Her hand against Xiao Jue’s chest felt like touching a hot iron; she was the one getting burned. In her muddled state, He Yan blurted out, “No, no, no, how could this be taking advantage? There’s nothing I haven’t seen before, I’ve even seen that red birthmark on your waist…”

At these words, Xiao Jue’s body stiffened slightly.

After a while, he finally spoke softly: “You’re quite frank.”

He Yan came to her senses, silently cursing herself. Currently, half her body was sprawled over Xiao Jue, her hand caught in his grip, touching his collar – she looked exactly like a female hooligan taking advantage. But since Xiao Jue wouldn’t let go, she could only remain frozen in this position.

“Xiao Jue, let go of me first, we can talk properly…” She finally managed to say after a long pause.

Xiao Jue’s gaze swept over her lightly, and he suddenly released her. He Yan let out a huge sigh of relief, thinking to herself that surely the brazier must have turned into a sun in the room – how else could it be so hot that her heart was racing?

Xiao Jue’s gaze fell on a corner of a book page peeking out from under the bedding. His eyes paused slightly as he reached for it: “What’s this?”

He Yan looked up just in time to see his movement, and her face immediately changed dramatically: “Wait!”

But it was useless; Xiao Jue had already gotten hold of it. He Yan instinctively lunged forward, trying to snatch it away.

It was the little book Qing Mei had given her!

Earlier, while horsing around with Qing Mei, He Yan hadn’t had time to put it away properly before Lin Shuanghe came in, so she had hastily stuffed it under the bedding. She hadn’t expected Xiao Jue to find it now. He Yan still clearly remembered his face darkening when he saw her looking at spring drawings in Jiyang City. On this joyous day, she didn’t want to anger the young master again.

He Yan tried to grab it, but Xiao Jue blocked her with his arm. When she reached forward again, he dodged again. With each lunge and dodge, advance, and retreat, Xiao Jue’s long arms kept the book out of her reach. He Yan had to jump up to grab it but unexpectedly caught her foot on the edge of the bed and started to fall onto the couch. Seeing this, Xiao Jue pulled her towards him, and they both fell straight down.

The bed made an earth-shattering crash.

He Yan turned to look – thankfully, it hadn’t collapsed; it was quite sturdy.

She looked at the book now in her grasp and felt immensely relieved.

The next moment, noisy voices came from outside, distinctly Cheng Lisu’s shout.

“Wow! What a commotion, my uncle is truly impressive!”

Following that came Chi Wu’s voice: “Who let young Master Cheng in? Quickly take him away!”

“I don’t want to! I want to stay a bit longer! Let go of me—”

It seemed Cheng Lisu was being carried away, and gradually the door outside returned to quiet.

He Yan froze for a moment before coming to her senses. She was lying on top of Xiao Jue, still clutching the book tightly, her head against his chest where she could feel the slight vibration of his chest – he was chuckling.

He… was laughing?

He Yan suddenly propped herself up halfway, looking at Xiao Jue beneath her.

He raised his eyes slightly and spoke lazily: “General He is formidable.”

“That’s… natural,” He Yan stared at him, slightly dazed. “I’m no longer the last-place finisher from Xianchang House.”

“Mm,” in his deep black eyes seemed to hide a faint smile as he placed his hands behind his head. “General He is a heroine among women, undefeated in battle. I willingly admit defeat.”

“You don’t sound very sincere,” He Yan pretended to glare at him. “Since I won, shouldn’t there be a reward?”

Xiao Jue’s tone lifted slightly: “What reward would you like?”

He Yan was still pondering when suddenly the world spun, and her position with Xiao Jue had switched – now she was below and he above. In the room full of lamplight, his features were like a beautiful dream framed by the window. The rich wine fragrance mixed with the moon-scale scent from his clothes was intoxicating.

“How about this reward?”

The waistband was slowly being pulled out.

He Yan’s voice trembled nervously, her fingers touching the spoils of the war she had just won. She asked, “Xiao Jue, do you want to… look at it first…”

“No need.”

Someone chuckled softly, and the bed curtains suddenly fell, concealing the precious night within.

“General He might not know, but men are naturally skilled at such things.”

…

The moon was like silver, stars like rain, and where the red candles shed their tears, spring breezes would return year after year.

[End of Chapter]