SFS Chapter 1200 Uninvited Guest on the Wedding Night
Chapter 1200 Uninvited Guest on the Wedding Night
Just then, footsteps sounded outside; a servant announced that Ma Chao was almost there. The women exchanged glances and fell silent, but no one moved—they all wanted to see how the man they had been longing for would react when he saw his bride.
When the door was pushed open, Ma Chao walked in, reeking of alcohol. His gaze froze the moment it met Dong Bai's, and the social demeanor he had shown outside vanished, leaving only a gentle look in his eyes.
"Why are you all here?" He scratched his head, looking a little embarrassed.
Sun Shangxiang was the first to stir things up: "What, not welcome? We're here to help Sister Dong make the selections!"
Ma Chao smiled and cupped his hands in greeting: "Welcome, of course you're welcome." He walked to Dong Bai's side, his gaze so tender it could melt hearts, "I'm sorry to have kept you waiting."
Dong Bai shook her head. As she stood up, her skirt swept across the ground, creating a fragrant breeze. The women around her exchanged knowing glances. Cai Wenji put down her zither and said, "Alright, let's not disturb the newlyweds any longer. Let's leave now and come back to 'visit' Sister Dong another day."
A group of people walked out laughing. As they passed Ma Chao, Zhang Qiying deliberately bumped his arm and said, "Treat Sister Dong well, or we won't let you get away with it."
The door closed gently, leaving only the two of them in the inner hall. Ma Chao grasped Dong Bai's hand, his palm warm: "I let them tease you."
Dong Bai shook his head, his fingertips brushing against his sleeve: "They are genuinely happy for me."
The candlelight flickered, illuminating the two people's clasped hands. The faint sounds of girls' laughter could be heard outside the door, carrying blessings and expectations for the future. They all knew that their own day was not far away.
Ma Chao grasped Dong Bai's hand, his fingertips trembling with warmth, his voice filled with suppressed excitement: "Bai'er, today you finally belong to me."
Dong Bai looked up at her, his eyes filled with tenderness, and softly replied, "My lord, you have finally waited for this day."
Ma Chao pulled her into his arms, the fragrance of Dong Bai's hair lingering in his nostrils. His heart burned, but Dong Bai gently pushed him away. Dong Bai looked down at him, her fingertips brushing the stray hairs at her temples: "Why the rush, my lord? Let me undress you first. You must be exhausted after a long day."
A blush rose on Ma Chao's face, and he obediently stretched out his hands, his eyes filled with complete trust.
Just as Dong Bai's fingertips touched the tie of her dress, a series of footsteps suddenly came from afar. Ma Chao, with his keen hearing, frowned almost imperceptibly. Although the footsteps were deliberately light, they were heavy due to the wine they had been drinking, and the sound of them landing was still unmistakable, like the beating of a drum in the quiet inner hall.
"Who?" Ma Chao asked loudly, his tone carrying a hint of displeasure at being disturbed.
A rustling sound came from outside the door, followed by Xu Huang's low urging: "Old Dian, Old Dian, hurry up and answer!"
Dian Wei was pushed to the front, and he reluctantly pushed open the door and stepped in, followed by Xu Huang, Pang De, the King of Xiqiang, and others, all with slightly drunken and mischievous expressions. Dian Wei scratched his head, looked at Ma Chao, then at the people behind him, looking troubled. Suddenly, his eyes lit up, and he said loudly, "Your Majesty! The King of Xiqiang and Pang De said they hadn't had enough wine and came to find you to continue drinking. Since they couldn't see you, they sent me to invite you to come with them."
"Hey, you old rascal!" Pound laughed in exasperation, reaching out to slap him on the back. "How can you say that?"
The King of Western Qiang shook his head helplessly and said with a wry smile, "Who said this fool was honest? He betrayed us in the blink of an eye." After saying that, he stopped hiding and strode in, saying loudly, "Meng Qi, we were having a great time drinking when we turned around and you were gone, so we came to invite you to have a few more drinks."
Xu Huang chimed in, "That's right. I was just betting with Lao Dian that you must have been pulled aside by the princess to whisper secrets. Haha, we were right."
Seeing their posture, Dong Bai had already smiled and stepped aside. He said to Ma Chao, "Since you all still want to drink, my lord, don't spoil the fun. These are all your good brothers who have risked their lives for you. I'll go arrange the wine and food. Let's drink here. I'll personally pour a few more cups of wine for everyone in a bit."
Ma Chao glared at Dian Wei, but his imposing manner was dampened by the laughter of the King of Xiqiang: "What are you looking at? Have you already forgotten your brothers after just marrying her? No, no, today is a joyous occasion, you must drink with us until you're completely satisfied!"
Pound chimed in, "That's right, the princess has spoken, whoever gets drunk first loses."
Ma Chao glanced at Dong Bai and saw her nodding with a smile, her face still flushed. He raised his voice and said, "Let's drink! Who's afraid of who?" Though his words were harsh, the anger in his eyes had vanished. These brothers who had gone through thick and thin together, though they often joked around, their warmth was more genuine than anything else.
When Dian Wei saw that she had agreed, he grinned and scratched the back of his head, saying, "I knew the King wouldn't spoil the fun."
The King of Western Qiang patted Ma Chao on the shoulder and cheered, "That's right! We won't leave until we're drunk!"
Before long, the servants quickly laid out the food and wine in the inner hall. The hot dishes were steaming, and the freshly warmed wine in the pot shimmered with an amber light.
Ma Chao picked up a wine cup, and Dong Bai stood beside him, her slender hand lifting the wine pot to fill everyone's cups. The wine splashed against the cup, sending up tiny droplets of foam, carrying a mellow aroma.
Xu Huang was about to make a joke when he met Ma Chao's gaze, and his mischievous thoughts immediately subsided. A chill ran down his spine, and he quickly picked up his wine cup, took a sip, and dared not be presumptuous again. Pang De and Dian Wei also restrained themselves somewhat. Although they still wanted to say a few more words, seeing that Ma Chao's expression had softened, they only offered their blessings in a proper manner.
"Your Majesty and Queen are a match made in heaven; they will surely live in harmony from now on."
"Yes, judging from the princess's demeanor, the household will surely be managed perfectly in the future."
After several people took turns toasting him, Ma Chao's tense expression gradually relaxed as he drank his third cup. Dong Bai listened with a smile throughout, occasionally taking a drink for Ma Chao, and said softly, "He's had quite a bit to drink today, I'll drink this one for him."
Seeing this, Xu Huang chuckled and said, "The Princess Consort is so kind to people."
After about half an hour of commotion, seeing that it was getting late, everyone tactfully got up to take their leave. "We won't disturb you two any longer," Cheriji patted Ma Chao on the shoulder, "You must treat the Queen well from now on."
After seeing everyone off, Dong Bai instructed his servants to remove the remaining food, and the inner hall instantly became quiet, leaving only the two of them standing facing each other.
Ma Chao rubbed his forehead and sighed softly, "These guys, really..." His words carried a hint of helplessness, but not a trace of genuine anger.
Dong Bai smiled and stepped forward to straighten his slightly disheveled clothes: "Your Majesty, they are all brothers who have followed you through thick and thin. Although they are called ruler and subject, their bond is one of entrusting your back and your descendants to you." She looked up at him, her eyes reflecting the candlelight, "It is because of them that I can feel so at ease. It is only right that we all have a good time."
Ma Chao felt a warmth in his heart, reached out and hugged her tightly, resting his chin on the top of her head, his voice softer than ever before: "Bai'er, you are so good."
Dong Bai wrapped his arms around his waist, buried his face in his clothes, and chuckled softly, "Then Your Majesty should cherish this."
The wind outside the palace swept the night through the windowpanes, the candlelight flickered, casting the shadows of the two embracing on the wall, lingering and tender, like a painting soaked in wine, so rich and intense that it couldn't be dissolved.
The glow of the red candle cast swaying, warm shadows on the bed curtains. As Ma Chao helped Dong Bai sit down on the edge of the couch, his fingertips could feel her shoulders trembling slightly beneath her clothes. Just as he was about to turn to extinguish the candle, Dong Bai gently tugged at his sleeve, her fingertips slightly cool and revealing a hint of timidity.
"No need to blow anymore." Her voice was very soft, like raindrops falling on the water. "This is... fine."
Ma Chao turned to look at her. In the lamplight, her eyelashes drooped, and the blush on her cheeks spread to the tips of her ears, adding a touch of warmth that was even more intense than the candlelight. He smiled, went along with her wishes, and sat down beside her. The brocade quilt was as soft as a cloud, making both of their breathing slow down.
Dong Bai moved closer to him, her shoulder gently brushing against his arm, feeling the warmth of his body beneath his undergarments. She was about to look up and say something when Ma Chao gently pressed the back of her neck, a kiss carrying a faint scent of soap landing on her lips. Her eyelashes trembled, but she ultimately closed her eyes, raising her arms to encircle his waist, her fingertips gripping his plain undergarments tightly.
The curtains swayed gently in the breeze, and the candlelight crackled and popped. Just as their breathing became erratic, Ma Chao suddenly stopped, listening intently to something. Dong Bai was startled by his abrupt pause, and when she opened her eyes, she met his slightly furrowed brows.
"What's wrong?" Her voice was soft and slightly dazed, like it was filled with honey.
Ma Chao gestured for her to be quiet, while he held his breath and listened intently. After a moment, he whispered, "Listen."
Dong Bai pricked up his ears, initially only hearing the soft crackling of the candlelight and his own rapid heartbeat. But soon, a very light and even snoring sound, like beads from a broken string, began to rise intermittently. The sound was not loud, but it carried a simple and honest rhythm, which seemed particularly clear in the quiet tent.
"Who...is it?" Dong Bai was both embarrassed and angry, and shrank behind Ma Chao.
The candlelight inside the tent flickered in the wind outside the window. Ma Chao's ears twitched; the sound was clearly coming from under the bed. He suddenly grabbed Dong Bai's hand, and as he rolled off the bed, a gust of wind rose, causing the candlelight to dim with a "poof," reflecting a fierce glint in his eyes: "Who's down there?"
Suddenly, a breathing sound came from under the bed, followed by a rustling noise. Ma Chao bent down and lifted the bed curtains. In the dim light, he saw several small heads huddled together. They were his three adopted sons, Ma Xiang, Ma Guan, and Jiang Wei, as well as Ma Yue, who had just been named heir apparent, Zhang Hu from Zhang Liao's family, Zhang Yi from Zhang Ren's family, and several other children, including Wu Niu, Gan Xiang, and Pan Hu. The oldest was eight or nine years old, and the youngest was only four or five. They all stared at him with their round eyes.
"Come out!" Ma Chao shouted, reaching out to grab Jiang Wei, who was closest to him. The little guy was trying not to laugh as he kicked his legs in mid-air. Next came Ma Xiang and Ma Guan, who were dragged out one by one like kittens. Finally, Pan Hu crawled out, shouting, "Your Majesty! Dian Man is still snoring inside!"
Ma Chao reached in and groped around, and sure enough, pulled out a sleepy little boy, Dian Man, Dian Wei's son. Drool still clung to his lips, and he rubbed his eyes, calling out in a daze, "Your Majesty?"
A group of young boys stood in a row. Seeing Ma Chao standing there glaring, but not actually angry, they started laughing and joking, mimicking what they had just heard: "Bai'er, you're so kind—"
"Hey!" Ma Chao was both angry and amused. He raised his hand as if to hit them, but instead gently landed on each boy's bottom. "You've all gotten so bold! Staying out so late, aren't your mothers worried? And you even dare to hide under the bed and cause trouble!"
Dong Bai was already doubled over with laughter, and stepped forward to grab his arm: "Alright, alright, my lord, the children probably just find it amusing." She looked at the group of boys, her eyes full of tenderness, "What time did you boys sneak in? Didn't you eat dinner? Aren't you hungry?"