The Marquis Is Innocent

After yesterday’s victory at Bo Ling, they defeated another major warlord in the north, Chen Xiang of Bingzhou, and tonight it was the Marquis’s wedding, so they killed a sheep and slaughtered a pig in the barracks and broke the rules by drinking wine, as a reward and wedding wine for the Marquis.

Since he was seventeen years old, Wei Shao had been ruling the army himself. Whenever he was in camp, he would eat with the soldiers in the same pot and sleep in the same tent. Whenever he took a city, he would be the first to fight. He was strict in ruling the army, and his orders were forbidden, so the soldiers rarely drank. Tonight, there was a double joyous occasion, and the camp outside the city was ablaze with bonfires. Loud and clear songs could be heard everywhere. When the wine was served, a cheer came from the front. The soldiers flocked over to see Wei Shao had come to the barracks and toasted the soldiers who had fought to retrieve Boling.

On his wedding night, the Marquis did not forget to comfort the soldiers. He was surrounded by soldiers, who toasted to congratulate him on his wedding. Wei Shao, with a smile on his face, was very proud of himself and didn’t refuse. Wei Liang was afraid that he would get drunk and miss the wedding, and blocked it for him. It was late at night when he could finally get away and return to the city.

……

After the ceremony, they escorted the bride to her new room, which was in Wei Shao’s usual sleeping quarters in Sheyang. After Xiao Qiao removed her clothes and makeup, she asked Chun Niang and the maids to leave. The maids went out one by one, but Chun Niang hesitated to go out.

Chun Niang’s husband was a soldier in the Qiao family. She gave birth to a daughter at 20, and before she gave birth, her husband died in a battle. Her parents-in-law wanted her remarried for money. Then they found out the magistrate had a new daughter and was looking for a suitable nursemaid. Thinking if she selected, they would get more money than selling their daughter-in-law, so they looked for a way to go in.

Xiao Qiao’s mother inquired about her and found out she was honest and quiet. And without a husband, her in-laws were going to sell her, so she let her be Xiao Qiao’s wet nurse.

Chun Niang was grateful and nurtured Xiao Qiao with all her heart. Since Xiao Qiao is married far away, she is reluctant, and follows along.

The wedding room is a beautiful place, but it seemed to be less complete. Chun Niang thought of Wei Shao. His body was strong, tall, and powerful. It was obvious he was used to killing people, but Xiao Qiao was delicate and weak. Her thighs were not as thick as his arms, and she had just reached the age of maturity. Chun Niang was afraid that Wei Shao would be violent, and if she was treated roughly, she might suffer.

Although Chun Niang is a maid, she is also like a half mother. Xiao Qiao saw her worried face, so she comfort her instead.

Chun Niang tried her best to show a happy look, attached to Xiao Qiao’s ear, advised when the Marquis entered the room with her to perform the rituals, do not forget to serve him with a delicate attitude, so he can feel compassion, a man who has compassion, will be gentle.

“Do not be tough. Remember, remember!”

Xiao Qiao heard her advice, and she understand the reason she was hesitant to leave. Although she had been living in two lives, she was not experienced in this area. She couldn’t help but blush after hearing this, and nodded her head in response.

Only then Chun Niang let go of her hand and went out.

……

The only person left in the room was Xiao Qiao, waiting for the groom, Wei Shao.

It was a square and large bedchamber. The entrance was set up with a six-fold folding screen with a black and vermilion lacquer painted with cloud and dragon patterns, dividing the bedchamber into two rooms.

Beside the screen, a large bed was placed, and the bed was covered with new crimson bedding, covered with pillows, and the head of one side of the curtain was draped with a pair of jades, both for decoration and to ward off evil spirits in the new room.

On the opposite side of the floor, there was a short rectangular couch for sitting, covered with mattress, a table in the middle, the rest of the cabinets and boxes were placed against the wall. Above the lampstand, a pair of red candles as thick as a child’s arm were burning, and there were no extra ornaments in the room.

Xiao Qiao finished surveying the room and stood in the middle, staring at the red candle.

Maybe affected by Chun Niang’s advice just now, Xiao Qiao, who originally felt nothing, got a little nervous.

In a previous life, Xiao Qiao, many years later, had a last meeting with her cousin Da Qiao. When Wei Shao had almost become emperor, there was a woman by his side, said to be very favored. Da Qiao was his nominal wife, but he did not care about her, and had long abandoned her.

During that meeting, Xiao Qiao learned he had never touched Da Qiao since the first day she married him.

Although Da Qiao is not as beautiful as Xiao Qiao, but she is still beautiful. He didn’t even touch a beautiful woman who had become his wife, which shows how much he hated the Qiao family. Although he hated Qiao Family so much, he agreed to marry the Qiao’s daughter. His deep heart and patience were not ordinary people can do it.

With this kind of impression, Xiao Qiao felt this night, Wei Shao shouldn’t touch her. But, as long as it doesn’t happen, there is an uncertainty about everything.

What if?

If they consummate their marriage, seeing his body and weight, he may crush her until she vomits blood. If he is in a bad mood – this possibility is very high, and he has an animalistic temper. She is already married in the eyes of the people, but in reality, she will have to spend two more days to reach the age of 15, and she may not stand it.

She couldn’t imagine herself doing what Chun Niang had advised her when she did that kind of thing and be gentle with him. Xiao Qiao had married Liu Yan in her previous life. But as herself, although she learned some things, but she did not have time to gain some real-experience in this area before she arrived here and became today’s Xiao Qiao.

The more she thought about it, the more she lost her head. She settled down and continued to sit on the low couch opposite the bed.

……

When she first came here, she was very uncomfortable with the sitting posture. Nowadays, high-legged chairs and stools are only found in the northern tribes of the Hu people, and sitting with high legs is considered a rude act. As soon as she sat down, she could only remain in two positions in front of people. Either her hips fall on her heels and kneel, which is a more relaxed, or she raises her hips and straightens her upper body, which is called long kneeling, a sitting posture that shows respect for others as she prepares to rise or welcome guests.

No matter what kind of sitting posture, Xiao Qiao can’t keep it for long, and it’s impossible to sit for an hour without moving to embroider and do needlework like Chun Niang.

In the past, as long as there were no outsiders in front of her, she used to sit with her legs stretched out to relax her legs, even though she would be scolded by Chun Niang for being indecent. Therefore, until now, she still had not learned the skill of sitting on her knees for a long time.

Xiao Qiao sat upright on the couch for a long time, but Wei Shao still did not return.

It was quiet outside, and there was no sound to be heard, so she straightened her legs, fished a leaning box from the side, relaxed her limbs, and half lay and half leaned on the couch.

It was cold outside, but the fire pit in the house was burning. The air was filled with a faint smell of incense. Last night she did not sleep well, and today has been tossed and turned for a day. Xiao Qiao was sleepy, and she was about to sleep, when there was a movement.

Someone was coming. Then she heard the servant girl outside call, “Master is back.”

Master is the honorific name for the male master by the servants and concubines at home, as opposed to the Lady.

Xiao Qiao ran away, rubbed her eyes and climbed up from the couch. Just returned to the kneeling position, she heard the door being pushed open. She raised her head, saw a tall figure behind the screen swayed, did not seem to stand firm, stumbled.

Xiao Qiao was startled and straightened up. Ready to get off the couch to see what was going on, when the figure had already stabilized, turned past the screen and appeared in front of her.

Is it Wei Shao?

He seems to have drunk a lot of wine. The original stony face is flushed. When he entered, he walked straight in, untied his hair crown, threw it in front of the mirror table with a “clatter”, did not look at Xiao Qiao, who was kneeling on the couch with her upper body straight. He turned towards the bed. He lifted the tent, and the curtain jades hit each other, emitting a clear jade sound.

Then, two “bang”, “bang” the sound of boots on the ground, and the room was quiet.

……

Xiao Qiao saw him go straight to bed, as if he had fallen asleep in a blink of an eye. Her originally tense back, finally relaxed.

She let out a breath. Her eyes staring at Wei Shao on the bed, returning to a kneeling position.

He should be asleep. Or intoxicated.

For a long time, Xiao Qiao straightened her legs again. Clenched her hand into a fist, pounded her sore legs, and returned to her half-leaning, half-lying posture.

In this way, the two of them, one lying on the bed, one on the couch, but they are at peace with each other.

The air in the room, apart from the incense, was mixed with the smell of alcohol coming from Wei Shao’s body. After smelling for a long time, her head was dizzy.

It was late at night. Xiao Qiao was sitting on the couch, dozing for a while, then waking up and opening her eyes, seeing Wei Shao still lying on the bed as he was, she relaxed and dozed off again. This repeated several times. Until the cold woke her up.

It was still dark and dreary outside the window. According to the length of the candles, it should be almost four o’clock. The charcoal fire in the fire bowl is almost ashen, only giving off some warm residual heat. The room is chilly, and the coldness outside is seeping in.

Xiao Qiao was shivering with cold. She rubbed her arms, which were frozen with a layer of goose bumps, and estimated that it would be a while before dawn. Staring at Wei Shao on the bed, seeing that he didn’t move, she hesitated for a moment and got off the ground and tiptoed towards the bed.

The custom in the bedrooms of the noble class nowadays is to always put two blankets on the bed, whether the couple is sharing the blanket.

Wei Shao lay on the outer side of the bed, and did not use the blanket. The two blankets are now placed on the inner side of the bed, folded.

Xiao Qiao hardly made a sound, and walked to the end of the bed, stopping at the position in front of Wei Shao’s feet.

She glanced at him.

He was lying on his back, and because he was tall and long, he took up most of the bed. The flushed wine color that had appeared on his face when he first came in had faded. Perhaps the light in the bed’s corner could not reach. The light is dim. His face looks peaceful, his pair of thick black sword eyebrows are striking, his eyes are closed, and he is in a deep sleep.

Xiao Qiao held her breath and leaned forward as slowly as possible. Her body crossed his legs, stretched out a hand to reach over, and tried to take out the blanket that was close to her. Wei Shao, underneath her, seemed to wake up, opened his eyes without warning, and the sound of a sword sheathing in her ears. Before she could see what was going on, Wei Shao had pulled out a long sword from under the pillow, followed by the person turned down from the bed. A coolness in her ears. The tip of the sword was close to the side of her throat.

All this happened in just a flash of lightning.

Xiao Qiao froze at once.

She could feel the coldness of the sword blade against the skin of her neck. The sensation differs from the coldness in the air.

She could even smell a faint smell of rust.

She knew it was the smell of blood.

She turned her head back and met his eyes.

His eyes had a slight red thread with a faint murderous aura.

“I’m a little cold. I just tried to get a blanket. I didn’t want to startle you.” She said in a calm voice.

But she was sure in her heart she hadn’t touched him a bit.

Wei Shao watched her for a few seconds. Turned his head to look around the crimson room, as if he realized something, closed his eyes, and raised his other hand to rub his forehead, and the tense murderous aura around him disappeared.

He put the sword down.