The smoke from the firecrackers filled the entire entrance of the Bai mansion. People covered their ears as they watched, and then they saw a foot stepping out from the white fog, followed by an ordinary-looking face emerging.
“A servant from the Bai mansion?” Bai Liang squinted, puzzled by the attire of the person. “Why would a servant be coming out from the main gate at this hour?”
However, in the next moment, she noticed the load carried on the servant’s shoulder.
“Hey! There’s more!” Sharp-eyed observers spotted the items behind and began laughing. “See, I knew there couldn’t be just fourteen loads of dowry!”
Two servants, one in front and one behind, carried loads covered in red cloth, heading out. Following them, a string of servants emerged, each pair carrying dowry items, hurrying to catch up with the wedding procession.
“Fifteen! Sixteen! Seventeen!…” The sound of counting dowry items resumed.
Bai Liang was astonished. She met Bai Xuanji’s gaze and quickly shook her head, whispering, “I hid them well. They couldn’t have found them!”
“With the items right in front of us, what’s the point of saying they couldn’t find them?” Bai Liushi scolded.
Bai Xuanji furrowed her brow, watching her dowry being carried away load by load, feeling a pang in her heart.
These were all her belongings…
However, as she felt the ache, she sensed something was wrong.
“Twenty-five, twenty-six, twenty-seven… Why are there still more behind?” Bai Mengshi had prepared only twenty-six loads of dowry, yet now, the mansion seemed to be carrying out more and more, as if it would never end.
“What’s going on?”
Not just them, even Lingxiu walking at the front was dumbfounded, calling out softly, “Miss! Miss!”
Inside the sedan, Huaiyu, munching on an apple, replied unclearly, “What’s wrong?”
“There… there are suddenly a lot more dowry items behind us. Thirty-five… Thirty-six! Thirty-six loads! It’s the same as the dowry from the Jiang mansion!”
Huaiyu almost choked on her apple at once, coughing a few times before asking in surprise, “Are you sure you didn’t miscount?”
“It’s not just me, everyone’s counting! Thirty-six loads, not one less!” Lingxiu exclaimed excitedly.
Huaiyu felt a bit bewildered. Could it be that Bai Derezhong, that old man, suddenly became so generous and decided to supplement her dowry? But it was impossible. He was busy welcoming guests today; where would he find the time to deal with these matters?
The brightly colored dowry trailed behind the wedding procession, stretching for half a street. Onlookers marveled and praised Miss Bai’s good fortune, noting how both her in-laws and her own family valued her. With so much dowry being sent over, who would dare to slight her in the future?
Jiang Xuanjin rode at the forefront. He couldn’t hear the discussions around him, only feeling the noise to be unbearable.
If it weren’t for the circumstances, he wouldn’t be parading on horseback. Everywhere he looked was crowded with people, which annoyed him greatly. What was even more irritating was that these people were all pointing at him and chatting, though it was likely in praise. However, he didn’t feel the least bit happy about it.
Whoever decided that the groom must lead the wedding procession?
Feeling upset, Jiang Xuanjin’s face showed no hint of a smile. Not only did he not smile, but his expression also grew increasingly gloomy, leading the common folk to speculate: Was His Highness being forced into this marriage?
Chengxu wanted to remind his master that this was a wedding, not a funeral! His Highness had chosen to marry of his own accord. Even if he didn’t like smiling, he should at least try to appear happy!
However, as he approached his master, feeling the chilling aura emanating from him, Chengxu shuddered and swallowed his words. Years of serving experience told him that it was best not to provoke his master when he was angry…
So, Jiang Xuanjin stewed in his frustration alone, from the entrance of the Bai mansion to the Jiang residence, his temper so volatile that even the wedding attendant dared not hand him the ceremonial cord.
“What’s wrong?” Sensing that the sedan had stopped but there was no movement outside, Huaiyu couldn’t help but ask softly.
Lingxiu uneasily replied, “This servant doesn’t know… His Highness was fine, then suddenly he became upset. Now he’s standing at the entrance of the Jiang residence, and no one dares to approach him.”
Upset again? Huaiyu was taken aback, and then couldn’t help but laugh. “He is like a little princess!”
With such a bad temper, she almost matched him. Lingxiu was so frightened by her words that she stumbled, holding onto the sedan and whispering, “Please be careful with your words; it wouldn’t be good if His Highness heard.”
“Why panic?” Huaiyu said, “He’s not going to eat anyone.”
As soon as she said this, Jiang Xuanjin approached the sedan with a stern expression.
Lingxiu was so frightened by his menacing aura that she kept retreating, trembling as she muttered, “Well, not necessarily…”
Huaiyu was about to ask what she meant by “not necessarily,” but before she could, she heard the sedan curtain being briskly lifted.
“Take this.” Someone grumpily shoved a ceremonial cord into her hand.
Huaiyu instinctively caught it, feeling his agitation. With a mischievous thought, she suddenly exerted force, pulling him halfway into the sedan.
“You…” Jiang Xuanjin was astonished, his hand resting on the sedan door, his brows furrowed.
Huaiyu lifted the veil halfway, smiling at him. “Why so angry?”
Despite the curtain swaying, her eyes, shining with a watery light, were irresistible. Looking at him with such a smile, she seemed like a flower blossoming in the spring breeze or a cloud concealing the bright moon. In an instant, she silenced the noise outside.
His irritable mood suddenly eased a bit. Jiang Xuanjin stared at her for a moment with a sullen face, then finally muttered, “There are too many people.”
Too many, and all staring at him, making it unbearable and uncomfortable.
That tone sounded just like a little princess throwing a tantrum.
Huaiyu couldn’t help but soften at his words, taking his hand and coaxing, “Can you endure it a bit? After the ceremony, I’ll peel oranges for you to eat!”
“No need.”
“Oh, come on, be a good boy.” She reached out to straighten his collar, speaking softly, “People outside rarely encounter a celestial being like you. Show them some mercy. If it gets too noisy, just imagine they’re reciting Buddhist scriptures!”
Jiang Xuanjin listened attentively, his brow furrowed in thought.
Outside, the wedding attendant waiting anxiously, seeing that the bride hadn’t emerged for quite some time, cautiously stepped forward and called out, “The auspicious time has arrived.”
After shouting, she quickly retreated three steps, afraid that Lord Ziyang would turn around and scold her.
However, when the person stepped out of the sedan, his expression unexpectedly softened, as if a gentle breeze had dispersed the dark clouds, and all the hostility vanished.
The crowd was stunned, then they saw him pulling the bride, who was covered with a veil, out of the sedan by holding the ceremonial cord. The bride, slim and elegant, looked stunning in her magnificent wedding attire, eliciting praise from the surrounding people.
Huaiyu whispered to Jiang Xuanjin, “He’s reciting the Heart Sutra.”
“Nonsense.”
“Don’t you believe it? Listen to that humming sound; doesn’t it resemble the first section of the Heart Sutra?”
“Shut up!”
Huaiyu, feeling wronged, spoke through the veil, “I comforted you, why are you scolding me back?”
Ignoring her, Jiang Xuanjin led her toward the Jiang residence. Huaiyu couldn’t see his expression and thought he was still angry, so she continued to whisper, trying to comfort him.
However, Chengxu could see clearly from the side that his master’s mood had improved since he pulled the ceremonial cord. Although he still had a stern face, there was a hint of joy in his eyes. Yet he chose not to tell Miss Bai, allowing her to continue speaking softly and humbly.
Shameless, truly shameless!
But the real shamelessness came from behind.
The Jiang Princess glanced at the fire basin in front of the door, impatiently saying, “I don’t want to step over.”
Huaiyu chuckled, “How can you not? It’s tradition.”
“What’s the benefit of stepping over?”
Benefit? Huaiyu pondered for a moment while wearing her phoenix crown and veil, then asked softly, “What benefit do you want?”
After a moment of silence, the person beside her muttered, “Consider it a favor owed to me,” and then stepped over the fire basin.
Huaiyu was overwhelmed with gratitude. With the help of the wedding attendant, she followed suit and crossed over. She wanted to express her thanks as she caught up to him.
But when the words reached her lips, she felt something amiss and grew furious after a moment’s thought: “This is a courtesy we both must observe. Why should I give you any benefits?”
Jiang Xuanjin didn’t even look back, saying flatly, “You agreed.”
“That’s because you tricked me!”
“You agreed.”
“…”
Li Huaiyu felt that men couldn’t be indulged; with a little indulgence, they could soar to the skies, boundless as the heavens and seas.
The banquet at the Jiang residence was grandly set, extending from the front courtyard to the main hall, far surpassing the scale of Jiang Young Master’s previous birthday celebrations. As the appointed hour passed, the seats gradually filled up, but the seats reserved for the Bai family remained sparsely occupied.
At first, nobody said anything. After all, it was still early, and perhaps the family from the bride’s side was just running a bit late. However, when the newlyweds arrived at the residence and every other seat was occupied, someone noticed something amiss.
“Where are the people from the Bai family? With so many tables, how come not even one is filled?”
“What’s going on? Are they still outside accompanying the bride?”
“No, I peeked from outside, and the bride only had the maid of honor by her side.”
Discussions erupted, creating a tumult louder than the crowd outside had made.
Jiang Xuanjin glanced at the empty seats reserved for the bride’s family, his brows slightly furrowed.
Huaiyu naturally heard as well, but she had anticipated this, so she remained calm. “They’re reciting the second passage of the Guanyin Sutra; don’t mind it.”
“Don’t mind it?” Jiang Xuanjin felt somewhat annoyed, turning to ask the person beside him, Cheng Xu, in a low voice, “What’s going on?”
Cheng Xu answered quietly, “Magistrate Bai is entertaining guests at the Bai residence, and the others… have also been invited, but they said they’d come later.”
Magistrate Bai Mengshi and the others had initially declined to attend, but considering it was a major matrimonial affair, making a blatant absence would be ill-advised. Thus, they trailed behind sluggishly, intending to leisurely take their seats at the end.
This conduct didn’t entirely disgrace the Jiang residence, but it amounted to a clear disregard and disrespect toward the new bride.
Huaiyu sighed softly, murmuring, “I told you earlier, today would bring many surprises.”
It was an unavoidable situation. Few from her maternal family wished her well; usually, they had no qualms about her, but now, given the opportunity, they had to quickly show some authority, didn’t they?
Jiang Xuanjin stared at the empty seats for a moment, then waved for the busy steward to come over. Just as he was about to issue some instructions, a commotion arose outside the door.
Huaiyu, with her head covered, couldn’t see but could sense the sudden silence around her. She couldn’t help asking softly, “What’s happening?”
Lingxiu stammered, “Manager… Manager Lu has arrived.”
Ah Lu Jingxing. Huaiyu nodded slightly, a bit puzzled, “Shouldn’t he be here?”
“He should, but…”
Lingxiu swallowed nervously, unable to continue.
At the entrance of the Jiang residence, Lu Jingxing, dressed in a deep blue brocade robe and holding a Nanyang jade fan, smiled as he strode in the direction of the bride. His phoenix-like eyes exuded charm and sophistication. He halted in front, followed by ten handsome men, exuding such an imposing aura that it made the servants wary.
Subconsciously, Cheng Xu stepped forward, blocking his master.
Jiang Xuanjin glared coldly at him, “What’s the meaning of this, Manager Lu?”
Approaching, Lu Jingxing folded his fan and said, “Just here for the wedding feast. Why is everyone so tense?”
Nonsense. With such a demeanor, who wouldn’t be on edge?
Jiang Xuanjin furrowed his brows, glanced at the men behind Lu Jingxing, and spoke in a stern tone, “If you are guests, you shall be welcomed. If you are thieves, you shall be cleared.”
The people behind Lu Jingxing were all the thieves he had let go last time.
“Oh?” A glance from his phoenix eyes, and Lu Jingxing smiled. “Then may I ask, Your Highness, how should we treat family members?”
At this remark, everyone present was taken aback.
Huaiyu was a bit surprised by this turn of events, but she quickly grasped the situation. Family members? Weren’t they supposed to be her family members? Her real family members!
She had been wondering why the dowry suddenly increased, but seeing Lu Jingxing, everything became clear. This person, who had claimed not to give her any gifts, had prepared everything long ago. He had even solved her problems the moment he found out she was in trouble.
This person was truly…
She cursed inwardly for a moment, feeling somewhat moved. She was about to ask Jiang Xuanjin to let Lu Jingxing pass when there was another commotion outside the door.
“Sorry for being late, sorry for being late!” Han Xiao’s voice was always booming; you didn’t need to see him to know how bustling he must have looked. As he entered, he bowed to the people around, “My apologies! We were delayed on the way!”
Yun Lanqing followed him in, kicking him without any patience, “Why are you shouting so loudly? We could have sneaked in quietly, but now you’ve attracted everyone’s attention!”
Han Xiao stumbled a bit from the kick, then turned around, saying, “Why should family members sneak into a wedding feast?”
“You…”
As it seemed they were about to argue, another person entered.
“What’s all this noise?” he frowned and reprimanded, immediately silencing Han Xiao and Yun Lanqing.
Adjusting his attire, Xu Xian strode forward and bowed to Jiang Xuanjin, “Apologies for our tardiness, Your Highness.”
The bustling front courtyard just a moment ago fell silent instantly upon the arrival of these individuals. Even Jiang’s Patriarch, hearing the news in the main hall, was startled and hurriedly sent Jiang Shen out to see what was happening.
Lu Jingxing, the leading merchant of the capital, two prominent ministers from the court, Han Xiao and Yun Lanqing, along with the newly influential figure, Xu Xian… What were they all doing here at the same time?
Seeing Jiang Xuanjin frowning without a word, Jiang Shen hurriedly stepped forward to greet them on his behalf, “Apologies for the inconvenience. Please, be seated first?”
Xu Xian nodded, “Thank you.”
With the formalities done, they led this group straight to the bride’s family’s seats.
Everyone watched in astonishment, heads turning with their movement. When they indeed sat down at the bride’s family’s seats, the courtyard exploded in chatter.
“What’s going on? Since when did these people become Miss Bai’s family?”
“Did they sit in the wrong seats?”
“I’ve never heard of General Xu having any connection with the Bai family…”
Even Jiang Shen felt surprised and quickly asked the veiled bride beside him, “Did you invite them all?”
Huaiyu was about to respond when Jiang Xuanjin coldly interjected, “The bride does not speak.”
To maintain the solemnity of the occasion, the bride was not supposed to speak in the hall.
Jiang Shen’s mouth twitched. “Do you think I didn’t see you talking to her earlier?” He had been chatting happily with her! Why couldn’t he ask a simple question?
Ignoring him, Jiang Xuanjin took the unity knot and continued to lead the group inside, with an attitude of “I won’t reason with you.”
Jiang Shen stared at his retreating figure, then burst into laughter, grabbing Cheng Xu and asking, “Why is your master’s temper getting stranger?”
Cheng Xu lamented, “He’s being pampered.”
With Miss Bai to spoil him, this young master was getting harder and harder to serve. Everyone around had noticed, but he seemed oblivious.
Ah well.
The time had come. The newlyweds began their ceremony. Li Huaiyu, with her head covered, followed Jiang Xuanjin step by step. As they passed the bride’s family’s seats, she hesitated for a moment.
The seats, once empty, were now filled with lively chatter. Han Xiao was speaking, Yun Lanqing was speaking, Xu Xian and Lu Jingxing were laughing, and their voices completely drowned out the murmurs of others.
Though she couldn’t see with her head covered, hearing all this commotion, she suddenly felt reassured.
So what if she was just a daughter of the Bai family? So what if she had no one to rely on? As long as these people were here, she felt confident!
Straightening her back, Li Huaiyu confidently lifted her skirt and stepped into the main hall.
As they prepared to perform the ceremony, she almost instinctively wanted to kneel. But the maid of honor beside her was quick to grab her arm, smiling, “Wait a moment!”
Wait for what? She had been hungry for half a day, nibbling on an apple. Wasn’t it time to finish the ceremony and go back to eat? Huaiyu felt resentful, her stomach growling loudly.
However, suddenly, a louder sound echoed around her. Thud, thud, thud, like everyone had simultaneously dropped to their knees, instantly drowning out the sound from her stomach.
Huaiyu was stunned, a sudden realization dawning upon her.
Someone had arrived?
At the entrance of the main hall stood Li Huailin, dressed in a yellow court attire, accompanied by guards and eunuchs, smiling as he nodded to Jiang Xuanjin. Around him, everyone was kneeling on the ground, not daring to lift their heads.
Jiang Xuanjin respectfully returned the gesture, glancing at the maid of honor. She understood immediately and called out, “Bow to Heaven and Earth—”
Before she could finish, someone gently guided her forward. Huaiyu’s heart pounded as she clutched the unity knot, slowly bowing towards the entrance.
Li Huailin smiled brightly, not paying much attention to her. He first made a congratulatory gesture towards Jiang’s Patriarch inside, then had someone pass a list of gifts to Jiang Xuanjin, before quickly leaving.
As soon as he left, everyone let out a sigh of relief and began to rise.
Huaiyu still couldn’t quite process what had happened. She mechanically followed through the next steps of the ceremony, her veiled face adorned with a silly grin.
Who said fate treated her unfairly? Look at how lucky she was! All the important figures had attended her wedding. Though Li Huailin didn’t recognize her, and those at the tables outside might not all know her identity, she felt complete. She was filled with a sense of satisfaction and joy she had never experienced before!
She couldn’t remember what happened afterward; she was lost in her thoughts. It wasn’t until Jiang Xuanjin firmly grasped her hand that she snapped back to reality.
“Haha, Lord Ziyang, relying on your wife for protection now?” Jiang Shen quipped with a strange tone, “Let go, it’s useless. She needs to go to the bridal chamber, and you have to go to the banquet.”
“I don’t want to drink,” Jiang Xuanjin frowned.
“Whether you want to or not?” Jiang Chong shook his head, “It’s tradition.”
Who had the time and inclination to establish so many wedding customs? Jiang Xuanjin was irritated, gripping her hand, and pleaded urgently, “Help me!”
Huaiyu chuckled, “You don’t want to drink?”
“…It’s not that I can’t, it’s that I don’t want to.”
“You don’t want to because you can’t, right?” Huaiyu ruthlessly exposed.
Jiang Xuanjin fell silent.
In this moment of silence, Jiang Shen and Jiang Chong each took one of his arms and pushed him towards the banquet table. Huaiyu tilted her head and heard the sly laughter of Lu Jingxing from that direction:
“Your Highness, you’ve arrived. We’ve been waiting for you to toast us, your bride’s family!”
Jiang Xuanjin’s face darkened. Pressed into the bride’s family’s seats, he wanted to resist, but behind him was his elder brother skilled in martial arts, and in front was Lu Jingxing who showed no shame and no fear.
No way out, no way to resist.
Jiu Wuni handed him a cup of wine and thrust it into his hand, “This cup, I toast you for sparing my life.”
“This cup of wine is my apology.” Han Xiao also handed him a cup, “I was disrespectful to Your Highness earlier, I acted impulsively.”
Yun Lanqing placed a cup of wine in front of him, “Wishing Your Highness and the new bride an early birth of noble children, and a lifetime of happiness together!”
Jiang Xuanjin: “…”
As soon as Li Huaiyu entered the bridal chamber, she found a place to sit down and started sneakily eating from the table. Lingxiu watched and discreetly slipped silver coins into the sleeves of the maid of honor next to her, so for a while, no one bothered her.
After eating and drinking her fill, she was about to relax when Cheng Xu rushed in, looking anxious. “Quick, we need some help!”
Hearing this, the maid of honor in the room put down what she was doing and hurried outside. Curious, Huaiyu stretched her neck to look and asked, “What’s going on?”
Lingxiu followed to inquire and returned with a furrowed brow, “Mistress, His Highness is at the door.”
“What? He finished drinking so quickly?” Huaiyu was surprised. Normally, the groom would take at least half an hour to drink, especially with experts like Lu Jingxing and the others outside. How could they let him off so easily?
Curiously lifting her skirt, she walked to the door and looked up to see Jiang Xuanjin leaning against the vermilion pillar opposite.
He kept his eyes lowered, leaning there, his thin lips pursed, emanating an icy aura. The maid of honor beside him wanted to reach out and support him, hesitating for a moment but ultimately didn’t dare to extend her hand.
“Madam.” Cheng Xu changed his address, bowing respectfully to her. “Please take a look at this…”
Though somewhat incredulous, Huaiyu still asked through the veil, “Is he drunk?”
Cheng Xu nodded with a solemn expression.
Curiously blinking, Huaiyu walked over, lifted her skirt slightly, and gently touched his face with her hand.
His hand swiftly grabbed hers, clutching tightly. Jiang Xuanjin looked up at her, his eyes veiled with a layer of mist, hazy, like a rain shower in the mountains.
“Not happy again?” she chuckled. “Why are you always so unhappy today?”
“You’re not helping me,” he muttered.
“Huh?” Remembering what had happened earlier, Huaiyu innocently responded, “But I can’t help you. Should I drink for you instead?”
“You’re not helping me.” His brows furrowed, and he repeated angrily.
“Alright, alright, I’m sorry!” Huaiyu raised her empty hand and pulled him towards the room. “Let’s talk inside first.”
The maid of honor beside them watched in astonishment, as did Lingxiu and Cheng Xu. It wasn’t until the door was closed that they snapped out of it, hurriedly calling out, “Madam, you haven’t finished the bridal chamber ceremony yet!”
Huaiyu pushed her hand against the doorframe, asking cheekily, “Bridal chamber ceremony? If I provoke that gentleman inside again, who among you will come to pacify him?”
“But…” The maid of honor was quite troubled.
Huaiyu waved her hand, “Don’t worry, it’s just a toast or something similar, right? I’ll handle it myself. Just don’t cause trouble for me.”
After finishing, with a loud “thud,” the door closed again, leaving a group of people outside staring at each other in bewilderment.
Jiang Xuanjin sat on the edge of the bed, still sulking, while Huaiyu fetched the veil and phoenix crown, wrung a cloth in the nearby basin, and began to gently wipe his face.
He frowned, attempting to evade her, but Huaiyu firmly grasped his chin with her hand, and then said gently, “Don’t move, it’ll feel better after wiping.”
He glared at her, but she didn’t mind, instead smiling and asking, “How much did you drink? Two cups?”
“…,” He remained silent, his gaze chilly, his thin lips pursed with a hint of grievance.
This appearance was truly… anyone who saw it would be completely softened! Unable to resist, Huaiyu reached out and touched his face, her eyes crescent-shaped with a smile, “Don’t be angry! Next time someone tries to make you drink, I’ll stop them for you.”
Brushing off her hand ungratefully, he rubbed his forehead as if feeling uncomfortable, then turned to lie down on the bed.
“Hey hey, wait a minute!” Grabbing hold of his clothes, Huaiyu exclaimed, “We haven’t had the bridal chamber toast yet!”
Hearing about more alcohol, Jiang Xuanjin immediately shook his head, angrily burying himself under the covers.
Huaiyu couldn’t help but chuckle, grabbing the blanket, “You can’t just sleep in your outer clothes like this.”
Their wedding attire was already heavy, with plenty of golden threads embroidered on them. If they slept like this, they would be uncomfortable.
They chattered on incessantly, irritating Jiang Xuanjin, who sat up, clutching the blanket and looking at her with displeasure in his eyes.
“What will it take for you to shut up?” he asked.
With a mischievous twinkle in her eye, Huaiyu playfully touched her lips, “Guess?”
Her demeanor was like that of a mischievous rogue who had intruded into someone else’s boudoir, waiting for the other person to be embarrassed and angry enough to scold her.
However, this time Jiang Xuanjin didn’t scold her. His ink-black eyes quietly stared at her for a moment, then suddenly reached out, hooking her by the nape of her neck and pulling her towards him.
“?!” Huaiyu jumped in surprise. Before she could say anything, the man in front of her lowered his head, his thin lips sealing hers tightly.
The scent of alcohol mixed with the temple incense on his body instantly filled her nostrils.
Huaiyu froze, dumbfounded, staring at his closed eyelashes for a moment, unable to regain her senses.
Jiang Xuanjin intended to just scare her a bit. After all, she always teased him, did she think he wouldn’t dare to do anything?
However, when their lips met, he also got a bit distracted.
Her lips were cool, reminiscent of the chilled dessert he loved as a child, soft and sweet. At first, it was easy to withdraw, but once he got caught up in it, he found it hard to stop.
His heartbeat quickened, and he gently released her, taking a breath of heated air, his nose brushing against her cheek before he kissed her again.
Huaiyu blushed a little. Although she was used to teasing him normally, cuddling and kissing, it felt somewhat different now.
The man in front of her had misty eyes, his breath hot, completely deChengxu of his usual cool demeanor. He continued to kiss her lips without any intention of stopping.
Feeling a bit breathless, Huaiyu tried to push him away.
However, before her hand could reach his chest, he grabbed it. Frowning, he pulled her hand behind her back, supporting her waist with his strength, then lowered his head to continue entwining with her.
“Hey…” she struggled, “Isn’t this enough?”
“Not enough,” his reply was muffled, tinged with a hint of anger.
Even though she was the one teasing him first, even though she was always the one provoking him, why was she now trying to push him away?
Unforgivable.
With anger rising, he opened his mouth and bit her neck.
“Ah!” Huaiyu winced in pain and immediately pushed him away, clutching her neck as she glared at him. “Are you a dog?”
With a cold snort, Jiang Xuanjin took off his outer robe and threw it to the ground, then pulled the blanket over himself and lay down.
His back looked sulky.
Huaiyu grimaced as she rubbed her neck, waiting for the pain to subside before she jokingly poked him. “You’re the one who bit me, why are you still angry?”
Jiang Xuanjin ignored her.
Huaiyu thought for a moment, then scooted over to his back, gently patting him as she hummed “Spring Banquet”.:
“At the spring banquet, a cup of green wine, a song repeated. Offering three wishes: may my lord live a thousand years, may I always be healthy, may we be like the swallows on the beam…”
Year after year, we meet again.
When she first sang this song, she hadn’t thought that they would end up together. But now, listening to it, it seemed fitting. Every year ahead, they would truly be meeting each other regularly.
Huaiyu smiled and softly hummed the ending, her touch becoming even gentler.
Jiang Xuanjin wanted to keep his eyes open and stay angry, but his head was too dizzy, and with her soft singing, he couldn’t resist for long. He fell into a deep sleep.
When he woke up, it was already dark outside.
The room was bright with candlelight, and steaming dishes were placed on the table. Frowning, he looked around but didn’t see anyone.
He got up, put on his clothes, and opened the door, calling out, “Chengxu.”
Chengxu didn’t come out, but Yufeng appeared, bowing respectfully. “Master, you’re awake.”
“Where is she?” he asked.
Yufeng hesitated for a moment. “Chengxu is in the backyard.”
“…I wasn’t asking about him.”
“The lady is also in the backyard.”
At this hour, what could they be doing in the backyard? Jiang Xuanjin wondered, lifting his steps to go find them.
Li Huaiyu was squatting with Chengxu, whispering something furtively when she suddenly felt a chill behind her. Then she heard a voice above her head, “Do you even know what demeanor is?”
“Wow!” Startled, Huaiyu jumped up, turning to glare at him. “Do you even know that scaring people can kill them?”
Chengxu immediately stood up to bow. “Master.”
Giving him a glance with a not-so-good expression, Jiang Xuanjin said, “It’s time for dinner.”
“Isn’t dinner set on your table?” Huaiyu puzzled.
“Have you eaten?”
“Of course, you slept for so long, it’s already past dinner time,” Huaiyu replied.
The air around them suddenly froze.
Sensing something amiss, Li Huaiyu blinked and asked him, “Do you want me to have dinner with you?”
“No.”
“Then why do you look so pale?”
“I’m hungry.”
After uttering these two words, Jiang Xuanjin turned and walked away.
Huaiyu was speechless, watching his back before turning to Chengxu. “Don’t learn from your master. Being so ambiguous will make it hard to find a wife.”
Chengxu looked at her wedding dress in bewilderment.
Huaiyu choked slightly and sighed, “I’m different, I treat him like a wife.”
With that, she lifted her skirt and hurried after him. “Wife, wait for me!”
In the main house, Jiang Xuanjin watched the person in front of him devouring food expressionlessly and asked, “Who said dinner was already eaten?”
Huaiyu took a bite of chicken and replied seriously, “I did eat, but when I saw you, I got hungry again. Probably because of your, um, ‘charming appearance’!”
Observing her manner, Jiang Xuanjin shook his head. “Hasn’t the Bai family taught you how to eat properly?”
“Do people need to be taught how to eat?” she asked, looking puzzled.
Taking a deep breath, Jiang Xuanjin explained, “It’s not about being taught how to eat, it’s about table manners. I put down my chopsticks when I speak to you, why are you still chewing on the chicken leg?”
In the Jiang family, it was a rule that when conversing, one should put down their utensils.
Huaiyu frowned. “Aren’t we husband and wife? Shouldn’t we forget about these things when we’re together?”
“Do you think so?”
“Fine, fine,” she sighed. “Then I’ll start learning the Jiang family’s rules from tomorrow.”
Jiang Xuanjin just casually listened to her words. Making this devil of a person learn manners was as futile as teaching fish to walk.
After dinner, Lingxiu arranged their bedding, while Chengxu informed them of various trivial matters.
Many guests had attended the banquet that day, and there were many gifts, with a thick stack of gift lists that needed the master’s approval. Jiang Xuanjin wasn’t interested in these things and casually handed them to Li Huaiyu.
Huaiyu opened it and found that Lord Ziyang truly understood people’s hearts. Among the officials who attended the banquet, there were over a hundred, and just a casual glance revealed familiar names.
Yi Yang.
Her eyes flickered as she pointed at the name. Yi Yang, a Tiger Guard Centurion, was the one who had been in charge of guarding her coffin. While he had once served at Feiyun Palace, they had no major conflicts or deep bonds.
However, while others might not recognize the guests seated at her family’s table today, Yi Yang would certainly recognize them.
Today, the three major remnants under Danyang’s command, along with Danyang’s close friend, Lu Jingxing, and a group of former faces from Feiyun Palace, might appear imposing to the uninformed. But once recognized by someone sharp-eyed…
She glanced at the person sitting opposite her.
Jiang Xuanjin sat on the soft couch, reading a book. Sensing her gaze, he turned his head in confusion. “What?”
Huaiyu grinned at him. “Nothing just wanted to look at you.”
Glaring at her, Jiang Xuanjin lowered his head and continued reading, ignoring her.
Lingxiu emerged from the inner chamber, her face flushed as she bowed to them. “The bedding is ready. Both masters, please rest early.”
With that, she lit the dragon and phoenix candles on the table.
Seeing the candles, Li Huaiyu chuckled and clapped her hands. “A moment of spring night is worth a thousand gold! Stop reading and join me!”
Jiang Xuanjin paused, giving her a guarded look.
“What’s with that look?” Huaiyu raised an eyebrow, then leaned forward, pointing at her neck as if accusing him. “Today’s wild animal isn’t me, is it?”
Seeing the bite mark, Jiang Xuanjin felt a bit guilty and said, “I was drunk at noon.”
“So, being drunk means you can ChengXu responsibility?” Huaiyu clutched her collar, her eyes suddenly filled with sorrow. “You beast!”
Jiang Xuanjin sighed, setting the book aside and massaging his temples. “I’ve said it before, our marriage was forced upon us, so we can live our lives separately.”
Huaiyu stood up straight, frowning at him. “After all this time, you still think our marriage was forced upon us and that we should live our lives separately?”
Didn’t he have any sincerity when he gave her the marriage clothes, stood up for her, or kissed her? Her tone sounded wounded, and Jiang Xuanjin stiffened slightly, looking up at her.
She stood before him, eyebrows furrowed, hands on hips, looking very angry. Her bright almond-shaped eyes flickered with a light that seemed to come and go, waiting for his answer to decide whether to let it completely extinguish or shine brightly.
He hesitated, opening his mouth but not knowing what to say.
Impatient, Li Huaiyu lowered her eyes and nodded slowly. “I see.”
See what? Jiang Xuanjin frowned.
Without looking at him again, Huaiyu turned and went to the wardrobe, took out a quilt, and threw it onto the couch. Then she pulled him up and pushed him into the inner chamber.
“If you want to live separately, then we’ll live separately. You sleep inside, I’ll sleep outside, and tomorrow morning I’ll go tidy up my room.”
She said it expressionlessly, then pulled the pearl curtain divider with a loud swoosh, turned away from him, and went straight to arranging the bedding on the couch.
Jiang Xuanjin stood in place, watching her, feeling a bit lost.
This person usually smiled at him, no matter how much he acted out, she would coax and accommodate him. But once she got angry, she completely ignored him, not even sparing him a glance.
It was as if she could abandon him at any moment.
After a moment of hesitation, Jiang Xuanjin reached out and pulled back the pearl curtain.
Li Huaiyu moved quickly, already arranging the bed outside and lying down. She didn’t even move when she heard the sound.
He walked over to her, slowly crouching down by the edge of the couch. Muffled, he said, “You still owe me a favor.”
Her brow twitched, and Huaiyu gritted her teeth, eyes wide open. “You’ve got the nerve to bring that up?”
“Why shouldn’t I bring up a favor I earned by my ability?” he said. “Are you trying to ChengXu your debt?”
“I’m no gentleman, why can’t I ChengXu my debts?” Huaiyu snorted. “I’ll ChengXu it if I want to, what can you do about it?”
This rogue-like behavior, who knows where she learned it from?
Shaking his head, he rolled up the quilt on the couch and wrapped her in it, then lifted her.
“What are you doing!” she struggled angrily.
“If you can ChengXu your debts, then so can I,” he said as he walked step by step into the inner chamber. “Forget what I just said.”
Li Huaiyu chuckled in exasperation, “I’ll go tell everyone tomorrow that Lord Ziyang goes back on his word and eats his own words!”
“Go ahead,” he said, placing her on the bed. “But if anyone believes you, I’ll change the plaque outside from ‘Jiang Mansion’ to ‘Bai Mansion.'”
“You shameless!” she exclaimed.
“Thank you for the lesson, madam.”
The words came out quickly and smoothly, almost instinctively. As soon as he realized what he had said, Jiang Xuanjin immediately blew out all the lights in the room.
Huaiyu stopped being angry and reached out to hug his arm. “Say it one more time?”
In the darkness, Lord Ziyang’s face couldn’t be seen clearly, but his voice was cold, “Forget it.”
“You’re something else,” Huaiyu shook her head and sighed. “It’s a wonder it’s me who can tolerate you. Do you know your passive-aggressive attitude could drive someone crazy? Just say what’s on your mind, I won’t laugh at you. Why do you have to be so stubborn?”
“If you buy something for me, you have to say it’s to make me happy, so I can be happy. If you want to be with me, you have to say you want to, otherwise I’ll be upset. If you’re angry about something, you have to tell me why, so we can live happily together.”
Jiang Xuanjin listened in silence, then suddenly spoke up, “So, what were you and Chengxu doing in the backyard earlier?”
Caught off guard by the question, Huaiyu blinked and then suddenly realized, “So, you’re acting strange tonight because of that?”
“No,” he said. “Just curious.”
Huaiyu chuckled, grabbing the quilt. “There’s a nice patch of soil in the backyard, and I wanted to plant a tree, so I asked Chengxu if it was okay.”
Planting a tree? Jiang Xuanjin was puzzled. “What kind of tree are you planting for no reason?”
“Haven’t you heard of marking territory in the martial world?” Huaiyu explained. “When you go to a place and want to make it your own, you leave a mark to let others know. I’m here in your place, so naturally, I want to leave a mark too.”
Nonsense!
He shook his head, disapprovingly, but didn’t say much more. If she liked planting trees, then let her. After all, there was plenty of space in the backyard.
With the conversation over, the air grew quiet. Not one to take rules and teachings seriously, Huaiyu yawned and closed her eyes, hugging the arm of the person beside her.
Jiang Xuanjin didn’t close his eyes. He gently turned his head to look at the silhouette of the person next to him, listening to her breathing. Once she was sound asleep, he leaned in and gave her a light kiss on the lips.
Long ago, someone said, “Whoever believes in sweet words is a fool.”
Now, many years later, he felt like a fool himself, as he truly believed in her words.
With her treating him so well, Jiang Xuanjin thought, why not believe? She wouldn’t deceive him.
The next morning, the new bride was to serve tea in the main hall.
Early in the morning, Huaiyu was lifted, and after grooming and dressing, she followed Jiang Xuanjin with half-opened eyes.
To have a sip of tea from his daughter-in-law, Jiang’s Patriarch had been sitting in the main hall for a while. When they entered, a smile lit up his face, but then he felt it wasn’t dignified enough, so he quickly coughed a couple of times, suppressing his smile, and stood straight with his dragon-headed cane, raising his chin.
All the respectable members of the Jiang family were either standing or sitting in the main hall, and there were quite a few people. Huaiyu couldn’t recognize everyone at first glance, so she knelt and kowtowed to Jiang’s Patriarch first.
“Daughter-in-law pays respects to Father.”
“Pays respects to Father.”
The two cups of tea were respectfully presented, and Jiang’s Patriarch couldn’t contain his excitement, his mouth almost stretching to his ears. “Very good, very good, you’re all good children!”
Taking the tea, he sighed, “This makes me even happier than when Xuanjin was bestowed the title of Lord Ziyang!”
Only the Jiang family’s Old Lady could say such things. Glancing at Jiang Xuanjin, who seemed somewhat speechless, Huaiyu couldn’t help but laugh.
After paying respects to Jiang’s Patriarch, the brothers, sisters-in-law, uncles, and aunts also had to serve tea one by one. Huaiyu followed Jiang Xuanjin confusedly, shouting names, delivering tea, and receiving red packets. Her etiquette might not have been perfect, but everyone in the room smiled warmly at her, their gazes filled with tolerance and affection.
This warmth wasn’t necessarily because she was exceptional; it was mainly because she married the third young master of the Jiang family, Jiang Xuanjin. Seeing how gently they treated her, one could imagine how indulged the Eldest Princess of the Jiang family usually was.
The atmosphere in the Jiang Mansion was pleasant. Despite the crowd, there was none of the scheming and intrigue seen in the Bai Mansion. The main hall was bright and airy, and the people inside were all honest and straightforward. Standing among them, Huaiyu suddenly felt a twinge of envy.
“Are all the guests here today?” Jiang’s Patriarch asked, leaning on his cane.
Jiang Chong hurriedly stepped forward. “Everyone from each household is here, just one person is missing… but they’ll arrive soon.”
“Why is someone not here yet?” Jiang’s Patriarch frowned.
As Jiang Chong was about to explain, the cheerful voice of a servant outside interrupted, “They’re back! They’re back!”
Who could it be? Huaiyu wondered, looking out from the main gate and seeing a figure striding in. He tossed his luggage to a servant and announced loudly, “I haven’t had the chance to congratulate my little uncle on his wedding, so I hurried back to ask for forgiveness!”
With a crimson crown on his head, black cloud-patterned boots, and a scarlet cloud-patterned belt cinching his snowy white silk robe, he had a striking figure. His voice rang like a bell, his lips were rosy, and his teeth were white. Such extraordinary grace and bearing, who else could it be but the fourth young master of the Jiang family, Jiang Yan?
He walked briskly, arriving at the main hall in no time. Lifting his robe, he bowed deeply to Jiang’s Patriarch first, “Grandson has been unfilial, please forgive me, grandfather!”
Old Master Jiang frowned when he saw Jiang Yan coming in. “So you also acknowledge your filial impropriety?”
“Grandfather, please calm down. I have something to say.” Jiang Yan raised his head, his gaze intense. “During this period when I was patrolling the city on behalf of my little uncle, I made some achievements. I didn’t slack off for this month and even made progress.”
“Do you think I won’t be angry about your fleeing from marriage just because you’ve achieved something?” Old Master Jiang slammed the table. “Do you know how much trouble you’ve caused the family?”
Of course, he knew there would be trouble, that’s why he ran! Jiang Yan pursed his lips, casting a guilty glance at his younger uncle, desperately trying to signal him for help: Say something for your nephew!
So Jiang Xuanjin spoke up, “Father, calm down. This time, Yan has made achievements and brought honor to our family. Let’s forgive him for this time.”
Old Master Jiang glared at him. “You always take his side!”
Jiang Xuanjin smiled. “He’s our only nephew, how can I not take his side a little? He traveled day and night just to come back and congratulate me on my new marriage. Father, forgive him this once.”
“That’s right!” Jiang Yan agreed, then sighed, “But it’s a pity that I still arrived late, one day behind.”
“It’s not too late,” Jiang Xuanjin said. “Let’s first introduce you to your new aunt.”
Upon hearing this, Jiang Yan’s eyes lit up. He stood up as if granted amnesty, picked up a cup of tea, and went to the person standing beside his younger uncle.
“I’m Jiang Yan, presenting tea to my new aunt!”