Zhao Luoning was both ashamed and embarrassed. Fortunately, a maid came forward in time to support Second Young Master Ji, pulling the man off her.
After being supported to complete the wedding ceremony, Second Young Master Ji of the Ji family was helped into the bridal chamber with Zhao Luoning.
Once in the room, Second Young Master Ji lay down. A maid casually lifted Zhao Luoning's red veil. While deftly removing Zhao Luoning's hair ornaments, she gave instructions.
"Madam said that now that you, Second Young Mistress, are married into the family, from now on, it's your duty to serve Second Young Master."
"Second Young Master will vomit after drinking at night. He doesn't like to sleep in dirty clothes. When Second Young Master sobers up, Second Young Mistress, you should help him change into clean clothes."
"Does your young master drink this much every day?"
"Today's amount is even less than usual."
The maids chattered on, speaking quickly and working deftly. Soon, they helped Zhao Luoning change into a set of comfortable clothes.
Actually, Zhao Luoning was extremely tired. The maids had said so much, but she could barely take in any of it.
Finally, after the maids finished their instructions and left, the room suddenly fell silent.
Zhao Luoning looked at Second Young Master Ji lying motionless on the bed. A strange sense of sorrow welled up in her heart.
Remembering the scene in the wedding hall, this sense of sorrow lessened a bit.
Forget it. Anyway, he's at least my amulet. If it weren't for him, I might have been beaten to death by now.
I won't regard him as my husband. Just treat him as a stranger.
Thinking of this, Zhao Luoning's repulsion towards this marriage lessened a bit.
She stepped forward.
The man was lying on the bed in a carefree manner, taking up the entire bridal bed by himself.
His hair was messy, and his face was abnormally flushed from drinking too much. Coupled with the dim candlelight, Zhao Luoning couldn't clearly see his appearance. She could only vaguely tell that he was a rather handsome man.
At this moment, perhaps because he felt hot, the man tugged at his clothes in front, revealing his bare skin.
This scene was a bit alluring!
This man was really unrestrained.
After all, Zhao Luoning was a young girl. She turned her head away, not daring to look at him. She reached out to cover him with the quilt. Just as she bent down and got closer, the man on the bed suddenly opened his eyes. His eyes were full of defensiveness, coldness, and even... a hint of killing intent.
After seeing that it was Zhao Luoning, his killing intent lessened a bit, but the defensiveness in his eyes remained undiminished.
Although he was just a drunkard, Zhao Luoning was still frightened by his look. She quickly explained, "I... I'm here to cover you with the quilt."
Hearing this, the man closed his eyes. Seeing that he didn't seem to resist, Zhao Luoning summoned up her courage and reached out to tuck in the corner of the quilt for him.
"Ji Shisu, your husband."
Zhao Luoning was stunned for a moment. Only then did she realize that the man was telling her his name. So she quickly replied, "Zhao Luoning."
The man nodded and repeated, "Zhao Luoning."
Hearing her maiden name spoken from a man's mouth felt very strange.
Suddenly, Zhao Luoning seemed to think of something and quickly said, "I... I won't bother you. You should rest early."
Saying so, she lowered the bed curtain and exited the inner chamber.
In front of the screen separating the inner and outer chambers, there was a small bamboo couch. It should have been where the servants who used to keep watch over Ji Shisu slept.
Zhao Luoning didn't mind. She just lay down on the bamboo couch fully dressed and fell asleep.
At this time, Ji Shisu walked out of the inner chamber.
"You don't have to wrong yourself. You can sleep on the bed." His tone showed no sign of drunkenness.
Zhao Luoning quickly hugged her clothes tightly. "What do you want to do?"
Ji Shisu sized her up and down and said, "I'll never fall for you. You just do your job as Second Young Mistress well. I'll give this room to you. I'll sleep outside."
Saying so, he opened the door and left without looking back.
Zhao Luoning quickly came to her senses from the shock.
"Good for you, Ji Shisu!"
Although Zhao Luoning was a bit angry at first, she soon figured it out.
It's better that he has no interest! She was a bit worried about how to get through this wedding night.
Life as Second Young Mistress of the Ji family wasn't as difficult as she had imagined.
People still felt sympathetic towards a woman who had married the promiscuous Second Young Master.
She didn't have to serve Ji Shisu all the time. In fact, since he left the bridal chamber last night, he hadn't returned all night.
Zhao Luoning was still quite content.
But Caixue obviously didn't have her good temper of accepting things as they were.
Early in the morning on the second day after entering the mansion, she came back crying, her clothes in rags.
"Miss, the maids in this mansion are so可恶. I just wanted to ask the kitchen for a piece of beef, and that maid scolded you, saying that you came from a small - family and only cared about eating meat."
Zhao Luoning didn't know whether to laugh or cry. She asked, "Then how did you end up like this?"
"Whether it's the Zhao Mansion or the Ji Mansion, I'll never tolerate anyone speaking ill of you, Miss."
"How did you 'not tolerate' them?"
"I..." Caixue's voice got softer and softer. "I... smashed the kitchen."
Zhao Luoning: "..."
Caixue, you're really something!
Since her own maid had smashed things, sooner or later, someone would come to ask for compensation.
But she, Zhao Luoning, wasn't someone who would just sit back and accept it.
At this time, the maid announced at the door.
"Second Young Mistress, are you up? We're here to serve you."
Zhao Luoning motioned to Caixue with her eyes to change her clothes. After seeing that she had changed, she calmly walked out of the room and said to the maids who came to serve, "Is it time to present tea? Please lead the way, sisters."
On the way, Caixue was still indignant and murmured in a low voice.
"Miss, I think the Ji Mansion is no better than our Zhao Mansion. They're all bullies. You were more at ease in the Zhao family and wouldn't have to suffer such grievances. I don't understand why you had to agree to this marriage."
Zhao Luoning whispered in a voice that only the two of them could hear, "First, you know my father's temper. I don't really care about myself, but I'm afraid it will involve my mother. Second..."
Zhao Luoning paused, glanced at Caixue, and then said meaningfully, "The Ji family has something I want. When the time is right, I want to make a deal with Ji Shisu."
"Ah?" Caixue never expected this answer. "What kind of business is it that's worth you giving up your own happiness and marrying someone like the new young master? Can this business make a lot of money?"
Zhao Luoning gave Caixue a deep look.
If it weren't for the fact that only Ji Shisu could help her achieve what she wanted, she wouldn't have married into this family so readily.
Moreover, the deal she wanted to make with Ji Shisu probably wouldn't make any money.
But she thought it was worth it!
In the main hall of the Ji family.
"Grandma, please have some tea."
Zhao Luoning presented a cup of excellent ginseng tea in a red wedding cup to the old lady.
The most respected person in the Ji family was the octogenarian matriarch. However, since the matriarch was old, although she had high prestige, she had no real power.
The matriarch was very kind to Zhao Luoning. She patted Zhao Luoning's hand, obviously very satisfied with her performance.
"Here, this is from grandma. I hope you and Shisu will live in harmony and be happy in the future."
"Father - in - law, please have some tea."
"Good, good. This is from your father - in - law."
Zhao Luoning gave the next red envelope to Caixue. After taking a few steps forward, she knelt down in front of Mrs. Ji.
"Mother - in - law, please have some tea."
Mrs. Ji first sized up Zhao Luoning's dressing. Only after a while did she take the tea expressionlessly.
"From now on, the Ji family will be in your hands."
What Mrs. Ji gave her wasn't a red envelope but the family - heirloom jade bracelet that represented the position of the mistress of the Ji family.
Zhao Luoning lowered her head and thanked Mrs. Ji meekly, silently taking on this heavy responsibility that should have belonged to Zhao Luoyue.
The last one was the concubine of Master Ji. She should address her as Concubine Mother.
"Concubine Mother, please have some tea."
"En, the new bride's tea is really delicious. It's a pity that I can only have this one cup today. I'm still not satisfied."
The fact that the groom was absent during the tea - presenting ceremony by the new bride implied that she, as the wife, was derelict in her duty.
"All the mistakes are mine, Concubine Mother. You can punish me as you like."
As a concubine, in principle, she was just a servant and had no right to punish Zhao Luoning, the proper mistress and the real master.
Zhao Luoning's strategy of yielding to advance put Concubine Mother in a dilemma.
"Alright, Manman, stop talking." Master Ji couldn't stand it anymore and spoke up.
Concubine Mother obediently shut up.
Seeing this, Zhao Luoning knew the time was right. Taking advantage of the guilt of the Ji family elders towards her, she knelt down with a thud and said, "Father, don't blame Concubine Mother. It's my fault."
Her action scared everyone present.