"You have an imperial edict protecting you, what are you afraid of?" Yun Lie provoked him earnestly, approaching him step by step.
Luo Cuiwei had read some "not-so-serious stories" after all. Although she believed that Yun Lie would not really "go all the way" in his nonsense, she also knew that there was still a lot of shameful "room" for nonsense between husband and wife before it "went all the way".
With a serious expression and her cheeks flushed, she struggled desperately, "You have injuries, and I'm afraid I might accidentally touch you in my sleep."
"No, she was fine last night and during lunch break today, wasn't she?" Yun Lie saw through her thoughts and slowly approached with a sullen smile.
“If you agree to sleep in separate rooms before the wedding, I can send you the money for ten cartloads of grain next season,” Luo Cuiwei thought for a moment, then held up two fingers and changed her mind, “No, twenty cartloads.”
Yun Lie rejected the "high-paying offer" without hesitation.
Actually, putting aside his unhealed injuries, he would have suppressed his ambitions before the wedding.
After all, he had already wronged Luo Cuiwei a great deal by not having the wedding ceremony before the wedding, and he had to give her that respect.
But he always needs to give himself some small perks and benefits, just to quench his thirst.
“If you’re really worried, we can add another rule: if I do anything that you think is ‘inappropriate’ before the wedding, you can deduct five cartloads of grain from my pay each time,” Yun Lie suggested.
Luo Cuiwei's eyes darted around, "Ten cartloads of grain, plus fifty gold coins!"
Fearing that a fine of five cartloads of grain was too lenient, she immediately increased the severity of the punishment.
"You shrewd businessman," Yun Lie laughed angrily, gritting his teeth as he stretched out his hand, "Deal."
"We're still outside right now," Luo Cuiwei threatened him with a sly smile, "If you touch me inappropriately outside the bedchamber, you'll have five cartloads of grain deducted from your pay!"
Yun Lie abruptly withdrew his hand, clutching his forehead in anguish.
Highly motivated by her initial victory, Luo Cuiwei walked ahead with a confident smile.
After her bath, her long, satin-like hair cascaded down her back, swaying back and forth, releasing a captivating and alluring fragrance.
Following behind her, Yun Lie clenched his hands, which were hanging by his sides, with a heart full of torment, silently telling himself: I must restrain myself.
Anyway, after the wedding, we can openly "do this and that".
So, what exactly are the people from the Imperial Household Department dragging their feet on?!
The wedding preparations have been going on for over three months, and the progress is so slow it's infuriating!
****
As he sat on the edge of the bed, a thought flashed in Yun Lie's eyes.
As Luo Cuiwei walked over and was about to take off her shoes and get into bed, he casually stretched out his long leg and lightly kicked her toes.
Luo Cuiwei was completely unprepared and threw herself into his arms.
He endured the pain spreading from his wound, and pulled her down onto the bed, turning his face slightly so that his thin lips were innocently pressed against her soft red lips.
Yun Lie held her waist, closed his eyes, and after the sudden pain from his injury subsided, he pressed his thin lips to hers, secretly raising a cunning smile, "You were the one who made the first move with your mouth."
"This was an accident..." Luo Cuiwei was a little dazed for a moment, and worried that she might bump into his wound, so she gently struggled to get up.
But after a dizzying turn, the scene turned into her being pinned down on the bed.
Yun Lie placed his hands on either side of her, and his handsome face, which was slowly lowering, cast an increasingly clear reflection in her eyes.
Luo Cuiwei stared in disbelief as he slowly lowered his head and pressed his thin lips to hers like a lazy, cunning beast stealing a bite.
Amidst the gentle, loving caresses, he chuckled intermittently, "You forced yourself on me... I was powerless to resist... So, ten cartloads of grain, thank you."
“You…” Luo Cuiwei wanted to argue.
But the moment she opened her mouth, the cunning enemy, who was "crying wolf," took advantage of her vulnerability.
The scorching, wet embrace quickly overwhelmed her.
One is a businessman who believes in "no business without cunning," while the other believes in "all's fair in war." They're quite evenly matched.
****
On June 18th, the officials of the Imperial Household Department came to Prince Zhao's residence as agreed and presented the wedding attire for Luo Cuiwei and Yun Lie to try on.
Yun Lie's injuries hadn't healed well, but he still had to put on a brave face in front of outsiders.
Fortunately, he usually kept a straight face in front of others, and with Luo Cuiwei speaking up to handle the situation, the officials of the Shaofu (Imperial Household Department) noticed that he was different.
Afterwards, the officials of the Imperial Household Department presented a list of auspicious days compiled by the Court of Imperial Sacrifices.
According to custom, Yun Lie and Luo Cuiwei need to discuss and agree on the wedding date from these auspicious days, and then the Imperial Household Department will submit it to His Majesty for approval.
Previously, with the situation in Linchuan still unresolved, no one was sure when Yun Lie would return to the capital, so the matter of choosing an auspicious date had been put on hold. It was only yesterday, after Yun Lie sent someone to inform Emperor Xianlong that he had returned to the capital, that Emperor Xianlong ordered the Court of Imperial Sacrifices to immediately consult divination to select an auspicious day.
The most recent date on the list is eight days from now, June 27th.
It is auspicious for marriage, engagement, planting, and praying for blessings.
"This is... way too rushed."
Seeing that Yun Lie immediately pointed to the most recent date, Luo Cuiwei felt somewhat embarrassed.
Although we had been preparing for more than three months and everything was ready, there was nothing rushed about it. But choosing such a close date still made us feel a little anxious.
Yun Lie slowly turned his head to glance at her, and said in a very straightforward low voice, "I am in a hurry."
Even those eight days felt incredibly long to him.