Chapter 67 Wedding Night

Li Chengyi froze, his hand stopping halfway. How could she ask such a question? Li Chengyi felt that after they got married, he would definitely teach Lin Yanshu a lesson about marital matters, so that she wouldn't be so unrestrained and reckless.

Otherwise, he would have become Lin Yanshu's puppet.

But he couldn't ignore Lin Yanshu, so he groaned, "That feels good..."

Lin Yanshu found Li Chengyi's current behavior a bit strange. She reached out and poked Li Chengyi's cheek, not pulling her hand back: "Oh, then why are you biting yourself? Doesn't it hurt?"

Li Chengyi glanced over, his eyes flushed with an unnatural redness from passion. Without thinking, he opened his mouth and bit Lin Yanshu's fingertip.

Lin Yanshu felt a dampness on her fingertips, mixed with the warmth of Li Chengyi's mouth. Li Chengyi hadn't used much force; Lin Yanshu only felt a ticklish sensation on her fingertips.

She poked at it as if possessed, moving her fingers. Li Chengyi's lips parted slightly, and his eyes narrowed unconsciously.

Saliva dripped from Li Chengyi's lips. Lin Yanshu felt that Li Chengyi was easy to bully, so she withdrew her hand and wiped it on Li Chengyi's luxurious brocade robe.

Li Chengyi licked his lips, his eyes regaining some clarity. He turned back to Lin Yanshu and answered her question: "I'm afraid my voice is too awful and will frighten you."

"What was that sound? Is it strange?"

Li Chengyi was brought to tears by Lin Yanshu's question. His sense of propriety and integrity did not allow him to discuss such matters with Lin Yanshu. He did not even know how to face Lin Yanshu, as if he had been washed clean and stripped bare without any cover.

"Yan Shu, don't ask anymore, it's embarrassing."

"But I want to know everything about Ah Zhao, I want to know everything, even if it's embarrassing or strange, I want to know."

Hearing Lin Yanshu's sweet words, Li Chengyi's heart trembled. He wanted to know everything.

She wanted to see not only his glamorous appearance, but also his filth, shamelessness, and depravity.

A voice inside me kept echoing: Give it to her, give it all to her, let her know. Know enough, and she'll never be able to leave again.

She saw him completely, and so did he.

Li Chengyi reached out and grasped Lin Yanshu's hand, leading her to that secluded spot where Lin Yanshu's hand rested.

Li Cheng's eyes were deep and his voice was magnetic. He parted his thin lips slightly and said, "Hold it, Yan Shu."

Lin Yanshu listened to his words, grasped it, and felt its burning heat.

Li Chengyi leaned close to Lin Yanshu's earlobe and whispered:

"Yan Shu, move a little, and I'll let you hear it."

Following Li Chengyi's instructions, Lin Yanshu was instructed to stop enduring the situation.

…………

Lin Yanshu then realized what Li Chengyi meant by the voice. She was tired after a long day, and her hands were sore. She nudged Li Chengyi with her elbow and said impatiently, "When will you be done?"

Li Chengyi took Lin Yanshu's hand; she was too inexperienced and clumsy.

"I'll handle the rest myself. If Yan Shu has to deal with it all, things probably won't be any better tomorrow."

Lin Yanshu glared at Li Chengyi. He thought she was stupid. Lin Yanshu secretly vowed to make sure that Li Chengyi couldn't find fault with her in this area sooner or later.

……………

The following day, Lin Yanshu was also added to the wedding preparations. In the days leading up to the wedding, Lin Yanshu was not allowed to see Li Chengyi. While she was unhappy about this, she followed the custom. If she wanted to see Li Chengyi, she would write him a letter:

"There are so many things involved in marrying His Highness the Crown Prince. What is Ah Zhao doing?"

"The nanny brought the wedding dress today. She's curious to see what Ah Zhao will look like in it."

"The nanny came to teach us manners today, it was so difficult."

“The old nanny stopped teaching me manners and taught me something else: the pleasures of marriage. I said I wanted Ah Zhao to teach me personally, and the old nanny blushed with fear.”

"Ugh, why can't we meet before marriage? It's such an outdated custom! I miss A-Zhao."

Li Chengyi glanced at the letters Lin Yanshu sent from time to time and curled his lips. Since Lin Yanshu didn't want to learn those tedious rules, he told the nanny not to be too strict with Lin Yanshu in this matter. Anyway, no one dared to interfere with his Crown Princess.

Li Chengyi picked up his pen and replied:

"I'm reading the letter you wrote."

"Do I look better in my wedding dress, or when I'm not wearing one?"

"Yan Shu still needs to learn more; I cannot teach this."

I miss you too.

The two continued corresponding until the night before their wedding.

Lin Yanshu was a little nervous about her wedding the next day. She thought there would definitely be many guests. She was afraid of embarrassing herself, so much so that she couldn't sleep.

The light in Lin Yanshu's room remained on until late at night.

Lin Yanshu wasn't the only one who was nervous; Li Chengyi was too. He walked to the outside of Lin Yanshu's courtyard and saw the lights inside.

Li Chengyi didn't go inside. He knocked on the window outside, his knuckles making rhythmic sounds on the window frame.

Lin Yanshu walked to the window, about to open it. Li Chengyi, who was outside the window, spoke up: "It is I."

"The inkstone has a unique window."

Li Chengyi's voice came through the window paper, sounding muffled and slightly indistinct.

Lin Yanshu stopped what she was doing, leaned against the window, and called Li Chengyi's name: "A-Zhao".

Li Chengyi replied, "I am here."

Those two words gave Lin Yanshu an immense sense of security. Through the window paper, she looked at the blurry figures outside. Her slender hand gently touched the window paper, tracing the silhouettes of the people outside.

Li Chengyi looked out from outside the house and saw Lin Yanshu's finger touching the window paper. He raised his hand and touched it, and their fingertips touched.

Lin Yanshu placed her entire hand on it, and Li Chengyi did the same.

The two sensed each other's temperature through a thin sheet of paper.

"Can't Yanshu sleep?"

"Yes, I'm nervous."

Li Chengyi chuckled lightly: "So it is for me too."

Lin Yanshu carefully felt Li Chengyi's palm; she wanted to open the window.

Li Chengyi suddenly withdrew his hand and said, "Yanshu, go to sleep early. Tomorrow, I will be able to see my Crown Princess, my bride."

Lin Yanshu mumbled, "But I can't sleep."

"I'll stay outside with you."

Lin Yanshu listened to Li Chengyi's words, blew out the lamp, and lay down on the bed. She looked at the silhouette outside the window and gradually fell asleep.

The next day, she was dressed in a wedding dress while still in a daze. After some commotion, Lin Yanshu finally came to her senses.

She looked at herself in the mirror, a reflection she had never seen before. Was this really her? They all said that the wedding day was the most beautiful day of a bride's life. Lin Yanshu hadn't understood this before, but now she truly understood.

She looked at the woman in the bronze mirror, her smile captivating, her features exquisite; she could hardly believe it.

To look better, she hadn't eaten much these past few days, and hadn't eaten anything at all today. She boarded the bridal sedan chair on an empty stomach.

After a bumpy ride, Lin Yanshu got off the carriage. She couldn't see the road ahead because her head was covered by a veil. Li Chengyi dismounted and came to her side, taking her hand.

We pay homage to Heaven and Earth, to our ancestors, and to the Emperor and Empress.

Under Li Chengyi's guidance, Lin Yanshu completed the task little by little. She could not hear the jubilation around her; she could only hear Li Chengyi's whispers in her ear.

Lin Yanshu watched as the red embroidered shoes on her toes were carried step by step to her bedchamber. She sat upright on the couch, feeling somewhat uneasy.

Time passed by, and Lin Yanshu was getting tired of sitting upright. But the nanny said that today was very important and that Lin Yanshu must be careful in everything she did and not be impolite.

Heaven knows how much Lin Yanshu wanted to take the gold hairpin off her head and lie in bed.

She stiffened her neck, starving and exhausted, her eyelids constantly drooping.

As Li Chengyi was being flattered and drinking at the banquet, he looked up at the people at the banquet and felt inexplicably irritated. Who wanted to look at these roughnecks? He wanted to look at his beautiful bride.

Li Chengyi feigned drunkenness in an attempt to escape. He pretended to be drunk and withdrew from the banquet. Xie Ciyan was looking at the moon outside when he turned around and saw Li Chengyi coming out.

He bowed respectfully to Li Chengyi, who looked up and indifferently at Xie Ciyan.

Congratulations on your wedding, Your Highness.

"Congratulations are indeed in order, but I wonder when Lord Xie will get married?"

Xie Ciyan smiled and replied, "Your Highness may not be able to see me for the time being, as I will be leaving to take up a post tomorrow."

Li Chengyi had forgotten about this; it was a task he had arranged for Xie Ciyan.

Both knew each other's thoughts and tacitly kept them hidden. Until finally, Xie Ciyan spoke, uttering the congratulations he had kept unspoken:

"Your Highness, I wish you and the Crown Princess a long and happy marriage."

Year after year, we've known and stayed together.

Li Chengyi glared at him, then agreed and offered his blessing.

When Li Chengyi arrived at the palace, he pushed open the door and entered. Lin Zhengjin was sitting upright on the couch, her wedding dress flowing out in a dazzling display.

Lin Yanshu was almost asleep when she heard footsteps. She straightened her back and sat up straighter.

As Li Chengyi walked in, Lin Yanshu nervously stared at his toes, waiting for his next move.

Li Chengyi, holding a scale rod, gently lifted Lin Yanshu's veil. Lin Yanshu looked up as Li Chengyi moved, gazing at him with tender affection.

Li Chengyi swallowed hard, his mouth dry, staring at Lin Yanshu. How could his Crown Princess be so beautiful? He should have come sooner.

Lin Yan was unaware of how alluring she looked. She blinked her innocent almond-shaped eyes at Li Chengyi, smiled slightly, and the gold hairpin in her hair swayed gently, creating a dazzling effect. Her cheeks were slightly flushed, matching the rouge on her lips.

Li Chengyi raised his hand and removed the gold hairpin from Lin Yanshu's head, her long black hair cascading down, making her appear even more languid and weary.

With the weight off her head, Lin Yanshu became more lively. She tilted her head and complained to Li Chengyi, "Ah Zhao, you came so slowly, I'm exhausted."

Li Chengyi slowly and methodically untied the jewelry from Lin Yanshu's head and asked, "Are you tired?"

Lin Yanshu let her hair down completely, casually lay on the bed, and grumbled to Li Chengyi in a coquettish tone: "I'm so hungry and tired. I haven't eaten anything all day. And this phoenix crown is so heavy. I've been sitting on it all day. My neck hurts and my back is sore."

Li Chengyi chuckled, looking at Lin Yanshu's fair neck. She was already tired before she had even done anything.

Lin Yanshu looked up at Li Chengyi and saw him feeding her pastries: "These pastries are made by the Imperial Chef of the Eastern Palace. You can't get them anywhere else."

Lin Yanshu tilted her head and took a bite. The crispy and fragrant flavor exploded in her mouth, a perfect balance of salty and sweet—delicious! So this is how good the chefs in the palace cook!

Lin Yanshu took another big bite, almost biting Li Chengyi's finger. Li Chengyi gave her another piece and, seeing how impatient she was, gently advised, "Slow down, no one's going to take it from you."

Lin Yanshu wouldn't listen. She had been hungry all day and let Li Chengyi feed her, eating one piece after another. By the end, she was a little thirsty and looked up at Li Chengyi with wide eyes.

Li Chengyi understood what she meant, smiled, and poured her a cup of sake. Lin Yanshu took a small sip; it was a bit spicy. She blushed and hissed.

Seeing her embarrassed expression, Li Chengyi laughed and asked, "Are you still hungry?"

Lin Yanshu shook his head vigorously, and Li Chengyi put the rest of the food back.

Lin Yanshu was still savoring the spiciness of the sake when Li Chengyi returned. He straddled the bed, placed his hand on Lin Yanshu's waist, and gently increased the pressure: "Does it hurt here?"

Lin Yanshu didn't react immediately. She felt a tingling sensation in her waist and mumbled, "Mmm... it hurts."

Li Chengyi placed his hand on top of Lin Yanshu's lower back, warming it and gently massaging it.

Lin Yanshu buried his head in the quilt, feeling the tense muscles in his waist slowly relax. On their wedding night, this was what they were doing.

Lin Yanshu sat up, her voice hoarse and tinged with shyness: "It doesn't hurt anymore."

Li Chengyi's hand involuntarily left Lin Yanshu's grasp, and the two locked eyes.

Silence... and an awkward silence spread.

What should be done...?

Lin Yanshu sat down and looked at Li Chengyi. Li Chengyi was also looking at Lin Yanshu.

"Shouldn't we...do something else?"

Lee Seung-ik remained silent as he unbuckled his belt.

Lin Yanshu watched his actions, swallowed hard, and asked her to recall what the nanny had taught her to serve the Crown Prince.

Lin Yanshu was always taken care of by Li Chengyi; there was never a time when Lin Yanshu served Li Chengyi. However, today was a special day.

She thought to herself as she loosened her own sash.

She looked at Li Chengyi and said, "Ah Zhao."

Li Chengyi silently raised his head, a little nervous, after all, this was his first wedding night.

"Come here."

"What are you doing?"

"Lie down."

Lin Yanshu spoke very briefly, leaving Li Chengyi unable to guess what she was going to do.

Li Chengyi obediently did as he was told, lying flat on his back. Lin Yanshu looked down at him and untied everything.

She kept repeating, "The nanny told me to take good care of A-Zhao."

"But that's all I've learned."

Li Chengyi looked at her and peeled off his clothes.

On him.

Li Chengyi's eyes widened. What?

What did I learn?

He covered his eyes, unable to believe that he was down there, but where was Lin Yanshu?

"Ah Zhao, is this alright?"

Lin Yanshu stared slyly at Li Chengyi before sinking to the surface of the water.

This was destined to be an extraordinary wedding night.

——————End of main text

-----------------------

Author's Note: The story is complete!

I'd like to recommend my new pre-order novel, "The Rough Man Married a Tender Young Woman."