wedding banquet
Chunlai followed behind, too busy to help her down. She curtsied to Lu Chang, then carried Ah Li to the side, her feet crunching on the snow.
A warmth enveloped her, and Jingwan looked down to see Lu Chang had handed her a hot water bottle. She hugged the small heater, while Lu Chang tightened his maternity clothes around her neck.
He turned around and saw that Cui Dongchi had helped Gu Qingchen down from the carriage. The two of them were coming over, so he said, "It's cold, let's go back to the manor first." As he spoke, he put his arm around Jingwan's waist and walked forward.
Jingwan, who turned around with him, did not miss Gu Qingchen's "eagle-eyed" gaze. She stared at Lu Chang with deep affection, as if she had endless feelings to express to her long-lost lover.
Jingwan felt uncomfortable. After taking a few steps, she turned back and saw Cui Dongchi standing still talking to Chunlai. Gu Qingchen was left alone, looking at her with a resentful expression. Just then, Lu Chang was slightly turned to talk to Wuxia. She couldn't help herself. Taking advantage of the fact that no one was paying attention, she turned her head to look at Gu Qingchen. She deliberately grinned, stuck out her red tongue, and pulled down her right eyelid with one hand, making a face.
Seeing Gu Qingchen stop and glare at her angrily, Jing Wan smiled and revealed her pearly teeth.
"Worried!" There was a threshold under her feet, and she almost tripped. Fortunately, Lu Chang caught her in time. Jing Wan quickly hugged Lu Chang and whimpered, "Cousin, hold me tighter."
She often acted coquettishly towards Lu Chang, who only felt tenderness towards her. Only Wu Xia, standing beside her, shook her head at her with amusement.
Lu Chang's original residence in Xingcheng was left by the governor of Ningzhou. The governor was dissolute, so Lu Chang disliked him and found a new house. After renovating it, he specially built an exquisite little pavilion for Jingwan.
The kitchen prepared the food well in advance, and only dared to serve it after the tables were full of guests. After months of traveling, the food was far from being so exquisite, and Jingwan was the happiest of all.
Lu Chang felt full just watching her eat. Seeing her chubby cheeks, he peeled the shrimp and put it in her bowl, then patted her head tenderly and said, "Eat more, you've gotten so thin."
In return, she picked up a small meatball and fed it to Lu Chang.
Wu Xia, a vegetarian, ate only a bowl of vegetarian noodles before drinking wine and observing the people at the table with great interest.
No matter which way you look, it's a good show.
Chunlai and Gu Qingchen sat on either side of Cui Dongchi, both women with their heads down and not saying a word.
Gu Qingchen didn't want to look at the lovers opposite her who were so openly intimate. Every time she looked, her jealousy intensified. Chunlai, on the other hand, didn't want to face Cui Dongchi. She kept her head down and ate her meal without picking up any food. She chewed slowly and carefully, as if she could chew each mouthful of rice a dozen times.
Cui Dongchi is not good at serving people and cannot bring himself to serve food to his relatives or loved ones. Apart from drinking, he occasionally eats some snacks, but his complexion is not very good.
Seeing that Chunlai's bowl only contained white rice, Wu Xiao used serving chopsticks to put some meat into her bowl. Chunlai put down her chopsticks and nodded to thank her.
Of the people at the table, only those two were eating and feeding each other, completely at ease; the rest of the table had little appetite.
Gu Qingchen put down her chopsticks and left first, followed by Cui Dongchi, who pulled Chunlai away before leaving. Finally, Wuxia put down her wine glass and wisely left.
After the person who made her feel nauseous left, Jingwan's appetite increased even more. She ate two bowls of rice and drank a bowl of lotus root soup before stopping, feeling her full belly. Lu Chang then led her slowly through the mansion.
A servant came to report that General Cui was leaving.
Cui Dongchi's house isn't here; he's just here for a family reunion dinner, but unfortunately, he can't eat anything.
"The general said he had urgent business to attend to and would be leaving now. There's no need for you to see him off, sir."
Lu Chang waved his hand, telling him to leave, but Jing Wan was a little anxious: "Hey... Chunlai, don't go!" Lu Chang grabbed her: "Don't interfere too much, let the two of them handle it."
Jingwan wasn't in a hurry to go out and chase after him. She just hoped that Chunlai would stand up for himself this time and not be fooled by Cui again.
Cui Dongchi did indeed feel that spring was different from before.
Upon arriving at Xingcheng's residence, he pulled Chunlai along and strode into the inner room. He pressed her against the door, holding her down, and kissed her cheeks and eyes that he had longed for for so long.
He believed his feelings were deep, and poured out all the longing he had accumulated over the years. But after a while, when he looked at her intently, he saw that her eyes were clear and there was no sign of her being moved.
Cui Dongchi still didn't let go of her, only gently rubbing her lips with his hand. After a moment, he asked, "Why are you leaving?"
Chunlai didn't look at him, even turning her head away with an indifferent expression.
Cui Dongchi wouldn't let her avoid the question, pinching her chin and asking again, "Why are you leaving?"
When spring arrives, one is forced to look up, but cannot speak.
"Where can you go without me? Can you survive?"
After hearing this, Chunlai finally looked at him squarely. She found it funny, but not at Cui Dongchi; she was laughing at her past self. She thought they were supporting each other, but he saw her as a subordinate.
She smiled softly, and as she smiled, tears welled up in her eyes.
Cui Dongchi held her in his arms, gently stroking her thin back. His voice was clear and bright, like the bright moon hanging high in the sky. He had once thought that this embrace was a warm haven, but now he realized that it was a poison that would slowly kill her.
"What will you do without me, Chunlai!"
Compared to the two men, each with their own thoughts, Lu Chang was quite content.
A thick layer of snow covered the eaves, and light snowflakes were falling, creating a most enchanting moment—tranquil, elegant, and adorning the world.
The pond water is clear and bright, and the snow melts instantly upon contact, without the slightest hesitation. Beside the lotus pond is a winding corridor.
The pond was quiet, the corridor deserted, only the young man and woman stood under the eaves, reluctant to part.
Their breaths mingled, their lips met, their eyes were closed, but their eyes and minds were filled with each other.
The snow was still light, falling in fine, scattered flakes, dancing gently in the sky. Some playful flakes landed on the lover's dark hair.
Lu Chang picked up Jing Wan and continued kissing her. Jing Wan wrapped her arms around Lu Chang, leaned against him, and tilted her head back to kiss his neck.
As soon as the inner room door closed, he covered her.
Her cloak slipped off, but no one noticed; the curtains fell, and the warbling of orioles filled the air.
After their lovemaking, they were still like mandarin ducks whispering sweet nothings to each other. It was late at night, and outside it was so quiet that you could hear the snow falling from the branches. Inside, they were deeply in love, and Jingwan lay on Lu Chang's body.
After a long, long time... her saliva turned into strands, and she gently flicked it with the tip of her tongue, swallowed it, and then nestled her whole body into his arms.
No one was sleepy; only the loose strands of hair were deliberately knotted, making it impossible to distinguish one from another.
Jingwan looked up and saw that Lu Chang did not speak, so she buried her head in his arms again.
After she moved around like this a few times, even Lu Chang noticed something was wrong. He scratched her chin and asked in a hoarse voice, "What's wrong?"
Jingwan bit her lip, shifted her body slightly upward from the fragrant quilt, and said, "I know about Qin Ziyou's matter."
Lu Chang opened his eyes. He had been thinking about how to bring this up, but she spoke first.
Jingwan lowered her eyes and said in a flat voice, "I hate him. He killed His Highness and many people in the Northwest." She kept her head down, and Lu Chang could not see her expression at this moment. He only heard her say, "I will make him pay."
Lu Chang hugged her and said firmly, "Yes, he will have to pay for it eventually."
"And Gao Yun, I didn't expect her to come to Lingnan and even come to see me..."
Before he could speak, Lu Chang said, "Wuxia has informed me, and I have also sent people to look for Gao Qian. Don't worry."
"What about Bo Jun? I heard from Gao Yun that he went to the Northwest."
"He'll be fine for now; Li Ling wouldn't dare touch him. As for the future, I'll do everything in my power to save him."
Lu Chang had already made plans for Bo Jun, but he was blindly filial and only wanted to stay with the Gao family. He gave up several opportunities to escape.
Jingwan stayed in Xingcheng. The war in the Central Plains had been quelled, and everything was in need of rebuilding. Lu Chang had no plans to send troops to the Northwest for the time being. Although she was busy, he was safe and sound, and she was at ease.
Before the New Year, Jingwan went to the Cui family to find Chunlai. The Duke Gongsun who served Lu Chang was getting married. Lu Chang originally wanted to take her with him to celebrate, but he had an urgent matter to attend to and couldn't get away. So Jingwan asked Chunlai to go out of Xingcheng. There was a mountain stream village outside the city where the wedding was held.
Gongsun Jiadao's first marriage was to a woman he met while serving as an official in Xingcheng. He had gotten a bowl of water from her family, and that's how they met. She was an orphan girl from Shanxi Village who had lost her parents. She was gentle and kind, and a perfect match for Gongsun Jiadao.
Outsiders say this marriage came so easily, but no one mentions that Gongsun Jiadao is already twenty-eight years old this year, and how many years he has waited for this destiny.
Gongsun Jiadao was from Yanzhou, but his home was not here. He only rented a house in Shanxi Village to stay temporarily, and the wedding was held in the village.
The village was not wealthy; it consisted mostly of thatched huts. Fortunately, the courtyards were spacious enough, and the character for "happiness" was pasted on the narrow doors, so that the village did not lose its festive atmosphere despite its poverty.
The guests gathered early in the courtyard of the Gongsun family. They were all villagers from Shanxi Village, dressed simply. When there weren't enough stools, the neighbors brought their own to sit on. They gathered in twos and threes to warm themselves by the fire and chat, showing a strong sense of community.
The children were eating wedding candy, licking their hands with envy.
As winter dusk deepened, it was fortunate that the bride and groom lived in the same village; otherwise, it would have been dark by the time the bridal sedan chair arrived.
The sound of gongs and drums grew louder and louder, followed by the crackling of firecrackers and the laughter of the crowd. This was the liveliest place in the entire village.
The bride was ushered out of the sedan chair, and the people on both sides cheered loudly, with some even pushing and shoving from behind. The groom, unusually shy, led the bride away by holding the red ribbon.
The ancestral hall was set up in the courtyard. Since both of their parents had passed away early, they invited respected elders from the village to come and joyfully perform the wedding ceremony.
Jingwan and Chunlai sat on a nearby hilltop watching the lively scene. Just as they were enjoying themselves, Jingwan heard a sobbing sound. Turning around, she saw Chunlai crying.
"What's wrong? Spring is coming?"
Chunlai cried, "Jingwan, I'm so envious, so envious..."
Jingwan hugged her and let her lean on her shoulder to cry.
Tables were set up in the courtyard for a feast. They sat with the villagers, eating and chatting. A kind old lady came over and asked if the two of them were married. The two looked at each other and chuckled.
They didn't go to make a ruckus in the bridal chamber, but just chatted in the courtyard. A woman came over and said with a smile, "Miss, please go back to your residence. The young master has been waiting at home for a long time."
Jingwan noticed that the woman was dressed in the clothes of a servant from the Xingcheng household, but her face was completely unfamiliar. Realizing she had only been there a few days, she simply hadn't recognized her completely and asked, "Where's Wuxia? Didn't they say she was coming to take us back?"
The maid smiled and said, "Miss Wuxia is waiting for you by the carriage."
Jingwan had no suspicions and wanted to say goodbye to Gongsun Jiadao, but the wedding room inside was making a lot of noise, so she gave up and left the courtyard with Chunlai.
The village road was deserted, and a horse-drawn carriage was parked not far away. There was no one around, and Wuxia was not next to the carriage.
Jingwan stopped in her tracks and even took two steps back.
The maid, no longer as gentle as before, waved her hand, and the powder scattered. Jingwan and Chunlai both inhaled it and collapsed to the ground.
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