On her wedding day, just as dawn was breaking, Shen Wan was woken up by Yin Shuang and Hai Tang. The Goddess of Blessings came to perform a face-opening ceremony, do her makeup, help her put on her bright red wedding dress, and then helped her sit on the bed to wait for the bridal sedan chair to come and fetch her.

She didn't know how long she waited, until her buttocks were numb from sitting, before she could vaguely hear the sounds of firecrackers and suonas coming from the front yard.

"The bridal sedan chair has arrived!"

The little maidservant came in excitedly and called out.

The Goddess of Blessings helped Shen Wan cover her head with a veil and then helped her out of the house.

First, she went to Qinghui Courtyard to bid farewell to her parents and grandmother. When Shen Wan arrived, Shen Ying had already arrived.

The two women wore identical wedding dresses, including their shoes, phoenix crowns, and veils. Since they were both married on the same day to princes of the emperor, the palace dared not compare them. These two wedding dresses were made by palace embroiderers working day and night.

A maid brought over prayer mats, and Shen Wan and Shen Ying knelt down and kowtowed to the old lady.

The old lady first helped Shen Wan up, then helped Shen Ying up, her eyes filled with tears and reluctance.

After paying respects to the old lady, it was time to pay respects to the parents.

Shen Wan knelt to bid farewell to Shen Jing, and Shen Ying knelt to bid farewell to the Second Master and Second Madam.

Although she hadn't married far away, Shen Wan couldn't help but have tears welling up in her eyes. Shen Jing, a great general who had seen life and death on the battlefield, also had red eyes at this moment. "You missed your father and your grandmother, so you came back to visit."

Shen Wan nodded. At this moment, the matchmaker walked in and said, "The auspicious time is almost here. It's time to prepare for the bridal sedan chair."

According to etiquette, it was the old lady who would put the veil on their heads, but Shen Wan chose to be willful. She choked up and said, "Father, please put the veil on my head."

How could Shen Jing refuse such a small request? She took the veil handed to her by the maid and helped Shen Wan put it on.

The old lady over there also helped Shen Ying cover her head with a veil. She held Shen Ying's hand tightly and wouldn't let go. The matchmaker urged her twice before the old lady reluctantly let go and wiped away her tears.

Shen Wan and Shen Ying left the house one after the other, supported by the matchmaker, but they stepped out of the gate together.

Shen Wan walked on the left, and Shen Ying on the right.

The matchmaker helped Chen Wan down the steps to help her into the bridal sedan chair.

Beneath the bright red veil, Shen Wan frowned slightly. In the Great Chu Dynasty, the right was considered superior. Although in her heart, Xie Jingyan was far superior to Xie Jingyin, in terms of status, Xie Jingyin was the legitimate son of the Empress, while Xie Jingyan was the son of a deposed concubine. Moreover, Xie Jingyin was eleven months older than Xie Jingyan. The bridal sedan chair of the Prince of Jin's residence should have been on the right and had gone first. Why was the bridal sedan chair of the Prince of Ling's residence placed on the right?

The banquet for the two families was hosted by the Left and Right Vice Ministers of the Ministry of Rites. How could such a mistake have occurred?

Shen Wan felt a vague unease in her heart. At that moment, the matchmaker had already helped her to the sedan chair, and the maid lifted the curtain.

Shen Wan lowered her head to get into the bridal sedan chair, and had already squeezed half of her body inside when she suddenly remembered something, froze, and quickly took a step back. The matchmaker saw this and asked, "Why did you come out?"

Shen Wan abruptly lifted the veil and asked coldly, "Whose bridal sedan chair did I get into?"

As Shen Wan spoke, she turned around and met Xie Jingyin's gaze, who was riding on horseback.

Their eyes were colder than the last.

Over there, Shen Du was seeing Shen Wan off to the bridal sedan chair when his younger sister's voice suddenly came from behind him. He turned his head and saw Shen Wan. He was stunned for a moment and said in a flustered manner, "Wrong, wrong, quickly change it back."

Xie Jingyan broke his leg and was unable to come to greet the bride in person, so the Eighth Prince Xie Jingxuan greeted her on his behalf. He rode on horseback, his lips twitching repeatedly.

He was only fifteen years old. His sixth brother had chosen him to be the one to escort the bride, rather than one of his many adult brothers. This was already quite unexpected. He had almost helped pick up the wrong bride. The Marquis of Pingyang's household was far too careless. How could they make such a mistake?

Yinshuang was also stunned. She quickly went over to help Chenwan up and scolded the matchmaker, "How did you help her? She almost got into the wrong bridal sedan chair!"

Originally, Yinshuang wanted to help Chenwan, but the matchmaker wouldn't allow it, so Yinshuang didn't insist. Just now, the second mistress's maid called her, and she turned around and said a few words. Then the matchmaker was replaced. The young lady and the second young lady were wearing the same wedding dress, so she couldn't recognize her and followed the matchmaker.

Shen Du's face also darkened. The double happiness of marrying off his daughter on the same day was something people talked about, but if he got into the wrong bridal sedan chair or went to the wrong wedding ceremony, he would become a laughing stock.

At that time, Shen Ying had already sat in the bridal sedan chair. The matchmaker quickly helped her out and then helped Shen Wan sit in.

After sitting upright, Shen Wan was still not at ease and called out, "Yin Shuang?"

Yinshuang stood beside the bridal sedan chair and hurriedly said, "Miss, I'm here. This time it's definitely the bridal sedan chair from the Ling Prince's Mansion."

Shen Wan was finally relieved.

She felt something was wrong when the Marquis of Anding beat up Shen Li yesterday, but she couldn't figure out why. Now she understands everything.

If her elder brother is injured, he won't be able to carry her to the bridal sedan chair. Since they are wearing identical wedding dresses and veils, it would be easy to switch their positions and stuff her into the bridal sedan chair of the Prince of Jin's mansion.

If she ends up at the Prince of Jin's mansion in a daze and has to marry Xie Jingyin, and if they happen to have some physical intimacy in public, she'll have no choice but to go along with it and marry Xie Jingyin. As for Shen Ying, she's already Xie Jingyin's woman. Even if Xie Jingyan marries her, he'll send her back to the Prince of Jin's mansion.

Shen Ying and Xie Jingyin's marriage was arranged by imperial decree, and she was married into the wrong family. The Empress and Prince Jin may not give her the position of principal wife, and she will most likely be treated as an equal by Shen Ying.

There was also the incident where Prince Jin was initially unwilling to marry Shen Ying as his principal wife, but later agreed. Just a few days later, the young master Wu was drugged in the Marquis's mansion and someone attempted to sexually assault her...

Shen Wan could not have guessed that Xie Jingyin's condition for giving Shen Ying the position of principal wife was that she also marry into the family.

The Second Madam dared not refuse such an unfair condition to Shen Ying, yet she was unwilling to accept it. Therefore, after the imperial decree of marriage was issued, before she and Shen Ying were to be married, she used despicable means to prevent her from getting married.

Their endless schemes meant that if she hadn't been constantly vigilant, she would have truly fallen into their trap.

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