Chunfeng told Qi Zhenzhen many things that Gu Sinian had not, giving her a deeper understanding of the Duke's mansion's current situation. As mentioned before, to outsiders, the Duke's mansion seemed to have a simple household. The Old Madam had two children, one being the current Consort An and the other the Protector Duke. Currently, there was one wife and one concubine in the mansion, with one legitimate son and one illegitimate son each. Looking at this alone, the household was astonishingly simple for a ducal estate. However, these were all superficial appearances.
Because of the Protector Duke's cherished memory of a cinnabar mole, the Dong family, though not residing in the Duke's mansion, had become half-masters of the estate due to Gu Changwei's indulgence, especially with Dong Ningxin now married into the family. Then there were the various branches of the Old Protector Duke's brothers, who had previously been separated by walls and now wished to tear them down and be one family again.
And then there were Gu Siya and his wife, who were intent on claiming the title of heir.
When people multiply, so do their affairs, especially when they harbor various intentions.
Qi Zhenzhen gave a wry smile, realizing her married life would likely not be peaceful.
The bridal veil was suddenly lifted, startling Qi Zhenzhen. She only registered what was happening after a moment, realizing that the attendants had all left the room at some point. Gu Sinian stood before her, clad in red, his eyes burning with intensity.
"You, you're back?" Qi Zhenzhen stammered. "Where is the wedding matchmaker? Weren't there still some steps to complete?"
"I've already spoken with the wedding matchmaker," Gu Sinian said, bringing over the nuptial wine. "The veil is lifted, and now we drink the nuptial wine."
Gu Sinian paused. "And then, the bridal chamber and candlelit night."
Though his tone was very plain, Qi Zhenzhen heard a deep affection in it, causing her cheeks to flush. She dared not even look at Gu Sinian.
"My wife, come," Gu Sinian handed the nuptial wine to Qi Zhenzhen. "Drink this cup, and may we love each other until our hair turns white, sharing the same bed in life and the same grave in death."
Sharing the same bed in life and the same grave in death.
Qi Zhenzhen repeated Gu Sinian's words, a ripple of emotion washing over her. This moved her more than his sudden confession of feelings.
Their arms intertwined, they drank the nuptial wine. Qi Zhenzhen rose and walked to the dressing table, preparing to remove her hair ornaments.
"Let me help you take down your hair," Gu Sinian said, standing behind Qi Zhenzhen with a smile in his eyes.
"Can you?" Qi Zhenzhen blurted out.
"Although I've never done this before, I believe I can do it very well," Gu Sinian's smile deepened.
Qi Zhenzhen gazed at his face in the mirror, a face renowned for its celestial beauty, and her heart couldn't help but race. She had no experience in such matters in her previous life and had thought she would be more rational in matters of the heart. However, she hadn't expected to be so timid when faced with it directly. It wasn't her fault; Gu Sinian possessed such a captivating face that could bewitch the soul. Her nervousness was perfectly normal.
She had expected Gu Sinian to misjudge the force and pull her scalp, causing pain. Qi Zhenzhen had even prepared herself to endure it, no matter how much it hurt, to avoid embarrassing Gu Sinian. To her surprise, Gu Sinian's movements were so gentle that Qi Zhenzhen found them incredibly comfortable.
"You've been wearing the phoenix coronet for so long; your scalp must be quite tight," Gu Sinian spoke again. "Let me loosen your hair; it will be more comfortable when you sleep tonight."
To create the elaborate hairstyle, the wedding matchmaker had used a lot of hair oil. Now, with her hair in strands, to loosen it at this moment...
"No, no need," Qi Zhenzhen said, starting to get up. She moved too quickly, forgetting Gu Sinian was behind her, and directly bumped her head against his chin. The pain made her gasp.
"Does it hurt?" Gu Sinian asked, placing his hands on her shoulders and turning her to face him, a smile on his lips.
His smile was as refreshing as a spring breeze, making Qi Zhenzhen feel foolish for what had just happened. Her silly demeanor had all been witnessed by him; how embarrassing!