The Young Lady of the General’s House

Zhao-momo was unaware of what happened, she prepared many kinds of cakes out of affection towards Shen Jin. Taking care of Shen Jin all these times, she couldn’t help feeling as if it was her own daughter getting married.

Chu Xiuming held Shen Jin on horseback all the way back to the Mansion. Her headcover had been handed to the wedding matron, at the beginning she hid in Chu Xiuming’s arms but after a while couldn’t resist raising her head to look outside.

At first she was still embarrassed, peeked with an eye and hid back, gradually one eye became two eyes, then two eyes turned into three eyes, in the end she lied in Chu Xiuming’s arms without hiding anymore, occasionally raised her white and small hands waving to people she knew.

T/N – I am not sure how it is possible, but I swear the raw says ‘three eyes’.

She knew quite a lot of people, those she waved to were obviously very happy, while everyone around was jealous because they wanted to be waved by the Furen too. Many spontaneously followed behind Chu Xiuming’s horse towards the General’s Mansion.

T/N – Furen 夫人 = Madam

“Eh, I think everyone Furen greeted are food sellers?” Someone asked uncertainly.

The person besides him said, “It can’t be.”

“You see the one Furen just waved is Old Qiao the flatbread seller, his flatbread is really good. The previous guy sells stewed beef, he specialty is  long-stewed soup so the meat is tender and fragrant. The one before stewed beef is the wonton seller at the corner of the street….. “

“Furen is from the Capital, she must had had everything, should be just a coincidence.” Someone else said, “Furen is a Junzhu, the Emperor’s niece.”

“That’s right too.” The first person was now convinced, “It must be just a coincidence.”

Firecrackers set off as they arrived at the Mansion, Chu Xiuming held Shen Jin getting off the horse.

Saddle brazier and so on had been prepared, Shen Jin carefully stepped over it, Chu Xiuming should be just leading in front of her but unexpectedly he just directly carried her inside. The town people following them were met by the reception by the Mansion staff.

T/N – The 鞍 in saddle 马鞍 has similar pronounciation as 安 in 平安 which means ‘safe and sound’ The saying is “烈女不嫁二夫，好马不配双鞍” roughly means respectable women don’t marry two husband, good horses don’t take two saddles.

T/N – Stepping over brazier 跨火盆 is meant to burn all bad luck and to leap towards the new life.

Shen Jin’s arms were wrapped around Chu Xiuming’s neck, she looked around at Chu Xiuyuan, Zhao-momo, An Ping, Steward Wang, other people she knew and those she didn’t know….. everyone was full of smiles.

Suddenly she said, “I do, too.”

“En?” Chu Xiuming lowered his head at Shen Jin. As smart as he was, he didn’t understand what she meant.

Shen Jin pressed her face against Chu Xiuming’s chest without answering, Chu Xiuming didn’t ask again.

The wedding hall was beautifully decorated, the two of them bowed to heaven and earth, then to Chu Xiuming’s parents’ memorial tablet. Chu family no longer had any elders, he had asked Shen Jin and as she didn’t mind so they put the memorial tablets in the main hall.

In the whole Tian Qi, perhaps Shen Jin was the first bride ever who bowed to heaven and earth without a headcover, and also the first bride ever who after bowing was directly taken by the groom to be introduced to people.

The people Chu Xiuming took Shen Jin to meet were not outsiders, they were all the brothers who had lived with him through battlegrounds. There were a lot of military official subordinates attending. Some others that had been stationed elsewhere sent congratulation gifts.

The simpler-minded ones thought Shen Jin was introduced to them because they were important in the General’s eyes. However those who could think deeper realised this was them being introduced to the bride, the General thought highly of this wife and wanted her to know them.

At first they were worried that their rough appearance would scare her, but this small and delicate Shen Jin toasted them one by one without fear, she looked natural and at ease as she urged them to drink and eat. Many people started to feel relaxed, the voices which were previously lowered returned back to normal. They had been afraid to speak normally because it would look bad if she cried.

Shen Jin had a smug expression on her face as she looked at Chu Xiuming. Actually Chu Xiuming had expected that she wouldn’t be afraid. She wasn’t afraid when they were at the market with rough men and strange hair and eyes coloured people around.

Chu Xiuming found his little lady could actually be called a ‘stupidly bold’ person, but then there were times when just slightest movements could frighten her so much that she shrunk, so he didn’t know what to say.

The wine Shen Jin had was the lightest osmanthus wine, and each time her tiny white jade cup was filled only half by An Ping, but after a round of drinking her cheeks were scarlet, her eyes watery and bright, and she kept staring at Chu Xiuming from time to time.

Shen Jin had smooth flawless skin like the finest jade, a little pinch could leave bruises as it was delicate and tender. At Rui Wang’s mansion, she wasn’t as imposing as Shen Qi or as beautiful as Shen Zi, but even Rui Wang had praised her fair skin. The nurturing Momo was ordered to specially took care of her, that’s how her habit of drinking cow milk and goat milk developed.

“Fujun….. ” The drunk Shen Jin was fond of pampering, as she was being wrapped in Chu Xiuming’s arm, she delicately called out, “I am hungry.”

The military men who had been at the border for long were used to formidable and fiery women which was very different from Shen Jin’s appearance, their eyes subconsciously kept being drawn to Shen Jin.

Chu Xiuming certainly noticed it, men understood other men’s thoughts, so he reached out and pressed Shen Jin into his arms. His eyes swept around the brothers subordinates, had three bowls of wine poured, then left holding Shen Jin.

“Ha ha ha ha…. the General is impatient.”

“Of course he is. If it’s you marrying such a wife, you’ll be even more anxious.”

“Young General, come drink with us.”

“Ha ha ha… Young General doesn’t understand, quick come drink.”

The crowd looked at Chu Xiuyuan inviting him. A similar smile like Chu Xiuming’s appeared on Chu Xiuyuan’s face, he laughed, “My brother let me accompany you all to drink. But since you said I don’t understand, tomorrow I will ask my brother, I am sure he understands.”

Wails and pleas for mercy broke out, soon it turned to the finger-guessing games noises and laughters.

Chu Xiuming’s face was calm but his eyes could barely restrained his joy, even his steps were faster than usual.

Zhao-momo and the others had been waiting in the wedding room, they didn’t expect Chu Xiuming would return this quickly and with Shen Jin in his arms, they worriedly asked, “Is Furen not feeling well?”

Zhao-momo actually didn’t approve Shen Jin meeting the military men this early. They were not bad people but they looked rough and violent, Furen was delicately raised, how if she was scared by them, but she couldn’t oppose Chu Xiuming’s decision.

Hearing Zhao-momo’s voice, Shen Jin’s head struggled out of Chu Xiuming’s arms, she spoiledly said “Momo, I want to eat osmanthus silver fungus and lily porridge.”

Shen Jin’s voice was soft, when she acted spoiled her voice was even more sticky, with a slightly drawn out tail, extraordinarily cute.

As Shen Jin looked fine, Zhao-momo sighed with relief, “Furen can eat after drinking the cross-cup wine.”

“En.” Shen Jin’s reaction was a bit slow, she thought for a while, “Fujun drink a cup of wine…. then eat.”

Chu Xiuming put Shen Jin down, his voice was a bit hoarse, “Alright.” He led Shen Jin to sit on the wedding bed.

On top of the bed spread red dates, peanuts, longyan and lotus seed. Shen Jin sat on top of a longyan, “Eh.” She confusedly fumbled for it for long, when finally found she tried to peel it. Shen Jin was drunk but could still recognise things.

Zhao-momo was carrying the wine, she hurriedly took the longyan, “Furen, wait a little, there will be food.”

Shen Jin pouted but she responded, Chu Xiuming took the wine and put it in her hand, he also took one cup. Shen Jin blinked, looked at Chu Xiuming’s face, then sweetly smiled, “Fujun.”

Chu Xiuming turned to Zhao-momo, “Let everyone out.”

Zhao-momo was astonished, “Yes.” She led all the servants out of the room.

After the door was closed, Chu Xiuming said, “Be good, here drink wine.”

“Oh.” Shen Jin thought a while and laughed, “I can do that. Momo taught me.”

She enthusiastically drink the cross-cup wine with Chu Xiuming, then looked at him with expectation. When Zhao-momo was teaching her, she was rewarded with some snack after drinking.

Chu Xiuming wasn’t Zhao-momo and he didn’t know what Zhao-momo did. Seeing Shen Jin looking at him with an expecting look, his throat suddenly felt dry. He took the cup from Shen Jin’s hand and got up to lock the door from inside.

When he returned, Shen Jin was sitting on the bed uncomfortably pulling her dress, Chu Xiuming asked, “What’s wrong?”

“It’s too tight.” Shen Jin complained, “Momo said it won’t be tight.”

She had drunk a lot of wine, her body felt hot, the chest part was tight and felt even more uncomfortable.

Chu Xiuming’s eyes swept from the swelling chest to the tight waist. He moved forward, his both hands grabbed Shen Jin’s, his voice was very warm, “Where is too tight?”

The drunk Shen Jin was shameless, “This chest area.”

“I’ll give you a massage?” Chu Xiuming’s eyes fell on the places she said were tight, under the Moonlight brocade the two areas became more eye-catching.

Shen Jin pondered a little, she hadn’t responded when Chu Xiuming held her down on the bed, his hands started massaging the said areas.

The Moonlight brocade was not only beautiful but also very soft, but still not as soft as what was underneath it. Shen Jin gave little gasps, she twisted her body, “It’s weird, en, don’t want….”

“Be good, I’ll take it off for you, won’t be tight anymore.”

“Pain…..” Shen Jin was twisting more, she started to cry. “Painful…..”

Chu Xiuming hadn’t made any move but Shen Jin had already cried, and she kept on crying. Crying crying and fumbling on the bed, her fingers found a red date. Shen Jin was going to throw out the thing that caused her pain, but she saw it could be eaten. She sniffed and stopped crying, put the red date into her mouth.

She wanted to look for more, but Chu Xiuming was already at the end of his patience, he lifted Shen Jin up and lightly hit her bottom three times, Shen Jin became even more upset.

Chu Xiuming used one hand to pull the blanket from the bed, he shook off the scattered sweets off the bed before putting the blanket back.

He put Shen Jin back on the bed, Shen Jin just had a red date, her mouth tasted of red date’s sweetness and wine’s fragrance.

“Ah…. pain…. hu hu…..”

“Be good, won’t be painful soon.”

Not sure how long, but Shen Jin’s beggings resounded, her soft harmless voice started again, “I can’t, my waist hurts, hu hu…. don’t want….. don’t bite me…… hu hu I am hungry ……”

“I am feeding you.”

“Hu hu hu hu…..”