Chapter 195: Teasing the Newlyweds

"Whoosh—"

The cold wind swept past, and snowflakes pelted their faces.

The sky at this moment had already begun to grow dim; nightfall was about to descend.

The temperature was dropping even lower.

Everyone dared not let the bride stay outside for too long; after having had their fill of laughter, they began to push the door.

Bai Yuning and the others shouted: "Brother-in-law, open the door quickly!"

The maidservants also shouted: "Young Master, it's cold outside, hurry and let the Eldest Miss in!"

At this moment, Bai Qingtong arrived with the young ladies of the Jia Family, intending to watch them tease the newlyweds, but upon arriving and looking, she saw that the groom had entered the bridal chamber while the bride was still left outside.

"What is going on?"

Several of them were completely bewildered.

Everyone burst into laughter again.

Bai Qiuning laughed and said: "Originally, we were going to make Brother-in-law compose a poem outside before he could enter, but who knew Brother-in-law would say that since he is a live-in son-in-law, the bride should be the one to compose a poem outside, so he ran inside and locked the bride out."

Upon hearing this, Bai Qingtong, Jia Tanchun, and the others all let out a "pfft" and burst into laughter.

"Young Master Luo is just too hilarious..."

Shi Xiangyun laughed until she was clutching her stomach.

Jia Tanchun laughed: "This is the first time I've seen a live-in son-in-law who dares to make things difficult for the bride. But what Young Master Luo said actually makes some sense."

Bai Qingtong hurriedly stepped forward to knock on the door and laughed: "Brother-in-law, we won't tease the newlyweds anymore. Open the door quickly and let Sister in. It's cold outside and Sister is dressed thinly; don't let her catch a chill."

Only then did the room door open.

Luo Zijun cupped his hands in a salute toward the outside and said: "My lady, please enter."

Everyone was amused to the point of laughter again.

Bai Qingtong personally supported the bride as she entered the bridal chamber and handed her into his care, laughing: "Brother-in-law, a night in the bridal chamber is worth a thousand pieces of gold, so make sure to seize the time. Don't forget the rules: drink the nuptial wine first, then lift the red veil."

As she spoke, she helped the two of them close the room door.

Bai Yuning suddenly asked: "Sister Qingtong, why don't I see Fenfen and the other two?"

Bai Qingtong's gaze flickered for a moment, and she said: "They have things to do."

She then said to the maidservants and nannies crowding there: "All of you disperse and go to the front to eat; there is no need for anyone to stay here."

A nanny hurriedly came over and whispered in her ear: "Third Miss, you all go; I will stay here. If the Young Master and the Eldest Miss don't know what to do, I still need to go in and guide them."

Bai Qingtong's brow twitched, and she hurriedly said: "Nanny Sun, there's no need. Brother-in-law is not a child; he understands everything."

Nanny Sun whispered: "I'm just afraid the Young Master might be too impatient and hurt the Eldest Miss."

Bai Qingtong had no choice but to pull her away and say: "I said no, so it's no. Let's go; it's cold here, you go to the front and rest."

She then instructed the maidservants behind her: "Hua'er, you stay here with Xiaohuan and Zhiyuan."

"Yes, Miss."

Hua'er hurriedly agreed.

Xiaohuan and Zhiyuan immediately stood at the doorway.

The maidservants and nannies still wanted to eavesdrop, but seeing the Third Miss personally driving them away, although they were reluctant to leave, they had no choice but to disperse.

Jia Tanchun laughed: "I originally wanted to come and watch you tease the newlyweds and make Young Master Luo compose a poem, but in the end, I saw nothing."

Lin Daiyu suddenly spoke up: "Didn't Young Master Luo compose them earlier at the front? Although those three poems were scolding people, they were still rare, good poems."

As soon as these words were spoken, the scene suddenly went quiet.

Everyone had been holding back and not daring to bring this matter up again, yet they hadn't expected this Lin Meimei to speak of it so unreservedly at this moment.

Bai Qingtong glanced at her and laughed: "They were indeed good poems. My brother-in-law can compose poems even while scolding people, which shows that his reputation as a man of talent is well-deserved. All three poems contained the name Wan Qianzi, and every word was a gem; the scolding was truly satisfying. However, he scolded too quickly, and I didn't remember several of the lines. Sister Daiyu must have remembered them, right?"

Lin Daiyu said: "Mm, I remembered them all."

Bai Qingtong laughed: "How about, after we go back, we publish them in the next issue of the Begonia Poetry Society collection?"

As soon as these words were spoken, the expressions of everyone from the Jia Family changed.

The Bai Mansion had effectively made an enemy of the Bowang Marquis Mansion today, and their Jia Family could not just get involved in that.

Bai Qingtong let out a "pfft" of laughter and said: "Look how scared you all are; I'm teasing you. How could poems that scold people be published? If that were the case, wouldn't it tarnish the reputation of your Begonia Poetry Society?"

Jia Tanchun laughed: "That's not the reason. Laughter and scolding can both become literature; why couldn't a poem that scolds people be published? It's just that those three poems by Young Master Luo scolded the Young Lady of the Marquis Mansion by name, and we few cannot represent the Jia Family. If my father and uncles agreed, then it could be published."

Bai Qingtong laughed: "Tanchun, I was joking with you, don't take it seriously."

She then sneered and said: "That Wan Qianzi came uninvited and chose to come and cause trouble during my sister's wedding; knocking out one of her front teeth is already letting her off easy. Even if the Bowang Marquis himself came today, I would not fear him. My father also just said that if the Bowang Marquis does not come to the mansion to apologize in person tomorrow, he will go to the palace to seek justice from the King and the Empress Dowager. The Bai Mansion will certainly not let today's matter rest."

Jia Tanchun said: "That is only right. Last time at the Bowang Marquis Mansion, that Wan Qianzi already caused a scene once, and everyone parted on bad terms; I didn't expect her to come here and cause trouble again today. As the Young Lady of the Marquis Mansion, she is used to being arrogant and doesn't put anyone else in her eyes; we naturally cannot let her continue to act recklessly."

The group talked as they walked and went to the front to attend the banquet.

Jia Yingchun was sitting in the room with Liu Chujian, talking in low voices; seeing them arrive, she hurriedly stood up.

Jia Yingchun asked in surprise: "Weren't you going to tease the newlyweds? Why are you back so soon?"

Liu Chujian laughed from the side: "I reckon they didn't manage to tease them."

Jia Tanchun looked at her, smiled, and said: "Then Miss Liu, take a guess, why wouldn't they have managed to?"

Liu Chujian smiled slightly and said: "That person is very thick-skinned; I'm afraid he would just say he is a live-in son-in-law and that there are no rules about teasing the newlyweds. If they wanted to tease him, they shouldn't have; I reckon he just shamelessly went right in."

"Amazing!"

Upon hearing this, everyone clapped and marveled.

Shi Xiangyun said: "Sister Liu, you didn't even go, so how did you know it would be like that?"

The others were also very surprised.

Lin Daiyu said from the side: "If two people are used to being together day and night and understand each other, it is actually possible to guess."

Bai Qingtong laughed meaningfully: "Miss Liu is truly worthy of being my brother-in-law's sweetheart."

As soon as these words were spoken, the room fell silent.

Liu Chujian smiled generously and said, "That was before; now, the affection between him and me has already broken. I came today as a friend, so Third Miss need not overthink it."

Bai Qingtong smiled and said, "I haven't overthought it, it's just that Liu is not telling the truth."

She knew that Luo Zijun had not returned all night last night.

Liu Chujian smiled and said nothing more.

Bai Qingtong did not continue this topic either, and suddenly asked, "By the way, Liu, do you know who that fox-fur cloak my brother-in-law had Qingwen make was given to?"

Liu Chujian's gaze flickered, and she shook her head, saying, "I don't know either."

Shi Xiangyun immediately whispered, "Sister Liu, you must be careful. Young Master Luo might have other women outside, and that woman's... here... is very large, twice as large as Sister Qingtong's." Bai Qingtong rolled her eyes at her: "Yun'er, can you stop comparing me?"

Shi Xiangyun looked left and right with a smile, then suddenly said: "It's larger than Pinpin's... by half..."

Everyone was stunned and looked at the soft and delicate Lin Meimei beside her; although her figure was indeed quite something, wasn't that a bit of an exaggeration?

Shi Xiangyun laughed: "Pinpin is shy and deliberately uses a chest binder to wrap it tightly... Pin'er, spare me!"

Lin Daiyu pinched her while blushing with shame: "I'll let you talk nonsense!"

"Good sister, I was wrong, I won't say it again..."

Shi Xiangyun hurriedly begged for mercy.

At this time, it was already dark outside.

Lanterns had long been hung, and the room was filled with lit lamps and candles.

The entire mansion was brightly lit and radiant.

!

Inside the bridal chamber, red candles burned, and incense smoke curled.

The bride wore a red bridal veil, sitting on the edge of the bed, head lowered, without saying a word.

Luo Zijun poured two cups of wine and handed them to her, preparing to drink the nuptial wine, but she did not take them.

A moment passed.

Just as Luo Zijun was losing patience and preparing to drink it himself, a voice suddenly came from inside the left wall: "Kneel down and say, 'Wife, please drink the nuptial wine'!"

Luo Zijun was startled.

"Click!"

At this moment, a door suddenly opened in the wall.

Bai Bai poked her head out from inside and said happily, "Zijun-gege, we..."

"You must call him 'Husband'!"

A voice suddenly sounded from behind her, but the person was nowhere to be seen.

Bai Bai was stunned, then hurriedly changed her words, shy and joyful: "Husband, we are hiding in here to consummate the marriage with you tonight."

Luo Zijun: "???"

"Close the door!"

The unseen voice inside urged.

"Click..."

The door on the wall slowly closed, leaving not a single gap.

Luo Zijun opened his mouth, stunned for a while, before holding the wine cup, kneeling on one knee before the bed, and handing one of the cups to the bride's hand, saying: "Daxiaojie, please drink the nuptial wine."

Only then did the bride take it and drink the nuptial wine with him.

Luo Zijun took the wine cup, went to place it on the table, and returned to the bedside, saying: "Daxiaojie, I am going to lift the red bridal veil."

The bride lowered her head and did not speak.

Luo Zijun did not hesitate further, pinched a corner of the red veil, and gently lifted it.

First, a head of jet-black hair appeared, then a snow-white, jade-like forehead, then a pair of serene and beautiful eyes, and then...

Bai Daxiaojie was actually wearing a veil!

Luo Zijun was speechless and said: "Daxiaojie, we are getting married today, do you still have to wear a veil?"

Bai Meixue then spoke, her tone flat: "I have a scar on my face, I'm afraid of scaring you."

Go fool a ghost!

Luo Zijun muttered to himself, saying: "It's fine, I'm not afraid. Daxiaojie should take off the veil; otherwise, it feels like this marriage isn't perfect."

Bai Meixue ignored him and said indifferently: "I only learned of a rule today: for the bridal night, it must be a real consummation to count as a real marriage."

Luo Zijun said: "Does Daxiaojie mean that tonight, you must consummate the marriage with me?"

Bai Meixue looked at him and said: "There are exceptions. If that day happens to be inconvenient, a personal maid can take your place."

Luo Zijun: "..."

No wonder three little maids were hidden in the inner room.

Bai Meixue said: "You choose one."

Luo Zijun said: "Is it mandatory?"

Bai Meixue said: "Mandatory."

Luo Zijun did not hesitate and said: "Bai Bai."

"Yay! Finally, I can do shameful things with Zijun-gege, Bai Bai is so happy!"

Bai Bai suddenly cheered excitedly inside the wall.

Bai Meixue, however, said: "The rites state it must be a personal maid who has been with me for at least ten years, so neither Bai Bai nor Qingqing will do."

"Ah..."

Inside the wall, the joyful Bai Bai was instantly dumbfounded.

The other person, who had been hiding in the corner the whole time, immediately covered their burning cheeks.

Luo Zijun was stunned for a moment and said, "Eldest Miss, you clearly said just now that you would let me choose one."

Bai Meixue said, "That is true, but you chose wrong."

Luo Zijun: "..."

Are all women this unreasonable?

Bai Meixue said, "In one hour, you will go inside and consummate the marriage with Fenfen."

Luo Zijun said, "What if I don't consummate the marriage?"

Bai Meixue said, "Then our marriage today will not count as a real one."

"Eldest Miss, we were originally..."

"If you regret it, you may leave."

"Eldest Miss, I don't regret it, I just think..."

"There is a spy in the manor, so tonight, we must consummate the marriage."

Luo Zijun fell silent.

After a moment of quiet, he said, "Eldest Miss, what I mean is, could you go stay inside? I would like to consummate the marriage with Miss Fenfen on your bed; it is softer here, and the spies outside will be able to hear it more clearly."

Bai Meixue: "???"

(End of chapter)