Red candles illuminate the night

In May of the eighth year of the Tianqi reign (1628), Li Yi took Xuanji as his concubine. Li Yi was twenty-four years old, and Xuanji was eighteen.

The day of taking a concubine was far more extravagant than usual.

Li Yi personally oversaw every step of the process, from betrothal and name inquiry to auspicious date selection and gift presentation. The betrothal gifts were also meticulously prepared. One after another, chests tied with full red silk were delivered to the Wen residence, attracting the attention of the neighbors, who whispered that this Scholar Li's taking a concubine was even more glamorous than an ordinary family marrying a wife.

Wen Tingyun frowned even more deeply at the overly elaborate ceremony. Madam Wen felt a pang of sadness, but she could only force herself to keep the situation in order.

In Xuanji Courtyard, Li Yi had sent skilled dressing matrons and clever maids early in the morning to help with her grooming and dressing. In the bronze mirror, Xuanji looked at her meticulously drawn eyebrows and eyes, her painted lips, and the swaying hairpin at her temples. It was as if she wasn't herself today.

As the auspicious hour approached, a carriage with a green canopy decorated with colorful silk arrived to fetch the bride. Even more surprisingly, Li Yi himself rode up on horseback, dressed in a scarlet brocade robe, his face beaming with joy, his brows revealing an undisguised sense of triumph and the happiness of his long-cherished wish being fulfilled.

Li Yi dismounted, his steps leisurely yet hurried, and went straight to the front of the hall. He bowed solemnly to the Wen couple, saying, "Master, Master's wife. This junior has come to welcome Xuanji." His voice was clear and bright, carrying obvious joy.

Wen Tingyun looked at the undisguised fervor in his eyes, the light of a man finally winning the heart of his beloved. He felt as if stung by something, almost losing his balance. He steadied himself and instructed, "...I hope you will treat her well in the future." He knew that from this moment on, the figure who had once discussed poetry with him under the lamplight would be completely relegated to another man's territory.

"This disciple will do his utmost to live up to your expectations!" Li Yi replied resolutely. But a thought flashed through his mind: the most talented woman in Chang'an, the brightest moon shining alone, had finally found peace in his arms. This fulfillment, even more so than passing the imperial examinations, carried the romantic charm of a talented scholar and a beautiful woman, enough to make others envious.

Xuanji was helped out by her nanny. Her view was limited by the veil, but she felt a burning gaze on her from behind. Before she could react, a hand reached out and firmly supported her arm. The fingertips were warm, even slightly hot, with an unmistakable strength. It was Li Yi's hand.

He did not rely on anyone else; he personally helped her, step by step, towards the ornately decorated green-canopied carriage.

The carriage clattered and the wheels rumbled. Xuanji sat upright, her veil obscuring her vision, and could only hear her own steady, almost deliberate breathing.

Before the Li residence, the lights were bright, and servants stood respectfully with their heads bowed. Although there was no boisterous music and guests from all directions as in the wedding of the principal wife, the pomp and circumstance still silently demonstrated the importance the master placed on the occasion.

Inside the mansion, red candles burned high in the main hall, and a red carpet stretched from the entrance down the steps, with the character for "happiness" pasted everywhere.

Li Yi held Xuanji's hand tightly as he led her into the hall.

He accepted the nuptial wine offered by Shiliu and carefully handed one of the cups to Xuanji. The servant tactfully left.

"Youwei," he called softly, his voice unusually hoarse with emotion.

Their arms were intertwined, and the wine rippled slightly. Then, he took a deep breath and lifted the edge of the veil.

The red silk slowly slid down.

In the candlelight, her beautifully dressed face was laid bare before him.

Her eyebrows resembled distant mountains, her eyes like autumn waters, and her lips, adorned with lip rouge, were even more luscious and alluring. Her neck was as white as snow. Her usual aloof demeanor was enveloped in this intense color, giving rise to a breathtakingly beautiful allure.

Li Yi reached out and helped her remove the heavy hairpin: "Youwei... I've finally waited for this day."

His gaze was intense and focused, as if the whole world consisted only of her: "In the past, I had no choice but to endure so much, but from now on, I will never let you suffer even the slightest grievance again. This Qiwu Pavilion is your world; you can do whatever you want. I only want you... I only want you by my side."

This intense, almost clumsy, and overly direct affection left Xuanji momentarily dazed. She looked up and met his eyes, which were brimming with almost burning joy and possessiveness. The frozen lake in her heart seemed to have been disturbed by this sudden, irresistible heat, as if a pebble had been thrown into it, creating a ripple that was subtle yet impossible to ignore.

She subconsciously turned her gaze slightly away, her long eyelashes fluttering like butterfly wings, but she remained silent.

The intricate wedding dress sashes were gradually untied, leaving only the last layer of thin, gossamer-thin inner garment. The candlelight, filtering through the gauze curtains, became hazy and warm, softly outlining the silhouettes of the two young bodies on the bed. His shoulders and back were broad, their lines conveying strength and warmth; her skin, in the dim light, resembled the finest warm jade, delicate and radiant.

Xuanji closed her eyes, her long eyelashes drooping gently like the wings of a weary bird, no longer looking at the flickering candlelight. His hot breath brushed against her neck and collarbone, carrying an urgency that transformed into delicate and devout kisses.

"Do you still remember that book, 'Jinping Spring'..." His voice grew softer, almost dissipating into the caress of their skin as they pressed together. Xuanji nodded, wondering why he would bring up the past at this moment.

"I was so arbitrary in rebuking you back then... thinking you were willingly belittling yourself." He tightened his grip on your arm, as if he wanted to knead you into his very bones. "Later I realized I had wronged you; it was just the bookstore clerk who misunderstood. I... was filled with remorse."

His breathing was heavy, his warm breath brushing against her sweaty shoulders and neck, sending a slight shiver down her spine. His kiss landed behind her ear, with a compensatory urgency.

“But I…” His throat bobbed, his voice hoarse, escaping intermittently amidst the light, intermittent kisses, “…I looked, as if possessed.” He swallowed hard before continuing, his breath burning against her earlobe, “I only wanted to see what kind of unbearable things it was…but those pictures and words…reminded me…of that day at the horse farm. You trembled in my arms, the fragrance of your hair, your slender waist…”

His last words were almost a muffled whisper: "Only then did I realize that my outburst of anger was not entirely due to the book, but also because..." He took a deep breath, his voice trembling slightly: "Because I had long harbored lustful thoughts towards you, but dared not admit it, so I used this as an excuse to rebuke you in order to cover up the turmoil in my heart... and the unbearable desires."

The dormitory was eerily quiet, with only the sound of rapid heartbeats and the flickering of red candles.

Yu Xuanji listened quietly, and the old, icy resentment in her heart was completely washed away by this clumsy yet passionate confession intertwined with intimate touch. She slowly turned around in his arms, her eyes shimmering with tears, and a gentle smile gradually spread across them as her fingertips brushed against his slightly furrowed brow.

"Silly boy," she said softly, then kissed his lips.

This kiss was like a pardon, instantly igniting all the suppressed flames. Li Yi said nothing more, only responding to her more deeply, pouring all his regret, longing, and belated love into an even more surging action. In this peak moment of spiritual and physical union, a secret satisfaction swept through his heart: only he had ever seen her so inexperienced, yet so alluring.

In the midst of that surge of emotion and the ebb and flow of consciousness, Li Yi breathed heavily and whispered in her ear, each word burning into the depths of her soul: "Youwei, my moon. I have finally... embraced the moon."

Candle tears silently streamed down the wall; within the red tent, spring was as deep as the sea.

After a long while, Li Yi gazed at Xuanji, who was fast asleep in his arms, his fingertips brushing against her slightly damp temples, his heart filled with an unprecedented sense of satisfaction. He was not unaware that this unconventional wedding would attract criticism, but he wanted all of Chang'an to know that the moon that had once hung in the clear sky had finally been embraced by him.

Morning light streamed through the carved window lattice, scattering tiny specks of gold across the bed. Xuanji awoke slowly in the warm embrace, her body still aching and the unfamiliar touch leaving her momentarily dazed.

She noticed the difference with the slightest movement.

Behind her was a warm, firm presence; rhythmic breathing gently brushed against the back of her neck, bringing a subtle tickle. An arm, carrying an undeniable weight, naturally rested across her waist, possessively encasing her in a warm and intimate embrace.

She had never...never before slept so intimately with someone, skin to skin, breath to breath. A torrent of memories from last night flooded her mind, making her cheeks burn and her heart race. She almost held her breath, afraid to move, lest she disturb the person still asleep behind her.

She moved forward very carefully and very slightly.

"Awake?" A low, hoarse laugh came from above, the vibration clearly transmitted through our pressed backs.

Xuanji's body stiffened slightly, like a child caught doing something wrong, her cheeks burning even hotter. "Mmm," she responded softly, her voice carrying a softness she herself didn't realize.

Li Yi tightened his arms, pulling her closer into his embrace, his chin gently brushing against the top of her fragrant hair. Li Yi lowered his head and captured her lips. "I still treasure that book, 'Jin Ping Chun,'" he whispered in her ear, his breath hot. "Next time, we'll explore its essence together."

Xuanji spat lightly, but he pulled her into an even tighter embrace.

As the morning light grows brighter, the room is filled with the warmth of spring.

The two lingered in bed for a while longer before Li Yi finally let Xuanji get up to wash and dress. Shiliu came in with a warm towel to serve her, carefully combing Xuanji's long hair with even gentler and more cautious movements than usual. Xuanji caught a glimpse of her absent-minded look in the mirror and assumed she was tired from working for him, saying gently, "You worked hard last night, go and rest." Shiliu hurriedly curtsied and whispered, "This servant is not tired." She fled as if escaping, and met Li Yi, who was about to leave, in the corridor. Her cheeks flushed, and she hurriedly lowered her head to avoid him. Li Yi's gaze swept over her reddened ears, but he did not stop walking; only a barely perceptible smile appeared on his lips.