Song Yi Xiao's face turned red with anger and embarrassment, she blurted out without thinking: "I don't know who looks more like a wooden head! You've been staring at me for so long, not moving or speaking!"

  Jian Yu Bai's face turned pale and he was taken aback for a moment, then burst out laughing and pulled down the curtain: "My dear wife is so frank, how can I disappoint you?"

  Eight treasures curtain gently falls down, covering a room of spring light.

  The bed made of hundred-year-old purple sandalwood, carefully crafted by skilled craftsmen, only slightly swayed, but Song Yi Xiao inside the curtains seemed to be in the midst of a stormy sea.

  After countless ups and downs, she was completely dizzy and disoriented, exhaustedly clinging to her husband's shoulder and shouting "stop". Jian Yu Bai smiled with a hint of triumph: "Do you still remember what I told you two days ago? Didn't I tell you not to regret it?"

  Song Yi smiled dazedly, recalling the past, feeling both embarrassed and indignant, weakly pushing him away, but in return receiving a passionate and intense kiss.

  In the fierce entanglement of lips and teeth, the skin that stuck together was exceptionally sensitive, like flames, like molten lava, scorching to make people shudder, painful to make people fear, yet also joyful to make people sink - time and space were forgotten at this moment, as if the whole world had only this six-foot brocade bed.

  It was as if the whole world had nothing but him and her.

  Don't remember the past

  Don't ask about the future

  At present—

  He is her everything.

  She is also his everything.

  "It's finally come to this!" Although she had prepared herself before leaving the boudoir, Song Yishuo still found it hard to calm her emotions as she truly transitioned from a maiden to a woman.

  He is her husband, she is his wife, they naturally depend on each other and possess each other.

  From the day she left office, she had been preparing for this.

  It's just the desolation of parting with her daughter, and the dust finally settling after truly sharing a bed, that makes her still have an unknown fear for the future.

  The helplessness of birth, aging, illness and death; the divergence and conflict between firewood, rice, oil and salt; the enmity after infatuation and love transfer...

  The fleeting life, the joys and sorrows of this world, can be written on paper in just a few lines, but require us to spend our youth, every spring, summer, autumn, and winter, morning and night.

  From the moment they exchanged vows in front of their relatives and friends at Zheng Hall until their souls return to the Yellow Springs.

  How can ordinary people today know what will happen tomorrow, let alone see the storms of decades from now?

  How can one not be anxious?

  But also because today is unknown tomorrow, in the midst of anxiety, there is also a hidden expectation and reverie - in the sound of snow falling on the roof, the candlelight in the room is dim and quiet, you are in the tent, I am also in the tent, you are by my side, I am in your arms.

  At this moment and scene, I am even more uncertain about the future. Who can avoid being confused and not having a tangled mind, exchanging for a loving entanglement?

  Compared to Song Yixiao's complex emotions, Jian Yu Bai didn't have many thoughts. He slightly lowered his eyelids and quietly gazed at his wife in his arms. His eyes swept over the clear lip prints on her cheek, and his mouth involuntarily curled up into a joyful smile - yes, his current mood was simple, it was genuine joy.

  From fame to substance, having everything I thought of, extremely satisfied and joyful.

  She turned her head to look outside the window, and the original dense blackness had quietly dissipated. A strand of morning sunlight quietly passed through the window lattice, gently sprinkling the entire room.

  Jian Xu Bai welcomed its caress, comfortably closing her eyes.

  Song Yi woke up with a smile when it was already time for dinner.

  Compared to her still being weak and limp all over, with a listless look, Jian Yu Bai was already dressed neatly and tidily, full of energy, with bright eyes, smiling at the corners of his mouth, and a warm smile on his face.

  "Are you hungry?" He was in a good mood and personally served his wife, gently saying, "I had the kitchen stew chicken soup with swallow's nest this noon, it should be just right to use now!"

  "Did you get up at noon? Why didn't you call me?" Song Yi smiled, looking out the window at the sky that had already completely darkened: as the mistress of the house, she actually slept for a whole day without being sick!

  She can imagine what they are talking about in private at home today!

  It's probably known even outside the mansion!

  Will she be able to go out again?!

  Jian Yu Bai saw her gloominess and smiled meaningfully, saying: "It's still early in the month, what's the point of waking you up for nothing?"

  He's really talking big now!

  After Song Yishao finished laughing and putting things away, the two of them went to the flower hall together for dinner. Jian Xubo said, "I have some official business that was left over from last year, I need to go to the front study room to take care of it, I'll be back soon."

  Song Yi Xiao slept for a whole day, but still didn't feel quite comfortable. Upon hearing this, he nodded: "You go!"

  After he left, she didn't have the mood to deal with the maids' snickering, briefly asked if there was anything going on in the backyard today, reminded Jin Xun to often go see Zhi Qin, and then went back to her room.

  After entering the inner room, she rushed onto the couch to continue her nap - when she was sleeping sweetly, she was woken up by her husband's kiss.

  As soon as she opened her eyes, she saw him leaning over and getting intimate with her while quickly undressing. Song Yi thought of last night's experience and couldn't help but feel a little dizzy. She hurriedly stretched out her hand to push his shoulder and pleaded: "I'm too tired, how about in two days?"

  "Good girl!" Jian Yu Bai lowered his head and gently nipped at her earlobe, saying with a hint of a smile, "If you're tired, just take a nap during the day. Anyway, I haven't started printing yet, and I don't have to go to the yamen - everything in the mansion can be taken care of!"

  Song Yi smiled: "………………"

  That means I won't be able to sleep tonight?!

  She didn't want to pretend, but had no choice, so she pretended to be deaf and dumb, and quietly put down the curtain...

  For the next two or three days, Song Yiliao was forced to stay up all night and sleep during the day. On the eve of the Lantern Festival, she finally couldn't bear it anymore and burst out: "Tomorrow is the Lantern Festival banquet, if I don't go because of you and lose face, I'll never forgive you!"

  Seeing his wife get really angry, Jian Yu Bai reluctantly reined it in a bit: at least let her sleep for half the night.

  On the morning of the fifteenth day of the first month, Song Yixiao looked at the exhausted complexion in the mirror and glared at the culprit not far away. Then, with a stiff face amidst Jin Xun's suppressed laughter, she instructed: "Apply more rouge!"

  It was rare for her to dress up so heavily, and after entering the palace that day, even acquaintances like Qingjiang Junzhu and Xie Yiren noticed something amiss and came over to show concern: "Why is your makeup so heavy today? Have you been tired lately?"

  Song Yi forced a smile and said: "The new makeup that the maid just learned, she insisted I try it! But isn't it bad? If only I had known earlier, I wouldn't have listened to them!"

  "This reason is indeed very useful, everyone said: 'What are you talking about? It's just that the beauty shines on people! It's just that I've never seen you dress up like this before, and it's a bit unexpected at first glance.'"

  Song Yi smiled humbly and changed the subject, taking advantage of the momentum - everyone had arrived at a calculated time, but now they chatted for a while, when an imperial servant came in to report that the imperial carriage was about to arrive, everyone stopped talking and adjusted their attire, preparing to welcome the emperor.

  After a moment, the Empress and Consort Cui escorted the Dowager Empress into the hall, with Concubine Jiang and Princess Yushan following closely behind, and then came the other consorts.

  The Empress Dowager ordered Ping to withdraw, and when Song Yi got up and casually swept her eyes around the room, she happened to see Nuan Shu - this former Princess of Wuhuan was, due to her status, although fortunate enough to be seated today, but neither her attire nor position were eye-catching.

  She was indeed a stunning beauty of her generation, with her head lowered and shrinking in the corner, yet still attracting many intentional and unintentional glances.

  "Who is that?" Song Yi heard many people whispering to each other, "When did the palace have such a stunning beauty? Looking at her attire, she doesn't seem to be of high status. Could it be that she has a humble background?"

  "These past few days, the snow has fallen heavily, and many branches of the flowers and trees in our palace have been broken. I suppose the roads are also very difficult to walk on." The Empress Dowager didn't even glance at Consort Shu, but instead sat down and swept her gaze around the hall before smiling slightly and chatting with the elderly relatives nearby, "Was your journey here smooth?"

  Zhenyang Princess Dachang, Consort Dowager of King Hengshan and other noblewomen of the same generation heard this and hastily replied on behalf of everyone: "Thank you for your concern, Empress Dowager! Thanks to Your Majesty's kindness and the Emperor's benevolence, everything is going smoothly for us!"

  Zhenyang Dachang Gongzhu said: "These two days of snow are indeed extremely heavy, but since entering the palace, it's been swept and cleaned everywhere, and it's actually easier to walk than outside the palace!"

  "The Empress is more considerate than the Dowager thought!" The Dowager smiled and praised Empress Su for being meticulous, "After all, she's the Crown Prince's first wife, she knows how to share his worries!"

  Empress Su said with respect: "The empress dowager's praise is misplaced. I, the daughter-in-law, also heard the reminders from the noble consorts, but dare not take credit for it!"

  Everyone was busy saying that the Empress Dowager was kind and approachable, the Queen was virtuous and magnanimous, and the concubines were clever and quick-witted. But to Song Yiliao's ears, the Empress Dowager's words "to share worries for the Crown Prince" seemed to have a hidden meaning: the Empress Dowager did not approve of Zhao Wang's fight for the throne. Why would she say this? Wasn't it to remind Queen Su to be considerate of Emperor Xian and not make things difficult for him?

  But Empress Su's response was apparently not heard or did not want to hear it anymore.

  "It's also true that if Zhao Wang hadn't shown any ambition, it would have been fine. But the Duke of Ji even forced the palace after Your Majesty passed away! What else can be done except for taking a path to darkness? Song Yi smiled at the Empress's response, which wasn't surprising. 'After all, Your Majesty is willing to cherish old relationships, but the Crown Prince may not! Rather than hoping for others' sympathy, it's better to seize the opportunity and take a chance!'"

  Just as she was lost in thought, Empress Dowager suddenly asked the Crown Princess: "I heard that one of your consorts is pregnant with twins?"

  The crown princess hastily stood up and smiled: "To answer the empress dowager's words: It is indeed because Cui sister has a deep good fortune!"

  "It's indeed a blessed child!" The empress also smiled - but at this moment, Cui Jianli was clearly sitting below the crown princess with a six-month pregnant belly, yet the empress only asked the crown princess, who was so embarrassed that she didn't know whether to stand or sit. The empress pretended not to notice and casually said to the crown princess, "No wonder you've lost weight recently, having twins is rare, taking care of them is indeed not easier than ordinary pregnant women!"

  Before the words had fallen, Cui Guifei and Cui Jianliang's faces both changed slightly!

  The Empress Dowager said so, obviously dissatisfied with Cui Jianliang!

  Luckily, Empress Su and the Crown Prince's consort quickly smoothed things over. The former said that she had asked the Crown Prince's consort to help with the palace banquet, which was why she looked thinner; the latter insisted that she had accidentally caught a chill, which was why she hadn't had much of an appetite for several days and lost weight - in short, it all had nothing to do with Consort Cui!

  No matter whether their explanation is true or false, the Empress's attitude has been made clear, and tonight, the aunt and niece of the Cui family will be on pins and needles!

  "It's said that Ah Yu has been busy for a long time, taking care of everything inside and out all by yourself." The Empress Dowager gave the mother and daughter of the Cui family a stern look, but then immediately resumed her warm and kind demeanor, continuing to ask about their well-being.

  Song Yixiao basked in her husband's glory and received his gentle consolation, "You must be tired from these days?"

  "Thank you, Empress Dowager!" Song Yi hurriedly replied with a smile, "As a wife, managing the household chores is my duty! Moreover, my husband has been busy with official business all day, and it's even more tiring for him!"

  After this scene had passed, the Lantern Festival banquet could be said to have begun.

  After three rounds of wine, the atmosphere gradually relaxed. Song Yi Xiao was playing with a white jade wine cup, watching the singing and dancing below, and chatting with her younger sister Nie Wu Yan from time to time. Jin Xun suddenly bent down and whispered in her ear: "Madam, the maid of Princess Wang just came over and said that the princess wants to see you at the dressing place after a while, there's something to talk about!"

  "Mother?" Song Yi smiled slightly, subconsciously looking in the direction of Wei Mengying's position - but saw her own mother holding a wine jug, smiling and chatting with the noblewomen on either side, not even glancing at her daughter.

  However, this lady has always been good at playing tricks - Song Yi smiled and hesitated for a moment, then said to Nie Wu Xiang: "I'm a bit drunk, go change my clothes, if you think it's boring, go play with Sister Xie and the others!"