Chapter 58 "It's absolutely essential..."

Firecrackers crackled, laughter filled the air, and time flew by; the first day of the second lunar month arrived in the blink of an eye.

Seeing Qian Lanting hugging a hand warmer and shivering from the cold every day, Qian Yingyi also felt a chill. When Min Qin pulled her out of bed early in the morning, she was quite unhappy and stubbornly lay down, muttering, "Oh, Mother, let me sleep a little longer, let me sleep a little longer."

Yan Qiuyan and Yingniang arrived in the capital two days ago. Last night, along with Chuntang, Xialing, Qian Yuxing, and Ren Yuqing, six or seven girls chatted quietly until late into the night.

Asking Qian Yingyi to get up before dawn is indeed a bit difficult.

Normally, Minqin would have let her sleep, but on this joyous occasion, how could she? So Minqin lifted the curtain and hung it on the silver hook, saying in a cool tone, "Then you sleep. If the return gift doesn't come through, don't blame your mother for not reminding you."

Qian Yingyi jumped out of bed with a thud, grinning, "I'm up! I'm up!"

The Qian family's third young lady was getting married, and the entire Qian household was bustling with excitement. The maids and servants were all dressed up in their finest and most festive attire, carrying baskets of wedding candy and coins as they went outside, telling everyone they met, "Today is our third young lady's wedding! She's marrying Commander Qin! Please be kind to her and say a few auspicious words!"

Outside, it was bustling with activity, and inside, several skirts swirled and turned. Qian Yingyi, dressed in a bright red embroidered robe with a round neck and a phoenix crown, sat gracefully in front of the mirror as the makeup artist applied her makeup. By this time, she had already woken up and looked at Yan Qiuyan through the lens with a grin, "Yanyan, do you think it would be so nice if Lan...Afeng were here too?"

Yan Qiuyan blinked, raised her eyebrows slightly, smiled with her lower lip pursed, and instead of answering her question, she took out a small square box and placed it in her palm. "This is a wedding gift. I had it made. You must accept it."

Qian Yingyi flicked open the hidden clasp with her fingertips, glanced down, and immediately opened her mouth in surprise, "No wonder it's so heavy, such a big golden sparrow, you really have the heart to part with it."

“Of course,” Yan Qiuyan whispered in her ear with a smile, “Hmm… Your makeup is different from Jinling’s, I’m not used to it, but you’re beautiful, and this makeup suits you. As for you, why would I be reluctant to give it to you? Just keep it, I still have a lot of money in my purse… Ah Feng didn’t come, but remember, when no one’s around, take a look at the bottom of the box.”

The last sentence was spoken in a low voice, so soft that only Qian Yingyi could hear it. Qian Yingyi's eyes trembled slightly. She and Yan Qiuyan exchanged glances through the bronze mirror. After a long while, she smiled lightly and said, "I accept your kindness."

At this moment, Yingniang rushed in from outside, bringing a gust of wind and causing a fold in her skirt. She laughed and said, "Coming, coming! I heard the commotion outside!"

Sure enough, the next moment a deafening sound of firecrackers echoed through the sky. Qian Yingyi couldn't help but look back at her friends. Perhaps a little nervous, she took a deep breath and then managed a fairly dignified smile, which was then concealed by the gold-threaded veil.

The snow in the alley had already been cleared away. A wedding procession rode in from afar, led by imperial guards. The guards were all wearing silk, and as they rode, the groom on horseback gradually came into view.

Qin Lizheng wore a bright red round-necked robe with leopard-print patches on the front and back, a bright red brocade sash draped diagonally, a leather belt around his waist, and a pair of black leather boots over his straight calves. He wore a black gauze hat with a gold flower on each side, looking extremely handsome with a wild and unrestrained smile.

Colorful decorations covered the alley. Led by Yu Cheng, followed by Qian Linye and Xiao Daimao, the three of them symbolically blocked Qin Lizheng's way, and Qin Lizheng entered the Qian residence with ease.

In the front hall of the Qian residence, relatives who had come to see the bride off stood in large numbers. As soon as Qian Jinnian and Min Qin uttered their tearful words of admonition, Qian Yingyi's shoulders trembled slightly.

She noticed that her grandfather hadn't said much, and she knew that he was filled with reluctance and must be secretly wiping away tears where she couldn't see him. It took her a while to calm down. She quietly said goodbye to her parents and then climbed onto Qian Linye's back.

When she was little, she used to play on her brother's back. So many years have passed in the blink of an eye. When she climbed on his back again, she was already married.

Qian Linye led her step by step, slowly and steadily, his voice filled with reluctance, repeatedly admonishing her: "Even if you like him a lot, when you get along with him in the future, when you spend your whole life with him, you have to be careful. Don't be silly and just do whatever he says. Keep the power in your own hands, understand?"

Qian Yingyi sobbed softly, "I understand."

Before long, Qian Yingyi was put down by Qian Linye. She could only vaguely see a patch of bright red on the ground outside. Then a whiff of mint swept over her, and she saw a pair of black boots. Immediately afterward, her hand was taken and she was led into the bridal sedan chair by the person who came.

Wherever the wedding procession went, firecrackers and confetti rained down, and the whole capital knew that the Qin and Qian families were getting married today. People followed along, saying auspicious words like "May you be of one heart forever," and walking a few steps with the bridal sedan chair, creating a lively atmosphere.

When the sedan chair stopped, Qian Yingyi overheard Qin Lizheng talking to the matchmaker outside, probably about how the bride's feet never touched the ground.

Qian Yingyi was pondering how to deal with the situation when the sedan curtain was suddenly lifted, and a cold wind carrying his scent swept in. Before she could even cry out, she was pulled into his arms.

Then came his smiling voice, "Then carry him inside."

When Granny Xi hurriedly followed behind, reminding him that he could put her down, Qin Lizheng finally helped Qian Yingyi stand still, stuffed a piece of wedding silk into her hand, and held the other end himself. Amidst the commotion, he whispered, "Qian Yingyi, I said I would hold your hand and become my bond."

Perhaps because she hadn't seen him before the wedding, Qian Yingyi's heart fluttered for a long time upon hearing those words. He said she was his burden; it turned out they had finally reached this point.

Even after the ceremony was completed and she was led to the bridal chamber, she was still in a daze. It was only when Ye Wei, Qin Liran's future wife, reminded her that the wedding ceremony was about to begin that Qian Yingyi tightly gripped the wedding silk, revealing a hint of nervousness.

Instead, there was the sound of Qin Lizheng pouring wine. A cup of wine was placed into her palm, and the steady hand, as always, lifted her arm, wrapped around her elbow, and drank the wine together, symbolizing a match made in heaven.

What followed was a series of elaborate wedding ceremonies, including cutting hair to symbolize unity and exchanging auspicious words. When the bridal chamber quieted down again, only Qian Yingyi remained in the room.

She breathed a slight sigh of relief, then secretly lifted a corner of her veil. Seeing that no one was there, she snatched the veil away, leaned against the bedpost, and let out a sigh, "Heavens above, getting married is so tiring."

After sitting quietly for a moment, she looked around the new house.

This house is not the Qin residence.

After the Lantern Festival, the Emperor urgently summoned Qin Lizheng to the palace once. She was startled at the time, thinking that the Emperor had assigned Qin Lizheng some task to do. But it turned out that the Emperor had bestowed a new house upon him. One reason was that it was to reward him for his good work in arresting a group of corrupt officials. Another reason was that the house was just to celebrate his new marriage.

Therefore, the two families hurriedly made changes and decorated the new house.

Qian Yingyi smiled and walked around the new house twice by herself. Thinking that this place would be her and his little home in the future, she couldn't hide her joy and sat at the table smiling for half a day.

After the initial joy, she felt tired again, as she hadn't slept enough the night before. Her eyelids grew heavier and heavier. Thinking that today was her big day, Qian Yingyi hurriedly went back to the bedside and sat down, haphazardly putting the veil over her head. The next moment, she leaned against the bedpost and drifted off to sleep.

When Qin Lizheng gently pushed the door open and came in, she smelled a little of alcohol and was carrying a food box. A quick glance revealed that she was asleep, sitting in a crooked position.

Qin Lizheng couldn't help but smile, put down the food box, and walked quietly towards her. He knelt down in front of the bed, tilting his head to look at her sleeping face.

After a moment, he called softly, "My wife."

Qian Yingyi seemed to sense something, and just like when they first met, she waved her hand irritably without even opening her eyes, and said, "Go away."

Qin Lizheng raised an eyebrow slightly, spread his arms and rested them on the couch, encircling her. Without saying a word, he kissed her lips through the veil. The room was filled with red light, making the kiss all the more enchanting. Qian Yingyi was having trouble breathing and finally pushed him away, her eyes under the veil snapping open.

She caught her breath for a moment, then looked down and saw a pair of leather boots. Her heart skipped a beat, and she quickly cleared her throat, saying, "You...you're back."

Qin Lizheng's eyes were filled with laughter as he got up to find the scale rod. He gently lifted her veil, taking in her slightly shy, beautiful face. Instead of calling her "wife," he changed his usual tone and said, "my darling."

Qian Yingyi's heart leaped into her throat, her bones went weak, and she even quietly tucked her red satin shoes into her skirt. She lowered her gaze and whispered, "What are you doing? Who gave you permission to shout like that?"

“I called you earlier, but you didn’t answer,” Qin Lizheng said, helping her to her feet. His voice was incredibly gentle. “Then you can’t blame me for calling out to you randomly.”

Are you hungry? I brought you some food.

He led Qian Yingyi to the table and sat her down. Just as she peered into the food box, he took off the phoenix crown from her head.

Qin Lizheng weighed it in his hand with a hint of surprise, "It's quite heavy."

"You're only finding out now?" Qian Yingyi shook her head, her earring lightly hitting her face, the beads making a crisp sound. "I wanted to take it off earlier, but after thinking about it, I decided it would be better to wait until I saw you before taking it off, so I just endured it."

Qin Lizheng didn't speak, but placed the food in front of her and then gently massaged her shoulders and neck. "You must be tired. Eat first."

Qian Yingyi felt a sweet warmth in her heart. She happily ate half of what she had eaten, gently patted her soft belly, and, hearing the commotion outside, asked, "You came right away? They didn't even try to stop you?"

"Who dares to keep me here?" Qin Lizheng gently grasped her chin, watching her long, thick eyelashes brush against his heart like feathers, and smiled. "Are you full? Take a rest. Have you looked at the layout of this house?"

Qian Yingyi nodded slightly. "I've seen it. It's a huge pool."

"The hot water inside is brought in through a clever mechanism; it's replaced after each use," Qin Lizheng said, admiring her makeup for a long while before praising, "How did I end up marrying such a celestial being?"

Qian Yingyi giggled and dodged away, now completely relaxed. She took his arm and started talking, "Hey, I was a little uncomfortable listening to Miss Ye speak earlier. Do you think I should call her sister-in-law later, or..."

Qin Lizheng thought about it carefully, "After my brother passed away, she was unwilling to remarry. In the years that I was away from home, she often came to keep my parents company. My parents simply recognized her as their goddaughter. Although she did not marry my brother, she is considered family to our family. She is called... Sister?"

Qian Yingyi fluttered her thick eyelashes and muttered, "I can't look at people through the veil today, so tell me first, how many relatives do you have?"

"What are you thinking about?" Qin Lizheng chuckled and gently poked her forehead. "My parents said we'll live separately, and we don't need to worry about those relatives. It doesn't matter whether you recognize them or not. You're my wife now. What, as the wife of the Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, do you have to sit at home waiting for someone to come and talk to you?"

Hearing this, Qian Yingyi became even more smug and nodded happily, "That makes some sense. Then I'll just stop caring about anything and leave the household affairs to Xia Ling. She was rubbing her hands together last night, saying she wanted to be 'Lord Xia'."

Gradually, Qian Yingyi started talking again, whispering to Qin Lizheng for a while. When she got tired of talking, she gently pushed him away, a faint blush rising under her eyelids, and asked, "Do you want to go wash first, or should I go first?"

Qin Lizheng had been waiting for her to speak. He hadn't been in a hurry at first because he was worried that she hadn't recovered from her exhaustion. But as soon as she finished speaking, he kissed her lips with a hint of urgency, then picked her up and lifted her up in his arms. His breathing grew heavier as he said, "Together."

The warm, moist air wafted from the bathhouse, and as it poured into the tent, some movements seemed to become uncontrollable.

Qian Yingyi held his hair in her hands, and the sound of it being wet and the feeling of it being crushed were like a ball of fire.

She gazed vaguely at the blazing wedding candles, feeling as if she were a light, solitary sail, ignited by a single spark, her nerves and blood boiling.

As their lips intertwined, a strand of saliva appeared, and only at this moment did she seem to understand that he had been somewhat restrained earlier.

Qin Lizheng seemed determined to set her on fire, his kisses lingering on her ear, gently licking the soft flesh of her neck, slowly eliciting her incoherent moans.

"Ah Zheng..." Qian Yingyi couldn't bear the itch in her heart any longer and hugged him anxiously, "I...I'm ready..."

"No rush, wait a little longer," Qin Lizheng lowered his eyes to the beads of sweat on her temples, bent down and swept them away, lifting her chin with his thumb and forefinger, coaxing her softly, "A-Zheng? Not planning to change your mind?"

Qian Yingyi was nearly captivated by his other hand, which was also busy. She suddenly reached out to stop him, and with a touch of awkwardness, blurted out, "Husband...my lord..."

Qin Lizheng casually smeared the affection in her palm, held it, and kissed it, his eyes burning as if he wanted to devour it all at any moment.

"Are you very tired today?" He suddenly gently hooked her knees and pressed them lightly, his warm palms relieving her soreness. "Does this feel good?"

Qian Yingyi turned her face away from his gaze, but he kissed her back, forcing her to look him in the eye. "Hmm?"

“...It’s...it’s alright...Ah Zheng…” Qian Yingyi was finding it hard to bear this torment and leaned closer. “Can you be serious for once?”

A few drops of sweat slid down Qin Lizheng's chin and landed on her collarbone.

Perhaps because he had spent several years in the mountains and fields, Qin Lizheng knew that when hunting, one must repeatedly make the prey relax. Therefore, he lowered his eyes and stared at her, slowly and tentatively offering his hand, carefully observing whether there was fear or repulsion in her wet eyes.

He cupped her face in his large, warm hands, his voice incredibly gentle, and murmured, "My dear Yingyi...my wife..."

He desired her tension and relaxation under the intense heat more than the process of hunting.

Qin Lizheng gently wiped away her sweat with tenderness. When everything was almost perfect, he closed his eyes and pressed a barrage of kisses against her, feeling her trembling excitement, binding them together completely and seamlessly.

Qian Yingyi took a deep breath, her expression somewhat unfocused, and even her arms were covered in a thin layer of sweat.

To be honest, she had always considered herself to have a pretty big appetite, but now she felt a bit too full. It was at this moment that she began to regret forgetting the booklet her sister had given her.

After a moment of frozen stillness, enduring the intense spasms, Qian Yingyi regained her composure. Her bound body gradually relaxed, and with a trembling voice, she subconsciously closed her eyes gently, "A-Zheng..."

No one answered; only a burning passion fueled by excitement answered her. Qin Lizheng's brow was damp with sweat as he leaned down to kiss her, tentatively pushing her towards the raging waves—

The wedding candles have burned out, the night is still long, and in this time of harmonious union, only tender moments bear witness to a love that will last until death.

After the New Year, the days were sunny and clear, the remaining snow melted during the day and accumulated again at night.

After her marriage, Qian Yingyi always had to pay respects to her parents-in-law and also had to return to her parents' home. After a busy period of time, on the tenth day of the second lunar month, she put her hair in a loose bun, picked a flower and tucked it behind her ear, and happily took Xia Ling outside.

Just as she was turning out of the large garden, she suddenly bumped into Qin Lizheng, who was buying food for her from outside.

Qin Lizheng lazily crossed his arms and stood in front of her, leaning down to glance at the flower behind her hair, raising an eyebrow slightly, "Your face is plain, yet you still know to adorn yourself with flowers. My wife, where are you going?"

Qian Yingyi scolded him repeatedly, her eyes darting around a few times. Seeing that no one was around, she tiptoed and whispered in his ear, "I'm planning to go see someone behind your back."

"Backing my back?" Qin Lizheng wrapped his arm around her waist and lightly bit her chin, feigning fierceness. "Who are you seeing? Hmm?"

Qian Yingyi giggled and backed away, "Don't be silly, we just happened to run into each other, are you coming or not?"

Xia Ling kept her eyes down and said, "Madam, there are still a lot of servants in the mansion who need to be disciplined. Why don't you go and give them your orders?"

Qian Yingyi asked in surprise, "When did you become so busy?"

"Busy? What do you mean by busy?" Qin Lizheng glanced approvingly at Xia Ling, then put his arm around Qian Yingyi's shoulder and led her outside, handing her the chestnut cake he had bought. "Tell me, who are you going to see?"

Qian Yingyi gave a mysterious smile, keeping everyone in suspense, "I won't tell you, you'll find out when you get there."

So the carriage traveled around the city for half a day, finally exiting through Xizhimen and stopping in front of an inconspicuous inn outside the city. The sky was clear, and a person had been waiting under a tree for a long time. He wore a headscarf, a lake-green robe, and a cloak, and when he turned around, he had a pretty face.

Upon seeing his true appearance, Qin Lizheng suddenly raised his eyebrows.

Ning Feng chuckled and opened his arms to Qian Yingyi, "It's been a long time, Yingyi."

With tears welling up in her eyes, Qian Yingyi ran towards her with all her might, hugged her tightly, and said in a sob, "Do you know how much I missed you! You didn't even come to my wedding!"

"You're a wife now, why are you still crying?" Ning Feng couldn't help but chuckle, but his eyes were also a little moist. He hugged Qian Yingyi tightly for a moment before saying, "Under the emperor's nose, how could I dare to show myself in public? I had just settled down in the west when I heard about the arrest of those criminal officials. I secretly guessed that your good news was coming soon. If you couldn't see me, you would probably cry your eyes out."

"I risked my life to rush back to Jinling to see Yanyan and learn about your wedding date. Didn't you see the letter I tucked in the box? You know I was watching your wedding from the shadows, so what's there to cry about?"

"Don't portray me like a crybaby," Qian Yingyi said, clinging to Ning Feng tightly. "I miss you so much."

"Yingyi, I miss you too."

Ning Feng, now exuding an air of enlightenment, reached into his robes and pulled out a brocade box, handing it to Qian Yingyi. "Take this; it's a wedding gift for you."

Qian Yingyi looked around and tried to pull Ning Feng into the inn, saying, "Let's not stand here and attract attention, let's go inside and talk."

Ning Feng chuckled and stopped her haste, saying gently, "Now that I've seen you, I should leave. I shouldn't stay in a place like the capital any longer. You must take good care of yourself from now on, understand? Like I said, life is long, and we'll have a chance to meet again."

"You're leaving already?" Qian Yingyi asked in astonishment, tears welling in her eyes, watching as she untied the reins and mounted the horse. She couldn't help but ask, "Not even an hour longer?"

Ning Feng laughed heartily, bent down and touched her face, "What's that saying again? Yingyi, see you again in the martial world." Then he nodded to Qin Lizheng from afar and rode away alone.

Only when her figure gradually disappeared into the white snow did Qian Yingyi look away in a daze. She pondered for a moment and then understood. So she wiped away her tears and ran towards Qin Lizheng with a light heart, "Let's go, let's go back too."

Qin Lizheng leaned down to examine her face, and couldn't help but ask, "I thought you were going to be sad for a long time, why did you suddenly stop crying?"

Qian Yingyi climbed into the carriage, relaxed against the side, and shook the contents of the brocade box. After a moment, she opened the box, smiled, and took out the contents, spreading them out in front of Qin Lizheng. When she saw what it was, she smiled with relief, “It’s a mountain sparrow that only exists in the Western Region. Ah Feng is good at painting and painted it for me.”

As she spoke, she tilted her head and leaned against Qin Lizheng's shoulder, pointing to the painting, "Look, the feathers are black and white mixed together. Ah Feng used to love reading poetry and books at home and had seen many descriptions in books, but she never had the chance to see them. This time is a great opportunity, and it unexpectedly fulfilled her wish."

“She had told me about this titmouse before. In the West, it symbolizes freedom. She gave me this to tell me that she was already free and unrestrained, and also to tell me that even if I got married, I still had the right to give myself freedom, and that no one should try to bind me with those complicated shackles.”

She sighed and laughed, "I never expected that among the three of us—Yanyan, Afeng, and me—Afeng would be the most carefree."

Qin Lizheng lowered his eyes to look at the titmouse in the painting, then smiled and said, "She's right, you have the right to freedom."

Qian Yingyi folded the drawing paper and put it back in the brocade box. With a smile, she lifted the carriage curtain and, thinking of his trip to the palace yesterday, asked, "What did the Emperor summon you to the palace for yesterday?"

Qin Lizheng held up the carriage curtain for her and said, "The Empress wants to send a group of palace maids out of the palace. The Empress is kind-hearted and thinks about how the palace maids waste their years in the palace. So she asked me, through the Emperor, who are the ones who are of low social standing but are of marriageable age."

"One day, you'll be able to play matchmaker?" Qian Yingyi chuckled and poked his arm, laughing, "Take me to see too. I'm good at judging men. I can tell at a glance which men are reliable and which are not."

Qin Lizheng raised an eyebrow, turned around and gazed at her, "That's practically taking on a task for me in disguise. If you do well, before you know it, the Empress might invite you to the palace as a lady-in-waiting or something..."

"Stop." Qian Yingyi quickly covered his mouth, her eyes filled with laughter. "You should handle this kind of work yourself. I just want to be relaxed and carefree, not a female official."

Qin Lizheng let out a soft "Mmm" as she covered his mouth, then smiled and gently nodded his chin.

Qian Yingyi withdrew her hand, raising her chin with a hint of smugness. Just then, the carriage passed under the city gate. She craned her head to look outside, and after a while, she let out a carefree smile, her eyes sparkling with light. "The Little Red Bean of Jinling is gone, but there can be Little Red Bean of the Capital, Little Green Bean, Little Golden Bean. I have so much to do."

“You’re right, you have your own life,” Qin Lizheng smiled, holding her shoulder, “but you can’t do without me in that life.”

Qian Yingyi turned around and met his gaze. Suddenly, just like when they first met, she smiled and asked, "Do you want me to take you home?"

The carriage gradually faded from the bustling city, its axles rumbling as it rolled over the remaining snow. A faint "Good!" could be heard, followed by cheerful laughter. Frozen willow catkins shook off some ice crystals, as if everything was about to be revived, that swallows and sparrows would return, and that they would nestle together through spring and winter, until eternity.

—The End—

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

Author's Note: The story is now complete!!!

Thank you all! [kiss]

The story of parallel worlds continues

After much thought, I realized that writing about how the two people met and fell in love, and then starting a whole new side story about childhood sweethearts, would feel a bit strange. So, I'll end it here. ^ ^