Jian Pingyu had three sons and a daughter. His eldest daughter, Jian Lizhi, married to the south and had not been back to the imperial capital for decades. When her nephew got married this time, she just asked her eldest son, Ji w.a.n.gxi, to send a gift. Jian Pingyu's eldest concubine's son, Jian Liyou, was ordinary and had no interest in official career. So after his old father retired, he directly resigned from his official position that was got due to his father's contribution and went back to serve his father with his wife and kids.

At present, only Jian Likuang's branch and Jian Limiao's branch of the Jian Family were in the imperial capital. And Jian Limiao was the only one in his branch.

Jian Yimian was the eldest legitimate daughter of Jian Likuang and his first legal wife. So she was the only person from the Jian Family to rough horseplay at weddings at this time.

Jian Yimian was not the daughter of the Grand Princess and always looked cowardly and craven in the Jian Family. How dared she condescend to her stepmother's daughter-in-law!

She looked overcautious. So other young ladies who came to join in the fun didn't dare to perform more actively than her because she was from the bridegroom's family.

Commandery Princess Qingjiang was Jinguo Grand Princess's eldest daughter and Madam Bai was the wife of her second son, Earl Shouchun. If Jinguo Grand Princess didn't ask them to come here, the air in the wedding room would be so cold and quiet.

“Xubai, you should go to the hall now!” After the ceremony, Commandery Princess Qingjiang was the first to joke the newlyweds and the wedding room's atmosphere finally became a little lively. Then she urged Jian Xubai, “Every minute of the wedding night is precious. Don't forget to drink less! We can't let you ignore your wife tonight!”

Madam Bai and others all broke into a loud laugh and pushed Jian Xubai out. After seeing a red flush spreading from face to Song Yixiao's neck, Commandery Princess Qingjiang smiled, “The bride has flushed before we joke you. You know that we will joke you after pus.h.i.+ng my fourth younger brother out?”

“We've prepared for a long time to banter the bride in the wedding room.” Madam Bai sighed deliberately, “But my heart is softened when I see the bride now! Alas, I'm always tender toward beauty!”

“You are tender toward beauty. Am I a philistine who offenses against culture?” Commandery Princess Qingjiang scolded her jokingly, “You were the most active people when we made plans. But now you dare to say that!”

Madam Bai spoke with great confidence, “I didn't know fourth younger brother's wife was such a cute and beautiful person. So I was active at that time! But how can I be so cruel to tease her after seeing her? So I have to let you down!”

After hearing their conversation, other people also realized their intention which was not to embarra.s.s Song Yixiao. After all, the wedding was so important through a girl's life. As long as they were not so stupid or had an old grudge, they wouldn't put the bride in an awkward situation on such a day.

They all understood it and followed with Commandery Princess Qingjiang and Madam Bai to praise Song Yixiao's beauty and to wish her live together with Jian Xubai until old age. Then they left.

Commandery Princess Qingjiang was the last one to leave. Seeing there were only two maids accompanying Song Yixiao, Commandery Princess Qingjiang said implicitly, “We will be family after you marry my younger brother. Please forget the misunderstandings between us!”

She apologized because she had wanted Song Yixiao to be her daughter-in-law.

Song Yixiao smiled, “You are so polite. As you said, we are family now. How can we have any misunderstandings?”

Commandery Princess Qingjiang smiled with satisfaction. She nodded to Song Yixiao and then left.

“Bring me a piece of pastry quickly!” Song Yixiao smiled to see the door closing and asked Jinxun to bolt it. Then she urged Jinxun, “Whatever the tea is hot or cold, pour a cup of tea for me first!”

Jinxun had already felt so sorry for her. After hearing that, she immediately complied with her request, “Your Ladys.h.i.+p, you eat little today and must be so tired. Please eat and let me ma.s.sage your shoulders.”

Qiaoqin was a top first maid sent by Wei Mengying to Song Yixiao. Wei Mengying was afraid that her young daughter would be bullied by sly servants after she got married. Qiaoqin hurried to take cosmetics from the box nearby and was ready to make up for Song Yixiao after she finished eating. Qiaoqin said, “The pastry is hard to digest. Your Ladys.h.i.+p, don't eat much! Otherwise you will have a stomachache.”

Then she said, “I'll go out to bring you some soft food in a little while.”

Commandery Princess Qingjiang wanted to resume relation with her younger brother's wife. So before Qiaoqin went out, Commandery Princess Qingjiang had asked a maid to take a large bowl of noodle soup to them when Song Yixiao just ate a piece of pastry. “Her Highness said that no one would bother you at this time and you could have it slowly!” The maid said.

“There is such a large bowl of noodle soup. Let's have it together.” Song Yixiao thanked the maid who sent it, and then she invited Jinxun and Qiaoqin to eat as soon as the maid left, “You have starved together with me for a whole day. Don't be punctilious at this time!”

They had already been tired, hungry and thirsty. Without people came in at this time, they quickly finished the food and felt better after taking a cup of hot tea to help to digest.

Although it had been autumn, the weather was not so cold. The door and windows were closed. So they sweated after eating the hot food.

Song Yixiao felt uncomfortable. Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.

Qiaoqin went to open the door and a girl in green clothes was there. The girl didn't look young but her dress was still the same as a maid. She bobbed after entering the door and said attractively, “Mistress, the Grand Princess heard that there were only two maids serving you. Her Highness is afraid that you just get married and isn't familiar with the mansion. So Her Highness sends me to serve you.”

Even if Song Yixiao had been Jian Xubai's official wife, she was not a mandated woman at present. So servants couldn't call her “Madam” and they should call her “Mistress”.

The maid explained why she came here and then said, “I'm Cuipiao.”

“Cuipiao?” Song Yixiao's memory was recalled by the name. She asked, “I remember that I met you six years ago?”

“Mistress, you really have a good memory!” Cuipiao curled her lips and smiled lightly, “I used to be a maid of the Palace of Mingren and have served His Highness for 12 years ago. Her Majesty the Empress Dowager worried that His Highness would was not accustomed to the servants after he partic.i.p.ated in government and political affairs this year. So she sent me to Duke of Yan's mansion to continue to serve His Highness.”

12 years ago? Continued to serve His Highness?

Qiaoqin had a faint smile on her face. Cuipiao might be 20 years old and was good-looking. She wanted to serve Jian Xubai and came to Duke of Yan's mansion from the imperial palace. Her intention was really obvious!

“Thank you!” Song Yixiao said and saw Qiaoqin's anger. Song Yixiao had just got married, but Cuipiao implied to her that she had already been decided to be a concubine. As a wife, how could Song Yixiao feel happy at this time?

However, although Cuipiao was a maid, she had served the Empress Dowager who sent her to Duke of Yan's mansion. Would the Empress Dowager also want her to be Jian Xubai's concubine?

Song Yixiao felt unhappy in her heart. But she smiled kindly on her face and asked, “I'm sweating now. Where can I take a bath?”

Cuipiao was very disappointed because Song Yixiao ignored her hint. She took them to the bath room and asked people to prepare the hot water. Then she made an excuse to leave. Obviously, she didn't want to serve Song Yixiao at all.

“Your Ladys.h.i.+p, the maid is so shameless! Today is your wedding. How dared she come to talk about that?” After Cuipiao left, Qiaoqin rolled up her sleeves for convenience and reminded Song Yixiao in a low voice, “Her Highness the Princess Consort has told us to get rid of this kind of people as soon as possible. No one knows what kind of trouble they will cause!”

Jinxun also thought Cuipiao seemed to slight Song Yixiao. She said, “But Her Majesty the Empress Dowager sends her to His Highness. Your Ladys.h.i.+p, you just get married. Is it proper to deal with her?”

“Let her go for few days.” Qiaoqin didn't want Song Yixiao to solve the trouble immediately. She said, “We can let her marry a man as soon as there is a chance! Your Ladys.h.i.+p, if she doesn't want to leave, you can't be tenderhearted to agree with her!”

Song Yixiao closed her eyes to rest against the bathtub and said lazily, “We just came here and we are unfamiliar with everything… Don't take any actions at present!”

It was her wedding night and her two maids didn't want her to be so upset. So they kept silent after hearing her decision.

Even so, Song Yixiao was not in a mood at this time.

After bathing, she reluctantly put on an undergarment with patterns of deep red pomegranates and two loves birds. Her dress was the same color with her undergarment and her red coat was made of thin yarns. Back to her room, she sat in front of the dressing table and two maids dried her long hair. The smooth bronze mirror showed most of the wedding room clearly. Many delicate and lively patterns with good moral were there, such as lilies, twin lotus flowers on one stalk, abundant pomegranates and melon vines. These patterns wished the couple to love each other forever and have many kids.

But after seeing Cuipiao, Song Yixiao wasn't in a good mood to see so many blessings.

So when she saw Qiaoqin taking out the makeup box, she just shook her head and said, “Just put a dangling ornament in my hair.”

Qiaoqin handed a dangling ornament with kingfisher's feather and then touched cosmetics. Song Yixiao frowned a little, “It's so late. Don't make up for me again!”

“Your Ladys.h.i.+p, you are so beautiful and don't need to make up.” Seeing Jinxun tying her black hair, Qiaoqin thought Song Yixiao was just shy and persuaded her with a smile, “But you are so tired today and your lips' color is a little light. Shall we use a little rouge?”

Qiaoqin persuaded her for a long time and finally rouged her lips like dew.

Qiaoqin had a look at the water clock and thought Jian Xubai would come back soon. So she winked at Jinxun and then they asked to guard outside the door together.

Song Yixiao didn't refuse them. After they went out, she used a handkerchief to wipe the rouge on her lips cleanly. Then she went to the bed and pulled out the brocade quilt to sleep.

Anyway, the reason why Jian Xubai married her was just because he wanted a helper.

In her view, her husband was generous. She thought he wouldn't be picky as long as she could manage the mansion well for him.

So Song Yixiao slept so naturally as if she didn't know that she had been married.

After she was awakened by a kiss, she seemed to feel a hand under her clothes. She was so shocked and scared that she kicked unprepared Jian Xubai to the ottoman!

“What did you do?” Jian Xubai didn't stand up immediately after falling down. He just sat on the ottoman and asked in a sluggish tone.

Ji Su had served him closely for a long time. If he was here, he must know Jian Xubai was really angry at this time.

Jian Xubai mingled with his friends and relatives in the wedding and finally found a chance to go back to the wedding room. He was so excited after seeing his bride's beautiful sleeping face. How could he be happy after he was violently interrupted?

“Sorry.” Song Yixiao touched her forehead and narrowed her eyes for a moment. Then she finally knew what happened and realized it was her wrong. She hurried to apologize softly, “I just woke up and was scared!”

Although Jian Xubai was poisoned and couldn't drink too much, guests would persuade him to drink a little at wedding feasts. At present, he was a little drunk and a blush rose to his eyes' comer. His beautiful eyes looked so bright and attractive.

He didn't move after hearing his wife's explanation and just said lightly, “Why do you still sit there after you know you are wrong?”

Song Yixiao puckered her lips and climbed to sit up. Then she stretched out to help him. As she leaned slightly, the red coat made of yarns fell down because Jian Xubai had untied it, revealing a large part of white skin.

Although the coat couldn't actually cover her skin, she instinctively withdrew her hand and tried to put it on.

Before she shrank her hand back, her white wrist had been caught by Jian Xubai suddenly.

At such a charming wedding night, seeing his attractive wife, the young duke naturally forgot the unhappy thing happened just now. He caught her wrist to draw Song Yixiao who was on the bed into his arms. Then he lowered his head to kiss her lips.

Song Yixiao was frozen for a while. Then she thought of Wei Mengying's words and tried to put her arms around his neck.

Jian Xubai was very satisfied with his wife's response. He instinctively put his tongue into her mouth and kissed her pa.s.sionately. When they felt hot gradually, Jian Xubai suddenly stood up to put his wife on the bed and was about to enjoy the night. Then there came a knock at the door!

“Who is there?” Jian Xubai kept pressing his wife but he turned livid with rage!

The person outside the door seemed to hear his angry tone and paused for a while. Then a trembling voice of Cuipiao came from outside, “Your Highness, there seems to be something wrong with the Yewu Paste you just ate. You… You have to eat another one!”

Lying under him, Song Yixiao narrowed her eyes and raised herself on her elbows. She stretched out to hold his black hair and smiled lightly, “Open the door. Your health is the most important thing. Besides… Cuipiao knows what we are doing but still brings medicine here. She is so worried about your health even if you will be angry with her!”

She covered her ridicule and coldness with her faint smile. Then she raised her head to blow on Jian Xubai's ear and said, “Don't ignore the beauty's good intention, right?”