Wedding candles
"Send them into the bridal chamber—"
Gu Yu sat on the wedding bed as the light in the room gradually dimmed, leaving only the flickering candlelight.
She considered lifting the veil herself, but then she thought that this was Xu Qiu's first marriage, so she decided to leave it for him to lift.
She had a small appetite, so she secretly grabbed a few dates and longans from behind her and ate them, which made her feel less hungry.
Qiuju, who was with her, was very sensible. She didn't say a word and even hid the date pits and longan shells in a handkerchief so she could take them out and throw them away later.
"Miss, there are pastries on the table. Would you like me to sneak you some?"
The nanny in charge of etiquette around her was getting drowsy, so Qiuju asked her in a low voice.
Gu Yu shook her head. She wasn't actually that hungry anymore; she just wanted to take off the phoenix crown from her head and get a good night's sleep.
However, not long after Qiuju asked the question, Xu Qiu walked in with a group of people who had come to make a ruckus at the wedding.
The old woman quickly perked up and began instructing the groom on what to do.
Finally, she left with the others. The banquet in the front hall was still going on, and she wanted to go there to have a good meal to soothe her stomach, which had been empty all day. She also needed to get a red envelope from the person in charge later.
The bride is a young lady from the Duke's mansion, so she's sure to be generous. Just thinking about it makes me feel invigorated.
Those who came to make a ruckus at the wedding were all drunk, and when she chased them away, they followed her without thinking.
There were two people who looked clear-headed and hadn't drunk much, but seeing that everyone had left, they also returned to the front hall.
She felt the two of them were a bit strange, but she didn't think much of it.
As Xu Qiutong's colleagues at the Hanwen Academy, Wei Cong and Dongfang Hongyao naturally came to offer their congratulations.
Since becoming the prospective consort, Dongfang Hongyao's status has risen steadily, even though he has not yet officially married Princess Yuning. He has gained favor with his superiors at the Hanwen Academy and may soon be promoted to a higher rank.
Wei Cong remained the same as always, diligently studying and revising books, and then doing some minor revisions with the scholar Xu, who valued him highly.
He only came here to see Brother Hongyao.
Fortunately, Dongfang Hongyao hadn't been drinking and was quite clear-headed. After giving his gift and glancing at the newlyweds from afar, he prepared to leave.
Sometimes things in this world are just so illogical. If we're talking about who came first, then it was Brother Hongyao who met Miss Gu first.
But, what a pity, what a pity, Xu Qiu suddenly appeared out of nowhere.
"I thought you would lift the veil yourself, but you just waited for me obediently."
Xu Qiu used a ruyi scepter to remove the veil from Gu Yu's head.
Gu Yu was finally able to see the light of day. She took a deep breath and said, "Being a bride is really suffering. Why can't you ride in a sedan chair and I ride a tall horse?"
“If you had said so earlier, it wouldn’t have been impossible,” he readily agreed.
Gu Yu was both amused and exasperated. "Why are you being so obedient today? You bit me yesterday!"
Xu Qiu hadn't actually drunk much; his face was flushed, but his eyes were clear. At that moment, the back of his ears turned red. "That wasn't a bite."
"ah?"
He argued again, "That wasn't a bite, I was... kissing you."
Gu Yu frowned, feeling that some things were beyond her control.
She had initially thought that Xu Qiu was someone who didn't understand love between men and women, but at this moment she sensed his budding sincerity.
Sincerity? Liking?
"You know, we're not in a man-woman relationship; we're just peers."
Gu Yu had always felt that the alliance between men and women was too fragile, so she had never thought about it in this direction.
Interests are eternal, but feelings are ever-changing.
“I know…” He poured himself a glass of wine and also poured one for Gu Yu. “Would you like to drink the Heqin wine?”
Gu Yu hesitated before picking up the wine cup, which was connected to another wine cup by a red thread.
They linked arms and drank the wine together.
From that moment on, they would be husband and wife.
They were husband and wife, at least before their divorce.
"I know you, and you know me. I'm the kind of person who, once I've tasted a bit of success, knows how to climb the social ladder. Your words confused me, so it's your fault. Forget about yesterday..."
In the flickering candlelight, those dark, deep eyes stared intently at Gu Yu, "Or—"
"You can bite back if you want."
"Forget it, consider it a loss for me, let's just forget about it."
This person is good at turning the tables; how did it become her fault just because she spoke nicely?
Gu Yu stretched her aching arms and moved her stiff neck. The hairpins on her phoenix crown jingled crisply. She was truly exhausted and didn't want to argue with him.
Gu Yu wanted to take off the phoenix crown, but found that Qiu Ju was no longer in the room.
As soon as she turned her head, Xu Qiu knew what she was thinking, so he stood up and stood behind her.
"This is my first time taking it apart too, I'll give it a try..."
He moved very carefully, gently removing the strands of hair tangled in the hairpin, afraid of hurting her.
But he was clever. After a little trial and error, he figured out how the phoenix crown was fixed in place and took it off in no time.
"This phoenix crown is strangely heavy; no wonder your neck is sore."
Gu Yu nodded, looking at him with agreement, "I secretly ate some longan and red dates while I was waiting for you. I'm not hungry now, just a little tired."
She looked around and saw a small couch in the room. "You're tall and strong, so you can sleep on the bed. I'll make do with the couch."
Xu Qiu replied in a muffled voice, "You sleep on the bed, I'll go to the study."
"No, if word gets out, our fake marriage will be exposed."
He smiled and raised an eyebrow. "Since it's fake, the servants in the manor will find out sooner or later, and people outside will find out too. How can it be made real?"
This won't do. Gu Yu was a little troubled. If she and he didn't get along, how could she explain that she insisted on marrying him?
"Let's sleep in the same bed. If you don't want to, I won't touch you."
Gu Yu wasn't against having sex, but her body was weak, and all medicines had side effects, so she couldn't take contraceptives.
What if they insist on divorcing and have a child?
"Do you like me?" Gu Yu asked hesitantly.
In fact, Xu Qiu's actions were quite obvious, as if he was afraid she wouldn't notice.
He looked at her tentatively, "What if I said yes..."
In his eyes, she was always good, and even if he was using her, he would give her something in return.
Sometimes he wondered, if she was a vengeful ghost, what would he be? Something with a filthy mind and cruel methods, a hundred times more ferocious than a vengeful ghost.
He wanted her, he wanted to get to her, even if it was to use her or to scheme against her, he wanted the sweetness she could give him.
"ah?"
Seeing that he admitted it without any hesitation, Gu Yu was a little stunned, so she forgot to push him away when he reached out to hug her.
“I am very content, madam.”
He whispered in her ear, "...Give me a little something sweet, and I'll be a good knife in your hand..."
What's this?
It was originally just a test, but seeing that she didn't resist, he immediately took advantage of the situation. He should have known better than to ask. How was he going to handle this now? Gu Yu started to have a headache.
He assured her, "Madam, don't worry. My affection for you will only strengthen our relationship and won't affect anything else."
"When? When did you start liking me?" Gu Yu asked, puzzled.
"I don't know, I don't know either."
"But you said your father doesn't value profit or fame, he only values you. He was willing to marry you to me, so he must have seen my sincerity..."
He continued, "Perhaps... a long time ago. Madam is wise, how could you not have noticed?"
Gu Yu thought Xu Qiu was definitely the most clueless type, but she didn't expect him to give her such a rude awakening. It's true that smart people are hard to deal with.
Xu Qiu is so perceptive.
Gu Yu finally remembered to push the person away, "Get out of the way and speak properly."
Does romantic love between men and women strengthen their bond?
Gu Yu thought further ahead: what if they were to end up on opposite sides one day?
However, as things stand, Xu Qiu's affection for her doesn't seem to affect her plans, and she can't force Xu Qiu not to like her.
Whether she reciprocates his feelings or not, their alliance will remain unchanged.
That's settled then.
Gu Yu looked at his gentle and warm features in the candlelight and said coldly, "I hope this won't affect our future working together."
Xu Qiu smiled. This was the outcome he had anticipated, but when the scene actually unfolded before his eyes, he couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness.
My heart felt like it was being soaked in bitter wine.
He knew all along that Gu Yu had no romantic feelings for him; he was using her, and she was using him too, so what was he hoping for now?
He clearly knew her answer.
"Of course not, madam."
Because she was too tired, Gu Yu tidied herself up a bit and went straight to sleep on the inside of the bed.
Xu Qiu took off his bright red wedding attire and went to bed in only his undergarments. Before the red candles burned out, he carefully examined Gu Yu's features.
Even if she has no feelings for him, she is his wife and can only be his.
After confirming that Gu Yu was sound asleep, he carefully placed a kiss on her forehead with a reverent expression.
Before learning Gu Yu's secret, he didn't believe in superstitions or supernatural phenomena. But Gu Yu appeared, shattering everything he had previously believed in, including his usually self-reliant rationality.
She was eccentric and unconventional, shrouded in mystery, and absurd to the extreme, yet he couldn't help but look at her.
Romantic love between men and women is a strange thing, because it has no reason and no explanation.
It could be when she uttered those frivolous words, it could be when he watched her and Shen Changqing putting on an act, it could be when she came to the imperial prison to change his bandages, or it could be when he rode his horse through the streets and looked at her...
When he realized he liked her and wanted to suppress his true feelings, it was too late.
Fortunately, he and she were originally in the same boat. Even if they weren't as inseparable as ordinary couples, they were still closely allies with intertwined interests.
Before marrying her, he only wanted to be her husband and wife. What did it matter if it was real or fake? Only he could stand openly by her side.
But after she actually became his wife, he was insatiable and wanted more.
So what good thing could he be?
Fortunately, his wife was unaware of his greed. She lay unguarded beside him, his heart full, yet he still tirelessly craved more.
The gentle morning light fell upon the two people embracing on the bed.
Gu Yu went to bed early last night and woke up even earlier than Xu Qiu. When she found herself nestled in Xu Qiu's arms, her body inevitably stiffened.
Although she believed that Xu Qiu could be a man of his word, like Liu Xiahui, he still had feelings for her. She was afraid of the worst-case scenario.
She should still get a spacious little couch, saying it's for her to take a nap.
Gu Yu tucked her hands and feet away from Xu Qiu's feet. She wasn't used to sharing a bed with others; she was just too tired last night and didn't care anymore.
Seeing movement inside the room, Qiuju outside the door asked in a low voice. Gu Yu then let the servants in. The servants, seeing that Xu Qiu was still unconscious, did not make any noise.
Xu Qiu only woke up slowly after Chun Yue finished tying Gu Yu's hair up, and the servants dressed him.
"Are you off today?" Gu Yu already knew the answer in her mind, but still asked casually.
"According to the laws of the Great Sheng Dynasty, officials who are newly married are entitled to a three-day leave."
After tidying his clothes, Xu Qiu put his hair up, and put on a jade crown, revealing that he was wearing his everyday clothes.
Breakfast was laid out on the table: simple porridge and side dishes, nothing extravagant.
Xu Qiu had no parents, so Gu Yu didn't need to pay her respects or leave the mansion. After Chun Yue styled her hair, she didn't apply any more rouge.
She slept well last night, and her complexion is not pale today; in fact, it is somewhat radiant, and her cheeks have some color.
Gu Yu sat beside Xu Qiu and ate breakfast with him. Qiu Ju served Gu Yu food, and none of them said a word.
Qiuju always felt that there was something strange between the young lady and the young master, but she couldn't quite put her finger on what it was.
Logically, the two should have been inseparable after their wedding night, but they acted as if nothing had happened.
Gu Yu and Xu Qiu walked around the house to familiarize themselves with where she would be living for a short time. "This house must cost at least five thousand taels of silver, right?"
“You’re right, Madam. This is a house that my godfather prepared for me. My previous house was even smaller and not suitable for me to live with you.”
Gu Yu nodded, thinking that it made sense. Xu Qiu was an orphan, and if it weren't for Xu Shanhai's intervention, how could he have afforded this three-courtyard mansion in Shengjing City?
Even though he worked for the Eastern Depot and received some rewards, Xu Qiu was fond of fine clothes and jade, and wanted everything to be the best. The rewards were barely enough to cover his expenses without causing him any trouble.
How could he possibly have the money to buy a mansion?
"As far as I know, the salary of a sixth-rank official cannot afford the expenses of this house."
Buying the mansion alone isn't enough; the servants who maintain its daily operation and the coachmen and drivers who take it out all cost money.
"I still have some savings, madam, don't worry, we won't be in dire straits."
It was an open secret that the salaries of officials in the Great Sheng Dynasty were extremely low.
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