The Grand Wedding (Part 2)
The light of the dragon and phoenix wedding candles flickered, illuminating the bedchamber brightly.
Lu Hexu raised his hand, his fingertips brushing across Su Zhenzhen's rouged cheeks.
Wherever his fingertips landed, Su Zhenzhen's attention followed.
Having removed the phoenix coronet that pressed against her temples, the pearl and jade ornaments in her hair bun were not yet fully taken off, quivering softly all over her head.
Lu Hexu slowly pulled out those hairpins, removing them one by one.
Once all the ornaments were removed, his fingertips trailed down to the deep cyan ceremonial gown she wore.
Hundreds of embroidered pheasants shimmered under the candlelight, their gold-threaded wings spread wide, dotted with small floral patterns, while jade pendants hung from the red-trimmed cuffs. As the hidden clasps were undone, the incredibly heavy phoenix robe fell heavily to the ground, revealing the woman's figure clad in a crimson inner garment.
"I... I haven't taken off my makeup yet."
She was too nervous.
Su Zhenzhen stood up abruptly, almost hitting Lu Hexu.
"I'm going to remove my makeup."
Su Zhenzhen turned around, not daring to meet Lu Hexu's eyes.
Heavens, why was she so nervous?
Finally shedding the heavy restraints from her body, Su Zhenzhen stretched her limbs.
Lu Hexu sat there unmoving, watching Su Zhenzhen dump all the hair ornaments into the jewelry box on the purple sandalwood dressing table. Then, she sat down and began to apply cleansing balm to her face in front of the water chestnut-shaped bronze mirror.
This was Su Zhenzhen's homemade cleansing balm, purely natural and harmless.
Some ancient cosmetics contained lead powder, which was bad for the body. When choosing, Su Zhenzhen always tried her best to select only pure, natural ingredients.
Rubbing the cleansing balm onto her face, Su Zhenzhen looked through the mirror and saw Lu Hexu sitting there.
The man was resting his chin on one hand, watching her quietly with deep eyes.
Su Zhenzhen lowered her head, stood up, and walked over to the washstand, using a cloth to wipe the cleansing balm off her face bit by bit.
After freshening up, she turned and returned to Lu Hexu.
She was finally no longer nervous.
The wedding bed was large, draped with festive red bedding and curtains. Having removed her makeup, Su Zhenzhen's features looked even more pure and elegant. She sat before Lu Hexu, looking as fresh and radiant as a lotus emerging from the water.
The man raised his hand, his fingertips brushing her damp temples. "You didn't dry it completely."
Su Zhenzhen blinked, leaned in, and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Lu Hexu."
She gave him a kiss.
[I'm thirsty, I want some tea.]
Lu Hexu paused, then stood up to pour her some tea.
Warm tea was poured into the teacup. Lu Hexu stood by the table, looking at the half-filled cup, his movements halting.
He stared at the tea in the cup. A few crisp tea leaves floated on the surface, and his reflection was mirrored in the gently rippling water.
Standing there with his back to Su Zhenzhen, his breathing suddenly grew faint.
Su Zhenzhen walked over and hugged him from behind. "I guessed right."
"Lu Hexu, you can hear people's inner thoughts, can't you?"
Lu Hexu put down the teapot, turned around, and faced Su Zhenzhen.
Looking at her face, he nodded. "Zhenzhen, are you afraid?"
Laying oneself completely bare in front of another person was an extremely dangerous thing.
Su Zhenzhen smiled. "I just remembered, I haven't said those words to you yet."
She pressed her fingertips against Lu Hexu's chest, her eyes and brows softened by the candlelight.
[I love you.]
"I love you."
The soft, gentle voice, accompanied by the woman's inner thoughts, crashed into Lu Hexu's ears together.
The man's pupils shrank abruptly. He pulled her into a tight embrace, his voice hoarse as he spoke, "I love you, Zhenzhen."
Su Zhenzhen pressed her face against his chest, burying herself in it, and caught the faint scent of incense on him.
[Incense...]
"Does it smell bad? Wei Heng said that for our wedding day, this incense would help calm the mind and relieve stress."
"It smells good."
Su Zhenzhen sniffed deeply; it smelled like white sandalwood.
Clear, mellow, and lingering, neither overpowering nor murky.
The wedding curtains were drawn halfway.
Su Zhenzhen lay on the soft bedding.
Their shadows were cast onto the bed curtains, slowly overlapping.
"Zhenzhen."
The man's movements were slow and deliberate, proceeding little by little, but this torturous pace made Su Zhenzhen feel entirely unaccustomed and uncomfortable.
"Don't do it like this..." She hugged Lu Hexu's neck and cried out.
Lu Hexu leaned in to kiss her, his eyes dark and profound. "Not like this? Then how do you want it?"
Su Zhenzhen opened her mouth but didn't know what to say.
She didn't even know what she wanted herself.
Lu Hexu coaxed her into kisses. His cold, slender fingers held her down, as if holding down a snow-white fish, slowly dissecting her.
It was too slow, which only made it more unbearable.
She opened her eyes and saw the man's face hovering over hers. His cool, pale skin was flushed with a beautiful crimson, the peach hue spreading from the corners of his eyes and gathering beneath them.
His breath was scorching hot, dusting across Su Zhenzhen's neck.
The man's temples were slick with hot sweat. Clearly, he was also holding back with great difficulty.
Su Zhenzhen clung tightly to Lu Hexu's neck. "Faster, go a little faster..."
The man sighed, as if he had no other choice.
"Zhenzhen..." he called her name in a low voice, and then covered her mouth.
Why was he covering her mouth?
The next moment, Su Zhenzhen felt as though her body had been split open by a sharp blade, as if it were piercing into the very depths of her soul.
She struggled instinctively but was held down firmly.
Tears welled up in her eyes, seeping through the gaps of the man's fingers.
Lu Hexu did not stop. He merely lowered his head to kiss her eyelashes, soothing her tenderly, though his movements below did not pause at all.
[It hurts...]
"It will be better soon, Zhenzhen..."
Lu Hexu's hot sweat dripped onto her face, trailing down her forehead.
Su Zhenzhen looked at him with red, swollen eyes. The man gazed down at her, and once Su Zhenzhen had adapted, he began to move with forceful intensity.
Only then did Su Zhenzhen realize that whatever intimacy she and Lu Hexu had shared before was truly just child's play.
It was too much, this level of intensity...
A flash of white light crossed Su Zhenzhen's vision, and then she fell into a soft, chaotic darkness.
Lu Hexu stopped his movements. He slowly released the palm that had been covering Su Zhenzhen's face.
His palm was entirely wet with saliva and sweat.
He lowered his head and kissed the woman's damp, hot cheek. Then he pulled away, casually draped a robe over himself, and called for someone to bring in hot water.
He dampened a cloth with water and washed her down.
Su Zhenzhen was sleeping very deeply; she must have been truly exhausted.
"Your stamina is so poor, Zhenzhen."
Lu Hexu spoke in a low murmur as he helped wipe her clean.
Su Zhenzhen didn't wake up, only furrowed her brows slightly, her skin blooming with beautiful pink marks.
"So beautiful, Zhenzhen."
"So fragrant, Zhenzhen."
"Zhenzhen's waist is so slender."
"Her skin is so white."
"Her hair is so soft."
"Her lips are also very soft..."
-
The next day, when Su Zhenzhen woke up from her sleep, she found that her body had already been cleaned.
She propped herself up to sit, her lower back aching terribly.
The woman's soft long hair was scattered across the pillow. The man lay sleeping beside her, his eyes quietly closed.
She had actually passed out straight away last night.
Su Zhenzhen covered her face, a flush of crimson bleeding through her fingers.
The wedding candles in the bedchamber had completely burned out, the wax congealed on the bronze holders, giving off a sense of absolute tranquility in the aftermath.
So tired.
Even though she had slept through the night, Su Zhenzhen still felt physically exhausted, as if she had been run over by a large truck.
She had no strength left at all.
She lay on Lu Hexu's chest, twirling his hair around her finger.
[His hair is so soft.]
[And it smells so good.]
"Zhenzhen."
A low, husky voice sounded by her ear. With a sudden roll, Su Zhenzhen found herself pinned beneath Lu Hexu, blankets and all.
[When did he wake up?]
The man's knee nudged her legs apart. His long hair cascaded down like a dark veil as he stared intently at her. "Let's do it again."
Wei Heng led a young eunuch to wait at the main doors of the bedchamber. He glanced up at the sky, took a few steps forward, and spoke close to the doors, "Your Majesty, it is time for the morning assembly."
Movements could be heard from within the bedchamber, but they did not sound like someone getting out of bed.
The young eunuch standing beside Wei Heng made a minuscule movement to inch closer to the door. Catching him, Wei Heng raised a hand and lightly smacked the boy's head. "Do you have a death wish?"
The young eunuch quickly lowered his head, obediently staying by Wei Heng's side. "Forgive me, Godfather. I merely wanted to see if His Majesty had any orders."
"Do not entertain thoughts you shouldn't. His Majesty's mind is not something you can carelessly guess at."
Wei Heng warned in a low voice.
The young eunuch hurriedly nodded.
A few days ago, right before His Majesty's grand wedding, his godfather had thoroughly purged the palace. Rumor had it that a eunuch had previously sold information about His Majesty's whereabouts at the imperial mausoleum.
That eunuch had been beaten to death in front of a crowd of eunuchs and palace maids.
After such a brutal warning to the others, the rules throughout the entire palace had become noticeably stricter.
The young eunuch had always thought his godfather possessed a gentle and kind temperament. But in reality, how could the number one brush-holding eunuch by the Emperor's side be someone completely lacking in ruthlessness, knowing only gentleness and kindness?
A moment later, a call for water came from inside.
The young eunuch hurriedly went to arrange for the water.
Half an hour later, Lu Hexu emerged from the bedchamber. Seeing Wei Heng, he instructed, "Her Ladyship is still sleeping. Do not disturb her."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Lu Hexu nodded, straightened his dragon robes, and left for the morning assembly.
Su Zhenzhen was so exhausted that her entire body trembled, but it had also been incredibly satisfying.
She buried her face into the blankets, thinking to herself that youth really did mean boundless stamina. She was having a hard time keeping up.
Su Zhenzhen planned to take some tonics to nourish her body.
As for Lu Hexu, he certainly did not need any.
She slowly dragged herself out of bed. By then, Wei Heng had already brought the palace maids in to serve her.
After washing up, Su Zhenzhen took a leisurely stroll around Lu Hexu's bedchamber.
It was too cold outside. The bedchamber had the underfloor heating lit, making it much warmer.
After teasing Sushan with her sash for a while, Su Zhenzhen shifted her gaze and noticed a curtain hanging not far ahead.
"What is that place?"
How had she never noticed it before?
Wei Heng looked at Su Zhenzhen with a smile. "Your Ladyship will know once you go in and take a look."
A look of confusion appeared on Su Zhenzhen's face.
She walked over, reached out, and lifted the curtain hanging in front of the warm pavilion.
Sushan beat her to it and darted inside.
It was a modest-sized room. The first thing that caught her eye was a portrait of herself.
Although it was done in simple black and white ink, it perfectly captured her essence.
Su Zhenzhen stood there stunned for a moment. "Who painted this?"
The answer was obvious; in truth, she knew it without even asking.
"It was painted by His Majesty himself," Wei Heng replied softly from behind her. "During the five years Your Ladyship was away, His Majesty frequently liked to stay in here alone, staring blankly at your portrait."
Aside from Su Zhenzhen's portrait, there were many other things inside the warm pavilion.
For instance, the gauze lantern painted with a little kitten, a very old but well-maintained scented sachet, and the white porcelain bottle and medicinal pills she had given him.
Su Zhenzhen opened the bottle; the pills inside were no longer edible.
"Idiot," Su Zhenzhen murmured softly.
He had been missing her, but wasn't she missing him just as much?
However, Su Zhenzhen never expected that Lu Hexu would actually create such a shrine of memories for her.
When Lu Hexu returned from the morning assembly, he did not see Su Zhenzhen.
"Where is Her Ladyship?"
"Her Ladyship is in the imperial gardens."
Su Zhenzhen was currently digging up medicinal herbs in the imperial gardens.
In the past, her status had been too low to enter a place like the imperial gardens.
Today, she had been led around for a stroll by the palace maids.
The weather was cold, and there were barely any herbs. She only managed to find a little cocklebur.
"This is cocklebur. Roasted cocklebur boiled in water and used as a nasal fumigant can treat nasal congestion caused by wind-cold. The decoction can dispel wind-cold, but it cannot be consumed raw in excess."
The palace maid nodded, and then watched as Su Zhenzhen popped a raw cocklebur into her mouth.
Palace maid: ...
"Zhenzhen."
Su Zhenzhen had just gathered a small handful of cocklebur when Lu Hexu grabbed her hand and led her back to the bedchamber.
"It is so cold outside, yet you didn't even wear more layers."
Lu Hexu warmed her hands in his.
Su Zhenzhen smiled brightly and tucked her hands into his embrace. "I've been writing a medical book lately, recording everything I've learned and seen over the past few years."
"Also, there are far too few female physicians in the Great Zhou Dynasty. Many women suffer from illnesses but delay their treatment due to the strict boundaries between men and women." Pausing for a moment, Su Zhenzhen continued, "I heard that in many places, women are not allowed to attend school. Lu Hexu, this won't do."
"Women should also have the opportunity to learn skills to support themselves."
"Mhm." Lu Hexu nodded. "The schools I established were originally meant for both boys and girls to attend. It's just that some families always feel that boys are more important."
"Actually, ever since you initiated the female official examinations, the proportion of girls studying has increased quite a bit."
Winter passed and spring arrived. Just like any other day, they lived as an ordinary, everyday couple within the deep palace of Jinling City.
"Sushan, what did you do?"
Su Zhenzhen looked on in shock as Sushan used Lu Hexu's dragon robe as a scratching post.
Sushan's claws got snagged.
It tugged hard, pulling out the gold threads from the dragon robe.
Su Zhenzhen quickly rushed to rescue the dragon robe.
She pulled out a needle and thread, measured the robe from side to side, and began to sew.
It was recently the rest days, so Lu Hexu had taken a few days off. He was set to resume morning assemblies the next day.
He stood before the clothing rack, looking at the dragon robe in front of him.
His gaze swept from top to bottom, and then from bottom to top again.
Lu Hexu crouched down, his fingertips grazing the hem of the dragon robe.
Feeling guilty, Su Zhenzhen looked up at the ceiling.
Ah, what a nice-looking ceiling beam.
Lu Hexu held out his hand toward Su Zhenzhen.
Su Zhenzhen glanced left and right, then dawdled before placing her hand into Lu Hexu's palm.
"Did you sew this?"
"No."
[Hold it in, hold it in, hold it in.]
"You sewed it quite well."
[Is it really okay?]
"Oh, so you did sew it."
Su Zhenzhen: ...
This isn't fair! Why do you have a cheat code!
"Next time, just leave it to the Internal Affairs Bureau." Lu Hexu stood up, leaned in, and spoke right against Su Zhenzhen's ear. "Even though I love it when my wife sews clothes for me, I really can't wear this out in public."
Su Zhenzhen: ...
"Drink your medicine." Su Zhenzhen handed him the bowl of medicine.
Lu Hexu frowned but still raised his hand to take it.
He had been drinking this medicine for almost half a year, and it was still unknown how effective it was.
After spring passed, summer began to set in. According to the rules of previous years, it was time to head to the Qingliang Palace to escape the heat.
Su Zhenzhen sat inside the carriage and raised her hand to lift the curtain.
The scorching sun shone in. Lu Hexu, who was resting his head on Su Zhenzhen's lap, closed his eyes and used her sleeve to block the sunlight.
"The sun is so glaring, Zhenzhen."
Outside the carriage, the vegetation was lush and green, and the essence of summer was everywhere.
The road was still familiar, but Su Zhenzhen suddenly felt as if a lifetime had passed.
She lowered the reed curtain, and the inside of the carriage instantly darkened.
Ice blocks were placed in the huge carriage, making the temperature much more comfortable than outside.
Su Zhenzhen adjusted her posture and leaned against the soft cushion behind her.
The carriage rolled forward. After the emperor's carriage in front entered the Qingliang Palace, the carriage they were sitting in slowly drove in.
"Your Majesty, Your Highness, we have arrived at the Qingliang Palace." Wei Heng's voice came from outside.
Sitting in the carriage, Su Zhenzhen raised her hand and lifted the carriage curtain.
It was the familiar small courtyard inside the Qingliang Palace.
The small courtyard was well taken care of. The doors and windows were not damaged, and the courtyard was full of flowers and weeds, but not the overgrown kind. It was obvious that someone pruned them regularly.
Su Zhenzhen pushed the door open, went in and looked around. "Why is all the furniture inside changed?"
It was all broken by him.
"It was old."
"Oh."
"The floor seems to be newly replaced too."
It was all soaked in blood.
"Um... It's newly replaced."
Su Zhenzhen visited the old place, and her interest was attracted by the flowers and plants in the courtyard again.
Sushan had already found the lounge chair under the eaves and lay down to sleep.
Under the sun, Su Zhenzhen picked some flowers, then sat under the corridor. With her fingertips wrapping around the soft flower branches, folding and wrapping, she slowly wove a flower wreath.
She put the flower wreath on her head, then lowered her head and looked at the water tank beside the corridor.
There were still some flowers left. Su Zhenzhen wove a small one for Sushan and put it on its head.
She didn't expect that Sushan was really fat. The small flower wreath fell from the top of its head, all the way down to its neck, turning into a flower wreath necklace.
Sushan pressed the flower wreath necklace and continued to sleep.
Sitting there, Su Zhenzhen wove another big one.
Lu Hexu was resting on another rocking chair.
Although he was no longer afraid of the sun, the man was still afraid of the heat.
Su Zhenzhen put this colorful flower wreath on Lu Hexu's head.
So beautiful.
Like a male flower fairy.
Lu Hexu opened his eyes and lazily raised his hand to touch the flower wreath on his head.
His dark eyes looked into hers.
"Zhenzhen, tomorrow is July 25th."
"Yeah." Su Zhenzhen nodded. She sat on Lu Hexu's lap, her soft and fair fingertips caressing his eyebrows and eyes. "I believe in myself."
[Her medicine must be useful.]
"I believe in you too."
[I believe that Lu Hexu will definitely not hurt her.]
The man closed his eyes and gently rubbed his cheek against Su Zhenzhen's palm.
-
At night, the two lay on the couch together. A reed curtain hung at the window. Under the eaves was the mosquito-repellent sachet that Su Zhenzhen had just asked Lu Hexu to hang up. Blown by the summer wind, it swayed gently and emitted a pleasant fragrance.
The small courtyard was located in a remote place and was extremely quiet.
The summer wind brought the smell of the mosquito-repellent sachet in from the outside, passed through the green gauze, and slowly fell on them.
Lu Hexu quietly looked at Su Zhenzhen's sleeping face and slowly sat up.
He quietly got out of bed, opened the door, and stood in the courtyard. "Shadow One."
Shadow One appeared from the shadows.
"Do you still remember what I ordered you to do?"
Shadow One knelt there and quietly replied, "I remember, Your Majesty."
Lu Hexu nodded. "Don't hesitate, otherwise you will be the one who dies."
Shadow One knelt there, looked up and saw Lu Hexu's back turning back to the house.
Her Highness had said that she believed in His Majesty.
-
The next day, the summer sun shone through the clouds.
Su Zhenzhen was the first to open her eyes.
She met Lu Hexu's dark eyes staring at her.
Su Zhenzhen's heart tightened.
She subconsciously reached out and grabbed his arm, calling him in a low voice, "Lu Hexu?"
The man blinked slowly and did not answer.
Su Zhenzhen's heart slowly sank.
She held Lu Hexu's arm tightly and buried her face in his arms.
"Don't be afraid, don't be afraid..."
Su Zhenzhen murmured in a low voice.
She didn't know whether she was comforting Lu Hexu or herself.
"Zhenzhen."
A voice suddenly came from above.
Su Zhenzhen looked up, revealing a pair of slightly red eyes.
Seeing the woman's tears, Lu Hexu instantly frowned. "I'm sorry, I lied to you."
Su Zhenzhen: ...
Su Zhenzhen was furious, and raised her hand to hit Lu Hexu's chest a few times.
[So hard, it doesn't hurt him at all.]
Su Zhenzhen reached out and pinched his cheek again.
She didn't stop until she pinched a distinct red mark on the man's face.
Sitting there, Lu Hexu looked at her with the red mark on his cheek, his expression full of obvious grievance.
You are aggrieved!
Bad guy.
Su Zhenzhen put her hands on her hips. "Mop the floor, wash the dishes, wash the clothes, and wipe the table."
Lu Hexu: ...
Lu Hexu got up and went to work.
Su Zhenzhen took the key alone and went to the ice cellar in the Qingliang Palace.
She carried a bamboo basket on her back, with a cotton coat inside.
Su Zhenzhen wrapped the ice in the cotton coat and brought it back.
As soon as she entered the courtyard, she saw her and Lu Hexu's clothes hanging all over the courtyard.
The man had already finished the housework and was lying on the cool bed under the eaves, with his eyes closed, as if he was asleep.
Su Zhenzhen walked over quietly, lowered her head and kissed his cheek which was pinched red by her, then carried the ice into the small kitchen.
The sound of the ice being broken woke Lu Hexu up.
He slowly opened his eyes, and the sunlight was dazzling.
Lu Hexu got up and followed the sound to the small kitchen.
Su Zhenzhen rolled up her sleeves, revealing two white lotus root-like arms, and was making Sushan for him.
"You're awake, want a taste?"
Lu Hexu walked over and hugged her from behind. "It feels like a dream, Zhenzhen."
In the years after Su Zhenzhen left, Lu Hexu still came to the Qingliang Palace to escape the summer heat.
He lived in this courtyard.
But he could never see her again.
"I'll pinch you again, and you'll know it's not a dream."
Lu Hexu: ...
Lu Hexu buried his face in Su Zhenzhen's neck and kissed her gently.
Su Zhenzhen felt ticklish and dodged to the side, but a piece of ice was stuffed into her waist.
"Ah..."
She subconsciously stood on tiptoe to dodge.
[So cold.]
"Don't..."
Before Su Zhenzhen could say anything, Lu Hexu took another piece of crushed ice from somewhere.
He held the ice in his mouth, lowered his head and kissed her.
It was too cold. Su Zhenzhen's teeth were numb from the cold.
She spat it out to him.
Lu Hexu didn't catch it. The ice fell from his mouth and slid down Su Zhenzhen's torn collar.
The man lowered his head without hesitation, his nose sliding down her neck.
-
The small kitchen was in a mess, and no one ate until the Sushan melted.
Su Zhenzhen had a sticky smell of honey on her body. She didn't know when Lu Hexu accidentally knocked over the honey, making it everywhere on both of them.
There was a clear spring in the courtyard. Su Zhenzhen was not used to bathing in the open air, so she went to the bathroom to take a bath.
Lu Hexu wanted to follow her in, but was pushed out by Su Zhenzhen.
If she continued to fool around, she really wouldn't even have the strength to stand up.
Lu Hexu had no choice but to soak in the clear spring in the courtyard.
He spread his arms and sat in the pool, looking up at the beautiful summer moonlight.
From the bathroom in the courtyard came Su Zhenzhen's brisk humming.
Lu Hexu's eyebrows and eyes slowly softened.
Fireflies flew around the courtyard and slowly stopped on the clothes he had casually thrown on the ground.
"Knock knock..."
A knock sounded at the courtyard gate.
The gentle look on Lu Hexu's face completely vanished. He stood up and draped the clothes from the ground over his body.
The fireflies scattered in all directions.
Trailing wet water marks across the ground, the man walked over to open the door.
Wei Heng stood at the courtyard gate, his expression rather grim.
"Your Majesty, Prince Su has passed away."
After suffering bitterly for half a year, Prince Su finally could not hold on any longer and died.
Lu Hexu's expression did not change much; he seemed to have anticipated this long ago.
"Has a letter arrived from Lu Mingqian?"
"Yes."
Wei Heng took out a secret letter and handed it to Lu Hexu.
Lu Hexu reached out, took it, and tore it open.
Wei Heng stood there, watching Lu Hexu's expression grow increasingly solemn.
"Your Majesty..."
Even when the late Emperor was alive, he could do nothing against these vassal kings.
"These vassal kings have been entrenched in their respective regions since the time of the Emperor of Great Yan." Wei Heng's face was exceptionally grave.
The power of these vassal kings could not be underestimated.
They had long been eyeing the throne of Great Zhou like hungry tigers.
And one more thing, one more thing.
