61 Day 1
◎On the first day after entering the house, a new bride must make herself known to others and establish her authority.◎
It was just getting light when Pei Yue woke up. The light inside the bed curtains was dim and all around was quiet except for the light and long breathing of the girl in his arms.
He lay on his side, one arm passed under the girl's neck, used as a pillow, and the other hand was placed under the quilt, resting on her soft waist, almost holding her whole body in his arms.
His new wife was so frail, even her bones seemed brittle. Last night, he didn't even dare to hug her too hard. He only remembered that when passion was at its peak, even a slight increase in strength would cause the woman beneath him to look as if she was about to cry. The corners of her eyes were crimson, and her pupils were covered with a layer of mist. His heart softened, and he had to convince himself to restrain himself a little. There was still a long way to go...
The light in the tent gradually became brighter.
Pei Yue's gaze fell on the red mark below her collarbone. On her snow-white, delicate skin, the red spot was particularly conspicuous. His eyes darkened, and he raised his hand to stroke it gently. After just two strokes, the mark became even redder.
The sleeping girl frowned slightly, rubbed her waist lightly, and hummed in dissatisfaction. A familiar heat instantly rushed to her lower abdomen. His Adam's apple rolled, and he took a deep breath. He withdrew his hand with a guilty conscience, and patted her back twice in a clumsy manner.
"Bang—bang—"
At exactly 1 a.m., the sound of a night watchman was heard outside the courtyard.
Pei Yue slowly pulled back his numb arm, turned over and got off the bed, casually grabbed a pair of silk trousers and put them on, preparing to open the door and call someone in to serve him.
Chu Yufu was awakened by a noise beside her. She groggily opened her eyes and found the man getting dressed. In her confusion, she recalled her grandmother's instructions before she got married. Almost instinctively, she sat up, hugging the quilt, and, with sleepy eyes and a thick nasal voice, she reached out to him as if in a dream.
"Husband...I will help you change your clothes..." Although she said this, her eyelids felt heavy and drooped, and her head was nodding.
She asked for water four times last night and was almost awake until three in the morning. She had only slept for two hours now. No wonder she was so sleepy.
Pei Yue turned around when he heard the voice and saw her almost fainting on the spot. A smile appeared in his eyes and he said lightly: "No need for you to serve me, go to sleep."
Chu Yufu tried hard to open her eyes wide to look at him, but not only could her vision not focus, but two little figures appeared in her mind, fighting fiercely.
The young man in green stood with his hands on his hips and said, "You have to make a good impression on your first day! Do you understand, virtuous and kind? Get up and get to work! Even if it's just for the sake of it! Don't leave any room for criticism!"
The little man in red clutched his head and wailed, "What can I do?! I need help even to put on this outfit! I can't take it anymore, I can't open my eyes, my eyelids feel like they weigh a thousand pounds... I'm so sleepy, so tired, it feels like I ran eight kilometers... I don't care, I'm going to faint..."
After a few breaths, the little man in red gave the little man in green a fierce uppercut. Her eyelashes trembled, and she fell back on the pillow neatly, and her breathing instantly became even and long.
Seeing her fall down happily, Pei Yue couldn't help but curl his lips and shake his head. He walked forward to pull the quilt for her, covered her white shoulders, and closed the gauze curtain tightly. Then he clapped his hands and called someone in.
When Chu Yufu woke up completely, it was almost noon. She stared at the unfamiliar red silk above her head for a long time before she remembered that she was no longer in the Chu family, and this was not her Zhuyu Courtyard.
She reached out and touched the cold, empty seat next to her. Every memory of last night flooded into her mind like a tide, making her cheeks feel hot.
She slowly sat up, grabbed the nightgown beside the pillow and put it on hastily, lifted the curtain and tried to call out, but her throat was dry and tight, and she couldn't speak for a while. She could only grope her way out of the bed and go to the table to get some water to moisten her throat.
Unexpectedly, as soon as his legs touched the ground and he tried to stand up, his feet felt as light and soft as if they were treading on a pile of cotton. He couldn't exert any strength at all, and the base of his legs was extremely sore! He fell to the ground with a thud, grimacing in pain.
She reached out to rub her knees, feeling that two things needed to be clarified:
Firstly, what was written in novels in the past were all lies. As for back pain, as the one who suffers, the ones who really suffer are the legs. They can't lie down and rest for a moment all night long. They are under pressure the whole time!
Secondly, the so-called gentleness on Pei Yue's face last night was definitely due to his own misperception. How could he be gentle? He acted like he was marching, fighting, and conquering a city! As for my previous assessment of him as 'seemingly cold but actually gentle,' that also needs to be considered.
Lanzhu and Yinsuo, who had been guarding outside the corridor, heard the noise inside and hurriedly pushed the door open. Seeing their daughter sitting on the ground with a slightly red face, they hurried forward to help her up and helped her wash and change clothes.
While changing clothes, Lan Zhu's eyes fell on the faint finger marks on her waist, and her face flushed slightly. She quickly put down her clothes to cover the marks, thinking in her heart that her son-in-law was really not gentle enough.
After Chu Yufu drank two glasses of water, Fang Ai felt his throat was better and asked, "Where's the general?"
The two of them had just gotten married yesterday, and calling him "Master" always felt too old-fashioned. Yesterday, she heard the servants call him "General", so she followed suit.
Lan Zhu led her to the outer room, where the table was already set with food. After helping her sit down, she said, "Today is the grand court meeting, and the general has entered the palace to assist in the defense."
She nodded to show that she understood, picked up her chopsticks and started eating. Yinsuo served her a bowl of warm red bean porridge.
According to Dayan custom, a bride should rise early and offer tea to her parents-in-law on her first day. However, since she had no parents-in-law, this ritual could be omitted. She only needed to visit Minister Pei's home in a few days to acknowledge her family. The specific date would need to be discussed with Pei Yue.
She took a couple of bites of her side dish and looked out into the courtyard. "Why are there only you and Yinsuo? Where are Yunsui and Yunxing?"
This time she brought four maids from the Chu family as a dowry - Lanzhu, Yinsuo, Yunsui and Yunxing.
Lanzhu was a natural, as the two had grown up together, brave, clever, and loyal. Yinsuo, honest and hardworking, had been assigned to the Zhuyu Courtyard upon entering the mansion, so naturally he would be brought along as well.
Yunsui was a thoughtful, steady, and thoughtful woman, and she had developed a strong bond with him. If she stayed at the Chu family, she would inevitably be tortured by Wu, so he brought her along. As for Yunxing, it was because she and Yunsui were good friends, and she had risked her life to tip him off when they exchanged notes. She was a quick-witted and loyal girl.
Lan Zhu smiled and replied, "I saw them in the yard just now. They must be sorting out the dowry you brought with you in the storehouse."
"No," Lan Zhu winked mischievously and said jokingly, "You should call me Madam now!"
Yinsuo also smiled, bowed, and called "Madam."
Chu Yufu felt a little embarrassed. She cleared her throat, raised her hand and hit her, then said with a smile, "I don't have any reward money for you two."
While they were having dinner, two stewards from the Pei Mansion came to pay their respects.
Manager Ma, who was in charge of the front yard, was a tall and thin middle-aged man with a straight body. He wore an indigo cloth robe and had a bunch of brass keys hanging around his waist. His demeanor showed maturity and steadiness.
The fish mother who managed the backyard was plump and fair, wearing a light green jacket and a friendly smile. They both spoke with a slight Wuzhou accent, and Lan Zhu said they were the elders from the second branch of the family who had followed them all the way to the capital from Wuzhou.
Chu Yufu didn't act like a mistress and greeted her gently.
The two stewards were also extremely respectful, each presenting the keys and account books they were in charge of. Steward Ma also briefly reported on the existing industries and livelihoods in the mansion.
"To start from the distant past, the general still has two houses and a bookshop in Wuzhou. Closer to the capital, he has two wine shops, a goldsmith shop, a gambling house, and a farm on the outskirts of the capital."
Chu Yufu became more and more shocked as she listened. Finally, she put down her chopsticks and asked, "How could the general... have so many businesses?"
Steward Ma bowed and replied respectfully, "Madam, you may not know this, but your late mother came from a royal merchant family in Wuzhou. Most of these properties were left to you by your grandfather. Over the years, they gradually sold off their properties in Wuzhou and invested in properties in the capital, and they've now almost completed their purchase."
Chu Yufu hissed softly and felt her shoulders sink.
The little shop-management skills I learned from my grandmother were just theory. I felt a little overwhelmed when I suddenly had to take over so many businesses.
The young master of the Duke of Xin's Mansion needs medical treatment. Recently, many noble ladies have heard the news and come to her for medical treatment. She has to take care of the inner palace, plus the business outside, so she is really busy!
She smiled calmly without showing any emotion, picked up the embroidered handkerchief and wiped the corner of her lips, saying, "Yes. Please, both of you, call all the servants in the mansion to the main courtyard."
On the first day a new bride enters the house, it is always necessary for her to recognize people and establish her authority.
【Author’s words】
Jumping up and down) Don't ask me why there are so few! ! I have to work 5 days and rest 2 days, why does the author have no rest? Woohoo, I will update more tomorrow! ! [Poor][Poor]
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
