The Top Scholar’s Mansion, empty for three years, had been renovated anew and finally regained its lively atmosphere.
Many flowers and trees were added to the residence – all Madam Zeng’s doing. The main house had been renovated, with new window screens, fresh bed curtains, and a “hundred sons” quilt embroidered by Madam Zeng herself. Since her marriage to Wei Zhuo, she lived at the Commander’s Mansion and rarely came here, so she had given the main house to Lu Chang as the newlywed chamber.
“Hang it higher, a bit to the left, yes, right there…”
Madam Zeng stood in the main hall watching people hang red curtains. Beside her, a little maid hurriedly ran up with red candles asking, “Madam, where should these go?”
She turned to direct the maid, but before she could finish, another servant came to report that the newly purchased lanterns had arrived…
In just the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, servants had come to ask her about four or five matters. Wei Zhuo, seeing her so busy she could barely catch her breath, felt concerned: “Some things can be left to them to handle, you needn’t do everything yourself.”
“No, I’m both welcoming a daughter-in-law and marrying off a daughter – it’s different from other families.” Madam Zeng let him help her sit down to rest, joy written all over her face.
She was different from other mothers-in-law – Ming Shu was both daughter-in-law and daughter, and it had taken such effort for her and Lu Chang to finally come together. How could she, as their mother, not be happy?
This would happen only once in her life – any amount of exhaustion was worth it.
“You… weren’t even this happy at your wedding,” Wei Zhuo squeezed her hand, speaking softly.
“That was different.” Madam Zeng’s face reddened.
“How was it different? Isn’t it all marriage? You’re showing such favoritism, I’m hurt.” Away from others, Wei Zhuo set aside his stern Commander of the Imperial Guard demeanor and complained pitifully in her ear.
Madam Zeng’s face grew redder as she pushed him away, chiding, “At your age, still competing with children! Be more proper.”
“I’m speaking from my heart – what’s improper about that?” Wei Zhuo caught her hand.
“I’m not discussing this with you.” Unable to argue, Madam Zeng stood up with a red face.
Just then, a servant ran anxiously into the courtyard, panting at the door: “Commander, Madam, the wedding procession has reached the city gates.”
————
The magnificent wedding procession had traveled for over ten days from Jiangning to Bianjing, finally reaching the capital.
Waiting for the auspicious hour, Ming Shu stayed at the city’s finest inn for the night. Early the next morning, after washing and changing into her wedding clothes, Lu Chang would escort her to their home.
Ming Shu’s dowry had already arrived in the capital – dozens of visible items like cloth, jewelry, and silver-filled chests, while unseen properties and deeds to shops filled thick lists of gifts enough to make one gasp.
This was her father’s wish – to give his daughter a grand wedding, letting her suffer not even the slightest hardship or grievance.
So for this wedding, Ming Shu had no intention of keeping things simple.
She wanted all of Jiangning and Bianjing to know that Jian Jin Hai’s daughter was getting married that day.
————
The wedding was indeed grand – presided over by the Crown Prince himself, with Commander of the Imperial Guard Wei Zhuo and Minister of the Six Departments Lu Wen Han in attendance. With these three present, other court officials dared not slight the occasion. Additionally, the Emperor sent wedding gifts from the palace, making nearly every guest person of extraordinary status.
The inner courtyard guests were no less distinguished. After four years in Bianjing, Ming Shu had built extensive connections. Her “Complete Fortune Lady” was Madam Xu, wife of the Duke’s heir. With the old Duke still alive and Madam Xu still, heir-apparent’s wife, their four generations under one roof represented an abundant fortune. The Crown Princess, various royal consorts, and noble ladies all came to offer congratulations – the Top Scholar’s Mansion could barely contain so many distinguished guests.
The consequence of such a grand wedding was that Ming Shu was exhausted to the point she could barely lift her limbs.
Just the ceremony of paying respects to elders required more bows than usual. She paid respects to Lu Wen Han separately from Madam Zeng and Wei Zhuo. Both fathers were generous, seemingly trying to outdo each other – when Wei Zhuo gave a horse farm outside the city, Lu Wen Han gave a villa by the Bian River; when Wei Zhuo presented a set of huanghuali furniture, Lu Wen Han promptly sent over a carved sleeping couch… not to mention various jade items and antiques.
All these became part of Lu Chang’s betrothal gifts, yet the wedding still took place in his earned Top Scholar’s Mansion.
He retained that pride from his past.
Finally brought back to the chamber, after the bed curtain ceremony and hair-combing rituals, and drinking the ceremonial wine together, the guests withdrew, leaving Ming Shu to sit alone in the bridal chamber awaiting Lu Chang’s return from seeing off the guests.
The dragon and phoenix candles flickered gently, wax already accumulated in two layers. The clamorous sounds from outside the door seemed dreamlike and distant.
Ming Shu sat on the bed’s edge, the heavy gold headdress making her waist nearly unbearable to straighten, her vision blurred by red flames. Though exhausted from the full day, she didn’t feel hungry – perhaps too hungry to feel it, or perhaps sustained by the snacks Lu Chang had secretly given her. She just felt tired, her eyelids fighting to stay open.
She feared she wouldn’t be able to wait for Lu Chang’s return.
————
By the time Lu Chang returned after one round of toasts, Ming Shu had fallen asleep sitting against the bedpost.
Wearing such a heavy crown, wasn’t it uncomfortable?
He tiptoed to the bedside and sat beside her, reaching to remove her headdress, but women’s ornaments were complex and he found no way to begin. His clumsy attempts failed to remove the crown but succeeded in waking Ming Shu.
Ming Shu mumbled and opened her eyes, glancing at him sideways, her large eyes narrowed to slits that seemed to hold pools of spring water in the candlelight.
“Come, let’s remove your ornaments and makeup before sleeping,” Lu Chang said, his arm naturally supporting her waist.
Ming Shu gradually awoke, blinking her eyes and asking in a muffled voice, “Is the banquet over?”
“No, they’re still drinking. Uncle Wei and the others are entertaining the guests, but I’ve returned.” Lu Chang led her to the dressing table and called for water to be brought.
“They won’t make trouble at the bridal chamber, will they?” Ming Shu asked nervously, looking at the door.
Lu Chang stroked her head: “I’ve arranged with them – they won’t.”
Ming Shu finally relaxed.
After Qing Chan brought water and left, closing the door behind her, Ming Shu removed her hairpins, ornaments, and makeup while Lu Chang washed up. Then both sat side by side on the bed’s edge in their red wedding clothes.
Both feel somewhat nervous.
Lu Chang was twenty-four, no longer young, and Ming Shu past twenty – other young ladies their age might already have walking children… but they had nothing of the sort.
Though they had shared a bed before, they had maintained propriety and not crossed boundaries. Tonight would be different.
Although Lu Chang had waited three years, his heart burning with desire, now that the moment had come, he became cautious.
Mainly afraid of startling Ming Shu.
“Are you hungry? Want something to eat?” he asked.
“Not hungry.” Ming Shu shook her head – she didn’t want to eat, it would leave a taste.
“Thirsty?”
“I’d like some tea.”
Lu Chang rose to pour her tea.
After drinking tea, they sat stiffly again.
“Shall we sleep?” Lu Chang suggested.
“Mm.” Ming Shu agreed without hesitation.
The next moment, they lay stiffly side by side, the “hundred sons” quilt pulled up to their chins.
“Are you tired?” Lu Chang turned on his side toward Ming Shu.
Ming Shu stared at the bed canopy: “Tired.”
Having been busy since before dawn, how could she not be tired?
“Then sleep.”
As he spoke, Lu Chang draped his arm over her waist, maintaining proper distance.
Ming Shu closed her eyes – though truly tired, she couldn’t sleep.
His arm was a bit heavy, the quilt somewhat thick, sharing it made things especially warm, lying so stiffly was uncomfortable… she could think of a hundred reasons why she couldn’t sleep.
“What’s wrong?” Lu Chang noticed her quickened breathing and asked.
“I can’t sleep,” Ming Shu said. “You?”
“I can’t sleep either.”
“Then let’s talk for a while.” Ming Shu turned on her side to face Lu Chang.
“About what?” Lu Chang could only see her bright eyes, and moist lips, and his body grew warm.
Ming Shu touched the new “hundred sons” quilt, thinking of today’s events with some emotion: “Remember when we first went to the capital? You would give me all the meat from your bowl of noodles, and we lived in that small street-side loft where I took your room and you had to make do with the bamboo couch downstairs.”
Those times remained fresh in her memory.
Lu Chang pulled her closer into his embrace, their bodies drawing nearer. Her familiar faint fragrance wafted over – still, that subtle osmanthus scent she had once applied to his hands, penetrating to the heart.
“You were so delicate then, I was afraid of letting you suffer,” he replied distractedly.
“How was I delicate?” Ming Shu took issue with this description, feeling she had been quite adaptable to life’s circumstances.
“Even coarse cloth would give you a rash – isn’t that delicate?” Lu Chang held her tighter, his lips lightly touching her forehead.
Mentioning this reminded Ming Shu of something. She looked up, her lips brushing his chin, eyes full of playful teasing: “I remember you took me to buy clothes at the tailor’s shop. That was your first time accompanying a girl to buy clothes, wasn’t it? Your face was so red…”
She giggled as she spoke.
“Even after three years, that’s still the only time I’ve accompanied a girl to buy clothes,” Lu Chang admitted frankly.
“Remember how when the shopkeeper asked you to feel the fabric, you pulled back like you’d been pricked by a hedgehog!” Ming Shu grew more animated as she recalled, her eyes full of laughter. Suddenly she loosened her collar, “Look, I’m still wearing that undergarment.”
“…” Lu Chang’s breathing stopped.
When Ming Shu noticed the change in Lu Chang’s gaze and expression, she finally realized what she had done.
But it was too late.
Lu Chang suddenly caught her hand, saying hoarsely, “You kept this garment?”
Ming Shu turned her face away, cheeks flushed, giving a tiny “mm” in response.
Not only had she kept it, she had deliberately worn it on their wedding night.
“Do you like it?” he asked again, his lips already descending to her ear.
Ming Shu felt her whole body burning at his question, wanting to burrow into the quilt, only small whimpers escaping her lips.
“Next time, I’ll choose for you again.” The words entered Ming Shu’s ear, and before she could react, Lu Chang had already covered her body with his.
The green curtains fell, hiding the candlelight, leaving only soft moans and heavy breathing from within. The improperly secured curtains were disturbed by the movement inside, and soon the “hundred sons” quilt and two red wedding garments slipped through the gaps onto the floor. The bed began to sway gently, the gaps offering glimpses of boundless spring scenes.
A few intimate words could be heard.
“This undergarment has grown tight.”
“Time for a new one.”
“Your husband will choose for you…”