Chapter 2: "We are now married. What do you think I should be called?"
A tear trembled and fell right under Xiao Xu's eyelids, flashing for a moment in his eyes before disappearing.
Xiao Xu looked at Yun Sheng's tearful face expressionlessly, not surprised that she would be emotionally affected by such a change.
He stood silently before the bed for a moment, his superior posture revealing a sense of oppression, which seemed to be the culprit that made her unable to stop crying.
So he took half a step back and removed the shadow cast on her face.
Their eyes met again, and Yun Sheng's eyelashes trembled. She hurriedly raised her hand to wipe away her tears.
"Don't apply it."
Xiao Xu turned to the side, opened a drawer, took out a dark handkerchief, and handed it to her: "Use this to wipe yourself."
Xiao Xu's reaction to his newlywed wife, who had just completed the wedding ceremony, sitting on the wedding bed crying with tears streaming down her face, was unusually calm.
However, this marriage was illogical to begin with, and he felt nothing as he watched the tears rolling down the girl's cheeks.
It should be completely uneventful.
After Yun Sheng blankly accepted the handkerchief, he turned away and looked away.
Holding the handkerchief, Yun Sheng realized that she had been holding back for so long just to avoid smudging her makeup. If she had raised her hand to wipe it off just now, her face would have been covered in patches of red and white powder.
Or is it already completely mottled?
Wouldn't that be incredibly ugly?
She resisted the urge to leave the wedding bed to check herself in the bronze mirror, but she felt even more wronged. She couldn't wipe away her tears, so she didn't even say thank you. She just covered her eyes with a handkerchief and gently dabbed them back and forth.
Finally, the tears stopped, and my vision cleared up.
Yun Sheng didn't have time to look around the unfamiliar room; the man nearby drew all her attention.
The candlelight outlined his tall figure behind him, casting his silhouette on the red carpet-covered ground.
This is her future husband, her fiancé's elder brother.
A strange man.
Her eyes seemed to be stinging again. Yun Sheng pursed her lips and quietly observed him.
He was even taller than she had imagined; just sitting and looking at him, she felt that she couldn't even reach his shoulder height.
The hazy memories overlapped with the real face before my eyes.
He was refined and handsome, with an otherworldly and elegant demeanor. Just as the rumors said, he easily attracted people's attention, yet they were afraid to look directly at him.
Only the red robe adorned with a pheasant holding a pearl softened his aloof demeanor, making him slightly different from the impression I remembered.
More vibrant, more dazzling, and more unreal.
Xiao Xu suddenly looked over, and Yun Sheng, unable to avoid him, met his gaze once again.
In a short while, their eyes met repeatedly, and before they had exchanged more than a few words, the atmosphere in the room inexplicably became warm and intimate.
Yun Sheng felt uncomfortable, but Xiao Xu remained calm and indifferent.
He didn't look at Yun Sheng much, and calmly went to get the ladle full of wine from the wedding platter.
Seeing this, Yun Sheng remembered that the wedding ceremony was not yet over and should continue.
She got up and was about to walk to the table when, in her haste, her elaborately decorated wedding shoes tripped over the layers of her wedding dress.
Just then, the man at the table turned around. Before Yun Sheng could even see how he made his move, he grabbed her arm and swayed her body, causing her to fall in front of him.
A cool, refreshing fragrance wafted into Yun Sheng's nostrils, and her headdress jingled as it swayed.
Xiao Xu coldly lowered his eyes and saw the tip of the crown about to hit his chin.
He let go of her hand and instead reached out to wrap his arm around her waist.
He tightened his grip, the heavy wedding dress causing him to misjudge the position of her waist. He grasped a large piece of fabric before landing, and his strength was slightly out of control.
it hurts!
Yun Sheng frowned in disbelief. Why was he using so much force?
But once she regained her footing, she couldn't retaliate, and a dense, unfamiliar sensation spread across her waist.
Yun Sheng's cheeks burned, feeling ashamed, angry, and sad.
He clearly maintained impeccable manners in public, but embarrassed himself in private.
As Xiao Xu withdrew his hand, he caught a glimpse of red out of the corner of his eye, and his gaze was immediately drawn to it.
He looked closely and saw that the girl had a beautiful face, but her eyes were droopy and her eyes were red, making her look pitiful.
Is she about to cry again?
Xiao Xu frowned slightly, barely perceptible, and asked, "Did you twist your ankle?"
The man's voice was so close, clear and gentle, that it felt faintly warm against my ear.
Yun Sheng shook her head and reluctantly said her first words to him: "No, I'm sorry, thank you."
"It's alright, no need to be so polite."
They were already the two people with the closest relationship in the world, yet they were talking to each other in a distant and polite manner.
"Yun Sheng." Xiao Xu suddenly called her name.
Yun Sheng's shoulders twitched slightly, an instinctive reaction.
She had been raised in seclusion, surrounded mostly by close friends and family. The servants called her Miss, while outsiders called her Young Lady. It had been a long time since anyone had addressed her by her full name in such a formal and formal manner.
She hadn't noticed it in the noisy atmosphere in front of the Prince's Mansion, but now that everything was quiet, it inexplicably gave her a feeling similar to when she was a child and her parents or brothers would call her name sternly when she made a mistake.
This displeased Yun Sheng, who pursed her lips, unwilling to respond.
Xiao Xu lowered his eyes and stared at her for a long while. After thinking for a moment, he asked, "What's your nickname?"
"……What?"
How do your family members address you?
Yun Sheng felt that her cheeks hadn't cooled down since the bridal veil was lifted. She had never spoken to a strange man like this before, and now he was even asking her affectionate nickname.
But the man before her was her husband, not a stranger; they had already gone through the wedding ceremony in front of everyone.
Yun Sheng slightly raised her chin, striking a graceful pose, and said naturally, "Sheng Sheng."
In fact, her parents and brothers all called her Nannan, but she didn't want to tell Xiao Xu that. She always felt that being called that by him was like calling her a daughter, even though he was older than her.
“Okay, Sheng Sheng.” Xiao Xu changed his address to her.
Upon hearing this, Yun Sheng sensed that something was amiss.
Sheng Sheng was her name, which was originally nothing special, but when Xiao Xu called it softly, it had a unique and indescribable meaning to her.
The temperature on my face just wouldn't come down.
Yun Sheng suppressed her emotions and asked him in a seemingly natural manner, "Then what about you? How should I address you?"
Xiao Xu said, "We are now married. What do you think I should be addressed by?"
He spoke casually, yet it seemed as if he was doing it on purpose.
Yun Sheng felt a surge of heat throughout her body. She opened her mouth, and the word "husband" reached her lips, but looking at his handsome and refined face, she choked back the words.
Yun Sheng heard a soft chuckle, looked up and saw Xiao Xu's face, which was smiling beautifully with the corners of his lips raised.
Her heart skipped a beat, and she inwardly berated herself for always being captivated by his appearance.
Xiao Xu said, "My courtesy name is Changyu. You can call me by my courtesy name from now on."
Yun Sheng nodded, but did not call out to him immediately.
To everyone's surprise, Xiao Xu was already waiting there, no longer speaking, his gaze fixed on her.
Yun Sheng would steal a glance up and meet his undisguised gaze.
After a moment of stalemate, she could only murmur softly, "Changyu."
"Sheng Sheng, it's time to drink the Heqin wine."
Xiao Xu picked up the ladle again and handed one to her.
The wine in the ladle swayed slightly, vaguely reflecting half of each person's face.
Xiao Xu leaned down slightly and stretched his arm out to her. When Yun Sheng raised her hand to reach around him, she once again felt his imposing stature.
He was not as burly and imposing as a military general. At first glance, he had a slender and well-proportioned physique, but upon closer inspection, one could see the lines of his figure that even his large wedding robes could not conceal.
His shoulders and arms swayed powerfully, and his waist was cinched in a bright green belt, making him appear more robust than the average civil official.
Yun Sheng was not thin; in fact, she was rather plump. She had once been troubled by the fact that her figure was not as slender as a willow, but now, standing in front of Xiao Xu, compared to his broad shoulders, she appeared quite petite, her height only reaching just to his shoulder.
As she got closer, she could smell Xiao Xu's scent again—a light, refreshing fragrance that was pleasant and carried a sense of secrecy that could only be detected at extremely close range.
Little did she know that her own scent was overwhelming the man.
Yun Sheng wrapped her arm around Xiao Xu's arm in a somewhat awkward position, unaware that he lowered his eyelashes and glanced at her.
With each breath, the man's chest rose and fell slightly, but only for a moment before returning to normal.
They stood close together, their breaths mingling, and drank the nuptial wine together in the flickering light of the red candles.
The liquor wasn't strong; it went down smoothly into my stomach, leaving a lingering aroma.
While Yun Sheng was still trying to recall what the next steps were, Xiao Xu naturally reached out and took the empty ladle from her hand.
Their fingertips accidentally touched, and when Yun Sheng looked down, she saw that hand with fingers as white as jade again.
The hand quickly moved out of Yun Sheng's sight.
Xiao Xu said, "I still have to go to the banquet. You can rest in the room for a while. If you want to go out for some fresh air, we can have someone show you around our courtyard. If you have any preferences for dinner, just let us know."
He treated the guest as if he were a visitor, being both attentive and polite, yet also somewhat distant and overly formal.
Yun Sheng lowered her head and only gave an ambiguous "hmm".
Xiao Xu paused for a moment, then said, "We'll talk about the rest when I get back to my room."
This time, Yun Sheng opened her mouth and said, "Okay."
She thought for a moment, then added, "You should drink less alcohol."
Just then, there was a few light, rhythmic knocks on the door from outside. The matchmaker whispered to Xiao Xu that it was time to go to the front.
Xiao Xu ignored her, his gaze still fixed on Yun Sheng's face, looking at her intently with an ambiguous expression.
Yun Sheng's gaze almost wandered under his gaze, but she tried her best to remain calm, looking directly into Xiao Xu's eyes, and whispered a reminder: "They're urging you outside, you should go quickly."
Xiao Xu knew that Yun Sheng still had some procedures to go through in the room, and she wouldn't be able to rest completely until they were finished, so he didn't delay any longer and nodded, saying, "If you need anything, you can send someone to call me from the front."
As Xiao Xu's figure completely disappeared behind the closed door, Yun Sheng exhaled a breath even longer and deeper than the one she had just taken during the wedding ceremony, and her whole body relaxed.
Soon, the wedding attendant's voice came from outside again: "Princess Consort, everyone is ready."
Upon hearing the voice, Yun Sheng turned and walked towards the couch, sitting upright with her back straight, and replied, "Come in."
A group of maids in green followed the matchmaker into the room, lined up neatly in two rows in front of Yun Sheng, and bowed in unison, saying, "Greetings, Princess Consort."
Although Yun Sheng was a pampered noblewoman, she was still a young woman raised in her boudoir and rarely saw such a spectacle.
She maintained her proper demeanor, raising her hand and waving her sleeve to dismiss the others' formalities.
At this moment, the matchmaker ordered all the servants to raise their heads. One reason was to let Yun Sheng see if any of the servants who would serve her in the future were displeasing and replace them immediately if so. The other reason was to let the servants recognize the new mistress of the mansion.
In that brief moment, Yun Sheng's gaze swept calmly over the group of people.
She showed little emotional change, but many of the maids below her revealed expressions of amazement.
I had long heard that the Yun family's daughter was beautiful, but seeing her in person still made me gasp in amazement.
Her bright red wedding dress made her skin appear even whiter and smoother than jade. Her eyebrows were like spring mountains and her eyes like autumn waves. She looked like a piece of exquisite porcelain painted on a scroll, and her beauty was beyond compare.
It's a pity that I can't see more.
After paying their respects, the servants of Prince Zhao's residence withdrew one by one.
Only now did Yun Sheng have the opportunity to properly examine the bridal chamber.
The room was spacious, with red candles and double happiness symbols adding to the festive atmosphere. The bed was covered with a mandarin duck brocade quilt, and the curtains had been replaced with translucent red gauze, but the room's original austere and cool tone could still be discerned.
A rosewood desk sits under the east-facing window, with books and collectibles displayed on rows of antique shelves. The partition screen is simply designed, and beyond that is the minimalist-furnished study.
On one side of the bed was a brand-new rosewood dressing table. Yun Sheng approached the bronze mirror that she had been so eager to see, but after only a quick glance and not seeing that her face was covered in smeared makeup, her gaze fell on the neatly arranged makeup boxes and jewelry on the table.
The dressing table was specially made for her before her marriage and was delivered to Prince Zhao's residence a few days ago. However, it should have been sent to the Third Prince's bedroom at that time. I didn't expect that it would be moved to a different place in just a few hours and placed here without any sense of incongruity.
On the other side was a wardrobe against the wall. With her slender hand, she gently opened the wardrobe door. On the left side of the wardrobe, several men's everyday clothes were neatly hung, mostly in deep black. The clothes were made of high-quality fabric and had simple designs. On the right side were dresses that had been delivered in advance as part of her dowry. Their bright colors formed a sharp contrast with the clothes on the left side.
The clothes in the closet seem to have naturally accepted their intimate connection with another person.
Yun Sheng's eyes widened in surprise, and she hurriedly closed the cabinet door.
After sitting quietly for a while, Wenxin, the nanny from Princess Zhao's courtyard, came to knock on the door.
When Yun Sheng looked up and saw her carrying several booklets into the room, she immediately understood her purpose.
Her mother had taught her several times before she got married, but now the person in charge has changed.
The marriage was decided in a hurry, and she didn't have time to think about married life at the time. Now that she has to think about it, how can she not panic?
Granny Wenxin led Yun Sheng to the table, handed her a booklet, and thoughtfully turned a page for her.
Yun Sheng looked down at the pictures of men and women making love in the book and felt so ashamed that she wanted to close her eyes. Out of the corner of her eye, she also caught a glimpse of the small annotations next to the pictures, which described the intertwined postures of men and women in great detail.
Before this, she had only ever read about scenes in storybooks where the lips of the male and female protagonists touched.
Looking at her flushed cheeks, Granny Wenxin said gently, "It seems that Madam Yun must have taught the Crown Princess the rules for consummating the marriage beforehand. However, considering the special circumstances this time, the Princess still instructed me to explain a few things to the Crown Princess."
Yun Sheng listened silently.
Granny Wenxin said, "His Highness will inherit the title in the future, and having offspring is especially important. His Highness has never had a woman by his side before, and he has no experience in matters of the bedchamber. Therefore, it is necessary for the Crown Princess and His Highness to explore and learn together in the bedroom."
Yun Sheng's face flushed red instantly, shocked that Granny Wenxin had spoken so bluntly.
Moreover, she felt uncomfortable even talking to Xiao Xu face to face, so how could she think about having children?
Unaware of her embarrassment, Granny Wenxin continued in a normal tone.
"Men are often reckless at first, so the Crown Princess should learn a few different ways to begin, as well as different directions and positions, to facilitate conception and allow women to suffer less and experience more pleasure."
Yun Sheng's mind went blank again. What was all this nonsense?
But Granny Wenxin remained unaffected and began to explain things to Yunsheng one by one, turning the pages of the book.
"The male on top and the female on the bottom can be either high or low. Raising the waist and hips is more suitable. At this time, a soft pillow can be placed under the waist to relieve the problem of soreness and weakness in the waist and abdomen and the inability to exert force."
"When the woman is on top and the man is on the bottom, there is a front and a back position. Facing each other is front, and facing away is back. In this case, she can place her hands on the man's chest or support herself on the man's thighs..."
Yun Sheng couldn't listen anymore. Her whole body felt burning hot, and she interrupted in a low voice with a stiff neck, "Granny, my mother taught me these things, I know them all."
She didn't actually know, but as she listened to Granny Wenxin's straightforward description and looked at the lifelike pictures, she couldn't help but picture Xiao Xu's aloof and ascetic face in her mind.
This is really strange.
Knowing that the young girl was shy, Granny Wenxin smiled and said, "Then this servant will not go into details. These books are all here with the Crown Princess. Tonight is your wedding night, and the Crown Princess can look through them herself. In the future, you can study and consolidate them in your spare time."
Yun Sheng thought to herself that she absolutely did not want to look at it again, but she still said perfunctorily, "Okay, I understand."
Finally, Granny Wenxin said, "Your Highness is at the age of vigor and vitality. Although you have been restrained in the past, now that you are married and have started a family, if your desires are strong, I hope the Princess Consort will gently remind Your Highness not to indulge in excessive sexual activity lest you deplete your health."
Yun Sheng, who was only half-listening to what was being said, suddenly widened her eyes in surprise.
What? He might also indulge in excessive sexual activity?
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[Shrugs] Yes, he will.
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