Chapter 79:
After smoothly worshiping heaven and earth and completing all the etiquette, Xie Wanning was escorted into the bridal chamber while holding the red silk.
The wedding veil was slowly lifted, and Pei Yuqing’s handsome face appeared before her eyes again, his gaze containing a smile, gentle and warm.
Xie Wanning’s heart, which had been inevitably a bit panicked from getting married, instantly settled down, and she also smiled at him.
The people around were all madams on good terms with the Pei Family, or directly collateral branch clan relatives of the Pei Family, all joining in the fun and saying auspicious words at this moment.
Pei Yuxuan was also among them, winking at her…
She had long known her elder brother’s feelings, but she hadn’t expected her wooden blockhead-like elder brother to act so quickly when he really got down to it.
It had been less than half a year, and the person had already been married into the family.
The wedding granny sang auspicious words, and maidservants offered two cups of warm wine.
After Pei Yuqing took them, he handed her one cup, their arms crossing as they each drank the bridal cups dry.
Amid a burst of laughter, maidservants brought in dumplings.
Pei Yuqing picked one up with jade chopsticks and held it to Xie Wanning’s lips. She bit off a mouthful, and he reached out to catch it: “Spit it out.”
Xie Wanning: “…”
She spat the dumpling into his palm, and then heard the wedding granny laugh and ask: “Will there be a child or not?”
Xie Wanning pursed her lips, her voice as soft as a mosquito’s hum, “…Yes.”
The madams observing the rites in the room immediately started teasing.
The wedding granny also said with a full face of smiles: “May you two be united for a hundred years, have a noble son early, and enjoy a lifetime of harmony.”
Pei Yuqing, who was always calm and composed, now had his eyes full of joy. Hearing the room full of auspicious words, he actually said, “Thank you.”
As soon as this thank you came out, Xie Wanning, who prided herself on having thick skin, felt a bit uneasy and lowered her head, her face slightly red.
The bridal chamber was lively for a long time, and as the sky gradually darkened, the banquet in the front hall had already begun. Pei Yuqing was called to toast the guests.
The women in the room also gradually dispersed, but Pei Yuxuan, worried that Xie Wanning as a new bride coming over would be scared alone in the new room, stayed in the bridal chamber a bit longer.
Until the sky was completely dark, Xie Wanning urged her to go eat, and only then did she leave.
The double happiness characters and red candles in the room had been lit early, with only a few dowry maidservants left, quietly bustling about.
Er Qing was organizing the vanity case when she turned back and saw her young lady leaning against the bed frame, looking listless. She couldn’t help but ask with concern: “Young Lady, are you tired?”
Xie Wanning lazily shook her head and said: “You take them to have some food. You’ve been busy all day.”
Even she herself had been worn out after the whole day, having only eaten two pastries to pad her stomach.
Her young lady sitting in the flower sedan was already like this; the maidservants walking alongside outside must have been even more exhausted.
Er Qing led the few little maidservants and had just retreated when Xie Wanning heard voices greeting from outside the door: “Greetings to the son-in-law.”
She was instantly stunned, her gaze turning to the red candle that had not burned much.
…He was back from toasting already?
In the dream, when she married Lu Ziyan, he had been at least half an hour late before returning.
The creaking sound of the door being pushed open rang out.
A man in a suit of red robes appeared at the door. He stood in place, gazing intently at the young lady on the bridal bed.
He looked for so long that Xie Wanning felt very uneasy being stared at, and pouted: “What, don’t you recognize me?”
“It’s a bit unfamiliar,” Pei Yuqing finally moved, but after taking just one step, he turned his head and instructed Pei Er outside the door: “Go get some table wine and dishes.”
…His wife hadn’t eaten yet.
Xie Wanning felt a slight warmth in her heart. When the person had already sat beside her and taken her hand, she came back to herself and complained: “Can I take down this hairstyle now?”
Not counting the rest, just the gilded phoenix crown alone was frighteningly heavy, not to mention the strings of necklaces on her neck.
Wearing this set of gear from morning to night while hungry, Xie Wanning had long been unable to hold on.
At this moment, she looked particularly listless. Seeing this, Pei Yuqing felt heartbroken and reached out to hold her shoulders, saying: “I should have come back earlier.”
Xie Wanning said: “You’ve already come back very early.”
Although she had only married twice including in the dream, she had heard fun stories from other families.
Among life’s four great joys, the wedding night was one of them. Being the bridegroom wasn’t that easy; how could toasting be so simple to slip away from?
Pei Yuqing helped her sit in front of the dressing table, removing the heavy phoenix crown from her head while smiling: “My reputation for frailty is widely known, so no one dares to force too much wine on me.”
Besides, he had a few cousins helping block the wine.
Among the guests, the most noble by status were the princes and kings.
By status, they were all his cousins and maternal uncles, so even for Princess Duanyang’s sake, they wouldn’t really make this cousin and nephew, frail from birth, drink too much.
Thus, at this moment as he stood behind her, Xie Wanning didn’t smell much alcohol on him.
He carefully fiddled with it a few times, and soon the weight lifted from her head as he removed the phoenix crown.
Xie Wanning felt relieved and turned back to smile at him: “You’re quite skilled at dismantling a young lady’s hairstyle.”
Such a complex phoenix crown, and he hadn’t pulled her hair at all, taking it off so quickly.
Hearing this, Pei Yuqing was both amused and exasperated. He held her chin and leaned in close: “Whose have I dismantled before? I just have eyes that can see.”
His gaze carried a smile, his handsome face close at hand, clear and charming.
Xie Wanning blinked, pulled away the hand on her chin, and leaned up to kiss him.
At that moment, footsteps came from the door that hadn’t been closed.
Several maidservants entered holding meals.
She jumped in fright, hurriedly withdrew her action and stood up, but was steadied by the man beside her who gripped her arm: “Careful not to fall.”
They had nearly been caught being so intimate by the servants, yet he remained calm as ever. Xie Wanning couldn’t help but look at him with new eyes.
Once the dishes were all served, Pei Yuqing dismissed the others, pulled her to sit down: “Hungry, right? Try them, see if they suit your taste.”
Though he asked this, given how much he cared for her, how could anything brought before her not be what she liked?
Xie Wanning liked sour and sweet foods; these dozen dishes, cold and hot, covered everything, and most were her favorites.
She picked up her chopsticks to take a slice of sour bamboo shoots, and saw the person beside her also move his chopsticks. She asked curiously: “You haven’t eaten either?”
Hadn’t he just come back from toasting outside without eating something to tide him over?
“Not yet,” Pei Yuqing placed a pair of lotus root slices for her, saying softly: “You’re still in the new room hungry and waiting for me to return. How could I take care of myself first?”
“I used to think you were just like my elder brother, a clueless wooden blockhead, but now your sweet words are getting better and better.”
Xie Wanning smiled at this and placed some braised pork for him with her chopsticks.
She thought to herself that she had actually encountered this devoted man who only appeared in storybooks.
Her eyesight was indeed right; older men knew how to dote on people.
He was handsome, had a good temperament, and was full of her in his heart and eyes…
Xie Wanning contentedly began to eat. The two occasionally served dishes to each other, the atmosphere in the room warm and harmonious.
