Chapter 26: The Wedding Night

For a moment, the room fell silent, broken only by the occasional crackle and pop from the tall red candles. The teasing tones on the wind had burned the bride’s face red. Fortunately, the groom was still an innocent, naive soul, just baring her teeth, waving her fist, and closing the window again.

Chu Mingxi rose from the dressing table and rubbed her arm. She hadn’t noticed earlier, but only now felt the chill.

“Cold?” Wei Qingchen asked.

“Outside…” Chu Mingxi began.

They had both spoken almost simultaneously. Wei Qingchen noticed she had changed into everyday clothes: a newly made autumn-yellow brocade long skirt with a hundred-flower pattern. It was very beautiful, but the fabric was truly too thin.

“What about outside?” she asked, as she casually picked up a cloak to drape over her.

Chu Mingxi shook her head and continued her earlier question: “Outside… are those people still there?”

“Those people?” Wei Qingchen blinked. “Oh, you mean…” Chu Mingxi’s face was visibly embarrassed, no doubt flushed a deep red. Wei Qingchen laughed. “No. I drove them all away.”

Seeing she still looked uneasy, Wei Qingchen stepped forward and took her hand. “Don’t be afraid. They can’t beat me!”

Chu Mingxi looked up at her. The words were so childish, yet her eyes held the sparkling persistence of a young person.

It was just a joke, but she accepted her kind intentions and nodded with a smile.

Wei Qingchen pulled her over to the bed, pressed her down to sit on the edge, then half-knelt, looking up from below into her eyes. “What I promised you before still holds true. You humbled yourself to marry me, and I’m very grateful. In the future, no matter what you want to do, no matter what happens, I will always protect you.”

“Is it only gratitude?” Chu Mingxi asked.

“Huh? What?” The point had veered off; Wei Qingchen missed it.

“Nothing.” Chu Mingxi also felt the question was rather inexplicable. She brushed back her hair and stood up.

Wei Qingchen, though, sat down on the bed, covering her mouth as she yawned. The banquet in the front courtyard had likely ended. She’d been made to drink a lot of wine tonight, and now the alcohol was kicking in, making her feel fuzzy and drowsy.

Outside, the watchman struck the second watch of the night with his wooden clappers. She sprawled back on the bed, stretching her legs, wanting to straighten her back. But the moment she lay down, she yelped, “Ow, ow, ow!” Chu Mingxi had just poured a cup of tea; hearing the cry, she quickly put down the cup and came over to look.

“What’s all this?!” Wei Qingchen twisted her body, angrily feeling around the bed. After a moment, she simply flipped the brocade quilt over!

The bed was full of red dates, peanuts, longans, and walnuts!

“Who did this?!” Wei Qingchen grabbed a solid walnut—was this considered a hidden weapon on a bed?!

Chu Mingxi swept her gaze over it and understood immediately. Watching her scrunch up her face, wanting to be angry but not knowing where to direct it, she inexplicably wanted to laugh.

She called for the maids to come in and clean it up. Wei Qingchen still wanted to ask about this and that, and Chu Mingxi had no choice but to pinch her arm. Wei Qingchen let out a confused grunt, and the maids all looked at each other and smiled.

By the time the mandarin-duck brocade quilt was laid out again, the night outside had deepened. Wei Qingchen kicked off her shoes and socks and rolled, bleary-eyed, onto the bed.

“How should we sleep tonight?” Chu Mingxi looked at the two pillows lying side by side.

“You sleep on the inside. I usually have to get up before dawn to practice martial arts, so I’ll sleep on the outside, so I won’t disturb you.”

That wasn’t what Chu Mingxi had meant by the question. But seeing she had already stretched out, as if it were a matter of course, well… there didn’t seem to be any problem with it either.

Forget it. Both are women. Sharing a bed… then share a bed it is.

In an unfamiliar house, on an unfamiliar bed, Chu Mingxi lay on her back on the pillow, hands folded over her abdomen, eyes open as she gazed at the intricately patterned canopy top. Auspicious incense burned in a golden censer, mountains and rivers in romantic union—even in the capital, this was a household of first-rate wealth and nobility. The red candles outside the bed curtain would burn until daybreak. This was her wedding night; these were her and her husband’s wedding candles.

She had married into the Marquis Mansion just like this. From now on, would she spend every day living with this person?

She turned her head to look at her.

Wei Qingchen seemed already in a deep sleep. Having drunk wine, her breathing was a little heavy. In the interplay of light and shadow, her profile was as handsome as fine jade, her eyelashes very long. Especially with her hair loose and looking so close up, she was truly a delicate, pretty young woman.

Truly, who knows how she’d managed to hide it all these years. Apart from the Grand Princess and Aunt Qi, who else knew her true gender?

Chu Mingxi slowly blinked her eyes.

She had thought this night would be filled with restless tossing and turning. Who knew she would fall asleep so easily?

She woke once in the middle of the night. Hazily, she kept feeling a weight on her chest. Opening her eyes, she saw that this fellow Wei Qingchen had flung her arm over her. Luckily, the quilt was between them, so she hadn’t been taken advantage of.

Chu Mingxi thought fuzzily to herself and shoved her arm off. The cold wind howled outside the window. She listened for a while with her eyes closed, then tucked Wei Qingchen’s arm back under the quilt.

When she woke again, the sky was slightly bright. Chu Mingxi frowned at the unfamiliar canopy top—the Marquis Mansion.

The weight on her chest was still there. What was going on? She raised a hand to feel. Wei Qingchen!!!

Wei Qingchen’s arm had found its way onto her again, and this time without the quilt in the way, leaving only a thin layer of inner garments between them!

Chu Mingxi was so annoyed her face flushed red. She wanted to kick her out of bed but feared startling the maids on night duty outside. Enduring her anger, she gritted her teeth and pried that arm off.

“Mm?” Wei Qingchen opened her eyes groggily and saw the magnified face before her. She blinked. “You’re awake?”

“Mm.” Chu Mingxi responded flatly and moved to throw off the quilt and rise.

“Hey!” Wei Qingchen hugged her, quilt and all, wrapping her back up.

“What are you doing!” Chu Mingxi scolded her.

“No need to get up so early.” Wei Qingchen tucked the corner of the quilt in and released her.

Chu Mingxi glanced towards the outside. The bed curtains hung down, and she could only see the light filtering through. “It’s not early. I still need to go to the front to serve tea.”

The rules for a new bride—her mother had earnestly instructed her at home. Even if she hadn’t been told, she still understood some aspects.

Morning and evening greetings, serving her in-laws. Although the Grand Princess and this Heir had both told her the Marquis Mansion wouldn’t confine her too strictly, it was still the first day. The etiquette that needed to be established had to be established.

Thinking this, she moved to push off the quilt again.

Wei Qingchen, with her long limbs, immediately hugged her and tucked her in tightly once more.

“What are you doing?” Chu Mingxi was at a loss whether to laugh or cry. After all, she was a bit more familiar with her now, so she pushed at her. “Let’s get up. Don’t let people laugh at us.”

“It’s precisely so people won’t laugh that I’m not letting you get up.” Wei Qingchen suddenly blushed. “Look, is anyone calling for us? Father and Mother instructed that we don’t need to go over so early today.”

“Why?” She’d never heard of any household wanting to marry a lazy daughter-in-law, had she?

Wei Qingchen’s face flushed even redder. She buried her face in the pillow embroidered with intertwined lotus flowers, her voice coming out muffled. “If we go too early, won’t people look down on us?”

“Look down on what?”

“Look down on… me not being formidable enough last night.”

Chu Mingxi was stunned for a second, and it took a moment before the meaning dawned on her.

Her pretty face flushed bright red in turn.

… … …

They dawdled until the hour of Chen, when Chu Mingxi truly couldn’t lie still any longer. She got up to wash up. The maids outside heard movement and filed in to serve, fetching tea and water in a flurry of activity.

Jingyun said Aunt Qi had been waiting for a while. Wei Qingchen quickly told them to invite her in. Aunt Qi greeted the Heir and the Young Mistress, then walked into the bedchamber, her smile beaming, holding an exquisite brocade box. The maids craned their necks curiously to look, but were forced back by Aunt Qi’s glare.

Before long, Aunt Qi emerged, her face full of delight, hugging the brocade box to report back to the Grand Princess in the main quarters. Both Wei Qingchen and Chu Mingxi knew perfectly well there was nothing on that “wedding cloth,” but they still flushed bright red all the same. Even long after Aunt Qi was out of sight, their gazes didn’t dare meet again.

The maids arranged Chu Mingxi’s hair and applied her makeup. Wei Qingchen finished getting ready first and waited in the Flower Hall. Seeing her come out, a spark lit up in her eyes, and even the corner of her mouth curved into a smile. Chu Mingxi slightly lowered her head and curtsied to her. Wei Qingchen then rose and nodded slightly without saying a word. When Chu Mingxi reached her side, she extended her hand. Chu Mingxi glanced at those slender fingers for a moment before placing her delicate hand upon them.

Wei Qingchen then held her hand, and they left together.

The senior maids followed behind, glancing at each other, then all covered their mouths and giggled.

Were the young masters and madam being shy? Young couples, deeply in love and affectionate—how wonderful!

Upon arriving at the front hall, the elders were indeed all there. Even the Old Titled Lady was seated in the place of honor, eagerly awaiting them. The young couple, faces flushed, knelt and offered tea one by one, receiving a mountain of red envelopes and gifts in return. The Old Titled Lady was indeed annoyed that they’d come so late. In her day, when she married into the Wei family, she’d been up busy before dawn, never daring to let anyone look down on her. Fortunately, Grand General Wei had a private mutter with his mother, and upon hearing “so it’s like this,” “ah, so that’s how it is,” the Old Titled Lady thought, maybe it truly was the case! Then seeing the young couple enter arm in arm, respectfully offering tea and greetings, they were truly a dazzling, treasured pair, a perfect match of precious jade.

The more the Old Titled Lady watched, the more delighted she grew. She ordered all the treasures she’d kept for years to be bestowed upon them. Finally, she took Chu Mingxi’s hand and, smiling broadly, instructed: “Your family runs a clinic. Eat what you should, use what you need. The mansion will provide all of it. With Chen’er, spread branches and leaves soon. This old body is just waiting to hold a great-grandchild!”

Chu Mingxi’s face was layered with crimson blush, her long lashes fluttering. In this freezing weather, her face radiated such heat it could start a fire.

Wei Qingchen watched, pained for her, and was just about to make a joke and change the subject when the Grand Princess beside her spoke first.

“The Old Titled Lady is so partial to her granddaughter-in-law, she’s brought out the treasures from the very bottom of her chest. I’ve been admiring this sandalwood screen inlaid with a painted ‘Ladies with Flowers’ fan for over ten years now, only getting to feast my eyes on it during the New Year.”

With this interruption, the Old Titled Lady laughed even more heartily and indeed followed her lead in conversation. “It’s you who has the good eye! This jade screen was the most cherished piece in my dowry back then. The imperial family may have many treasures, but can’t this common folk have a unique one?”

“Hahahahaha!” Grand General Wei roared with laughter. “Perfect! The imperial family’s treasured daughter is mine, and the common folk’s unique treasure is mine too!”

The whole room exploded in laughter. The Grand Princess glared at him. “Shameless in your old age!” As she spoke, she too couldn’t hold back her own laughter.

Wei Qingchen helped her wife rise and respectfully retreated to the side. The Old Titled Lady still called for the two of them to come attend her closely. Wei Qingchen had only walked halfway when she had to turn back. As she turned, her brow furrowed slightly. One hand still held her wife’s hand, but the other was pressed against her waist.

The roomful of people suddenly fell silent. The elders’ eyes all fixed on her waist. The older maids’ thoughts wandered, and they all started to blush.

No wonder they came to offer tea so late today. On the very first night of marriage, the Heir had already been… so… fierce and vigorous…？