Chapter 19 [19] Wedding Night
【19】/First released on Jinjiang Literature City
The candlelight in the corridor flickered, as bright as the sun, and also illuminated the man's familiar face with a handsome look, bright eyes and thin eyebrows clearly.
It really is like seeing a ghost.
How could it be him?
The green snake man I met in the bamboo forest!
Yun Ran stood there in a daze, his brain unable to wrap around for a long time.
Sima Jing, who was standing at the door in a bright red wedding gown, frowned as he looked at the young lady in gorgeous dress who was standing in front of him like a fool.
First of all, he never thought that she would actually marry him alive.
Secondly, he was reluctant to come to this so-called bridal chamber, but Nanny Lan Gui, who was beside his mother, told him that she was staying alone in the bridal chamber, looking unhappy and crying.
Thinking of the kindness she showed to Cui Baoer in the bamboo forest that day, he decided to come over and take a look.
Unexpectedly, when I opened the door, I was covered in paper.
Look at the young lady in front of me, who is wearing heavy makeup and whose original appearance is almost unrecognizable. She has a compass on her waist, a yellow talisman in her hand, and is jumping around lively. How can she be unhappy or sad?
Realizing that he had been tricked again, Sima Jing's face darkened slightly.
"I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry!"
Yun Ran noticed his gloomy face and realized what was happening. She stuffed the talisman into her waist and wiped the remaining paste from his forehead. "I didn't expect the wind to be so strong..."
As soon as her slender fingertips touched the man's forehead, his wrist was grabbed.
She was startled for a moment, and when she looked up, she met a pair of dark eyes without any warmth: "Don't touch me."
Yun Ran: “…”
Her wrist was released and she took a step back.
Thinking of the cold words "Don't touch him", she felt a little depressed, as if she really wanted to touch him.
But in the end, it was he who was wrong first, so he took a deep breath and suppressed the urge to fight back.
"I really didn't mean it. Please be magnanimous. Don't take it personally. If... if you're really angry, at most..."
Yun Ran bit her lip and handed the talisman to him: "I'll let you apply it once too."
Looking at the raised white face with a look of fearless readiness for death, Sima Jing said: "..."
After a few breaths of breathing, he lowered his eyes silently, his gaze falling on the talisman in her hand.
The cinnabar is bright and the lines are thick, it is not a vulgar thing.
According to reports from the undercover agents stationed at the Marquis of Changxin's residence, she hadn't left the residence since visiting Xuandu Temple. It seemed she had obtained this talisman at Xuandu Temple.
I went to Xuandu Temple specifically, ostensibly for sightseeing, but actually to seek talismans to ward off evil spirits...to guard against him?
Sima Jing's lips curled slightly, and his gaze fell on that flashy face again.
Seeing that he didn't take the talisman and didn't say anything, but just stared at him with a faint gaze, Yun Ran suddenly felt a little creepy.
It was just a talisman that stuck on me, not a dagger. Is it necessary to be so angry?
Or is it that he is really possessed by some evil spirit and is afraid of magic weapons?
As this thought came to his mind, Yun Ran swallowed and subconsciously stepped back.
Unexpectedly, the complicated skirt was already bunched up in a ball. When she stepped back, her foot was entangled by the fabric and she stumbled for a moment.
"ah!"
She screamed and instinctively waved her hands forward, trying to grab a foothold.
Or maybe the man in front of her would lend her a hand. Yun Ran hoped so.
But the person in front of her stood with his hands behind his back, his handsome eyes and eyebrows showing no emotion, as if she was just a piece of air.
This indifferent attitude immediately left Yun Ran at a loss.
She closed her eyes resignedly and fell back, while gritting her teeth in her heart.
Xiaodao Lapis really opened her eyes. There are such cold-blooded bastards in this world. She will never forgive him!
The next moment, a long arm suddenly grabbed his waist.
Before she could react, her shaky body was carried forward by the force, and then her whole face was buried in a broad and solid chest with a "bang".
It’s over, my nose is going to break! She grimaced in pain and gasped.
A low groan seemed to be heard above my head.
Yun Ran was stunned for a moment, thinking it was her own illusion, until she covered her nose and looked up, meeting the man's well-defined jaw.
I saw that the originally smooth jaw had a thumb-long blood mark.
"Your chin..."
Yun Ran was surprised, and then she thought about the many hairpins on her head. She must have been accidentally scratched by the jewelry when he pulled her just now.
Sima Jing could not see the scar on her jaw. He just frowned and glanced at her dazzling and troublesome jewelry, then lowered his black eyes and looked at the person in his arms.
She tilted her face upwards, her makeup thick as a mask, but her eyes were exceptionally clear, and at this moment they were filled with astonishment, panic, and... worry.
Is she worried about him?
Sima Jing's eyebrows moved slightly, and then he looked at the overly close distance between the two of them. His jaw tensed and he quickly let go of his hand.
"Stay away from me."
After saying this, he turned around and walked out.
Yun Ran stood in front of the door in a daze, completely confused.
What's wrong with this person?
He was the one who offered help, and he was also the one who looked disgusted...
Although it was not nice to comment on someone who had just helped him, Yun Ran couldn't help but wonder in his heart -
Is he sick?
If there is no disease, how can the nature be split like this?
"My lady, my lady!"
Qingling walked in quickly and was shocked to see her young lady with her dress disheveled and her hair askew. "Madam, are you okay? How did you get into this state? Did you have an argument with the prince? Did he hit you?"
Because Nanny Lan Gui had specifically instructed that the prince liked quietness and disliked crowds, the servants had stayed far away in the corridor and had not approached the main door of the bridal chamber.
Just now, when Qingling saw King Jing coming from afar, she secretly breathed a sigh of relief for her young lady.
After all, the prince didn't go to the wedding today, which clearly shows that he's unhappy with this marriage. If he doesn't even come on the wedding night, then after tonight, I'm afraid my wife will become the laughing stock of the entire Chang'an City.
Unexpectedly, after King Jing pushed the door open, he could faintly hear the young lady's apology from inside the house, followed by a scream.
Qing Ling's heart tightened, and she wanted to rush into the house, but the maid sent by the palace held her back tightly: "Don't be impulsive, wait and see. If you ruin the good thing between the prince and the princess, I'm afraid I can't bear the consequences."
Qingling had no choice but to grit her teeth and wait patiently for a while, but unexpectedly, the next moment, His Royal Highness Prince Jing strode out of the bridal chamber.
Under the bright moonlight, the face was as cold and clear as jade, with no emotion visible, but there was a red mark on the cold white jaw.
Now, not to mention Qingling, all the maids in the corridor were panicked, looking at each other and making all kinds of guesses.
"Madam, please speak up, what's wrong?"
Qing Ling thought she had been frightened out of her wits by King Jing, so she hurried forward, took her hand and shook it: "I am a timid servant, please don't scare me."
Yun Ran was also shaken back to his senses: "I'm fine."
Qing Ling didn't believe it: "If everything is fine, then why did you scream just now, and why did His Royal Highness Prince Jing suddenly leave?"
"Uh, I screamed because the wedding dress was too long and I almost tripped over it. As for why King Jing left..."
Yun Ran looked at the courtyard outside, where lanterns were hanging high and the moonlight was bright, with a look of confusion on his face: "I don't know either."
Was it because she bumped into his arms?
But she didn't mind him hugging her waist. He was a grown man, but he cared about her first?
Strange, so strange.
Qing Ling saw that her young lady indeed had no injuries except for her clothes and hair being slightly messed up, and breathed a sigh of relief: "But why is my lady at the door?"
After a pause, she looked at the compass and talismans tucked into Yun Ran's waist. Her lips froze slightly. "And these... when did you put them on me?"
"Well, it's a long story."
Seeing that the figure was no longer outside the gate, Yun Ran thought he wouldn't come back, so she lifted up her folded skirt and said, "Let's go in and talk. It's a good thing you can help me take off this bun. It's so heavy. I feel like I have a pig on my neck after a whole day."
Qing Ling: “…”
They were all in the mood to joke around, which showed there was really no argument.
She helped Yun Ran walk to the dressing table and sat down. As she took off her hair, she hesitated: "Are we really taking it off now?"
Yun Ran nodded: "Tear it down. I'm not lying to you, it's really heavy."
Qing Ling looked at the bright red wedding room, lit with candles, the untouched wine on the mahogany table, and the meticulously laid red wedding couch. She couldn't help but remind him, "But my lady, tonight is your wedding night. His Highness...why did he leave?"
“…I really don’t know.”
Yun Ran didn't know how to explain Sima Jing's strange personality to Qing Ling. She hadn't been able to understand him since that time in the bamboo forest, let alone now.
"Anyway, I don't think he'll come back tonight, so you'd better take these apart for me so I can go to bed early."
As Yun Ran spoke, she personally took off the beautiful yet heavy gold earrings inlaid with gemstones: "I've been busy since this morning and I'm really tired."
I didn’t expect that getting married would be more tiring than growing vegetables for a day. Fortunately, this is probably the only time I will get married in my life.
Seeing her so calm, Qingling didn't know what to say.
In the past, in the Marquis' Mansion, the young lady was carefree and never took anything to heart. The servants even said privately that she was worthy of being a Taoist and had an open mind.
But now...
My lady, you are too open-minded. Today is your wedding night!
Seeing that Yun Ran had already taken off her earrings and reached out to pull at the golden hairpin on her bun, Qing Ling could only suppress the frustration of "the emperor is not anxious, but the eunuch is" in her heart: "Madam, be careful not to pull your hair, or I'll let the servant do it."
As soon as he finished speaking, he saw his wife's smiling face reflected in the yellow diamond-shaped mirror: "Thank you for your hard work."
Qing Ling sighed, "It's not hard for me, my lady, but you who are wronged."
"well enough."
Yun Ran said calmly, "I'm not ready to have sex with him anyway. If he really stays, I'll have a headache."
God knows how shocked she was when she uncovered the talisman and saw the face of the Green Snake Man.
At that time, she just felt that it was all over, the ghost was still there, and tonight was destined to be difficult.
Now that he had left her, she felt relieved and her thoughts calmed down.
Thinking back to the day she met the Green Snake Prince, she realized how slow she was.
He associates with snakes, has an extraordinary appearance and a strange personality. With so many similarities, why didn't she think of King Jing!
Oh no, it’s not that I didn’t doubt it.
But she always thought that King Jing lived a secluded life and rarely went out, and she never believed that a weirdo who raised mice and played with snakes could be a beauty, so she didn't think about it further.
It shows that prejudice is harmful!
-
Dusk falls and the bright moon rises in the east.
In the Manyang Pavilion not far from the bridal chamber, Queen Mother Zhao, dressed in a gorgeous agarwood-colored dress, sat beside a stone table, staring intently at her second son in a dazzling red robe, without saying a word.
Sima Jing clenched the long fingers resting on his knees.
After a long while, he finally spoke, breaking the silence that had lasted for a long time: "What exactly does mother want?"
Queen Mother Zhao raised her eyelids and said, "I should ask you this. What do you want?"
Sima Jing: “…”
He stared at the person in front of him, and never expected that she did not return to the palace with Sima Ji but stayed behind in order to watch him in his wedding night.
She also declared that as long as he did not perform the Zhougong ceremony with the little princess, she would not return to the palace until the ceremony was completed.
"Ah Jing, don't blame me for being too nosy."
Queen Dowager Zhao pursed her lips and said, "If you could be as worry-free as your brother, marrying and having children, I wouldn't want to interfere. But your actions now are truly disheartening, so I have no choice but to intervene."
Sima Jing sneered: "Han Xin?"
Queen Mother Zhao ignored his laughter and only set her face in a serious tone: "Yes, it's chilling."
"Not only does it chill my heart, it also chills the hearts of your new bride in the bridal chamber and your wife's family in the Marquis of Changxin's mansion."
"Your marriage to the Yun family's legitimate daughter was arranged by your parents, the matchmaker's words, and your royal brother's imperial decree, which counts as another imperial decree. Now that your bride has finally married, on an auspicious day, you abandon her, leaving her alone in an empty room. You have violated your royal brother's imperial decree and are committing infidelity."
"I have been hoping for you to get married and have children soon, but you have failed me time and again. This is unfilial."
"The Marquis of Changxin cherished your bride like a treasure, reluctantly giving her up to marry the Sima family. Yet you treat her so coldly, with no regard for her future reputation. You have betrayed your in-laws' trust and damaged the bride's dignity. This is unjust."
"Disloyalty, unrighteousness, and unfilial piety—three such failures—tell me, how can this not be disheartening?"
Queen Mother Zhao had a clear and sharp voice, and every word she spoke was sonorous.
The dark color in Sima Jing's eyes surged for a few moments, and after a long time, it sank.
"Mother, please don't accuse me. Even if I didn't want this marriage from the beginning, and I'm truly unfaithful, unrighteous, and unfilial, what does it matter?"
He looked at Queen Mother Zhao, his tone returning to his usual calmness: "Does your mother think I care about this?"
Queen Mother Zhao looked furious: "...You!"
"The dew is heavy late at night, so it's better for you, mother, not to get angry."
Sima Jing stood up with a flick of his sleeves, his jade-like face darkening. "If you really like staying in the palace, then stay. After all, this palace has never been mine."
"A Jing!"
Seeing that he was really leaving, Queen Mother Zhao could no longer sit still. She suddenly stood up, propping herself up on the stone table. "I know you still blame me for not protecting you back then, but I... I am really trying my best to make amends."
When the past was mentioned, the air in the pavilion suddenly became more stiff and cold.
Sima Jing didn't turn around, but clenched his fingers and said in a deep voice, "There's no need to talk about what happened back then."
"But you're clearly blaming me!"
Queen Mother Zhao raised her hand and clutched her chest. Her still beautiful and graceful face was slightly distorted by pain. She choked, "Ajing, mother sincerely hopes for the best for you. I sincerely hope that you can live the life that was meant for you... You blame me, I admit it. But think about the young lady in the bridal chamber. She is so innocent. Why should she be treated so coldly by you?"
She had originally asked this question without any expectation, but she saw the young man's upright shoulders seemed to stiffen slightly, and his eyes suddenly lit up.
She just knew it.
Since he was willing to show up in the evening to marry the young lady from the Yun family, and later to visit the bridal chamber, it was definitely not without affection.
Even if there is only a hint, it is a good sign.
"Ah Jing, do you know why the Queen Mother decided to marry the young lady from the Yun family the first time she saw her?"
“…”
Sima Jing didn't look back, but he didn't leave either.
Queen Mother Zhao hurriedly said, "Because she, like you, was forced to leave her family and her homeland at a young age."
"She was younger than you when she got separated, only three years old. It's said that a human trafficker, seeing her beauty, wanted to sell her to a Yangzhou brothel to be raised as a skinny horse. I don't know whether to call this child lucky or unfortunate, but she was very ill before being sold. After changing hands several times, she was sold to a heartless couple. Later, when the couple saw that she was seriously ill and close to death, they hurriedly dumped her at the gate of the Taoist temple... Fortunately, she was lucky enough to survive, otherwise she would have died in the mountains and her body would have been taken away by stray dogs."
"She's been through so much hardship at such a young age, yet when she talks about it, she doesn't hold a grudge at all. Instead, she's incredibly open-minded. When I saw her, I felt both heartache and love for her, and that's why I decided on her at first sight."
"Ah Jing, she is truly a wonderful young lady. Try to get along with her. I promise you will like her."
“…”
Like her?
Sima Jing frowned, and the face that looked out of place due to heavy makeup suddenly appeared in front of him again.
How could he fall in love with someone?
What's more, she even used talismans to guard against him, which shows that she is just like everyone else, disgusted and afraid of him.
Since this is the case, it is better to keep a distance and everyone will be happy.
He continued walking forward.
"Ajing, Ajing!"
Queen Dowager Zhao was really at her wit's end. She didn't care about her manners and took two steps forward to grab the young man's arm.
Sima Jing turned around, his brows furrowed.
Queen Mother Zhao was quite old after all, especially after the injuries she had sustained during the escape. She panted heavily with every strenuous movement, but no matter how hard she panted, she still held onto his arm tightly and said, "A Jing, consider this as a plea from me."
She raised her face and looked at her second son, who was now as tall and straight as a pine or cypress. "Tonight, after drinking the daughter-in-law tea tomorrow, I will return to the palace and will not interfere with you anymore."
Sima Jing looked at the pair of eyes in front of him that were already covered with fine lines.
When he was young, he thought his mother had the most beautiful eyes in the world.
Later, these eyes were filled with too much and gradually became unfamiliar.
The cold wind of early winter blew through the pavilion, just blowing up a strand of silver hair at the Queen Mother Zhao's temples.
Sima Jing's eyes flashed very quickly.
After a while, he pushed away the hand that was tightly holding his arm.
Queen Mother Zhao's face suddenly turned pale, and she murmured absentmindedly: "A Jing..."
The tall figure walked out of Manyang Pavilion without looking back. When he reached a fork in the road, he paused for a moment, then changed direction and walked straight towards the bridal chamber where the lights were bright and the sky was illuminated by red light.
Queen Mother Zhao was stunned, and then the light in her eyes lit up again.
"Lan Gui...Lan Gui, did you see that?"
Queen Mother Zhao couldn't hide her excitement, "Did you see that?"
Nanny Lan Gui had already prepared to step forward to comfort her, and now she smiled and said, "I see, I see."
She was happy not only for the Queen Mother and Prince Jing, but also for the little princess whom she had served for many days.
If His Royal Highness Prince Jing hadn't returned, it would have been so pitiful for the little girl to be left alone in the empty room.
I just hope she can seize the opportunity tonight and keep His Highness's heart.
If you really can't keep the heart, you can keep the body. It's best to succeed in one go, so you can rest assured in the future.
In the bridal chamber, Yun Ran had just taken a nice bath.
At this moment, her black hair was disheveled and she was only wearing underwear. She was lying lazily on the couch, letting Qingling massage her shoulders to relax her.
"Yes, yes, right here. Try as hard as you can. I can handle it."
“Oh, it feels so good—!”
Burying her face in the pillow, she let out a sigh of immense enjoyment.
This is how people live. It's torture during the day.
Just as she was immersed in this comfort, the hand massaging her shoulder suddenly stopped.
"Well, why don't you press it?"
Yun Ran lazily opened her eyes and raised her little face from the pillow: "I'm tired of pinching..."
Before he could even utter the word "Ma", his voice suddenly turned into a trembling "Ah" when he saw the big red figure standing quietly beside the mother-of-pearl and gilded marble screen!
He, he, he...why is he back again!
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The author has something to say: There will be small red envelopes dropped in the first three days of entering the v-level. I will update another 6k words tomorrow afternoon to make up for the 10,000 words. Thank you for your support~ See you tomorrow! [kiss]
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