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墨書 Inktalez
On their wedding night, Lian Cheng'an lifted the bridal veil, and the moment their eyes met, Yan Xinyao was taken aback.
He wore a bright red wedding robe, and perhaps due to having had a bit to drink, his striking features were accentuated, resembling a god of war descended from the heavens. Yan Xinyao had often been in the spotlight while managing the pharmacy; she had seen her fair share of handsome men. However, there was an undeniable commanding presence about Lian Cheng'an that made her heart race inexplicably, as if it might leap out of her throat.
"I saw you looking so thin and small that day; I didn't expect you to clean up so well," Lian Cheng'an said, swaying slightly before he suddenly pushed her down onto the bed, his movements somewhat rough and tinged with drunkenness.
"You’re making it hard for me to breathe," Yan Xinyao protested, pushing against him with all her strength, but the scent of alcohol enveloped her, leaving her dizzy. This guy wasn’t new to marriage; did he really need to get himself this drunk? She couldn’t help but feel a twinge of annoyance.
Lian Cheng'an chuckled mischievously, his voice dripping with suggestiveness. "The real show hasn’t even started yet. Is it too much for you to handle already?"
"You—" Yan Xinyao felt her face flush. Gritting her teeth, she wrapped her arms around his neck and, taking advantage of his momentary surprise, rolled over to pin him beneath her.
Years of military training had given Lian Cheng'an a solid physique. Yan Xinyao felt the hard muscles beneath her and instantly felt as if she had been burned by fire. She quickly jumped off him, flustered. "The general is drunk; Lowly Concubine will go make you some sobering tea." As she spoke, she darted towards the door like a startled rabbit.
"Wait." The corners of Lian Cheng'an's mouth curled into a sly smile, his expression wild and charming. "Don’t worry; I’m in no rush for our wedding night. We have plenty of time to get to know each other."
Yan Xinyao froze, staring at him in disbelief as she pondered the truth behind his words.
He squinted lazily and added, "No woman has ever made me sobering tea before. Go on; I’ll wait for you."
"Yes." Yan Xinyao turned around half-convinced and left the room without him calling her back. Her heart gradually settled as she let out a sigh of relief, thinking: This guy is at least a gentleman; he didn’t take advantage of me.
Early the next morning, while Yan Xinyao was still lost in sleep, she heard urgent knocking at the door from a maid outside. "New Secondary Concubine, it's time to get up and greet the lady."
Yan Xinyao opened her eyes to find that Lian Cheng'an, who had been sleeping beside her, had mysteriously left. A gentle warmth spread through her heart, reminiscent of the sun on a winter's day.
Last night, she had spent a long time preparing tea for him. It was her first time sharing a bed with a man, and she tossed and turned until she finally dozed off in the early hours of the morning. She hadn’t expected him to be so considerate, not disturbing her at all, and her impression of him quietly shifted.
“What’s all this fuss about? What new Secondary Concubine or old Secondary Concubine? How many Secondary Concubines are there in the household now?” The voice belonged to Duan'er, a maid who had accompanied Yan Xinyao as part of her dowry. Her tone carried a hint of dissatisfaction and protectiveness.
Yan Xinyao rose and draped herself in a robe, understanding that it was perfectly normal for a concubine to be subordinate to the wife. It was only reasonable for her to greet the Madam respectfully; after all, the Madam likely wanted to assert her authority. However, Yan Xinyao didn’t mind, maintaining a calm demeanor.
“Of course I’m the new Secondary Concubine. It’s not enough that my brother seduced our previous Secondary Concubine; even my family’s general isn’t spared. The servants of our household have seen many women trying to climb the social ladder, but I didn’t expect someone so shameless,” the maid continued, revealing her close ties to the Madam. Her words dripped with disdain and malice, leaving an unpleasant taste in one’s mouth.
With her hair cascading down and bare feet on the floor, Yan Xinyao sleepily opened the door. She appeared lazy yet alert as she replied, “ Duan'er, as the saying goes, one only sees the new people smile while ignoring the old ones weep. The ladies of this household have endured years of solitude; now that the General has returned to court and taken me as his new concubine, it’s no wonder they can’t sleep at night and come to disturb others’ dreams early in the morning.” She stretched lazily and smiled sweetly at the maid. “Please inform the Madam that the new Secondary Concubine will be along shortly and ask her to be patient.”
“Hmph!” The maid felt humiliated by Yan Xinyao’s clever retort and turned back towards the East Courtyard with a sullen expression, silently fuming but unable to express her anger.
“Miss, when your father and Madam passed away years ago, you should have just found a good family to marry into. You’ve suffered so much for Young Master over these years; in the end, you’re stuck in this wretched place being bullied,” Duan'er said with concern etched on her face, filled with reluctance and reproach.
“Enough, enough. That maid is just taking advantage of her position. I’ve heard that this General’s wife is from a prestigious family connected to the Crown Prince; she’s well-educated and should not be so narrow-minded. Besides, I am merely a lowly concubine; it’s only natural for me to pay my respects to Madam every day—there's no need for me to be upset about it.” Yan Xinyao said as she returned to the table and began grooming herself in front of a mirror with graceful movements, as if all of this were unrelated to her; she had long since grown indifferent to worldly troubles.
“You seem quite unfazed,” Lian Cheng'an's voice suddenly rang out at the door. Dressed simply in short attire that accentuated his athletic build, he approached Yan Xinyao with a smile upon seeing her surprised expression. “I’m used to getting up early to practice swordsmanship.”
His dark eyes flicked over Yan Xinyao's bare feet, and he frowned slightly before picking up her shoes from beside the bed and reaching down to help her put them on. His movements were natural yet carried an air of intimacy.
Yan Xinyao felt a jolt of surprise and quickly bent down to stop him. “What are you doing? You are a dignified…”
"In the boudoir, there are only the couple; where do so many rules come from?" He unceremoniously grasped her smooth ankle, helping her put on her shoes. Noticing that Yan Xinyao's face was already blooming like a peach blossom, he merely said lightly, "I usually have my breakfast in the East Courtyard. Once you finish washing up, you should head over early."
With that, he turned and left, leaving Yan Xinyao alone in the room. Waves of emotions stirred within her, bringing a mix of anticipation and confusion about the days to come.
Yan Xinyao was momentarily stunned, watching him leave with a dazed expression. A hint of disappointment washed over her as she pondered, "What was that all about? Did he really come just to help me with my shoes? He says goodbye and just walks away—what does that mean?"
"I must say, Miss, you're the difficult one to please. When he's nice to you, you give him the cold shoulder; now you're blaming him for what?" Duan'er teased as she wrung out a cloth and handed it to her with a smile.
Yan Xinyao lightly tapped Duan'er on the head, feigning annoyance. "You talk too much." Yet, in her bright eyes, an unmistakable hint of jealousy flickered, though she herself remained unaware of it.
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