Chapter 2 He was slightly drunk. Xu Congjing's eyes were red. "Please, cherish me..."

Xu Congjing was incredibly strong, and he held Yingying's slender waist so tightly that no one could pull him away. The steward's head throbbed with pain, and he dared not provoke this powerful figure. He pleaded with Lou Yanxu to soften her tone and persuade him. She was also afraid that he would say something shocking again, so she sent several people to wait outside, intending to use gentleness to overcome strength.

She reached down and tried to pick at his fingers, but he was too drunk to see what he was doing, so she had no choice but to patiently tell him, "Look carefully, I am the wife of the heir of the Marquis of Weiyuan, not your wife."

"You clearly promised to marry me, why did you break your promise and marry someone else?" Unexpectedly, he swayed, his arms sliding from his waist to his knees, his head tilted back, his eyes burning red, his voice hoarse, "My looks and status are the best in Chang'an, I am willing to be your mistress who cannot be seen in public, please cherish me."

Although she knew the person in front of her was babbling incoherently, Lou Yanxu's face still flushed red at the sound of his foul language. No longer caring about offending him, she shouted angrily, "You shameless, lewd scoundrel!"

How could she so eagerly become a concubine? This would likely lead to her committing one of the seven grounds for divorce, and Sheng Yan could divorce her that very night!

But he felt the insults were meaningless, and he stared blankly, stubbornly persisting.

"Whether you're noble or shameless, I just want you to marry me."

By the dimming candlelight, Lou Yanxu saw a pair of hazy, peach-blossom eyes. He looked down to one side, his shoulders were uneven, and his hands gripped her so tightly they hurt.

He cried softly.

"You must not marry another man!"

She was stunned for a moment, and choked up, unable to speak, having never seen such a handsome and refined young man before.

She guessed that he was in love but couldn't have her, and that his beloved had married someone else, which was why he had mistakenly believed she was his love. However, it was really inappropriate for a man and a woman to be alone in a room, so she had no choice but to slap him when he was distracted and then have him dragged out.

Lou Yanxu was flustered and confused.

When the servants escorted Sheng Yan back to his room, he was so drunk that he was unconscious.

On their wedding day, on their consummation night, Lou Yanxu clenched her fists, unable to make up her mind whether or not to give herself to him. She absentmindedly undressed him, when she suddenly heard him mutter a woman's name. She paused for only a moment before sitting back down on the bed.

The lights were as bright as day, and she was exhausted, yet unable to sleep.

The night snow fell softly, and the evening breeze stirred the curtains. She saw Sheng Yan fast asleep, sighed inwardly, and sat quietly before her dressing table all night.

When Sheng Yan woke up the next morning, Lou Yan had already finished her makeup. Remembering that she was now a wife, she took the initiative to help him change his clothes, but he refused, so she stepped aside and waited.

The couple must go to the main courtyard to serve tea.

As dawn broke through the thin mist and spread across the corridor, the accumulated snow was gilded with a thin layer of gold. Sheng Yan was in a daze, secretly making plans. Lou Yanxu wrapped herself tightly in her brocade coat and followed behind, deliberately keeping a distance of half a zhang.

Several young servants stood at the courtyard gate. A north-south passageway led directly to the main hall. After passing the central screen adorned with auspicious bamboo flowers, Sheng Yan suddenly stopped. Lou Yan noticed and, seeing her beloved approaching, paused, then slowed her pace.

Sheng Yan bowed first, "Minister Xu, did you rest well yesterday? If there was anything wrong with you, please forgive me."

Xu Congjing replied, "Very good."

The two seemed to be waiting for Lou Yanxu to catch up, so she had no choice but to bite the bullet and go forward.

"This is my wife, Lady Lou," Sheng Yan introduced the two. "This is Minister Xu, who just got engaged to my younger sister the other day."

Xu Congjing was dressed in a light blue round-necked robe, his hair tied up in a turban, his eyes filled with affection. He was a far cry from the unrestrained man of yesterday. He was now elegant, composed, and gentle as jade. It was hard to tell which was the real Xu Congjing and which was not.

Lou Yan guessed that he had been missing his beloved, and the sight of the red silk had stirred his emotions, leading to his carefree behavior for a day. Now that he was sober, he had long forgotten the absurdity of the previous night and was focused on being the future son-in-law of the Marquis's household. The position of Minister of the Imperial Secretariat was usually nominal, and Xu Congjing held the powerful and high-ranking position of Left Vice Minister of the Imperial Secretariat. She was of insignificant status and dared not and could not interfere in this matter, so she simply acted as if nothing had happened, gave a slight bow, and said, "Greetings, Minister Xu."

The morning glow cast a shadow on Xu Congjing's handsome and well-defined features. His clear eyes flickered between light and shadow. He gave a brief greeting, exchanged a few more words with Sheng Yan, and then they parted ways.

A tall figure brushed past him, a dry breeze carrying the fragrance of cypress. Lou Yanxu paused briefly before hurrying to catch up with Sheng Yan.

Passing through the covered walkway, one comes to the magnificent courtyard. The winter plum blossoms in front of the courtyard exude fragrance, and the pond water ripples gently. Several maids dressed in red and green stand in front of the steps, all holding their breath and speaking softly.

This is Rongyi Hall.

Upon entering the hall, one can see the maternal uncle and aunt sitting in the main seats.

The Marquis of Chenghua and his wife had faces as cold as frost and snow, and did not look Lou Yanxu in the eye. Sheng Yan also stood up straight with a sullen expression. Fortunately, Lou Yanxu was prepared and ordered Qingrui to serve hot tea. She was very polite and said, "Uncle, please have some tea."

The Marquis remained unmoved, so she simply smiled and waited.

It turned out that Marquis Chenghua had received a favor from the Lou family, and since he said that one shouldn't hit a smiling face, he drank the tea, for which he was met with a glare from his wife.

"Please have some tea, Aunt Jun."

Zeng put on airs, glancing indifferently at Lou Yanxu before reluctantly acknowledging her as his daughter-in-law.

After Sheng Yan served tea, Madam Zeng told the men to go about their business, leaving Lou Yan alone to listen to her instructions.

She said with a stern face, "Now that you've become my family's daughter-in-law, you should be clear about all the rules. At home, serve your parents with gentleness, respect, and integrity; outside, be neither arrogant nor boastful, and think things through before acting. Husband and wife are one, and each of you must fulfill your duties. Do you understand?"

Lou Yanxu sat at an angle and immediately replied, "Daughter-in-law understands."

Zeng raised an eyebrow and glanced sideways at Lou Yanxu, "But I heard that you did not consummate your marriage with Dalang last night."

"Last night my husband was drunk and fast asleep, so we were unable to consummate our marriage."

Seeing Lou Yanxu try to shift the blame, Madam Zeng gritted her teeth and said sternly, "Men can't avoid social obligations when they're out, especially since yesterday's banquet was even more difficult for high-ranking officials to refuse... Forget it, you don't understand these things anyway."

Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye, she saw the person in front of her sitting upright without any reaction. Zeng thought that her daughter-in-law, who came from a merchant family, would only have a superficial understanding of this matter. So she lowered her eyes and thought that out of sight, out of mind. She waved her hand and sent Lou Yanxu away.

"The matter of consummating the marriage should be settled as soon as possible."

Lou Yanxu acknowledged and withdrew. After taking three steps, Madam Zeng spoke again, "Eldest son is busy in the study. Why don't you make some pastries and send them over?"

The tea ceremony delayed the meal, the fog and snow had stopped, and the wind blew the withered branches. Lou Yanxu walked slowly across the slanting corridor, and Qingrui handed her a hot water bottle. As she passed through the side gate, she sighed softly, "The new bride has been subjected to a series of rules as soon as she enters the house. We have no relatives or friends here, and I'm afraid that every day will feel like a year in the future."

She teased, "What, are you scared?"

"This servant is not afraid! This servant wants to stay with my mistress!"

The two, mistress and servant, chatted and laughed softly. When they reached the kitchen, Qingrui quietly asked, "Madam, shall we make the perforated rice cakes again?"

Lou Yanxu shrugged, her expression indescribable. "This is all I know how to do."

Qingrui secretly slapped herself, reminding her wife of her sad memories. The young master of the Xu family had a sweet tooth and was skilled in cooking all kinds of cakes and pastries. He often taught his wife how to make them, but unfortunately, she only learned how to make a kind of flower-shaped glutinous rice cake.

The two did not chat any further; Lou Yanxu hung up her sleeves and buried herself in her work. Around noon, she went to the study to ask someone to announce her arrival.

At that time, Sheng Yan was discussing important matters with Xu Congjing. Upon hearing that she had come, he frowned and was displeased, and ordered someone to send her away.

Xu Congjing smiled and said slowly, "It just so happens that I'm feeling quite hungry. Let's have some pastries and talk later."

Since Xu Congjing had spoken, Sheng Yan, though unwilling to see Lou Yanxu, granted her request.

Lou Yanxu carried the food box inside, but upon seeing Xu Congjing beside her, she hesitated and stopped in her tracks. Sheng Yan saw this as petty and impatiently urged her on.

She was about to place the food box in front of Sheng Yan when she heard him say, "Minister Xu is very hungry, take it to him first."

The man's dark gaze fell upon her, and she suddenly remembered how he had begged her for love with red eyes last night. Her face flushed and she could only act timidly.

Xu Congjing reached out to take it, their fingertips touching, but before Lou Yanxu could react, he had already flicked his finger back.

"..."

He was handsome and refined, befitting a gentleman; this action seemed more like she was trying to take advantage of him.

Her lips were tightly pressed together, unsure how to respond. She felt a pang of annoyance and immediately pressed the food box lightly on the table before turning and leaving.

Sheng Yan looked up at the sound, puzzled.

Xu Congjing opened the food box, his eyes fell on the translucent rice cakes, and he couldn't help but lower his head and chuckle.

Lou Yanxu hadn't slept all night, and finally had some free time. She circled back to Bibo Pavilion and lay down on the daybed, pretending to sleep.

As midnight approached, Sheng Yan braved the wind and snow to return to his room. The warmth inside the room wiped away the frost from the corners of his eyes. He was surprised to see that Lou Yan was still awake, but then opened his arms without saying a word.

Lou Yanxu: "?"

She subconsciously took a half step back. Seeing his displeased expression, she wondered if he had been reprimanded and was asking for her comfort. Lou Yanxu pondered whether she should go forward and hug him.

As Qingrong was about to leave, he noticed his wife's puzzled expression and hurriedly pointed to her clothes. Only then did Lou Yanxu realize that she had misunderstood.

From beginning to end, Sheng Yan did not look at Lou Yanxu again.

After the bath, Sheng Yan had already gone to bed. Lou Yanxu extinguished the candle and rested on the outside. There was even enough space between the two of them for a burly young man to sleep.

Tonight is the second night of her wedding, and she is at a loss when it comes to consummating the marriage. Last night, Sheng Yan was drunk and unconscious, which was understandable. If there is no blood tonight, there will probably be more rumors. However, she is unwilling to give herself to him, so while Sheng Yan is sleeping soundly, she is secretly overjoyed.

As she turned over, Sheng Yan, who had been facing away, suddenly turned around. The couple's eyes met, both knowing they had a responsibility to bear. They exchanged a silent message, and he said coldly, "Close your eyes."

Lou Yan knew she couldn't refuse, so she had no choice but to comply, even though she resisted. She was almost overwhelmed by the unfamiliar male presence, and she felt uneasy, so she secretly pinched her thigh with the hand resting on her side.

But instead of taking action as expected, Sheng Yan was heard mockingly saying, "I wouldn't stoop so low as to do something malicious to a dead person."

Since entering the Marquis's mansion, Sheng Yan had either treated her coldly or hurled insults at her. She was not made of stone and could feel wronged. It was clear that the Lou family was in the right, but once they lost their money and power, they had to depend on the Marquis's mansion for their approval. Although she was indignant, she remembered her father's dying words and could only swallow her anger and force a smile, placing her hands on Sheng Yan's neck.

As the snow fell silently in the still of the night, Lou Yanxu shed silent tears.

As Sheng Yan drew close, their noses touching, a sudden burst of choking smoke erupted, followed by a burst of bright flames. Maids and servants scattered in panic, screaming. Qingrui cried out from outside the beaded curtain, "Young Master, Madam! The courtyard is on fire!"

The two didn't have time to put on layers of clothing; they simply threw on cloaks and fled. Sheng Yan covered his nose as he ran, and as broken tiles fell, he swung his hand through the thick cloak, striking Lou Yanxu squarely in the knee, causing her to kneel on one knee and cry out in pain.

Sheng Yan abruptly turned around, staring intently at her. Lou Yanxu noticed the malice in his eyes and saw him take a half-step back, and immediately panicked, calling out to Qingrui.

Qingrui flashed in, and the two of them, mistress and servant, rushed out. Sheng Yan brushed past them, and Lou Yanxu was finally relieved.

Madam Zeng hurriedly led a group of people over, inquired about her son's safety, and didn't even glance at her daughter-in-law.

The flames, like dragons, coiled around the houses, causing the firelight to illuminate the sky, melting the snow and reddening its face.

Lou Yanxu stood there, silently gazing at the place where the fire was at its fiercest.

How could a fire suddenly break out at midnight? And it just so happened to be the time when she was consummating her marriage.