Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Amidst the throng, Pei Yue entered the main hall and immediately saw Ming Tang, who also stood at the center of the crowd.

Unlike their previous encounters, today, adorned in vibrant red wedding robes, Ming Tang exuded a sudden, dazzling solemnity and splendor. Her gaze was composed, though upon seeing him, she seemed to pause for a moment. Amidst the guests’ congratulations and playful teasing, Pei Yue advanced step by step, taking Ming Tang’s outstretched hand in his, and knelt with her.

"When you go to your husband’s home, be respectful and mindful..."

Mrs. Ming spoke, taking the crimson bridal veil from a nearby attendant and gently draping it over Ming Tang’s head, her eyes filled with reluctance. Yet, the auspicious hour had arrived, allowing no further delay. She could only watch as Ming Tang rose and, hand-in-hand with Pei Yue, stepped out the door, then was guided onto Ming Li’s back.

By custom, the eldest brother, Ming Rang, should have carried Ming Tang out for her wedding. But Ming Li argued passionately, "Our eldest sister was carried out by our elder brother, and now for our youngest sister’s first wedding, it’s also the elder brother’s duty. I thought I’d never have the chance to carry a sister in marriage—now that this opportunity has come, what harm is there in letting me have this one time?"

Helpless, Ming Rang agreed.

Amidst the continuous crackle of firecrackers, Ming Li carried Ming Tang step by step toward the bridal sedan chair, a sense of wonder filling his heart—he was likely the only person in the world to have the unique opportunity to carry his sister for her remarriage.

Unnoticed by him, Pei Yue, standing beside them, slightly furrowed his brow, his gaze fixed anxiously on Ming Li’s every step. At the slightest sign of imbalance, his hand, hanging by his side, would instinctively rise, ready to prevent his seemingly scholarly brother-in-law from stumbling with Ming Tang.

Relieved to see Ming Tang safely settled in the sedan chair, Pei Yue swung onto his horse and, to the sound of drums and music, led the bridal procession toward the Duke of Dingguo’s residence.

His features were handsome, and today, enhanced by his wedding attire, he radiated an unusual exuberance rarely seen. For such a joyous occasion as a wedding, it was customary for the bridal party to distribute coins to onlookers seeking good fortune, especially when the groom possessed such rare good looks.

The lively procession arrived at the Duke of Dingguo’s residence, the sheer size of the crowd trailing behind them astonishing the guests waiting at the entrance.

Fortunately, Pei Fu, the Duke of Dingguo’s steward, quickly recognized the situation and immediately ordered two baskets of freshly minted copper coins to be distributed, smoothly dispersing the crowd.

By then, Ming Tang had already stepped out of the sedan chair and, hand-in-hand with Pei Yue, entered the main hall.

Inside the brightly lit hall, through the translucent crimson veil, Ming Tang could only make out two figures seated at the head of the room. One was naturally the Duchess of Dingguo, whom she had met before, while the other was the Duke of Dingguo, who had reportedly not appeared in public for many years.

Her vision obscured, Ming Tang couldn’t discern the Duke’s appearance clearly, but she sensed a noticeable distance between him and the Duchess.

After bowing to heaven and earth, someone came forward to guide the newlyweds to the bridal chamber.

Following behind the attendant, Ming Tang had only one thought: the Duke of Dingguo’s residence was simply too vast.

Bearing the weight of her heavy headpiece and with her vision obscured, she could only rely on others to lead the way. Though the distance might not have been great, Ming Tang felt a genuine weariness.

Upon entering the bridal chamber, despite the bed being strewn with various auspicious items that made it rather lumpy, Ming Tang sighed in relief.

Suddenly, a shadow fell over her—Pei Yue stood before her, gently lifting her veil with a long rod.

With the hazy obstruction removed, Ming Tang could once again clearly admire the man before her.

The bridal chamber was awash in vibrant red, softened by the candlelight into a warm, hazy glow, like a soft-focus filter, not at all harsh. Yet, the man standing before her seemed to glow under the candlelight, his presence making the lavish room fade into an unnoticed background, while he remained the undeniable focal point of the entire scene.

No wonder people often said, "Beauty is best admired by lamplight." She had already been struck by Pei Yue’s handsomeness at her own home, but she never expected his allure to be so potent in a different setting.

Form is emptiness, emptiness is form. Ming Tang silently recited the phrase, her heart filled with the sorrow of being able to look but not touch. She accepted the cup handed to her by the wedding attendant, entwined her arm with Pei Yue’s, and drank in one go.

The moment the wine touched his lips, Pei Yue realized something was amiss.

The household had been bustling with preparations these past few days, with his mother overseeing everything, so Pei Yue had only checked in a few times and then left it alone. But he had forgotten that the estate typically did not stock the fruit wines favored by scholars and ladies, only refined white spirits like Huadiao and Jiannanchun. Though the wine in their cups was mellow and crisp, it was a high-quality Zhuyeqing—smooth on the palate but with a potent aftereffect.

Seeing Ming Tang drink it all at once, Pei Yue couldn’t help but glance at her a few more times. Yet her gaze remained clear, showing no hint of being affected by the alcohol. He couldn’t tell whether she had a high tolerance or if the alcohol hadn’t yet taken effect.

Ming Tang, however, remained completely oblivious, even wishing there was more.

This wine tasted so good; it must have been aged in a cellar for many years. Good wine was rare; the last time she had tasted something this fine was during the New Year, when, under the guise of toasting, she had snuck two cups from her father and brothers’ table.

After drinking the ceremonial wine, the couple sat side by side on the bed as the wedding attendant recited a lengthy series of blessings for marital bliss, marking the end of the wedding rituals.

Various people flowed out like a tide, and Pei Yue also left to toast the guests, leaving the room suddenly quiet save for the occasional faint crackle of the candles as the wicks flared.

Zhe Liu and Wen He entered from the outer room, both smiling brightly.

Before Ming Tang could speak, a few more people entered. Several maidservants unpacked dishes from a food box and arranged them on the table, while the lead woman, introducing herself as "Pei Fu’s wife," curtsied and said with a smile, "Good evening, Crown Princess. The Crown Prince instructed us to bring you a meal. As we weren’t sure of your preferences, the kitchen prepared some of their specialties. Please enjoy at your leisure."

With that, she withdrew with the others.

Zhe Liu and Wen He had arrived at the Duke of Dingguo’s residence the previous day with Ming Tang’s dowry. While arranging her belongings, they had also familiarized themselves with the inner quarters of the Duke’s estate.

Now that there were no outsiders, Ming Tang immediately relaxed her dignified posture, rising to rub her somewhat stiff neck. She sat before the dressing table and began removing her hair ornaments one by one.

Wen He quickly stepped forward to help her undo her elaborate hairstyle, then took a comb and gently smoothed her hair, saying, "The Crown Prince’s residence is called Chengyi Hall, west of the main Dingyuan Hall. I heard he’s lived in that courtyard since childhood. After being named heir, he was supposed to move to the eastern Zhengxin Hall, but he refused, so he never moved."

Ming Tang nodded slightly, indicating she understood. No wonder she had felt the direction was off when heading to the bridal chamber after the ceremony.

Ming Tang didn’t particularly care about residing in the east or west. Although, given the reality of living in ancient times, she held a certain reverence for metaphysical beliefs, she wasn’t overly concerned to that extent. Still, as this would be her long-term residence, Ming Tang couldn’t help but meticulously examine the bridal chamber during her leisure.

This bridal chamber followed the standard of five main rooms with flanking chambers. The inner room where she was now situated was the eastern side room, while the adjacent room they had passed through, judging by its arrangement, appeared to be a reception room. The purpose of the two western rooms was still unclear, but Ming Tang estimated they were likely a study or similar space.

In ordinary households, the male head typically had two studies, one for external use and one for internal. Daily official duties and meeting external guests were usually handled in the outer study, but sometimes affairs were also managed in the inner study.

She wondered whether Crown Prince Pei regularly used his inner study... Ming Tang decided to ask at some point. If not, she could tidy it up; it would at least be a usable space.

With her hair finally loose around her shoulders, Ming Tang felt the weight lift from her neck. She rose and sat at the table, noting the six dishes and one soup. Though the portions were small, it still seemed like quite a lot. She couldn’t help but ask with a smile, "Have you two eaten? Sit down and join me for a bit."

This was common at home, so the two maids did not decline. They sat down as instructed and shared a meal with Ming Tang, then cleared the leftover food into the food box and helped Ming Tang remove her heavy wedding robes.

After washing up in the side chamber, Ming Tang changed into a more comfortable underrobe and soft slippers, returning to the dressing table for her essential nightly hair-combing routine. Meanwhile, Zhe Liu and Wen He tidied the bed, which was strewn with various auspicious items.

Suddenly, heavy footsteps sounded outside, followed by the respectful voices of the servants: "The Crown Prince has returned."

The door creaked open, and the footsteps grew closer. Before Ming Tang could decide whether to rise and offer a polite greeting, she heard Pei Yue’s voice: "You’ve already washed up?"

There was a subtle hint of awkwardness in his tone.

Ming Tang noticed, but didn’t dwell on it, rising with a smile. "Yes, I have. Would Your Highness like me to call someone to assist you with your wash?"

Pei Yue tilted his head slightly, his gaze fixed on the partition between the reception room and the inner chamber. "No need. I’ve never required assistance with my wash." With that, he strode into the side chamber.

The side chamber was spotless, showing no signs of having been used. Pei Yue stood to one side, watching as servants brought in hot water, yet he felt a faint warmth creeping up his ears.

He had been slightly tipsy earlier, but upon entering and seeing Ming Tang with her dark hair unbound, clad only in her underrobe, sitting at the dressing table combing her hair, her long sleeves slipping to reveal wrists as fair as snow, any lingering drunkenness completely vanished.

Only after washing up and stepping out to find Ming Tang already reclining on the bed, a book in hand that she had found at some point, did it truly sink in: today was his wedding day.

Hearing his approach, Ming Tang looked up. Pei Yue’s long hair was unbound, subtly damp, and his dark eyelashes were also wet, making them appear even darker. Clad only in his underrobe, his movements subtly revealed the agile physique hidden beneath his robes during the day. Bathed in the room’s red glow, he exuded an overwhelming allure.

Her hand tightened on the book, her fingers pressing down on the very passage where Ming Tang had just been reading with great interest about the appearance of a male fox spirit.

What a pity—she could only look, not touch.

Ming Tang closed the book, placed it in a small drawer she had discovered on the inner side of the bed, pulled up the covers, and smiled at Pei Yue. "Would Your Highness like to retire for the night?"

Her series of actions was so natural that Pei Yue’s initial nervousness as a newlywed eased considerably. He nodded, got onto the bed, and drew the bed curtains.

On the wedding night, the dragon-and-phoenix candles were traditionally kept burning brightly all night. Thus, even after the bed curtains were drawn, the private space created by the drapes did not seem dim. In fact, being bathed in red light, it couldn’t help but stir one’s imagination.

Ming Tang had always been an excellent sleeper, and she had mentally prepared herself thoroughly. After lying down, she felt no discomfort whatsoever despite a stranger lying beside her, and she soon began to feel drowsy.

Just as her thoughts began to drift, Pei Yue’s low, melodious voice suddenly broke the silence. At this moment, he seemed hesitant, his tone tinged with confusion: "On the wedding night, are we supposed to consummate the marriage?"

Ming Tang instantly became wide awake.

Wasn’t Crown Prince Pei supposed to have an impediment in that regard? How exactly was he planning to consummate the marriage?