Chapter 32: The Grand Wedding

Chapter 32: The Grand Wedding

"We wish Young Master Shen a joyous wedding and a harmonious union lasting a hundred years!"

"May you remain united in heart and grow old together!"

"May you be blessed with children soon, and live in happiness and health!"

...

A sudden wave of congratulations shattered the silence of the scene.

Only then did everyone notice that a group of ragged beggars and a crowd of plainly dressed commoners had somehow pushed their way into the gathering.

They were all people who had been aided by Shen Yichen over the past few weeks.

Since that day, Shen Yichen had distributed grain every three days without fail, true to his word.

They had thought that once Shen Yichen married and left the Minister's residence, he would surely cease to keep his promise. But unexpectedly, at the last grain distribution, Shen Yichen had turned the remaining half-month's grain into silver and given it to them.

The group was overwhelmed with gratitude, feeling that the rumors were all slander, smears, and lies.

Young Master Shen was clearly a truly good man.

So they discussed among themselves and even chipped in to buy Shen Yichen a wedding gift.

Even Shen Yichen hadn't expected this. Seeing their sincere faces at this moment, he felt deeply grateful.

Thus, completely disregarding their so-called lowly status, he publicly thanked them with genuine sincerity.

Cheng Yi then signaled Wei Xiao and the others to distribute wedding candies to all of them, treating them politely and respectfully.

Shen Yichen cast a grateful glance at Cheng Yi, while the onlookers suddenly realized that the Young Master Shen they saw with their own eyes was nothing like the rumors.

Combined with the earlier gossip about the Minister's master, everyone began to piece things together.

It seemed there was more to those smears than met the eye.

With this realization, they looked at the newlywed couple standing together and found them perfectly matched—truly a match made in heaven.

The crowd was caught up in the mood and joined in with blessings of their own.

Zhou Chu and the others, quick-witted as ever, immediately began scattering handfuls of wedding candies—dried longan, peanuts, red dates...

All kinds of auspicious treats rained down from above, and with Jiang Yunshan's silver tongue, the atmosphere was lively in no time.

In the blink of an eye, the scene was surprisingly lively.

Wang Shuci gritted his teeth in fury, while Shen Qinglan's face contorted in rage.

What were those rabble doing!

Shouldn't that wretch be marrying all alone, ignored by all? Shouldn't he be mocked and despised by thousands?

Weren't they all here to see him make a fool of himself?

No, this wasn't over yet.

They must still be waiting to see him humiliated—the Marquis's residence had prepared neither a carriage nor a bridal sedan chair. They must be planning to make Shen Yichen the laughingstock of all of the capital today.

It had to be that way.

However...

"Don't worry, I'll help you."

Cheng Yi's gentle voice suddenly sounded in his ear, with a strange power that instantly calmed the flustered Shen Yichen.

He was standing beside a tall chestnut warhorse, its head adorned with bright red silk, even the saddle was crimson.

But a gē'ér's frame was naturally more delicate than a man's, and the warhorse the Marquis's residence had brought in was even larger and more robust than ordinary horses. Coupled with the heavy, elaborate wedding attire Shen Yichen wore today, getting on the horse would not be easy.

Shen Yichen knew no martial arts, and even if he managed to climb up, his posture would hardly be graceful.

He thought that most of the people gathered here today were probably waiting for this very moment.

But just as this thought crossed his mind, Cheng Yi's voice sounded in his ear.

Cheng Yi had only just realized this problem as well. Before Shen Yichen could even show his distress, he had already stepped to his side.

"I'll help you up."

He leaned in slightly and whispered in his ear, all eyes fixed on them.

Cheng Yi gently wrapped one arm around his shoulder, while his other hand circled around to his waist from behind.

But just as he was about to lift him onto the horse, Shen Yichen suddenly grabbed his hand urgently and whispered in a low, hurried voice:

"I... I'm not feeling up to it today."

After a gē'ér came of age, there were always a few days each month when he felt weak and sensitive to cold, with a dull ache in his lower abdomen and fatigue in his back and limbs.

As luck would have it, Shen Yichen happened to be having one of those days. On top of that, he had barely slept the night before due to nerves, so he was genuinely worried now.

What if he couldn't stay steady on the horse and fell? What if the horse's jolting threw him off entirely?

What if...

He made a public spectacle of himself—embarrassing himself was one thing, but Cheng Yi, the Marquis Zhongyong's residence, and even the Duke Zhenguo's residence would all lose face.

He didn't want that.

Out of nervousness, Shen Yichen gripped Cheng Yi's hand tightly, his breath coming in short, ragged gasps.

The onlookers couldn't hear what they were saying, but they saw Shen Yichen turn slightly as if shyly shrinking into Cheng Yi's embrace.

The image was striking yet so harmonious that people couldn't help but gasp in admiration, and the crowd burst into amused laughter.

What a perfect pair—truly made for each other.

The Emperor certainly had good judgment.

Cheng Yi was momentarily stunned by his words, then suddenly realized what he meant and was filled with remorse.

"I'm sorry, I didn't think of that."

With that, he simply bent down and scooped him up in his arms.

The surrounding crowd immediately erupted in laughter and cheers.

Teasing, egging on—fortunately, most of it was good-natured.

Caught off guard by the sudden lift, Shen Yichen instinctively wrapped both arms tightly around Cheng Yi and buried his face into his chest.

Unexpectedly, Cheng Yi carried him straight toward the horse he had ridden earlier.

Then, before anyone could react, he stepped into the stirrup and, holding his young spouse, vaulted smoothly onto the horse's back.

The dashing move earned another round of applause.

Shen Yichen's mind went utterly blank, woozy and disoriented, completely lost track of time and where he even was.

By the time he came to his senses, he was seated astride the horse with a scorching chest pressed against his back.

Cheng Yi's arms slid around his waist, his body leaning slightly forward to fold him into his embrace, both hands gripping the reins tightly.

"Don't be afraid, just lean against me."

Cheng Yi's chin tucked over his shoulder, and as he spoke, their faces were almost pressed together.

Shen Yichen was wrapped in his scorching embrace, a wave of heat at his ears, and he felt his cheeks flush hot.

Cheng Yi's scorching breath practically sprayed against his ear.

His mind rang, his body flushed with heat, and his cheeks felt as if they might catch fire, leaving him utterly dazed.

His earlobes had long since turned crimson, and his heart pounded like a drum.

He sat stiffly on the horse, his gaze landing on the crowd everywhere, as if all eyes were on him. Yet, the sounds around him seemed muffled, as if blocked by some barrier—he heard nothing.

All he could hear was the fierce beating of the heart behind him and the words echoing in his ear.

"Don't be afraid, I'm right behind you."

"Relax, I'm here."

"Take it easy, leave it all to me."

...

It was amid these reassurances that Shen Yichen arrived at the Marquis Zhongyong's residence.

The whole way, he kept thinking that Cheng Yi was probably the gentlest person he had ever met in his life, and no one would ever treat him better than he did.

He even thought that perhaps all the misery and suffering he had endured over the past decade or more was meant to lead to this very moment.

With that, he could look forward to the future with hope, couldn't he?

After all, his husband was such a wonderful man.

"Bow to Heaven and Earth~"

"Bow to the Parents~"

"Mutual Bow between the Couple~"

"The ceremony is concluded~"

Cheng Yi held his young spouse's hand tightly throughout, noticing that Shen Yichen was unusually quiet and tense today.

So he patiently reassured him over and over again.

Feeling the sweat in his palm, he never let go of his large hand, until the ceremony concluded and they were escorted, amid cheers and teasing, to the bridal chamber.

Finally, they were alone in their own world.

Cheng Yi led him to sit by the table, but found he still clung tightly to his hand, unwilling to let go, and couldn't help but chuckle.

"I know you can't bear to part with me, but the guests outside are still waiting to pay their respects. Could Chen'er allow me to step away for a moment?"

The teasing tone finally made Shen Yichen blush to the roots of his ears.

"Who can't bear to part with you? Don't flatter yourself—it's clearly you holding onto me."

"Yes, yes, it's me holding on."

Cheng Yi admitted with a smile, which only made Shen Yichen more embarrassed.

He inwardly scolded his own sharp tongue, wondering why he could never control it.

He stole a glance at Cheng Yi, and seeing only amusement in his eyes with no sign of displeasure, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

"Hurry along, don't keep the guests waiting."

"Alright."

It wasn't until Cheng Yi left that Shen Yichen's tense body and mind finally unwound completely.

Only then did he realize, belatedly, that Cheng Yi had just called him... Chen'er.

It had been a very long time since anyone had addressed him so affectionately as "Chen'er."

In his memory, only his father and elder brother had ever called him that, but those memories had long since grown hazy.

Sometimes, Shen Yichen couldn't tell whether they were figments of his imagination or real recollections.

Compared to the Minister's mansion, the Marquis's estate was adorned with decorations everywhere, especially in this Yuxiu Pavilion, where festive red met the eye at every turn.

From the brief glimpse he had earlier, his future mother-in-law seemed gentle and kind, and even the fearsome Duke Zhenguo, known for his intimidating reputation, appeared benevolent and approachable.

Shen Yichen's anxious heart settled a little more.

Just then, Chuliu slipped in, accompanied by two other young attendants of similar age.

Both were personal attendants arranged by Wen Wanning to attend to Shen Yichen, while Chuliu was part of his dowry.

The three had already met and seemed to be chatting amiably.

Chuliu cheerfully brought out a tray of snacks.

"The young lord is so thoughtful, worried you might be hungry, and even had us bring you food."

The other two chimed in agreement.

"Exactly, our Second Young Master has never been this considerate to anyone before."

“The Second Young Master specifically told us to keep you company.”

“That’s right, that’s right—the Second Young Master really dotes on you.”

Warmth spread through Shen Yichen's heart, and even the last bit of his unease melted away.

What was there to fear?

He’d crawled out of the mire before; things couldn’t get worse than they already were, right?

With that thought, he just invited the three of them to eat with him.

——————

Cheng Yi came back pretty late. His gaze swept the room and finally landed on the bed.

He’d had quite a bit to drink earlier, but he wasn’t drunk. In his past life, he’d spent over a decade on the northern frontier, and whenever he felt down, he’d have a few drinks. Over time, his tolerance for alcohol grew.

Maybe because he was so tired today, Shen Yichen had already fallen asleep.

What he didn’t know was that Shen Yichen wasn’t just tired—he’d barely gotten a wink of sleep the night before.

Cheng Yi tiptoed to the bedside and stared at his profile, lost in thought.

He always seemed to curl up into a ball, like he had no sense of security at all.

And even in sleep, he instinctively stayed in a defensive posture.

Cheng Yi knew why he was like this, which was why every time he saw him like this, he couldn’t help the ache in his heart.

After a long while, Cheng Yi slowly lay down next to him.

But even though he was quiet, Shen Yichen still startled awake.

Cheng Yi watched him spring up and retreat to the far side of the bed, then look at him warily.

His eyes went from wary to blank, and finally to helpless.

“You... you’re back.”

Cheng Yi sighed inwardly and just got up to pull him close.

“Sorry I’m late. You must be worn out today, huh?”

Shen Yichen was a little embarrassed, but he didn’t pull his hand away from Cheng Yi’s.

“Not too tired. I just dozed off without meaning to. Did I miss anything?”

Cheng Yi thought for a moment—he supposed he had missed something, indeed.

With that in mind, he got up and walked to the table, pouring a cup for each of them.

The nuptial wine—Shen Yichen knew what that meant.

A faint blush crept across his face. Suppressing his shyness, he gracefully took the cup, linked arms with Cheng Yi, clinked their cups, and downed it in one go.

Cheng Yi’s gaze stayed fixed on his flushed brow as he spoke, his voice steady and gentle:

“With this rite complete, we are formally wedded as husbands. From this day forward, we are each other’s closest kin—bound together, day and night, never to part until our hair turns white.”

==========Author’s Note:==========

The end. Throwing flowers (just kidding).