Chapter 28: The Bridal Chamber Lit by Candles
The wedding procession was scattered; the commoners who had been watching from the roadside, fearing they might be caught in the crossfire, fled in panic without regard for direction.
Amidst the chaos, an assassin seized an opportunity and darted toward the bridal sedan chair.
He lifted the curtain and came face to face with a pale-faced guard: “…Brother, who are you?”
The assassin was slightly bewildered. In this day and age, could there really be someone sending a man to take the bride’s place?
Mu Bai approached silently, struck him unconscious with a single chop to the neck, and tossed him into the sedan chair.
The guard shifted aside to make room. Before long, three more assassins were tossed in one after another, creating a scene as bustling as dumplings being dropped into boiling water. The sedan chair quickly became overcrowded, forcing him to step out and help move the unconscious assassins inside, arranging them properly.
Soon, the kidnappers who came to abduct the bride were driven away by the bride herself, and the wedding procession continued on its journey.
However, inside the sedan chair, besides the bride, there were also four unconscious assassins being carried along.
Mu Bai was squeezed into just a tiny space, but fortunately the remaining distance was not long; after about a quarter of an hour’s walk, the sedan chair stopped before the prince’s residence.
For the Fifth Prince’s wedding, only high-ranking court officials were invited, yet female relatives and children who had followed crowded at the entrance, each stretching their necks eager to catch a glimpse of what the bride looked like.
Upon hearing that the bridal sedan had arrived, Su Mo left his guests behind and hurried to the entrance.
“Ah, the Fifth Prince has come.”
The ladies whispered among themselves; a few wore complicated expressions, tinged with resentment.
In earlier years, had one spoken of the suitors most cherished by the young ladies of Wuti Kingdom, the Fifth Prince, Su Mo, would surely have topped the list. Yet later, Su Mo feigned illness and retreated to Qinglian Valley, vanishing from sight ever since. Of those maidens who had once plotted to marry into the prince’s household, half were already wed to other men, while the other half, having barely endured until His Highness returned to the kingdom, now heard he was bringing back a maiden to wed.
Thus, they stood guard at the door, each harboring their own thoughts, yet ultimately all wishing to catch a glimpse of what the prince’s bride looked like.
Su Mo approached the bridal sedan chair, using his back to block those prying gazes, then lifted the curtain to reveal his bride seated inside, accompanied by four strange men.
Su Mo: “…”
He remained remarkably calm, silently lowering the curtain and whispering, “Xiao Bai, adjust your phoenix crown properly and cover your head with the veil.”
Mu Bai adjusted his attire as instructed, covered himself with the red veil, lifted a small slit in the curtain, and slipped out.
Su Mo took his hand and said gently, “Be careful.”
He patiently cleared away obstacles, guiding Mu Bai slowly through the gate of the prince’s residence: “Mind the steps.”
Mu Bai’s vision was blocked by the red veil; he could only hear people nearby chattering, “That’s the prince’s bride—so tall.”
“Her figure is absolutely stunning; even from behind, she’s a beauty. Standing together, I can’t tell which of them I should envy more…”
Mu Bai whispered softly, “It seems there are many people.”
Su Mo gently pinched the tip of his finger. “Don’t be nervous; it will be over soon.”
“I’m not nervous,” Mu Bai lowered his voice. “Those four in the sedan chair are assassins sent by Lord Hao. I heard him in his study that night plotting with the Red Lotus Sect to harm you.”
Su Mo raised an eyebrow slightly as Mu Bai continued, “I feared they might die from the Red Lotus Fire Poison, so I knocked them out and left them there. Tell me how you wish to deal with them.”
“I will send someone later to take them into custody.”
Mu Bai fell silent again, only whispering softly once more as Su Mo led him across the threshold: “Good brother.”
Su Mo’s hand trembled slightly. He tightened his grip on Mu Bai and asked gently, “What’s wrong?”
“This phoenix crown is so heavy,” came the reply, tinged with a hint of grievance.
Su Mo soothingly squeezed his palm. “You’ve worked hard. It will be over soon. After we complete the wedding rites, you can return to your room to rest.”
“I heard Lady Hao say that the wedding customs in Wuti Kingdom are quite elaborate. After bowing to heaven and earth, one must still serve tea to the guests and distribute candied nuts…”
“I’ll take care of all that.” Su Mo lowered his gaze to the hand he was holding—fair and beautiful, yet bearing the calluses formed from sword practice.
He suddenly sighed, “I wish I could dismiss them all right now.”
Mu Bai, puzzled, asked, “Even if you dismissed them, what then?”
“Enter the bridal chamber.”
Mu Bai: “…”
He had an ominous premonition.
Mu Bai thought for a moment, then earnestly warned, “Don’t drink too much later. If you try anything funny when we return to our room, I’ll slice you with my sword.”
Outside, there was a moment of silence before Su Mo spoke: “If they come to offer a toast, I cannot stop them.”
“How is your tolerance for alcohol?”
“Not much.”
“…” Mu Bai felt the weight on her head growing heavier.
According to Wuti customs, the red veil was to remain until the wedding night, when the groom would personally lift it upon returning to the bridal chamber.
Mu Bai cared little for such formalities. After completing the wedding rites and returning to her room, she swiftly removed both the red veil and the phoenix crown in no time, letting her cascade of raven-black hair fall freely.
From the moment he stepped out of the sedan chair, his vision had been blocked by the red veil, preventing him from seeing the full splendor of the prince’s residence; yet, judging solely by this bridal chamber, it was indeed beautiful.
On the brass candlestick stood a pair of red candles intricately carved with dragons and phoenixes; before the bed hung deep crimson gauze curtains, while the floor was covered with plush carpets.
Fruits and pastries were arranged on the table; Mu Bai ate some, then strolled around the room twice before wandering over to the door.
Outside, voices clamored loudly, creating a remarkably festive atmosphere.
Bored from waiting, he cracked the door open just a sliver to peek outside. In the vast courtyard, waves of floral fragrance drifted through the air; as a fierce wind swept by, petals and leaves rained down, carpeting the ground. Maids and attendants darted back and forth among them, bustling without pause.
In the outer courtyard, ministers chatted and toasted one another, while women and children laughed and played amidst the banquet tables and beneath the flowering trees.
Suddenly, Mu Bai felt a pang of loneliness, as if abandoned in an empty room.
He shut the door, still wearing his makeup, and threw himself face-down onto the bed.
The bed was enormous, layered with countless quilts so incredibly soft that one sank into it upon lying down. Shrouded in dark gauze curtains, it induced a drowsy stupor.
Mu Bai lay down, staring blankly at the canopy above. He lost track of time until dusk fell outside, dimming the light within the room as the clamor gradually subsided.
He closed his eyes for a brief rest when suddenly he heard the door push open. Someone entered and quietly closed it again.
As the footsteps drew nearer, Mu Bai caught the scent of wine. Strangely enough, while others reeked of alcohol, on Su Mo the faint aroma of wine mingled with sandalwood, creating an inexplicably captivating fragrance.
Mu Bai had intended to sit up, but then felt that doing so would make her seem like a lonely spouse eagerly rushing to greet him the moment he returned, which would be rather strange. So she remained still.
Rustling sounds came from beyond the gauze curtains; it seemed Su Mo was removing his wedding robes, folding them neatly, and placing them on the table.
Mu Bai secretly peeked out and saw him wearing only a thin black robe, its front slightly open, revealing hints of muscular definition and deep collarbones.
Seeing Su Mo approach, she quickly averted her gaze, lay flat, and pretended to be dead.
The bed suddenly sank deeper; Mu Bai dared not move even more, until he heard Su Mo softly say, “Xiao Bai, you look very beautiful today.”
Only then did he lift his eyelids, meeting a pair of eyes as dark and clear as polished jade.
Though heavy with the scent of wine, those eyes remained remarkably lucid.
Mu Bai let out a sigh of relief: “Good brother, your bed is too soft; I nearly fell asleep.”
Su Mo merely gazed at him, saying nothing, as his index finger gently traced the floral mark between Mu Bai’s brows.
Mu Bai felt the atmosphere growing strange, so he followed up on Su Mo’s earlier remark, “It does look beautiful, but it’s far too troublesome; it took a full hour to paint.”
“You’ve gone through much trouble,” Su Mo whispered, leaning down to softly capture Mu Bai’s lips with his own.
Before Mu Bai could raise his hands to push away, his ten fingers were already entwined; yet every movement was exceedingly light, so tender that resistance seemed impossible.
He yields to softness but resists hardness, yet Su Mo happens to be his very weakness.
Mu Bai sensed something different this time from before; perhaps it was the atmosphere, or maybe the wine mingling with their intertwined breaths had simply intoxicated him.
Breathing heavily, Su Mo whispered gently into his ear, “Xiao Bai, I feel so much.”
He didn’t know how to respond. Should he say, “Me too”?
Mu Bai remained silent.
The dark red gauze curtains swayed in unison with the hidden presence, silent and undisclosed.
Su Mo suddenly pulled away, turned, and stepped down from the bed.
Mu Bai opened her reddened eyes in bewilderment, breathing softly, her fingers gently tracing the lingering warmth on the bedding.
But it was not enough.
“Brother Su Mo, where are you going?” He pushed aside the gauze curtain and saw Su Mo gently blow out the red candle.
..
Reason snapped its thread.
In a daze, Mu Bai returned to that night of the Qiqiao Festival, when he and Su Mo had released lanterns upon the river.
At first, the river water was pitch-black and calm; a gentle breeze brushed past, rippling its surface.
Suddenly, brilliant fireworks soared into the night sky, blooming… fading, only for another round to rise immediately after, like tides ebbing and flowing, waves crashing against reefs.
Until the fragments of the fireworks completely sank into the river, warm and scalding, as if countless lanterns drifted toward the depths of the long river, setting it ablaze.
In the darkness, when emotions ran deepest, he vaguely cried out, “Brother Su Mo,” yet Su Mo, insatiable, gently tugged his ear, his voice hoarse from excessive indulgence: “Call me ‘husband’.”
“I won’t.” He refused steadfastly, even under threat of death.
Su Mo coaxed him again, “We’ve already consummated the marriage; you may call me that.”
Mu Bai then wrapped himself tightly in the blanket and rolled over into the bed.
Su Mo pulled him out, carried him to be washed, gently dried him off, and then brought him back to bed.
Early the next morning, Mu Bai opened his sleepy eyes to find a coldly handsome face gazing down at him; the tear mole at the corner of those eyes stirred memories of last night’s bewildering passion.
Mu Bai stared at him for a long while, then rolled over and gazed blankly at the canopy above the bed.
What on earth had he done last night?
It was Su Mo who had been drunk, not himself; besides, Su Mo’s eyes had been clear and sharp, showing no sign of intoxication whatsoever.
Mu Bai dared not recall what had happened; the more he thought about it, the more ashamed he felt. Clenching his fists, he silently admonished himself never to let it happen again.
Yet… he turned his head to glance at the face of the person beside him.
A demon.
Mu Bai stared at Su Mo for quite a while; the longer he looked, the more detestable Su Mo seemed. Yet he couldn’t bring himself to strike him. Instead, he sat up on his own, intending to get out of bed.
Immediately, a sharp pain shot through his tailbone.
Mu Bai: “…”
It’s nothing, no big deal. For a martial artist, what are such minor injuries and pains?
He supported his lower back as he walked out of the room.
Mu Bai remembered Lady Hao mentioning that, according to the customs of Wuti Kingdom, on the morning after the wedding night, the bride must rise early to prepare breakfast. Thus, he asked a maid in the mansion for directions to the kitchen and headed straight there.
When Su Mo awoke, the sky was already bright with daylight. It had been a long time since he had slept so deeply; stretching contentedly, he reached out to his side only to find it empty.
“Xiao Bai?”
No one answered.
He tumbled out of bed and, without bothering to put on his shoes, hurried outside, only to bump into Jin Yi, who was rushing in: “Your Highness, the Lady, the Lady he…”
Su Mo hurriedly asked, “What’s wrong with him?”
“Madam, he steamed one hundred buns for you—plain ones without any filling—and insisted that you eat them all!”
Su Mo: “…”