Chapter 38 From now on, I am yours.
Pei Heng had never been so impulsive before. The composure, rationality, and emotional restraint he had cultivated on the battlefield and in the imperial court were completely shattered at this moment.
He kissed her lips deeply, swirling the sweetness of her saliva, stealing her breath, and enjoying the feeling of her hands tightly gripping his shoulders as she was about to suffocate.
Those soft, white hands, in his childhood memories, sewed clothes and made shoes for him, measured his height, rubbed his frostbitten hands, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and gently stroked his head again and again to comfort him.
Now, these same hands are around his shoulders, tickling his shoulders through his clothes, a sensation that is both painful and itchy, making him feel incredibly happy.
Release her lips at the right moment, kiss her chin, and kiss her again when she has caught her breath.
The aroma of wine filled my mouth; the delicate fragrance of the wine, enhanced by the heat of our breath as our lips and tongues intertwined, became even more mellow and rich, intoxicating my heart and making my body feel warm.
"Yuezhi, Yuezhi..." he called her name impatiently, awkwardly tugging at her belt.
Yuezhi breathed softly, her arms hanging limply, her slender, fair fingers gripping the blankets tightly.
She was a little scared.
The old woman said that the prince consort understood and would treat her gently, but his kisses were so intense and hasty, and he didn't even know how to untie her belt. Did he really understand? After thinking it over, she was unsure.
Her eyes were tightly closed, and her chest felt hot. She loosened her belt and opened her cross-collar wedding dress. She was so shy that she turned her face away, not daring to let him see her flushed cheeks.
Little did she know that, under the glow of the red candles, the young man, kneeling before her, was captivated by her movements as she undressed, his breathing quickened, and his eyes flushed crimson.
Her neck, exposed by the open collar, was as delicate as snow, and her heart rose and fell gently with her breath below her collarbone. The red rope tied behind her shoulder was faintly visible in the inner skirt.
A breathtakingly beautiful scene unfolded before him. Pei Heng swallowed hard, feeling a rush of heat to his head.
He leaned down and gently kissed her, his breath trembling.
The youth's heart was ignited by passion, and the gentle kiss turned into shimmering water in the trembling candlelight. The vermilion ink strokes fell on the snow-white paper, like red plum blossoms waiting to bloom in the vast snow, waiting to be picked.
Yuezhi paused, he was too close, and his figure was so tall that he easily wrapped his arms around her, making it impossible for her to lift her arms.
She had only undressed halfway when the young man interrupted her with his delicate kisses. She had no choice but to wrap her arms around his waist. The smooth fabric was similar to the material of her wedding dress, suggesting it was also made in the palace.
Immersed in sweetness, I also noticed something amiss.
—Supposedly, the prince consort is twenty-four years old and a proper gentleman. Even if he were to take the initiative in private, he shouldn't be so impatient...like a naive young boy who doesn't know anything.
The thought just crossed my mind, and before I knew it, I had no chance to think about it any further.
The young man put his arms around her back and lifted her off the bed.
"My lord, my husband!" Yuezhi couldn't see him and suddenly moved, hurriedly hugging his neck, only to be lifted up by him.
"I'm holding you, don't be afraid." His voice was hoarse, his fingers unconsciously curling up. He cleared his throat. "You can't sleep well with these fruits under your pillow."
He lifted the embroidered quilt, which was covered with red dates, longans, and peanuts, and put her back down. He then casually tore off his own clothes and threw them off the bed.
The boy's face was flushed, his body was lean and muscular, his back was sharply defined, his back muscles were strong and taut, and ugly scars ran across his fair skin. Dark knife marks on his side resembled a centipede, and the newly healed arrow wound still had a faint pink tinge.
He leaned down again, the candlelight streaming beside him, his abdominal muscles rising and falling slightly with his breath, his well-defined chest just a finger's width away from the delicate body beneath him.
With less barrier between her and the person touching her, Yuezhi quickly noticed and whispered, "Husband... do you understand?"
"What do you know?" The young man kissed her cheek, his eyes glazed over.
Yuezhi bit her lip in embarrassment, unable to utter the words "the rites of Zhou Gong". "No, it's nothing."
The young man closed his eyes and chuckled softly. He took her hand and pressed it against his chest, letting his palm rest against the only unscarred patch of skin on his heart. His heartbeat, like a drumbeat, traveled through his hand and gradually matched her pulse.
"From now on, I belong to you..."
"You are not allowed to let go of me again, and you are not allowed to think of anyone else in your heart. I am your husband, and you can only think of me."
He kissed her passionately, saying many affectionate yet willful things. Yuezhi was in the throes of passion and didn't see anything wrong with his words; on the contrary, she felt even warmer inside.
As husband and wife, how could they not hope that their partner only has eyes for them?
To find a soulmate, to stay together until old age.
Her heart sank into the gentle embrace of midnight, filled with happiness.
A crescent moon hung high outside the window, and the red candles inside the house had burned more than halfway. The guests in the front yard had all left, leaving only a few servants to sweep the yard.
Shen Xian should have left long ago, but she was furious because of the pair of eyes that were always staring at her from behind.
Liang Zhang had already married Princess Ning'an, and she could imagine what the scene must be like in the bridal chamber. She secretly stepped on a small insect that jumped by her feet and crushed it hard, but she was still not satisfied.
She lost her father, and her mother only cared about her younger brother, never even coming to the capital to see her. Now she had lost the best husband candidate, and was being treated like a thief by that reckless warrior. It was simply despicable.
She is clearly the daughter of a meritorious official, so why does everyone oppose her? Now even a lowly soldier who climbed up from a military household can trample on her.
If she's in a bad mood, she'll just stay outside the princess's residence and have a good argument with that rogue soldier. Doesn't he like to keep an eye on her? Doesn't he like to ruin her plans? Let's see who can't take it anymore.
Little Sparrow yawned and came over, tugging at her sleeve. "Miss, it seems that Minister Chen didn't wait for us. He left half an hour ago."
Two days ago, Chen Lanze was promoted to the rank of Vice Minister of Works, a fourth-grade official. As his fiancée, Shen Xian should have been happy.
However, the Chen family was arrogant. Recently, they learned that the Emperor was making a big fuss about preparing for the princess's wedding, so they looked down on her, a princess whose rank and treatment were inferior to Princess Ning'an's. They didn't even tell her about such an important matter as Chen Lanze's promotion. It was only today that the foul-mouthed military man told her.
All the good things belong to others; she can never get any of them. She can't win against her younger brother in her boudoir, and she can't win against the princess in the capital either.
"Let him go if he wants to. Does he think I, the princess, care about him so much? If he really angers me, I'll submit a memorial to the emperor..."
No, the Chen family looks down on her. If she doesn't petition to have the imperial decree to rescind the marriage decree, wouldn't that be exactly what they want?
He got promoted because of his title as "the princess's fiancé," and after benefiting from her, he dumped her? In the end, his whole family will enjoy wealth and honor, while she will be left with a reputation of being disliked by the Chen family. It's really too good for them!
She gritted her teeth, thinking about the Chen family's wealth and Chen Lanze's decent appearance; if she could get these things, it wouldn't be a loss.
A woman gets married just to have a peaceful old age; does she really expect her husband to love her for the rest of his life?
She wasn't that foolish; she was determined to marry into the Chen family for wealth and status.
As the night deepens, the cool moonlight illuminates the darkness, and in the dappled light and shadow, the clear becomes clearer, and the turbid becomes more turbid.
*
Inside the bridal chamber, where the candlelight flickered, a completely different scene unfolded.
On a chilly autumn day, the night dew dampened the roof tiles, and beneath the beams, a spring scene was painted on the hundred-child quilt, a gift filled with blessings.
It was already late autumn, October, and winter was approaching, yet some people were still painting to capture the spring scenery. The rough brushes were used to paint on the delicate rice paper. The first painters struggled to smooth the rough brush tip, and the ink spread out, making their strokes inaccurate.
What a beautiful painting, now a complete mess.
The gentle bride was quite patient, biting her lip as she unfolded the rice paper, without uttering a single word of urging.
Unfortunately, the young groom was no longer as composed as usual. The young man, who had always been victorious, was looking forward to making his mark, but he encountered a major hurdle in his life.
Repeated mistakes only made his youthful restlessness more apparent. He ruined such fine paper and wasted the precious time of year. A harmonious blend of poetry and painting was delayed by him. Embarrassed and ashamed, his cheeks turned so red they were almost bleeding.
The lowered bed curtains partially obscured the candlelight, and their breathing and heartbeats could be heard so clearly.
After calming her breathing for a while, Yuezhi raised her hand to stroke his face and comfort him, saying it was alright, the red candle had not yet burned out, there was no need to rush.
Halfway through extending his hand, the young man pressed himself against her palm, nuzzling it like a restless wild beast, his overflowing love reflected in his flushed face.
"Hmm..." he said in a low voice.
He had intended to be affectionate with her, but the hot liquid from his nose dripped down before the sweat from his head.
Yuezhi felt a drop of water fall on her neck, thinking that the bed curtains had made him sweat. She reached out, wanting to lift the green gauze curtains to let him get some fresh air.
Pei Heng stood frozen in place, his fingertip tracing a red mark under his nose.
He had a nosebleed?
He held his breath, grabbed a handkerchief from the bed, covered his nose, and sat up.
Yuezhi touched the bed curtains, propped herself up, and lifted the gauze curtains. Cool air rushed in, and both of them became a little clearer-headed. Neither of them spoke.
Pei Heng was too embarrassed to speak. How could there be a man in the world with such wicked intentions but no ability? Even without Yue Zhi laughing, he himself couldn't lift his head.
Their breathing calmed down, and the room was so quiet that the faint sound of the red candle wick flickering could be heard.
Yuezhi regained her composure, carefully found him, and leaned on his back.
"It's fine."
She didn't think he was bad at all; on the contrary, he was too good. He was perfect in every way, like a fairy-tale prince straight out of a book. After this experience, she realized that he also had his shortcomings, which made her feel that the prince consort she saw was more real.
The young man, his handkerchief in his hand, turned to look at her with a flushed face, wanting to explain himself, when he saw a patch of delicate skin peeking out from the embroidered white bodice.
In the bright candlelight, the blood from his nose that he accidentally dripped splattered on her collarbone, and as she propped herself up, the blood flowed down—like a flower growing on her heart.
This is the most beautiful spring scene.
He swallowed hard, and once he felt the bleeding from her nose had stopped, he personally wiped the bloodstains off her body.
At the prime of her life, how could she give up? She picked up her pen again and wrote, "Yuezhi, can I kiss you one more time?"
Yuezhi shyly grabbed the brocade quilt that he had crumpled to the side and covered herself with it, then lowered her face.
"I'm sleepy, let's go to sleep..."
She didn't have that many good papers and inks for him to use.
I had been taking medicine to nourish myself every day, and all my energy and blood were depleted today. From bathing and dressing up this morning to the etiquette along the way, and then painting with him for a while just now, I really have no energy left.
Without her saying anything more, Pei Heng could tell from her snow-white skin after the flush faded that she was too weak to hold on any longer.
—It was his fault to begin with. He never thought he would be painting with her tonight, and he didn't prepare in advance, wasting such a good time.
She's not in good health, and now is not the time for her to be willful.
He gently brushed the stray hairs from her forehead, then leaned down to kiss her cheek. "Sleep now, I'll watch over you."
"Aren't you going to sleep together?" Yuezhi asked, puzzled.
Hearing the young man's silence, she understood what was happening, dared not ask any more questions, and lay down on the bed.
The moonlight flowed like water over the eaves and fell on the windowsill. The night breeze carried the fragrance of osmanthus blossoms from the garden, and a few withered yellow leaves twirled and fell from the branches.
The autumn insects fell silent, the courtyard was quiet, and a few faint cries of geese could be heard in the distance before disappearing into the night sky.
The red candles in the room had burned more than halfway. Pei Heng finally put the things back in their proper places, cleaned up the mess on his body, and looked at Yue Zhi sleeping peacefully beside him. All his previous anxiety and restlessness vanished, leaving only a satisfied joy in his heart.
A long, long time ago, he sat on the bed like this, watching Yuezhi, who had been busy until late at night, fall asleep exhausted.
The night wind was cold and fierce, and they had only each other.
He gently rubbed her face with the back of his hand, watching her rosy cheeks furrow slightly in her sleep because of his teasing, like a little cat, so adorable.
It was already late at night, but he wasn't in a hurry to lie down. Just then, two "thump-thump" sounds came from outside the window.
Pei Heng put on his outer robe and got up. After confirming that Yue Zhi was asleep, he lowered the green gauze curtain and went to the window alone, opening a small crack in it.
Cheng Yuan stood outside and reported in a low voice, "Your Majesty, Young Master Liang has woken up. Would you like to go and see him?"
He is, after all, an adult male; without poison or medicine, the fainting spell won't last long.
Pei Heng glanced back at Yue Zhi's sleeping face beneath the hazy gauze curtains, wanting to stay and spend a full wedding night with her, but Liang Zhang... was truly a pillar of society, considerate in every way, making it impossible to find fault with him...
We should talk to him about this so as not to delay his marriage.
Under Cheng Yuan's guidance, the two arrived at the most remote courtyard in the northwest corner of the princess's residence.
Back when this mansion was still a royal residence, this courtyard was a dilapidated place where disfavored concubines were disposed of. Because of the princess's wedding, the entire mansion underwent renovations, and this dilapidated courtyard was repaired and cleaned.
Inside the main room, the groom, dressed in wedding attire, sat upright in a chair, his expression somber, and remained silent for a long time.
When he saw the figure push open the door and enter, his eyes paused, filled with both hope and confusion.
When Liang Zhang woke up, he thought that thieves had broken into the mansion. He struggled to save Princess Ning'an, but when he saw the moonlight illuminating the faces of the thieves outside the window, he recognized one of them as an imperial guard by the emperor's side, and then he dared not resist anymore.
He didn't understand what he had done wrong. The emperor was willing to marry the princess to him, which meant that he trusted and valued him highly. If that was the case, why did the emperor tie him up here?
On their wedding night, the groom disappeared. How panicked the princess must have been!
"Your Majesty, I pay my respects. May Your Majesty be well." Upon seeing Pei Heng, Liang Zhang knelt down and bowed.
"Rise, my dear minister." A guard brought over a stool, and Pei Heng straightened his clothes and sat down, calmly looking at the person in front of him.
Since the emperor did not speak, Liang Zhang dared not ask any further questions.
After a brief standoff, Pei Heng signaled for the guards inside to leave. Once the door was closed, he spoke in a serious tone.
"I will write you a secret decree, granting you a divorce from Princess Ning'an in six months. At that time, the marriage will be settled, and you will have no further connection with each other."
"Your Majesty, please reconsider." Liang Zhang's voice was flustered as he hurriedly knelt on the ground.
"Your Majesty, I dare not presume to ask why Your Majesty has issued this decree. My wife and I have only been married for half a year. Why must we divorce after only six months? Is it because the princess finds me boring, or is there something else she has to do...? I am not a jealous person. If the princess keeps male lovers, there should be someone to manage her residence, to treat guests with the utmost courtesy, so that her future children can have a legitimate father."
"Your Majesty, I have never intended to possess the princess. As a subject, I am committed to serving the emperor and the princess. I dare not have any selfish thoughts. I beg Your Majesty to reconsider and not allow me to be separated from the princess."
Human hearts are complex, and love is even more difficult to fathom.
The more he struggled to accept it, the more he seemed to be deeply in love with Yue Zhi, which only made Pei Heng's lack of courage to openly tell her that he liked her seem even more despicable.
Seeing the upright and virtuous gentleman so loyal to Yuezhi, even tolerating her having a lover, Pei Heng frowned.
"You and the princess have only met a few times, how could you be so deeply in love?"
"Marriage is a major life event, decided by parents and arranged by matchmakers, and it's also a matter of fate. It's not that the more you meet, the deeper your feelings will be. Some people, you can never forget them after just one meeting..."
She would awkwardly but sincerely recite his poems, wear the hairpin he gave her, and inquire about him from her sister-in-law.
Upon seeing the beautiful woman at the Duke of Dingguo's mansion, her graceful figure, like the moon and mist, and her gentle appearance, had already been deeply etched into his heart.
Liang Zhang's gaze remained unwavering, which infuriated Pei Heng.
As the emperor, he was less devoted to her than a mere subject. He had come here intending to eliminate any obstacles, but he discovered that she was truly immune to all poisons. Coercion and bribery were both useless against her, and he was determined to stay by Yuezhi's side.
However, he was not an irredeemable tyrant, and the Liang family was loyal and capable to the court. He couldn't just accuse Liang Zhang of a crime and drive him away without a reason. The more he thought about it, the angrier he became.
She gritted her teeth and asked him, "You like her so much that you don't mind that she has other men?"
"Yes," Liang Zhang answered without hesitation.
Pei Heng clenched his fist, tightened his thumb, and snorted coldly: "Good, excellent. As expected of the consort I personally chose for the princess, he is truly good."
Liang Zhang could easily understand the sarcasm in her words.
But both thunder and rain are the emperor's grace. Since childhood, he had heard his father teach him and his brothers to be cautious and loyal to the monarch. Compared to the tyrannical and easily angered emperor his father had faced, the one before him was truly a benevolent ruler.
"Your Majesty flatters me; I am unworthy of such praise." He only wished to be a loyal minister and a virtuous husband, with a clear conscience, and to be worthy of the Emperor and the Princess.
Pei Heng sighed helplessly, "In that case, you may stay in the princess's residence. If you want to be a loyal subject, I can grant your wish. However, if you want to be a virtuous husband in the princess's residence, you will inevitably suffer grievances and injustices in the future. Don't blame me for not reminding you then."
"Your humble servant would not dare."
The emperor left alone, and the guards outside the gate followed him. Liang Zhang remained kneeling until he heard the nobleman's footsteps leaving the courtyard before slowly rising.
He rubbed his aching knees as he searched for the main courtyard in the unfamiliar princess's residence, his mind still preoccupied with the bride in her bridal chamber.
The princess must be getting anxious because he didn't come.
Liang Zhang, mindful of her poor eyesight and remembering his elder brother's instructions to take care of the princess's health and not to rush things, did not intend to consummate the marriage tonight.
He just had to go to her side to let the princess know that he was alright before he could feel at ease.
Guided by a servant, he found the main courtyard, but was stopped by a maid before he reached the gate.
Hua Chun showed no joy. "Please stop, Your Highness. You may not enter the princess's bedroom without her permission."
Liang Zhang glanced up and saw that there were still some faint candlelight in the room. He asked in confusion, "Then please ask the princess for me if I may enter tonight to keep her company."
Hua Chun lowered her gaze and refused to look at him. "My dear consort, you may not know this, but I must tell you that His Majesty is worried about the princess's health and forbids anyone from disturbing her rest. Without His Majesty's permission, you are not allowed to get close to the princess or speak to her."
“But, but I am her husband… How could she not want to see me? How could I not talk to her?”
Liang Zhang was exhausted and felt wronged because he couldn't even see his bride.
"My lord, don't you understand?"
Hua Chun sighed inwardly, thinking that he was stubborn and completely oblivious to the current situation, so she had no choice but to make an exception and tell him.
“There is another person in the princess’s room… You are a prince consort in name only. In the future, if there are banquets or royal ceremonies outside, you may accompany the princess to show her face, but once you return to the manor, you cannot get close to the princess.”
"The prince consort is a gentleman. Why should he get entangled in someone else's marriage for the sake of a momentary infatuation? Think it over carefully and go to the emperor to ask for a divorce as soon as possible. It's not too late."
The maidservant gave earnest advice, and Liang Zhang lowered his eyes in deep thought.
After a long silence, he slowly shook his head. "That's good too. In the end, someone will love and care for her and won't make her sad. I can stay quietly by her side and watch over her. That means I'm not entirely useless to her."
"Why is the prince consort doing this?"
"Thank you for your advice, young lady. My mind is made up. Since there are people in the princess's room, I will take my leave now."
The servants in the princess's residence seemed to have suddenly conspired to spread the news. They remained respectful to him on the surface, but their eyes were always cold and full of vigilance when they looked at him.
Liang Zhang was led to a cleaned-up side courtyard, where he rested alone. With no one around, his mind gradually calmed down.
I originally wanted to be with one person for life, but things took a turn for the worse, and I couldn't have either the person or their heart.
Since that's the case, he doesn't ask the princess to truly love him, he only asks for a title, and considers it as the Liang family climbing the social ladder.
Pure and kind people are always rare. Some people hold the moon in their hands early on, allowing it to hang high in the sky, isolated from the world. Since I am not fortunate enough to touch it, I am someone who stands in the shadow of a branch, looking up at the bright moon. Occasionally, I will reach out my fingertips to touch the moonlight, and that will be enough for me.
Liang Zhang went to sleep alone.
In the main courtyard of the princess's residence, half a meter away, the wick of a red candle was poured into the lamp oil. In the darkness, Pei Heng held Yue Zhi tightly from behind, smelling her familiar fragrance, and slept soundly.
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