Ceremonial music filled the sky, colorful carriages led the way. On Marquis Xuanyuan Xiao Du’s wedding day, the wedding procession stretched magnificently down the long street. The roadside and wine shops were packed with crowds watching the spectacle. Because Xiao Du’s “reputation” had spread widely among the capital’s noble families, many young ladies sat in private rooms, curious to see what this infamous harbinger of doom actually looked like.

A snow-white horse with a black mane slowly proceeded, its rider wearing crimson python-patterned court robes and a gold-inlaid beam crown. His bearing was dignified, with long arms and broad shoulders. His appearance was not the fierce and menacing countenance people imagined—it could even be called refined and handsome, though years of battlefield campaigns had given his features a resolute quality. Yet his face wore an expression of laziness and casualness that didn’t match the festive atmosphere around him, as if today he wasn’t coming to marry but simply going out for a spring outing to admire flowers.

On a wine shop by the street, a drunkard was holding forth: “Back when I followed the Young Master in the campaign at Jialu Pass, though the Young Master hadn’t yet come of age, he was peerless in valor. Facing tens of thousands of Wu Kingdom troops, he showed not the slightest fear. With a single silver spear he sent them fleeing in panic. After that, those bastards were afraid of our Xiao family army’s reputation and didn’t dare approach the border for a long time. When the Young Master returned to court that year, the late emperor specially granted him the honor of wearing armor and riding horses, receiving the cheers of people lining the streets. I say, how could today’s scene compare to that day’s glory?”

Perhaps recalling old times, his cloudy eyes shot out bright light, his face full of pride. Others knew this man had once been a soldier in the Xiao family army who returned to the capital three years ago due to injury. He usually loved drinking and boasting. Seeing him getting excited, they laughed and teased: “I think you’re probably drunk and confused. The person on the street is no longer the Young Master—this Marquis Xuanyuan was personally enfeoffed by the late emperor.” The man was stunned by this remark and seemed to sober up somewhat. His expression changed as he slammed the table: “What damn Marquis Xuanyuan! Just because he lost one battle at Pingdu Pass, he stays home all day enjoying pleasures, no longer guarding the border. He’s truly disgracing the reputation that the old marquis worked so hard to build.” The person beside him was startled. Fortunately, the ceremonial music on the street covered this nonsensical ranting. The shop attendant saw him continuing to curse and scold, afraid of causing trouble, quickly covered his mouth and dragged him away. The drunkard flailed his hands wildly, and the wine cup in his hand slipped from the railing to the street below, rolling beside the flower sedan carrying Yuanxi before being immediately swallowed by the noisy ceremonial procession.

Inside the eight-bearer flower sedan, Xia Yuanxi wore red gauze embroidered with qilin patterns and full sleeves, a plain silver sash, topped with a hundred-sons embroidered veil. She felt the nervous emotions in her chest slowly spreading. The music outside had finished one piece—after this road, she would be increasingly far from the Left Chancellor’s mansion. Though there were too few things worth remembering in the Chancellor’s mansion, it held her only precious memories from seventeen years and housed the only person worth caring about.

She sighed softly, feeling her neck aching from the weight of the gold-inlaid pearl-dropping phoenix crown. She suddenly remembered Seventh Concubine’s instructions last night: “After marrying, you must be cautious in words and deeds, skilled at reading people. Understand that a husband’s favor is only temporary—you must master household management to secure your position and livelihood.”

Seventh Concubine had made many inquiries on her behalf. Old Marquis Xiao Yunjing had only married one legal wife and two concubines. Her mother-in-law, Princess Zhenrui, the late emperor’s own sister, was said to have damaged her health after giving birth to the legitimate son Xiao Du. From then on, she only stayed secluded in the Buddhist hall for quiet recuperation, rarely interfering in mansion affairs. Over the years, household matters had been managed by a concubine surnamed Wang. Rumor had it that this Concubine Wang was extremely capable, managing business and relationships with great success, and the old marquis intended to elevate her to secondary wife status. Concubine Wang had borne one son and one daughter—the daughter was already married, and another concubine had only borne one daughter. From this, it seemed the marquis mansion currently had no proper mistress, and the family wasn’t as prosperous as her own household. If it were someone clever and wise, taking control of household management probably wouldn’t be difficult. But… Yuanxi couldn’t help but smile bitterly. Having lived in confusion all these years, she was completely ignorant of such inner courtyard matters and would probably disappoint Seventh Concubine’s painstaking efforts. Thinking of everything she might face in the future, she couldn’t help but sigh again, falling into deep anxiety.

Yuanxi irritably fingered the double-knotted tassels at her waist, wondering again what kind of person this legendary Marquis Xuanyuan Xiao Du actually was. Would he really be as cruel, violent, willful and absurd as the rumors claimed? Though she was simple-minded, she was still an eighteen-year-old woman—how could she not wonder about her future husband’s appearance?

While she was lost in wild thoughts, the flower sedan had touched ground. The ceremony master loudly chanted the sedan-alighting poem. Ceremonial music and firecracker sounds were endless. Yuanxi, holding a red rope, was led in twists and turns toward the inner residence. All around were unfamiliar voices, many figures constantly moving. She had never dealt with such a scene before and was so nervous her palms were sweating. Fortunately, the wedding veil in front of her eyes made her feel temporarily safe. She numbly followed the ceremony master’s calls, completed the wedding ceremony with the groom, drank the nuptial wine, and without even clearly seeing the appearance of the person she was bowing to, was dizzily sent to the bridal chamber.

The new room was decorated with gold inlay and jade carving, extremely luxurious. Light su-he incense burned in the brazier. After a day of exhaustion, Yuanxi now felt stuffy in her chest and aching all over. Suddenly, commotion arose outside the door with continuous congratulatory shouts. While she was puzzled, Nanny Li, who had come with her dowry, pushed open the door and called out joyfully: “Miss, great congratulations! His Majesty just sent people with generous gifts to congratulate the marquis on his wedding, and issued an edict recognizing you as his adopted sister, bestowing the title Lanjia Princess and conferring upon you the rank of third-grade imperial consort.”

While Nanny Li spoke with joy and spittle flying, Yuanxi listened in confusion. She really couldn’t understand why His Majesty repeatedly bestowed imperial favor upon her. Could it be merely to give her a status worthy of Marquis Xuanyuan? After all, it was said that Xiao Du had been a study companion in the palace for many years and the two were as close as brothers, which was why His Majesty repeatedly indulged his absurd behavior. She was, after all, only a concubine’s daughter from the Chancellor’s mansion—now with the princess title she finally matched the Marquis Xuanyuan’s status. But she still had many doubts: why exactly was it her?

Meanwhile, Xiao Du, who was entertaining guests in the courtyard, lifted his robes and stood, raising his hand to receive the imperial edict. A slight smile curved his lips as he thought: “Ming Cheng, you truly are painstakingly thoughtful.” Subsequently, Chief Steward Zhou quickly arranged for the two eunuchs who delivered the edict to be seated and ordered servants to formally begin the feast. Young servants and maids brought dish after dish to the tables. The guests, however, began murmuring about the full table of dishes. Fortunately, at this moment drums and gongs sounded from the opera stage, and a female lead performer danced with flowing sleeves, singing festive opera to entertain. The guests went with the flow, picking up chopsticks and raising cups, warmly exchanging pleasantries.

Only at one corner of the wedding banquet was the atmosphere at the table somewhat heavy. At this moment, a man in purple brocade robes with impressive bearing stood up, raising his wine cup: “The marquis is truly loyal and righteous, worthy of our brotherhood! Come, let’s all drain this cup together to celebrate the marquis’s wedding joy!” Seeing his eyes already somewhat reddened, the others suppressed their surging emotions and stood up saying: “We humble generals join General Zheng in toasting the marquis!”

At this moment, night had fallen deep, yet the Marquis Xuanyuan’s mansion was brilliantly lit with drinking in full swing. In the new room, under red candles and silk curtains, Yuanxi sat constrained on the bed edge with lowered head, thinking of everything that might happen tonight, her heart restless with anxiety.

Outside the room door, gauze lanterns with large red happiness characters swayed gently. Xiao Du, reeking of alcohol but with extremely clear eyes, laughed coldly in a low voice: “Chancellor Xia, what kind of daughter have you really sent over?”

In the main courtyard, the banquet hadn’t dispersed. General Zheng was already thoroughly drunk, being supported by a maid toward the guest room. Suddenly he felt someone lightly pinch his waist, making his whole body tingle. Looking down through his haze, he saw a pair of seductive eyes like silk.

In the dragon and phoenix candlesticks, the candle flame crackled with a pop. At that moment, the door was suddenly pushed open forcefully, and Yuanxi’s heart began beating violently. She felt someone lift away her wedding veil, and her eyes finally brightened. Then, in the flickering candlelight, she saw a face with a half-smile.

Different from what she had imagined, this face was neither coarse nor fierce. The handsome face wore a faint smile, making Yuanxi slightly relax, though her heart beat even faster.

Xiao Du also carefully observed his new bride: delicate eyebrows, bright eyes, a pointed face—typical southern woman’s features. Not stunningly beautiful, but fresh and pleasing. However… she was breathing rather rapidly, looking pitiful as if she couldn’t catch her breath.

Xiao Du felt that if he didn’t say something, his new bride would suffocate from nervousness. So he smiled and said: “Do you want me to call you wife, madam, or… Yuanxi?”

Yuanxi had never been so close to a strange man before. Hearing this slightly teasing speech, her face immediately flushed red. At a loss, she lowered her head, gripping her clothing tightly, trying hard to open her mouth but unable to speak.

Xiao Du felt somewhat strange and also amused. After all, she was a young lady from the Chancellor’s mansion who should have seen some of the world—how could she be frightened to this extent? Yuanxi finally took a deep breath, mustered courage to raise her head, and saw Xiao Du smiling to reveal a mouthful of white teeth. For some reason, she thought of the rumors about him drinking human blood and unconsciously touched her neck.

Xiao Du was stunned by this action, then thought with some disdain that she was frightened to this extent because she believed those rumors. So he deliberately asked: “Why are you touching your neck?” Yuanxi, both shy and embarrassed, finally squeezed out a few words through her teeth: “Neck… itchy…” Then realizing this was the first thing she said to her husband on their wedding night, she immediately felt so ashamed she wanted to dig a hole and bury herself.

Xiao Du was amused and laughed heartily, then thought somewhat mischievously that if she was so shy from just talking, then if… He immediately found it interesting and said with suppressed laughter: “It’s getting late—we should rest early too.” Then, before Yuanxi could react, he quickly stripped off his outer robe and inner garments, revealing his strong, naked upper body.

Yuanxi felt her breathing suddenly stop, all the blood in her body rushing to her head. When she shifted her gaze to Xiao Du’s naked chest, she suddenly paused. She had only seen male bodies in medical texts and anatomical diagrams before, and seeing one in person was different from pictures. Moreover, this body before her was so perfect: solid muscles, distinct lines. If she had a knife to cut along the muscle fibers and draw diagrams for medical records, it would definitely be much more pleasing to the eye than those she had seen before.

She watched in fascination while Xiao Du was dumbfounded. He couldn’t understand how his delicate wife, who had been too shy to speak just moments ago, was now staring fixedly at his naked chest with what appeared to be… a drooling expression.

Though Xiao Du was usually unrestrained, this was the first time a woman had examined his body with such naked gaze. For a moment, he actually felt his face burning and had the impulse to grab his clothes back to cover himself. Then he thought that he, the dignified Marquis Xuanyuan, was blushing from being looked at by his new bride on their wedding night—what would people say if this got out? So he could only steel himself and straighten his chest, thinking resentfully that he must look back enough to make it worthwhile, and prepared to reach out to untie Yuanxi’s sash…

Just then, a scream suddenly came from the courtyard: “Help! Murder!” Both were startled from their thoughts and quickly turned to look out the window.