"Spring Wedding in the Capital City - Chapter 5"
The wedding procession traveled from the east of the city towards the north.
Firecrackers exploded with a thousand pops and crackles, their red paper remnants carpeting Changle Alley.
Children chasing after the wedding cars clapped and laughed: "New bride, enter the bridal chamber! The groom traveled ten miles to welcome his bride, scattering coins along the way. Reward money! Reward money!"
The Yan family members tossed handfuls of copper coins from baskets, which the children jubilantly scrambled to collect.
Ying Xiaoman sat inside the gold-trimmed red bridal sedan, the room packed with women who had come to observe the ceremony. The officiant merrily scattered red dates, peanuts, longan, and melon seeds all over the bridal bed.
Though the red veil obscured her vision, it couldn't block her view of the floor. Zhi's tiger-head shoes paced back and forth in front of Ying Xiaoman.
The little girl had been anxiously waiting since morning, repeatedly pleading: "Sister, pick me up onto the bed so I can grab the golden dates!"
Ying Xiaoman smiled beneath her veil. Amidst the clamor of the room, she patted Zhi's hand reassuringly: "Wait a little longer. A boy from the Yan family will come. When he arrives, you two can go up on the bed together to grab the dates."
Yan Rongshi had explained the wedding day proceedings to her in detail. After the officiant scattered treats on the bed, a pair of children – a boy and a girl – would be brought to roll around on the marriage bed, symbolizing: "May you soon bear noble sons and have both boys and girls."
This pair of children had to be carefully chosen. They should be selected from the younger generations of both families, be of a young age, have good temperaments, and possess attractive features. It was best if they were close in age.
The Ying family, of course, chose Zhi.
The Yan family, having many brothers, took a long time to decide before settling on the four-year-old Thirty-Second Young Master.
When Zhi heard that a boy would be competing with her for the honey dates, she was quite displeased, muttering under her breath.
The room was too noisy for Ying Xiaoman to hear clearly. Just as she was quietly asking Zhi, "What did you say, little one?" a burst of laughter erupted from outside, with many voices shouting, "The Thirty-Second Young Master is here!"
A well-dressed maidservant entered the bridal chamber carrying a cherubic little boy.
The young master was also dressed in a red flower-patterned robe, his hair tied into two small buns with gold ribbons. His face was fair and delicate, and as he entered the room, he shyly hid in his nanny's arms, at first glance looking even more like a little girl than Zhi did.
Now that the symbolic "golden boy and jade girl" were assembled, a matronly woman in rich attire took the young master and placed the bewildered Thirty-Second Young Master on the bed, seated to Ying Xiaoman's left. Then she picked up the dazed Zhi and set her on the bed as well, seated to Ying Xiaoman's right.
Ying Xiaoman shifted her red veil slightly. Seeing Zhi frozen in place, she softly urged:
"Go grab the dates!"
As if awakened from a dream, the children on her left and right sprang into action simultaneously.
Zhi nimbly flipped over and crawled towards the center of the bed.
The most dates, longans, and peanuts had rolled into the far corner of the bed. As Zhi was gathering her spoils, the Yan family's little master crawled over from the opposite side, curiously eyeing Zhi's loot.
Seeing that she had grabbed handfuls of golden sweet dates and nothing else, the Thirty-Second Young Master, who had originally intended to grab longans, hesitated for a moment before changing course and reaching for two golden dates in the corner.
Zhi was shocked.
Beyond shock, she was furious. How dare someone snatch dates right in front of her! With a swift motion, she raised her hand and slapped him.
The Thirty-Second Young Master froze in his outstretched position, stunned, a red handprint blooming on his fair skin. The two honey dates rolled onto the bed, promptly snatched up by the unapologetic Zhi.
It was the first time in his life the young master had been struck, and he hadn't even managed to keep the dates. After a moment of bewildered stillness, his grape-like black eyes gradually welled up with tears...
Seeing that the Thirty-Second Young Master was about to cry, Zhi quickly stuffed one of the two stolen golden dates back into his hand.
"Don't cry! If you don't cry, I'll share one with you."
"...Zhi?" Ying Xiaoman, seated at the edge of the bed, sensed that something was amiss amidst the bedlam. She called out softly:
"Who just cried? Did the Thirty-Second Young Master bully you?"
There was a rustling sound from behind as Zhi crawled back to the edge of the bed, snuggling affectionately against her sister and proudly displaying her handful of spoils.
"Nobody cried. Sister, I got lots of honey dates."
Ying Xiaoman relaxed, patting the little head: "You really did get a lot. Go find a place to eat them."
Another rustling sound followed as the Thirty-Second Young Master crawled out from the bed, looking pitiful, and was carried away by a waiting Yan family woman.
"Oh my, did the Thirty-Second Young Master bump his head? Why does he look like he's about to cry..." The woman's concerned words were drowned out by the raucous laughter filling the room.
The officiant was loudly proclaiming: "May you soon bear noble sons, the treats are scattered on the bed, the golden boy and jade girl have rolled on the marriage bed. Where's the groom? It's time to lift the bride's veil and lead her out."
Amidst the room's merriment, the Thirty-Second Young Master sat in a corner with Zhi, tears glistening in his eyes as he nibbled on a honey date.
"You did well just now. As long as you don't cry, I'll keep sharing dates with you."
Zhi selected the largest date from her pocketful and handed it over, casually patting the Thirty-Second Young Master's head while keeping her eyes fixed proudly on her sister.
Her sister was the most beautiful bride in all the world!
A single knot of unity, a bond spanning three lifetimes, joining them until their hair turns white.
Ying Xiaoman stood in the main hall, her hand holding the unity knot. The dragon and phoenix candles, as thick as a child's arm, illuminated the surroundings brightly. The scene before her eyes made her feel a bit dazed.
She had once had a dream. The scene in the dream had seemed familiar.
Yan Rongshi stood outside the courtyard gate, while she stood inside. In the dream, he had been dressed as a groom coming to welcome his bride, holding the unity knot. He was welcomed into the courtyard by her adoptive mother and walked straight towards her.
Now, Yan Rongshi indeed held the unity knot, standing shoulder to shoulder with her.
The clamor of voices around them nearly lifted the roof. Ying Xiaoman instinctively raised a corner of her red veil, revealing one bright, round eye.
Yan Rongshi stood right beside her at this moment.
His clear, smiling almond eyes turned to meet her gaze, seeming to contain all the shimmering spring light of March.
In the instant their eyes met, Ying Xiaoman blinked quickly beneath her red veil.
Yan Rongshi took half a step closer, holding the silk ribbon of the unity knot.
They were almost touching now, their fingers secretly intertwining beneath the sleeves of their wedding attire.
"Don't be nervous," Yan Rongshi whispered. "Whatever the officiant tells us to do, we just need to follow along. Nothing can go wrong."
Ying Xiaoman wasn't actually nervous. She just felt that the surroundings were too noisy. The noise made her feel dizzy, as if she had drunk too much wine and was a bit lightheaded.
She could hardly remember when the red veil was lifted, how many cups of wine they drank in the marriage cup ceremony, or how they each cut a lock of hair to symbolize their union as husband and wife. It all seemed to happen behind a gauzy screen, hazy and indistinct.
When she was finally escorted back to the bridal chamber and seated, the observing women gradually dispersed, covering their mouths as they laughed. The wedding attendant coaxed Zhi away.
"It's time for the little miss to go. The groom will be entering the bridal chamber soon. The little miss can come see her sister tomorrow."
After Zhi was carried away and two maidservants gently closed the door, the buzzing clamor that had filled her ears all day finally quieted.
Sui Miao's voice came from outside the door, instructing the maidservants:
"The young master drank thirty or forty cups of wine today, and they're still drinking outside. Quickly prepare some sobering soup."
Not just sobering soup, but also face-washing cloths, warm water in a silver basin, tea for rinsing the mouth, and changes of clothes for inside and out – everything was brought into the room in an orderly fashion.
The two maidservants efficiently completed their tasks, curtsied, and withdrew. Only the bride remained in the room.
Ying Xiaoman sat on the edge of the bed, turning her head to examine the man's long robes hanging at the bedhead.
The outermost robe was made of heavy fabric with elaborate embroidery, easily recognizable. The innermost white undergarment was also easy to distinguish.
The other two or three middle layers were almost the same color, with only slight differences in the style of the collar and cuffs... Should they be put on from the inside out? Or from the outside in?
Ying Xiaoman stared at them for a long time, feeling a bit troubled.
It would be best if Yan Rongshi was sober enough to change his own clothes when he came in. If she had to help him change, wouldn't she risk putting them on inside out?
Night had fallen. The front courtyard was still bustling with noise, and the lanterns all over the Yan family mansion lit up half the night sky.
Ying Xiaoman waited and waited, but no one came. It was long past her usual bedtime. She lay down fully dressed at the head of the bed, intending to take a short nap, when suddenly there was a commotion of footsteps outside the door.
The half-closed door was pushed open from the outside, and Sui Miao stood in the doorway, calling urgently, "My lady, my lady!"
Ying Xiaoman called out towards the door: "Yan Rongshi?"
A muffled response came from outside.
Sensing something was amiss, Ying Xiaoman hurriedly slipped on her shoes and went out, working with Sui Miao to help support the person into the room.
Yan Rongshi was still conscious at this point, but it would be a stretch to say he was fully awake. His eyes had been half-closed, but when Ying Xiaoman called out to him, he opened them.
His almond eyes, usually so clear, were now misty. He gazed directly at her for a moment before closing his eyes again.
"The young master truly drank too much tonight."
Sui Miao said with difficulty, "Many brothers from the clan have already come to offer toasts, and numerous colleagues and honored guests have arrived to observe the ceremony. The Yan family has also invited many relatives and friends who are formidable drinkers. None of them are easy to deal with, and they all have elaborate toasting speeches prepared, urging the groom to drink..."
"It's fine, let him sleep if he drinks too much. He'll be alright when he wakes up."
Ying Xiaoman took the face towel handed by the maid and hastily wiped her face before helping to lay him down on the bed.
In just this short moment, the strong smell of alcohol wafted over from nearby, making her wrinkle her nose.
The lingering taste of a single fine wine can be pleasant, but when the scents of many wines mix together, it's like throwing all the colors of the rainbow into a giant dye vat.
"How much did he drink today? Even his robes are soaked with alcohol," she muttered, picking up the damp sleeve and sniffing it before quickly tossing it away, overwhelmed by the smell.
The person lying on the bed apparently heard her.
Yan Rongshi's half-closed eyes opened, looking at her hazily, though his speech was surprisingly clear.
He said innocently, "On our wedding night, Yan Erlang led a group of his drinking buddies with the deliberate intention of getting me drunk. All the toasts were strong liquor—I poured them into my sleeves instead."
Ying Xiaoman: "...Pfft."
She pinched the two soaked sleeves. "Hurry and change your clothes."
The maid brought two sets of clean clothes: a white undergarment and an indigo-colored padded robe, presenting them to Ying Xiaoman with both hands.
Ying Xiaoman sat on the edge of the bed, fumbling with the robe, searching for the ties of the man's garment in all directions.
When she finally figured it out, she called out happily, "I know how to do it now. Sui Miao, give me a hand, help him sit up—"
The groom on the bed was lying quietly, his eyelids closed and his breathing even, already deep in a peaceful sleep.
The room was equally quiet. Sui Miao and the two maids had silently withdrawn from the bridal chamber at some point.
In the brightly lit wedding room illuminated by dragon and phoenix candles, only the drunk cat-like groom and herself remained.
Ying Xiaoman: "..."
It was late at night, and everyone had gone to bed. Why bother changing clothes now?
She put the new robe back on the bedhead and sat on the edge of the bed, removing his clothes piece by piece.
She loosened the rhinoceros leather belt, undid the alcohol-stained outer robe, then reached inside his inner garment, feeling for several ties to undo.
Ying Xiaoman muttered softly, "Raise your arm. I said raise your arm. How many cups of wine did you pour into your sleeves? All your clothes, inside and out, are wet. With such a strong breeze in the courtyard, aren't you afraid of catching a cold at night? Silly Seventh Brother."
The sleeping man, of course, showed no response.
Ying Xiaoman removed his clothes one by one. At first, she just muttered "silly Seventh Brother" once, but seeing him continue to sleep soundly, she suddenly felt a bit mischievous. She reached out and firmly pinched his straight nose.
Still no response.
Ying Xiaoman held back her laughter and began to pinch his face freely. After pinching his face, she moved on to knead his soft lips. Earlier, he had been helped to drink half a cup of sobering soup and rinse his mouth with warm tea. Up close, she could smell a faint tea fragrance.
Her heart fluttered slightly, and she leaned in to give him a light, fleeting kiss.
The sleeping man nearby suddenly stirred, his tightly closed eyelids opening a small crack, looking at her hazily.
Ying Xiaoman's heart started pounding rapidly, and she quietly stopped her kissing.
Before she could ask, "Are you awake?" the half-open eyelids in front of her closed again.
He wasn't awake after all? Good, that's good.
Ying Xiaoman stifled a laugh and mustered up the courage to remove his half-wet, half-dry clothes completely.
In the lamplight, the young man's broad-shouldered, long-legged body was revealed.
Tall people generally appear slim when clothed. But without clothes, his muscles were evenly distributed and powerful, his slender frame not at all weak.
Ying Xiaoman admired him for a moment, then carefully felt around. The Yan family members were all fair-skinned, and Yan Rongshi was no exception. His jade-like chest was surprisingly strong.
The March night was cold, so she quickly tucked him into the bedding, lowered the gold-embroidered bed curtains, and blew out the dragon and phoenix candles.
Tonight, Seventh Brother had drunk too much. If her adoptive mother asked tomorrow "why didn't you consummate the marriage," it certainly couldn't be blamed on her.
She had indeed earnestly studied the "fire-avoiding diagram" her mother had given her.
The light from the courtyard outside shone into the room, illuminating the sleeping groom beside her. His straight nose cast a small shadow. The quilt hadn't completely covered him, revealing a section of his beautifully curved, broad shoulders.
Ying Xiaoman pulled back the covers and got into bed herself.
The warm body heat came through the thin clothes. She lay flat, her heart beating a bit fast.
She remembered something.
She had removed all of Seventh Brother's clothes, but she was still wearing her own.
In her mother's "fire-avoiding diagram," no one wore clothes.
In the dark room with the lights extinguished, there was a rustling sound.
First, the undergarments were thrown out from under the covers, and a moment later, a pink chest wrap followed.
The gold-embroidered bed curtains were drawn tightly closed. In the darkness of the large bed, untouched by the lamplight, Ying Xiaoman's cheeks flushed a light red.
Now that they were pressed together, her heart was beating quite fast in the darkness.
Ying Xiaoman silently recited to herself, "This is how the fire-avoiding diagram was drawn," "No married couple in the world consummates their marriage wearing clothes," "It's not allowed for others, but it's okay for Seventh Brother."
Amidst the pounding of her heart, she successfully convinced herself, yawned, and gradually drifted off to sleep...
The flickering of lamplight appeared before her eyes.
Ying Xiaoman, half asleep and half awake, groggily raised her hand to shield her eyes and mumbled, "Mother, is it dawn?"
Of course, it wasn't her adoptive mother who answered her in the room.
It was a voice she knew very well, which had regained its usual clear and gentle tone after half a night's rest. "No. Go back to sleep for a while."
Someone pulled down the bed curtains, and darkness returned to the bed. Ying Xiaoman immediately closed her eyes and went back to sleep.
Yan Rongshi got up and put on his clothes, lit the dragon and phoenix candles, called for a bowl of sobering soup and a cup of freshly brewed warm tea. After drinking the sobering soup, he carefully rinsed his mouth.
Just as Ying Xiaoman was about to fall into a deep sleep again, the curtain was pulled open slightly from the outside, and the bright yellow candlelight shone onto the head of the bed.
She complained groggily, raising her hand to block the bright light, but her fair arm was gently grasped. Someone sat on the edge of the bed, embracing her along with the bedding, lifting her face and brushing aside her hair.
Her black hair cascaded down like a waterfall, following the contours of her delicate face, falling to her slender neck, with a few strands tangled around fingers.
Yan Rongshi held a few strands of the messy long hair, gently draping them forward.
They fell over the rising hills, covering the cherries.
"Xiaoman."
Ying Xiaoman's face was cupped in his hand, still not fully awake: "Hmm? Seventh Brother? You're awake..."
"I'm awake. I slept very well."
A tingling kiss brushed her lips, warm lips exploring and touching. Under the guidance from the other side, it quickly changed from her usual fleeting kiss to a deep kiss with intertwining lips and teeth.
Her small, pink-tinged earlobe was gently bitten a few times:
"Dark as a crow, bright as a sparrow, most enchanting when viewed beside the pillow."
Ying Xiaoman: "...What?"
Yan Rongshi chuckled softly in her ear, without explaining a single word.
Her heart fluttered, the embrace passionate, yet she felt a chill. She inadvertently looked down and was startled to see a large expanse of new snow, her chest wrap nowhere to be seen.
Ying Xiaoman blinked in surprise.
The new snow covered the rosy clouds, and she hurriedly felt around for her chest wrap.
After searching for a while without finding it, she realized the chest wrap was no longer in its original place.
When Yan Rongshi got out of bed earlier, he had neatly folded the scattered undergarments along with the chest wrap and placed them at the head of the bed.
His long, slender fingers with distinct knuckles captured the cherry hidden beneath the black hair.
He recited softly in her ear again: "Delicate as water and bone, rounded as a jade mountain, entwined in the mandarin duck quilt to embrace the spring breeze."
Ying Xiaoman instantly understood the meaning of "rounded as a jade mountain" without any explanation. Her dark eyes widened, and her cheeks flushed red.
The curtain that had let in light was carefully drawn closed again, tightly covering any gaps.
The silhouettes inside the curtain intertwined, falling back onto the bed.
*
"Young Master, Young Mistress." Someone called from outside the door. The maid's voice was soft and unfamiliar.
Ying Xiaoman, still drowsy, didn't respond.
She raised her hand to cover a yawn and habitually turned over, suddenly hissing in pain.
The light in the bed was dim, her vision seemed covered by a layer of mist, faintly showing the outline of a man's shoulders and back.
Yan Rongshi had awakened at the first call from outside the door. He had just gotten up when he heard the sound and leaned in concernedly to check on her.
"Where does it hurt? Can you move?"
Of course she could move. She had fallen plenty of times while hunting in the forest before, and it hurt more than this.
The main issue was that the location felt a bit off. It wasn't her knees or elbows, the usual places that could withstand pain.
Ying Xiaoman inhaled sharply and slowly sat up. As the quilt slid down, a hand reached out to catch her, embracing her along with the bedding.
Yan Rongshi carefully observed her expression, "It's still early. If you're feeling unwell, you can lie back down and rest a bit more."
Ying Xiaoman had no desire to lie back down and rest.
Her view of this canopy bed today was completely different from yesterday.
As soon as she lay down, her mind was filled with replays and reflections, three parts excitement and seven parts novelty, making sleep impossible.
She had previously thought that the fire-avoiding diagram her mother had given her was unreliable.
What a useless thing it was!
"My lord, my lady. Are you up?" The voice calling from outside changed to a male one. It sounded familiar.
Ying Xiaoman: "Is that Sui Miao calling outside? Does he have business with you?"
Yan Rongshi had taken half a month off for the wedding, so naturally, he didn't need to go to the government office today. But newlyweds had their own rituals to follow.
"This morning we should go to Jinghai Pavilion to pay our respects and serve tea to the eldest great-grandmother."
Ying Xiaoman sprang up immediately: "Let's go, let's go! We shouldn't keep the old lady waiting at her age. Ouch~"
Yan Rongshi was both amused and exasperated, reaching out to support her: "Take it easy."