Chapter 34
On the day of Consort Wan’s enfeoffment ceremony, Chu Yi felt no ripples in his heart, letting Lianfang groom and dress him.
He only found it strange why this set of wedding attire was more feminine. It was completely different from the one he wore when he was enfeoffed as Consort Hui.
Seeing Chu Yi’s indifferent expression, Lianfang couldn’t help but ask, “Your Ladyship? Are you not happy?”
Chu Yi smiled faintly, looking up at his reflection in the bronze mirror and feeling like a stranger. He couldn’t help but complain, “Getting married is exhausting. I really don’t want to… Who would have thought I’d have to get married twice!”
Lianfang took the phoenix crown and properly placed it on Chu Yi’s head. “Your Ladyship, in this servant’s opinion, His Majesty treats you extremely well. Even if Consort Wan is just a nominal title, His Majesty still hasn’t been perfunctory and has held another wedding ceremony.”
Chu Yi pondered Lianfang’s words and felt there was some truth to them.
But the thought of having to go through the wedding night after the enfeoffment…
Perhaps because it was his second time experiencing a wedding, Chu Yi was particularly relaxed this time.
The day before, he had completely disregarded the fact that Sheng Qianheng still had state affairs to attend to. He had bathed early and gone to bed.
When he was woken up again at midnight, he barely managed to pull himself together. After going through the whole process, Chu Yi couldn’t help but curse Sheng Qianheng in his heart! Why did he have to go through all these empty formalities?
When the maids were helping him bathe, he compared Consort Wan’s bathing pool and found that it seemed to be smaller than the one in his Jingyang Palace.
After his bath, Chu Yi was once again wrapped naked in a quilt and placed on the bed.
He was already used to it. Fortunately, he had instructed Lianfang to prepare an inner robe in advance. After putting it on, he found the most comfortable position on the bed and fell asleep.
The moment Sheng Qianheng stepped into Yanxi Palace, he dismissed all the maids and servants.
He raised his hand and slowly pushed open the door to the bedchamber, turned to close it, and then noticed Chu Yi’s steady breathing.
He couldn’t help but let out a low laugh. He walked slowly to the bed, sat on the edge with light steps, and gazed at Chu Yi’s peaceful sleeping face.
Chu Yi’s legs were tangled in the quilt, his head almost completely buried in the pillow, his brows slightly furrowed.
How could someone sleep so unrestrainedly while waiting for their husband on their wedding night?
Sheng Qianheng was suddenly filled with a wicked idea. He gently wrapped his arms around Chu Yi and leaned down to kiss his lips.
Chu Yi was still in a dream and hummed a few times unconsciously. The moment he opened his mouth slightly, his guard was down.
Sheng Qianheng broke into that wet heat without any effort.
He had only intended to take a few light pecks, but in a moment, he had lost control.
In his daze, Chu Yi only felt someone pressing down on him. When he looked up, his vision was still not clear. He could only feel that he couldn’t breathe and raised his hands to push away the person on top of him.
Sheng Qianheng felt that he hadn’t had enough. He immediately took the opportunity to interlock his fingers with Chu Yi’s, pressing his hands against the pillow, making it impossible for him to resist.
Their tongues intertwined, and saliva had spread at some point.
Chu Yi swallowed several times but couldn’t keep up with Sheng Qianheng’s demands. He had no choice but to bite his tongue.
Sensing the pain, Sheng Qianheng pressed his forehead against Chu Yi’s, his voice already much hoarser. “You’re awake?”
Chu Yi’s chest heaved, his breathing rapid. It took a moment for him to come to his senses before he reprimanded, “Sheng Qianheng, I only slept for a moment last night and was forced to accept the enfeoffment of Consort Wan. I’m really so sleepy~ Let me go!”
Sheng Qianheng also knew in his heart that Chu Yi was indeed exhausted, but he couldn’t resist his own desires. He raised an eyebrow slightly and said softly, “Consort Wan has been enfeoffed, but we haven’t performed the rites of the Duke of Zhou… What should we do?”
Chu Yi tried to turn over to escape Sheng Qianheng’s intense gaze, but his waist was held in place. On second thought, he asked, “When can’t we do it? A-Heng, can you let me go today? Is there some kind of ‘first night blood’ rule in this palace? Does it have to be today? Then why wasn’t there one when I was enfeoffed as Consort Hui?”
Sheng Qianheng shook his head. “There are no such messy rules. No one can stop the person I want…”
Chu Yi felt extremely guilty. The moment the words left his mouth, he quickly closed his eyes, his heart filled with apprehension. He was afraid of angering Sheng Qianheng. But he was also afraid that once Sheng Qianheng started, he would become fierce and not listen to a single word of his pleas for mercy.
He listened intently. He could only hear Sheng Qianheng’s breathing rising and falling in the quiet air. Other than that, there was no other movement.
Sheng Qianheng hadn’t had a drop of wine today and was very clear-headed. He gazed at every subtle expression on Chu Yi’s face and couldn’t help but think to himself, how could there be a person like Chu Yi, who, despite being nearly thirty, was still so captivating.
He raised a hand to caress Chu Yi’s cheek, feigning a look of regret, and said, “I know you’ve been wronged. Just don’t say in the future that I only see you as a pawn. Enfeoffing you as Consort Wan was not just to shut the mouths of those officials, but more to protect your reputation.
That day in the Flower-Filled Pavilion, Lu Wenhan saw you in women’s clothes. What if he intended to make an issue of it? Zhen’s Consort Hui actually met the debauched Imperial Censor in the Flower-Filled Pavilion and almost made me a cuckold? Hmm?”
Chu Yi’s eyes were slightly hazy. He looked at Sheng Qianheng, and hearing his words, he couldn’t help but feel guilty.
He saw Sheng Qianheng turn around, his back looking a little lonely. He slowly sat up, placed his hands on Sheng Qianheng’s shoulders, and explained weakly, “A-Heng… I didn’t mean what you said… I was just very sleepy from waking up so early today.”
The moment Sheng Qianheng looked back, he caught a glimpse of the lotus-pink on the back of Chu Yi’s neck and frowned unconsciously. There was no scent of Danshen in the room for now. He hoped he was just overthinking it.
“But today is my big day with Consort Wan. We can’t let it go to waste like this…”
Chu Yi leaned down and bit the back of Sheng Qianheng’s neck to vent his anger, but he happened to bite his gland…
In his eyes, Sheng Qianheng now only had the title of a fatuous ruler!
The moment the back of his neck was bitten, Sheng Qianheng felt the blood in his body gather in one place. The veins in his neck bulged, and his breathing trembled unconsciously.
Chu Yi felt that something was wrong. He immediately released his mouth, swallowed unconsciously, and asked, “I didn’t do anything… right?”
In a moment, the scent of Zhuǎnrìlián quickly filled the space around them, and in the process, it drew out a hint of Danshen, which intertwined with it…
Smelling the suddenly much stronger scent, Chu Yi felt a little hot all over, and that place unexpectedly reacted.
Sheng Qianheng licked his lips. He had never known that being bitten on the gland would have such a big reaction…
Chu Yi still didn’t understand the situation. He slowly moved to Sheng Qianheng’s side, looked at his profile, and asked, “What’s wrong with you?”
Sheng Qianheng tried his best to suppress his most primal urges. He raised a hand to rub the back of Chu Yi’s neck. “It’s nothing. You should rest. I… need to go out and cool down for a while…”
Sheng Qianheng immediately stood up and walked toward the door of the bedchamber. Just as he was about to pull the door open, he was stopped by Chu Yi.
Chu Yi looked at Sheng Qianheng’s state and felt that something was wrong. Seeing his trembling hand, he immediately said, “Where are you going?”
Sheng Qianheng’s throat was very dry. If he stayed any longer, the situation would get out of control…
“To get some air…”
Chu Yi looked down at himself, then back at Sheng Qianheng. “If you leave, won’t my Jingyang Palace be full of gossip tomorrow, saying that Consort Wan was left alone on her wedding night and couldn’t keep His Majesty… Although it’s all me, but…”
Sheng Qianheng immediately strode back to the bed, leaned down, and pressed Chu Yi onto it. “You just bit my gland. Do you know the consequences? If you keep me here today, you won’t be able to get up tomorrow…”
Chu Yi pondered the meaning of “gland”…
Had he just bitten Sheng Qianheng’s Qianyuan gland, making him lose control of his passion?
Had he inexplicably started a fire?
He stammered, “Since I… started it, then I have to be responsible… Just be gentle…”
Sheng Qianheng immediately raised his hands to cup Chu Yi’s face and kissed him again.
After an unknown amount of time, Chu Yi rested his head on Sheng Qianheng’s shoulder and mumbled, “A-Heng, aren’t you tired?”
Sheng Qianheng had already calmed down. He kissed Chu Yi’s forehead. “Are you uncomfortable? A Qianyuan always has times when they can’t control themselves…”
Chu Yi could no longer think about anything. He only knew to curse Sheng Qianheng, “Bastard! Beast!”
When Sheng Qianheng was fierce, he didn’t remember these things. He gave an awkward laugh. “A-Yi, do you know what these words mean?”
Chu Yi turned his head and moved his body with difficulty, falling asleep to the scent of Sheng Qianheng’s xìnxiāng…
Chu Yi was not used to staying in Yanxi Palace. When he woke up the next day, he went back to Jingyang Palace to rest.
This time, there was not much discomfort, at most just a little tired and unwilling to move.
Sheng Qianheng had originally promised to let him go out of the palace to investigate Lu Wenhan, but it had been delayed for a long time due to his physical discomfort.
He had wanted to talk to Sheng Qianheng about this matter, but he never expected that Sheng Qianheng would be busy discussing state affairs with the former court officials in the imperial study all day.
Helpless, he had no choice but to move into Yanxi Palace and pretend to be Consort Wan. He entered the secret room where he had met Sheng Qianheng before through the passage. He vaguely remembered that the other door of the secret room led to the rear hall of Yangxin Hall.
Chu Yi fumbled for a long time before he entered Yangxin Hall. Unexpectedly, he overheard a conversation between Head Eunuch Liu and Sheng Qianheng.
Sheng Qianheng: “Did the envoy from Qianlin really only come for a marriage alliance this time?”
Head Eunuch Liu: “This old servant believes that Qianlin’s intention this time is not just to maintain a friendly relationship with our Da Mo… But if we don’t form a marriage alliance with them, what if Qianlin sends troops to attack our Da Mo…”
Chu Yi vaguely heard the words “marriage alliance.” The protective amulet he had been hiding in his sleeve to give to Sheng Qianheng fell to the floor.
Sheng Qianheng immediately caught this small movement, took a small knife, and stood up, walking toward where Chu Yi was standing.
Seeing that Sheng Qianheng seemed to be treating him as an assassin, Chu Yi immediately took a few steps and laughed. “Your Majesty, it’s this concubine…”
Sheng Qianheng immediately hid the small knife behind his back and handed it to Liu Deshan. He then walked toward Chu Yi and asked, “Why did you come without being announced?”
Chu Yi stood on his tiptoes and leaned close to Sheng Qianheng’s ear. “I came from the secret room. I haven’t seen you these past few days, so I had to take matters into my own hands…”
Sheng Qianheng noticed Chu Yi’s dress and unconsciously salivated. He raised a hand to cover his lips and coughed. “These past two days have been busy with state affairs, so I haven’t been to your palace… I rarely see you dressed like this. It’s very beautiful.”
Chu Yi looked down at his own women’s clothes, and when he looked up at Sheng Qianheng’s eyes again, he felt that he was like a pervert. “Why, do you like to see me in women’s clothes?”
