Yu Si Yu was married off in a grand and magnificent manner a month earlier. Today was the day Yu Xiang married into their family.
She sat in front of the dressing table in her wedding dress and looked in the mirror. She was very pleased with her makeup, youthful and beautiful. She felt that the rogue on her lips were smudged, so she used her fingernails to smooth it out and then gently pursed her lips.
Outside, the matron of honor noticed that there were no movements inside the room for a long time. She called out to her in a loud voice, “It’s time for the bride to cry.”
“It’s my auspicious day. I don’t even have time to laugh. How can I cry? Isn’t this making things difficult for me?” Yu Xiang said as she straightened the phoenix crown on her head. It caused the beaded curtain to tinkle with her fingertips, and a giggle escaped from her lips.
Tao Hong nodded in agreement, while the corners of Liu Lu’s mouth twitched. The matron of honor standing outside the door went white and looked towards Lord Shen. This Shen family’s young lady is really something else, truly shameless.
Shen Yuan Qi shut his eyes and threatened, “Xiang’er, we won’t have this wedding if you don’t cry today. You can stay at home with Big Brother for a few more years.” This wretched girl is so eager to marry into the Yu family.
Upon hearing this, Yu Xiang immediately wailed and cried, “Don’t, Big Brother. I’ll cry. I’ll cry, alright?” causing Shen Yuan Qi’s face to turn even more blue.
Yu Pin Yan rode a large horse and led a palanquin to receive his wife. A total of one hundred and twenty dowries formed a line from the east to the west of the city which caused a grand scene. Although they were originally siblings, no one dared to say anything about it since the new Emperor personally decreed the marriage.
The couple entered the bridal chamber after they paid their respects. When Yu Pin Yan removed the head covering veil,[1] all the noises inside the room fell silent for a moment. There were gasps of astonishment. It would take a fool not to fall in love with a devastatingly beautiful woman that was by his side for fifteen or sixteen years.
Yu Pin Yan’s face turned cold, and only then did the crowd return to their senses. They hastily moved their eyes away from the bride’s face. The matron of honour lifted a bowl of dumplings and fed them to the bride’s mouth.
Yu Xiang had not eaten anything ever since she woke up at the crack of dawn to get dressed and dolled-up. At this time, she was very ravenous and ate three to four pieces in a row. Upon seeing this, the matron of honor moved the spoon away, and glared at her in dissatisfaction.
The matron of honour suppressed the twitching of the corner of her lips, and asked, “Aren’t these dumplings raw?”[2]
Yu Xiang glanced at her brother with a smile and replied, “Yes, one is rawer than the other.”
That’s enough! What do you mean by rawer than the other? Why don’t you just say ‘giving birth one after another’? Shen Yuan Qi was annoyed; yet, at the same time he didn’t know whether he should laugh or cry. The others laughed roared with laughter. Yu Pin Yan only squinted his eyes, and a few sparks of heat could be seen in the gaze he aimed at the little girl.
The two of them tied their hair together into a knot and shared the nuptial cup of wine. Yu Pin Yan only had time to stroke his wife’s cheek before he was swarmed by a group of subordinates outside for drinks. Yu Xiang went after him and said ‘don’t get too drunk’ causing them to laugh again.
While everyone left, Tao Hong and Liu Lu hurriedly removed the phoenix crown from their master’s head and waited on her for her nightly routine.
“Young Miss, quickly put your clothes on and come over to eat when you are done.” Tao Hong beckoned.
Yu Xiang was wearing a crimson dudou with mandarin ducks playing in the water, and a pair of lantern trousers of the same colour on her lower body. The fabric was so thin that what should be covered was not, but rather held a mysterious beauty that beckoned exploration. Her body was already exquisite, and her skin was as smooth and white as cow’s milk. When she lay on the side of the bed, the contrast between the snowy white and the crimson was simply breathtaking.
Tao Hong and Liu Lu gulped involuntarily as their cheeks flushed.
“What am I eating? I’ve had enough of a few dumplings just now. If I eat any more my stomach will bulge out. It would not be pretty.” Yu Xiang waved her hand and gathered the spilled cinnamon balls, red dates and peanuts on the bed into a pile. She laughed, “I’ll just peel a few peanuts and eat them. The peanut kernels don’t take up much space.”
“Then you should at least put on a robe, lest you catch a cold.” Liu Lu picked up the crimson blouse her master had casually thrown on the ground.
“I don’t want to, it is the end of July and it is not too hot. Do I look good in this? Am I beautiful? Do you want to pounce on me when you see me?” She asked as she lifted the hem of her
Tao Hong and Liu Lu’s eyes stared intently at it. They hastily covered their slightly itchy noses and turned their backs.
Yu Xiang covered her mouth and chuckled. “I succeeded. I’m satisfied with your answers. This is the effect I want. Quickly come and eat the peanuts. If your Guye is not back in half a shichen (an hour) help me remind him.”
“How can a bride rush her groom back to their room? You don’t know how to be ashamed, Young Miss.” Liu Lu really wanted to kneel down for her master.
“The wedding night is supposed to be about shameful things. Why should I be ashamed?” Yu Xiang covered her mouth and laughed softly.
When Yu Pin Yan returned to his room, he saw his young bride sitting cross-legged on the couch with countless peanuts and dates piled up in the crook of her feet. All kinds of fruit shells were on the floor, so it was clear that she hadn’t been idle at all.
It had only been a quarter of an hour before her husband returned, causing Yu Xiang to be startled. She hurriedly swept all the things at her feet under the bed. She leaned her body against the pillow, propped one hand on her cheeks and assumed a sexy and provocative pose. She said seductively, “You are back? Why don’t you come over here quickly?”
If it wasn’t for the previous memory of a young thug throwing peanuts and catching them with her mouth, Yu Pin Yan would have been attracted by his wife’s bewitching appearance. But right now, he only wanted to laugh.
Tao Hong and Liu Lu had already scooted along the wall and snuck outside.
Yu Xiang already thought about how she was going to spend her passionate wedding night, but she did not expect to lose face before it even began. She said angrily, “What are you laughing at? These peanuts have a great meaning![3]If I eat this much tonight, I will give birth to a big and fat boy next year. It is said that a moment of spring is worth a thousand pieces of gold, but you are laughing without realising that you have already wasted tens of thousands of pieces of gold. Hurry up and come over here.” As she said that, she untied the knot of her dudou.
Yu Pin Yan’s laughter was instantly snuffed, and two hidden sparks brightened in his gaze. He walked over and took his delicate and delicious young wife into his arms. He spoke in a hoarse voice, “This husband is wrong. I’ll make it up to you.”
Yu Xiang only had time to grunt before he pulled her into a charming and fervent whirlpool.