Chapter 103 The Wedding Night
After experiencing Rong Linyan's kidnapping and Ning Jue's heroic rescue, Bai Shu'an no longer had any complaints about Ning Jue's proposal to Bai Hua. At the same time, he was completely disappointed in the Rong family and did not want to become related to them by marriage.
Bai Shu'an was unaware that the disappearance of Bai Hua was orchestrated by the Left Chancellor Ji Fukun. He only believed that Rong Linyan was unhappy that Bai Hua had married someone else, and thus harbored resentment and sought revenge.
Such despicable behavior is a disgrace to his previous high regard!
Once this matter is settled, there is no longer any need for the Bai family and the Rong family to maintain any kinship ties.
In preparation for the betrothal and marriage proposal, Ning Jue purchased a residence on East Fourth Street in the capital. That piece of land was extremely valuable in the capital. Ning Jue bought it not because of a reward from the prince, but by using all the rewards he had received for suppressing the bandits.
When Bai Hua heard about it, she advised him that if he didn't plan to stay in the capital for a long time, why bother with such a nice house? It was really a waste.
Ning Jue replied in a teasing tone, "His wife must not be wronged."
The marriage negotiations between the two went smoothly. After their birth dates were matched, an auspicious day in the fourth month of the lunar calendar was chosen. Because the matchmaker was General Wang himself, this happy event attracted considerable attention in the capital.
In addition, Bai Hua was once famous in the capital. On her wedding day, the wedding procession walked along the main street of Jingqi. Onlookers lined the street three or four deep, all wanting to see what kind of handsome man would win the heart of the once famous beauty of Jingqi.
Ning Jue sat high on his horse, wearing a golden crown and a crimson brocade robe that accentuated his handsome appearance. He led the procession, facing countless gazes with a calm and composed demeanor. He held the reins with one hand, head held high and chest out, his bearing truly outstanding.
Among the onlookers, some whispered among themselves, "This young master Ning and the young lady Bai are quite a good match in terms of appearance, but in my opinion, the former crown prince and the young lady Bai look more like a match made in heaven. That year, during the festival, when they were holding lanterns to pray for blessings, the two of them stood side by side on the city wall, truly like a perfect couple. What a pity... This young master Ning has eyes like an eagle's, and the sharpness in his eyes is too intense. The young lady Bai is a delicate and beautiful woman, and she is actually more suited to a refined and handsome young man from a noble family. Someone who wields swords and spears is only a barely acceptable match for him."
One of the companions warned, "What former crown prince? That's a thing of the distant past. Be careful that someone with ulterior motives doesn't overhear this and get you into trouble."
The other party didn't seem to care: "What's wrong with mentioning it? The former Crown Prince has been released from prison and recently received His Majesty's pardon, being granted the title of Prince Xian and a fiefdom. In a few days, Prince Xian will set off from the capital to his fiefdom, thus staying away from the strife and living out the rest of his life in peace."
Those who heard this sighed: "Since ancient times, the victor is king and the loser is villain... Leaving the capital and living a different life doesn't necessarily mean you're a loser."
"Winning or losing is hard to say. If we can be free and do as we please from now on, that would be good too."
Ning Jue uttered a single word, "Giddy up," which floated over the heads of the two who had been whispering. The sound was not loud, but it carried a sense of intimidation.
The two froze instantly, exchanged a bewildered glance, and quickly stood up straight, too guilty to whisper to each other anymore.
At the same time, they both thought to themselves—since he was speaking so softly just now, Young Master Ning probably didn't hear anything, right?
...
The wedding ceremony was complicated, and Ning Jue followed the guidance of the lead groomsman to try her best to avoid any mistakes.
This is the custom for marriage in most official families in the capital. Ning Jue wanted to make Bai Hua completely satisfied, ensuring that everything she was entitled to was exactly as she was expected.
Upon arriving at the Bai residence, Ning Jue couldn't wait to dismount. Following the master of ceremonies' instructions, he took out his bow and arrow and easily fired three arrows at the sedan door. Cheers erupted around him, as if to wish for good luck.
After entering the house, he underwent many tests. Ning Jue rarely mingled in such ordinary liveliness and did not feel disgusted. After passing several physical and mental challenges, he was surrounded and entered the main house. Through several figures, he finally saw the wife he had been longing for.
Bai Hua was also surrounded by her female relatives. She wore a rich red wedding dress with Shu brocade as the base, gold thread embroidery, and peony embroidery, which was dazzling and extremely luxurious.
According to Xiao You, this was a wedding dress that the Countess specially prepared for her daughter at great expense during the heyday of the Earl's mansion. Its extravagance was almost comparable to that of the concubines in the palace.
Ning Jue didn't understand the rarity of a garment adorned with pearls and jewels; he only knew that his bride was the most precious being in the world.
It's not the clothes that flatter the person, but the person who enhances the beauty of the wedding dress.
He took Bai Hua's hand, bid farewell to Bai's elder brother and sister-in-law, and at the auspicious moment, the gongs and drums sounded again. He personally helped Bai Hua into the bridal sedan chair.
Many people around him jeered and shouted that this was not the groom's job, but the bridesmaid's job. However, Ning Jue ignored them. He didn't care about his reputation. He only wanted to take good care of Bai Hua. With her head covered by a red veil and being led by the person she trusted most, she would feel more at ease.
Ning Jue mounted his horse, and the sedan chair returned to the mansion. Accompanied by the crackling of firecrackers, the wedding procession, with colorful ribbons fluttering in the wind, turned around and headed back.
Compared to the way they came, on the return journey, Ning Jue rode his horse with his head held high, his brows relaxed, and his face clearly showed more spirit.
He was already handsome, but his eyes were always cold and distant, so ordinary girls didn't dare to look him in the eye. But now, because of the smug look on his face, he looked even more handsome and eye-catching, attracting a lot of attention. This caused many girls who were secretly watching the spectacle to feel a surge of excitement in their hearts, but they could only hide their envy and jealousy.
Bai Hua used to outshine other girls her age with her good family background and outstanding beauty. Although the Bai family is not in decline now, its prominence is incomparable to what it used to be.
Bai Hua's status plummeted, and all the girls her age who had once been overshadowed by her were eager to see what would happen. Today, they sat on the rooftop and secretly watched the ceremony from the street, their purpose being to crane their necks and see who Bai Hua ultimately married.
I heard that the other party is a favorite of the prince, but he doesn't have a respectable background. Bai Hua is marrying down. Thinking about it this way, the so-called ceremony is more about watching the show and making a fool of herself.
Unexpectedly, instead of enjoying the excitement, they were completely mesmerized—the groom was so eye-catching that he stood out like a crane among chickens in the bustling city street. To put it shamelessly, he was truly breathtaking.
On the second floor of a teahouse on the main street, several noble ladies from the capital, who had arranged to enjoy tea together, gathered around a table. As the wedding procession walked away into the distance, they reluctantly turned their gazes away, each lost in their own thoughts.
Some of them were already married, while others were still unmarried.
The former subconsciously compared her husband to Ning Jue in her mind, then sighed with sorrow, her face showing a loss of her previous energy. The latter, on the other hand, had some aspirations, hoping that her future husband would also be so handsome and dashing.
In the end, they all thought of Bai Hua again, marveling at how lucky she was, always getting what others wanted from childhood to adulthood.
He was once the Crown Prince's favorite, now he is a handsome young man.
Comparing yourself to others is just asking for trouble!
The only thing that could offer them some comfort was that Ning Jue did not have a prestigious family background to rely on. In terms of bringing glory and benefit to their families, their marriages were superior to Bai Hua's.
Ning Jue possessed extraordinary hearing and eyesight far exceeding that of ordinary people.
He overheard the gossip of passersby and caught a glimpse of many guests in the attic rooms pretending to be having a gathering, but actually craning their necks to secretly peek at the wedding procession.
However, the scenes in the teahouse did not leave much of an impression on Ning Jue. What is worth mentioning is that in the third floor of the wooden building next door, there is a private room on the far left that is particularly eye-catching.
The room had an open window, behind which sat a handsome young nobleman with a jade-like face, dressed in a deep blue brocade robe. Although his facial features were not clearly visible, his demeanor suggested that he possessed an extraordinary air.
Ning Jue sat high on his horse, his view unobstructed. He glanced around and quickly noticed four or five identically dressed guards with swords standing close behind the young man. The dark green bronze badges on their waists were very conspicuous.
Dark green waist tag...
He recalled that the prince had previously told him that the powerful and influential people in the capital were ranked according to their status, and that the servants' clothing was also different for each rank.
Ning Jue instantly realized that those people upstairs were all from the Eastern Palace.
And the young master who watched Hua'er's wedding sedan chair disappear into the distance, if I'm not mistaken, is probably the former Crown Prince Wei Yu.
Ning Jue calmly withdrew his gaze, subconsciously tilting his head back and straightening his chest, opening his shoulders and straightening his back. Then, he engaged his leg muscles, and the horse immediately lurched forward.
He was on horseback, tightening the reins to tame the wild horse, displaying a majestic and awe-inspiring demeanor.
Upon hearing the commotion, the former Crown Prince Wei Yu's gaze naturally shifted slightly backward, and so, one above the other, their gazes suddenly met in mid-air.
Although they did not exchange a single word, their interactions were quite rich, with the former probing and the latter provoke.
...
The Duyuan Garden, which Ning Jue purchased in Beijing, is decorated with festive decorations everywhere today.
The vermilion gates were wide open, with red ribbons tied around the necks of the two stone lions at the entrance. In the courtyard, red lanterns with the character "囍" (double happiness) hung high on the branches of the trees, and various red satins and paper-cuts hung on both sides of the covered corridor, creating an atmosphere that was extremely atmospheric. Even the koi swimming in the pond had to be selected today, with a few brightly colored ones to complement the scenery.
Inside the main house, exquisitely carved dragon and phoenix wedding candles burned quietly, illuminating the entire room with a bright red glow.
Bai Hua, her head covered by a red veil, sat nervously on a brocade quilt embroidered with mandarin ducks playing in the water. Her fingers were tucked into her sleeves, and she nervously rubbed them together, waiting patiently for each moment.
She had never felt time move so slowly, yet her emotions remained unsettled for a long time.
After the wedding ceremony, Ning Jue was roused by the crowd and dragged out for drinks. Among them, Zang Fan was the most boisterous.
Bai Hua thought to herself that if Zang Fan dared to get Ning Jue drunk, she would definitely remember this debt and pay it back when he got married in the future.
Just as he was pondering what kind of girl would be a good match for Zang Fan's straightforward personality, there was a sudden noise at the door.
As the footsteps drew closer, Xiao You's greeting rang out: "The son-in-law is here!"
Son-in-law.
A familiar yet intimate way of addressing each other.
Bai Hua couldn't help but smile. She quickly sat up straight. The elaborate wedding ceremony, which only happens once in a lifetime, was finally coming to an end.
She guessed that Ning Jue must have secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Normally, he hates trouble and all sorts of rules the most.
When Ning Jue entered the room, he dismissed Xiao You and the other servants waiting in the courtyard. He then went inside, closed the door, and bolted it shut.
He walked closer to the bed, but did not call out to her. Bai Hua couldn't see clearly because of the veil covering her face, and her heart started racing.
Ning Jue stood at the table, only two steps away from her. Bai Hua sniffed and indeed detected the smell of alcohol. With so many people surrounding him, toasting him from left to right, how could he not be drunk?
“Hua’er,” he called her, his voice slightly hoarse. “The best man told me that after lifting your veil with the scale rod, I shouldn’t just get intimate with you. I should drink the nuptial wine with you first to formally complete the ceremony. Actually, I didn’t need him to teach me these things. It’s not like it’s the first time I’ve lifted your red veil.”
That's true; if you count them carefully, it's happened three times.
The first time was in Guocheng, the capital of the Southern Min Kingdom, in the territory of the Umbrella Immortal. Fearing that Ning Jue might encounter unforeseen circumstances in the life-or-death battle, she decided to grant him a wish out of pity. So she paid homage to heaven and earth with him, held a simple wedding, and had a wedding night... At that time, she wore a wedding dress for him, and he lifted the red veil.
On another occasion, she pretended to marry Rong Linyan, but Ning Jue took it seriously and angrily came to abduct her. He thought he had been betrayed and angrily tore off her red veil, his eyes bloodshot.
As for the third time, it's right now.
The two have been through so much together, it's truly not easy for them to get to where they are today.
Bai Hua murmured, "This is the most formal one, and it has been witnessed by many. It is also the one that has received the most blessings from relatives and friends."
“Besides blessings, there are probably ulterior motives as well.” Ning Jue suddenly spoke with a hint of meaning. As soon as he finished speaking, he picked up the scale rod and lifted Bai Hua’s veil.
Their eyes met, and Bai Hua didn't bother to ponder his strange words. She was only focused on his flushed cheeks, which showed signs of slight intoxication, and his lips, which were unusually red and looked... very alluring.
She turned her gaze away, inwardly annoyed at herself for becoming more and more like his frivolous behavior.
"You're drunk."
"Three points."
Bai Hua didn't believe her: "You never show your face when you drink, but this time your face turned red, and you still say you're not drunk."
Ning Jue chuckled: "If I don't put on a convincing act, how could they easily let me come back? Today is the most important day, our wedding night. How could I, your husband, let my drinking interfere with the important matters?"
This was the first time he had ever referred to himself as her husband in front of her.
Bai Hua wasn't used to it yet; her ears felt a little hot after listening.
Ning Jue took the scale rod in his hand, leaned forward and pressed closer, wrapping his arms around her, so close that their breaths mingled.
"Won't Hua'er call me?" Ning Jue asked.
"What..." Bai Hua was a little stunned.
Ning Jue smiled, a hint of playful mockery in his eyes, his gaze growing increasingly intense. Under such a stare, Bai Hua quickly realized what he wanted her to call him.
Bai Hua felt shy, and her expression was somewhat unnatural.
Ning Jue then leaned close to her ear, his voice hoarse, and kindly instructed, "Hua'er, be good, call me husband/lord."
After saying that, he didn't get up. Instead, he used a seemingly weak force to nibble on Bai Hua's earlobe. Bai Hua's breathing became rapid and her nerves tensed up instantly, but her resistance was completely dissipated, and she couldn't muster any strength at all.
Unable to withstand Ning Jue's persistent advances, she trembled and feigned weakness, cooperating as she uttered, "...Husband."
Ning Jue responded with satisfaction, kissed Bai Hua's left earlobe, and then raised his right hand to touch the other side in a wicked manner, brazenly rubbing her with the calloused skin.
Bai Hua's body was sensitive and weak, unable to cling to him, and she pleaded with him to let her go.
"Let's drink the nuptial wine first..." Bai Hua reached out and pressed her hand against his chest, then looked up into his eyes, trying to judge how drunk he was by the turbidity of his eyes. "Let's drink this last one tonight, okay?"
Ning Jue readily agreed and, without asking Bai Hua to get up, personally brought over the two jade-carved nuptial cups and handed one to Bai Hua.
Taking advantage of Bai Hua's convenience, he slightly bent his knees and lowered his body, intertwined his arms with hers, and tilted his head back to drink the wine in one gulp.
The alcohol had a strong, spicy taste that Bai Hua wasn't used to. As the liquor went down her throat, she subconsciously frowned.
She wanted to cough, but before she could catch her breath, Ning Jue had already grabbed her waist aggressively, then leaned down and sealed her lips with his, taking away all her breath.
Caught off guard, Bai Hua's eyes widened, and her hand holding the wine glass instinctively struggled to push against Ning Jue's shoulder.
She made two soft "mmm" sounds, her voice tinged with reproach, unaware that her disheveled hair, loose clothes, and pitiful appearance, as if she had been wronged, were incredibly alluring.
Ignoring the wine cup still in his hand, Ning Jue pounced on her, trying to force her onto the bed.
In the chaos, the jade nuptial cups fell from their fingers one after the other, rolling onto the soft blanket at their feet without making a sound.
The red curtains were hastily lowered, the Shu brocade wedding quilt creased, and the two rolled and intertwined within them. Like dry wood pressed against a raging fire, there was no need for foreplay; their suppressed desires were ignited and burst forth completely at the slightest touch.
They kissed first, but that was far from enough.
Not enough, far from enough.
The two men, their foreheads pressed together and breathing heavily, undressed each other. The red candles in the room were meant to burn all night, and the light from a few candles shone on the thin gauze curtains, reflecting the undulating shadows of the two figures inside. The earth shook, the clouds mingled, and their souls were connected.
This is a matter of serious business for the couple.
It is a matter of course.
Even if the Emperor himself came, he wouldn't be allowed to disturb them.
The morning sunlight streamed into the room through the carved window lattice, illuminating the dusty floor.
The wedding candles on the four celadon lotus candlesticks with crackle patterns had all burned out, the red candle wax flowing and solidifying, resembling beads made of coral.
Two kingfishers flew into the magnolia tree outside the window at some unknown time, and their chirping woke Bai Hua. Her eyelids were heavy, and she opened her eyes groggily. Clearly, less than two hours of sleep was not enough to make her feel better.
She calmed herself down and saw Ning Jue lying beside her, nestled in his warm embrace, her head resting on his arm. Her heart softened, and she felt a sense of peace.
She gently turned around, raised her eyes to examine Ning Jue's sleeping face, still in his dreams, and thought he looked so handsome. She reached out, but didn't actually touch him; she just stroked his prominent brow bone and superior nose bridge through the air.
In this quiet moment, his handsome face appears much gentler, a stark contrast to his ferocious, beast-like demeanor last night.
Thinking of this, and feeling the lingering soreness in her waist, Bai Hua glared at him, her expression inevitably tinged with resentment.
Last night, his treatment of her was unusual; it was completely rude and forceful, disregarding all else. If she were a virgin, such an experience would have caused her unbearable pain. His forceful desire to devour her and the violent way he lifted her legs onto his shoulders still send shivers down her spine when she thinks about it now.
Fortunately, this wasn't her first time serving a king...
This time, for the second time, she was better prepared, both mentally and physically, to wear the red wedding dress for him.
However, Ning Jue's unusual behavior still made Bai Hua wonder if he was intentionally venting something.
At that moment, she was so deeply affected by his possession that her soul was almost leaving her body, and she had no other thoughts to ponder his ulterior motives.
Even now, Bai Hua still can't figure out who provoked him.
But she can assure you that she has done absolutely nothing to provoke him.
Never mind, if she can't figure it out, she'll put it aside for now. She's so sleepy right now, her eyelids feel like they're weighed down by weights.
The two orioles outside the window had already flown away together; she only prayed that no other birds or beasts would chirp and disturb her peaceful sleep...
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