They rode in the step carriage and returned to Penglai Palace. The warm chamber had long been prepared, and the furnishings were all changed in the form of a wedding style. The curtains and drapes were all in red silk satin with colorful drawings of children. The emperor and empress would stay here for three days, as per the rule.
There were also several rules in the wedding chamber, and among which the Hejin Ceremony was the most important.
The palace servant brought a white jade Hejin cup. The two cups were connected with a central passage between them. In between the two cups was a carved design of a celestial bird perched atop an auspicious beast.
Wine was poured into the Hejin cup, and inside the luster-like white jade was clear wine that swayed lightly, sending out shallow ripples that made one’s hearts flutter as well.
Wen Mingyu and Mu Zhan shared the wedding wine in the jade cup.
This wine was specially ordered by Mu Zhan, which was the fruit wine that Wen Mingyu liked to drink. It had low concentration and a sweet taste, permeated with a strong fruity aroma. But in Mu Zhan’s opinion, the taste was far inferior to the fruity scent of Wen Mingyu’s pheromones.
Having just drunk that cup of wine, Wen Mingyu’s emotions were erratic. He lost control—and his fluffy rabbit ears unexpectedly popped out and hung softly by his face.
Fortunately, nobody saw it since Mu Zhan had already dismissed the servants and there were only the two of them in the chamber. And it was not just Wen Mingyu; Mu Zhan’s emotions were not as stable as usual. He had been hiding it well for more than ten years, but today he slipped, and his horns likewise sprang out of nowhere.
One dragon and one rabbit, both dressed in red wedding clothes, sitting facing each other, somehow surprisingly matched and had an indescribable harmony.
The candlelight on the table shone on Wen Mingyu’s face, revealing a rosy glow. His eyes were also moist, staring straight at Mu Zhan.
Mu Zhan stared at him as well.
An ambiguously sweet quietness swirled and undulated between them.
Obviously, they saw each other every day, and were very familiar with each other’s faces, but at this time, the feeling was quite different. The hearts seemed to be filled with something, filling all the spaces and making no room for anything else.
They just stared stupidly at each other for who knows how long.
Wen Mingyu couldn’t hold it and was the first to smile. His two eyes curved into crescent shapes, and the corners of his mouth formed a charming arc that showed off his small dimples. He subconsciously licked his lips, happy and at the same time a bit nervous.
After licking it, they became even redder and tenderer than ever, like peach blossom petals stained with dew, glistening with a sheen that made one want to touch them.
Mu Zhan thought so, then really did it. He gently pressed at the edges of his lips, feeling a softness to the touch, as if his fingers would sink into the warmth.
Wen Mingyu was a bit surprised before smoothly kissing his fingers. Mu Zhan gave a start and slowly rubbed his fingertips, appearing unusually greedy and infatuated. His voice was low and hoarse as he asked, “Are you drunk?”
With a faint smile, Wen Mingyu tilted his head and sweetly but firmly replied, “No.”
But those sparkling and moist eyes, and the somewhat overly excited attitude, made it evident that even if he wasn’t drunk, he could be said to be tipsy.
“What a bad drinker.”
Mu Zhan gazed at his face, and said so with a smile, his eyes roaming slowly over it. His fingers also traced the same path, passing over the brows, eyes, the tip of his nose, the cheeks…before finally stopping on his lips.
Unconvinced, Wen Mingyu, thinking he was sober, retorted, “I’m not…”
He hadn’t spit out the word drunk when Mu Zhan interrupted him.
Savoring it slowly, grinding it a little bit, tracing the outline, not missing an inch.
Mu Zhan cupped his chin and gave him a gentle kiss. He tilted his head in response, his slender neck tensing into a beautiful curve. Even so, the breathing gradually became rapid, and from the gap between his lips was hot and warm breath escaping, wrapped in the sweet and fruity scent.
Mu Zhan’s eyes darkened with every passing second, like a pool of ink that could not be dispersed.
He still felt it was not enough. This was not close enough. There was a gap between them and the jade stool they were seated on. So Mu Zhan reached out and held Wen Mingyu’s waist as he lifted him up from his stool across him. He placed him on his lap and hugged him in his arms.
The royal wedding dress was exquisite with its many layers that fitted Wen Mingyu’s body, with the long trail dragging to the ground, gathered in the middle. He blossomed like a magnificent flower in Mu Zhan’s lap.
Wen Mingyu, still engrossed in the kiss just now, hadn’t regained his composure. He was completely dazed, and without thinking, he instinctively wrapped his arms and leaned into his arms. Clearly, such actions have been done countless times, forming a body memory.
In this position, Wen Mingyu was naturally taller than Mu Zhan. From him having to look up when kissing into the current him looking down, it was ideal for taking the initiative. He could see Mu Zhan’s thick eyelashes that were unexpectedly long. Wen Mingyu looked and felt his hand getting itchy, so he probed out and carefully felt it.
Mu Zhan was unguarded; just as Wen Mingyu was trusting him, so was he. Even now, he simply closed his eyes reflexively, indulging Wen Mingyu’s movements and letting him touch his lashes.
Even if this was such an unbelievable thing to him in the old days. The eyes were one of the most fragile parts of a human body, and with his vigilance, there was no way he would allow any person to touch them freely. Though if that person was Wen Mingyu, then things would be different.
Mu Zhan opened his eyes again and hugged him, tilting his head to look at him.
Wen Mingyu’s hand abruptly stopped, and he didn’t move. His attention was drawn in by Mu Zhan’s eyes, and all of a sudden—as if he were bewitched—with a red face, he bowed and kissed him, pressing against those light-colored thin lips, mixing a shade of deep red.
His heart was beating frantically, the powerful tremor spreading throughout his body. The temperature constantly rose, making it unbearable to endure.
After sharing a long kiss, they gradually separated. Then, gentle pecks fell one after the other, like they could never kiss enough and desired to be glued together.
Because there were only the two of them in the chamber, they didn’t need to be concerned about covering up. The rabbit ears and dragon horns that popped up when they exchanged wine were not retracted.
Wen Mingyu sat with his waist twisted for a long time. Uncomfortable, he simply turned his body and sat astride Mu Zhan’s lap. Mu Zhan naturally arranged his rumpled wedding dress for him so as not to pile up the fabric and discomfort while sitting.
Wen Mingyu once again encircled his arms around Mu Zhan’s neck, tipping his head slightly. His fluffy rabbit ears brushed Mu Zhan’s face, touching the base of his horns in the process. The contact gave birth to a feeling that was difficult to explain.
Wen Mingyu’s face was so red it almost dripped blood. His originally fair skin was tinted with scarlet, but even then, he didn’t flinch. He gazed at Mu Zhan with lowered eyes and was overcome by his emotions, “I like you.”
As soon as he said it, he uncontrollably smiled, his heart full of glee.
Mu Zhan returned his words, his voice soft and low, his eyes smiling. “I like you.”
Even though they had shared such confessions a long time ago, on their wedding night, they still couldn’t resist the urge to confess again, to the point that they want to cut their hearts straight open just for the other to see.
It’s not that I just like you, but that I really like you, and am growing to like you more and more.
At this point, compared to the time when the confession was made, the state of mind had changed again. The feelings were even thicker, and had overflowed and could not be contained anymore.
When spoken and received the same response, the mood was even more evocative—it was like big fireworks suddenly exploding in the head, dazzling and stunning.
On the table, a ceremonial red candle burned brightly. Coated with golden lacquer, the candle body was adorned with carvings of soaring dragons, and the two dragons entwined around the candle, and as the candle light flickered, it reflected off the glass bead curtain, creating a hazy atmosphere inside the room.
Under the candlelight, their intimate embraced figures stretched and elongated, reflected together on the carpet beside the jade stool, which was embroidered with delicate dragon and cloud patterns, and their shadows just happened to overlap in that dragon’s pattern.
While the wedding dress was beautiful, wearing them after a full day of formality would make one feel tired, and it was also inconvenient to move around.
As Wen Mingyu showed some impatience because of his dress impeding their intimacy, Mu Zhan smiled and said, “Shall I take care of the young master’s clothes?”
Wen Mingyu was a bit taken aback, and then he actually cooperated and willingly opened his hands, obediently waiting to be served.
The wedding dress was originally worn with the assistance of several servants. Although it was not as troublesome as when it was worn now, it was still not easy and very cumbersome. Mu Zhan, however, was not at all annoyed and was patient, assisting him slowly first on taking off his jade crown, letting his pitch-black hair cascade down.
Mu Zhan didn’t feel the need to hurry in the slightest; rather, he enjoyed every moment with him. The night was long. They still had a full three days to go, all of which would be spent here in the wedding chamber.
The bed curtains fell, and they intertwined like mandarin ducks, the brocade quilt stirring into red waves.
Bright red ceremonial candles burned throughout the night, creating candle flowers. The light was dim and vague, and the melted candle wax trickled down, accumulating in a sticky pile on the candleholder.
It was not until dawn that the candles extinguished, with only a wisp of white smoke rising.
But the figures in the bed remained motionless, still sound asleep. The palace servants would not disturbed them at this time.
If the elders were still around, they might have to rise early to pay their respects, but since the late emperor and empress were no longer in this world and the ancestral worship ceremony had already been performed prior to the wedding, the steps were no longer necessary and they could sleep in. After all, they were quite worn out yesterday. A complicated wedding ceremony lasted the entire day, coupled with the intimacy in the wedding room.
Both of them were late for breakfast.
Under the quilt, Wen Mingyu felt a strong arm around his waist, with another hand resting on his back, and even his ankle was encircled. He didn’t even need to look to know that it was the tail and was already used to it.
The golden dragon scales and the delicate chain complement each other, looking very harmonious, as if they were matching accessories.
Afterwards, Wen Mingyu was so hungry that he climbed up and changed to have breakfast.
Before the palace servants entered, Wen Mingyu could see Mu Zhan flashing his tail and horn brazenly. In the past, Mu Zhan was extremely averse to this monster-like characteristic, but nowadays it was the exact opposite. He found it nice—one could even say it was convenient. When no one was present, he would hook Wen Mingyu with his tail, entangling and pulling him over into his arms.
Previously, he was unwilling to embrace it and had used every means, even if it meant harming himself, just to forcefully suppress it and keep it from appearing, much like an enemy. However, Wen Mingyu suddenly appeared, having a similar situation as him, saying he was normal and was fond of his horns very much.
The fruity pheromones gently soothe and miraculously quieten all violent emotions; even everything he had always forcefully suppressed had become calm, showing signs of harmonious coexistence.
They changed into their regular attire, and after the wedding, Wen Mingyu was formally crowned empress. Everything he used had changed to reflect his new status; even the regular attire exuded a subdued air of nobility. More importantly, it could be seen at a glance that it was similar in style to Mu Zhan’s robe. When they stood together, it was like a match made in heaven.
Halfway through breakfast, Wen Mingyu suddenly asked, “Can you show me your dragon form?”
Not a horn nor a tail—a whole dragon form.
Wen Mingyu actually wanted to see it a long time ago.
However, aside from the accident when he was young, Mu Zhan had hardly transformed into that form. In fact, he didn’t even know the exact appearance of his dragon form.
“Okay?” Wen Mingyu gazed at him with eagerness, his voice ending in a soft and sweet tone, sounding like he was acting spoiled.
Mu Zhan paused for a moment. Being stared at with such eyes, it was indeed difficult to refuse.
But he didn’t want to agree immediately.
He stifled a laugh and said tactfully, “I’d like to touch the rabbit then.”
This was clearly an agreement.
Wen Mingyu’s eyes lit up, and he nodded readily. Fearing that Mu Zhan would back out, he instantly transformed into a ball of fluffy, lop-eared rabbit and leaped into Mu Zhan’s arms, allowing him to touch as he pleased.
It felt like a soft, warm cloud nestling into his arms.
Smiling, Mu Zhan cupped the palm-sized lop-eared rabbit in his palm, skillfully caressing his fur—only to be glared at when he brushed along the ears towards his back. When he did it again, he was bitten.
He obviously remembered the false pregnancy.
Mu Zhan chuckled and touched other places, like squeezing his paws, scratching his chin, and so on. The lop-eared rabbit was very obedient, even squinting his eyes and making faint humming sounds.
Having an agreement, Mu Zhan naturally honored it. Following breakfast, he and Wen Mingyu rode in a carriage and went to the unpopulated mountains at the outskirts of the city. This place was part of the imperial domain and was not allowed entry without authorization, so there was no need to worry about being seen.
They left their people, and only the two of them entered the mountains under the guise of an outing.
They eventually found a spacious area.
Mu Zhan let go of Wen Mingyu’s hand and moved forward.
The person vanished out of sight in an instant, then a massive shadow loomed over the area around him.
Wen Mingyu looked up. His eyes widened, revealing the outline of a dragon within them.
The author has something to say:The dragon form has appeared!!! (≧v≦)ノ
PS: The process of the wedding ceremony comes from Baidu, with some references to history, but it may be changed due to the plot, so don’t take it seriously.
ChiFu: happy wedding! May you have lots of babies!
This week of vacation really helped me in editing the chapters, so glad! Thank you everyone. I hope you’re happy too~