Chapter 21: Stop the Red Candle, my husband, do you want to settle down?
She spoke so bluntly that Jiang Yunjin subconsciously looked up at her, but the next moment their eyes met, he avoided her gaze.
"That's the rule."
His attitude was cold and hard, and Cui Yiluo's watery eyes were tinged with grievance. The blush at the corners of her eyes caused by applying the medicine just now had not yet faded, making her look even more pitiful.
"So I won't be able to see my cousin these days?"
Jiang Yunjin lowered his eyes and pondered in silence.
"Cousin... I've been living alone in the house for several months, and I can't help but feel lonely."
"If there is anything important, please send someone to pass on the message."
His tone was still firm, but there was a hint of helplessness in it.
Cui Yiluo curled her lips slightly: "Yeah."
Although he relaxed slightly out of responsibility, there is no etiquette or dogma to determine whether to do something or not.
However, what Cui Yiluo didn't expect was that he actually listened to her words for sympathy and went to find Jiang Zhaoyue in a serious manner.
Flowers bloomed in clusters, the sky clear and the clouds light. Inside the waterside pavilion of the mansion in Luoyun Lane, Jiang Zhaoyue was recounting, "When Big Brother came looking for me that day, my first reaction was to wonder if I had done something wrong recently to provoke Big Brother to come all this way."
She looked at Cui Yiluo teasingly: "I didn't expect that you wanted me to spend more time with you these days."
After saying this, Jiang Zhaoyue sighed, "It turns out that even someone like my eldest brother, who is so detached from the real world and only cares about his official duties, can become considerate when it comes to getting married."
Cui Yiluo smiled faintly. Jiang Yunjin wasn't being considerate at all; he was just being responsible towards her.
Jiang Zhaoyue, still not satisfied with teasing Cui Yiluo, turned to Yang Jingling, "What about you and your brother's wedding? When will it be held? You got engaged much earlier than Yiluo, so how come you're still behind her and your brother?"
Yang Jingling, who was sitting on the other side, glared at her helplessly but ignored her. Instead, she turned to Cui Yiluo and said, "Yiluo, if you need anything after marriage, just let me know. I may not specialize in gynecology, but I'm familiar with treating common ailments. Also... I have some tips for improving couples' bonding at night."
Although Jiang Zhaoyue was not yet engaged, the people of Daqi were open-minded and she had some understanding of matters between men and women. When she heard Yang Jingling say it so bluntly, she couldn't help but widen her eyes.
Yang Jingling seemed not to notice Jiang Zhaoyue's shock and continued, "By the way, I have a method to help you get pregnant. Do you need it?"
Jiang Zhaoyue trembled: "Jingling! How could you...?"
Yang Jingling said calmly, "What's the big deal? This is moral ethics. Besides, we're the only ones here, why should we bother with this? Yiluo, if you need it, I'll go back home and have someone bring it to you."
Cui Yiluo was not embarrassed. After thinking for a moment, she smiled and said, "Then it would be disrespectful to refuse."
She really needed those "channels", otherwise, with Jiang Yunjin's cold and ascetic personality, it was hard to say whether he could have sex five times a month.
Yang Jingling quickly sent over a small box of things, including incense, booklets... everything, and even thoughtfully included a few porcelain jars of plasters.
In the bedroom, Cui Yiluo was casually flipping through a book when she heard a familiar male voice behind her: "What are you doing?"
She reacted quickly and closed the booklet. Lilan beside her also took the booklet quickly and tacitly, threw it into the box, closed it and stepped back. Only Cui Yiluo and Jiang Yunjin were left in the room.
She had her back to him, covering the book in her hand, and her movements were so quick that he couldn't see clearly.
Cui Yiluo turned around to look at him, and sure enough, his expression was calm, just like usual.
She looked calm and asked, "Why did my cousin come here suddenly?"
She had only moved to Luoyun Lane a few days ago and had not yet sent a message asking to see him. He came to see her on his own, so he must have something serious to tell her.
As expected, he said the next moment: "Cheng Jiancheng has signed the letter of annulment."
Cui Yiluo's heart, which had been hanging high in her heart, was completely relieved, and her face showed a bit of relief and joy that was hard to conceal. Cheng Feng agreed to cancel the engagement, so even if there were any twists and turns in her marriage with Jiang Yunjin in the future, she would not fall into the same situation as before.
After staying at the bottom of the valley for too long, Cui Yiluo suddenly felt the sunlight outside the window was a bit dazzling. Looking at the man in front of her, who was so tall that he blocked most of the sunlight, she slowly came to her senses.
What did Jiang Yunjin offer Cheng Feng in exchange? Although Cheng Feng was a sycophant, he was a man who would never suffer any loss. How could he not take advantage of the powerful Zhongshu Ling's personal appearance?
She asked tentatively, "How did my cousin talk to him?"
"He wants Dr. Xu to come to his home to treat him."
Cui Yiluo was slightly stunned.
Doctor Xu was the doctor Jiang Yunjin had invited to treat her foot injury. He was a skilled doctor, but he had no interest in a career in politics and lived among the people. Jiang Yunjin was able to invite him because he had some friendship with him.
But Cheng Feng actually agreed to cancel the engagement after only making this request?
What did Cheng Feng ask the doctor for? Cui Yiluo suddenly remembered Cheng Yi, who was "accidentally" bitten by a wild beast during the summer hunt. There was not much good meat on his body. I heard that he was still bedridden. She asked the Ministry of Personnel for a month's sick leave.
Cheng Yi was Cheng Feng's only son, and even a selfish and heartless person like Cheng Feng would easily give in for his son. Cui Yiluo still felt that something was wrong.
Jiang Yunjin continued, "I have sent someone to write a letter to your father, but I'm afraid it will take ten days or half a month to reach Ningzhou. I'm afraid your father and his family won't be able to make it to Shengjing to attend our wedding."
When talking about the Cui family, Cui Yiluo suddenly lost interest in thinking about Cheng Feng.
It would be better if they didn't come. The original candidate was Cheng Feng. They all wanted to use Cheng Feng's ancestral influence and the position of the Supervisor of the Imperial College to support their incompetent son. Now her husband has been replaced by the Minister of the Central Secretariat, a position a hundred times higher than that of the Supervisor of the Imperial College. How could they miss this opportunity?
How could she let them reap the rewards of something she had worked so hard to obtain?
She tried her best to look dejected, her tone feeling lost and helpless. "It's alright, cousin. Ningzhou is a long way away. I think my parents will understand. We can find an opportunity to go back to Ningzhou to visit them later."
"good."
He responded briefly, obviously having finished what he was saying. Cui Yiluo thought he would say goodbye next, but she saw that he stopped where he was and did not seem to be leaving.
The open window sash creaked softly in the wind. After a few moments of silence, he suddenly said in a low voice, "Are you feeling better?"
Cui Yiluo was stunned for a moment before she realized that he was asking about the place where he had carefully applied the medicine with his own hands.
A sly glint flashed through her eyes. Cui Yiluo smiled softly, the affection in her eyes wanting to express herself but not to. "If I say I haven't finished yet, would you please give me another dose of medicine, cousin?"
Seeing her like this, she should be fine. Jiang Yunjin felt relieved but frowned at the same time: "Don't make trouble."
Cui Yiluo approached him, her bright and charming eyes captivating him. The crimson sleeve embroidered with large blooming lotus flowers gently rubbed against his sleeve. She tilted her head slightly to look at him and asked softly, "What about my cousin? Is he alright?"
In an instant they were so close that their breaths were almost entangled, and Cui Yiluo immediately felt the tenseness of his body as soon as she got close.
Jiang Yunjin's expression remained normal, and he said in a deep voice, "It's okay."
He immediately took a step back, but the next moment, Cui Yiluo took another step forward and hugged his waist.
The muscles in his waist and abdomen tightened rapidly, and his soft arms embraced her like a hard block of iron. Cui Yiluo was particularly pleased to see his reaction.
She nestled her cheek against his chest. "I hope cousin has recovered. Yiluo has been feeling really uneasy these past few days. I've asked Lilan to prepare some tonic soup recipes. After we get married, I'll help cousin recover. Is that okay?"
Her soft, boneless body pressed perfectly against his, her hands embracing his waist and gently tugging at his outer robe. After she finished speaking, she lifted her head from his embrace, her bright eyes fixed on him unblinking, her warm breath gently caressing his Adam's apple. She was just a little closer to kissing him on the lips.
The man's eyes darkened, and his Adam's apple rolled slightly: "I do."
After saying that, he raised his stiff hand hanging by his leg and was about to pull her away.
Unexpectedly, before she touched Cui Yiluo's arm, she stepped out of his arms first.
Jiang Yunjin's hand stopped in mid-air.
Cui Yiluo put on a charming smile and said, "My cousin is busy with official duties, so I won't bother him for now."
She sounded completely thoughtful and considerate of him.
But this was completely out of character; it was clearly a joke. Jiang Yunjin withdrew his hand calmly, saying nothing more. He only managed a low "hmm" from his throat, and then said that he would propose marriage according to the etiquette in the future, then turned and left.
Cui Yiluo laughed silently for a while, and then the interest in her eyes gradually faded. She ordered Lilan to put away the box of things that Yang Jingling had sent.
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The fact that Cheng Feng broke off the engagement with her did not cause any waves in Shengjing. At most, the noble ladies mentioned it after dinner. But no one would have thought that half a month later, the Minister of the Central Secretariat, who was famous for his handsomeness and never had anything to do with women in Shengjing, actually asked the Princess of Zhao, who was always quite famous in Shengjing, to come and propose marriage.
The person being proposed to was Cui Yiluo, who was to be the second wife of the lustful and licentious Cheng Jiancheng, who was over 60 years old.
Cui Yiluo's parents were far away in Ningzhou, so Lan Hui had to come forward to arrange the marriage, and the wedding date was set for more than a month later.
It was like a thunderclap in Shengjing, a deity soaring high in the clouds suddenly falling to earth. Immediately, the matter was the talk of the town, even after dinner and in the streets. They had heard that the Jiang family had no interest in finding a marriage partner. Jiang Yunjin was getting older, his mind completely absorbed in official duties. They had assumed that his aloof nature meant he would never marry, but now they hadn't expected him to marry their cousin.
As soon as the other party broke off the engagement, he sent someone to propose marriage.
But still no one thought that marrying was out of love. After all, Jiang Yunjin was the head of the Jiang family and held a high position of power, so naturally he needed descendants to inherit his legacy. As for why Cui Yiluo was chosen, everyone discussed it for a long time and came to a conclusion.
Maybe it's because the one who is close to the water gets the moon first.
It has nothing to do with love anyway.
The discussion outside had been heated for the better part of a month, but Cui Yiluo, seeing that few people were making malicious assumptions about her, hadn't bothered to pay any attention. Furthermore, after the news of the marriage broke, many people sent her invitations to small banquets, practically every three to five days. It was a stark contrast to their previous attitude towards her.
Since she was going to marry Jiang Yunjin, she would have to deal with noble ladies in the future. Therefore, every day she was either busy with socializing or preparing for her wedding. She had long forgotten the words she had used to deliberately tease Jiang Yunjin, and she did not send Jiang Yunjin another message until before the wedding ceremony.
But Cui Yiluo thought, he didn't want to deal with her anyway, so if she didn't look for him, it would be exactly what he wanted, and he would definitely feel relieved.
On the day of the wedding, Cui Yiluo covered her face with a round fan with a lotus pattern and was helped out by the maids.
Before getting into the sedan chair, she turned her head quietly and saw the tall man riding on horseback through the round fan. He had never worn such a warm color before, like a cold and pure jade in the red fire.
Perhaps it was because today was a festive day, for although he still had no expression on his face, his posture and aura had become much more cheerful, and the deep pools in his eyes seemed to flow.
Would a cold and distant person like him be moved when getting married?
The man on the horse seemed to have noticed something and turned his head as if to look. Cui Yiluo quickly raised her hand slightly, and the round fan immediately blocked his view.
Everything was done according to etiquette afterwards. The Jiang family was a family of scholars and scholars, and they attached great importance to etiquette. Cui Yiluo was supported by the maids as she went through the complicated etiquette, and she felt her forehead throbbing.
We worshiped heaven and earth, and passed on the fan. It was dusk and sunset, and everything finally came to a temporary end.
Jiang Yunjin was surrounded by people and went out to welcome the guests. Before leaving, he turned his head and glanced at her, which reminded Cui Yiluo of his deep eyes when he fanned her just now.
The noisy bridal chamber was empty in an instant. Red candles with dragon and phoenix designs were lit. The dim candlelight reflected the happy couplets pasted all over the window paper. The whole room was ablaze with red. The bed curtains, cushions, and woven carpets were all embroidered with patterns that symbolized good luck and fortune.
Cui Yiluo gently stroked the brocade quilt embroidered with mandarin ducks playing in the water. The bridal chamber had to be decorated a few days in advance, which meant that Jiang Yunjin had been sleeping in this festive room for the past few days.
Cui Yiluo couldn't imagine what the situation was like, but she felt that he must be extremely uncomfortable.
The night sky was as dark blue as a deep pool. When the bright moon hung high in the sky, a servant's voice came from outside the courtyard: "Young Master."
Jiang Yunjin came back much earlier than Cui Yiluo expected.
The door was slowly pushed open, and a man in wedding clothes stepped into the dark and enclosed bridal chamber. His face was as cold as jade, his steps were steady, and his breathing was even. He was not like other grooms who had flushed faces and looked drunk after welcoming guests.
The maid who stayed in the room immediately retreated with good sense. He strode to the wedding bed. His breath was still cold, but Cui Yiluo could still smell the faint scent of alcohol.
It turned out that he had drunk some wine. She had just thought that he hadn't drunk a single glass.
Perhaps due to the alcohol, his voice was a little hoarse, and his eyes were a little dim in the flickering candlelight. "Have you been waiting for a long time?"
Cui Yiluo shook her head.
Jiang Yunjin nodded, took the wedding wine from the table and handed it to Cui Yiluo.
After drinking the wedding wine, the couple’s ceremony is complete.
Jiang Yunjin put the wine bottle back and sat back on the wedding bed.
The everywhere "囍" characters indicate a complete change of status. The candlelight shines on the side faces of the two people. The wedding curtains are about to fall, but they block out the outside world. The wedding bed is secluded and ambiguous, and the undercurrent is quietly surging under the strong pressure.
The surroundings suddenly fell silent. Cui Yiluo didn't say anything, but she knew they still had to perform one final ceremony. She also knew that Jiang Yunjin knew what was going on.
After all, he is a very polite person, so how could he break his own rules on such a big day as his wedding?
She raised her eyelashes slightly and looked at the man in front of her who was as still as a mountain. Although he was wearing wedding clothes, he still looked pure and indifferent. Without the strong effect of the magic medicine tonight, Cui Yiluo could not imagine what it would be like for him to do that.
Cui Yiluo was a beautiful woman. Even the elaborate makeup she wore today didn't look exaggerated, but rather added a touch of charm and allure. The candlelight stirred the water in her eyes, and she gently opened her red lips:
"Husband."
Jiang Yunjin's eyes darkened, and after a few moments he whispered, "Yeah."
Cui Yiluo hooked the hand on her knee and inserted her slender fingers into his fingers forcefully and gently.
The veins on the back of his hand bulged, but after a pause, he silently let her hold his fingers tightly.
Cui Yiluo's tender hand touched his calloused palm. Her voice was soft, but even in the half-drawn wedding bed, it seemed to bewitch his mind.
"Husband, do you want to be settled?"
The palm of the man who touched hers was burning hot. The other half of his face, not illuminated by the candlelight, was covered in shadow. Only his protruding Adam's apple rolled slightly, and a hoarse voice squeezed out from his thin lips: "Okay."
The fiery red curtains were drawn, and the situation inside the bed became unclear.
The handsome man had a gloomy look in his eyes, as if suppressing a huge wave. Cui Yiluo hooked her arm around his neck and led him to take off his complicated wedding clothes piece by piece.
During the entire frank conversation, he did not speak again, but just silently untied the laces one by one.
Jiang Yunjin usually required things to be neatly arranged, but now he seemed to have no intention of caring about it. The two people's complicated and exquisite wedding clothes were peeled off layer by layer and scattered from the bed curtains, mixing together.
The curtain was like a natural barrier. The temperature inside the tent continued to rise, becoming as hot as if it were burning, and the body temperature of the people in the tent also continued to rise.
The tall, strong and slender body covered the petite woman, like a beast capturing its prey and pressing it down deeply, making it unable to escape.
Jiang Yunjin's hot deep area was tense, and his arm muscles bulged and supported on both sides of Cui Yiluo. If he lowered his head a little more, his high nose bridge would touch her nose tip.
Maybe it was because it was too hot, but the breath of both of them became a little messy and intertwined in a disorderly manner.
The wedding candle suddenly made a light popping sound and the lamp sparkled, which frightened Cui Yiluo. The man above her closed his eyes instantly, and the veins on his forehead bulged.
Cui Yiluo's slender hands slowly climbed up his arms, tightened, and wrapped around his neck.
Then, she raised her chin slightly, and her red lips touched the man's thin lips, just a light touch, like Su Su's mother's caress.
I don’t know how many times he touched her, but a hint of ruthlessness flashed in Jiang Yunjin’s eyes, as if he was finally annoyed by the teasing, and he suddenly opened his lips and pressed down hard.
He opened his lips slightly, only stopping at the initial licking, not going deep, but with some force, as if punishing her for her boldness just now. Cui Yiluo felt that her lips were about to lose feeling.
She was losing ground on all sides, and she felt a little unwilling, so she hooked her arms around his neck even harder and opened her lips.
The man paused for a moment, but once the window paper was broken, the pent-up things would only become more violent.
He supported himself with one hand and walked down the stage with the other. Cui Yiluo hurriedly asked, "Husband, could you please be gentler?"
The man's hot breath fanned out on her cheek and ear. He squeezed out a low "hmm" from his throat, and his strength was indeed lighter.
But the foundation is there, and even if it is intentional, it is beyond the reach of ordinary people.
Cui Yiluo finally saw what he looked like before taking Chinese medicine.
The dark pool of stagnant water that he usually suppressed in his eyes was stirred by the dark clouds, and the corners of his eyes turned red uncontrollably. Even if he tried hard to maintain his breathing, he could not resist the nature of his body.
There was chaos in the dim tent.
Suddenly, a loud shout was heard, and Cui Yiluo's fingertips left another red mark on his broad back. She opened her mouth and bit his shoulder in anger.
Jiang Yunjin groaned.
Silence returned to the surroundings.
Jiang Yunjin supported his arm on her side, and the hair crown he had just untied was released. His black hair, which was tied into a high ponytail, fell down, pricking Cui Yiluo's neck and making her feel uncomfortable.
He closed his eyes and calmed down for a moment, then opened them again, the lingering jade in his eyes still pressing
He gently brushed away the half-wet hair stuck to Cui Yiluo's cheeks and neck with his fingers and said softly, "I'm sorry."
Cui Yiluo naturally knew why he said that, but in the end, he still couldn't control himself.
It turns out that even a banished immortal would lose control if he touched the jade.
He retreated quickly, picking up the clothes on the ground, covering up his still tense muscles and the scratches on them.
After putting on his clothes, he turned back into the upright gentleman who was self-disciplined and respectful to the rites.
He pulled the curtain closed and said through it, "I'll go get some water."
The maidservant retreated outside the yard and had already boiled some hot water. After receiving the order, she immediately brought in buckets of hot water.
The bathtub was filled with hot water, and the maids left and closed the door. Cui Yiluo then lifted the curtains and got out of bed, only to find that Jiang Yunjin had already folded the wedding dress that was scattered on the floor and placed it on the small table beside the bed.
Since she was going to take a bath anyway, Cui Yiluo picked up a robe and wrapped it around her body.
The snow-white skin looked somewhat lustrous in the dim candlelight, like a peerless jade, but it was covered with red marks and finger marks from Yue Yaoshuang.
During her series of actions, Jiang Yunjin sat on the couch and deliberately didn't look at her.
Before Cui Yiluo entered the bathroom, he heard his voice from behind. He seemed a little hesitant when he spoke: "If you need anything, you can call me to help you."
Cui Yiluo gathered her wide robe, which only made her thinness more apparent. She smiled and said, "Thank you, my husband."
She didn't look at him again and went straight to the bathroom. When she finished washing up and came out, she found that the bed sheets with messy stains had been changed, and Jiang Yunjin had found a book from somewhere and was reading it with one hand.
A gentleman who is untainted by worldly affairs and full of courtesy and righteousness.
Cui Yiluo walked up to him and gently took away his scroll. "Husband, don't you feel dizzy?"
Her long black hair hung down, and when she raised her hand to take the book from him, a few strands of hair were picked up and brushed across the back of his bony hand.
Jiang Yunjin stood up without answering her, "I'm going to take a shower."
Once he entered the bathroom, he stayed there for quite a while. Cui Yiluo couldn't help but wonder if she was too tired, which made her feel that time was prolonged. It didn't seem to take her that long just now.
She lay in the soft bedding and waited for a while before she heard footsteps. Then the curtain was lifted and a person lay down beside her, causing the mattress to collapse slightly.
According to wedding customs, on the wedding night, the wedding candles must be burned until dawn, so Jiang Yunjin did not extinguish the candles.
He kept a distance from her and did not speak to her, but it was obvious that he wanted to go to bed.
Cui Yiluo suddenly turned around and hugged him, calling him "husband" against his neck.
Her fingers moved downwards, but were stopped and held down forcefully by his big hand.
His closed eyes opened, appearing dim in the dim tent.
There was a hint of firmness in his tone: "According to etiquette, you can't do it twice."
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The author has something to say: This is just the beginning [狗头]
All marriage customs are private
Thanks to all the babies who irrigated the nutrient solution~ [kiss]
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