“Your Ladyship, could we forgo the red envelopes and instead have a share of your skincare products the next time you make them?”
The young maids’ eyes sparkled as they gazed at Ju Yue’s rosy, delicate face.
They fantasized that if they could use the same skincare products as the Shizifei, they might also achieve such flawless skin.
Ju Yue involuntarily took a step back under their intense stares.
She touched her own cheek.
Was the advertising effect really this good?
Of course, she had to agree to their request!
After all, the maids had helped make the products together. Making a little extra for everyone to share, so they could all look beautiful—how wonderful!
Upon receiving Ju Yue’s promise, the maids were overjoyed and quickly scattered.
With all the commotion, both Ju Yue and Lou Buqi were now completely sober, and any lingering romantic thoughts had vanished.
They both flopped onto the bed and fell asleep in less than half a second.
As for consummating the marriage in the wedding chamber—that could wait until next time!
As they slept, Lou Buqi teetered dangerously close to the edge of the bed.
Yet, miraculously, he never fell off.
…
At the Yunyang Marquis Mansion, the bridal chamber, which should have been warm and sweet, was instead icy cold.
Red candles dripped wax tear by tear, and Bai Yanling’s tears flowed alongside them.
Yun Feiyang lay with his back to her, silent and unresponsive.
Biting her lip, Bai Yanling cast aside her maidenly shyness. She wrapped her arms around Yun Feiyang’s waist from behind, her slender hands trembling as they slid downward.
“Cousin, I was wrong. Let Yan’er serve you properly this time…”
Yun Feiyang seized her hands and flung them away forcefully.
His back was injured, and Bai Yanling’s embrace had aggravated the pain. The discomfort made Yun Feiyang’s tone exceptionally harsh:
“Forget it. I don’t want to wake up tomorrow morning and have to drink that damned Butang again!”
Bai Yanling’s tears fell even harder. “Cousin, I…”
She felt utterly wronged.
“Yan’er knows Cousin is angry with me because I sided with Mother-in-law this morning and forced you to drink the soup.”
“But as a newlywed daughter-in-law, my mother-in-law’s word is law. How could I dare disobey her?”
“Why can’t Cousin understand Yan’er’s position?”
“Yan’er hasn’t even blamed Cousin yet! Today, in front of me, you begged His Majesty to return Ju Yue to you…”
At that moment, Cousin had completely disregarded her dignity. She was already filled with grievances she couldn’t voice, yet Cousin was the one blaming her.
Listening to her tearful complaints, Yun Feiyang sneered coldly.
He abruptly sat up, tore off his sleeping robe, ripped open the bandages in a few swift motions, and hurled them to the floor.
Turning around, he revealed his scar-covered back to Bai Yanling.
His voice was dark and gloomy. “See it clearly now? Still want to sleep together?”
Bai Yanling’s flood of words came to an abrupt halt. She stared wide-eyed in horror at Yun Feiyang’s injuries.
“C-Cousin…”
Snapping back to reality, she threw herself toward him. “How did this happen? When did it happen? Who did this? Why didn’t you tell Yan’er??”
Seeing Bai Yanling’s mixture of shock, pain, and regret, Yun Feiyang felt an indescribable sense of satisfaction.
“Who else could it be? Your dear aunt! I endured my injuries and considered your dignity to consummate the marriage with you. And how did you repay me? Did you show any consideration for me?”
After roaring these words, Yun Feiyang stood up and headed for the door. “I’m sleeping in the study! Don’t follow me!”
Bai Yanling was filled with regret and rushed forward to pull Yun Feiyang back, but the door slammed shut right before her eyes.
She threw herself against the door and wept all night long.
Exhausted from crying, she drifted into a fitful sleep.
Just as she dozed off, she was abruptly jolted awake by a deafening thunderclap, her drowsiness vanishing in an instant.
The thunder continued to rumble, booming and rolling.
But upon closer listening, was it really thunder?
It was unmistakably the rhythmic chants of soldiers during their running drills.
Each shout was powerful and resonant, uniform and clear.
"Darling darling, don't you sleep, let your husband stroke those long legs deep!"
"Darling darling, don't you laze, hold your man's waist in a tight embrace!"
"If you want wealth, build more roads, have more kids and plant more groves!"
"Seven-foot men, strong and bold, keep on breeding, never grow old!"
Bai Yanling: "…"
The chants shook the heavens and earth, waking up everyone in their path.
By the time they had run a full lap around the entire capital, well, the entire city had been roused from sleep.
The timing was just right—not too early, not too late.
If you wanted to get up, it was still dark, a bit too early.
If you wanted to go back to sleep, damn it, you just couldn't.
And so…
The bed in the first household began to creak.
The neighbor next door heard it and scoffed.
Huh, wait. Is that all it took?
Competitiveness and, well, that urge were instantly stirred.
The neighbor thought, "I might not beat him in other things, but I absolutely can't lose in this! I have to last longer than him!"
And so, the bed in the second household began to creak.
Soon, countless beds across the city started creaking.
Amidst grumbling and muttering, the sounds of creaking filled the air…
Bai Yanling listened, her face frozen in disbelief.
She knew exactly who was behind this!
Lou Buqi!
Yesterday, he had solemnly promised The Emperor that he would boost the capital's birth rate.
She had wondered how he planned to do it, but she never expected it would be through such a crude and straightforward method of encouragement!
…
Dawn broke, revealing a clear, sunny day.
The rising sun hung on the horizon, its golden light spreading layer upon layer over the undulating rooftops of the Wangfu.
Princess Su rose and began her morning routine. Before she could even ask about her son and daughter-in-law, Nanny Ke arrived with joyful news.
"It worked! It worked! Last night, the Weigongyuan was quite lively!"
The stone that had been weighing on Princess Su's heart finally settled, and she couldn't help but murmur a prayer of gratitude.
She then asked, "And now? Have the young couple gotten up yet?"
Nanny Ke couldn't help but admire them. "They were up long ago! Young people really do have great stamina! They were up until the early hours last night, and this morning, before dawn, Shizifei was already up practicing her martial arts."
"Our Shiziye also led his team out for a running drill."
Princess Su widened her eyes in surprise. "A running drill?"
Nanny Ke couldn't hold back a chuckle. "Yes, to rouse people for baby-making!"
"Oh my, those chants they were shouting—I can't even repeat them!"
The Princess Consort burst into laughter.
She immediately gave a string of orders: "Excellent, excellent! Go tell Shizifei not to overexert herself. After her practice, she should rest properly. We can discuss returning to the bride's family once she's fully rested! And tell her there's no need to come pay her respects to me today!"