Chapter 174: Chapter 174 - The Lantern Festival

Song Yixiao was ashamed and angry, saying without hesitation, “Who is more like the wood? You’ve stared at me for such a long time, doing nothing at all!”

Jian Xubai was slightly surprised and then put down the curtain laughingly, “Since you are so frank, how can I let you down?”

The curtain dropped, which covered the amazing scene on bed.

The bed exquisitely made with padauk by the craftsmen was slightly shaking while Song Yixiao in the curtain felt as if being in the stormy waves.

After doing for a few times, she became completely faint and dizzy. Extremely tired, holding her husband’s shoulders, she begged her husband to stop, but Jian Xubai just lowered his head to press his forehead against hers, saying smilingly, “Do you remember what I said to you the other day? I’ve told you not to feel remorseful, haven’t I?”

Song Yixiao recalled that in a trance, embarrassed and angry. She pushed him weakly. However, he kissed her even harder.

Amidst passionate kisses, they were closely pressing against each other. She felt as tremblingly hot as fire and lava, fearfully painful and indulgently delighted. For the moment, she had no idea when it was and where she was, as if her world was merely within the small curtain.

It was more like that only she and her husband existed in this world.

Regardless of the past, or the future, at the moment, he was her everything.

So was she to him.

“This finally happened!” Prepared as she was before getting married, Song Yixiao can’t help sighing about losing her virginity.

He was her husband and she was his wife. It was natural that they should sleep together and own each other.

She had been prepared since her wedding.

Yet, loss of her virginity and consummation of the marriage with her husband still put her into a panic for the unknown future.

In the following days, she might be faced with the helplessness about sickness and death, the dispute over trivial matters in life, the grudge over betrayal…

It was easy to simply write a memorial about one’s life but in reality, she should compose her own books of life with her husband through days and nights together.

Witnessed by their families and the invited guests, they would spend the rest of their life together since their wedding ceremony.

How could ordinary people foresee what would happen for the following decades?

How could she not feel afraid?

However, just because she couldn’t know what would happen tomorrow, she still had hope and fantasy despite fear. The snow fell on the roof while the candlelight was burning quietly. The couple was cuddling in each other’s arms warmly.

For the moment, regardless of the perplexity for the future, she held her husband tightly and affectionately, just like an ordinary wife did.

Compared with Song Yixiao’s complicated mind, Jian Xubai didn’t think that much. He stared at his wife in his arms and saw her hickeys on the neck. Subconsciously, he smiled happily. Yeah, his heart was filled with sheer happiness.

He finally owned her nominally and physically. His feeling of delight was beyond words.

He looked out of the curtain and found that the first rays of the morning sun had cast in the room gently.

Stroked by the sunshine, Jian Xubai closed his eyes comfortably.

When Song Yixiao woke up, it was in the evening.

She felt sore and sluggish all over her body, who was in low spirits. Unlike her, Jian Xubai, who was decently dressed up, looked in fine fig, with flashing eyes and a big smile.

“Are you hungry?” He helped his wife freshen up nicely and said considerately. “I asked the chef to cook chicken soup and cubilose at noon. Now you can eat some then!”

“You got up at noon? Why didn’t you wake me up?” When Song Yixiao found that it was completely dark outside, she felt like covering her face so much. As the mistress, she slept for a whole day without getting sick!

She could imagine how the others in the mansion would gossip about her this day!

Maybe even the people outside the mansion also learnt about that!

Could she go out in the following days?

Jian Xubai realized her depression and gave a teasing smile, saying, “It is the first lunar month now. There is nothing significant to do. Why would I wake you up?”

Now he was talking in a high-sounding manner!

When Song Yixiao finished freshening up, they had supper in the drawing room. Then Jian Xubai said, “I have to deal with a few public affairs left last year in the study. I’ll come back later.”

Song Yixiao slept for a whole day but now she still didn’t feel well. Hence, she nodded her head. “Go ahead!”

After he left, she didn’t care about the maids’ giggling. Having learnt that nothing special happened in the back yard today, she ordered Jinxun to check on Zhiqin and then returned to her room.

After going into the inner chamber, she flung onto the bed to continue sleeping. While she was sleeping sound, she was awoken by her husband’s kiss.

She opened her eyes and saw him kissing her and taking off his clothes at the same time. Song Yixiao thought of last night and couldn’t help feeling timid. Hastily, she pushed him away and begged, “I’m too tired. Can we do it in a few days?”

“Come on!” Jian Xubai bit her earlobe softly and told her why he didn’t wake her up with a faint smile. “If you feel tired, you can sleep in the daytime. After all, the Yamen is not open yet. I don’t need to work so I can attend to the affairs in the mansion!”

Song Yixiao was speechless.

Did it mean that she couldn’t sleep at night then?

She didn’t want to do as told. However, Jian Xubai ignored her objection and put down the curtain himself…

In the following two days or three, Song Yixiao was forced to mess up her sleeping schedule. By the eve of the Lantern Festival, she finally flared up. “I’ve been invited to the Lantern Festival Feast. If I miss it and lose face, I will get even with you for this!”

As his wife was really angry, Jian Xubai had to let her sleep for half a night reluctantly.

On the morning of the 15th day of the first lunar month, Song Yixiao looked at her tired face in the mirror and then glared at the chief culprit nearby. As Jinxun and the other maids were trying to fight the urge to giggle, she ordered with a long face, “Put more rouge on my face!”

Actually, rarely did she wear heavy make-up. After she went into the imperial palace, not only the acquaintances but also Commandery Princess Qingjiang, Xie Yiren and other friends of hers all noticed her look. They all came to show their concern. “How come you are wearing such heavy make-up today? Are you too tired?”

Song Yixiao replied perfunctorily with a forced smile, “My maids insisted in making me try on the new make-up. Does it look bad? I shouldn’t have listened to them!”

The reason was really convincing. They all said, “Nonsense! You look splendid! It’s just that we have never seen you like this. We are quite surprised.”

Song Yixiao exchanged some pleasantries and then changed the topic. They came here just about time. After chatting for a while, a eunuch came inside and reported that the empress was arriving. The guests present all stayed quiet and adjusted their outfit to receive the empress.

After a while, the Empress and Noble Consort Cui supported the Empress Dowager into the hall, followed by Virtuous Consort Jiang and Princess Yushan. Behind them were other concubines who attended the feast.

The Empress Dowager ordered the guests to rise. Amidst rising, Song Yixiao glanced around and happened to see Lady Nuan. Due to her current identity, this former princess of Wuhuan was not eye-catching in terms of her dress or sitting position though she was allowed to attend the feast.

Yet, without doubt, she was stunningly beautiful. Although she was sitting at the corner with her head lowered, many eyes were still fixed on her.

“Who is that?” Song Yixiao heard quite some guests whispering. “Since when such a beauty was sent into the imperial palace? Judging from her outlook, her position is not high. Is she of humble parentage?”

“These days it has been snowing heavily. The branches of many flowers and trees in my palace have been broken off. I suppose that it must be quite difficult to walk here.” The Empress Dowager didn’t look at Lady Nuan. After sitting down, she looked around and smiled. Then she started to talk with the senior ladies on her left side, “Everything went well when you came here?”

Great Grand Princess Zhenyang, Dowager Consort of Hengshan and the other noble ladies heard her and hastened to answer on behalf of all the senior ladies. “Thank you for asking, Your Majesty! Everything went well indeed!”

Great Grand Princess Zhenyang added, “It has been heavily snowy these days indeed. But the roads inside the palace have been well cleaned, which are much easier to walk on than those outside the palace!”

The Empress is more considerate than I expected!” The Empress Dowager instantly praised Empress Su’s thoroughness. “After all, she is the legal wife of my son, who knows how to share burden with him.”

Empress Su said respectfully, “Mother, I’m so flattered. The noble consort and other concubines have given me a reminder too. I don’t dare to take the credit myself.”

The guests started to compliment on the Empress Dowager’s kindness, the Empress’s virtue and generosity and the concubines’ wisdom. However, in Song Yixiao’s view, the Empress Dowager seemed to talk with the tongue in her cheek by saying “share burden with him”. The Empress Dowager didn’t agree with Prince of Zhao’s competing for the throne. Did she just say that to remind Empress Su to show concern for Emperor Xianjia and not to cause trouble for him?

However, obviously, according to Empress Su’s response, either she didn’t realize the Empress Dowager’s intention or she just ignored that.

“It is fair enough. It would be fine if Prince of Zhao never showed his ambition, but Duke of Ji even dared to seize the power upon the late emperor’s death. What else can he do but to stick to his path?” Song Yixiao was not surprised by the Empress’s response. “After all, His Majesty values the old sentiments but the Crown Prince may not! Hence, it is better to take a shot rather than rely on others’ kindness.”

While she was ruminating, the Empress Dowager asked the Crown Princess, “It is said that the side concubine in your palace is heavy with twins?”

The Crown Princess hurriedly stood up and replied with a smile, “Yes, Grandma. Jianlian is blessed to be pregnant with twins!”

“She is blessed indeed!” The Empress Dowager smiled too. Sitting next to the Crown Princess, Cui Jianlian was six months pregnant with apparently swollen belly. The Empress Dowager only asked the Crown Princess questions. For the moment, Cui Jianlian didn’t know whether she should sit or stand, who was rather awkward. The Empress Dowager just took it that she didn’t notice that. Instead, she continued to talk to the Crown Princess, “No wonder you look thinner these days. It is rare to conceive twins, so it must be harder to take care of such a pregnant woman!”

Instantly, Noble Consort Cui and Cui Jianlian were both slightly shocked.

Clearly, the Empress Dowager was disgruntled at Cui Jianlian!

Luckily, Empress Su and the Crown Princess hastened to smooth things over. The former said that she asked the Crown Princess to help organize the feast, which was why the latter became thinner; the latter declared that she got a cold so she had no appetite for food, leading to her weight loss. Anyway, they just wanted to prove that Side Concubine Cui had nothing to do with the Crown Princess’s weight loss!

However, regardless of their explanation, the Empress Dowager didn’t change her attitude. Noble Consort Cui and her niece were doomed to sit there on pins and needles tonight.

“I heard that Xubai was very busy before the Spring Festival so you had to take care of the household affairs all by yourself.” The Empress Dowager gave Noble Consort Cui and her niece a long face and then again, became amicable and continued to show concern for others.

Thanks to Jian Xubai, she also talked to Song Yixiao kindly. “You must be tired these days.”

“Your Majesty, thank you for your concern,” Song Yixiao said hurriedly. “It is a wife’s duty to cope with household affairs! Moreover, Xubai is always busy with work. He must be more tired!”

After all the inquiring and answering, the Lantern Festival Feast finally started.

The guests had wine together for three rounds and the atmosphere became less tense. Song Yixiao was playing with a white-jade cup, watching the singing and dancing performance, and meanwhile chatting casually with Nie Wuying. Suddenly, Jinxun bent down and whispered to her, “Your Highness, the maid of Her Highness the Princess Consort came here just now, saying that Her Highness wanted to meet you in the dressing room in 15 minutes.”

“My mother?” Song Yixiao was slightly shocked and subconsciously looked to Wei Mengying only to find that she was holding a cup and talking smilingly with the noble ladies near her. She didn’t even glance at Song Yixiao, who didn’t seemingly wish to meet her.

Yet, Wei Mengying always knew how to pretend. Song Yixiao thought for a while and then said to Nie Wuying, “I’m a bit drunk and I will go to get changed. If you feel bored, you can go to hang out with Yiren and other pals.”