Good fortune had arrived so abruptly that Zhao Si could only comfort herself: her chance encounter with Yun Qing along the path was destiny, their sharing of the same space was favorable location, and the shouting match at the Golden Wind Bower was human harmony.
In short, the wedding was happening, and no one could stop it especially when Yun Qing instructed Ying’er to deliver the tribute tray bearing the wedding garments to her side.
When Ying’er arrived, she was merely holding a bowl of ginseng soup. Following her were two maidservants, walking one after the other, carrying a tribute tray with lowered brows and holding it high above their heads in utmost reverence.
Seeing that even the maidservants sent by the pavilion to deliver the wedding garments were so humble and deferential, Zhao Si surmised that Yulu Pavilion must be the most famous den of luxury and pleasure in the entire surrounding region.
Yun Qing rose to take the bowl of ginseng soup from Ying’er’s tribute tray, lifting a spoon to feed it into Zhao Si’s mouth.
When that soup spoon touched Zhao Si’s lower lip, a warmth spread across her lips. As the tip of her tongue brushed against it, she was astonished to discover that Yulu Pavilion actually used warm jade to fashion a soup spoon.
“Could it be that the husband dislikes the taste of the soup?” Seeing Zhao Si hesitating to drink, Yun Qing withdrew her hand to taste a spoonful herself. Once she tasted it, she paused in perplexity and fed another spoonful to Zhao Si. “This soup is made from thousand-year-old ginseng, slow-simmered over a gentle fire for three days, following a recipe passed down from the imperial palace. If the husband is unaccustomed to it, just wait a moment and I will have Ying’er re-brew it.”
“No need, no need. I am simply seeing something so fine for the first time.” Zhao Si shook her head, taking the soup bowl and medicine spoon from Yun Qing’s hands. Mimicking Yun Qing’s movements, she scooped up a spoonful and intended to feed it to Yun Qing.
Yet before her spoon even left the soup bowl, all of the medicinal broth spilled right back into the bowl.
Seeing this, Yun Qing did not grow annoyed. With a pair of beautiful eyes, she watched as Zhao Si repeatedly scooped around in the bowl of ginseng soup like fishing for the moon in water, and could not help covering her mouth in laughter.
As Yun Qing laughed, Zhao Si grew flustered.
Refusing to believe that her luck was so poor that she couldn’t even master a single soup spoon, Zhao Si puffed out her cheeks and locked horns with the bowl of ginseng soup in her hands.
The ginseng soup, however, seemed to know Zhao Si’s thoughts and refused to lie peacefully in her spoon even for a single drop.
“Let Yun Qing do it. Yun Qing wants to feed the husband her ginseng soup.”
Acting like a soothing flower, Yun Qing took over the task from Zhao Si’s hands, gripped the soup spoon steadily, and fed Zhao Si another spoonful.
After undergoing several attempts, Zhao Si realized that feeding soup, though seemingly a minor task, required a fair amount of focus. Gratefully exchanging a look with Yun Qing, she took the soup bowl from her hands, tilted her head back, and finished the ginseng soup down to the very last drop with a hearty “glug, glug, glug.”
Once she finished, fearing that Yun Qing might have missed it, Zhao Si deliberately turned the bottom of the bowl upward for Yun Qing to inspect again and again, looking thoroughly pleased with herself.
Yun Qing covered her mouth a second time, though this time, after her laughter subsided, she leaned close to Zhao Si’s ear and whispered softly, “Truly possessing boundless breath and endurance—you are indeed Yun Qing’s husband!”
Yun Qing praised her so naturally that Zhao Si found it immensely gratifying.
Yet Ying’er, holding the tribute tray, burst out with an involuntary “Pfft.”
“Hahahaha.”
After coughing several times from laughter, which in turn prompted the two maidservants behind her to chuckle as well, Ying’er turned pale, knelt repeatedly before Yun Qing, and pleaded for mercy, saying, “Milady! Milady! Ying’er did not mean to laugh at my master husband. Ying’er was simply… simply seeing someone gulp down a whole bowl of ginseng soup like an ox, and then invite Milady to appraise the bowl…”
“Milady! This slave did not mean it either. This slave simply saw that master husband is truly genuine and true-hearted, and from the bottom of my heart, I am happy for Milady!” One of the maidservants behind Ying’er knelt and kowtowed in tandem.
Yun Qing shifted her gaze from Zhao Si’s shoulder to the maidservant standing behind Ying’er, her eyes turning frosty.
“What is your name?”
“This slave’s name is Cao’er.”
“The name Cao’er does not suit the occasion. Change it to ‘Xi’er’, and from now on, follow the master husband.” Speaking thus, Yun Qing pointed out one of the women for Zhao Si.
Zhao Si was flattered.
Unexpectedly, in the next instant, Yun Qing turned to instruct Ying’er: “Send them away, and summon Yan’er.”
“Understood.” Acknowledging the command, Ying’er knelt and backed out of the room, returning shortly after with another maidservant.
That maidservant was tall, cold-faced, and carried an air of pure wooden stiffness the moment she opened her mouth.
“Greetings to the master husband.” Upon receiving Yun Qing’s instructions,
the maidservant immediately knelt by the edge of the pool and said with an icy tone, “Yan’er greets the master husband.”
“Since you have already greeted the master husband, I have a precious item belonging to the master husband that I require you to guard.” Yun Qing crooked her finger, and Ying’er knelt, holding a tribute tray aloft.
Zhao Si glanced back at the tribute tray, and a wave of heat rushed to her face once more.
Good heavens, no matter how one looked at it, that object inside the tray looked precisely like…
A breast binder!
Although judging by the luster of that fabric, it was practically indistinguishable from white mourning silk used in hangings, Zhao Si swore that she had merely glanced at it before concluding that the cursed thing was definitely a breast binder!
Knowing full well that Yun Qing was the top among top courtesans and a beauty among beauties, she naturally had no use for any breast binder.
Therefore, the owner of that breast binder could only be…
Ah!
Zhao Si was so mortified she wished she could dig a hole and submerge herself in the water.
Yun Qing gave Zhao Si no chance to hide, turning instead to instruct Ying’er and Yan’er: “You sisters have followed Yun Qing for many years, and Yun Qing has never entrusted you with a matter as vital as today’s. Yet with the wedding date imminent, since you are those closest to Yun Qing, I shall keep nothing from you. In choosing my husband, Yun Qing has chosen a woman. In this world where men are revered, how difficult it is for women. I hope the two of you will assist Yun Qing in keeping this concealed.”
“Milady! Ying’er swears to follow Milady unto death!” Choking back tears, Ying’er bowed to the two of them, immediately pulling a jade vial from her bosom to swallow a crimson pill. Then, producing another jade vial, she offered it up upon the platform and kowtowed to Zhao Si, saying, “Ying’er has voluntarily ingested the pill known as Yueyan, which requires an antidote every six months. I offer the antidote to the master husband, praying for the master husband’s grace.”
“Yan’er accepts the command.” Yan’er requested a crimson pill from Ying’er, swallowed it, and fell silent.
“Very well.” Yun Qing nodded with satisfaction, then turned to pull Zhao Si toward her, facing the two maidservants as she said softly, “Husband, do not be embarrassed any longer. Ying’er and Yan’er have followed me for many years—they are like my bracelets, my hairpins, my combs, and my shadow. If you treat them as outsiders, you are only causing yourself unnecessary distress.”
“Speaking of which, these wedding garments were put together hastily, and they may not quite match the husband. Yet Yun Qing truly hopes to personally serve the husband in trying on the new robes.”
“This… this isn’t quite appropriate, is it?” Zhao Si still disliked the idea of being waited on by Ying’er and Yan’er. Although a strange voice in the back of her mind told her that people of wealth and status were accustomed to being served and tended to view servants merely as objects, she herself was not of noble birth and could not feel as at ease in front of the two maidservants as Yun Qing did.
Seeing this, Yun Qing waved her hand, prompting Ying’er to immediately say, “This slave shall withdraw,” leaving only Yan’er behind, who still held the jade tribute tray bearing the breast binder.
“Why have you not withdrawn?” Yun Qing’s brow furrowed slightly.
Yan’er replied with an icy tone, “Yan’er fears the master husband’s pectoral muscles are far too robust, and that hands might run short during the dressing.”
“Pfft—” Zhao Si was nearly choked to death.
Yun Qing followed Yan’er’s remark by glancing toward Zhao Si’s chest.
When that probing gaze swept over her, Zhao Si did not know whether she ought to dodge.
Before Zhao Si could even open her mouth, Yun Qing waved a hand at Yan’er.
“Withdraw.”
Placing the tribute tray down, Yan’er vanished from sight in the span of a breath.
Stepping out of the water, Yun Qing let droplets trickle down from the ends of her hair, falling drop by drop from the surface of the water onto the stone platform. Walking barefoot across the platform, the water droplets gathered into a small circle behind her, the tips of her hair clinging to her calves as they caught the candlelight, radiating a translucent luster that was truly, exquisitely breathtaking.
Staring at those falling droplets of water, Zhao Si wished time could simply freeze at this very moment.
Yet the moment Yun Qing moved, she extended her hand toward Zhao Si, inviting her up onto the platform.
Facing Yun Qing upon the platform, Zhao Si was startled to realize that she could only see the crown of Yun Qing’s head. As Yun Qing picked up a piece of silk brocade to wipe the moisture from her body, Zhao Si came to understand with a sudden flash of enlightenment why she had been able to successfully masquerade as a man.
It was because Yun Qing was already tall by nature, while she, Zhao Si, was truly, remarkably tall.
Truly, in the dark realms of destiny, there were fixed measures at work!
A wave of complacency washed over Zhao Si. First she felt a tickle at her chest, and the next moment, she felt Yun Qing lean up to kiss her lips, the task of wrapping the breast binder continuing without missing a single beat.