The smoke from the firecrackers filled the entire entrance of Bai Mansion. The crowd covered their ears and watched as a foot stepped out from the white mist, followed by an unremarkable face.
A servant from Bai Mansion? Bai Liangshi was puzzled; why would a servant come out the front door at this time?
However, in the next moment, she noticed the burden the servant was carrying on his shoulder.
“Hey! There’s more!” Someone in the crowd, sharp-eyed, spotted the items behind and laughed, slapping his thigh. “I said it was impossible to only have fourteen loads of dowry!”
Two servants, one in front and one behind, were carrying the dowry covered in red silk as they walked out. Following them was a long line of servants, all carrying dowry in pairs, stepping forward to catch up with the wedding procession.
“Fifteen! Sixteen! Seventeen!…” The counting of the dowry resumed.
Bai Liangshi was stunned, meeting Bai Xuanji’s gaze, and quickly shook her head, whispering, “I hid it well; they shouldn’t be able to find it!”
“What do you mean they can’t find it? It’s right in front of them!” Bai Liu scolded.
Bai Xuanji furrowed her brows, watching the loads of dowry being carried out, her heart aching.
These were all her things…
However, as the pain grew, she sensed something was off.
“Twenty-five, twenty-six, twenty-seven… Why are there still more coming?”
Bai Mengshi had only prepared twenty-six loads of dowry for her, yet now it seemed like there was no end to the number being carried out.
“What’s going on?”
Not only was she confused, but Lingxiu, who was walking ahead, turned back and was also dumbfounded, calling out in a low voice, “Miss! Miss!”
From inside the sedan, Li Huaiyu, munching on an apple, replied indistinctly, “What’s wrong?”
“There’s suddenly a lot more dowry coming from behind! Thirty-five… thirty-six! Thirty-six loads! It’s the same as Jiang Mansion’s betrothal gifts!”
Caught off guard, Li Huaiyu nearly choked on her apple, coughing a couple of times before asking in surprise, “Are you sure you didn’t miscount?”
“It’s not just me counting; everyone is counting! Thirty-six loads, not a single one less!” Lingxiu exclaimed excitedly.
Li Huaiyu felt a bit dazed, thinking that perhaps Bai Dezong had a sudden burst of paternal affection and decided to supplement her dowry. But that couldn’t be right; he was busy receiving guests today, so how could he have the time to manage these matters?
The bright red dowry trailed behind the wedding procession, stretching halfway down the street. The onlookers were amazed, exclaiming that Bai Si Xiaojie was truly fortunate; not only did her in-laws value her, but her family also cherished her. With so much dowry being brought over, who would dare to slight her in the future?
Jiang Xuanjin rode at the front of the procession. He didn’t hear what the crowd was discussing; he only felt it was too noisy.
If it weren’t for the circumstances, he wouldn’t be riding through the streets. All he could see were people, which made him extremely irritated. What was even more annoying was that these people were pointing and whispering about him. Although they were likely praising him, he felt no joy.
Who decided that the groom must go to fetch the bride?
In a foul mood, Jiang Xuanjin wore no smile; his face grew increasingly dark, leading the common folk to speculate: Could it be that the prince was being forced into marriage?
Cheng Xu wanted to remind his master that this was a wedding, not a funeral! He had chosen to marry her himself; even if he didn’t want to smile, he should at least appear happy!
However, as soon as he got close to Jiang Xuanjin, he felt the cold aura radiating from him and shivered, swallowing back the words he had prepared.
Years of serving experience told him that it was best not to provoke his master when he was angry…
Thus, Jiang Xuanjin sulked from Bai Mansion to Jiang Mansion, his entire demeanor so irritable that even the wedding lady didn’t dare to offer him the ceremonial knot.
“What’s wrong?” Feeling the sedan had stopped but hearing no movement outside, Huaiyu couldn’t help but ask softly.
Lingxiu replied anxiously, “I’m not sure… The prince was fine, but suddenly he’s unhappy, and now he’s standing at the entrance of Jiang Mansion, and no one dares to approach him.”
Still angry? Li Huaiyu was taken aback, and then couldn’t help but laugh. “He is like a little princess!”
With such a bad temper, he was even worse than her!
Lingxiu stumbled back in fright at her words, holding onto the sedan and whispering, “Be careful; if the prince hears you, it won’t be good!”
“What’s there to be afraid of?” Huaiyu said, “He doesn’t bite.”
Just as she finished speaking, Jiang Xuanjin approached the sedan with a stern face.
Lingxiu was so frightened by his cold aura that she retreated repeatedly, her voice trembling as she murmured, “That’s not certain…”
Huaiyu was about to ask what she meant by “not certain” when suddenly the curtain of the sedan was flung open.
“Take this.” Someone gruffly shoved the ceremonial knot into her hand.
Huaiyu instinctively caught it, feeling his agitation. With a mischievous thought, she suddenly pulled him halfway into the sedan.
“You…” Jiang Xuanjin was taken aback, reaching for the door of the sedan, his brows furrowing tightly.
With a playful smile, she lifted the edge of her veil and looked at him. “What are you angry about?”
The curtain swayed, unable to hide her sparkling eyes. Looking at him with a smile was like flowers blooming in spring or clouds hiding the bright moon, instantly drowning out the noise outside.
His irritation faded slightly as Jiang Xuanjin stared at her for a moment, finally muttering, “There are too many people.”
Too many people, all staring at him, making a racket; it was very uncomfortable.
His tone sounded like a little princess pouting.
Hearing this, Li Huaiyu felt her heart soften. She took his hand and coaxed, “Can you bear with it? Once the ceremony is over, I’ll peel an orange for you!”
“No.”
“Come on, be good.” She reached out to straighten his robe, speaking softly, “The people outside have hardly seen a celestial being descend to earth in their lifetime. You should show them some mercy and let them have a look. If it’s too noisy, just pretend they’re chanting Buddhist scriptures!”
Upon hearing this, Jiang Xuanjin furrowed his brows in deep thought.
The wedding lady waiting outside saw that the bride hadn’t come out for a long time and nervously stepped forward to call out, “The auspicious time has arrived.”
After calling, she quickly retreated three steps, fearing that Ziyang Jun would turn around and scold her.
However, when the person inside the sedan finally emerged, his expression had calmed down, as if a gentle breeze had blown away the dark clouds, dissipating all his hostility.
The crowd was stunned, and then they saw him pull the ceremonial knot, leading the veiled bride out of the sedan. The bride was slender, dressed in a beautiful wedding gown adorned with blooming lotus flowers, drawing exclamations of admiration from the onlookers.
Li Huaiyu looked down at Jiang Xuanjin and said, “It’s like they’re reciting the ‘Guan Yin Sutra.’”
“Nonsense.”
“Don’t you believe me? Listen to that buzzing sound; doesn’t it sound like the first verse of the ‘Guan Yin Sutra’?”
“Shut up!”
Feeling wronged, Huaiyu said through the veil, “I’m trying to comfort you; why are you scolding me?”
Ignoring her, Jiang Xuanjin took her hand and led her into Jiang Mansion. Huaiyu couldn’t see his expression and thought he was still angry, so she continued to murmur to him along the way.
However, Cheng Xu, watching from the side, could see clearly that his master’s mood had eased since he took the ceremonial knot. Although he still wore a stern face, there was a hint of joy in his eyes. Yet, he refused to acknowledge Bai Si Xiaojie, allowing her to continue her soft-spoken coaxing.
Shameless, utterly shameless!
However, even more shamelessness was yet to come.
Jiang Xuanjin glanced at the fire basin at the entrance, clearly impatient. “I don’t want to step over it.”
Huaiyu laughed helplessly. “You can’t avoid it; it’s a custom.”
“Stepping over it doesn’t bring any benefits.”
Benefits? Huaiyu thought for a moment, then quietly asked, “What benefits do you want?”
After a moment of silence, Jiang Xuanjin muttered, “Consider it a debt you owe me.” Then he stepped over the fire basin.
Li Huaiyu was immensely grateful, and with the help of the wedding lady, she followed him over, wanting to thank him.
However, just as the words were about to leave her mouth, she felt something was off and, after a moment of reflection, became furious. “This is a ceremony we both have to perform; why should I owe you anything?”
Jiang Xuanjin didn’t look back as he said, “You agreed.”
“That was you tricking me!”
“You agreed.”
“…”
Li Huaiyu felt that men shouldn’t be spoiled; once spoiled, they would soar to great heights, with no limits.
The banquet at Jiang Mansion was extremely grand, stretching from the front courtyard to the main hall, far more extravagant than the previous birthday banquet for Jiang Shao Ye. After the hour of the snake passed, the seats gradually filled up, but the Bai family’s maternal family table remained sparsely populated.
At first, no one said anything. After all, it was still early, and the maternal family might be delayed in arriving. However, when the newlyweds had already arrived and the seats were expected to be filled, someone noticed something was off.
“Where are the Bai family members? With so many tables, how come not a single one is filled?”
“What’s going on? Are they still outside with the bride?”
“No, I just looked outside; there’s only the wedding lady beside the bride.”
The murmurs grew louder, creating a cacophony that was even noisier than the earlier crowd of onlookers.
Jiang Xuanjin glanced at the maternal family table on his right, his brows furrowing slightly.
Li Huaiyu naturally heard the commotion, but she had anticipated this, so she remained calm. “They’re reciting the second verse of the ‘Guan Yin Sutra’; don’t pay it any mind.”
Don’t pay it any mind? Jiang Xuanjin felt annoyed and turned to Cheng Xu beside him. “What’s going on?”
Cheng Xu replied quietly, “Bai Yushi is hosting guests at Bai Mansion, and the others… they were invited too, but they said they would arrive later.”
Bai Mengshi and the others had said they wouldn’t come, but since it was a grand wedding, it wouldn’t be good to make it too embarrassing, so they were dragging their feet, planning to enter and take their seats at the last moment.
This didn’t mean they were disrespecting Jiang Mansion, but it was a clear sign of neglect towards the bride.
Li Huaiyu sighed, muttering softly, “I told you earlier that there would be many unexpected events today.”
It was unavoidable; her maternal family didn’t have many who wished her well. They usually couldn’t do anything about her, but now that they had a chance, they would surely take the opportunity to show her some color!
Jiang Xuanjin stared at the empty seats for a moment, then waved his hand to summon the busy steward. Just as he was about to give an order, a commotion erupted outside.
Huaiyu, unable to see through the veil, felt the surrounding crowd suddenly quiet down and couldn’t help but ask softly, “What’s going on?”
Lingxiu stammered, “Lu… Manager Lu has arrived.”
Oh, Lu Jingxing. Huaiyu nodded slightly, feeling a bit confused. “Isn’t he supposed to come?”
“He is, but…”
Swallowing hard, Lingxiu didn’t dare to continue.
At the entrance of Jiang Mansion, Lu Jingxing, dressed in a deep blue brocade robe and holding a Nanyang jade fan, stepped in with a smile, looking toward the bride. His phoenix eyes sparkled with charm, exuding an extraordinary demeanor. He stood at the front, and behind him, ten dashing young men lined up, their imposing presence causing the servants to grow wary.
Cheng Xu instinctively stepped in front of his master.
Jiang Xuanjin glared coldly at him. “What does Manager Lu mean by this?”
Walking over, Lu Jingxing closed his fan and said, “I’m here to enjoy the wedding banquet. Why is everyone so tense?”
Of course, it was because he looked like he was about to steal the bride!
Jiang Xuanjin frowned, glancing at the people behind Lu Jingxing, and spoke in a deep voice, “If they are guests, they should be welcomed. If they are thieves, they should be driven away.”
Those people behind him were all thieves he had let go last time.
“Oh?” Lu Jingxing raised an eyebrow and smiled. “Then may I ask, Your Majesty, what should be done if they are maternal family members?”
As soon as he said this, everyone present was taken aback.
Li Huaiyu was a bit surprised but quickly realized. Maternal family members? They were her maternal family members! Real maternal family members!
She had been puzzled about how the dowry had suddenly increased, but now seeing Lu Jingxing, she understood. This person, who had claimed not to give her a congratulatory gift, had prepared it long ago. The moment he discovered she was in trouble, he immediately resolved her issue.
This person was truly…
Cursing inwardly, she felt a bit touched. Just as she was about to let Jiang Xuanjin pass, another commotion erupted outside.
“Sorry for being late! Sorry for being late!” Han Xiao’s voice was always loud, and without needing to look, one could tell he was rushing in. He bowed to everyone around, saying, “I truly apologize! I was delayed on the road for a moment!”
Yun Lanqing followed behind him, kicking him in annoyance. “Why are you shouting? You could have slipped in quietly, but now everyone is drawn to you!”
Stumbling from the kick, Han Xiao turned back and said, “The maternal family is here to enjoy the wedding banquet; who says we should sneak in?”
“You…”
Just as it seemed they were about to argue, another person entered.
“What’s all this noise?” He frowned and scolded, and both Han Xiao and Yun Lanqing immediately quieted down.
Straightening his robe, Xu Xian stepped forward and bowed to Jiang Xuanjin. “We apologize for being late; please forgive us, Your Majesty.”
The previously noisy front hall fell silent in an instant due to the arrival of these few people. Even Jiang Laotaiye, who heard the news in the main hall, was startled and quickly sent Jiang Shen out to see what was happening.
The capital’s top merchant, Lu Jingxing, two ministers from two dynasties, the newly risen noble Yun Lanqing, and the General of the Cavalry, Xu Xian… What were they all doing here at the same time?
Jiang Shen rushed out and saw Jiang Xuanjin frowning and silent, quickly stepping forward to greet them. “You’ve all worked hard on the way; please take your seats first?”
Xu Xian nodded. “Thank you.”
After the formalities, he led the group straight to the maternal family table.
Everyone watched in astonishment, their heads turning to follow them. They were genuinely sitting at the maternal family table, and the courtyard erupted in a loud commotion.
“What’s going on? When did these people become Bai Si Xiaojie’s maternal family?”
“Did they sit in the wrong place?”
“I haven’t heard that General Xu has any connections with Bai Mansion…”
Jiang Shen was also surprised and quickly asked the bride, who was still veiled, “Did you invite them all?”
Just as Huaiyu was about to answer, Jiang Xuanjin coldly interjected, “The bride does not speak.”
To maintain a dignified image, the bride was not allowed to speak during the ceremony.
Jiang Shen’s mouth twitched. “Did you think I didn’t see you talking to her just now?” He had been chatting happily with her! Why couldn’t he ask a single question?
Jiang Xuanjin didn’t respond, pulling the ceremonial knot and leading her further inside, adopting an attitude of “I won’t argue with you.”
Jiang Shen glared at his back, laughing in anger as he grabbed Cheng Xu and asked, “Why is your master’s temper getting stranger and stranger?”
Cheng Xu sighed, “He’s been spoiled.”
With Bai Si Xiaojie coaxing him, it seemed that this master was becoming increasingly difficult to serve, and everyone around had noticed this, yet he remained oblivious.
Sigh.
The time had come. The newlyweds began the ceremony. Li Huaiyu, with her veil on, followed Jiang Xuanjin step by step, pausing slightly as they passed the maternal family table.
The seats that had been empty earlier were now bustling with noise. Han Xiao was talking, Yun Lanqing was chatting, and Xu Xian and Lu Jingxing were laughing, while the voices of the others were completely drowned out.
Standing among them, she suddenly felt a bit envious.
So what if she was a concubine from Bai Mansion? So what if she was alone and helpless? As long as this group was here, she had her confidence!
Straightening her back, Li Huaiyu confidently lifted her skirt and stepped into the main hall.
It was time to perform the wedding ceremony. She instinctively wanted to kneel, but the wedding lady was quick to support her arm, smiling as she said, “Wait a moment!”
What was there to wait for? She had been hungry for half the day, having only nibbled on an apple. Why not hurry up and finish the ceremony so she could go eat? Huaiyu felt resentful, and her stomach growled loudly.
However, suddenly, a louder sound erupted around her, thumping and banging, as if everyone had knelt at once, instantly drowning out the sound from her stomach.
Huaiyu was taken aback, her heart suddenly racing.
Was someone coming?
At the entrance of the main hall, Li Hualin, dressed in a yellow formal robe, entered with guards and eunuchs, smiling as he nodded toward Jiang Xuanjin. Around him, everyone knelt on the ground, not daring to look up.
Jiang Xuanjin respectfully returned the greeting, glancing at the wedding lady. She understood and immediately called out, “First, bow to heaven and earth—”
As she was being assisted forward, Huaiyu felt a tightness in her chest, gripping the ceremonial knot as she slowly knelt toward the entrance.
Li Hualin smiled brightly, not paying much attention to her. He first gestured congratulations to Jiang Laotaiye inside, then had someone hand a gift list to Jiang Xuanjin before hurriedly taking his leave.
Once he left, everyone breathed a sigh of relief and stood up.
Li Huaiyu was still in a daze. She was led through the remaining ceremonies, her face behind the veil filled with a silly smile.
Who said the heavens were unfair to her? Look at how lucky she was; she was getting married, and everyone who should have come. Although Li Hualin didn’t recognize her and the people at the table might not all know her identity, she felt fulfilled, with a sense of satisfaction and joy she had never experienced before!
What else happened, Huaiyu didn’t remember at all, lost in her thoughts. It wasn’t until Jiang Xuanjin tightly grasped her hand that she was startled back to reality.
“Hahaha, the illustrious Ziyang Jun still needs his wife to protect him?” Jiang Shen teased, “Don’t pull; it’s useless. She’s going to the bridal chamber, and you’re going to the banquet.”
“I don’t want to drink.” Jiang Xuanjin frowned tightly.
“Do you think you can avoid it?” Jiang Chong shook his head. “This is the custom.”
Who decided that there should be so many customs for weddings? Jiang Xuanjin was furious, gripping her hand and anxiously saying, “Help me!”
Li Huaiyu laughed. “You can’t drink?”
“……It’s not that I can’t; it’s that I don’t want to.”
“Isn’t that because you can’t?” Huaiyu mercilessly pointed out.
Jiang Xuanjin fell silent.
In that moment of silence, Jiang Shen and Jiang Chong each grabbed an arm and pushed him toward the banquet table. Huaiyu tilted her head and heard Lu Jingxing’s teasing voice from that side:
“Your Majesty, you’ve finally arrived! Our maternal family has been waiting for you to toast!”
Jiang Xuanjin’s expression darkened as he was pressed to the maternal family table, wanting to resist, but behind him was his martial brother, and in front of him was the utterly shameless Lu Jingxing.
With nowhere to escape, he was trapped.
Lu Jingxing took a cup and shoved it into his hand. “This cup is for you; thank you for not killing me.”
“This cup is my apology to you.” Han Xiao also shoved a cup into his hand. “I was not respectful enough to Your Majesty earlier; I was impulsive.”
Yun Lanqing placed a cup in front of him. “I wish Your Majesty and the new lady a long and happy life together!”
Jiang Xuanjin: “…”
Li Huaiyu entered the bridal chamber and immediately found a place to sit, munching on the food on the table. Lingxiu watched and hurriedly stuffed silver into the sleeves of the wedding lady, so for a moment, no one stopped her.
After eating her fill, she wiped her mouth and was about to breathe a sigh of relief when Cheng Xu rushed in, looking anxious. “Quick, get some people to help!”
The wedding ladies in the room immediately put down what they were doing and headed outside. Huaiyu curiously stretched her neck to see, asking, “What happened?”
Lingxiu followed outside to inquire and returned with a frown. “Mistress, the prince is at the entrance.”
“Eh? He finished drinking so quickly?” Huaiyu was surprised. Normally, the groom would drink for at least half an hour, especially with Lu Jingxing and his group of drinking experts outside. How could they let him off so easily?
Curious, she lifted her skirt and went to the door, only to see Jiang Xuanjin leaning against the red-painted pillar.
He hung his head, his thin lips pressed together, exuding a cold aura. The wedding lady beside him hesitated to help him, not daring to reach out.
“Madam.” Cheng Xu changed his address, respectfully bowing to her. “What do you think about this…”
Although it was hard to believe, Huaiyu still asked through the veil, “Is he drunk?”
Cheng Xu nodded gravely.
Blinking in surprise, Huaiyu walked over, gently touching his face.
Suddenly, his hand grabbed hers tightly, holding it firmly. Jiang Xuanjin looked at her, his eyes misty, hazy like rain falling in the mountains.
“Are you unhappy again?” She chuckled, “Why are you always unhappy today?”
“You didn’t help me.” He spoke in a muffled voice.
“Hmm?” Remembering what had happened earlier, Huaiyu innocently replied, “I can’t help you; I can’t drink for you, can I?”
“You didn’t help me.” His brows furrowed, and he repeated angrily.
“Alright, alright, I was wrong!” Huaiyu raised her empty hand above her head, pulling him toward the room. “Let’s go inside and talk.”
The wedding lady watched in shock, and Lingxiu and Cheng Xu were also stunned. It wasn’t until the door was closed that they snapped back to reality, rushing to shout, “Madam, the bridal chamber ceremony hasn’t been completed yet!”
The door opened a crack, and Li Huaiyu leaned against the threshold, playfully asking, “The bridal chamber ceremony? If I provoke that lord inside again, who will coax him?”
“But…” The wedding lady looked troubled.
Huaiyu waved her hand. “Don’t worry; it’s just the ceremonial wine and such. I can handle it myself; just don’t make things worse for me.”
After saying that, she slammed the door shut with a bang, leaving a group of people outside staring at each other in disbelief.
Jiang Xuanjin sat on the edge of the bed, still sulking, while Li Huaiyu took off her veil and phoenix crown, wringing a cloth from the basin to wipe his face.
He frowned, trying to dodge, but Huaiyu firmly held his chin in place and gently said, “Don’t move; this will feel better.”
He glared at her, but she didn’t mind, instead smiling as she asked, “How much did you drink? Two cups?”
“…” He remained silent, his gaze cold, his thin lips pressed into a slight pout of grievance.
This expression was truly… Anyone who saw it would feel their heart melt! Huaiyu couldn’t help but touch his face, her eyes crescent-shaped with laughter. “Don’t be angry! Next time, if anyone makes you drink, I’ll stop them.”
He waved her hand away, rubbing his forehead as if feeling unwell, then turned to lie down on the bed.
“Hey, wait!” She grabbed his clothing, saying, “We haven’t drunk the ceremonial wine yet!”
More wine? Jiang Xuanjin shook his head immediately, burying himself under the blanket in anger.
Li Huaiyu burst out laughing, tugging at the blanket. “You can’t just sleep in your outer robe!”
The wedding attire was already heavy. With the gold thread embroidered on their clothes, if he slept like this, he would surely be uncomfortable.
Chattering endlessly, Jiang Xuanjin grew annoyed, sitting up and hugging the blanket while looking at her with a displeased expression.
“How can I make you shut up?” he asked.
With a mischievous glint in her eyes, Huaiyu reached up to touch her lips. “Guess?”
Her teasing demeanor was like a rogue who had barged into someone’s boudoir, waiting for the other party to get angry and scold her.
However, this time, Jiang Xuanjin didn’t scold her. He quietly stared at her for a moment, then suddenly reached out, pulling her by the back of her neck, bringing her close to him.
“?!” Huaiyu was startled, and before she could say anything, he lowered his head, his thin lips sealing hers tightly.
The fragrance of wine mixed with the scent of his incense filled her nostrils.
Li Huaiyu froze, staring blankly at his eyelashes, unable to regain her senses for a long time.
Jiang Xuanjin intended to scare her a little. After all, this person always teased him; did she think he wouldn’t dare to do anything?
However, when the kiss truly happened, he found himself a bit distracted.
Her lips were cool, reminiscent of the chilled cakes he loved to eat as a child—soft and sweet. It was fine to touch and pull away, but when he truly lingered, he found it hard to stop.
His heart raced faster, and he slightly released her, breathing out a hot sigh, his nose brushing against her cheek before kissing her again.
Li Huaiyu felt her face heat up. Although she was used to teasing him and didn’t think much of kissing and hugging, the situation felt a bit different now.
The person in front of her had misty eyes and a heated breath, completely devoid of his usual calm demeanor. He was passionately entangled with her lips, refusing to stop.
Feeling a bit breathless, Huaiyu reached out to push him away.
However, before her hand could reach his chest, it was caught. He frowned, twisting her hand behind her back, using the leverage to support her waist, then lowered his head to continue their entanglement.
“Hey…” she struggled, “Isn’t this enough?”
“Not enough.” His response was muffled, tinged with anger.
She was the one who had teased him first, and she was the one who had initiated every advance. Why was she now trying to push him away?
Unforgivable.
With anger rising, he opened his mouth and bit down on her neck.
“Ah!” Huaiyu cried out in pain, immediately pulling away and covering her neck, glaring at him. “Are you a dog?”
With a cold snort, Jiang Xuanjin threw off his outer robe and tossed it to the ground, pulling the blanket over himself and lying down.
His back looked furious.
Li Huaiyu gritted her teeth, rubbing her neck. Once the pain subsided, she playfully poked him. “You bit me; why are you still angry?”
Jiang Xuanjin ignored her.
After thinking for a moment, Huaiyu snuggled up behind him, gently patting him while humming “Spring Banquet”:
“Spring banquet, a cup of green wine, a song sung again. I bow to present three wishes: First, may my lord live a thousand years; second, may I remain healthy; third, may we be like the swallows on the beam…”
May we meet year after year.
When she first sang this, she hadn’t imagined they would marry. Now, hearing it felt fitting; every year to come, they would indeed be together.
Huaiyu smiled, softly humming the ending tune, her hand growing lighter.
Jiang Xuanjin wanted to keep his eyes open and remain angry, but his head was spinning, and with her soft singing, he couldn’t resist for long before falling into a deep sleep.
When he woke up, the sky outside was already dark.
The room was brightly lit with candles, and steaming dishes were laid out on the table. He frowned, scanning the room but not seeing anyone.
Getting up, he donned his clothes and opened the door, calling out, “Cheng Xu.”
Cheng Xu didn’t come out, but Yufeng respectfully bowed to him. “Master, you’re awake.”
“Where is everyone?” he asked.
Yufeng paused for a moment before saying, “Cheng Xu is in the backyard.”
“…I didn’t ask about him.”
“Madam is also in the backyard.”
At this hour, what could they be doing in the backyard? Jiang Xuanjin was puzzled and stepped over to find them.
Li Huaiyu was crouched down with Cheng Xu, whispering conspiratorially. Suddenly, she felt a chill behind her, and then she heard a voice above her head: “Do you know what poise is?”
“Wow!” Startled, Huaiyu jumped up and glared at him. “Do you know that scaring someone can kill them?”
Cheng Xu immediately stood up and bowed. “Master.”
Jiang Xuanjin shot him a glance, his expression not looking too good. “What’s going on?”
Yufeng hesitated before saying, “It’s time to eat.”
“Isn’t dinner already on your table?” Huaiyu asked, confused.
“Have you eaten?”
“Of course! You’ve been sleeping for so long; dinner time has long passed.” Huaiyu replied.
The air around them suddenly froze.
Realizing something was off, Li Huaiyu blinked and asked, “Are you trying to invite me to dinner with you?”
“No.”
“Then why do you look so bad?”
“Hungry.”
After spitting out those two words, Jiang Xuanjin turned and walked away.
Li Huaiyu clicked her tongue, watching his retreating figure as she said to Cheng Xu, “Don’t learn from your master; being so contradictory won’t help you find a wife.”
Cheng Xu looked at her in confusion, glancing at her wedding attire.
After a moment of silence, Huaiyu sighed. “I’m different; I can tolerate him.”
Saying this, she lifted her skirt and chased after him. “Wait for me, husband!”
In the main house.
Jiang Xuanjin expressionlessly watched the person in front of him devour her food and asked, “Who said you had already eaten?”
Huaiyu tore off a piece of chicken and swallowed it. With a serious expression, she replied, “I did eat, but when I saw you, I got hungry again. It must be that saying, yes, a feast for the eyes!’”
Looking at her poise, Jiang Xuanjin shook his head. “Didn’t Bai Mansion teach you how to eat?”
“Do you need someone to teach you how to eat?” She looked at him in disbelief.
Taking a deep breath, Jiang Xuanjin said, “It’s not that eating needs to be taught; it’s the etiquette of eating. I put down my chopsticks to talk to you; why are you still chewing on a chicken leg?”
Eating while talking is against Jiang’s family rules.
Li Huaiyu’s face fell. “Aren’t we husband and wife? Now that we’re married, do we still need to pay attention to these things?”
“What do you think?”
“Alright, alright.” She sighed. “I’ll start learning Jiang’s family rules tomorrow.”
Jiang Xuanjin only half-listened, thinking it was pointless to have this unruly person learn etiquette; it would be easier to teach the fish in the pond to walk.
Once dinner was over, Lingxiu prepared the bed, while Cheng Xu reported some trivial matters nearby.
There were many guests at today’s banquet, and the congratulatory gifts were plentiful. Just the list of gifts was thick, needing the master’s review.
Jiang Xuanjin was uninterested in these matters and casually handed the list to Li Huaiyu.
Huaiyu opened it and took a look. She found that Ziyang Jun was indeed well-liked; just the officials who came to the banquet numbered over a hundred, and a casual glance revealed many familiar names.
Yi Yang.
She reached out and pointed at that name, her eyes flickering.
The Tiger Ben Zhonglang Yi Yang was the one who had been responsible for guarding her coffin back then. He had once worked at Feiyun Palace, and they didn’t have any major grievances, nor were they particularly close.
However, one thing was certain: while the others might not recognize the people sitting at the maternal family table, this person would recognize them.
Today, with Danyang’s three major remnants gathered, plus a close friend of Danyang, Lu Jingxing, and a bunch of former concubines from Feiyun Palace, those who didn’t understand would think it was a grand affair. But once someone with discerning eyes saw it…
She glanced up at the person sitting across from her.
Jiang Xuanjin was sitting on a soft couch reading, and when he sensed her gaze, he turned his head in confusion. “What’s wrong?”
Smiling, Huaiyu said, “Nothing, just wanted to take a look at you.”
He shot her a glare, then lowered his head to continue reading, ignoring her.
Lingxiu came out from the inner room, her face flushed as she bowed to them. “The bed is ready. You two should rest early.”
After she spoke, she lit the dragon and phoenix candles on the table.
Upon seeing these candles, Li Huaiyu beamed, clapping her hands. “A moment of spring night is worth a thousand gold; you should stop reading!”
Jiang Xuanjin paused, eyeing her warily.
“What does that look mean?” Huaiyu raised an eyebrow, then playfully pointed at her neck. “Didn’t the beastly nature come from me?”
Seeing the bite mark, Jiang Xuanjin felt a bit guilty and turned his head away.
“I said earlier that marrying you was unavoidable, so after marriage, we can each go our way.”
Slightly taken aback, Huaiyu straightened up, frowning as she looked at him. “To this day, you still think our marriage was unavoidable and that we should go our separate ways afterward?”
Did he not have any sincerity when he sent her the wedding dress, stood up for her, kissed her, and held her?
Her tone sounded hurt, and Jiang Xuanjin stiffened slightly, looking at her.
The person in front of him had her brows furrowed, hands on her hips, looking very angry. Her bright apricot eyes sparkled, flickering with light and dimming again, waiting for his answer to decide whether to extinguish or brighten them completely.
He hesitated, opening his mouth but unsure how to respond.
Li Huaiyu, feeling impatient, stood up straight and nodded, saying in a low voice, “I understand.”
Understand what? Jiang Xuanjin frowned.
Not looking at him anymore, Huaiyu turned and went to the wardrobe, pulling out a quilt and laying it on the soft couch. Then she pushed him toward the inner room.
“If you want to go your separate ways, then let’s do that. You sleep inside, and I’ll sleep outside. Tomorrow morning, I’ll go tidy up my room.”
After saying this, she let the beaded curtain fall with a swish, then turned and didn’t look at him again, directly going to arrange the quilt on the soft couch.
Jiang Xuanjin stood there, watching her, feeling a bit at a loss.
This person usually smiled at him, no matter how angry he got; she would coax him and yield to him. But once she got angry, she completely ignored him, not even glancing at him.
As if she would give up on him at any moment.
After standing in silence for a while, Jiang Xuanjin reached out to lift the beaded curtain.
Li Huaiyu had quickly made the bed and was lying on the outside, not moving when she heard the sound.
He walked over to her side, propping himself up on the edge of the soft couch, and said in a muffled voice, “You still owe me a favor.”
Her brow twitched, and Huaiyu bit her lip, opening her eyes. “You have the nerve to bring that up?”
“Favors earned by merit; why should I feel embarrassed to mention it?” he said. “Are you trying to renege on your debt?”
“I’m not a gentleman; why can’t I renege?” Huaiyu coldly huffed. “I’ll renege; what can you do about it?”
This shamelessness! He shook his head, not believing it, but he didn’t say much. If she liked planting trees, then let her plant them; after all, there was plenty of space in the backyard.
Once the conversation ended, the air fell silent. As someone who hadn’t taken the etiquette lessons seriously, Huaiyu yawned, hugging Jiang Xuanjin’s arm and closing her eyes.
Jiang Xuanjin didn’t close his eyes; he slightly turned his head to look at her profile, listening to her breathing. Once she fell into a deep sleep, he gently leaned in and placed a soft kiss on her lips.
Long ago, someone had said that anyone who believed in sweet words was a fool.
Now, many years later, he felt like a fool, truly believing.
This person treated him so well; Jiang Xuanjin thought, what harm was there in believing? She surely wouldn’t want to deceive him.
The next morning, the new bride was to serve tea in the main hall.
Li Huaiyu was pulled up early, and after washing and dressing, she followed Jiang Xuanjin with half-open eyes.
To drink the daughter-in-law’s tea, Jiang Laotaiye had been sitting in the main hall for a long time. When he saw them enter, his face lit up, but then he felt he wasn’t dignified enough and quickly cleared his throat to suppress his smile, raising his chin with his dragon-headed cane.
People of status in Jiang Mansion were either standing or sitting in the main hall. There were quite a few people, and Huaiyu glanced around, not recognizing everyone, so she knelt first to bow to the old lady.
“Daughter-in-law greets you, Father.”
“Greetings to Father.”
Two cups of tea were respectfully presented, and Jiang Laotaiye couldn’t hold back any longer, his mouth stretching into a wide grin. “Good, good, good; you’re all good children!”
After receiving the tea, he sighed, “This is even more pleasing than when Xuanjin was conferred as Ziyang Jun!”
Only Jiang Laotaiye could say such things. Glancing at Jiang Xuanjin, who was beside him and looking quite speechless, Li Huaiyu couldn’t help but smile.
After paying respects to the old lady, the brothers and sisters-in-law also had to receive tea one by one. Li Huaiyu clumsily followed Jiang Xuanjin, calling names, serving tea, and receiving red envelopes. The etiquette wasn’t necessarily all in place, but everyone in the room smiled at her, their gazes filled with warmth and affection.
This was certainly not because she was so wonderful; it was entirely because she had married Jiang Shao Ye Jiang Xuanjin. The fact that they treated her so kindly showed just how favored Jiang Xiaogongzhu was.
The atmosphere in Jiang Mansion was excellent. Although there were many people, it was completely devoid of the scheming found in Bai Mansion. The main hall was bright and transparent, and everyone inside was upright and open. Standing among them, Huaiyu suddenly felt a bit envious.
“Is everyone here today?” Laotaiye asked, leaning on his cane.
Jiang Chong quickly stepped forward. “Everyone from each house and courtyard is here, but one person… is still on the way.”
“Why is there still someone who hasn’t arrived?” Laotaiye frowned.
Just as Jiang Chong was about to explain, a cheerful voice rang out from outside. “I’m back! I’m back!”
Who was back? Li Huaiyu was puzzled, and as she glanced toward the door, she saw a figure striding in, casually tossing his luggage to the servants. He called out loudly, “I didn’t get to congratulate my little uncle on his wedding, so I’ve rushed back to apologize!”
Wearing a golden crown, dark boots, and a red cloud-patterned belt that cinched his snow-white brocade robe, he had a well-defined figure. His voice was like a drum, and when he raised his eyes, his red lips and white teeth were striking. With such an extraordinary demeanor, it could only be Jiang Yanzhi, the young master of the Jiang family!
He walked quickly, reaching the main hall in no time. Lifting his robe, he first bowed to Laotaiye, saying, “Grandson is unfilial; please forgive me!”
Seeing him arrive, Laotaiye frowned. “You know you’re unfilial?”
“Grandfather, please don’t be angry; I have something to say.” Jiang Yanzhi raised his head, his gaze intense. “This time, I’ve made significant contributions while patrolling the city for my little uncle, and I’ve not wasted the past month; I’ve improved a lot.”
“Do you think that will absolve you from running away from your wedding?” Laotaiye slammed the table. “Do you know how much trouble you’ve caused the family?”
He must have known it would cause trouble, which was why he ran away! Jiang Yanzhi pouted, glancing at his little uncle, desperately signaling him: Help me out here!
So Jiang Xuanjin spoke up, “Father, please calm down. Yanzhi’s contributions can be considered as bringing honor to the family, and he can be forgiven this time.”
Laotaiye shot him a glare. “You’re just biased toward him!”
Jiang Xuanjin smiled. “He’s the only nephew I have; how can I not favor him? He rushed back day and night just to congratulate me on my wedding; Father, please let him off this time.”
“Right, right, right!” Jiang Yanzhi chimed in, sighing. “It’s a pity I still missed it; I’m a day late.”
“It’s not too late.” Jiang Xuanjin said. “You can meet your little aunt now.”
Upon hearing this, Jiang Yanzhi’s eyes lit up, and he stood up as if granted amnesty, holding out a cup of tea toward the person standing beside his little uncle.
“Nephew Jiang Yanzhi, I offer tea to my little aunt!”