After Marrying the Villainous Prime Minister in My Brother’s Stead - Chapter 6

6: The Wedding Chamber—How Do Two Women Share a Wedding Night?

Lifting the bridal veil marked the end of Gu Que’s duties. Dazed, she sat by the table, not daring to look at Yan Luo. The maid, Tinglan, brought in a sobering soup.

Gu Que downed the soup in one go, its bitterness making her eyes water. Tinglan leaned in and whispered, “The madam asks for you.”

Today was their wedding, and tonight was the wedding night. Gu Que knew what her mother wanted to say. She glanced at Prime Minister Yan and said, “I’ll step out for a moment.”

Yan Luo was different today—her lips were a striking red, her bridal makeup flawless, her posture dignified. Hearing Gu Que’s words, her gentle eyes rippled with a shy, demure charm. She nodded softly. “Alright, I’ll wait for you.”

Gu Que’s throat felt dry. The red wedding robes suited Yan Luo beautifully. Her gentle demeanor carried an air of classical elegance, and the bridal chamber only accentuated her grace, as if she were a beauty stepping out of an ancient painting. Gu Que swallowed hard, her gaze lingering with infatuation. Yan Luo approached, reaching out to smooth the wrinkles on Gu Que’s collar. “I’ll bathe first.”

As a wife, Yan Luo was tender and considerate—the perfect spouse.

The wedding matron entered, holding a tray with the ceremonial nuptial wine. She smiled warmly. “Almost forgot the unity wine. May the Prime Minister and the Young Master share a harmonious union and bear children soon.”

As she spoke, her heart pounded nervously. She stole a glance at the Prime Minister, who exuded a gentle, feminine grace, nothing like the terrifying figure rumors made her out to be.

Gu Que’s eyes flickered. She stood frozen, but Yan Luo took the wine cup, watching her quietly.

Belatedly, Gu Que accepted her cup, standing stiffly like a puppet on strings. Yan Luo linked arms with her, their sleeves entwined.

They stood close. Gu Que caught a whiff of fragrance—cool and faintly spiked with wine.

Yan Luo raised her cup and drank half. Gu Que followed suit. Then they exchanged cups and drank the remaining halves.

With the unity wine ceremony complete, the dragon-and-phoenix candles crackled softly. Gu Que’s heart fluttered, clutching the empty cup uncertainly. Yan Luo took it from her with a soft smile. “Young Master, go ahead.”

Gu Que’s palms were sweaty with nerves. Forcing a smile, she said, “I’ll be back soon. You can bathe and rest first.”

The matron withdrew, and Tinglan handed her a gift box. “You’ve worked hard today.”

The matron was the wife of a mid-ranking official, blessed with living parents and children—a fortunate match arranged by the Yongle Marquis’s wife. The box contained tokens of gratitude, all paired for auspiciousness.

Accepting it, the matron sighed in relief. She hadn’t wanted to come—the Prime Minister’s fearsome reputation made her wary.

After the matron left, Gu Que met her mother in the outer hall.

“Are you very drunk?” The Yongle Marchioness touched her daughter’s flushed cheeks, worried that drunkenness might lead to mistakes. She cautioned, “You mustn’t sleep together tonight, understand? Find an excuse to move out tomorrow. I’ve thought it through—the Prime Minister’s health is poor, prone to illness. Move out first and let her adjust.”

Gu Que rubbed her forehead. The flimsy excuse made her shake her head. “No. The Prime Minister isn’t ill. Saying that would sound like I’m rejecting her. I can’t do that.”

Yan Luo was sharp-witted—deceiving her wouldn’t be easy. Gu Que ventured, “Since we’re married, why not come clean? My brother is alive—he can return anytime.”

“No! Your brother is bedridden. A few more days won’t matter. Just be careful tonight.” The Marchioness didn’t press further but reminded her to stay vigilant while sleeping.

Gu Que’s head throbbed. She agreed vaguely and trudged back with a lantern. The front courtyard was still lively. As she stepped out, a sudden gust extinguished the lantern’s flame.

She froze in the darkness. Closing her eyes, she summoned the Taobao store interface.

Before transmigrating, Gu Que had run a Taobao shop selling clothes. Business was slow, but she’d saved a few thousand yuan. Over the past year here, she’d spent most of it.

With the lantern out, she wanted to buy a flashlight. Walking at night was treacherous. Checking her balance, she felt reassured.

Months ago, she’d opened shops in the capital and learned a trick—listing Great Wei goods on Taobao. Ancient items didn’t sell well, but the earnings sufficed.

When she opened her eyes, a flashlight was in her hand.

Gu Que left the lantern behind—the maids would clean it up later.

With the flashlight, she navigated the uneven path to the bridal chamber. Outside, a shadowy figure appeared. Gu Que shone the light—it was Ling Zhao.

Spotting the light, Ling Zhao turned and left without a word. Gu Que called out twice, but he didn’t stop.

Tinglan emerged, seeing only her young master holding a glowing object. Curious, she asked, “What’s that?”

“A night pearl,” Gu Que lied. In her mind, only night pearls glowed in the dark.

Tinglan didn’t question further but whispered, “How will you manage tonight?”

While others celebrated their wedding night, Gu Que looked like she was heading to the gallows.

“Has the Prime Minister bathed?” Gu Que rubbed her temples. At least there was no early morning tomorrow—tonight was about killing time. She handed the flashlight to Tinglan. “Hide it in the chest.”

Gu Que had many strange “treasures.” Tinglan obediently stored them away.

Four maids waited outside. Gu Que approached, and one announced, “The Young Master has returned.”

Yan Luo emerged, now in casual attire—a narrow-sleeved robe, her hair loose like satin cascading over her shoulders. “You’re back.”

Her voice was soothing. Gu Que smiled instinctively, stepping forward. “Prime Minister—”

“We’re married now. No need for formalities.” Yan Luo smiled, her eyes warm. “Let me help you undress.”

“U-undress?” Gu Que’s face burned. She recoiled, panicking. Undressing meant exposure.

Clutching her collar, she stammered, “I-I can manage.”

They stood close. Gu Que saw her reflection in Yan Luo’s eyes. A pang of guilt struck her.

Yan Luo chuckled, stepping back. “Then freshen up. I’ll wait.”

Another “I’ll wait.” Gu Que’s guilt deepened. She nodded dumbly. Deceiving a woman—especially one as kind as the Prime Minister—was a sin.

Sighing, Gu Que headed to the bath chamber, locking the door securely behind her.

Inside, clean clothes and soap awaited—items from her shop. She picked up the soap. Yan Luo had used it.

Sharing soap—was that appropriate?

After searching fruitlessly for another bar, Gu Que gave up and used Yan Luo’s. She washed hastily and stepped out.

Yan Luo sat by the bed, smoothing tomorrow’s robes. At the sound, she turned. “Done?”

Her tone carried a hint of intimacy. Gu Que’s ears burned as she approached. “Yes. What are you doing, Prime Minister?”

“Tomorrow, we’ll serve tea to your parents. In three days, we’ll visit my family. These need preparation. I won’t receive guests these days.” Yan Luo stood, her black hair cascading over fair skin.

Gu Que licked her lips, rubbing her hands nervously. “Are these new?”

“Yes, I made them in my spare time.” Yan Luo’s gentleness was disarming. She handed the robes to a maid. “Shall we retire?”

“N-not sleepy.” Gu Que eyed her hands. To pass the time, why not try manicures?

Yan Luo noticed her stare and dismissed the maid. “Not sleeping?”

“Your hands are beautiful. With nail art, they’d be stunning. You’re off duty for three days—if it’s inconvenient later, you can remove it.” Gu Que mused aloud, then added, “As a marital pastime, would you like to try?”

“Nail art?” Yan Luo repeated. Though hailed as the capital’s top talent, Gu Que’s novelties—happy cats, lip balm, roses, now nail art—left her feeling provincial.

Silent, Yan Luo watched as Gu Que declared, “The supplies are in the study. I’ll fetch them. Wait for me.”

Yan Luo nodded. Watching the youth dash off, she smiled.

Leng Mian slipped in. “Prime Minister, I think she’s stalling.”

“Stalling?”

Leng Mian nodded and said, “She doesn’t want to consummate the marriage, and she can’t either. How can two women consummate a marriage?”

“Can two women not consummate a marriage?” Yan Luo lifted her eyes and asked indifferently.

Leng Mian frowned. “How can two women consummate a marriage?”

“Get out.” Yan Luo’s expression suddenly turned cold as she issued the order to leave.

Leng Mian was puzzled and repeated her question, but Yan Luo did not answer, merely reiterating her dismissal.

Reluctantly, Leng Mian left. Halfway down the path, she encountered the hurried Young Master Gu, who was carrying a small box. Out of propriety, she bowed and stepped aside.

Gu Que stopped in her tracks and looked at her. Leng Mian introduced herself, “This subordinate is Leng Mian, the Prime Minister’s guard.”

“Leng Mian?” Gu Que chuckled. “Is there someone else called Wu Qing?”

Leng Mian frowned. “How did the Young Master know?”

“There really is a Wu Qing? That name is so down-to-earth.” Gu Que laughed to herself. Yan Luo, the most talented scholar in the capital, actually named people “Cold Face” and “Heartless.”

Leng Mian looked at the young man before her. “What does ‘down-to-earth’ mean?”

“It means it sounds nice.” Gu Que made up an explanation and didn’t engage further. Clutching the box, she headed toward the bridal chamber.

Outside the chamber stood four or five maids, all waiting for instructions. Gu Que dismissed them, telling them to rest and leaving only one to keep watch.

Once inside, Gu Que opened the box, revealing ten different sets of nail art—pink peach blossoms, fiery peonies, and even adorable little tigers.

“It’s the Year of the Tiger. How about the Prime Minister uses the tiger design to match the occasion?” Gu Que spoke up on her own.

Yan Luo approached, glanced at the nail-sized decorations on the table, and curiously picked one up to examine. “What are these made of?”

“Uh… I’m not sure either. They were sold by foreign merchants. Why don’t you try them, Prime Minister?” Gu Que couldn’t explain, and even if she did, these were modern items—the Prime Minister wouldn’t understand the materials anyway.

Yan Luo was dazzled by the options and didn’t know which to choose. She then smiled and said, “You pick. I’ll go with whatever you choose.”

After marriage, her appearance was for his sake anyway, so she might as well follow his preference.

“I think this one looks nice.” Gu Que picked out a red-based nail sticker with a small yellow tiger from the pile. They say contrast is the cutest—imagine the noble, awe-inspiring Prime Minister Yan Luo with tiny tigers on all ten fingers. How adorable would that be?

A cold beauty with cute touches—utterly charming.