Chapter 113: The Betrothal Papers
Outside the carriage, Yu Yeqing did not respond to that person's words. The only sound was that Lord Zhang smoothing things over. Then came the discussion of how to bring the captured Northern Wei spies back to the capital, how many would return to report on their duties, and how many would remain behind or go elsewhere.
It was not long before Yu Yeqing bid his colleagues farewell and returned to the carriage.
The carriage curtain was lifted, and he leaned inside. His eyes visibly trembled when they met hers, then he hurriedly averted his gaze, stiffly bending to enter the carriage and sit at a careful distance from her.
The carriage moved forward. Song Hemei watched him, observing how his hands clenched on his knees, and how pitiful he looked with his head bowed and eyes lowered.
But perhaps she was the only one who would find it pitiful.
Song Hemei reached out, placing her hand over his clenched fist, and softly comforted him, "Don't take it to heart. Those who know of your birth father's power yet still maintain a superficial friendship with you—they know how to read the times and are content to do their work without making unnecessary enemies. Those who know your origins yet do not fear you are upright people who won't bow for five pecks of rice. Having such men in court is a good thing. Once they see your conduct over time, it will be fine."
Yu Yeqing slowly lifted his eyes to look at her, a shimmer seeming to ripple within them, but he quickly lowered his head again. "I'm sorry."
His voice was raspy, choked with emotion. "Being with me… I've caused you to lose face."
Those words did not surprise him; he had heard similar sentiments many times before. But just moments ago, standing outside the carriage, he had felt an impulse to do everything in his power to silence that man—at the very least, to keep the sarcasm that shamed him from also entangling the person he cared about, dragging her into the same awkward situation alongside him.
Upon hearing this, Song Hemei raised her hand and then smacked him on the forearm.
"Nonsense. You're not the only one who entered officialdom through your family's legacy, and you're certainly not the only one who's been mocked. Since the Emperor hasn't abolished this path, it's perfectly legitimate. You're not taking a salary for nothing. There's nothing to be ashamed of."
She withdrew her hand and commanded him, "Come closer. Why are you sitting so far away? Am I going to eat you or something?"
Yu Yeqing looked at her, the turbulent emotions in his heart and lungs eventually overwhelming everything else, urging him to follow his instinct and draw near to her. He pulled her into his arms, burying his face in the curve of her neck, as if only this could ease his mind and assure him that he would not be abandoned because of this matter.
Song Hemei tilted her head back slightly, making it easier for him to lean against her, and raised a hand to gently stroke his back in comfort. "Alright, don't take it to heart. I don't care about these things."
Yu Yeqing's Adam's apple bobbed as the clean scent of her lingered around his nose.
"If I could, I would rather take the imperial examinations and not accept his patronage."
He spoke seriously, not like someone making a joke or speaking in anger.
Perhaps it was because scholars ultimately held a stubborn attachment to the examination system, or perhaps because he resented his biological father and was unwilling to accept his favor. Song Hemei understood this sentiment quite well.
Her tone lightened a little as she picked out some good things to say. "I think you would have passed the examinations with flying colors too. You were always known for being a good student. You were personally chosen by me, you know. You have no idea how many people I had to seriously vet back then to find a study companion for Jilang. Besides, Shao Wen'ang isn't as good as you, and even he passed the metropolitan exam. You would certainly have done better than him."
Yu Yeqing held her tighter, taking a deep breath, as if wanting her scent to twine deep into his lungs.
Song Hemei's waist involuntarily arched from the tight embrace. She said with some regret, "If I had known this would happen, I should have sent you to take the exams much sooner."
Back then, she was too busy using him to vent her own desires for amusement. She had thought about letting him go, giving him money, but that would have had to wait until she was tired of him. However, she remembered that he never once mentioned the imperial examinations at the time, as if he didn't care much about them.
If she had let him go earlier, he wouldn't have had to face all those rumors and slander, and he could have escaped her brother's schemes against him… Thinking about it now, it was full of regrets.
But as soon as she finished speaking, Yu Yeqing said, "There's no 'if I had known.' My birth father, in order to force me back then, wouldn't have given me the chance to take the imperial examinations. My choice was either to return with him and be recognized by the clan, or to stay in Changzhou for the rest of my life."
His voice was very soft, so soft that it seemed all the helplessness and hardship of the past could be brushed aside with a smile. "I thought about going back with him if he could find a way to cure Minglian. But he was unwilling. Still, perhaps it was because my mother couldn't let go of Minglian. I heard that he later changed his mind because he kept dreaming of my mother, dreaming of Minglian, who looks so much like her. That was what made him willing to change his intentions."
Song Hemei's lips parted. "He must have been worried about you too. If they hadn't arrived just in time, perhaps—"
She stopped mid-sentence. Matters of life and death should be treated with respect, but it was fortunate he had left in time, or else her brother's sins would have been even greater.
Yu Yeqing probably knew what she was going to say, but he didn't continue the subject. Instead, he gently nuzzled against her neck. "I only ask that you not despise me."
Song Hemei didn't know whether to laugh or cry. She pressed her hand against him with a little more force. "You poor thing. But even if I did despise you, what could you do? Once we reach Pingzhou, we'll be submitting our marriage certificate to the authorities."
The tension in Yu Yeqing's heart slowly dissolved at her words. He held her close and nodded solemnly. "Mm. We'll soon be a real husband and wife."
On this trip to Pingzhou, because there were many people traveling together, the pace wasn't particularly fast. After a full five days of travel, when they finally arrived at an inn to rest, Song Hemei had barely entered her room and taken a sip of tea before Yu Yeqing went straight to the government office, carrying the prepared betrothal, gift, and wedding certificates.
Perhaps ordinary people didn't submit their marriage certificates with such urgency, or perhaps the officials recognized his identity and acted swiftly. Either way, by the time he returned with the Mandarin Duck Marriage Certificate, it wasn't even dark yet.
Song Hemei held the crimson, gold-embossed certificate, staring at her own name written on it, still somewhat dazed. "This marriage certificate… holding it in my hand feels different from what I imagined."
Yu Yeqing leaned over, looking at her intently. He was in a very good mood, a smile hanging on the corners of his lips. "How is it different?"
"It's very light. It probably isn't very sturdy. I think the ink would easily blur if it got wet. I'll really have to put it away carefully."
Yu Yeqing couldn't help but let out a soft laugh. He propped his hand under his chin, all the tenderness in his eyes melting away. "Will a marriage certificate really have to endure so many hardships?"
"What do you know? This is what it means to be careful and cautious. If neither of us thinks about these things, what will we do if it actually happens? I heard the capital is very damp. What if it gets moldy?"
Song Hemei stood up, walked to the door, and called for Chunhui, instructing her to buy some alum, frankincense, and other items, planning to boil water to re-adhere the certificate.
Turning back, she carefully stored the certificate in a small box.
Yu Yeqing followed her gaze and saw a plain handkerchief at the bottom of her cosmetic case, seemingly stained with lip tint.
"Since it's dirty, there's no need to keep it. Buy a new one."
Song Hemei's gaze followed his, and she recognized it, concealed beneath her jewelry box. It took her a moment to recall its origin.
Her face flushed with a hint of embarrassment, but after thinking it over, she turned and leaned against the table, lifting her eyes to look at the man beside her. "It really should be thrown away. I don't know what I was thinking back then, keeping it."
Yu Yeqing was puzzled, but could tell there was more to her words.
Song Hemei blinked at him. "Do you remember the first time we returned to Changzhou together? You were very improper with me at the inn."
Yu Yeqing's breath caught in his throat. "Improper?"
He remembered. That night, when she came out of her room and ran into him, then followed him back to his room. He remembered that his impropriety had been kissing her.
But he felt a little wronged, and offered a feeble defense: "I asked you. You agreed."
"That's not important." Song Hemei cut him off, pulling out the handkerchief and twisting it idly in her hand. "When you went to coax Lianzhu back then, there was still lip tint on your lips. This is the handkerchief I used to wipe it off."
She said it calmly, but speaking of such girlish matters still made her feel a bit flustered.
But she thought, Yu Yeqing must surely love hearing this.
She carefully watched his expression, and sure enough, she saw a light gradually spark in his eyes, the corners of his mouth twitching. He was speechless for a long moment.
Song Hemei smiled, adding more fuel to the fire. "I forgot to tell you, there's no need to mind the fact that I gave the handkerchief to Shao Wen'ang but never to you. That thing is connected to both of us. You care about it, but so do I. If I had given it to you, what would I have left for myself?"
She leaned in closer to him, her tone light and cheerful. "Happy now?"
Yu Yeqing's eyes gradually darkened, and when he spoke, his voice was slightly hoarse. "Mm. Very happy."
He took a step forward, his tall, slender frame looming over her, radiating pressure. A buzzing sound filled Song Hemei's head. She felt she might have added a little too much fuel to the fire.
The next moment, her waist was clamped down, and her entire body was pressed onto the table. Her lips were expertly captured by the man before her. His burning body pressed against hers, kissing her until she couldn't breathe. Then he moved to kiss her neck, and as if unable to control himself, he bit down gently, leaving a mark.
But he didn't get too carried away. He knew there were others traveling with them and couldn't give anyone a reason to gossip. He restrained himself, holding back, and finally just hugged her tightly, panting roughly. "I'm really happy."
Song Hemei's neck tickled from his breath. She shrank her shoulder, laughing as she tried to dodge him. "I know, I know. Go wash your hands now. It's almost time for dinner."
His happiness didn't fade until nightfall.
In the dead of night, there was no fear of being ridiculed for what they did. Perhaps it was because they had received their Mandarin Duck Marriage Certificate that day, or perhaps it was because he had learned a new piece of evidence proving he had been an object of her affection from very early on—he was incredibly excited, his whole being ablaze.
The inn's bed frame was, as usual, terrible. The creaking made Song Hemei's heart race.
She wanted to tell him to restrain himself, but his urgency was on par with the night he had been drunk. Fierce, intense, and deep, yet he held her tightly as if afraid she would be shaken away from him. His hoarse, heavy breathing in her ear was both pleasing and seductive.
Song Hemei's sanity scattered and gathered, gathered and scattered again. She was afraid the noise would be too loud and the neighbors would hear, but she was also struggling too hard to hold back her own sounds. She tried to kick him but couldn't reach, and any small movement only made his eyes shine brighter, as if she were deliberately provoking him.
Helpless, she could only brace her legs, but he simply hooked his hand under her knees and pushed them upward.
At this point, Song Hemei could no longer endure it. She couldn't indulge him any further. Gasping, she gritted her teeth and scolded him, "Stop putting my legs on your shoulders! I don't like it!"
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