The Bride Who Brought Him Luck - Chapter 4

II. Newlyweds

Many people pitied me for marrying a paralyzed man whose grave illness would not go away. I thought there were advantages to being Song Yiting’s wife.

He had never had an easy temper, even before he fell ill. Now he was harder to please than ever. His foul moods kept everyone in the household at a respectful distance from the east courtyard. That spared me all manner of restraints. I did not have to pay formal morning and evening respects so often, and I could sleep late with him. I was freer than I had ever been at home.

Besides, marrying me to bring him good fortune really did seem to improve his health. The old general and his wife grew even fonder of me, and I lived quite comfortably.

When autumn brought cooler weather, his old ailment did not flare up as it had in previous years. The imperial physician said he was making considerable progress and might well recover.

Everyone was relieved. For the Mid-Autumn Festival, the family held a crab banquet and invited many of their relatives.

Song Yiting did not go. As usual, he stayed shut up in his room.

I ate a little and hurried back to the east courtyard.

I expected him to be asleep, but when I opened the door, I found him reading by lamplight with unusual interest.

Without looking up, he asked, “How was the family dinner?”

The autumn night was chilly. I took off my shoes and curled up in the warmth of his bed. “Lively,” I said with a smile. “Mother says she’ll hold another one next year when you’re well.”

He turned a page. “I’m not going.”

“Why?”

“Too dull. Nothing but family gossip.”

I nodded. “It was all family gossip. But how was that dull? I thought it was rather interesting.”

I told him what I had heard. “A few days ago, a distant Aunt Wang sent over a maid and insisted she be placed in Third Brother’s rooms. Third Sister-in-law drove her out. Poor Aunt Wang lost face.”

His eyes stayed on his book, and I could not tell whether he was listening. I went on. “At dinner I asked Third Sister-in-law why she sent the girl away. If she didn’t want her as a concubine, she could have kept her as a servant. But she said if she hadn’t driven her out, the girl would be sent to our east courtyard tomorrow and become your concubine instead.”

“And I hear Fourth Brother will be back in the capital for the Double Ninth Festival. Mother is making arrangements…”

I talked with my chin propped on my hand for some time before I noticed that Song Yiting had stopped turning pages and said nothing.

I looked up curiously.

He was gazing straight at me in the candlelight, his eyes soft as water.

A maid came in with his medicine. Finding the two of us staring at each other, she shrank back. “Second Young Master, Second Young Madam, the medicine is ready.”

“Leave it there,” he said.

As she went out, he added, “Close the door properly.”

The room fell so still that one could have heard a pin drop. Only the smell of medicine drifted through it.

“If a woman came to be my concubine,” he asked, “would you welcome her or send her away like Third Sister-in-law did?”

“Isn’t that your decision?”

“My decision?” Song Yiting shut his book, plainly ready for a long conversation. “If she’s beautiful, I think we could take her in.”

“What?”

The answer caught me off guard. Before I married him, I had heard that he had no interest in women. In the months since, even when I occasionally slept in his bed, he had obeyed the physician and never shown any other intentions toward me.

“I see…” My disappointment was hard to hide. I had thought I had a faithful husband who would give me no cause for worry. It seemed men were all alike: before he had even tasted what was in his bowl, he was eyeing what was in the pot.

Then again, I was young, while he was no longer a boy. Paralyzed or not, he was a grown man. Other men his age already had wives and concubines by the roomful.

“Tell me what kind you like. I’ll start looking tomorrow.” I dropped my gaze and rubbed the tip of my nose.

“Feed me my medicine and I’ll tell you.”

He was getting worse. On our wedding night he had cursed the servants for treating him like an invalid. Now that his health was improving, he was happy to act like one.

Reluctantly, I climbed out of bed, fetched the bowl, and fed him one sip after another.

I did it without much care. Medicine dribbled onto the corner of his mouth, and I could not be bothered to wipe it away. He licked it off and asked, “So bitter. Where’s the candied fruit you brought from your parents’ house?”

“Gone.”

“Your mother said there was plenty. How did it disappear so quickly?”

“You ate it too fast.”

“Oh.” He took another sip. “You didn’t steal some for yourself, did you?”

At last the bowl was nearly empty and I was free. I put it down and glared at him. “I did not!”

“You’ve grown bold enough to glare at your husband,” he grumbled.

I burrowed under the quilt. “I drank with Yueru. I’m dizzy. I’m going to sleep.”

He reached beneath the covers and fished me out. “It’s still early. You slept an extra two hours today. If you sleep now, you’ll have me up before dawn.”

I did keep him awake.

After our wedding night I had moved next door as he requested, but when his health was particularly poor, I came to keep him company. On those nights, while I was awake, I tossed and turned. He slept lightly and woke whenever I moved.

I tried to crawl back beneath the quilt. “No. I want to rest.”

His legs were weak, but his arms were strong. He lifted me and gathered me against him.

“Wife, you haven’t washed your husband yet,” he said beside me.

“Ask someone else. There are plenty of servants. Did you never bathe or have a wash before I married you, Second Young Master?”

“They don’t take care over it.”

I turned to face him. “I don’t take care either…”

Our noses brushed. He was less than an inch away. His whole body was warm, and his breath spilled hot against my face.

The unexpected closeness left us both still for a moment.

He made no move to pull away. With his face against mine, he said, “Your wine smells wonderful. Was it the imperial vintage Father has kept for years?”

I studied his nose. “What a keen sense of smell.”

“I’ve wanted some for years. I wish I could taste it.”

“You can’t drink.”

The imperial physician had repeatedly forbidden him wine and marital intimacy.

Song Yiting looked at my lips. “Not even a taste of what’s left in your mouth?”