The pregnant woman pressed down on the wife, and the cousin collapsed into the prince's arms.

At this moment, she perfectly embodied the virtue of a noblewoman's wife. Pei Jingnian's brows relaxed, and his eyes seemed to show approval as he looked at Su Wanrou, no longer as cold as before.

He naturally hoped that his Crown Princess would be thorough and meticulous in her dealings.

Shen Yunshuang's heart skipped a beat, but she quickly calmed down. The hypocritical appearance of Su Wanrou in her past life overlapped with her smiling face in this life.

In an instant, Shen Yunshuang calmed down. After all, Su Wanrou hadn't changed, but she was no longer the Lin Yaoniang of her previous life.

_

The formalities are complete.

Shen Yunshuang was sent back to Ningxiang Pavilion, where red candles had been lit. Tonight was her wedding night with Pei Jingnian.

After waiting for an unknown amount of time, Shen Yunshuang heard someone push open the door, followed by a tall figure getting closer and closer.

Today was, after all, an auspicious day for Pei Jingnian to take a concubine. Although it wasn't a grand affair, a banquet was held and many friends were invited. As the main guest, Pei Jingnian was inevitably given a few drinks.

However, he was well-mannered and had a decent alcohol tolerance, so he was not drunk at the moment, but rather remarkably clear-headed.

His cousin was the woman he had longed to marry, and he had waited far too long for this moment.

Pei Jingnian's breathing quickened slightly as he strode towards the wedding bed. Shen Yunshuang sat there quietly, bathed in the warm glow of the bright red candles.

A red veil covered her face, revealing only her pair of fair, jade-like hands, folded on her knees. Her skin was smooth and radiant, making her exceptionally beautiful.

The matchmaker smiled and spoke auspicious words, then handed Pei Jingnian a gold-plated ebony wedding scale.

Pei Jingnian took a deep breath, a bitter smile passing through his mind. He was always calm and composed, and had seen all kinds of scenes in the imperial court and the mansions of marquises. Yet, when he received the auspicious scales, a wave of panic washed over him.

He composed himself, steadily raised his hand, and slowly lifted the red silk veil.

The red silk slipped down, revealing a stunningly beautiful face that made all the red candles in the room pale in comparison.

A sweet, faint smile played on Shen Yunshuang's lips. She slowly raised her eyes, her almond-shaped eyes shimmering with tears, gazing into Pei Jingnian's heart. She softly called out, "Young Master."

She usually called him cousin, but this was the first time she had heard the words "Young Master" from her mouth.

Her voice was soft and gentle, like a feather gently falling, and Pei Jingnian felt his heart being swept away.

"Shuang'er." At this moment, they tacitly changed how they addressed each other, because in addition to being cousins, they had formed a new bond.

He sat down beside her. At that moment, the matchmaker brought over the nuptial wine. Pei Jingnian held the wine cup, but couldn't help tracing her face with his eyes. He had never been so open and meticulous in his description, from her eyebrows to her lips, as if he were examining a rare treasure that belonged only to him.

Pei Jingnian only came to his senses when Shen Yunshuang lowered her head in embarrassment.

The two drank the nuptial wine, and then a maid came forward to remove Shen Yunshuang's hairpins and ornaments. Her black hair was loose and exuded a warm fragrance. After all the servants had left, only the two of them remained in the room.

Pei Jingnian seemed to snap out of his daze and grabbed Shen Yunshuang's hand: "Shuang'er."

He had longed for this day for a very long time, and now, his wish had finally come true. Despite his quick wit and eloquence in the court, he spoke with a slight difficulty and even a hint of clumsiness: "Being my concubine is ultimately a disservice to you. I... I will never let you down."

His eyes were clear and captivating. Shen Yunshuang sneered inwardly. In her past life, she was humble and timid, and she was always trembling with fear whenever she was with Pei Jingnian. She had never seen Pei Jingnian with such eyes before.

As for what he said... having been given a second chance at life, she wouldn't care at all, wouldn't take it seriously, and certainly wouldn't foolishly give away her heart.

In her heart, there was only her purpose: to make those who harmed her receive the retribution they deserved.

Her calm eyes slowly softened with tenderness as Shen Yunshuang said softly, "I am already content to be with you, cousin. From now on, I will not compete with you for anything. I only ask to stay by your side forever."

How could Pei Jingnian not be moved by such a gentle and beautiful confidante?

Not to mention, the body hidden behind the wedding dress was so tender and alluring that he couldn't resist.

Her snow-white arms wrapped around Pei Jingnian's shoulders, the feel of her skin as smooth as cream.

With each warm breath, a unique fragrance belonging to Shen Yunshuang wafted through the air.

Pei Jingnian was completely drunk.

He looked down and saw that her cheeks were flushed, making her even more beautiful than usual. This beauty was something only he could see.

A sudden surge of emotion welled up within Pei Jingnian, and his eyes deepened, like ink spreading out.

The night was filled with the shyness of rain and clouds, and the long night outside meant that the candles in Ningxiang Pavilion burned for half the night before finally going out.

After that night, everyone in the Marquis's mansion knew how much the young master doted on his newlywed concubine.

Not to mention, the next day, when Shen Yunshuang paid her respects to Madam Wang and Su Wanrou, her eyes were full of tender shyness, and she couldn't hide her spring charm. This made Su Wanrou so angry that she secretly broke several of her fingernails. When she returned to Jinlan Courtyard, she couldn't help but want to go crazy.

It was Zhou Mama beside her who stopped her: "Princess Consort, you must not."

She understood perfectly well that the arrival of the concubine had disrupted the balance of power in the Marquis's household. Before, she was the only one in power, but now, with another mistress, she wouldn't be completely controlled, but she could no longer do as she pleased.

For example, the sound of a vase shattering is absolutely unacceptable.

"Since the Crown Princess has decided to endure, she cannot keep changing her mind. Otherwise, how can she be trusted by the Crown Prince and the Old Madam? And how can she win back the Crown Prince's heart?" Zhou Mama earnestly advised, and Su Wanrou finally put down her cup with red eyes.

Poor thing, her delicate white palms were covered in red marks from the bumps, not to mention her eyes, which were bloodshot, just like a rabbit's.

Madam Zhou was heartbroken, and in her heart she couldn't help but curse Shen Yunshuang for being a vixen and having such cunning. She thought that with her frail body, it would be difficult for her to receive the young master's favor, let alone satisfy him. But she never expected that she would stay up all night, with the lamps lit until midnight, which meant that the young master loved her very much.

"I...I'm in pain! Mom, my heart hurts so much." Large tears slid down Su Wanrou's face. She really couldn't control herself. The news of Ningxiang Pavilion's nightly revelry had spread throughout the mansion. It was hard for her not to know. She was deeply in love with Pei Jingnian, so how could she accept that her husband's affections were all given to someone else?

Or perhaps he was someone she was extremely wary of.

She tossed and turned every night, losing a lot of weight. Zhou's mother was heartbroken, but she had to step forward and comfort her, saying, "The young master is still very much in love with you. Don't worry, no matter what she does, she can't surpass you. You are the young master's legal wife, the rightful princess consort. No matter how favored she is, she still has to obediently pay her respects to you every day."