For Zhu Jiayu, being Madam Wei seemed to be no different from being Miss Zhu.
When she first entered the Wei family, she intended to be a qualified daughter-in-law and wife, paying her respects to her mother-in-law morning and evening, serving her meals, and helping her husband with his hair, hairpins, clothes, and hat.
But this plan fell apart on the fourth day after she married into the Wei family.
On their wedding night, Wei Qinglou was very restrained, mindful that she had to get up early the next day to serve tea. However, for the next two nights, he seemed insatiable, tossing and turning her over and over. As a result, when she got up early to pay her respects to her mother, she had no energy left.
This angered his mother, who then summoned Wei Qinglou and gave him a good scolding.
Just thinking about it makes Zhu Jiayu blush.
By the third night, she absolutely refused to let Wei Qinglou touch her, and the next day she was naturally much more energetic, even going to pay her respects earlier than the previous days.
Unexpectedly, the mother said:
“Our Duke’s Mansion is not a place with strict rules. You have served me for a few days, which is enough to fulfill your filial duty. You don’t need to work so hard in the future. Just come and talk to me in your spare time.”
As evening fell, Wei Qinglou returned from his shift at the yamen, embraced his wife who was sitting by the window painting flowers, and asked her, "Did Mother tell you?"
Zhu Jiayu turned her head to look at him: "What?"
"There's no need to go and pay your respects anymore."
Zhu Jiayu immediately became alert and broke free from his embrace: "Did you instigate this?"
She suspected that Wei Qinglou had ulterior motives.
Suddenly finding his arms empty, Wei Qinglou frowned, pulled her back into his embrace, and stroked his wife's cheek with his thin lips: "She always had this intention, and besides, wasn't I just trying to make things easier for you..."
Stared at by Zhu Jiayu's sharp gaze, Wei Qinglou turned his head away uncomfortably, coughed lightly with his fist to his lips: "Don't look at me like that, as if I'm facing a formidable enemy."
Zhu Jiayu thought for a moment and said, "If you go to the study tonight, I'll believe you're doing this to make things easier for me."
She always felt that Wei Qinglou was doing it for his own sake.
Wei Qinglou smiled wryly: "Zhu Ayu, this doesn't make sense, does it? On the fourth night of your marriage, you're going to send your husband to the study?"
As he spoke, he lowered his head again, his lips and tongue lingering on her porcelain-white neck, and said to her indistinctly, "Ever since I told my colleagues about the reason you embroidered peach blossoms on my clothes, they've been following suit and wearing clothes embroidered with peach blossoms in front of me for the past few years. When you have time, could you embroider something else for me, hmm?"
Zhu Jiayu pushed him away: "Embroidering is too much work, so you're not allowed to touch me for the next few days. I'll embroider whatever pattern you want."
Wei Qinglou sighed softly, "If that's the case, then forget it. I still care about my wife, how could I bear to let you go through all this trouble?"
Zhu Jiayu: ...
How can someone be so shameless!
He wasn't feeling sorry for her at all; he was clearly...
"You are...you are just...you are blinded by lust!"
Wei Qinglou's hand had already reached her waist, and he was about to untie her apricot-yellow sash embroidered with pear blossoms when he heard this, he smiled and said, "I only do this to my wife."
Who is this person?!
Zhu Jiayu couldn't argue with him, so she had to give up.
...
In Daye, the wedding custom is for the newlyweds to return to their parents' home on the ninth day after the wedding.
Wei Qinglou took leave that day and picked Zhu Jiayu up from bed early in the morning. She hadn't gone to pay her respects these past few days and usually slept until late morning. She was used to getting up at that time, and since it was her turn to go home today, she didn't feel any sense of urgency compared to Wei Qinglou.
She slowly sat down in front of the dressing table, and after washing her face with the help of Lüzheng, she began to stare blankly.
Wei Qinglou quickly finished getting ready and changed into a brand-new brocade robe with auspicious cloud patterns and black boots. He then noticed that Zhu Jiayu was still sitting there in a daze. So he went over to see her and found that Lüzheng had already styled her hair, but she had not yet applied any makeup.
"What happened?" he asked Green Kite.
Zhu Jiayu yawned: "Don't scold her, I just didn't want her to move, I'm sleepy."
She gave him a reproachful look: "You're so fierce, she's definitely scared of you. Her hands might be shaking when she's drawing my eyebrows!"
"Then I'll draw it for you?"
"No." Zhu Jiayu didn't believe him at all. "I'll do it myself."
Wei Qinglou had already taken the snail-shaped inkstone, leaned closer to her, and whispered, "Don't move."
Zhu Jiayu held her breath and stared at him with wide eyes.
"Don't draw it too dark for me," she said nervously.
After a while, he spoke again: "Too shallow won't do either."
"I want the right size, the right depth, the right length, the right thickness." She couldn't help but wrinkle her nose. "Can you even understand me?"
Wei Qinglou ignored her. After a while, he turned her head and made her face the bronze mirror: "Take a look?"
Zhu Jiayu dared not look!
She covered her eyes with her hands, slowly opening her fingers a crack before peeking at herself in the mirror. To her surprise, she found that he had actually drawn quite well.
She turned her head, about to speak, but Wei Qinglou reached out and pressed her chin, then dipped his lip rouge in it and applied it to her lips.
"Okay," he said.
He knelt down and looked in the mirror with Zhu Jiayu. Zhu Jiayu was young and delicate. Even without makeup, just drawing her eyebrows and applying lipstick, she had a natural vitality and beauty, like a flower in full bloom.
He, with his sharp features, long eyebrows and deep-set eyes, also possessed a striking yet cold and aloof appearance. When their faces appeared together in the mirror, they looked like a perfect couple, truly a well-matched pair.
Not to mention that these two have been together for a long time, and since they are similar in methods and temperament, they have both picked up a similar scent. It is a scent that is different from ordinary people, with a gentle coldness and profundity. No one else would have it, except them.
The two, carrying books, sword, and green zither, left the mansion, watched by the servants.
The Duchess had prepared the return gift well in advance.
After the two arrived at the Zhu residence in Zhaohua Lane, Wei Qinglou was dragged fishing by his father-in-law.
Helpless, Zhu Jiayu led the steward to organize the gifts they had brought for their return visit.
When it was lunchtime, the father and son returned, and Zhu Congjian told them about another matter: "Your aunt's child will be 100 days old in a few days. I was originally going to send you an invitation, but then I thought that you would be coming back today, so I sent it to me along with the invitation."
He took out the invitation and handed it to his daughter, instructing her, "Don't forget to attend the banquet."
Zhu Jiayu nodded: "Even if you didn't say it, I would still remember it."
Zhu Congjian nodded with a smile, then tilted his head back and drank another cup of wine.
After a few rounds of drinks, he grabbed Wei Qinglou's hand and said, "You two must live a good life together. You're not allowed to bully my daughter, or I'll make you pay!"
Zhu Jiayu reached out and took his hand: "Father, you're drunk."
Zhu Congjian's eyes widened: "Who said that!" He then turned to look at Wei Qinglou, "Did you hear what I said!"
Wei Qinglou glanced at Zhu Jiayu before smiling and nodding solemnly: "I will keep it in mind."
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