Chapter 21 Husband, should we make arrangements for the red candle?
She spoke bluntly and bluntly. Jiang Yunjin subconsciously looked up at her, but the moment their eyes met, he looked away from her direct gaze.
"That's the rule."
His attitude was cold and hard, and Cui Yiluo's watery eyes were filled with grievance. The redness at the corners of her eyes caused by applying medicine had not yet faded, making her look even more pitiful.
"So, I won't be able to see my cousin for the rest of the days?"
Jiang Yunjin lowered his eyes and remained silent in thought.
“Cousin… I’ve been living alone in the house for months, and I can’t help but feel lonely.”
"If there is anything important, send someone to deliver the message."
His tone remained firm, yet carried a subtle hint of helplessness.
Cui Yiluo gently smiled and said, "Mm."
Although he only slightly relented out of a sense of responsibility, there are no rules or etiquette governing whether something is important or not.
However, what Cui Yiluo didn't expect was that he actually listened to her words, which were meant to gain sympathy, and went to find Jiang Zhaoyue in a serious manner.
Amidst clusters of flowers and a clear, high sky, Jiang Zhaoyue recounted in a waterside pavilion in Luoyun Lane: "When my elder brother came looking for me that day, my first thought was whether I had done something wrong that would prompt him to come all this way."
She looked at Cui Yiluo with a teasing expression: "I didn't expect that you would ask me to spend more time with you these days."
After saying that, Jiang Zhaoyue sighed, "So even someone like my elder brother, who is so detached from worldly affairs and only cares about official duties, becomes considerate after getting married."
Cui Yilu smiled faintly. Jiang Yunjin's actions weren't out of consideration; he was only acting out of a sense of responsibility towards her.
Jiang Zhaoyue wasn't satisfied with just teasing Cui Yiluo, so she turned to Yang Jingling and said, "When are you and your brother getting married? You got engaged so much earlier than Yiluo, how come you're still behind her and your brother?"
Sitting on the other side, Yang Jingling glared at her helplessly, ignoring her, and instead turned to Cui Yiluo: "Yiluo, if you need anything after marriage, just ask. Although I don't specialize in gynecology, I am still knowledgeable in treating common ailments. In addition... I also have some ways to enhance the intimacy between husband and wife at night."
Although Jiang Zhaoyue was not yet engaged, the people of Daqi were open-minded and she had some understanding of matters between men and women. When she heard Yang Jingling say it so bluntly, she couldn't help but widen her eyes.
Yang Jingling, seemingly oblivious to Jiang Zhaoyue's shock, continued, "By the way, I have some methods to help with fertility. Do you need them?"
Jiang Zhaoyue trembled, "Jingling! How could you...!"
Yang Jingling said casually, "What's the big deal? This is just basic etiquette. Besides, it's just us here, why bother with such things? Yiluo, if you need anything, I'll have someone bring it to you when I get back to the manor."
Cui Yiluo was not embarrassed. After thinking for a moment, she smiled and said, "Then I would be impolite to refuse."
She definitely needed those "connections," otherwise, given Jiang Yunjin's cold and abstinent nature, it was hard to say whether she could even have sex five times a month.
Yang Jingling quickly delivered a small box containing incense, booklets, and everything else, even thoughtfully including several porcelain jars of ointment.
Inside the bedroom, Cui Yiluo was casually flipping through a booklet when a familiar male voice suddenly came from behind her: "What are you doing?"
She quickly closed the booklet, and Lilan, who was standing next to her, also quickly took the booklet, threw it into the box, closed it, and retreated, leaving only Cui Yiluo and Jiang Yunjin in the room.
She had her back to him, obscuring the booklet in her hands, and because she moved so quickly, he probably couldn't see it clearly.
Cui Yiluo turned to look at him, and sure enough, his expression was calm, no different from usual.
She appeared completely unfazed: "Why did my cousin suddenly come?"
She had only moved to Luoyun Lane a few days ago and hadn't even sent word that she wanted to see him yet, so his coming to see her himself must mean he had something important to discuss.
Sure enough, he said the next moment, "Supervisor Cheng has already signed the annulment agreement."
Cui Yiluo's heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally settled down, and a hint of relief and joy was hard to hide on her face. Cheng Feng had agreed to annul the engagement, so even if there were any setbacks in her marriage with Jiang Yunjin afterward, she wouldn't end up in the same situation as before.
Having stayed at the bottom of the valley for too long, Cui Yiluo suddenly felt the sunlight outside the window was a bit too bright. Looking at the tall man in front of her who blocked most of the sunlight, she slowly came back to her senses.
What did Jiang Yunjin offer in exchange for Cheng Feng? Although Cheng Feng was an opportunist, he was someone who would never suffer a loss. With the powerful Grand Secretary personally intervening, how could he not take the opportunity to gain some benefits?
She tentatively asked, "How did your cousin talk to him?"
"He wanted Dr. Xu to come to his home to treat patients."
Cui Yiluo was slightly taken aback.
Doctor Xu was the same doctor Jiang Yunjin had invited to treat her foot injury. He was highly skilled but had no interest in officialdom and lived a secluded life among the common people. It was only because Jiang Yunjin had some connection with him that she was able to invite him.
But Cheng Feng actually agreed to annul the engagement after making just this one request?
Why did Cheng Feng ask for a doctor? Cui Yiluo suddenly remembered Cheng Yi, who had been "accidentally" bitten by a wild animal during the last summer hunt. He had hardly any healthy flesh on his body and was still bedridden, having requested a month of sick leave from the Ministry of Personnel.
Cheng Yi is Cheng Feng's only son. Would someone as selfish and heartless as Cheng Feng so easily give in for his son? Cui Yilu still felt that something was amiss.
Jiang Yunjin added, "I have already sent someone to write a letter to your father, but it will probably take ten days to half a month to reach Ningzhou. Your father and the others may not be able to make it to Shengjing to attend our wedding ceremony."
Mentioning the Cui family, Cui Yiluo suddenly lost all interest in thinking about Cheng Feng.
It would be better if they didn't come. Originally, Cheng Feng was the one chosen. They all wanted to use Cheng Feng's family background and the position of Director of the Imperial Academy to support their good-for-nothing sons. Now that her husband has been replaced by the Grand Secretary, who is a hundred times higher in rank than the Director of the Imperial Academy, how could they possibly let this opportunity pass?
How could they possibly reap the benefits of what she had worked so hard to obtain?
She tried her best to show her dejection, her tone filled with disappointment and helplessness: "It's alright, cousin. Ningzhou is a long way away. I think Father and Mother will understand. We'll find an opportunity to go back to Ningzhou to visit them in the future."
"good."
He gave a short reply, clearly having finished his business. Cui Yiluo thought he would say goodbye next, but he remained where he was, showing no sign of leaving.
The open window sash creaked softly in the wind, and after a few moments of silence, he suddenly asked in a low voice, "Are you feeling any better?"
Cui Yilu was stunned for a moment before realizing that he was asking about the place where he had personally and carefully applied the medicine.
A sly glint flashed in her captivating eyes. Cui Yiluo chuckled softly, her eyes conveying a tender yet hesitant affection: "If I say it's not yet, cousin, would you like to apply the medicine for me again?"
Seeing that she was alright, Jiang Yunjin was relieved but frowned at the same time: "Don't be silly."
Cui Yiluo approached him, her bright and alluring eyes seemingly captivating, her crimson sleeves embroidered with large, blooming lotus blossoms gently brushing against his. She tilted her head slightly to look at him and asked softly, "And cousin, has your injury fully healed?"
In an instant, they were so close that their breaths almost mingled. As soon as Cui Yiluo got close, she immediately felt the tension in his body.
Jiang Yunjin's expression remained unchanged, and he said in a deep voice, "It's acceptable."
He immediately took a step back, but in the next instant, Cui Yiluo took another step forward and hugged his waist and abdomen.
His abdominal muscles tightened rapidly, his soft arms embracing him as if he were holding a hard block of iron. Cui Yiluo, however, was particularly pleased to see this reaction from him.
She nestled her cheek against his chest. "It's good that you've recovered, cousin. I've been really worried these past few days. I've already asked Lilan to prepare a few nourishing soup recipes. I'll make sure to help you recover after the wedding, okay?"
Her soft, boneless body pressed tightly against him, her hands embracing his waist and abdomen, gently tugging at his outer robe. After speaking, she lifted her head from his embrace, her bright eyes fixed on him, her warm breath lightly brushing against his Adam's apple. She was just a hair's breadth away from kissing his lips.
The man's eyes darkened, and his Adam's apple bobbed slightly: "You've got heart."
Having said that, he raised his stiff hand, which had been hanging by his side, and was about to pull her away.
Unexpectedly, before she could touch Cui Yiluo's arm, she stepped out of his embrace.
Jiang Yunjin's hand froze in mid-air.
Cui Yilu smiled beautifully: "Cousin is busy with official duties, so I won't bother you any longer."
She spoke as if she was completely considering his needs, showing great thoughtfulness.
But this was completely out of character; it was blatantly a mockery of him. Jiang Yunjin calmly withdrew his hand, saying nothing more, only letting out a low "hmm" from his throat, and adding that he would formally propose marriage in a while, before turning and leaving.
Cui Yilu laughed silently for a while, then the interest in her eyes gradually faded. She then instructed Lilan to put away the box of things that Yang Jingling had sent.
-
Cheng Feng's decision to break off the engagement with her did not cause much of a stir in Shengjing. At most, noble ladies would mention it briefly during their leisure time. However, half a month later, the Grand Secretary, who was known in Shengjing for his integrity and never slept with women, actually asked the Princess Zhao, who was quite famous in Shengjing, to propose marriage on his behalf.
The woman proposed to was Cui Yiluo, who was originally intended to be the second wife of Cheng Jiancheng, a man who was over sixty years old and known for his lechery and debauchery.
Cui Yiluo's parents lived far away in Ningzhou, so Lan Hui had to arrange the marriage. The wedding date was set for a little over a month later.
Like a thunderclap from a clear sky, this event struck Shengjing, as if a deity high above the clouds had suddenly fallen to earth. Instantly, the topic of conversation spread throughout the streets and alleys. Everyone had heard that the Jiang family had no intention of arranging a marriage, and that Jiang Yunjin, being older, was completely absorbed in his official duties. They had assumed that, given his indifferent nature, he intended to never marry. But now, it turned out he was going to marry their cousin.
No sooner had the engagement broken off than he sent someone to propose marriage again.
However, no one believed that the marriage was based on love. After all, Jiang Yunjin was the head of the Jiang family and held a high position of power, so naturally he needed a successor to inherit his mantle. As for why Cui Yiluo was chosen, everyone discussed it for a long time and came to a conclusion.
Perhaps it's because they were in a privileged position to benefit from the proximity.
In short, it has nothing to do with love.
The rumors had been circulating for over half a month, but seeing that not many people were casting malicious speculations against her, Cui Yiluo stopped paying attention to them. Moreover, after the news of the marriage spread, she received numerous invitations to small banquets, almost every three to five days – a stark contrast to her previous attitude.
Since she was going to marry Jiang Yunjin, she would inevitably have to deal with noble ladies in the future. Therefore, she was busy socializing or preparing for the wedding every day. She had long forgotten the words she had deliberately used to tease Jiang Yunjin, and did not send him a single message until the wedding ceremony.
However, Cui Yiluo thought that since he didn't want to deal with her anyway, her not contacting him was exactly what he wanted, and he would definitely feel relieved.
On the day of the wedding, Cui Yiluo held a round fan with a double lotus pattern to cover her face and was helped out of the house by her servants.
Before getting into the sedan chair, she secretly turned her gaze and saw the tall man riding on horseback through the round fan. He had never worn such a vibrant color before, like a piece of pure jade amidst the fiery red.
Perhaps it was because today was a joyous day, for although he still had no expression, his demeanor and aura were much more relaxed, and the deep pool in his eyes seemed to be flowing.
Would someone as cold and aloof as him be moved during his wedding?
The man on horseback seemed to sense something and turned his eyes as if to look, but Cui Yiluo quickly raised her hand slightly, and her fan immediately blocked his view.
Everything then proceeded according to etiquette. The Jiang family was a family of scholars and officials, and they valued etiquette the most. Cui Yiluo was helped by the servants through one tedious ritual after another, and she felt her forehead throbbing.
After bowing to heaven and earth and passing the fan, it was dusk, and everything finally came to a temporary end.
Jiang Yunjin was surrounded by people as he went out to greet the guests. Before leaving, he glanced at her, which reminded Cui Yiluo of his deep gaze when he slapped her earlier.
The noisy bridal chamber was suddenly empty. Dragon and phoenix red candles were lit, and the dim yellow candlelight illuminated the double happiness characters pasted on the window paper. The whole room was fiery red, and the bed curtains, cushions, and woven carpets were all embroidered with auspicious and lucky patterns.
Cui Yiluo gently stroked the brocade quilt embroidered with mandarin ducks playing in the water beneath her. The wedding room was to be decorated a few days in advance, which meant that Jiang Yunjin had been sleeping in this festive room for the past few days.
Cui Yilu couldn't imagine what that would be like, but she felt he must be extremely uncomfortable.
The night sky was as dark blue as a deep pool, and as the bright moon hung high in the sky, a servant's voice came from outside the courtyard: "Young Master."
Jiang Yunjin returned much earlier than Cui Yiluo had expected.
The door was slowly pushed open, and a man dressed in wedding attire stepped into the dimly lit bridal chamber. His face was as cold as jade, his steps were steady, and his breathing was even, unlike other grooms who were flushed and drunk after greeting guests.
The maids who remained in the room immediately and tactfully withdrew. He strode to the wedding bed, his aura still cold, but Cui Yilu could still detect a faint smell of alcohol in him.
It turned out he had been drinking; she had thought he hadn't had a drop.
Perhaps because of the alcohol, his voice was slightly hoarse, and his eyes were somewhat dim in the flickering candlelight. "Have you been waiting long?"
Cui Yilu shook her head.
Jiang Yunjin hummed in agreement, picked up the nuptial wine from the table, and handed it to Cui Yiluo.
After drinking the nuptial wine, the marriage ceremony was completed.
Jiang Yunjin put the wine cup back and sat back down on the wedding bed.
The numerous double happiness characters signify a complete change in status. Candlelight illuminates the two people's profiles. The wedding curtains are about to fall, yet they isolate them from the outside world. Inside the wedding bed, the space is secluded and ambiguous, with undercurrents quietly surging under intense pressure.
A sudden silence fell over the surroundings. Cui Yiluo remained silent, but she knew they still had to perform the final ritual. She also knew that Jiang Yunjin was fully aware of this.
After all, he was a man of the highest moral character, so how could he break his own rules on such an important day as his wedding?
She slightly raised her eyelashes and looked at the man in front of her who was as still as a mountain. Although he was dressed in wedding clothes, he still looked detached from worldly desires. Without the strong effects of the aphrodisiac tonight, Cui Yiluo could not imagine what he would be like when he did *that*.
Cui Yiluo was beautiful, and even her elaborate makeup didn't look overdone on her; instead, it added to her charm and allure. The candlelight stirred the autumn water in her eyes, and she parted her red lips slightly:
"My husband."
Jiang Yunjin's eyes darkened, and after a few moments he responded in a low voice, "Mm."
Cui Yilu hooked her hand on his knee and, with a mix of force and gentleness, inserted her slender fingers between his.
The veins on the back of his hand bulged, but after a moment's pause, he silently let her intertwine his fingers with hers.
Cui Yiluo's soft hand touched his calloused palm, and her soft voice, though heard in the half-drawn bed curtains, seemed to bewitch the mind.
"Husband, shall we make arrangements?"
The man's hand was burning hot. The other half of his face, not illuminated by the candlelight, was shrouded in shadow. His prominent Adam's apple bobbed slightly, and a soft, husky voice escaped from his thin lips: "Okay."
The fiery red curtains were drawn, obscuring the scene inside the bed.
The handsome man's eyes were deep and dark, as if a giant wave was pressing down. Cui Yiluo hooked her arms around his neck and helped him remove his elaborate wedding clothes one by one.
Throughout the entire candid exchange, he remained silent, deftly untying each of the straps.
Jiang Yunjin usually demands that things be arranged neatly, but he seemed to have no mind to care about that now. The two of them peeled off their elaborate wedding clothes one by one and let them fall from the bed curtains, mixing together.
The curtains acted as a natural barrier, and the temperature inside kept rising, becoming so hot it felt like it was burning, which in turn caused the body temperature of Xiang Chu's body to rise as well.
His tall, slender body covered the petite woman, like a beast that has caught its prey and pinned it down so that it could never escape.
Jiang Yunjin's hot, deep area was tense, his arm muscles bulged as he supported Cui Yiluo on both sides, and his high nose bridge would touch the tip of her nose if he lowered his head a little more.
Perhaps it was too hot, but their breathing became somewhat disordered, mingling together in a chaotic manner.
Suddenly, the wedding candle popped open with a soft pop, startling Cui Yiluo. The man on her upper body immediately closed his eyes, and a bulging vein appeared on his forehead.
Cui Yiluo's slender hands slowly climbed up his arm, tightened, and wrapped around his neck.
Then, she slightly raised her chin, her red lips lightly touching the man's thin lips, just a light touch, like a soothing, tingling caress.
After touching him for what felt like the umpteenth time, a fierce glint flashed in Jiang Yunjin's eyes. As if he had finally gotten annoyed by being teased, he suddenly opened his lips and pressed them down hard.
He slightly parted his lips, only making a very basic lick, without going deeper, but with a bit of force, as if punishing her for her boldness just now. Cui Yiluo suddenly felt that her lips were about to lose all feeling.
She was outmaneuvered on all sides, which aroused some resentment. She hooked her arms around his neck even tighter and opened her lips.
The man paused slightly, but once the window paper was broken, the pent-up emotions would only intensify.
He supported himself with one hand, while using the other to lower himself onto the stage. Cui Yiluo hurriedly said, "Husband, could you be a little gentler?"
The man's hot breath brushed against her cheeks and ears, and he let out a soft "hmm" from his throat, indeed softening his touch.
But the foundation is there, and even if one tries deliberately, it is beyond the capacity of an ordinary person.
Cui Yiluo finally saw what he looked like before he took the medicine.
The deep pool that he usually kept hidden in his eyes like a stagnant pool was stirred by dark clouds, and the corners of his eyes turned red uncontrollably. Even though he tried hard to maintain his breathing, he could not resist the nature of his body.
Chaos reigned inside the dimly lit tent.
Suddenly, a loud shout was heard, and Cui Yiluo added another red mark to his broad back with her fingertips. In a fit of anger, she opened her mouth and bit his shoulder.
Jiang Yunjin let out a muffled groan.
Silence returned to the surroundings.
Jiang Yunjin braced his arm against her side. His hair ornament had just been removed, and his black hair, tied in a high ponytail, hung down, making Cui Yiluo's neck uncomfortable.
He closed his eyes and calmed himself for a moment before opening them, his gaze still heavy with lingering emotions.
He gently brushed aside the damp hair clinging to Cui Yiluo's cheeks and neck with his fingers and said softly, "I'm sorry."
Cui Yiluo naturally knew why he said that, but in the end, he still couldn't control himself.
It turns out that even a banished immortal would lose control if he came into contact with jade.
He retreated quickly, picking up his clothes from the ground, his still taut muscles and the scratches on them concealed.
Once dressed, he transformed back into the self-disciplined and proper gentleman.
He drew the curtains closed and said through them, "I'll go get some water."
The servants, who had already prepared hot water outside the courtyard, immediately carried in buckets of hot water after receiving instructions.
The bathtub was filled with hot water, and the servants withdrew and closed the door tightly. Only then did Cui Yiluo lift the curtain and get out of bed, only to find that Jiang Yunjin had already folded the wedding clothes scattered all over the floor and placed them on the small table next to the bed.
Since she was going to take a bath anyway, Cui Yiluo casually picked up a robe to cover her body.
Her snow-white skin appeared somewhat radiant in the dim candlelight, like a peerless piece of jade, but it was covered with red marks and finger marks on the side of her hand.
Throughout her series of actions, Jiang Yunjin sat on the couch, deliberately avoiding glancing at her.
Before Cui Yiluo entered the bathroom, her voice came from behind her. He seemed hesitant as he spoke: "If you need anything, you can call me for help."
Cui Yiluo, holding her wide robes close to her waist, looked even thinner and more delicate. She smiled and said, "Thank you, my husband."
She didn't look at him again and went straight to the bathroom. When she came out after washing up, she found that the quilt on the bed with messy stains had been changed, and Jiang Yunjin had found a book from somewhere and was reading it with one hand.
A gentleman who is untouched by worldly affairs and whose heart is full of propriety and righteousness.
Cui Yiluo walked up to him and gently took the scroll from his hands. "Doesn't it look dazzling, my husband?"
Her long, black hair hung down, and as she reached out to take his book, a few strands were caught in the hair, brushing against the back of his well-defined hand.
Jiang Yunjin stood up but did not answer her question. "I'm going to take a bath."
Once he entered the bathhouse, he was gone for quite a while. Cui Yilu couldn't help but wonder if she was too tired, which was why the time seemed to be dragging on. She didn't seem to have spent that much time earlier.
She lay in the soft bedding and waited a while before hearing footsteps. Then the curtains were lifted, and someone lay down beside her, causing the bedding to sag slightly.
According to wedding customs, the wedding candles must burn until dawn on the wedding night, so Jiang Yunjin did not extinguish the candles.
He kept a distance from her and didn't speak to her, but it was clear that he was about to go to bed.
Cui Yiluo suddenly turned around and hugged him, whispering "Husband" against his neck.
Her fingers wandered downwards, but he forcefully stopped and pressed them down with his large hand.
He opened his closed eyes, revealing a dark shadow in the dim tent.
His tone was somewhat forceful: "According to etiquette, it cannot be done twice."
Author's note: This is just the beginning [doge emoji]
Wedding customs are all privately established.
Thank you to all the little ones who watered with the nutrient solution! [kiss]
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