Forcibly Snatched by the Tyrant After Transmigrating into a Book 14

Chapter 14: The Wedding

Sheng Qianheng had tossed and turned until the middle of the night before finally falling asleep. Now, being kicked out of bed by Chu Yi, his anger flared.

But when he sat up and looked at Chu Yi, he saw him huddled in the inner corner of the bed, hugging his knees, staring at him with a look of fear. In that instant, Sheng Qianheng’s anger dissipated considerably.

Only after kicking the person did Chu Yi realize something was wrong, but it was too late to salvage the situation. He could only feign being startled. He watched as Sheng Qianheng’s mood gradually stabilized before slowly crawling to the outer side of the bed. “Are you okay? Did I kick too hard…? There was no one here when I fell asleep, but you suddenly appeared in my bed. I was scared for a moment, so I…”

Sheng Qianheng raised a hand to rub the spot where he had been kicked and said coldly, “Chu Yi, you’ve got quite a kick…”

Chu Yi climbed off the bed, squatted in front of Sheng Qianheng, and reached out to rub the spot for him. “I’m sorry…”

Sheng Qianheng sighed. Staring at the small figure huddled in front of him, he found he couldn’t stay angry. He raised his hand, wanting to ruffle that fluffy head, but restrained himself. “Tonight, I’ll sleep on the inside.”

Chu Yi nodded, looking up at Sheng Qianheng with a blank expression. This tyrant is still willing to sleep with me after all that?

“Ah? I’m afraid I’ll kick you again…”

Hearing no response from Chu Yi from outside the room, Ruotao asked again, “Your Highness, shall this servant attend to your grooming?”

Only then did Chu Yi notice Ruotao’s presence. He looked at Sheng Qianheng, and another plan formed in his mind. He quickly stood up, feigning a busy demeanor. “Sheng Qianheng, you can’t be in my room! Quick, quick, hide!”

He pulled Sheng Qianheng up, took his hand, and ran to the window. Chu Yi pushed open the window and looked back at Sheng Qianheng. “Quick, climb out! It won’t be good if you’re discovered.”

Still hearing no movement from Chu Yi, Ruotao thought he had secretly fled. She deliberately raised her voice, “Your Highness, this servant is coming in.”

Sheng Qianheng wanted to explain, but he couldn’t get a word in.

Chu Yi pushed at his lower back, urging, “Hurry up! It won’t be good if you’re discovered. It’s unlucky to break a taboo…”

Sheng Qianheng had no choice but to climb out the window. He stood outside, staring blankly as Chu Yi immediately closed the window.

He raised a hand to his forehead and laughed helplessly. Recalling the scene just now, he felt like an adulterer having a secret affair… but he and Chu Yi were a legitimate couple.

After closing the window, Chu Yi couldn’t suppress the smile on his face. He covered his mouth, trying his best not to laugh out loud. But it was too hard to bear. In the end, Chu Yi walked back to the bed, lay down, and muffled his laughter in the quilt, shaking uncontrollably.

When Ruotao entered the room and saw Chu Yi buried in the quilt, she was instantly relieved that he was still in the room. Otherwise, she would have been punished for her negligence.

Hearing Ruotao’s footsteps, Chu Yi slowly sat up. “Ruotao, help me with my hair.”

Ruotao subtly scanned the room but found no trace of His Majesty. “Yes.”

Chu Yi sat before the bronze mirror, letting Ruotao arrange his long hair. He looked back at Sheng Qianheng’s shoes by the bed and couldn’t help but imagine Sheng Qianheng’s sorry state outside the window. He had been driven out of the room without even putting on his shoes. For the dignified emperor to be in such a predicament, the smile on his face deepened.

When he looked up, he saw Ruotao putting on his crown. Only then did he remember this informant, Ruotao. He asked, “Ruotao, do you know what His Majesty usually likes?”

Ruotao: “His Majesty often suffers from headaches and has a violent temper. As for what he likes, this servant truly does not know. I have only ever seen His Majesty cherish a rattle-drum. Although the rattle-drum is old and broken, His Majesty keeps it in a brocade box, properly stored.”

Chu Yi looked at Ruotao in the mirror and saw the look of adoration on her face when she thought of Sheng Qianheng. He couldn’t help but scoff. So she’s a palace maid who wants to be a consort. But it was understandable. If she really became a consort one day, it would be a great honor for her family.

He continued to ask, “Besides the rattle-drum? Ruotao, you seem to be very observant. You must have truly won His Majesty’s heart.”

Lost in her memories, Ruotao didn’t notice the impropriety in Chu Yi’s words. “His Majesty likes to wear all black clothes and is very particular about others mentioning his age. Whenever someone mentions it, he becomes displeased…”

Chu Yi recalled that day when he had indeed mentioned that Sheng Qianheng had already reached the age of capping. The tyrant had seemed to become immediately displeased. So that was why…

But what was the reason? Was it not okay to say the tyrant was young?

Chu Yi felt extremely uncomfortable being watched all the time and barely ate any of his morning meal.

He was practically confined to the Chu residence. Whenever he tried to go out, the guards would stop him, saying virtuously, “As an imperial consort, you are not to show your face in public. It would damage the imperial family’s reputation.”

He could only wander around the house all day, bored to death.

Sheng Qianheng arrived at dinnertime.

Chu Yi noticed that Sheng Qianheng had changed his clothes and shoes, and he couldn’t stop the corners of his lips from turning up. He immediately knelt and paid his respects properly. “May Your Majesty have ten thousand fortunes and golden peace.”

Sheng Qianheng helped Chu Yi up. “My beloved consort, please rise. Are you having your evening meal?”

Isn’t that obvious? Chu Yi thought. Didn’t he deliberately come at this time to get a free meal?

“Has Your Majesty had your evening meal? If not, why not have some at my humble abode?”

Sheng Qianheng: “Excellent.”

Chu Yi instructed a servant to prepare another set of bowls and chopsticks.

Chu Yi sat beside Sheng Qianheng, picking up food for him. He noticed that many of the evening dishes used scallions and garlic for flavoring and avoided them one by one.

Sheng Qianheng couldn’t help but feel puzzled. Chu Yi knew what he liked to eat. He had no choice but to pick up the food himself.

Chu Yi raised a hand to stop him and explained softly, “Your Majesty, it’s best to eat less of these dishes recently.”

Sheng Qianheng was confused. He only heard Chu Yi lean close to his ear and continue, “Spicy food can easily cause a nosebleed again.”

Sheng Qianheng wrapped an arm around Chu Yi’s slender waist, pulled him into his lap, and patted his lower back. “Beloved Consort, I have missed you greatly after not seeing you for a day. Why don’t Zhen feed you?”

Chu Yi was stunned for a moment before realizing the situation was not right. He seemed to have played his hand wrong…

The evening meal was particularly agonizing. Chu Yi felt the strange sensation beneath him and didn’t dare to tease the tyrant anymore, deeply afraid that he would eat him right there in the dining hall…

For the next two days, Sheng Qianheng ate and lived with Chu Yi in the Chu residence. Chu Yi was in torment.

He had no chance to escape, and now he was being watched by Sheng Qianheng at all times. It was worse than death.

That night, Chu Yi sat on the bed and looked up at Sheng Qianheng, who was undressing. “Sheng Qianheng, don’t you need to go back to the palace to handle court affairs?”

Sheng Qianheng had already finished reviewing the memorials at noon. He had long since had them sent to the Chu residence. “What, you don’t want me to stay here? You want me to go back to the palace?”

Chu Yi sighed, feigning distress. “You know, if a couple wants to have a long-lasting relationship, they need to maintain a bit of novelty.”

Sheng Qianheng asked, puzzled, “What is novelty?”

“Novelty is…” Chu Yi was stumped, not knowing how to answer for a moment. “It’s when two people need to have their own space and time… If Your Majesty and this subject stay together all the time, after a while, there will be no novelty.”

Sheng Qianheng stood up and walked toward Chu Yi, stopping in front of him. “Are you tired of Zhen?”

Chu Yi immediately shook his head. How could he dare…

“That’s not what I mean. I was just thinking that you might lose interest in me sooner or later. After all, I am older than you and cannot bear you any heirs… I’m afraid…”

Sheng Qianheng slowly squatted down and took Chu Yi’s hand. “No need to worry. As long as you don’t leave me… I promise that no one in this imperial palace will be able to bully you.”

Chu Yi lowered his head and nodded, thinking that the wedding was tomorrow. He was afraid he wouldn’t be able to escape at all…

Perhaps because of his low spirits, his xìnxiāng unconsciously drifted out. He pinched his fingertips and only lay down after seeing Sheng Qianheng lie down on the inner side of the bed.

Sheng Qianheng naturally smelled Chu Yi’s xìnxiāng. The temporary mark he had left in Yangxin Hall had not yet faded, so there shouldn’t be any problem. He could only release his own xìnxiāng to subtly soothe Chu Yi.

He wrapped an arm around Chu Yi’s waist and had him rest his head on his arm. “The wedding is tomorrow. Are you nervous?”

Chu Yi closed his eyes, his hands folded on his abdomen. “It’s my first time getting married. How can I not be nervous? Sheng Qianheng, I’m tired. Let’s rest.”

Sheng Qianheng raised a hand and patted Chu Yi, coaxing him to sleep. “We should sleep early. The ceremony tomorrow will be complicated. I don’t want you to get tired…”

Outside the window, the moonlight was bright, spilling through the carved window lattice onto the simple wooden bed. On the bed, the two lay side by side. The bedding was soft, but it couldn’t hide the barrier between their hearts.

The next day, at midnight, the wedding procession arrived at the gate of the Chu residence. Chu Yi was carried from the bed by Sheng Qianheng and, in a daze, went through the enfeoffment ceremony.

At the third quarter of the zǐchū hour, Chu Yi changed into his wedding attire and had the veil placed over his head. Ruotao carefully supported him out of the Chu residence and into the bridal sedan.

He hadn’t slept well due to his heavy heart and was forced to wake up early in the morning. Chu Yi was completely groggy.

He closed his eyes under the red veil and continued to sleep, not even noticing when the sedan had landed.

Sheng Qianheng stood outside the sedan, waiting for Chu Yi to get out. But there was no movement for a long time. In a moment, he guessed that he must have fallen asleep.

He raised a hand and lifted the curtain, sighing. He leaned into the sedan, pinched Chu Yi’s hand, and said softly, “A-Yi, it’s time to wake up.”

Chu Yi dazedly went through the entire process and was then taken to the bedchamber of Jingyang Palace.

Sheng Qianheng sat on the bed with him. Chu Yi saw him use the wedding rod to lift the red veil. He slowly raised his eyes to look at Sheng Qianheng’s smiling face.

A matron serving beside them held a plate of “offspring dumplings” and gestured for Chu Yi to take a bite.

Chu Yi was not fully awake and his thoughts were unclear. He picked one up and put it in his mouth, but immediately felt something was wrong.

The matron: “Is it raw?”

Chu Yi looked at Sheng Qianheng in confusion. “It’s raw?”

The matron immediately beamed with joy. “Consort Hui says it’s raw. I wish Your Ladyship and His Majesty will soon give birth to an imperial heir.”

Only then did Chu Yi understand. He averted his gaze from Sheng Qianheng’s.

The matron continued, “Please, Your Majesty and Your Ladyship, drink the nuptial wine.”

…………

Chu Yi was led to the bathing pool by the maids. After taking off his clothes, he soaked in the bath.

He leaned tiredly against the edge of the pool, dozing off, listening to the maids’ idle chatter.

Maid Xiao Zhong: “Her Ladyship is truly blessed. I’ve never seen His Majesty accompany a consort through the entire enfeoffment process.”

Maid Xiao Xia: “That’s right. Being able to serve by Her Ladyship’s side, I think we’ll be able to enjoy good fortune in the future.”

Listening to these idle words, Chu Yi finally realized that after this bath, he would have to attend the bedchamber…

Translator’s Notes

1. Rattle-drum : A traditional Chinese toy, often associated with childhood and innocence.

2. Zǐchū hour : The zǐ hour is from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. Zǐchū refers to the beginning of this period, around 11 p.m.

3. Offspring Dumplings : This is a wedding custom. The bride is given an uncooked dumpling and asked “生不生?” (shēng bù shēng), which is a pun. It can mean “Is it raw?” or “Will you give birth?”. By replying “生” (shēng, “It’s raw”), she is also saying “I will give birth,” which is considered an auspicious blessing for the couple to have children soon.

4. Nuptial Wine : A traditional wedding ceremony where the bride and groom drink wine from two cups tied together with a red string, symbolizing their union.