Outside the main hall of the palace, a red carpet was laid out in the square, and the ceremonial guards stood majestically. The air was filled with the fragrance of ambergris, and the music and rituals were solemn and grand.

Xiao Mingyu wore a bright red wedding dress embroidered with a hundred birds and phoenixes, and a red gold crown inlaid with kingfisher feathers and pearls. Her phoenix crown and embroidered robe were so luxurious that they were beyond compare.

The usually bright and lively second princess now appeared calm and composed behind the elaborate beaded curtain, except for her eyes, which shone brightly as she gazed at the figure at the end of the square.

According to etiquette, the bride must hold a round fan to cover her face. As Shen Wensong led Xiao Mingyu by the hand, walking along the long palace road and about to board the wedding car, a gentle breeze blew by.

After boarding the carriage, according to custom, the groom must compose a "fan-removing poem" before asking the bride to put down her fan. Shen Wensong stood before the luxurious wedding carriage, gazing at the indistinct figure inside the window. After a moment's thought, his voice was clear and resonant, carrying a rare literary talent for a military general and an undeniable depth of emotion:

— “The iron horses and claps guard the mountains and rivers, but they cannot compare to the smile of a beautiful woman.”

—We once crossed the misty rain of Jiangnan together, and today we hold hands and gaze at the Milky Way.

— A fleeting glimpse of beauty under the fan has etched my heart into it; for the rest of my life, I only wish to protect you by my side.

"The Xiao family's precious pearl has fallen into the courtyard; the pine and cypress trees bear witness, vowing never to move it!"

After the poem was finished, the entire hall erupted in applause. Inside the carriage, the round fan slowly lowered, revealing Xiao Mingyu's face, which was shy yet unable to conceal its bright joy.

Inside the bridal chamber, red candles burned brightly, and auspicious dragon and phoenix curtains hung low, exuding joy and romance. The elaborate ceremony finally ended, and the noise of the guests was shut out.

Xiao Mingyu sat gracefully on the wedding bed covered with a bright red quilt adorned with a hundred sons and a thousand grandsons. Her heavy headdress had been removed, leaving only a single red-gold phoenix hairpin tucked into her temple, adding to her languid and charming appearance.

The door was gently pushed open, and Shen Wensong walked in, reeking of a cool, refreshing scent of alcohol. He waved away the maids on night watch, then closed the door behind him. His wedding robes were off, leaving him only in a dark, patterned undergarment, which accentuated his broad shoulders and narrow waist, giving him a powerful presence.

He stopped by the bedside, his deep gaze fixed on Xiao Mingyu, filled with undisguised scrutiny and burning intensity. The air seemed to freeze, broken only by the crackling of the burning red candle.

“Your Highness,” he began, his voice low and husky from the alcohol, yet more magnetic than usual, and…more dangerous, “were you satisfied with today’s wedding?”

Xiao Mingyu tried her best to remain calm and looked up at him: "General Shen's arrangements are certainly excellent." She deliberately used the slightly unfamiliar title "General Shen" again.

Shen Wensong's eyes darkened, and he suddenly leaned over, bracing himself on the bed on either side of her body, trapping her in a small space. The strong masculine scent mixed with the aroma of alcohol enveloped her, and Xiao Mingyu's heart skipped a beat.

"General?" He chuckled softly, a hint of mockery in his voice, his warm breath brushing against her earlobe. "Xiao Mingyu, we've bowed to heaven and earth, drunk the nuptial wine, and entered the bridal chamber... and you're still calling me 'General'?"

Xiao Mingyu was flustered by his sudden aggression, her cheeks flushed, and she forced herself to say, "Then... what do you want me to be called? Chen Mutou? Chen Shitou? Or..." She remembered the nickname she had given him in a fit of anger.

Before she could finish speaking, her chin was gently pinched and lifted by his calloused fingers, forcing her to look directly into the dark fire surging in his eyes, a fire that seemed to devour everything.

“Call me husband.” His voice was firm and unwavering.

Xiao Mingyu trembled at the undisguised possessiveness in his eyes. Her lips moved slightly, but the name she was referring to was stuck in her throat, filled with shyness and a strange flutter.

Shen Wensong didn't press her, but his gaze slid down her slender neck, landing on her chest, which was rising and falling slightly with nervousness, and then on her delicate wrists, adorned with dragon and phoenix gold bracelets, which were crossed on her lap. His eyes deepened, carrying a stinging pain from some memory.

"Do you still remember how you angered me in the palace?" His thumb stroked her chin, the pressure neither too light nor too heavy, but carrying a punitive meaning. "The third-ranked scholar in the Hanlin Academy? The son of a vice minister? A captain in the Imperial Guard? Hmm?" With each name he uttered, his voice deepened, and the flames in his eyes flared higher.

Xiao Mingyu felt guilty and flustered under his gaze. She tried to turn her face away, but he held her firmly. "That...that's all in the past! I...I was doing this because..." she tried to explain.

"For what?" Shen Wensong interrupted her, suddenly leaning closer, their noses almost touching, their breaths mingling. "To force me to admit it? To see me lose control? Xiao Mingyu, you succeeded." His voice suppressed a storm, "You succeeded! Do you know, back then I wanted nothing more than..."

"What do you wish for?" Xiao Mingyu was drawn to the turmoil in his eyes and forgot her fear, asking subconsciously.

Shen Wensong stared at her moist lips, his Adam's apple bobbing violently, his voice hoarse and barely audible: "I wish I could... throw them all out of the capital! I wish I could..." He suddenly stopped, the last shred of reason in his eyes seemingly burned away, replaced by a tantalizing lust.

"Now, you're mine." He declared, his tone filled with a sense of satisfaction that the dust had finally settled, and a deeper longing. "Completely, utterly, belonging only to me, Shen Wensong." With the last word, he could no longer restrain himself, lowering his head to kiss her lips fiercely!

This kiss, brimming with pent-up desire, jealousy, lingering fear, and the overwhelming joy of reunion, swept over her like a storm, forceful and domineering, brooking no refusal. Xiao Mingyu only managed a short gasp before being completely engulfed by his breath. He conquered her, his tongue forcefully prying open her teeth, savoring her sweetness, as if trying to crush her into his own body.

The red candles flickered, and the curtains hung low. One by one, the wedding gowns fell to the ground, as if all barriers and pretenses had been stripped away. Xiao Mingyu gradually lost herself in his burning embrace and fervent kisses, from initially passively accepting to awkwardly responding.

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