Chapter 20 [20] Skin as white as snow, skin and bones are smooth

【20】/First release

Sima Jing naturally also saw the terrified expressions of the master and servant beside the couch, as if they had seen a ghost.

"Your servant greets His Royal Highness Prince Jing... Prince Jing..."

Qingling knelt down beside the couch, her whole body shaking like a sieve, and she wished she could bury her head in the floor tiles.

Yun Ran immediately climbed up from the couch, raised her hand to straighten the slightly disheveled lapel of her red shirt, and looked at the man beside the screen in disbelief: "Your Highness, why are you back again?"

again.

Sima Jing's eyes dimmed slightly. She really disliked him.

After a moment's silence, he walked into the crimson bedroom and said, "Tonight is our wedding night. Why can't I come?"

Yun Ran: “……!”

Wedding night!

He left and came back to spend his wedding night with her?!

Sima Jing glanced at the young woman on the couch, who looked as if she had been struck by lightning. She had removed her ostentatious fake hair and pearls, and her long black hair was flowing freely. Her face was also washed clean of makeup, revealing her true appearance.

Under the dim candlelight, her face was like a lotus bud, her cheeks were as red as a fresh litchi, and the crimson undergarment embroidered with twin lotus flowers made her skin look as white as snow and her bones look as radiant as ice.

This is much more pleasing to the eye.

Sima Jing lowered his eyes, walked to the other end of the couch and sat down, then spoke: "You leave."

Yun Ran was slightly startled. Who was leaving? Her? Okay, okay.

Qing Ling on the ground was one step ahead of her: "Yes, I will withdraw now."

As he said this, he stood up as if relieved. Seeing that his master was also turning over and getting out of bed, Qingling's pupils were shocked.

My dear, you are the bride, why are you retreating?

Yun Ran met Qing Ling's gaze and avoided it guiltily.

She also didn't want to stay with such a cold and taciturn weirdo.

Qingling gave her a take care look and turned to leave.

Soon there was a "click" sound of the door closing. Yun Ran looked at the man in red robe sitting not far away with mixed feelings.

Whatever, she is the bride today, so let it be.

She glanced at Sima Jing secretly again and again, but he didn't move or speak. Was he going to sit here all night?

Even though A'niang had specifically told her last night to "talk less and listen to King Jing," the two of them were now like wooden stakes, and the room was eerily quiet. Yun Ran really couldn't hold it in any longer.

"Your Highness, why don't you go take a shower and change your clothes first?"

Yun Ran felt that it was late at night, and according to common sense, he must wash up before going to bed.

When these words reached Sima Jing's ears, they took on another meaning.

He tilted his face slightly and looked into her dark eyes which were filled with a hint of careful flattery.

The last time we met in the bamboo forest, she still had her hair in a bun, her blue dress neat and elegant, holding a branch in her hand, still a bit childish. But now, with her black hair loose, her face thin and her waist slender, the soft curves vaguely outlined under her bright red undergarment, she exuded a completely different charm from last time, the charm of a young girl in her infancy.

The person in front of me is already tall and graceful. I cannot treat her as a child just because she is naive.

Sima Jing calmly shifted his gaze from her slightly slumped waist to her face: "You might be drinking?"

Yun Ran: "Drink? You can drink... Why, Your Highness, do you want to drink?"

Sima Jing said nothing, but walked to the mahogany table and picked up the gilded wine pot on the table.

He poured a cup first, held it to his nose and sniffed it for a moment before continuing to pour the second cup.

Seeing this, Yun Ran wondered, was he afraid that the wine was spoiled, or was he afraid that there was something in the wine?

But this is the royal palace, no one should be so bold as to add anything to the wine, right?

While she was daydreaming, the young man came over with two glasses of wine and handed her one.

Looking at the golden cup with pomegranate pattern handed to him, Yun Ran pursed his lips and took it: "Thank you, Your Highness."

She knew that newlyweds had to drink the wedding wine.

Just looking at this handsome but cold man, she didn't know whether she should get closer. What if he coldly told her not to come over? Wouldn't that be embarrassing?

While Yun Ran was struggling, Sima Jing raised his head and drank the wine in the glass in one gulp.

She was surprised: "Why did you drink it?"

Sima Jing looked at her: "Or?"

Yun Ran: “…”

Aren't wedding wine supposed to be shared hand in hand? Did the palace only send someone to teach the bride etiquette before the wedding, and not the groom?

She didn't understand, but he had already drunk it, so she didn't bother to think about it anymore and just raised her head and drank the one in her hand.

No one knew what kind of wine it was, but it smelled fresh and fragrant, and tasted smooth and spicy in the throat, making Yun Ran's face wrinkled up from the spicy taste.

Sima Jing watched coldly from the side, and suddenly remembered that he once fed a little snake with a piece of green tangerine.

The little snake licked it, and the next moment it was so sour that it was spinning in place.

He found it amusing at the time.

Just like now.

When Yun Ran recovered, Sima Jing had already put down the golden cup and said, "You rest. I'll go wash up."

Yun Ran looked at the bright red figure and mustered up the courage to ask, "Will you come back later?"

The man paused, then turned half his face away and gave her a sidelong glance: "What do you think?"

Yun Ran: “…”

If it is a blessing, it will not be a disaster; if it is a disaster, it cannot be avoided.

In the middle of the night, the candlelight sways gently and the moon is as bright as water.

Yun Ran has always had a good sleep quality. Normally, he would fall into a sound sleep as soon as his head touched the pillow.

But today, she lay on this spacious wedding bed that was big enough for four people, but she didn't feel sleepy at all.

In fact, she didn't dare to sleep. After all, she was going to sleep in the same bed with a strange man tonight. Who knew what would happen after she fell asleep.

She had no choice but to remain patient, waiting for the man to come back, while thinking about how to deal with it if she really had to have sexual intercourse tonight.

Logically speaking, she couldn't refuse. After all, they were married and had to do that.

What's more, the art of bedroom is also one of the three ways of health preservation. If it can be used properly, it can harmonize yin and yang, strengthen the body and prolong life.

But when she thought of King Jing's handsome and cold face, her heart trembled.

Why did you marry such a person?

Sima Jing intentionally stayed in the bathroom for some time, hoping that he would return to the room after the bride fell asleep so that he could have some peace of mind.

Unexpectedly, when he picked up the bright red embroidered curtain and entered, he saw the young lady sitting cross-legged on the large rosewood bed with carved dragons and phoenixes, making hand seals and muttering to herself.

Hearing the noise, she quickly closed her clothes and opened her bright eyes: "You're back."

Sima Jing was not good at getting along with people, let alone young women.

Seeing her looking at him like this, he hummed softly and asked, "Why haven't you slept yet?"

"I'm just waiting for you to come back. I didn't dare to sleep."

"...What were you doing just now?"

"I was just reciting the Treasured Edict of the Great Compassionate Heavenly Lord. Today is his birthday. I'm free anyway, so I might as well recite some sutras and cultivate my mind."

After a pause, Yun Ran looked up at him and said, "Your Highness, you should know that I have stayed in a Taoist temple before?"

Sima Jing: "Yeah."

Yun Ran felt relieved and suddenly asked, "Then Your Highness should also know my name, right?"

Sima Jing: “…”

What kind of image does he have in her eyes?

Seeing him remain silent, Yun Ran smiled awkwardly and said, "I'm afraid you're busy and have forgotten."

"But even if you forget, it's okay. It's the same if I tell you now."

"My name is Yun Ran, and I'm the fifth child in the family. People outside call me Lady Yun Wu, and everyone at home calls me Ran Ran. If Your Highness doesn't mind, you can call me Ran Ran in the future. Anyway...anyway, we're married now. My mother said that husband and wife are one, and once married, they're the closest people."

Yun Ran usually talks a lot because she is restless by nature and likes to chat and talk nonsense with others.

If she feels nervous, she will talk more.

For example, now, seeing Sima Jing silent, she began to grumble, "I know a lot about you, so you don't need to introduce yourself to me. Do you know Nanny Lan Gui? Yes, she's the old nanny who served the Empress Dowager. The day after the marriage was granted, the Empress Dowager sent her to my house, saying she was there to teach me the rules of the palace. Although she looks serious, she has a kind heart and she even told me a lot about you..."

Sima Jing looked at the rosy little mouth opening and closing, and found it hard to understand why she had so much to say.

Even if no one responds, she can still talk non-stop.

I don't know why, but he finds it annoying when others say a few extra words in his ear.

At this moment she was chattering, but she had the thought that he would see how long she could talk.

Realizing this, Sima Jing's heart skipped a beat.

He also pressed his eyebrows hard with two long fingers. He must have been confused by her noise.

"Okay."

He said in a calm voice, "Tonight you sleep on the inside and I'll sleep on the outside."

Yun Ran was stunned: "This...are we going to sleep now?"

"It's almost midnight."

Sima Jing sat down beside Long Fengxi's bed, raised his hand to take off his boots, and said indifferently: "If you really don't want to sleep, you can go out for a walk. No one will stop you."

When Yun Ran saw him get on the couch, he hurriedly moved closer and closer. Then he thought about what he had just said, and the corners of his mouth couldn't help but twitch.

This person is really rude. Can't he just talk nicely? Why is he so aggressive?

No matter what, sleeping in the same bed is inevitable.

The man pulled with his long arm, and the bright red wedding curtain for hundreds of children and grandchildren began to hang down from the gilded hook. The bed that seemed so spacious just now became cramped and small because of the addition of a tall man with long arms and legs.

In this dim and enclosed space, the smell, breath, and voice of another person are infinitely amplified and invisibly permeate the air.

Yun Ran was lying in the innermost part, staring at the ceiling with his eyes open. His heart was beating inexplicably fast, and he could smell a faint, bitter and cold medicinal fragrance at the tip of his nose.

This is the scent of the man next to me.

A strange, yet pleasant smell.

Not far away, two pillows away from the bed, Sima Jing was lying flat on his back, conscious.

Like Yun Ran, he could not help but smell the scent of another person in the tent.

It was the sandalwood scent commonly found in temples and Taoist temples. It was simple and unpretentious, yet mixed with a hint of light, soft and sweet fragrance.

These two completely different scents blend together on her body, forming a unique fragrance that is soft and not abrupt.

It doesn't smell bad.

Sima Jing's brows slowly relaxed as a clear voice suddenly rang out from within the tent: "Your Highness, are you wearing mugwort incense? Did you also add mint?"

It turns out she was also paying attention to the aroma.

Sima Jing was silent for a while, then he finally spoke: "It's not mint, it's borneol."

Yun Ran: "Ice flakes?"

Sima Jing: "...also called borneol."

Yun Ran suddenly realized: "So it's camphor, I thought so."

Sima Jing: "Hmm?"

It was rare for him to join in the conversation, so Yun Ran quickly said, "I was wondering why it smelled cool, yet also had a quiet, subtle fragrance that mint didn't have."

Sima Jing remained silent this time, but that didn't stop Yun Ran from continuing, "Camphorol isn't cheap; ordinary people can't afford it. Unlike mint, once you sow the seeds and water it, it'll quickly become lush and vibrant."

"We used to grow mint in the vegetable patch behind our Taoist temple. Every early summer, I'd pick some and make mint paste. It repelled mosquitoes and insects, and it also cooled and refreshed the mind. It was truly a wonderful thing. However, no matter how good the mint was, its fragrance couldn't compare to that of camphor."

“…”

"Your Highness should have heard that both Buddhism and Taoism burn incense to worship Buddha, right? For example, during Buddhism's Buddha Bathing Festival and our Daoist ceremonies, we all burn borneol. Besides borneol, there's also frankincense, cloves, agarwood, and tulips... These incense sticks aren't cheap, and only the great temples can afford them, burning them by the pound. At the small temple I used to stay in, at most they'd burn two incense sticks for the birthdays of Yuanshi Tianzun, Taishang Laojun, and a few other ancestors..."

“…”

The tip of her nose once again smelled the man's deep and pleasant fragrance, and Yun Ran couldn't help but sigh: "It's good to have money. You can buy any incense you want. On the second day after I arrived in Chang'an, my sisters-in-law took me to the incense shop in the West Market. There were so many incense there, all kinds of them. I sniffed them all and my nose became numb..."

Speaking of this, she suddenly remembered that she had met a rogue who claimed to be a servant of Prince Jing's Palace.

Just as I was about to ask him if there really was such a person, I heard the man say, "Shut up and go to sleep."

Yun Ran: “……?”

She turned her head and looked outside.

The bright candlelight outside the room shone through the large red bed curtains, leaving only a layer of dim red light. The man's face was blurry, and only his deep brow bones and tall, straight nose bridge could be vaguely seen.

Okay, maybe she really was being secretive, but...

"Your Highness, why do you have to speak like this?"

Yun Ran frowned slightly, her face serious: "I didn't provoke you, nor did I provoke you, let alone offend you."

"Come to think of it, when we met in the bamboo forest that time, I found your little snake, which was considered a favor to you. I don't ask for anything in return, but at least you can be a little friendly."

"For example, just now, if you were sleepy and wanted to rest, you could have told me—"

Yun Ran cleared his throat and deliberately lowered his voice to imitate Sima Jing: "Ran Ran, it's late at night. I want to rest. Can we talk about it another day?"

"I'm not the kind of person who's unreasonable. If you said that, I would definitely keep quiet and sleep peacefully. But why are you..."

Yun Ran bit her lip, carefully choosing her words, and then muttered, "Why do you have to say such harsh words?"

Didn't anyone teach him to speak nicely, be friendly and polite when he was a child?

After a lot of words came out of his heart, the dark tent fell into a long silence.

It was so quiet that we could only hear each other's breathing.

One was slightly tense and restrained, while the other was heavy and slow.

After Yun Ran finished saying all that, he realized it belatedly and felt regretful.

Maybe it was because Sima Jing pulled her up when she was about to fall, and because the two of them were lying on the bed chatting harmoniously, she subconsciously relaxed her guard, forgetting that he was known by the world as a cold and cruel person with a bad temper, and that he even kept thousands of poisonous snakes, scorpions, and centipedes in his backyard as the "living devil."

She was also floating.

How dare he teach him how to do things without any shame.

What if he gets angry and lets the snake bite her?

Thinking of this possibility, Yun Ran's tailbone went numb, and he immediately softened his tone: "Your Highness... Your Highness, actually, that's not what I meant just now. I..."

"It's late, I want to rest now. We can talk another day."

Suddenly, the man's cold voice rang out again from within the tent, but this time there was a hint of awkwardness in it: "Is it okay?"

Yun Ran was stunned.

The next moment, she quickly responded, "Yes, yes, of course!"

"Well, shut up then."

“…”

The tent finally became quiet again.

Yun Ran stared at the dark tent ceiling with mixed feelings.

This man is really...really...

After thinking for a long time, she couldn't find the right words to express her feelings at the moment.

In the end, he didn't bother to think about whether the scoundrel he met in the West Market was from Prince Jing's Mansion, or whether he could perform the Zhougong ceremony tonight. He just closed his eyes tightly, wrapped himself tightly in the quilt, and turned over to face inwards.

Screw your wedding night!

sleep!

**

The next morning, the light was dim, and the dragon and phoenix wedding candles were still burning, but the candlestick was covered with a thick layer of wax.

Sima Jing slowly opened his eyes. The light between the curtains was dim, but it was filled with a strange and sweet fragrance.

He was stunned for two breaths before he came to his senses and looked towards the bed.

There's one more person there.

A young lady.

She was also his new bride, married with the formal ceremony of three letters and six ceremonies.

Although they shared a bed last night, they each had their own quilt and did not disturb each other.

Looking over now, the young lady who had been chattering non-stop last night was wrapped tightly in the quilt, with only her head with messy black hair showing. She looked like a crimson butterfly that had just emerged from its cocoon halfway and felt tired, so she simply lay down and took a nap.

Sima Jing stared at the "cocoon" and thought of her muffled groaning before going to bed last night.

She must be a little angry.

But after a while, the humming sound turned into a slight snoring sound.

The speed at which he fell asleep was beyond his imagination.

Perhaps, this is what the Queen Mother meant by being open-minded?

After watching in silence for a moment, Sima Jing stood up, threw off the quilt and got out of bed.

When leaving, his eyes were attracted by a white handkerchief placed on the table at the side.

Although he had never experienced the pleasures of love, he knew the purpose of this pure white silk handkerchief.

After the newlyweds leave the house, the servant who makes the bed will hand the handkerchief to the female elders in the house to show the bride's chastity and that the ceremony is complete.

Sima Jing looked down on this thing.

but……

He lifted his eyelids and looked at the sleeping body in the tent.

In the dim and hazy morning light, the face hidden in the black hair was white with a hint of pink, as if she had had a sweet dream. Her two curved dark eyebrows were also relaxed, revealing a childishness that was ignorant of the world.

That's all.

Sima Jing let out a deep breath, turned around and picked up the white handkerchief.

He brought the tip of his index finger to his lips, bit it expressionlessly, and dripped a few drops onto the handkerchief.

The bright red blood quickly spread on the white handkerchief, forming red spots.

Seeing that it was almost done, he sucked his fingertips lightly, threw the handkerchief back onto the sandalwood tray, and turned to leave.

-

Yun Ran woke up not long after Sima Jing left.

When Qing Ling was called in to ask, it was already noon. Yun Ran was shocked: "I actually slept until noon!"

You should know that her daily routine has always been very stable. Except when it is too cold in winter, she rarely oversleeps.

Qing Ling comforted her, "Don't worry, my lady. His Highness specifically instructed us to wake you up before the hour of Si when he left."

"I must have been too tired yesterday, so I overslept today."

Yun Ran raised his hand and scratched his hair. Although he was still a little depressed, he thought that there were still many things to do today, so he didn't waste time on things that were beyond redemption. He lifted the quilt and rolled out of bed.

Qing Ling immediately took a deep breath and hurried to help her: "Madam, go slowly. This is your first time, so you need to be careful."

"It's okay. I slept well last night."

Yun Ran pushed Qing Ling's hand away, not needing her support at all. He put on his clothes and shoes, walked straight to the table and poured a large cup of tea.

Qingling looked at her young lady, who was as light as a swallow and walked briskly, with a look of surprise on her face.

Yesterday, Nanny Zhou, who had married with her at the Marquis's Mansion, had specifically told her that it would be painful for a woman to have her first orgasm, and some would have difficulty walking the next day, so she had to take good care of the young lady and help her walk. But this lady...

Yun Ran gulped down three cups of tea before realizing that he might have talked too much last night, otherwise he wouldn't be so thirsty so early in the morning.

After drinking enough water, she put down the teacup contentedly. When she looked up, she saw Qingling looking as if she wanted to say something but hesitated.

"What's wrong?" She walked over.

"Madam, you..."

Qingling was still a virgin, and her face became red when she mentioned this. She couldn't help but move forward and lowered her voice: "Don't you feel any pain?"

"Hurt? Where does it hurt? Neck?"

Yun Ran raised his hand and pressed his neck, then smiled and said, "It still hurt a little last night, but you massaged it for me, and I slept well, so it doesn't hurt anymore."

Qing Ling: “…”

What the hell is going on.

Before he could ask more, Yun Ran had already walked out: "I got up late today. I need to practice quickly, otherwise I will be late for the palace to pay my respects, which would be terrible."

Yun Ran did not forget the important matter.

Nanny Lan Gui told her that on the second day of the wedding, according to the rules, she had to go to the palace with Prince Jing to pay homage to the Queen Mother, the Emperor and the Empress. In the afternoon, she had to go to the royal ancestral temple to burn incense to the ancestors of the Sima family. Only then would she be officially considered as Sima's daughter-in-law.

Seeing that her young lady had already gathered her energy into her dantian and was practicing horse stance firmly, Qingling glanced at the bridal veils stacked on the tray and frowned slightly.

Could it be that it’s because I practice martial arts and boxing every day that it has no impact at all?

If this is true, Tai Chi is really a good thing.

It was a beautiful autumn day with clear blue skies and crisp air.

Before Yun Ran met the Queen Mother, the veil in the bridal chamber was first delivered to Queen Mother Zhao.

After waiting for a whole night, what she got was a handkerchief with such a crude trick. Queen Dowager Zhao was so angry that she laughed.

Nanny Lan Gui's face also looked somewhat grim. She watched the Queen Mother's expression, fearing that she would vent her anger on the young lady, so she whispered, "Don't be angry, Your Majesty. This is only the first night. As long as the Princess is safe and healthy, and you and His Highness spend every day together in the mansion, and they are both in their prime and full of energy, sooner or later it will be possible."

"I'm not angry. I'm not angry."

Queen Mother Zhao picked up the wrinkle-free white handkerchief, looked at the clear bloodstains on the edge, and chuckled, "Lan Gui, tell me, whose blood is this?"

Aunt Lan Gui glanced at him and hesitated, not daring to answer.

"You, you become more cautious as you get older."

Queen Mother Zhao sighed and laughed, then put back her handkerchief and slowly smoothed her emerald blue sleeves. "How about I make a bet with you?"

"Well, let's make a bet. Whose idea was this? King Jing's or the bride's?"

“…”

Nanny Lan Gui would never dare to gamble on matters involving her masters' inner secrets.

However, she had been with Queen Mother Zhao for many years, and she could see that the Queen Mother was not angry about this matter. On the contrary, she was quite happy?

At this time, the eunuch's voice came from outside the flower hall: "Empress Dowager, His Royal Highness Prince Jing and His Royal Highness the Princess have come to pay their respects to you."

"Okay, let them in."

Queen Mother Zhao sat up straight, raised her hand to adjust the red gold hairpin with a South Pearl on her temple, and gave a look to Nanny Lan Gui.

Nanny Lan Gui understood and immediately went to the back hall with the tray containing the bridal veil.

Soon, Sima Jing and Yun Ran walked in.

Looking at the newlywed couple walking in side by side, Queen Dowager Zhao smiled.

The husband has the appearance of a dragon and the figure of a phoenix, and the bride has the beauty of a flower and is graceful.

They are truly a match made in heaven.

As the two approached and bowed in greeting, the bride lifted her silk sleeves, revealing her delicate, flawless hands. But the groom clenched his fist and shielded her with his palm.

The smile in Queen Mother Zhao's eyes deepened.

Look, there is no better child than a mother.

She said he would like it.

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The author has something to say: Here it comes~ The little red envelopes continue to drop [kiss]