Once the wife nodded, the wedding was officially put on the agenda.
At this point, the details of the wedding could be negotiated—what mattered most was speed. After all, the belly wouldn’t wait, and things couldn’t be dragged out for too long.
Despite back-and-forth discussions, the two sides still delayed for several days.
“No way! The ninth of November is too late!” Xiao Yun rejected the list of auspicious dates proposed by the Nanruo Ministry of Rites, slapping it in frustration.
Sitting directly opposite him, Jiang Huaiyi, who had suggested “November 9th,” frowned. “Too late? Then what date do you want?”
Xiao Yun jabbed at the earliest date on the list. “The eighteenth of this month!”
“Five days from now?!” Jiang Huaiyi’s face darkened. “This is the wedding of a Wangye. What can you possibly organize in five days?!”
“Why not?! Just because you Southerners work slow—”
Jiang Huaichu tugged lightly on Xiao Yun’s sleeve. Xiao Yun’s bristling attitude paused mid-sentence. Meeting Jiang Huaiyi’s equally fiery gaze, he forced himself to calm down and switched to a more agreeable tone: “Brother-in-law, trust us Northerners. In five days, we can definitely give Chu Chu a grand wedding. Besides, we have the Miluo Manor helping, right?”
The Old Master nodded like a pecking chicken in agreement.
Jiang Huaiyi folded his arms and ignored Xiao Yun, turning directly to Jiang Huaichu: “What do you think? The ninth or the eighteenth?”
Xiao Yun also looked over stubbornly.
With Jiang Huaiyi on the left and Xiao Yun on the right, Jiang Huaichu stood in the middle, looking from one to the other. Under their intense gazes, he hesitated: “…Either is fine with me.”
Jiang Huaiyi gave him a cold look, while Xiao Yun shot him a betrayed glare.
Jiang Huaichu: “…”
The old master and Xiao Yun argued passionately and even swore oaths, promising they could get everything ready within five days. Finally, the wedding date was set for the eighteenth of this month—just five days away.
Jiang Huaichu had just breathed a sigh of relief and stepped into the inner room for a sip of warm water, only to return to yet another uproar.
“Lavish? You call that lavish? It’s tacky! What kind of wedding has gongs and drums?!”
Jiang Huaiyi’s temple throbbed as Nanruo’s esteemed officials all wore expressions of disbelief and distaste at Xiao Yun’s “peculiar” taste.
Behind Xiao Yun, the Northern Ning officials were visibly nervous—after all, their emperor couldn’t tolerate anyone calling him tacky.
Sure enough, Xiao Yun stood up in anger, slapping his hand on the table: “Pah! You’re the tacky one! A proper wedding should be lively and joyous, celebrating with the people! You’re turning it into a coronation! Wearing white? People who know it’s a wedding might understand, but those who don’t will think it’s a funeral!”
Jiang Huaichu, who had just come out, covered his mouth and coughed softly.
Xiao Yun’s fierce momentum dropped by a third instantly.
Jiang Huaiyi couldn’t take it anymore and also stood up: “White is our tradition in Nanruo. If you don’t like it, then don’t get married!”
“…” Xiao Yun choked and forced a laugh, looking toward Jiang Huaichu.
Jiang Huaiyi, with a frosty expression, also looked at Jiang Huaichu.
Jiang Huaichu quietly withdrew the foot he had just taken forward, lowered his head, and said after two seconds of silence, “I have no opinion. You two decide.”
Xiao Yun stared at him in disbelief.
Jiang Huaichu actually didn’t take his husband’s side!
Jiang Huaiyi’s face was grim.
Before even getting married, Jiang Huaichu was already siding with an outsider.
Two pairs of eyes glared at him in silent reproach before turning away.
A few seconds later, a new round of equally intense quarreling resumed—endlessly.
On the sidelines, Taifei watched the two countries argue furiously, then quietly scooted over to the forgotten Jiang Huaichu and tugged his sleeve.
Jiang Huaichu looked over.
Taifei whispered, “Let’s sneak out.”
Jiang Huaichu’s eyes instantly lit up.
After they were done arguing about the format, the two sides began arguing about the guest list. Xiao Yun slammed the table in frustration: “What, are you looking down on Northern Ning or what?! Only fourth-rank officials and above can attend? Northern Ning isn’t short on money! Can’t we afford a few more guests?! I’ll even host a running banquet for the commoners!”
He spoke fast and furiously, leaving Jiang Huaiyi no room to cut in. Jiang Huaiyi only found him increasingly crude and unreasonable—like a wild bandit—and finally exploded: “Huaichu is pregnant!”
“He’s open and dignified about it—why are you being so secretive? And I’m with him the whole time!”
“You’re not the one who’s pregnant!” Jiang Huaiyi couldn’t take it anymore. “If you were pregnant and insisted on it, I’d throw you a banquet every day for a month! You could parade around the streets with a belly, and I wouldn’t say a word!”
“…” Xiao Yun flushed red with anger. “You—”
Jiang Huaiyi snapped, “Stop being ridiculous! Act like a decent human! Don’t let the people think the Wangye is shacked up with a beast!”
Xiao Yun: “…”
That was crossing the line. Northern Ning’s ministers flushed with fury: “Who are you calling a beast?!”
Nanruo’s officials had long been fed up with these “rabid dogs” from the north and immediately fired back.
A new round of heated arguing broke out. Xiao Yun reflexively looked to the side—his anger caught.
Jiang Huaiyi did the same, and his expression stiffened.
He had clearly been here just moments ago.
The two looked around.
When did he disappear?
…
At this point, Jiang Huaichu had no idea what the wedding would look like after so many days of bickering and grudging compromises between Xiao Yun and Jiang Huaiyi.
Anyway, couldn’t reach him.
He had always cared more about substance than appearance and had never paid much attention to outward displays.
If his life was going well, there was no need to flaunt it; if it wasn’t, there was no need to complain. His days were his own and had nothing to do with others.
He hadn’t originally planned to go through a formal wedding ceremony. It was Xiao Yun who insisted on it. He saw it as fulfilling Xiao Yun’s dream of a grand wedding, like that of a young maiden, for a man of his age—so he went along with it. Whatever Xiao Yun could manage to fight for, he would do his best to cooperate.
But four days later, Jiang Huaichu looked at the wedding robe hesitantly brought in by Taifei, red and white mixed, and his expression completely froze.
Taifei cleared her throat, brought it in, and closed the door.
“…This.” Jiang Huaichu stared in disbelief at the wedding robe.
Taifei cleared her throat again. “…This is the result of your imperial brother and your husband each fighting for what they believed was right.”
Jiang Huaichu: “…”
Taifei placed the robe on the table and rubbed her nose. “That… the design was personally drawn by your imperial brother. Your husband spent a fortune and had a hundred embroiderers work nonstop, four nights and five days, to rush its completion. You… come take a look, try it on—see if it fits.”
Jiang Huaichu looked extremely unwilling. Taifei blinked at him hard, and finally, Jiang Huaichu, like a wife identifying a body at the magistrate’s office, walked over slowly and heavily.
The wedding robe before him had a white silk base. The overlapping collars and sleeve hems were embroidered with red patterns, like plum blossoms falling on snow. The front flap, the edges of the outer robe, the lower covering, and the back were also embroidered with red dragon and phoenix designs.
At first glance, it was a true blend of red and white.
The robe wasn’t exactly ugly—actually, it was quite beautiful. It lacked the solemn dullness of Nanruo ceremonial wear and the gaudy vulgarity of an all-red wedding robe. The compromise had surprisingly resulted in a delicate harmony—unique, but not aloof.
Just… a bit strange.
Jiang Huaichu thought about how this robe was a fusion of his imperial brother’s and Xiao Yun’s completely opposite yet equally immovable expressions of love. It was the balance they had managed to achieve after pouring all their efforts into it. He forced himself to smile and said, “…I’ll try it on.”
Taifei breathed a sigh of relief.
After the young Wangye changed into it, Taifei looked at him for a long time, speechless.
In the bronze mirror, the person had skin dark like silk, a graceful figure, features like a painting. Dressed like this, he seemed less aloof and distant, and more touched by the warmth and liveliness of the mortal world.
A patch of fresh snow from the mountaintop had, in the end, stepped into the human world.
He was about to spend the rest of his life with a man who had once been a stranger.
Taifei’s emotions were complicated—part pride, part sorrowful reluctance.
She still had many things to handle. Seeing the robe fit well, she gave him a few words of advice and left.
The room was quiet, leaving only Jiang Huaichu alone.
He looked down at his belly.
Sure enough, even with a robe this long, it couldn’t hide his belly. Tomorrow, it was bound to be noticed. Jiang Huaichu gave a helpless smile.
He couldn’t stand for long now—it made his back ache—so he slowly sat down to the side.
The room was dim, the candlelight warm and hazy.
He looked at his reflection in the bronze mirror—a man who would become a father in just a few months—and felt a bit dazed.
None of this had ever been part of his life’s plans.
Many important events in life, it seemed, happened without warning.
Like he couldn’t pinpoint the exact moment he had this child.
Couldn’t pinpoint the exact moment he fell in love with Xiao Yun.
Maybe it was that moment on the city wall when Xiao Yun finally spoke honestly.
Maybe it was in the carriage, when they kissed willingly.
Maybe it was when Xiao Yun asked if he would marry him and become his empress.
Or maybe even earlier.
It had all happened without him even noticing.
Love, with no known beginning—until, turning back, the tree had already grown sky-high.
His life had already changed drastically. The road ahead was clear. Even if it had nothing to do with what he’d once imagined, it still felt… exactly right.
Jiang Huaichu smiled faintly.
He was Xiao Yun’s Jiang Huaichu. Soon, their child would be born.
The reality of it all washed over him.
His heart beat a little faster. Unable to sleep, Jiang Huaichu grabbed a book from the shelf, put on an outer robe, and sat at the table to read.
They couldn’t see each other tonight—the wedding was tomorrow, and tonight had to pass midnight without them meeting, or else it would ruin the auspiciousness of the chosen day.
His belly rumbled a little. Jiang Huaichu kept reading.
After a while, the little thing inside him started kicking, as if protesting. Jiang Huaichu set the book down expressionlessly and sat there, unmoving, for a long time.
Finally, he stood up as if nothing happened and headed to the small kitchen. But just then, two soft knocks came from the door.
Jiang Huaichu paused and quickly sat back down, picked up the book, and straightened his posture. “Come in.”
No one came in.
Jiang Huaichu held the reading pose for a while, then stood up and walked to the door.
It was late. It would make him look greedy. But it wasn’t for him—it was the baby who wanted food. Even if someone laughed, they couldn’t laugh at him.
Thinking that, Jiang Huaichu pressed his lips together and quietly opened the door, trying not to alert anyone. Looking down, he saw four or five small plates at the door, filled with soft, fragrant, delicate sweets.
He stared blankly.
A figure appeared in his mind, and his lips curled up little by little.
He glanced outside but didn’t see anyone. Casually, he picked up the small dishes one by one and brought them inside.
He closed the door, sat down, and continued reading while nibbling on the snacks. But not long after, he heard two soft knocks at the window, much like the earlier ones.
Jiang Huaichu’s hand paused. He silently put the snacks down and walked to the window.
“Chuchu.”
The voice outside was low and lazy—it was Xiao Yun.
“What is it?” Jiang Huaichu was about to open the window.
Xiao Yun said urgently, “Don’t open it!”
Jiang Huaichu stopped: “Why not?”
Xiao Yun said, “We’re not supposed to see each other tonight.”
Jiang Huaichu laughed: “And this doesn’t count as seeing each other?”
Xiao Yun replied, “You can’t see me, so it doesn’t count!”
Jiang Huaichu’s eyes curved with amusement in a place Xiao Yun couldn’t see: “Didn’t they say not to meet? Why did you come?”
Xiao Yun said, “I missed you so much I couldn’t sleep.”
Jiang Huaichu was momentarily stunned. He hadn’t expected such blunt honesty. His face reddened slightly, but he said casually, “It’s only been a few hours?”
“Right? And somehow it’s only been a few hours—it’s ridiculous,” Xiao Yun sighed from outside. “And we still have hours to go.”
When there was no response from inside, he added with a laugh, “I’m really not trying to sweet-talk you. I truly couldn’t sleep from missing you. I was afraid you were hungry, afraid you missed me too. So I brought snacks for our little bunny.”
Jiang Huaichu’s face flushed slightly. “Well… you’ve said it. Now go back and rest. I’m going to sleep too.”
He heard the sound of footsteps leaving the window and Xiao Yun’s immediate protest: “Wait!”
Jiang Huaichu paused. “What now?”
Xiao Yun asked, “Can you talk with me for a bit?”
Jiang Huaichu hesitated, then returned to the window. “What do you want to say?”
“Chuchu, aren’t you nervous?”
“Not really.”
“Really? I’m so nervous. My heart’s jumping all over the place. If I could see you, I’d make you rub it and calm me down.”
Jiang Huaichu: “…”
He thought of something. “Why did you choose tomorrow?”
Actually, Xiao Yun’s chosen date and his imperial brother’s were at opposite extremes—one too rushed, the other too far off. There were several better dates in between, but Xiao Yun picked the earliest one.
And indeed, it was a bit rushed, but Great Ning always acted quickly. Even in a hurry, everything had been arranged. So it worked out in the end.
Xiao Yun: “Oh, you mean that?”
Standing inside, Jiang Huaichu couldn’t see his expression—only hear his voice, which sounded a little strange.
“What’s wrong?”
Xiao Yun paused for several seconds, clearly teasing, before solemnly saying: “Because it’s the only date where we can actually consummate the marriage.”
Jiang Huaichu froze.
He was already six months pregnant—waiting until his imperial brother’s date, then…
Jiang Huaichu’s face turned crimson. He spun around and stormed off.
His mind was now full of that matter.
Xiao Yun joked: “Chuchu, even if you realize it now, it’s too late to run away. Your husband is camping outside your window tonight. That’s what it means to wait by the tree for the rabbit, don’t you know?”
Jiang Huaichu’s face was burning. In a fit of pique, he not only avoided the window but deliberately stayed far away from it.
Xiao Yun grinned wickedly: “Even if you know now, tomorrow you’ll still obediently consummate the marriage with me. Your husband will do all sorts of things to you.”
Jiang Huaichu really wanted to throw his teacup out the window.
“Getting married only happens once in a lifetime. How could we not consummate it, right? Tomorrow, I’ll show you just how lucky you are to have chosen such a valuable man.”
At the table, Jiang Huaichu gritted his teeth.
He was still carrying a child, after all.
As if knowing exactly what he was thinking, Xiao Yun’s voice came again: “It’s you who’s marrying me, not the baby. It’s our wedding. Why can everyone else have a wedding night and I can’t? Isn’t that unfair?”
Jiang Huaichu: “…”
Xiao Yun kept talking and talking, and inappropriate memories stirred by his words began resurfacing. Jiang Huaichu tried to shove them aside, but the more he tried, the redder his face got. Finally, expressionless, he walked back toward the window.
Xiao Yun heard the approaching footsteps and was briefly stunned.
“Don’t open the window and throw stuff!!” he shouted, quickly stepping back two paces.
Jiang Huaichu was amused by his panic and didn’t throw anything. He just said, “Xiao Yun.”
Xiao Yun stared at the tightly closed window and, hearing that soft voice, his heart stirred. “Mm?”
Jiang Huaichu: “I just undid my belt.”
“…What?!”
Xiao Yun’s eyes widened. His mind couldn’t help but conjure up an image—a man as fair as white jade, head lowered, slender fingers tugging at a silk belt, face faintly flushed, avoiding his gaze as he slowly slid the belt loose. He coiled it up, set it aside, and as he moved, his robes swayed lightly against his body, revealing glimpses of his delicate figure beneath.
“Why are you telling me this?!”
Jiang Huaichu said, “I’m taking off my inner robes.”
In Xiao Yun’s imagination, the beauty shrugged off his outer robe and placed it to the side. His hands moved to the white collar of his underrobe. As the robe opened slightly, a red string on his neck appeared, the skin bearing faint love marks from earlier days. The robe slid lower, revealing pale shoulders, a collarbone with a small mole in the middle, and hanging between the collarbones, a hollow moon pendant…
A lithe waist, the gentle curve of a pregnant belly, long and slender legs perfect for being entangled or folded…
Xiao Yun’s mind exploded with fireworks.
Jiang Huaichu, suppressing a smile, said softly, “I’m going to sleep. Rest early. See you tomorrow.”
“…” Xiao Yun looked down at his very excited, fully awakened lower half in disbelief. “Jiang Huaichu!!! You’ve become bad!!!”
Jiang Huaichu didn’t respond again.
Inside, he curled up on his side with his belly in his arms. Though his eyes were closed, the slight smile tugging at his lips only grew as he listened to the sounds outside.
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