The tenth day of the fourth month was the auspicious date that Duan Yan and Song Fengsui’s families had settled on during the New Year.
Although they had said everything would be kept simple, inviting only close relatives and friends to witness the ceremony, this was still a joyous occasion. Preparations had begun several days in advance. Both residences were decorated with lanterns and colorful ornaments, their festive splendor complementing the warmth of spring.
Everything had gone smoothly up to this day, with only one slight blemish: the sky that morning was gray, the clouds refusing to disperse, and a fine drizzle slowly beginning to fall.
Rain in the second month of spring meant a return of the cold. The temperature dropped sharply, and the damp roads made coming and going less comfortable than on a clear day.
Still, people said that spring rain was as precious as oil, nourishing all things in silence. Whether the day was sunny or rainy, it was considered a good omen in spring.
It did nothing at all to hinder this lively wedding.
On the first day of the fourth month, when the residence was first being decorated, Song Fengsui had moved back to his family home. He would be leaving from the Song residence, riding in a sedan chair to Duan Yan’s home. There was also a custom that the newlyweds were not to see each other for several days before the wedding.
Of course, not seeing each other was impossible. The two residences were only a few steps apart, and there were always matters to discuss. It would hardly do for them not to meet at all.
But when it came to the wedding ceremony, the new groom was supposed to leave from his family home and remain there until the wedding procession came to fetch him. It would be improper for him to stay at the other residence.
Thus, the two of them had still spent a little over ten days apart before the wedding.
Since the arrangements were simple, Song Fengsui was spared much of the suffering that came with a grand wedding. He did not have to rise before dawn for a bath, sit through an elaborate hairdressing and makeup ritual, or enter the ancestral hall to offer thanks to his forebears and endure a host of other cumbersome formalities. He could simply get up and prepare himself once daylight came, just as he would on an ordinary day.
He climbed slowly out of bed and pulled back the quilt. The moment he parted the bed curtains, the cold made him shrink back into the still-warm bedding.
An Ge'er, who had come to attend him, heard the movement inside and carried a brazier into the room. Only then did Song Fengsui realize that it was raining outside.
The rain was not loud, and the entire residence was bustling with joyful activity. Even when he pricked up his ears, he could not hear it.
With the brazier warming the room, he was finally able to get out of bed.
He went into the inner room for a fragrant bath, and Mu Linghui entered to help him put on his wedding robes and arrange his hair.
There was no need to burden his head with an entire collection of gold and silver hairpins until he was swaying beneath their weight. A few dignified ornaments were enough. With Young Master Song’s appearance, he was already striking beyond words.
Once he was dressed, Song Fengsui rarely indulged in admiring himself before the bronze mirror. Seeing a face of otherworldly beauty in the hazy reflection, he lifted the corners of his mouth.
“I look wonderful.”
An Ge'er covered his mouth and giggled. “If anyone else said that, it would sound conceited. But when it comes from our young master, it is simply the truth. How could mere words like ‘good-looking’ possibly do you justice?”
Mu Linghui gazed at the jade-like young man before her, her heart filled with indescribable satisfaction and comfort. She gently stroked his hair and said tenderly, “In the blink of an eye, you’re about to be married.”
There was some reluctance in her voice, along with a sigh over how swiftly time passed, but her sorrow was not deep. More than anything, she was happy that her child was marrying a man who suited him perfectly.
Besides, although he was marrying out, it was not as though he would truly be gone from them. The two families were practically one household already, seeing each other whenever they raised their heads or lowered them. Even after Song Fengsui married, he would still be able to see his family three times a day. It was rare for someone to marry so near their family, and in this case, the marriage had practically become a mere formality.
Mu Linghui felt this way, and the rest of the Song family had no strong emotions of joy mixed with grief either. All that remained was the lively happiness of seeing their child get married.
Even Song Fengsui himself had expected to lose sleep over the wedding and assumed he would toss and turn the night before. Yet the moment his head touched the bedding, he had fallen into a deep sleep and slept until dawn. He had never slept better. His heart had been carrying such an important event, yet he had not suffered the slightest restlessness.
Thinking it over carefully, he supposed it was because Duan Yan’s parents had met him long ago and had been in contact with him for quite some time. They were both kind and tolerant people, so he had no fear of clashing with his future parents-in-law.
Secondly, he trusted Duan Yan so completely that he had no worries about the possibility of an unhappy married life.
And third, it was just as his family had thought: the two residences were so close that he could see his family every day. It was hard to imagine a marriage that kept one nearer to home.
Taking everything into account, there was truly nothing that could make him uneasy enough to keep him awake.
At most…
Song Fengsui lowered his eyes to the hem of his wedding robe, the corners of his lips curving upward.
At most, he was simply too happy.
At Duan Yan’s residence, there was somewhat more to do. Aside from getting ready to fetch the bride at the auspicious hour, the wedding feast would also be held there, making things busier than at the Song residence.
Even so, he did not feel as though he had done much. He had risen before dawn, taken a bath, and changed into his wedding robes. After that, Old Man Duan and Old Madam Duan had sent him scurrying from one place to another. In the blink of an eye, it was nearly time.
With his heart pounding, Duan Yan mounted his horse and led the sedan chair in a circuit around the streets before finally arriving at the Song residence.
He had no idea why they had to take such a long route, but Old Man Duan said that the path had been planned in advance and that someone had calculated it for them. Taking that road would bring them more blessings in the future.
Duan Yan did not particularly believe in such things, but when it concerned his future with Young Master Song, he was more than willing to go along with the trouble.
The firecrackers at the town’s fireworks shop had previously been requisitioned to make artillery shells. There were not even two rolls left, so on such a joyous day they had to be used sparingly, with the rest to be set off after the new groom was brought home.
Although there was no lively trail of firecrackers all along the route, the gongs and drums were just as stirring.
When they arrived at the Song residence, the Song family did not make things difficult for him. The questions posed at the gate were easy enough, and he entered without trouble.
After offering tea to the Song family, he had to escort the young groom into the bridal sedan.
The sedan followed the same route back, circling through the town amid the beating of gongs and drums before being carried into the Duan residence.
The small sedan passed over a brazier, entered the ceremonial hall for the couple to bow to Heaven and Earth, and finally proceeded to the bridal chamber. That was the entire sequence of events.
It did not seem like there was much to do, but by the time each part had been carried out amid the bustle and celebration, it was already dusk when Song Fengsui entered the bridal chamber.
He lifted the red bridal veil. Through the paper-covered windows, he could see lanterns being lit outside. Perhaps because of the rain, darkness had fallen earlier than usual.
Although the guests were eating in the outer courtyard, the noise of more than ten tables of people eating, drinking, and talking carried all the way to the bridal chamber in the inner courtyard.
He was not hungry. When Duan Yan had gone to fetch him, he had brought along some candied fruit and secretly fed him two pieces. The sweet, soft, slightly sticky snacks had been surprisingly filling.
Besides, he had slept well the night before, and the wedding rituals had not exhausted him. Though he had only recovered from his illness a few days ago, he was still in high spirits.
Song Fengsui wandered around the room, taking a look at everything. The bridal chamber was neither the room he had previously occupied at the Duan residence nor the room where Duan Yan had lived. Instead, it was a large suite formed by opening up two rooms into one.
The room he had once stayed in was already very spacious—it had originally been Duan Yan’s main room. Song Fengsui had thought that after they married, the two of them would simply live there together.
Duan Yan, however, had refused. He insisted on renovating an entirely new room for them. There was no vacant room in the inner courtyard larger than the main room, but he had not minded the trouble and had forcefully made a new one.
The result was quite well done. Besides the sleeping chamber, there was a separate bathing room and a dining room.
He did not say anything, but judging from the arrangement, the room had clearly been furnished according to the one he used to live in back in the capital. He had only mentioned it to him once in passing during their free time, yet the other man had remembered it all.
Song Fengsui let out a long breath and glanced toward the door. He had no idea how much longer it would take for the groom to finish entertaining the guests and come over.
At that moment, Duan Yan was going from table to table with Old Man Duan, whose face was flushed with delight, offering toasts. His tolerance for alcohol was actually quite good, but because he had been poisoned, he had developed the habit of drinking very little under Young Doctor Song’s repeated admonitions. He had never intended to drink too much today.
Fortunately, he did not need to worry about it. Somehow, Old Man Duan had obtained several jugs of weak wine. It smelled strong, but tasted light. Whenever Duan Yan went to toast someone, he poured himself some of the wine he had brought instead of drinking what was on the table.
The old man was even more concerned about his health than he was!
There had been no banquet at the Song residence; everyone had come here to attend the feast. Most of the guests were people from the yamen, along with relatives and friends from the estate and the village.
Third Son Qian had also brought He-ge and the child to the wedding feast.
After toasting the guests, Duan Yan stayed outside to keep them company for a while longer. As night fell, the rain grew heavier, and the relatives and friends who had come to offer their congratulations did not linger over their wine. Once they had eaten and drunk their fill, they took their leave in the cold night.
Seeing that the banquet was finally dispersing, Duan Yan—who had been enduring the wait like an oil lamp burning down to its last wick—gave Old Man Duan a word of notice and hurried straight toward the bridal chamber.
Even someone as patient as he was could not bear to wait any longer today.
The door to the bridal chamber opened, and the chill of early spring slipped into the warm, fragrant room.
At a glance, Duan Yan saw Song Fengsui sitting at the table with his chin propped on one hand, drinking tea without his veil covering his face.
The sound of rainwater pouring from the eaves into the drainage channel was rather loud. Song Fengsui had been waiting so long that he had grown listless, and he did not hear Duan Yan approaching at all. Then, all at once, he found himself looking straight into the groom’s eyes.
He hurriedly stood up to fetch the veil Duan Yan was supposed to lift from the bed, but in his fluster he caught his foot on the leg of the stool.
Duan Yan snapped out of the daze he had fallen into while watching him and immediately stepped forward to steady him.
He could not help giving a soft laugh. “You’re going to let me look at you sooner or later.”
Song Fengsui’s eyes flickered, and he pressed his lips together lightly. “Even so… shouldn’t the groom be the one to lift it himself?”
Duan Yan’s gaze softened. He set down the food in his hands, took Song Fengsui by the hand, and led him to the bed. He picked up the veil and gently draped it over him.
Then, unexpectedly, he turned and walked out of the room.
Hearing the door close, Song Fengsui was a little bewildered. Before he could voice his question, however, he heard the door open again.
This time, the handsome groom who entered was tall and straight, his black hair neatly bound. A faint scent of wine clung to him. As he opened the door to the bridal chamber, he immediately saw the slender bride sitting upright before the wedding bed, the red veil covering his head.
The red candles flickered, their shades adorned with festive decorations. Perhaps because he wanted to experience this moment all over again, Duan Yan gazed carefully at the scene before him, and his heart filled with an emotion too deep for words.
Only after a long while did he step inside again. One steady step after another, he walked to Song Fengsui’s side.
He picked up the balance rod and slowly lifted the veil.
The young man wearing a jade crown had applied a light touch of makeup that day. His features were like those of an exquisite ancient painting, carefully drawn. His thin lips, shaped like a slender crescent moon, were tinted the color of begonia blossoms.
Duan Yan stared at him, utterly still, for quite some time.
Song Fengsui looked back at him as well. Men did not usually wear makeup; so long as they valued cleanliness, kept their faces neat, and did not leave an unkempt beard, they could already be called presentable.
Yet Duan Yan also had swordlike brows and bright, starry eyes that always held a righteous, spirited light. He was undeniably handsome.
Song Fengsui’s heart pounded shamefully hard. He lifted his eyes slightly and looked away. “Why aren’t you saying anything?”
“It’s the first time I’ve seen you wearing makeup. It’s rather novel.”
Duan Yan answered with a smile.
“I hadn’t intended to go to such trouble. But I’ve only just recovered from my illness, and my complexion didn’t look very good, so I lightly filled in my brows and used a little red paper to tint my lips.”
Song Fengsui pressed his lips together softly as he looked at the man seated before him. Then, suddenly, he leaned forward and left a little color on Duan Yan’s lips as well.
In an instant, Duan Yan felt himself enveloped by a fragrant presence. By the time he had reacted and thought to return the kiss, Song Fengsui had already pulled away, leaving only a pair of smiling eyes watching him.
Although it was not their first kiss, Duan Yan still felt as if his soul had been turned upside down for a moment. Almost as if possessed, he raised a hand to touch his lips, only to see that a trace of red had stained his fingers.
His brows twitched. He decided that the red paper must be poor quality, and that if any of it got into Song Fengsui’s stomach, it might cause him discomfort again. So he fetched a damp cloth and gently wiped Song Fengsui’s lips clean.
He was naturally reluctant to wipe it away, but considering that what came from one place ought to return to that same place—and, even worse, might end up somewhere else—he cleaned it off for the time being.
Only then did they pour the nuptial wine and drink it together.
“Are you hungry? I brought in some dishes. They were made by the cook we hired for the banquet. I tasted a couple of them, and they’re not bad.”
Duan Yan was about to open the food box on the table and arrange the dishes when Song Fengsui caught him by the wrist.
Song Fengsui said softly, “I’m a little hungry, but I don’t want to eat that.”
Duan Yan’s brows moved slightly. He began thinking about what ingredients were still available in the kitchen and what he could make for him—something quick and delicious.
But before Master Duan, who was wholly absorbed in planning the meal, could come up with a dish, the highly skilled Young Doctor Song, with his talent for observation and diagnosis, had already seen through him and knew exactly what disappointing question he was about to ask.
So he offered another quiet hint.
“Did you bathe this morning?”
Duan Yan froze for a moment. Even a blockhead would have understood what he meant.
His chest rose and fell visibly.
“Yes.”
Although he slowly sat back down, he still answered carefully. “It rained today, so it wasn’t hot. I didn’t sweat, but I did drink some wine while entertaining the guests earlier. If you don’t like the smell, I can go take another bath.”
Song Fengsui leaned closer and sniffed at his neck.
He delivered a perfectly fair verdict. “There’s only a little wine scent on your clothes.”
Duan Yan’s breathing grew heavier.
The two of them exchanged a glance, and in each other’s eyes they saw anticipation and curiosity. Since they were both inexperienced, neither had the easy confidence of someone practiced in such matters; instead, there was a greater measure of shyness.
The best solution, then, was for them to remove their heavy wedding robes together, leaving only their thin sleeping clothes. They extinguished two of the lamps, leaving only the pair of dragon-and-phoenix candles burning.
Then they lowered the bed curtains and climbed into bed together.
A bed meant to accommodate two people was naturally somewhat wider than the narrow bed one slept in alone. Once the layers of curtains had been lowered, the candlelight outside could no longer illuminate the bed very well.
Everything was dim and hazy, like a moonlit night. Only the silhouettes of the two people sitting cross-legged could be seen clearly.
Before long, two brand-new red sleeping robes were sent out from behind the curtains.
Judging by the scene, they were not in any hurry. And yet, although they were supposedly not in a hurry, they did not neatly place the sleeping robes on the stool. Instead, the garments lay scattered beside the footstool, only a few inches away from it.
The room was utterly quiet. Most of the time, the only sound that could be heard was the rainwater dripping from the eaves.
Before Duan Yan got to the main matter, he carefully and seriously explored the area with his hands once…
Twice…
Three times…
Things seemed to be much simpler than he had imagined, though he felt this was largely thanks to Young Master Song’s gentle guidance. Song Fengsui possessed the admirable quality of answering truthfully whenever asked, even when the questions were embarrassing to voice.
Firsthand experience was, naturally, far clearer than anything written in an instructional manual.
He dared guarantee that the knowledge he had gained in the time it took a stick of incense to burn was far more detailed and comprehensive than anything he could have learned from reading thirty such manuals.
He was truly fortunate that his husband was so patient and willing to tolerate his last-minute studying.
Song Fengsui rolled over onto his stomach. His face, as pale as white jade, was buried in the pillow, flushed redder than ever before.
Though he thought it better that no one should see even the slightest glimmer of light at a time like this, he was also grateful. This was something he and Duan Yan had shared—something that belonged solely to the two of them.
If he had been with some other man, especially one of those men from the capital, which of them had not already taken three or five bedchamber servants by the age of fifteen or sixteen?
Whenever he thought of it, he felt it was unfair. Why was it that men were expected to do such things before marriage, all under the excuse of learning the ways of intimacy, while women and ge'er's were never afforded the same treatment?
His thoughts came and went in broken fragments. Before long, he could no longer think of anything else at all. His mind had lost the ability to reason; all that remained were the sensations magnified by his body.
The rain continued until midnight, and it was only then that the room finally fell quiet.
The dragon-and-phoenix candles had burned halfway down. Duan Yan rose from the bed, pulled over a cloth, and hurriedly wiped himself clean before dressing and going to call for hot water.
Once the water had been carried into the bathing room and he had set up a brazier inside to warm it, he carried Song Fengsui over to wash.
When they returned, he changed the bedsheets for clean ones, shook out the soft quilt, and held his husband in his arms as they slept peacefully through the night.
