Liang Xiao led the new brides to the large courtyard, gazing at the wedding chambers in the distance.
"Yue Lian," Liang Xiao called softly.
Yue Lian, veiled, took a trembling step forward. She allowed Liang Xiao to take her hand and lead her to her wedding chamber.
Liang Xiao led Yue Lian to the bedside, then lifted her veil. His heart skipped a beat; she was breathtakingly beautiful.
Her lips were delicately pursed, her eyebrows arched like willow leaves, always so gentle and shy. She was like a budding orchid, born in a secluded valley, quiet and unassuming.
He had grown accustomed to her presence in the past. Now, looking back, she had been by his side since childhood. No matter how the world looked down on him, she had always treated him with genuine respect and affection, making his childhood less bleak.
Though a woman of delicate nature, she had dared to face a thousand accusatory fingers for his sake, abandoning her noble status as a princess of the former dynasty to serve him silently.
Yue Lian simply gazed at Liang Xiao with devotion, as if imprinting the image of her groom onto her very soul.
Liang Xiao watched with delight, lifted Yue Lian's chin, and kissed her gently.
Yue Lian felt her entire body go weak, surrendering to Liang Xiao's kiss. She merely pinched his sleeve, then, unable to hold on, mustered her courage and embraced him.
After a long while, Liang Xiao reluctantly parted from Yue Lian's lips. He looked at her, his heart filled with infinite tenderness.
"Young Master..."
"Call me what?"
"Husband~"
Liang Xiao finally felt content. He held Yue Lian in his arms for a long time, murmuring, "Husband will protect you well, forever and ever."
Yue Lian was deeply moved and whispered, "Husband is always so good... Ah! Hurry and fetch the other sisters."
Liang Xiao had no choice but to release Yue Lian. He kissed her forehead, then closed the door to her room, leaving the maiden in a state of infinite shyness.
"Little monster."
Returning to his original spot, Liang Xiao called out. Zhuo Xun, with a slightly unsteady gait, approached with small steps. "Hmm~"
Liang Xiao then led Zhuo Xun into her own wedding chamber and lifted her veil.
The maiden was tall, her face flushed, yet there was a lingering innocence and bewilderment that made Liang Xiao's heart ache. He pinched her little cheek.
"Huh, you're not crying today," Liang Xiao remarked, genuinely curious.
He had noticed that this girl, like her cousin Zuo Jing, was exceptionally good at feigning tears. She could conjure them up anytime, anywhere, yet today she was not.
"Today I want to be happy, I refuse to cry~" Zhuo Xun's voice began to tremble as she spoke. "It's all your fault, I wasn't going to cry!"
"Alright, alright, it's your husband's fault. Calling me 'husband' can greatly alleviate your emotions," Liang Xiao said, shamelessly as always.
"Husband..."
Liang Xiao's heart bloomed. He kissed her gently.
Zhuo Xun instinctively tried to dodge but then stopped, allowing Liang Xiao to kiss her, her mind a complete blank.
Liang Xiao smiled, watching the naive maiden bride, half her face hidden by the red curtain, peeking at him.
Her mind was still that of a child. Liang Xiao couldn't bring himself to be rough, or the guilt would be too immense.
Returning to his spot, Liang Xiao gazed at the other three veiled brides. After a moment of silence, he finally spoke, "Christy."
Christy walked over nervously.
Liang Xiao took Christy's hand and placed it on his sleeve, saying, "Let's go to your wedding chamber first."
Christy's heart was racing, and she clutched Liang Xiao's sleeve.
He had promised not to force me. But tonight, he hadn't asked Princess Ningshuang to escort me to my wedding chamber, he brought me himself...
With a heart full of trepidation, Christy followed Liang Xiao to her wedding chamber and sat by the bed.
Liang Xiao looked at Christy. Seeing her tightly clasped hands and her body trembling violently, he sighed and finally lifted her veil.
The foreign bride, with her golden hair and blue eyes, was even more stunning than before, but her eyes now held a hint of shock.
He, lifted my veil...
"You..." Christy's voice caught in her throat.
Liang Xiao gently took her hands, placed them in his, and patted them. He said softly, "It lasts for seven days. Don't rush, don't be nervous. I won't allow anyone to force you."
With that, Liang Xiao turned and walked to the door. He glanced back at Christy one last time, saw her still in shock, gave her a gentle smile, and closed the door.
"He..."
Christy found that all her words were stuck in her throat. She could only bite her lower lip and sit alone by the bed, not daring to let her thoughts run wild.
She believed Liang Xiao would give her an answer. For now, she did not want her own wild thoughts to desecrate Liang Xiao and the Heavenly General.
"Female Bodhisattva."
Jian Qinwan heard Liang Xiao's call and didn't dare to breathe loudly. She obediently extended her hand, allowing Liang Xiao to lead her to her wedding chamber.
As the veil was lifted, Liang Xiao's eyes were filled with amazement.
She was like a green lotus, standing alone in a vulgar world.
He had seen Jian Qinwan in her bridal attire at Tianshan. Seeing her again now, his heart still pounded, and he couldn't help but admire the meticulous effort of Gongsun Jing, her master.
At this moment, Jian Qinwan dared not meet Liang Xiao's gaze. Her fingers were also tightly clasped, her knuckles turning white.
Recalling how this maiden had teased him relentlessly over the past six months, even joking that he liked men, Liang Xiao couldn't help but grin.
"My dear wife, I won't be touching you tonight. What are you so nervous about?"
Jian Qinwan, who had been trying to maintain her composure, immediately bit her lower lip, not daring to respond.
"Oh? If you knew this, why act like this earlier." Liang Xiao put on a smug expression but quickly realized he had exposed his true nature. He then resumed a serious demeanor and said softly, "Regardless, call me 'husband' first."
"Husband, Gong..."
Liang Xiao was stunned. He couldn't believe Jian Qinwan was so nervous. He pouted, "What 'Gonggong'? It's 'husband'."
"Husband..." Jian Qinwan lowered her head, still not daring to meet Liang Xiao's gaze.
Liang Xiao finally couldn't resist and kissed Jian Qinwan by the bed.
After a long while, Liang Xiao looked at Jian Qinwan, who was still lowering her head and silent, and wondered, "Her mood is off today? She usually doesn't shy away from my kisses."
"You can't run away anyway. I'll let this female demon go tonight."
He lightly uttered a sentence, then chest out, left the room, and closed the door.
Jian Qinwan felt her entire face burn. She pursed her red lips, her gaze resentful.
"Wife."
Luo Qingxue heard Liang Xiao's call. Amidst Xiao Qing's gentle laughter from the side, she walked over trembling, allowing Liang Xiao to lead her to the wedding chamber.
As the veil was lifted, Liang Xiao looked at Luo Qingxue, whose eyes darted away, and couldn't help but chuckle.
She wore only light makeup, yet it was enough to captivate all, without losing her dignified aura.
However, her wandering gaze betrayed her feelings.
"You've worked hard these past six months," Liang Xiao said, sitting by the bed and holding Luo Qingxue's hand, his face full of concern.
Now that he had a large family and enterprise, his grandfather, Liang Qing, was old. His cousin and his wife had their own businesses and were not convenient to manage his affairs. It was Luo Qingxue who had shouldered the burden, with her gentle yet firm demeanor, that kept the household and the workshops united.
On this wedding day, Luo Qingxue's grandfather, Luo Changfeng, was seriously unwell and receiving treatment at home. He couldn't preside over the ceremony. The household members dared not inform Luo Qingxue for fear of ruining the mood.
Hua Xiong also had no mood to attend the wedding banquet and had been attending to Luo Changfeng, fearing that the joyous occasion might be overshadowed by misfortune. Luo Qingxue, hidden behind her veil, was unaware of all this.
In the guest room on the other side, Hua Xiong fed Luo Changfeng the medicine and breathed a sigh of relief. "Right General, you were too emotional and suddenly convulsed. It's nothing serious, just need to calm your nerves and stabilize your emotions."
Luo Changfeng also chuckled, then his face filled with regret. "It's all my fault for being too excited. Qingxue doesn't know. Xiao'er must be worried seeing me absent from the wedding ceremony..."
In the wedding chamber, Luo Qingxue weakly replied, "It's not hard. Everything I do for you is worth it..."
Liang Xiao said softly, "From now on, you must not blame yourself or feel guilty anymore. I did wrong you back then. Now that we are married, it will finally bring peace to the spirits of our parents and your parents in heaven."
Luo Qingxue finally nodded with tears in her eyes. Her heart's knot had finally been untied. She looked deeply at Liang Xiao and then took the initiative to kiss him.
After a long while, Luo Qingxue reluctantly released Liang Xiao, her expression exceptionally obedient.
"Husband needs to entertain the guests, right?"
Liang Xiao nodded, smiling playfully, "Normally you're the one teasing, saying your husband has a thing with men. When I come back, I'll show you whether your husband likes men or women!"
"Oh..."
Luo Qingxue nodded obediently. After Liang Xiao left, she quietly pushed open the door crack.
Once she confirmed Liang Xiao had left the courtyard, Luo Qingxue cautiously pushed open her door, left her wedding chamber, and crept into Jian Qinwan's wedding chamber.