Chapter 175: Miracle

The first light of the summer morning filtered through the window and spilled into the room.

Beneath the spacious wedding bed, there was a scene of disarray.

Silk stockings, a bodice, and a wedding skirt were scattered across the floor.

On the bed, the wedding quilt wrapped two young bodies together.

Xu Ruoxi's cheeks were flushed pink, her hair was disheveled, and her delicate face was knitted into a tight frown. Two clear tear tracks hung on her fair cheeks, seemingly recounting the sorrow of yesterday.

Zhang Yunxiu, on the other hand, had the corners of his mouth turned up, his face full of satisfaction and pride.

The two of them held each other tightly, as if time itself had frozen.

It was unknown how much time had passed when Zhang Yunxiu's eyelashes flickered slightly, and he opened his eyes. With a sweep of his arms, the woman's soft, warm touch spread from his palms throughout his entire body.

He lowered his head to look.

At this moment, the flush on Xu Ruoxi's face had not yet faded, and strands of dark hair were stuck to her fair, creamy neck.

Her entire body was written with a languid, charming allure.

Zhang Yunxiu gently smoothed out the beauty's hair, then narrowed his eyes, quietly admiring the beauty in his arms. After this event, the girlish greenness of Xu Ruoxi had faded, replaced by a bit more of a mature woman's charm.

She was just like a green apple that had just ripened.

Beneath the green skin, a faint blush was showing through the center.

Although the two had an arranged marriage, Xu Ruoxi's appearance, status, and temperament were all top-tier choices.

Being able to marry such a wife was far better than bringing home a shrewish young lady.

Toward Xu Ruoxi, Zhang Yunxiu had genuine feelings.

The sun grew higher and higher, and the sunlight piercing through the window became blinding.

Xu Ruoxi subconsciously raised her jade hand to shield her eyes, then acted like a spoiled child: "Lvluo, go pull the curtains for me and let me sleep a while longer. I was exhausted last night."

The call fell, but no one answered.

Xu Ruoxi felt puzzled; her eyelashes trembled, and she opened her eyes abruptly.

The first thing that came into view was a room draped in red and decorated with festive colors.

She was lying naked inside the brocade quilt, with a man lying beside her. At this moment, Xu Ruoxi finally realized what was happening, and with a "whoosh," she pulled her head into the quilt.

"You—you go out first; I'll come out myself after I put on my clothes."

"It's not like I haven't seen it before, what are you hiding for?"

Zhang Yunxiu grinned, but mindful that the girl was thin-skinned, he was the first to get up and get dressed.

Before long, he was fully dressed and pushed the door open to leave, not forgetting to look back and remind her: "If you want to rest, rest a while longer; it's still early."

"Mm." The beauty inside the quilt replied with a trembling voice.

With a "clack," the door closed.

At this time, Xu Ruoxi shifted her body, peeking and poking, carefully emerging from the quilt.

After confirming that Zhang Yunxiu had left, she let out a long sigh of relief.

Although the two had been honest with each other and shared a night of passion, that was at night, and she had relied on the excitement and drunkenness of the bridal wine to avoid showing her shyness.

Waking up together today.

The two of them lying there naked like that.

She was so embarrassed for a moment that she wished she could find a crack in the ground to crawl into.

However, remembering Zhang Yunxiu's gentleness last night, Xu Ruoxi grabbed the quilt with both hands and hid half her face in it.

She wore a look of happiness.

This was her husband, the husband she had longed for day and night; from now on, the two would never have to endure the pain of lovesickness again. There was no need to pay attention to the tedious etiquette of the world, and there was no longer any barrier between them.

Her most important task now was to serve her husband and raise their children.

Thinking this, Xu Ruoxi clenched her fists, her rosy face full of determination.

On the other side, after Zhang Yunxiu finished washing up, he went straight to Zhang Juzheng's bedroom.

Inside the bedroom, Zhang Juzheng was leaning against the head of the bed, and the Fifth Concubine picked up a cloth, dampened it, and carefully wiped Zhang Juzheng's face.

Zhang Yunxiu stepped forward quickly and snatched the cloth away: "Let me do it; you go rest first."

The Fifth Concubine shook her head, her face flushing red as she said: "You are the bridegroom; how can I let you do chores today? If it gets out, others will say this concubine is ignorant of propriety."

Zhang Yunxiu ignored her.

He just stared into Zhang Juzheng's eyes and took the cloth to wipe him. Zhang Juzheng did not speak either, patiently letting his son wipe his face, followed by his neck and body.

After working for two quarter-hours, Zhang Yunxiu was exhausted, with fine beads of sweat appearing on his forehead.

He felt mentally exhausted after wiping him just once.

Yet the Fifth Concubine wiped him almost every day without a single word of complaint.

In this regard, Zhang Yunxiu felt he was far inferior to the concubine before him.

"Concubine, you've worked hard," Zhang Yunxiu said with a hint of shame.

The Fifth Concubine was called Yuqin and was only twenty-six years old this year. She was originally bought by Qi Jiguang from Suzhou for a high price in the second year of Wanli. She was excellent in beauty, talent, and temperament.

She was also the most favored among Zhang Juzheng's concubines.

Therefore, after Zhang Juzheng fell ill, she was the one who contributed the most.

"Why say such things? Isn't it only right for me to serve the master?" The Fifth Concubine waved her hand and replied dismissively.

"Then as a son, it is even more my duty to take care of my father." Zhang Yunxiu scratched his head, looking awkward.

As the two were talking, Zhang Juzheng on the bed suddenly propped himself up and said in a trembling voice: "Yuqin."

Hearing the sound, the two were startled.

Then came an irrepressible, wild joy.

Yuqin covered her lips, her eyes reddening as she sobbed, unable to speak. Zhang Yunxiu felt a sourness in his nose, his eyes fixed straight on the thin-boned, pale-faced Zhang Juzheng.

"I—I'll go call the eldest and the others." The silence lasted for several seconds before Yuqin suddenly thought of something, turned around, and ran outside.

In a short while, the bedroom was filled to capacity.

Xu Ruoxi and Zhang Yunxiu knelt in the front, and Zhang Juzheng took their hands, widened his eyes, and said with difficulty: "You two must live well; back then I received the teacher's kindness, and now it is time to properly repay the Xu Family."

"Eunuch, my husband treats me very well; since you are not feeling well, you should speak less," Xu Ruoxi replied gratefully.

Seeing that his father could speak, Zhang Yunxiu was naturally overjoyed in his heart.

Seeing that the atmosphere was somewhat silent, he spoke up to tease: "It seems my marriage was timely; Ruoxi is simply our family's lucky star."

"As soon as Ruoxi arrived, Father's illness improved."

"That's right, you are not allowed to bully her in the future, otherwise I will be the first one to disagree," Zhang Jianxiu said, waving his fist and threatening fiercely.

"Stop interrupting; what does the business of the young couple have to do with you?" Wang Ling glared at her husband.

Subsequently, the few people in the room stepped forward one after another and knelt on the ground.

Fearing that they would delay Zhang Juzheng's rest, the few people spoke a few simple words and withdrew from the bedroom together, leaving only Yuqin behind to attend to him.

The rest of the people crowded around the newlyweds and left while laughing and joking.

Very quickly, the news of the Senior Grand Secretary's condition improving swept through the entire city of Beijing like a tornado.

With this, the newly married Xu Ruoxi instantly became a prominent figure.

Although there was an element of coincidence to this, such a coincidence made people unable to help but link her to the Senior Grand Secretary's recovery.

Regarding this, Xu Ruoxi could neither laugh nor cry.

She had done nothing at all, yet she had become a great contributor to the Zhang Family.

These old party members and relatives of the Zhang Family wished they could enshrine her.

(End of this chapter)