The sickly young master of the Cui family finally married today.
From early morning, the bustle at the Cui residence had not ceased. The scorching June sun hung high in the sky, its blinding rays shining straight down upon the gilded “Double Happiness” character suspended on the vermilion lacquered gate, refracting into a dazzling brilliance. Red silk ribbons were wrapped around the two stone lions guarding the entrance, displaying the prestige and grandeur of a distinguished family.
The eldest son of the Cui family was taking a bride, and a crowd had gathered around since dawn to watch the excitement.
A middle-aged woman squeezed into the crowd, gossiping: “I heard he’s marrying a girl from a poor family? Her father works the fields, and her mother does needlework at an embroidery workshop.”
Someone chimed in, “That background is truly too humble. The bride is said to be eighteen and still unmarried. If the eldest young master hadn’t fallen ill with this sickness, how could he be matched with someone like that? How pitiful…”
Speaking of Cui Jingci, it was indeed a pity and a sigh. Once the darling of heaven, he had now fallen to such a state after contracting a strange illness.
His illness was not something he was born with.
He was born exceptionally intelligent—at seventeen, he had already placed first in the imperial examinations, and later advanced steadily, entering the Ministry of War at twenty.
In the year he turned twenty-four, a young emperor ascended the throne, and war broke out in the north. That year, his grandfather, Grand Secretary Cui, recommended his grandson to go and quell the crisis. The northern war was dire, and everyone assumed he would never return alive. Yet who would have thought—he stabilized the north in just two years and returned to the capital to report his success.
At that time, Cui Jingci was at the peak of his glory. Every civil and military official in the court sang his praises.
From birth, he was perhaps heaven’s most beloved child—things that ordinary people could never attain in a lifetime were as easy for him as reaching into his own pocket.
Unfortunately, extremes beget reversal. During that campaign in the north, he unknowingly contracted some ailment, and afterward, his fortunes plummeted. He became as frail as a willow swaying in the wind, known far and wide as a sickly invalid. People said he could not withstand the wind, nor endure the rain—at just twenty-six years of age, he already appeared listless and wan, as if his days were numbered.
From that year on, this once-illustrious figure faded into obscurity. When others mentioned him now, only sighs of regret remained.
It was said that this marriage was arranged by the Cui family elders to ward off his illness with good fortune.
“If not for the young master’s illness, the marriage would never have fallen to such a poor household. But even with his illness, it shouldn’t have gone to a family like theirs.”
“Who knows? That girl has remained unmarried at such an age, so her looks and character must be mediocre. Perhaps her birth chart is auspicious—one that brings good fortune to her husband!”
While the crowd buzzed with gossip about the marriage, the time had come. The bride had already departed from a small house in an alley in the southern part of the city, escorted by her beaming mother onto the bridal sedan.
The wedding procession made its way with drums and gongs, heading back toward the most prosperous area of the capital’s central district.
Huai Zhi was led about like a puppet on strings. Her head was covered by the red veil, and before she could even register where she was, she had already stepped down from the sedan, crossed the brazier, bowed to heaven and earth, and was then pushed into the bridal chamber.
Huai Zhi was of an honest and simple nature. Seated in the bridal sedan, she had remained perfectly upright the entire time, not daring to lift even a corner of her veil.
She thought it was still daylight, little knowing that from the alleyways of the southern quarter to the gates of the Cui residence, over two hours had passed in total. The wedding procession had been going the whole way, and by the end, their voices were nearly hoarse from singing. By the time everything was finished, darkness had long since fallen without anyone noticing.
Huai Zhi sat in the bridal chamber, occasionally hearing the maids moving about and talking outside—faint rustling sounds, not quite discernible.
Huai Zhi took a long while to compose herself, her slender pale fingers twisted together almost like a knot. Even now, she still found it unbelievable.
She had truly married, in such haste, a man she had only met a few times.
This all began a month ago…
Huai Zhi was an honest, simple village girl who lived in a remote alley. On ordinary days, she worked at an embroidery shop in the capital alongside her mother.
At eighteen, she was still unmarried, and at that time her family was pressuring her to wed, saying she was to be given as a concubine to the second young master of the Sun family in the western part of the city. The Sun family was quite wealthy, but word had it that the second young master was a reckless scoundrel who did nothing but eat, drink, whore, and gamble—every vice one could have, and some one shouldn’t, he had them all, especially a fondness for toying with young women.
Huai Zhi refused, but refusing was useless. Her mother kept her bound to the embroidery shop day after day, watching over her for fear she would run away to escape the marriage.
It happened that around that time, someone from the Cui family came to the embroidery shop, looking for someone to make summer clothes for their eldest young master.
No one was willing to go.
They all said the young master Cui was gravely ill, difficult to serve, and they feared something might go wrong.
None of the people at the embroidery shop were willing to go to the Cui residence to make clothes, but Huai Zhi’s mother thought only a fool would turn away money, so she pushed Huai Zhi into it.
At that time, Huai Zhi’s mind was consumed by the thought of becoming a concubine to someone like that Sun family young master. Her face was perpetually pale with anxiety, but fearing she might slight the sickly young master of the Cui family, she forced herself to stay composed. In this manner, she made several visits, taking measurements and selecting styles for the eldest young master at the Cui residence. Who would have thought that on her last visit, when she came to deliver his clothes, she would suddenly be called to attend to him.
His servants had apparently gone off somewhere to slack off, and he called for her help pouring a cup of tea. Huai Zhi did as asked.
But then a small mishap occurred—the young master Cui accidentally choked on the water and coughed violently, seeming as though he might cough away half his life.
Huai Zhi, standing beside him, was even paler than he was from fright, terrified that if he died like this, she would lose her life too. She hurriedly patted his back to help him catch his breath.
Fortunately, Cui Jingci did not die.
But who would have thought that the first thing he asked her once he recovered was, “Miss, are you married?”
Huai Zhi was bewildered. His second question left her even more stunned. He said, “My health is poor, and my family has been hoping to find me a match to ward off misfortune through marriage. Would the young lady be willing?”
Huai Zhi found it utterly baffling. It all seemed too sudden—when something is out of the ordinary, there must be something behind it. She even suspected that Cui Jingci had injured his head, for why else would he ask such a question to a woman he had only met a few times?
Her expression showed some confusion as she said, “Young master, surely you’re not speaking nonsense…”
This was… this was simply absurd.
Cui Jingci’s expression was serious as he said, “Ah, my parents have only this one wish—they hope that even if I were to die, I would first complete my marriage. I am not a man who is moved by beauty; I simply feel that you are kind-hearted, miss, and do not disdain me for being an invalid.”
Huai Zhi felt deep sympathy for Cui Jingci’s words.
This matter was clearly riddled with oddities and strangeness, but Huai Zhi was at the end of her rope by then. She figured that the worst outcome couldn’t compare to becoming that surnamed Sun’s concubine, where she wouldn’t even know how she’d be toyed to death. So this timid, cowardly person, in a sudden rush of heat, agreed to this bizarre affair without hesitation.
By the time she thought to back out afterward, there was no room left for regret.
Because soon someone came to take her birth date and horoscope, and a few days later, someone came to her house to propose marriage. When her parents saw that the Cui family had taken a liking to her for a “joy-bringing” marriage to cure illness, they were immediately overjoyed, feeling that smoke was rising from their ancestors’ graves. They hastily completed all six rites with the Cui family, and once everything was mostly settled, the red veil was draped over her head and she was sent off in the bridal sedan.
Huai Zhi sat by the wedding bed, pricking up her ears to listen to the commotion outside—the noise was still boisterous.
The groom was in poor health, so his socializing outside was likely just a formality. Perhaps everyone was afraid that a single touch would break him apart, turning today’s grand happy occasion into a funeral.
Just as she was thinking about Cui Jingci, the noise outside suddenly fell silent.
After a moment, Huai Zhi heard the sound of the door opening.
Cui Jingci’s footsteps were very light, like a ghost drifting, so soft they were nearly inaudible.
The matchmaker welcomed him in, said many auspicious words, and handed him the wedding scale. Soon, Huai Zhi’s red veil was lifted, and she instinctively lowered her gaze.
Cui Jingci, being in poor health, used tea in place of wine, and the two drank a cup of nuptial wine together. After finishing the cup, Huai Zhi still didn’t dare to look up at this sickly husband who was so close before her.
It wasn’t until the cup was set down and the matchmaker led the other maidservants out that, seizing this window of opportunity, Huai Zhi stole a couple of glances at him.
Cui Jingci’s build looked no different from an ordinary man’s—in fact, with his long legs and tall stature, he appeared even more distinguished. His jawline was sharply defined and handsome, his pupils a light, pale color. When he looked at people, there was no emotion in his gaze, but his complexion was excessively pale. That face, to the naked eye, seemed somewhat thin, as if one could see through the layer of skin to the blood vessels beneath.
He was like a delicate piece of white jade porcelain—unable to be knocked or touched, cold and detached to the extreme.
If his health were better, he would undoubtedly be the celestial being praised by the noble families of the capital—so ethereal and clear, not like a mortal thing. Unfortunately, he was ill.
Thinking back now, Huai Zhi felt that in this marriage, she had truly gotten the better end of the deal by a huge margin.
Cui Jingci—good family background, good looks, and even a very gentle temperament. Aside from his frail health, he was perfect in every way.
What was comforting was that his poor health was also a good thing for her.
If her husband were healthy, marital duties would be unavoidable. But now that even that was off the table, wasn’t it a relief and a blessing?
A sickly man—what should she do? Just don’t let him die on her…
After everyone in the room had left, it suddenly became quiet, and even the courtyard outside was silent.
This was Huai Zhi’s first marriage. Her family was poor and she wasn’t well-versed in the etiquette of great households. She didn’t know what the next step should be. She fidgeted with her hands in slight helplessness, waiting for Cui Jingci to speak first.
Cui Jingci seemed to notice her awkwardness. He coughed lightly behind his hand, then said, “Let’s take off these clothes first.”
The outfit really was tiring to wear. Huai Zhi saw nothing amiss and mumbled a soft “Mm” in response.
She had a sense of propriety. Before marrying him tonight, she had been repeatedly instructed to serve him well—he was frail, and his family was formidable, so she would have to be accommodating no matter what.
Huai Zhi reached out to remove Cui Jingci’s outer robe. This was the first time she had been this close to a man, doing something so intimate. The wedding attire was elaborate, and she fumbled with it, unable to find the right method.
Cui Jingci only needed to lower his gaze slightly to see her face gradually flushing pink, and her fingers nearly tangling together.
Huai Zhi’s skin was fair—unlike the people in ordinary villages, she clearly never tanned. Dressed in a bright red wedding gown, her face was set off in a rosy glow. She had a rather pleasing oval face, her nose bridge not particularly high, and her features together were not especially striking—except for her eyes, which were round, like washed grapes.
Her figure was noticeably not tall. Perhaps her family had neglected her, for she was slender as a reed, barely able to fill out the wedding dress.
Cui Jingci reached out and pressed down on Huai Zhi’s wrist. His long, slender, pale fingers formed a stark contrast against the red wedding sleeve. He said, “I’ll do it myself. You just take care of your own.”
It was Huai Zhi’s first time undressing in front of a man. Even though this person was now her husband, since she had already married him, she wouldn’t be coy. Blushing furiously, she murmured an “okay” and turned around to remove her own clothes.
She stripped down until only her undergarments remained, then turned back—only to find Cui Jingci staring at her, his gaze deep and unreadable.
He had already finished undressing long ago.
Huai Zhi had assumed he would do as she did, removing his outer garments and leaving his underclothes on. But Cui Jingci had already stripped down to only his sleeping trousers.
The sudden exposure of bare flesh startled Huai Zhi greatly, and her pupils instantly dilated.
Yet even in her shock, her gaze had unconsciously fallen on his body, and her wide, round eyes only made her see his form even more clearly.
Huai Zhi had seen men’s bodies before. Some older men had no shame and liked to go shirtless in the height of summer. Their arms were thick and sturdy, clearly showing they ate hearty meals, while their wives and children were a bunch of skinny reeds—Huai Zhi’s family was exactly like that.
From the start, Cui Jingci had told her that his illness was a corruption of the inside, not visible from the outside. So Huai Zhi had imagined his body would be thin and frail, skinny as a willow sprite.
She even wondered—would Cui Jingci be thinner than her?
But his body was not as weak as she had imagined. In fact, it was somewhat robust. Other men had only a single belly, protruding as if pregnant, but he had several distinct muscles across his chest. Compared to the dockworkers hauling cargo, all bulging with sinewy muscle, his looked positively refined and handsome.
Huai Zhi’s breath couldn’t help but catch, and the shock in her eyes could no longer be concealed.
How could it be like this…
Didn’t he say his insides were rotten?
Meeting her husband’s somewhat sturdy waist muscles, and colliding with his deep gaze, Huai Zhi felt a little deceived.
Cui Jingci seemed to see through her thoughts and said very bluntly, “My body is fine. It’s just that my qi and blood are depleted inside. So, you needn’t be too surprised.”
Huai Zhi had never seen such a thing. Could such an illness exist in this world? His insides were completely ruined, yet his body showed not a single sign of it.
She finally snapped back to her senses, unsure whether she believed him or not, and let out a soft “Mm.” At some point, her ears had flushed red along with her cheeks.
Cui Jingci noticed that Huai Zhi hadn’t moved and asked her again, “Aren’t you going to undress?”
She had to undress too? Huai Zhi asked, “Is this not alright? I’m used to sleeping in my clothes.”
She had assumed Cui Jingci was simply accustomed to sleeping naked.
Cui Jingci looked at Huai Zhi, a hint of confusion flickering in his pale eyes. He asked, “On our wedding night, shouldn’t we consummate the marriage? Huai Zhi, although my health is poor, I am not immobile. I can complete the full rites.”
He spoke as if stating something perfectly natural, with not a trace of shyness on his face—a stark contrast to Huai Zhi’s flushed cheeks.
Shock filled Huai Zhi’s eyes once more. This was already the umpteenth time tonight that Cui Jingci’s bluntness had startled her. How could he speak so directly, without any roundabout phrasing? Didn’t everyone in these noble households leave several turns in their words?
She looked at Cui Jingci’s pallid complexion and asked doubtfully, “Young Master… are you sure you’re up for it?”
Wasn’t his body terribly weak? Wasn’t he afraid of dying in bed? If he died, Huai Zhi feared she’d be dragged off to be buried with him the very next day.
The corner of Cui Jingci’s mouth twitched slightly. He said, “Undress. It’s fine.”
The man spoke gently and politely, unlike anyone else Huai Zhi had met. In the end, she turned her back to him and slipped off her inner robe, revealing a large expanse of snow-white skin, until only a bellyband remained, barely covering her front. Her whole body was thin, save for her chest, which was full—from the side, a soft curve was visible.
While Huai Zhi undressed, the man’s gaze remained fixed on her, a faint trace of amusement and disdain barely visible in his pale pupils.
Their previous exchanges had convinced Cui Jingci that this woman before him was timid, cowardly, poor, and lowly—so whatever he said, she wouldn’t refuse.
And so it proved, just as he’d expected.
He told her to remove her outer robe, and she did. He told her to remove her inner robe, and after some hesitation, she did as well. So if he next told her to lie down on the bed, would she refuse?
Wasn’t that just how matters between men and women went?
Cui Jingci had already planned out his process for deceiving Huai Zhi, and now only the final step remained.
Just as he was thinking this, Huai Zhi turned slightly and asked with lowered eyes, “Young Master, perhaps… you should lie down. Let me take care of it.”
Cui Jingci: ?
Though Huai Zhi had been startled at first, by now she had accepted the situation. On a wedding night, it wouldn’t make sense for nothing to happen.
Perhaps this was exactly what the Cui family had instructed—since he could still move, let him taste a bit of pleasure before he died?
In any case, since he said he was frail, Huai Zhi naturally assumed he’d be quick about it—a couple of thrusts and it would be over!
Whether you stretch your neck for the blade or tuck it in, it’s the same cut. Huai Zhi stopped being awkward and sorted out the pros and cons. Afraid he’d exhaust himself and cause trouble, she figured it was better to take charge herself.
And so, to his bewilderment, she took his hand and carefully pressed him down onto the bed, then, to his further bewilderment, pulled off his trousers.
She looked down at his member, and suddenly a hint of alarm appeared in her eyes.
Cui Jingci asked her, “What’s wrong?”
Was his thing ugly to look at? It didn’t seem so.
Back when they were in the military camp, no one was particularly particular about such things. He had occasionally found himself relieving himself alongside the generals, and compared to theirs, he thought his own was rather impressive.
So why was she making that expression?
Cui Jingci chalked it up to her being an unsophisticated village girl who had never seen anything good.
Huai Zhi didn’t notice Cui Jingci’s gaze. She just stared at that part of him, unable to help swallowing nervously, a flicker of fear rising within her.
No, there was no way she could manage that.
Huai Zhi instinctively wanted to retreat, but Cui Jingci had already moved first, pressing a hand to her waist.