The bridal chamber was entirely bright red.

The bed curtains were red, the bed canopy was red, the red mandarin duck quilt was particularly dazzling, and red wedding candles were placed at the head of the bed, their flames flickering.

Yun Chu sat on the edge of the bed, put down her fan, and twisted her somewhat sore neck.

At this moment, there was a knock on the door. Thinking it was an auspicious matron with something to instruct, she immediately picked up her fan and sat up properly.

Tingxue walked over to open the door. “This servant greets Your Highness.”

Chu Yi strode in and placed the food he was carrying on the table—one bowl of food and one bowl of steaming hot soup.

He handed chopsticks to Yun Chu. “Eat something first to tide you over.”

Yun Chu lowered her fan slightly. “The auspicious matron seemed to say we can’t eat anything before drinking the nuptial wine.”

Only then did Chu Yi truly see her appearance clearly.

Her dark hair was piled high, topped with a bridal golden crown. Golden tassels threaded with white jade beads hung down, making her skin appear snow-white. Her face was like peach blossoms blooming in March, and her lips were spring flowers in full bloom.

The red wedding dress embroidered with flowering branches made her bearing appear so distinguished and ethereal.

Chu Yi’s Adam’s apple bobbed heavily.

Afraid he couldn’t control himself, he averted his gaze. “The nuptial wine is an evening matter. It’s just past noon now. If you don’t eat something, you won’t be able to endure. Besides, rules are made by people. If you’re really worried, I’ll feed you.”

Yun Chu quickly put down her fan and took the chopsticks he handed her. “I—I’ll do it myself.”

In this cramped bridal chamber, in this bright red atmosphere, being watched by the man’s burning gaze made her heart uncontrollably pound wildly.

She quickly lowered her head and put several meatballs in her mouth.

Since getting up early this morning, the auspicious matron hadn’t given her even a sip of water. Because the wedding dress was too complicated, the matron was afraid it would be inconvenient if she needed to relieve herself. That is to say, from before dawn until now, she hadn’t had any food or water. With the meatballs in her stomach, the more she ate, the more she wanted to eat. She also drank most of the bowl of soup.

“Your Highness, the Crown Prince and several princes are searching everywhere for you.”

Chengxu’s voice sounded from outside.

Yun Chu’s face flushed. If the Crown Prince and the others knew Chu Yi had entered the bridal chamber, who knew how they would tease him.

She coughed. “This is the time for hosting guests. You should hurry to the front courtyard.”

“No rush.” Chu Yi’s voice was somewhat hoarse. “Eat slowly. I’ll leave after you finish eating.”

Yun Chu had no choice but to finish eating with difficulty under his gaze.

She was about to instruct Tingxue to clean up when she saw the man before her directly pick up the bowls and chopsticks she had finished with.

“I’ll go host the guests first. If there’s anything, send someone to the front courtyard to relay a message.”

He restrained himself, only touching Yun Chu’s hair bun before striding out of the bridal chamber.

Yun Chu felt her face burning hot.

“Princess Consort, this servant will touch up your lip color.”

Tingxue came over and carefully reapplied lip color for Yun Chu, also adding some face powder. Under the candlelight, she looked beautiful to the extreme.

Not long after, when the wedding banquet was nearly finished, a group of imperial kinswomen of the same generation came to the bridal chamber—first to keep the bride company and relieve her boredom, second to let the bride get to know people.

Among these kinswomen, the one with the highest status was naturally the Crown Princess, while the one closest to Yun Chu was Chu Yi’s biological sister, Princess Qinghua.

Princess Qinghua should have returned to her prince consort’s residence long ago, but because of Chu Yi’s marriage, she had stayed in the capital for over a month.

The people entering the bridal chamber included not only kinswomen but also two children.

Chu Hongyu held his sister’s hand and mixed into the crowd. Father had said he and his sister could only see Mother tomorrow, but how could he endure that? He immediately sneaked over.

When he saw Yun Chu’s appearance, he was completely dumbstruck.

Mother was so beautiful, beautiful as a celestial fairy. How could there be such a beautiful person in the world…

Fang Xinyan, standing beside the Crown Princess, had just been diagnosed as pregnant, but she didn’t want to return to the Eastern Palace and insisted on following everyone to the bridal chamber.

She immediately spotted Chu Hongyu staring at Yun Chu.

She had heard that the young lord of Prince Pingxi’s residence was very mischievous. It was this young lord who had scared away Second Miss Tan back then.

She thought this young lord would surely use the same methods to teach Yun Chu a lesson.

What did children understand? It was just venting anger, but it would be enough to humiliate Yun Chu.

She smiled and spoke. “Young Lord, this will be your mother from now on. Won’t you go offer her a cup of tea?”

Chu Hongyu’s eyes brightened. So he could offer Mother tea!

He quickly walked to the table and had Tingxue pour tea. Tingxue complied and handed it to him.

The tea was steaming hot as the little one held it and slowly walked toward Yun Chu.

The corners of Fang Xinyan’s lips curved up.

If she hadn’t guessed wrong, this tea would definitely be unceremoniously splashed on Yun Chu by the little one. There would be a good show to watch.

“Mother, please drink tea.”

Chu Hongyu said loudly, his voice clear and resonant.

This was the first time he had openly called out “Mother” in front of everyone. This feeling was truly wonderful.

Yun Chu took the teacup and smiled. “Thank you, Yu’er.”

Fang Xinyan was completely stunned.

She remembered it was the young county princess who had chosen Yun Chu. This young lord should dislike Yun Chu very much. Why was it like this…

Perhaps Prince Pingxi had given repeated instructions not allowing the young lord to embarrass Yun Chu.

She took a deep breath and suddenly paused. “Why does this room smell like fish balls? There were fish balls at today’s wedding banquet too. The bride couldn’t have eaten fish balls in the bridal chamber, could she?”

The women couldn’t help but smell carefully.

Besides the scent of incense candles and burning incense, there was indeed a smell of fish balls. Though faint, it could definitely be detected.

Princess Qinghua’s brows furrowed.

On the wedding day, brides generally weren’t allowed to eat—first to express reluctance to leave their natal family through fasting, second because eating too much made relieving oneself inconvenient. Later it gradually became an established custom.

Yun Chu had married once before. How could she not know even this rule?

Simply humiliating.

Princess Qinghua prepared to speak and smooth this matter over.

She wasn’t helping Yun Chu—rather, Yun Chu was now Yi’er’s wife, so she was just maintaining Yi’er’s reputation.

Before she could speak, Yun Chu curved her lips in a smile. “The fish balls were sent by His Highness. Could it be that on the day Consort Fang married the Crown Prince, His Highness didn’t send food to the bridal chamber?”

Consort Fang’s eyes widened sharply.

She had thought Yun Chu would deny it, then she would point out evidence that Yun Chu couldn’t refute. She never expected Yun Chu to actually admit it and turn the tables.

On her wedding day, the Crown Prince had been receiving guests the whole time, drinking himself into a stupor. She could only say the consummation barely happened—she hadn’t felt even a trace of tenderness.

Compared to Yun Chu, she felt even more aggrieved about marrying the Crown Prince.

She glared fiercely at Yun Chu. Just sending some food—what was there to show off about? What was there to be proud of!

Yun Chu looked at the others. “Could it be that everyone went hungry the entire day on their wedding day?”

Everyone smiled awkwardly.

If they said they had indeed been hungry all day, it would appear they weren’t cherished by their husbands.

If they said they had eaten something, did they have the standing to mock Yun Chu?

Of course they couldn’t go hungry all day. Basically all had maids send food to fill their stomachs. Only occasionally a few women had their husbands send food. These women had deep affection with their husbands and could better understand Yun Chu, so they immediately changed the conversation topic.

The Crown Princess’s face darkened as she called Consort Fang outside.