Seeing that she clearly would not let the matter rest unless satisfied, Pei Zheng fell silent for a moment before speaking the line that surfaced in his mind:
“Your beauty is like the blossoming peach tree—Brilliant and radiant in bloom.”
It was his first time borrowing poetry to praise a woman’s appearance. After the words left his lips, Pei Zheng lightly pressed his thin lips together, a trace of unnaturalness showing on his face.
Jiang Yao curled her red lips into a faint smile, not missing the subtle change in his expression.
Inside, she scoffed softly.
A twenty-eight-year-old man on his second marriage, yet he was pretending to be some innocent young gentleman?
After they finished drinking the nuptial wine, the matchmaker loudly recited a string of auspicious blessings before leading the servants away.
In an instant, only the two of them remained in the bridal chamber.
The wedding candles crackled softly as they burned. Suddenly, Pei Zheng stood before Jiang Yao with a stern expression and spoke down at her from above.
“Now that you have married into—”
Before he could continue, Jiang Yao interrupted him.
“First, I have a name. Marquis may address me directly by it. Second, please sit down.”
A flicker of surprise crossed Pei Zheng’s cold and solemn face.
Jiang Yao brushed aside a loose strand of hair near her temple and replied leisurely, “I dislike tilting my head up to speak with people. Otherwise, I won’t hear what they are saying clearly.”
In other words, if he continued standing there talking to her, then every word he said afterward would go in one ear and out the other.
Understanding the meaning behind her words, Pei Zheng’s expression darkened slightly. In the end, however, he chose to sit down.
Forget it.
On the night of their wedding, he had no desire to stir up unnecessary conflict.
He would indulge her this once.
Now that she was no longer being looked down upon, Jiang Yao felt satisfied. Glancing sideways at the man beside her, she deliberately said, “Marquis may continue his lecture now.”
Pei Zheng choked slightly.
He truly had intended to lecture her. After realizing that the woman before him differed greatly from the rumors and possessed none of the temperament expected of a conventional noble young lady, he had planned to establish authority and intimidate her somewhat.
Yet now that they sat at eye level and the distance between them had suddenly shortened, Jiang Yao’s face became magnified in his vision. He could even clearly smell the rich fragrance lingering on her body.
The interest in speaking all those prepared words instantly vanished.
Meeting her clear, glass-like eyes, Pei Zheng pondered briefly before saying only, “The reason behind this marriage is something both you and I understand well.”
Jiang Yao nodded.
Since the beginning of last year, everyone in the capital had known that Luanhua Princess, the beloved daughter of the emperor’s favored imperial consort, admired Marquis of Wu’an Pei Zheng. She had even publicly declared her willingness to become his second wife, yet the emperor had refused.
In order to dispel imperial suspicion, three months earlier, Pei Zheng had personally gone to the Jiang family of Jinling to formally propose marriage. He offered the position of principal wife to Jiang Yao, the eldest legitimate daughter of the Jiang family.
After the Jiang family agreed, the emperor granted the marriage by decree, thus creating this union.
Pei Zheng’s gaze passed beyond her and landed on the double-happiness character pasted upon the window lattice behind her. His tone turned formal and businesslike, cold and rigid.
“Now that you have married me and entered the Residence of the Marquis of Wu’an as a member of the Pei family, from this day forward you are my wife and the mistress of the Residence of the Marquis of Wu’an. I shall naturally fulfill my duties as a husband, honor my promises, protect your safety, and grant you the dignity and status you deserve.”
Noticing that she was staring at him, Pei Zheng paused briefly before continuing, “You need only abide by your duties and refrain from harboring improper expectations.”
“Do you understand?”
He turned back to look at her, his deep dark eyes filled with warning and implication.
Naturally, Jiang Yao understood. This marriage had always been one mixed with interests and calculations. She had never expected anything more from it. In the future, being a respectable couple who treated each other with mutual courtesy would already be enough.
And now that she had seen his appearance and bearing, both of which perfectly matched her tastes, she was quite satisfied.
As for anything else, she had never considered it.
Thus Jiang Yao nodded. “I shall remember the Marquis’s words. I too will fulfill my responsibilities properly and never damage the interests of either family.”
As she spoke, her tone paused slightly before she looked at him and asked, “However, does the Marquis still remember the three conditions he agreed to when proposing marriage?”
Pei Zheng thought briefly before nodding faintly. “Naturally.”
“That is good then.”
To a certain extent, the two of them had reached an agreement in attitude and expectations. Both sides were satisfied, and the atmosphere eased slightly.
Under the soft candlelight, a faint smile appeared at the corner of Jiang Yao’s lips, gentle as spring breeze.
Suddenly, Pei Zheng grasped her hand and said in a rigidly proper tone, “Since matters have already come to this point, let us retire for the night.”
Yet Jiang Yao pushed him away, her voice carrying slight disdain. “You smell like alcohol. I’m not used to it.”
“I normally never drink,” Pei Zheng subconsciously defended himself.
The moment the words left his mouth, he stiffened briefly. Then he rose and called for servants to prepare hot water.
Once the water was ready, Jiang Yao went first to wash and change.
By the time Pei Zheng finished bathing and returned to the inner chamber, the first thing he saw was Jiang Yao reclining sideways upon the bed, leisurely flipping through a book.
Only when he approached did he realize it was an illustrated manual.
More precisely, an erotic picture book.
Who knew which shameless bookstore had published it? The men and women in the illustrations were not only barely clothed, but the drawings were explicit beyond measure—and even colored in with meticulous detail.
Utterly indecent and disgraceful!
Pei Zheng glanced only once before quickly looking away. Finding a place to sit, he nevertheless could not dispel from his mind the images of the entwined man and woman within the book. Heat gradually rose within him.
Seeing her so absorbed, Pei Zheng casually asked, “Have you learned it?”
“No,” Jiang Yao replied confidently.
“But isn’t the Marquis here?”
Whatever she did not know, surely he would know.
It was her first time, but it definitely was not his.
If she did not know how to serve a man in such matters, could it be that he also did not know how to please a woman?
Jiang Yao tossed the picture book aside and lifted her chin proudly. Without makeup, her small face appeared even more delicate and alluring. Her peach blossom eyes sparkled brilliantly, while her snowy skin resembled polished jade washed free of all adornment, glowing with a soft and captivating luster.
Pei Zheng’s eyes darkened.
With one sweep of his long arm, he wrapped his hand around her slender waist and pulled her onto the bed.
Then, with a wave of his sleeve, the bed curtains fell, concealing the intimate scenery within.
…
The next morning, at the hour of the rooster, Pei Zheng awoke as usual.
Yet unlike every other morning, the moment he opened his eyes he felt a heavy weight upon his chest. As he propped himself up, the arm draped over him slid downward. Pei Zheng instinctively caught it in time, accidentally touching a patch of delicate softness.
Looking down, he met a peaceful sleeping face.
He froze slightly before abruptly recalling that he had married yesterday, and today was the second day of their marriage.
Jiang Yao slept on her side with her eyes closed, half her face buried in the soft pillow. Her long dark lashes cast faint shadows over her cheeks, and her red lips curved slightly upward. Her snow-white cheeks were flushed pink from sleep, resembling two ripe peaches.
Compared to the striking brilliance she possessed the night before, she now seemed softer and more youthful. There was even a trace of baby fat upon her cheeks, making them appear soft and plump.
When his fingers lightly pinched her cheek, the texture proved even softer than he had imagined. Unconsciously, Pei Zheng applied a little more pressure.
Only when Jiang Yao let out a soft whimper did he suddenly snap back to himself and swiftly withdraw his hand.
Noticing the red mark left upon her cheek, he finally realized what he had done. His throat bobbed slightly, and a trace of awkwardness flashed through his eyes.
Turning around to meet the astonished gazes of the servants, he calmly ordered, “Bring water. This Marquis will wash and dress.”
One servant hesitated before asking, “Should this servant wake Madam?”
Pei Zheng glanced toward the woman still sleeping soundly on the bed. “No need. Let her sleep a while longer.”
After washing and dressing properly, he returned once more to the inner chamber and sat at the edge of the bed.
Remembering that they needed to pay respects to the elders that morning, Pei Zheng moved his lips and called softly, “Jiang Yao, wake up. Today we must serve tea to Mother. Hurry and get up. Do not delay the proper hour.”
However, no one responded.