The Bridal Chamber on a Spring Night

  Yang Dang shouted loudly, as if he had suffered an unbearable humiliation.

  Her fate was so bitter that she was made to cry and laugh at the same time, and didn't know how to explain it.

  Yang Cong suddenly became fierce: "Zhang sister is mine, except for me, no one else is allowed to marry her! Zhēn Mìng Kǔ, I will kill you now and then take Zhang sister away from here!"

  After finishing speaking, he held up his sword and rushed towards Zhen Ming with a bitter expression.

  A three-foot-long green blade shone with a cold light, its arrival was overwhelming, yet no one dared to step forward and block it, instead they all made way.

  Zhen Ming's hand held a wine cup, swaying back and forth as he stood there, already three-tenths drunk, he didn't dodge or evade, and was slashed on the arm by Yang Dou's sword.

  Yang Dang saw that he didn't dodge or flinch, and his hand hesitated for a moment before shouting: "Why aren't you dodging?! Do you think I don't dare to kill you?! Today either you die or I perish!"

  Zhen Ming's eyes flashed with a hint of helplessness, and he could only say: "Ge Ge, I am already engaged to her. Even if you kill me, it won't change this fact. If you think that killing me will allow you to have her, then go ahead and try. But if one day she willingly follows you, I won't have any complaints. I trust her judgment. If there's someone who can treat her better and love her more than I do, then I'll wholeheartedly bless them."

  "Don't pretend in front of me anymore. She has already willingly married you, how can she still follow me?"

  Yang Dang's sword gently lifted up, the tip of the sword stopped at a distance of one inch from Zhen Mingshu's throat. With just a slight push, no matter how capable Zhen Mingshu was, he would be pierced through the throat and die instantly.

  Everyone's guest held their breath and quietly watched this sudden scene.

  Yang Zang's handsome face turned bright red, staring at Zhen Mingshu, trying to get her to take back her words. Every word from Zhen Mingshu was firm and decisive, without a hint of falsehood.

  After a long while, he slowly withdrew the sword in his hand and said with hatred: "If I killed you, Zhang sister would probably hate me for life, and in her heart, I would become an unforgivable bad person. I'm not that stupid! Zhen Ming, you wait for me! This matter is not over!"

  He glared fiercely at Zhen Mingshu and turned around to rush out of the door.

  "Everyone, false alarm! The one just now was my little brother, we had a small disagreement, but it's all right now. Let's continue to eat and drink, no leaving until drunk!... Xing Er, why did you come down?"

  At some point, Xing'er came down from upstairs and stood at the staircase entrance, looking at him with a surprised expression. She then walked over to his side and said: "Zhang sister told me to come down and see what happened... your hand."

  Zhen Ming sighed and looked down at the scratch on his arm, smiling: "It's nothing, just a superficial wound. I'll just put some medicine on it. What a pity about this expensive new groom's uniform."

  "You're still smiling, you almost died just now! Why didn't you dodge? What if he really stabbed you, do you want to make Zhang sister a widow again... Spit it out and say it again, great luck and prosperity, don't say unlucky words!"

  Apricot child talks to herself, spitting out saliva continuously.

  Zhen Ming sighed and smiled wryly: "Nothing big will come out of this, I know Yang Zhuang very well, he's just a child at heart. He's genuinely looking out for you, Zhang sister, but he's doing this to warn me, afraid that I'll mistreat her. But please don't mention this to Zhang sister, you know how superstitious she is, I'm worried she'll overthink it."

  ……

  The wedding banquet lasted until late at night before dispersing, Fei Long and his fellow villagers had drunk several kilograms of wine, their tongues were all swollen, they clamored to gamble in the new house, dragging Zhen Ming Su to join in, not letting him into the bridal chamber. Zhen Ming Su was helpless, he could only take out over ten taels of silver to send these people away, before the house finally quieted down.

  Looking at the messy room, chaotic and untidy, Zhen Ming's heart was filled with a sense of solidity he had never felt before. He raised his head to gaze at the sky in silence.

  "Uncle, I've finally settled down today, please don't come up with any more tricks, let me live a few days of happy and peaceful life."

  He prayed to his uncle who might be the Old Man of the Moon in heaven, while swaying and staggering along the handrail of the stairs, and went up to the second floor.

  ……

  Zhang Shi, wearing a red hood, sat motionless on the edge of the bed. Upon hearing the noise at the door, her two hands, which had been placed on her knees, elegantly clasped together. It seemed she maintained this posture for two or three hours.

  On the table in the room, two pairs of bright red candles were burning vigorously. On the windows of the new house, big double happiness characters were pasted.

  Zhen Ming picked up the emerald jade scepter on the table and walked to her side, gently lifting the large red veil covering Zhang Shi's head, revealing that thousand enchanting and bashful face.

  Her eyelids drooped, and her eyelashes appeared curved and long.

  Zhen Ming's bitter solitary life was about to end, as he knelt down and grasped her delicate hands in his own, gazing at her with an insatiable intensity, though he had already looked at her nearly a thousand times before, but never like this, feeling so calm and content. From today on, she would be his.

  As he looked at her, he suddenly opened his mouth and exclaimed: "I've actually married an immortal fairy and brought her home."

  Zhang's smile suddenly froze as she inadvertently discovered a wound on Zhen Ming's arm, and let out a cry of surprise, her face tense.

  Zhenming was afraid that she would be suspicious, so he casually made up a lie. Zhang Shi didn't suspect much and got up to walk to her dowry box, took out the golden wound medicine that Changsun Ba'er had given her last time, supported him to sit on the bed, applied the medicine to his arm, and wrapped it with gauze.

  She looked focused, with an expression as if she was afraid of hurting him.

  As she finished dressing, Zhen Ming's hand quietly wrapped around her slender waist, Zhang Shi's body trembled slightly, a blush rose to her face, and the red candlelight reflected on her face, making her look even more delicate and charming.

  "Ge ge, am I dreaming again?"

  Zhang smiled with pursed lips but didn't say a word.

  "Give me a slap on the face."

  Zhang smiled and stretched out her white, slender fingers to gently pinch his face, but didn't use any force, more like she was caressing him.

  Zhenming's bitter heart melted away, and with a flattering face, he said: "Call Master over to listen."

  "Husband."

  "Call out once more..."

  "Husband."

  No matter how many times Zhen Ming made her call out, Zhang Shi never refused, sweetly calling out "xiāng gōng" every time, each one so sweet it could melt honey.

  "Hearing you call me husband for the first time this month, all my hard work and exhaustion feel worthwhile."

  Zhang's face showed a hint of guilt: "Sorry, it's hard for me to serve you, sir."

  Zhen Ming smiled wryly and asked: "Are you afraid that one day I'll also marry a jealous wife like Liu Ermei, just like Song Jingang, and she'll bully you?"

  Zhang nodded with a red face.

  Zhen Mingshu stretched out one hand, raised it above her head: "I, Zhen Mingshu, swear to heaven that if I have even half a thought of treachery, may heavenly thunder strike me five times and not spare..."

  Zhang hastily stretched out her hand to cover his mouth, not letting him continue speaking.