Chapter 7: The Wedding Night
As dusk settled and the lanterns were lit, the red lanterns of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion, like a flowing river of fire, illuminated the entire residence as if it were daytime. The daytime clamor of gongs and drums and the greetings of guests had gradually faded away, leaving only a settled, unsettling silence.
Inside the new house, "Jinmo Hall," red candles burned brightly, their warm glow enveloping the festive crimson hue of the room. Su Wanrou sat upright on the canopy bed covered with a quilt draped with the embroidered robes of a hundred sons and a thousand grandsons, the heavy crimson-gold dragon and phoenix veil above her head almost bending her slender neck. Before her was an impenetrable sea of red, and the air was thick with the smell of new furniture lacquer, the faint scorching of candlelight, and a strange, crisp masculine scent—belonging to this room, and even more so to her husband with whom she had just performed the wedding ceremony.
After a whole day of tedious formalities, she was stiff all over, her stomach empty, yet she felt no hunger, only a dazed, detached feeling, as if her soul had left her body. She could almost hear her mother, Lady Wang's, last words echoing in her ears: "...My child, tonight...no matter what, you must be obedient, and do not disobey the Duke." The worry and unfinished meaning in those words made her hands, hidden beneath her wide sleeves, tremble slightly, her fingertips cold.
Yun Que, a maidservant who accompanied the bride, and another head maidservant, Qiu Yue, stood guard outside the door, holding their breath and barely breathing. Time flowed slowly amidst the accumulating tears of red candlelight, each breath seeming exceptionally long.
After an unknown amount of time, steady and clear footsteps finally came from outside, approaching slowly but surely. The footsteps on the bluestone slabs of the corridor seemed to tread on Su Wanrou's heart. Her back instantly straightened, and she even held her breath.
The door was pushed open, letting in a cool night breeze, and the candlelight flickered gently.
Gu Yangui walked in. He had changed out of the overly formal crimson python robe he wore during the daytime wedding procession, now only in a dark red casual robe. His golden crown was gone, and his dark hair was loosely tied up with a single jade hairpin. Having shed the formality and aloofness of his daytime role as groom, the imposing aura of someone long accustomed to a high position and the chilling presence of a military general were now even more pronounced. He had clearly been drinking; his deep eyes were even darker than usual, and a barely perceptible flush graced his cheeks, yet his steps remained steady, and his gaze clear.
He waved away the Lady Quanfu and her maid who were about to come forward to serve him. Yun Que glanced worriedly in the direction of the bed, then lowered her head and quietly retreated with Qiu Yue, gently closing the door behind them.
With a soft creak, the inner room was separated into a completely enclosed space belonging only to the newlyweds.
Su Wanrou's heart pounded like a drum as she felt that gaze fall upon her, scrutinizing her, perhaps even carrying a hint of... the same unfamiliarity and consideration as her own. She was so nervous that her toes curled up.
Gu Yangui stood there for a moment, seemingly adjusting to the glaring red filling the room and the petite red figure on the bed. He took a step and slowly walked to the bedside, not moving immediately, but simply watching her quietly. The girl's figure, wrapped in the elaborate wedding dress, still appeared slender, her head slightly lowered, revealing a section of her neck that was dazzlingly white, yet also conveyed a sense of fragile vulnerability.
He recalled that day at the hunting grounds, when she trembled in his arms like a leaf in the wind. He also remembered the matchmaker's assessment of her as having a "gentle and virtuous nature" within the confines of her home.
Finally, he reached out and picked up the gold scale bar that had been prepared on the tray.
The moment the veil was gently lifted, Su Wanrou subconsciously closed her eyes, unable to immediately adapt to the suddenly bright light, and lacking the courage to look directly at the man she was about to spend her life with.
Gu Yangui looked at the meticulously made-up face before her. Her eyebrows were like distant mountains, her lips like a touch of vermilion, but the heavy makeup concealed her original childishness, making her lose some of her vitality, like a jade statue that was too exquisite but lacked life. Only her slightly trembling, long and thick eyelashes betrayed her inner panic.
"Open your eyes." His voice rang out in the quiet night, deeper than usual, with a hint of drunken hoarseness. It carried no command, yet possessed an undeniable power.
Su Wanrou's eyelashes trembled, and she finally slowly opened her eyes.
A pair of clear almond-shaped eyes, reflecting the flickering candlelight, were like obsidian immersed in water, wet and glistening, carrying obvious fear, yet she tried hard to maintain her composure as she gazed into his unfathomable eyes.
Their eyes met.
The air seemed to freeze. She saw her reflection in his eyes, small, trapped within those deep, dark eyes. And his gaze, sharp as a hawk's, seemed to pierce through layers of makeup, reaching the depths of her soul, scrutinizing her most subtle emotions.
Su Wanrou felt uneasy under his gaze, her cheeks burning uncontrollably. She hurriedly lowered her eyes, unable to meet his eyes any longer, and whispered, "Your... Your Excellency the Duke..."
Gu Yangui placed the scale beam back on the tray, making a slight clinking sound. "Now that the ceremony is complete, it's time to address her differently." He sat down beside her, the bed sinking slightly under his weight, his unfamiliar masculine scent enveloping her even more intensely.
“…Husband.” The words came out with a shy, hesitant tone.
"Hmm." Gu Yangui responded, his gaze sweeping over her hair adorned with pearls and jade. He reached out and took off the heaviest red-gold phoenix hairpin, inlaid with kingfisher feathers and pearls, and placed it aside. Then, the second, the third... His movements weren't exactly gentle, but they were methodical, with a swiftness akin to disarming an enemy.
As the heavy headdress was removed one by one, Su Wanrou felt a sudden lightness in her neck and subconsciously moved it slightly. This subtle movement was noticed by Gu Yangui, whose eyes flickered, but he said nothing.
Heqin wine was already prepared on the table. Two gourd ladles tied together with red silk thread held clear liquid.
Gu Yangui stood up, brought over the wine, and handed her a ladleful. Su Wanrou quickly took it with both hands, her fingertips inevitably touching his. The warm, rough touch made her hand tremble, and she almost spilled the wine.
“Cross your arms,” he reminded, raising his arms first.
Su Wanrou did as he instructed, her arm slipping through his crook. They were so close she could smell the crisp scent of alcohol emanating from his clothes, mixed with a unique, chilling aroma like that of pine trees after a snowfall. Holding her breath, under his gaze, she tilted her head back and downed the slightly spicy liquor in the ladle in one gulp. The liquor burned her throat, dispelling some of the chill, but also quickly bringing two blushes to her fair cheeks.
Gu Yangui finished the wine in his gourd and casually placed the two empty ladles back on the table. According to etiquette, the gourd was split in two, symbolizing the unity of husband and wife, and the red thread was tied back, signifying that their marriage would last forever.
Only then is the ceremony truly complete.
Watching his movements, Su Wanrou's heart leaped again. She knew that what was about to happen was the true core of tonight's events, and even the transformation of her identity. Her mother's subtle hints, the booklet that the nanny had slipped to her that she was too ashamed to look at... fragmented images flooded her mind, making her so ashamed that she almost wanted to shrink away.
Gu Yangui turned around and looked at her face, which was almost buried in his chest, and her small hands, which were tightly clenched around the hem of her clothes, her knuckles white. The girl's tension and fear seemed to permeate the air.
He didn't move immediately, but sat down again, his gaze falling on the neckline of her elaborate wedding dress, where small pearl buttons were adorned.
"Let's change," he said, his tone calm and unchanging, revealing no emotion.
Su Wanrou froze, her blood seemingly freezing. Trembling, she raised her hand and reached for her collar. However, due to excessive tension, her fingertips wouldn't obey her commands. After fumbling for a long time, she couldn't even unbutton the first button, instead pulling the buttons askew.
A large, calloused hand covered the back of her hand. The warm, dry touch made her tremble. Like a startled animal, she tried to pull her hand back, but he gently held it down.
"Don't move."
His voice was close, his breath brushing against her earlobe, sending a shiver down her spine. He didn't rely on a maid; instead, he personally unfastened the intricate buttons on her wedding dress, one by one. His movements weren't exactly skillful, even somewhat clumsy, but they were incredibly patient, imbued with an undeniable focus.
Outer robes, then another layer of brocade... one by one, the heavy formal attire was removed and neatly draped over the screen beside her. Su Wanrou kept her eyes tightly closed, her long eyelashes trembling violently like butterfly wings, her cheeks flushed as if they were about to bleed. When only a thin red silk undergarment remained, she felt a chill and felt those large hands lingering on the ties of her undergarment.
She could feel his gaze lingering, scrutinizing, and with a purely masculine gaze upon a woman. This realization made her so ashamed she almost fainted.
Just when she thought she was about to be completely stripped naked, Gu Yangui stopped. He pulled the brocade quilt over her trembling body, then got up and began to unbutton his own robes.
Su Wanrou peeked through a crack in her eyes and saw him with his back to her, having removed his outer robe to reveal a broad, well-defined back with smooth lines and distinct muscles, and... several faint, pale white old scars on his back. They were marks of battle, silently telling the story of this man's past and world, so different from hers. The image was too impactful; she immediately closed her eyes tightly again, her heart pounding.
The red candle crackled and popped, scattering a tiny flame.
The bed beside her sank again, carrying the slight dampness of her post-shower body and a strong masculine scent. Gu Yangui lay down, maintaining a distance that was neither too close nor too far from her.
The anticipated further attack did not come immediately. Su Wanrou's body was tense as she waited, each breath feeling like torture on a knife's edge.
In the darkness, she felt his hand reach out, not touching her sensitive areas directly, but gently resting on her shoulder, tentatively yet soothingly, slowly stroking her stiff back.
"Afraid?" he asked in a low voice, his breath brushing against her neck.
Su Wanrou bit her lower lip and nodded slightly, then hurriedly shook her head. She was genuinely afraid, but she was even more afraid of displeasing him.
A barely audible sigh sounded overhead. Gu Yangui's arm went under her neck, and with a slight pull, he drew that stiff, slightly cool little body into his embrace.
The moment their skin touched, Su Wanrou couldn't help but gasp softly, her whole body stiffening. His chest was broad and warm, even a little hot, his heartbeat steady and strong, transmitted through the thin fabric. This was completely different from the feeling of being protected in his arms at the hunting grounds that day; that was protection in front of everyone, while this time, within the private bed, it was pure possession and being possessed.
"Relax." His lips were almost touching her earlobe, his warm breath brushing against her. "Now that we're husband and wife, this is a matter of principle."
His other hand, with its calloused fingertips, began to slowly roam over her slender back, with an unfamiliar yet irresistible force. The caress was initially somewhat stiff, but gradually took on a clear purpose, tracing her prominent shoulder blades and stroking her slender waist.
Su Wanrou was forced to lie face down against his chest, her nose filled with his strong, intoxicating masculine scent mixed with alcohol. She felt like a small boat tossed about in a raging storm, completely out of her control. A strange surge of emotion coursed through her body, mixed with fear and an indescribable tingling sensation.
When his large hand finally slipped under the hem of her undergarment and caressed her smooth thigh, Su Wanrou could no longer hold back and let out a soft, tearful sob. Tears silently streamed down her face, wetting the front of his shirt.
Gu Yangui stopped moving.
He raised his hand, his fingertips touching the dampness on her cheek, and stopped. In the darkness, he couldn't see her expression, but he could clearly feel the trembling of the delicate body in his arms and the suppressed sobs.
He thought of her age, and how, when she stood next to Mingxuan, she looked so young and innocent, hardly befitting an elder. The heat in his heart, fueled by the alcohol and the sense of ceremony, gradually cooled down.
He maintained the embrace but made no further move, only patting her back with his large hand in a slightly clumsy manner, as if soothing a child with night terrors.
After a long while, just when Su Wanrou thought the punishment was about to come, or that he would lose patience, she heard his deep voice above her head:
"Go to sleep."
After saying that, he actually stopped moving, but simply pulled her closer to his chest, adjusted to a more comfortable position, and closed his eyes.
Su Wanrou froze in his arms, too afraid to move, tears still clinging to her eyelashes, her heart filled with a bewildered and unbelievable sense of relief. He just... let her go like that?
She heard his breathing gradually become steady and long, his warm breath brushing against the top of her hair. As her tense nerves relaxed, extreme exhaustion washed over her like a tidal wave. After a day of intense mental stress, in this warm, firm, and temporarily safe embrace, Su Wanrou's consciousness began to blur.
Finally, unable to resist her exhaustion, she fell into a deep sleep in this unfamiliar and oppressive embrace, her tear stains still wet.
Only after confirming that the little one in his arms was breathing evenly and deeply, and was fast asleep, did Gu Yangui slowly open his eyes in the darkness. The candlelight filtered through the curtains, casting soft shadows on her face. Without makeup, her sleeping face was as pure as a baby's, though her brows were still slightly furrowed, as if she had suffered a great injustice.
He reached out and gently brushed away the remaining tear tracks on her cheek. As his fingertips touched her delicate, warm skin, a strange, tender emotion, so faint, brushed across his heart.
Delicate and timid.
He made his assessment in his mind. But, it didn't seem particularly unpleasant.
The red candles burned more than halfway down, their wax dripping like red amber, solidifying on the candlesticks. Inside the brocade tent, the first night of their marriage passed quietly in this peculiar atmosphere, where one side was restrained and patient, while the other slept soundly, lost in thought.
End of Chapter 7
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