Chapter 205: The Wedding Chamber
The lively sounds outside the door continued to pour in. Jinchao felt her vision flooded with crimson under the dim, hazy glow of lanterns, her head still slightly dizzy.
The women surrounding her were all noble ladies from families closely associated with the Chen Family. She could vaguely recognize a few familiar faces. Beside her stood a woman in her forties holding a black-lacquered tray draped with red silk, wearing a brocade jacket with intricate embroidery and a phoenix-tail bun adorned with two amber hairpins. Beaming with joy, this was the wife of Wu Shuangquan, the Assistant Commander of the Capital Garrison, who also lived in Rongxiang Alley—the Wu and Chen families had long been close allies.
The tray was laden with longans, chestnuts, dates, lotus seeds, and other auspicious items, several handfuls of which had already been scattered. Mrs. Wu, known for her silver tongue and eloquence, had been chosen by the elder sisters-in-law to lead the ceremony. Smiling, she said, "The groom must stand beside the bride now."
Chen Yanyun hesitated briefly, but the matron of honor, Mrs. Zheng, had already pulled him forward.
Mrs. Wu tossed another handful of dried fruits while chanting:
"Scatter the bed's center, a pair of jade hibiscus under the moon,
Like meeting the goddess tonight, clouds gathering over Witch's Peak.
Scatter beneath the bed, golden light shines upon the house,
Tonight's auspicious dreams shall follow, next year a son of great renown.
Scatter before the bed, neither mist nor smoke lingers,
Golden dragons hide in fragrance, the scholar meets his colorful phoenix.
Scatter behind the bed, husband and wife in harmony,
Ever shall the husband lead, the wife follow faithfully..."
The fruits rained down from above, some rolling into the wormwood beneath. It didn’t hurt—instead, it felt indescribably solemn. Jinchao glanced sideways and saw Chen Yanyun standing there as another handful was scattered over him. He lowered his head slightly, letting the dried fruits cascade down, and their gazes met briefly...
Jinchao quickly turned away, though from the corner of her eye, she noticed him also looking aside, the faintest hint of a smile playing at his lips.
What’s so amusing? What’s there to smile about?
Listening to the scattering song, Jinchao felt increasingly uneasy—it carried an undertone of flirtatious verse.
She didn’t recall hearing it in her past life. Or perhaps she had, but the memory had faded.
After drinking the ceremonial wine, a maid in a purple short coat with floral patterns presented a bowl of dumplings. Mrs. Fan took it and handed it to Jinchao. The dumplings were half-raw; she had barely taken a bite when Chen Yanyun calmly took the bowl from her hands and passed it to a waiting maid, instructing her to take it away. He murmured to her, "...Eating too much will upset your stomach."
The visiting ladies, all well-mannered, enlivened the chamber with symbolic gestures before soon excusing themselves.
Chen Yanyun glanced back at her once more.
Jinchao sat in full bridal regalia upon the black-lacquered, gold-traced canopy bed, adorned with a phoenix coronet and ceremonial robes. The candlelight deepened the shadows, and she seemed to gaze at herself with a trace of bewilderment, yet her radiance was undeniable. The vibrant red wedding gown spilled across the wormwood in brilliant hues, yet carried an air of dignified composure.
Breathtaking...
He closed his eyes briefly. They said life’s two greatest joys were the wedding night and seeing one’s name on the golden list. For the first time, he understood.
"I’ll go greet the guests in the main hall and return shortly," Third Master Chen said before leaving the bridal chamber.
Jinchao exhaled in relief and began surveying the room’s furnishings. Unlike her quarters in her past life, this space felt more expansive, draped with grand red silk curtains embroidered in gold. Opposite stood twelve sandalwood lattice windows inlaid with jade and emerald foliage designs. Beside them was a dressing table adorned with ivory carvings of sacred flowers, while to the left stood a pearwood long table covered in red silk, bearing a pair of red dragon-and-phoenix candles. On either side sat a grand preceptor's chair.Above her head hung a bright square lantern adorned with strings of beads, each side painted with auspicious patterns: "Harmonious Phoenixes," "Guanyin Bestowing a Son," "Top Scholar's Success," and "Family Reunion." The windows were decorated with intricate red double-happiness paper cuttings—so detailed that it was clear much effort had been spent on them.
Jinchao mused silently when a matron soon pushed the door open. Behind her, maids filed in, setting down a lavish feast on the table—stewed pigeon, braised lamb, noodles topped with eel strips, ham and lotus root stew, chilled cucumber salad… The entire table was filled.
The lead matron bowed first and said, "This servant is Wang Shi, hereafter assigned to your quarters. Third Master Chen instructed us to serve the feast first. Please eat if you're hungry, madam. If you find our service inconvenient, your accompanying maids are waiting in the back chamber."
Dressed in full bridal regalia, eating would be troublesome. But since Third Master Chen hadn’t arrived yet, she probably couldn’t remove her attire...
Moreover, Jinchao had passed the point of hunger and no longer felt it. She replied to the matron, "It’s fine, but I have a small request. Call Qingpu over and dismiss the others for now."
Mama Wang respectfully acknowledged and withdrew.
Soon, Qingpu arrived. She wore a madder-red upper garment with interlocking floral patterns, her hair neatly combed and adorned with a winecup-sized red crepe silk flower. Jinchao smiled approvingly. "You look lovely."
Qingpu touched her bun, smiling shyly, then approached and whispered, "All your personal belongings have been secured. Caifu will bring them shortly to arrange. Tomorrow’s silver bullion—eight- and six-fen weights—are prepared, along with a small pouch of golden beans."
Jinchao nodded, finding nothing else to instruct, and asked Qingpu to pour her a cup of hot tea.
Just as she took a sip, Mama Wang’s voice sounded outside: "Third Master is here!"
So soon... Jinchao gestured for Qingpu to set the cup aside as the door opened.
Chen Yanyun still wore the elaborate ceremonial robes of the second rank, reserved for ancestral temple rites. Crimson silk aprons, a red-and-white sash, a leather belt, and a ribboned seal—all exuding solemnity, yet on him, it carried an air of elegance. He must have drunk some wine; his gaze lingered on her before shifting to the untouched feast. Softly, he asked, "Are you tired?"
Of course she was—the phoenix crown alone weighed over three catties. Jinchao nodded.
Sensing her unease, Third Master Chen smiled. "Go change first."
Relieved, Jinchao found the room’s atmosphere oddly tense. The side chamber served as a washroom, where Qingpu helped her change into a lotus-root-colored long gown. After washing off the makeup and applying scented balm, she loosely tied her hair, securing it with just a South Sea pearl hairpin. Staring at her reflection, she suddenly realized this was how she dressed before bed at home—casual and relaxed.
It truly felt like she had become someone’s wife now.
When Jinchao stepped out, Third Master Chen was reclining on the Arhat bed, reading. Hearing her, he closed the book and glanced at her.
Recalling that his attendants were two young men who couldn’t enter her quarters, Jinchao realized he’d likely need her help changing—her own maids couldn’t assist him. Conscientiously, she asked, "Shall I help you freshen up?"Third Master Chen shook his head with a smile. "What would you like to call me?"
What else could she call him... Surely not "husband"—that would be too mushy. If she called him "Third Master," would that seem too distant? His courtesy name? His given name?
Jinchao hadn't decided yet. She wanted Third Master Chen to give her some hint first.
But he set the book aside and stood up. "It's alright. I have hands and feet—I know how to wash my face." He went outside to instruct the maidservant to fetch his change of clothes, then entered the bathing chamber.
The maidservant soon returned with his clothes—a stone-blue Hangzhou silk robe—which Jinchao carried into the bathing chamber.
While he washed, Jinchao dismissed Qingpu for the time being. She picked up the book Third Master had left on the Arhat bed—it was Records of Cold Mountain , seemingly a travelogue... She heard faint sounds of water from the bathing chamber and recalled accidentally glimpsing his back earlier. Though the lighting had been dim, she could still make out his broad shoulders and narrow waist...
Jinchao stole a glance at the canopy bed draped with red silk bedding, her heart pounding fiercely.
She simply sat on the Arhat bed to read.
She didn't even notice when the water sounds stopped. By the time she realized, she first caught a whiff of clean soap fragrance. Third Master Chen stood behind her, leaning down to see what she was reading so intently. "Is it good?" he asked softly.
A wave of warm, damp air. His voice was deep yet gentle.
Jinchao stiffened all over. Only after a long pause did she calmly turn a page and reply, "It's good."
"Better than me?"
Huh?
What?
Maintaining her composure, Jinchao said, "Both are good."
Third Master Chen straightened up and took the book from her. "Zhang Zizhan wrote Records of Cold Mountain after being demoted to Huangzhou, when he was nearly forty. He had previously served as a Lecturer of the Imperial Academy, ranked fourth-grade, before being relegated to Deputy Military Training Commissioner. His works are mostly melancholic and heavy with emotion—not very suitable for young girls. His early poetry is quite good though. There's a copy of Zizhan's Poetry Collection in my study if you'd like to read it..." He casually placed the book on the nearby curio cabinet.
"The guests have all left. Time to sleep." He blew out two candles, plunging the inner chamber into dimness.
He climbed into bed first, lying on the inner side and pulling the light quilt over himself.
Jinchao hesitated. On their wedding night, sharing a bed... this was a husband and wife's duty. She'd gone through this in her past life—what was she afraid of? She removed her satin slippers and got into bed, keeping a foot's distance from Third Master Chen. Only then did Qingpu enter to draw the bed curtains. When someone tried to enter to clean the bathing chamber, Qingpu stopped them and ushered them out.
Jinchao caught the lingering scent of the cooled banquet dishes, the silver-gilt ball incense hanging above the brocade quilt, even the faint, soothing sandalwood fragrance from Third Master Chen. Gradually, drowsiness crept over her, and she closed her eyes.
A pair of strong arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her into an embrace.
Jinchao's eyes flew open, all sleepiness gone, her entire body tense.
"Don't be afraid..." he murmured, holding her without further movement. He simply rested his chin atop her head, bundling both her and her quilt into his embrace.
Such experiences had been rare in her past life...
Third Master Chen spoke again. "Truthfully, you're still young—putting on such an unflappable front. But the slightest scare turns you into a startled rabbit..." As he spoke, he slowly drew aside Jinchao's quilt and pulled her into his own bedding.Jinchao's elbow brushed against his chest, pressing close to an unfamiliar yet warm body.
The dim, golden light cast shadows as he looked down to see Jinchao gazing up at him, just like during the earlier wedding ceremony when their eyes had met.
Jinchao could feel Third Master’s slow, steady breaths. His face had never been this close to hers—sharp and refined, handsome yet scholarly.
Had his breathing faltered? Or was it hers? Jinchao couldn’t tell anymore.
A pair of large hands untied the sash at her waist, slowly slipping beneath. Third Master murmured, "Close your eyes."
Jinchao had no choice but to obey.
He covered her, pressing her down. She had just relaxed when tension seized her again. Gentle kisses trailed along her cheek—soft movements, scorching heat. Her clenched fists were firmly grasped, fingers pried apart, then pinned beside her.
A sharp, tearing pain—
Even though his movements were careful, she still winced.
A kiss soon followed, landing between her brows.
She didn’t feel any pleasure… Chen Yanyun could tell—she was still too young. But now, there was no turning back. He could only soothe her, "It’ll be over soon…" His movements grew slightly rougher.
Jinchao felt sweat drip onto her forehead. The weather wasn’t hot, so why was he sweating…
This "soon" stretched unbearably long. She endured as best she could, but eventually, she couldn’t take it anymore. Gripping his arm, she whispered, "It’s been a while… Aren’t you done yet?"
Chen Yanyun chuckled against her neck, pausing for a few breaths before lifting his head, his voice low and hoarse. "Mmm… almost."
PS: ?? This chapter took me three and a half hours to write, ahhh… If this still gets reported, I’ll just fade to black next time~~
This chapter is over 500 words! I worked so hard—can I ask for some pink votes? :-d
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