Chapter 105 A divine being, unparalleled in marriage and bed-making. ...

Zhou Xiwen took a sip of tea and said calmly, "That one was disobedient." She pointed to the man serving the tea, "This one plays the zither very well, would you like to hear him?"

Meng Lingyao nodded indifferently. The man then quietly sat down to the side, burned incense and washed his hands, and played a piece. His zither skills were indeed superb, his fingering was skillful, and his tone was clear and melodious.

When the music ended, Meng Lingyao remained calm, showing little emotion. Zhou Xiwen, observing her expression, understood the situation and smiled, "The news spread throughout the capital the other day that on the day you departed for Jinling, Pei Shaoqing played the zither for half a day at the ferry to see you off. Having heard such music, these ordinary tunes are indeed hard to appreciate."

Meng Lingyao shook her head, her gaze falling on the musician, her tone calm, "His musical skills are superb, worthy of being called a national master. However, the zither is the voice of the heart, and ultimately it must move people with emotion. Having unparalleled skill without pouring genuine feelings into it is like a body without a soul; it may be beautiful, but it fails to move people."

Upon hearing this, the musician froze, looking at Zhou Xiwen with a slightly helpless expression.

Looking at his handsome face, Zhou Xiwen said casually, "What are you afraid of? I don't want your true feelings."

The man seemed relieved for a moment, but a hint of undisguised disappointment flashed across his eyes. Zhou Xiwen waved his hand, signaling him to leave.

Watching the man's departing figure, Meng Lingyao raised an eyebrow. "This... I don't think he'll be obedient for long."

Zhou Xiwen fiddled with the agate beads on his wrist, speaking casually as if discussing the weather, "It's alright, let's just get another one."

“Your life,” Meng Lingyao thought for a moment, “is something even a god wouldn’t trade.”

Zhou Xiwen smiled and said, "I called you here today to tell you that love is wonderful, but there are many ways to live. Of course, I hope that you and Pei Shaoqing will grow old together and be loving and devoted to each other. But..." She paused, her voice becoming calmer, "But if he does anything wrong in the future and makes you suffer, we can still live a wonderful and carefree life without him."

"Don't worry." Meng Lingyao held her hand and said with a smile, "You know I would never let myself be wronged. Besides, with you here, what do I have to be afraid of?"

“Exactly!” Zhou Xiwen remembered something else and the corners of his lips curled up. “I heard that Miss Xie has already been engaged in Jinling. It’s a pity… From now on, it will only be the two of us in the capital who can rely on each other.”

Upon hearing this, Meng Lingyao couldn't help but laugh.

The time together always felt too short. As they parted, Zhou Xiwen casually slipped her a brocade box, which looked rather light and flimsy.

"Here, take this, it's good stuff."

Meng Lingyao took it, secretly thinking to herself, "Given Zhou Xiwen's personality, it's probably some kind of embarrassing 'hidden treasure' that he's hiding."

Once she was in the carriage, she opened the book and found that it contained not the picture album she had expected, but a thick stack of land deeds, covering several prime shops and estates in the capital, Jiangnan, and even Sichuan.

The top picture clearly shows a shop in Suzhou.

A slight ripple appeared in Meng Lingyao's eyes. That was the place she planned to open her second branch.

Half a month before the wedding, spring was in full bloom in the capital, and the willow branches were sprouting new green leaves. A dozen or so embroiderers, who had spent several months embroidering the wedding dress, traveled thousands of miles to deliver it to the capital. The two Xie sisters also came with them.

"Sister Lingyao!" Xie Jingqiu skipped forward excitedly, lifting her skirt, and affectionately took Meng Lingyao's arm, her almond-shaped eyes crinkling into crescents with laughter. "I begged my grandfather for so long before he allowed me to come to the capital with you, sister. How could I miss such a momentous occasion as your wedding!"

Meng Lingyao was infected by her cheerful mood and smiled as she pinched her rosy cheek. "Was the journey smooth? The old man is quite at ease letting you go out."

"The journey was smooth sailing, and everything was wonderful," Xie Chengyu replied. "Grandfather said that she is not young anymore and should go out and see the world, instead of always being confined to Jinling. It would also be a good opportunity for her to go to the palace and keep Consort Jing company."

"The Consort Jing will surely be delighted to see you."

As the group chatted, the maids carefully took out the wedding dresses from the chests and laid them out one by one. As they were slowly unfolded, the entire hall fell silent.

Meng Lingyao had seen the prototype and embroidery of the wedding dress in Jinling before, and knew that it was exceptionally beautiful. At this moment, she still felt dazzled and her heart skipped a beat.

The wedding dress was made of the finest Jiangnan brocade, a rich and dignified deep red, embroidered with intricate patterns of a hundred birds paying homage to the phoenix in real gold and silver thread. At the hem, a golden phoenix spread its wings as if about to take flight, its feathers rendered using a rare shading technique, gradually transitioning from crimson gold to deep red.

She reached out and touched the phoenix's eyes, which were two pigeon-blood rubies of almost identical size and color. Even indoors, they still shone brightly, as if they were about to come to life and take flight at any moment.

One can imagine what a breathtakingly beautiful sight it would be under bright sunlight or blazing candlelight.

"You've gone to a lot of trouble."

The accompanying embroiderer curtsied and said neither arrogantly nor humbly, "Miss, you flatter me. Even the most skilled cook cannot make a meal without rice. If it weren't for the fact that your household sends us the finest silks, gold and silver threads, pearls and gems every day, and you demand the utmost perfection in everything, allowing no flaws whatsoever, even if we had the most meager skills, we would never have been able to make such an exquisite wedding dress."

Meng Lingyao was slightly taken aback. Apart from initially selecting the patterns, she hadn't really bothered with it for the past few months. All the material purchases and progress monitoring seemed to have been arranged silently and meticulously, continuously being sent to Jinling, ultimately presenting this unparalleled perfection to her.

For some reason, the heart that had been growing increasingly restless as the wedding date approached suddenly calmed down at this moment.

According to ancient customs, the embroiderer presents a fine needle threaded with gold thread, asking the bride to add a few stitches to her wedding dress, symbolizing a happy marriage and blessings for herself.

Meng Lingyao's needlework was passable; she could embroider handkerchiefs and purses with elegance, but compared to this wedding dress, her skills seemed insignificant. The moment she took the needle and thread, everyone in the room involuntarily focused their gaze on that single, cold glint.

After a few moments of silence, she chased everyone out of the room, leaving only the embroiderer.

Even a national champion would feel flustered and tremble under such scrutiny. Moreover, with her mediocre skills, she was truly afraid of disrespecting the wedding dress.

The embroiderer smiled knowingly, "Don't worry, Miss."

The implication is that, no matter what, she can mend the sky like Nuwa.

Meng Lingyao felt a little calmer and slowly circled the wedding dress a few times. While the others might seem ordinary, her eye for detail was exceptionally sharp and discerning. She couldn't bear to ruin the perfection of the wedding dress with her mediocre skills.

She finally chose to embroider on the lotus scroll pattern on the inside of the back of her skirt. Since she couldn't see it herself, she could pretend she didn't know it. Concentrating her mind, she followed the existing pattern and embroidered three pairs of interlocking love knots.

As the last stitch was finished, the embroiderer bent down to examine it closely and couldn't help but exclaim, "Miss, your ingenuity is remarkable. This interlocking knot is hidden within the lotus pattern, just like twin blossoms of one heart, a very auspicious sign."

On February 22nd, the streets of the capital were filled with the sounds of drums and music. The Pei family's betrothal procession snaked its way in like a red dragon, carrying endless rows of red-adorned chests and trunks. The strong men carrying the chests marched in perfect unison, the heavy chests bending the carrying poles. The outlines of the objects covered by red silk were vaguely visible—ancient books, jade artifacts, and silks. Crowds of onlookers filled both sides of the street, their exclamations of wonder filling the air.

"There must be 128 loads of that, right?"

"More than that! I'd say it'll take at least 168 loads!"

"As expected of the Pei family, such a grand gesture..."

A rough, hoarse voice suddenly rang out from the crowd: "Hmph, who knows how much wealth these aristocratic families have amassed? The Pei family looks refined and noble, but could they be like the Cui family of old..."

Before he could finish speaking, a burly man next to him slapped him on the shoulder and angrily scolded, "What nonsense are you spouting! Don't you use your brain? Pei Shaoqing is young and promising, and he is currently enjoying the Emperor's favor! The Princess treats him like her own son. How could she not care about her nephew's wedding?"

An aunt chimed in, "Even ordinary families like ours have to empty their savings to scrape together a decent dowry when someone gets married, let alone the Pei family?"

Another old man stroked his beard and chimed in, “Exactly! General Pei sacrificed his life for the country, Her Highness the Princess pacified the southwest, and how many corrupt officials has Minister Pei punished over the years? They are all people who do practical things for us ordinary people. On such a good day, if you say such things again, don’t blame me for being impolite!”

The man looked around and, seeing no one respond to him and only attracting countless angry glares, could only shrink back dejectedly and slink out of the crowd, weaving his way into a few low-lying tiled houses in the back alley of the Anping Earl's mansion. As soon as he pushed open the door, angry curses came from inside, "Where have you been again? Always loafing around! It's all your fault, you wretched child! You called yourself the Princess, and now she's returned to the capital in glory, while you've lost your title and can't even afford a decent house!"

As night fell, the Pei residence was brightly lit. Tomorrow was an auspicious day, and the entire household was bustling with festive activity.

Pei Xu stepped into the study, his clothes carrying a faint scent of sandalwood.

Old Master Pei looked up and asked, "Did you offer incense to your mother?"

“I’ve already been there.” Pei Xu nodded.

Looking at his grandson's calm face, Old Master Pei finally sighed, "Twenty-seven years old, and that scoundrel still hasn't been found..."

Pei Xu's face showed no emotion; he simply said, "Isn't it just as good that he's not coming back? You can sit in the main seat with peace of mind tomorrow."

The old man was speechless, both amused and exasperated by his words. He laughed and scolded, "You brat! Even if he comes back, the seat of honor still belongs to me!" After scolding him, he solemnly instructed, "After you get married, you'll be an adult. You must treat Yao'er well. The Meng family only has one daughter, and we've raised her like a precious jewel. When you have time, you should accompany her back to visit more often... A daughter is always uneasy when she gets married."

Pei Xu was unusually docile, lowering his eyes to listen quietly, "Grandson understands."

"Her father is kind and generous, and her mother is reasonable. You should be even more polite." The old man rambled on, as if he wanted to say everything he had accumulated over the years.

Pei Xu listened quietly throughout, without uttering a single rebuttal.

After his grandfather finished giving his instructions, he glanced at the moonlight outside the window and said, "It's getting late. You should get some rest. You'll have a lot to do tomorrow."

The old man waved his hand, and Pei Xu bowed and took his leave, his figure disappearing into the deep night.

The courtyard fell silent again. The old servant quietly stepped forward and whispered, "Master, tomorrow is the day of the new baby's arrival, a joyous occasion."

The old man gazed in the direction his grandson had left, and after a long while, he replied in a hoarse voice, "Yes... it's been a long time since there's been such a joyous occasion in this mansion." The dim candlelight reflected in his eyes, and a glimmer of water flickered faintly.

On the 28th of February, the sky was clear and the air was fresh; it was an auspicious day personally chosen by Meng Shaoqing.

It is auspicious for marriage and for setting up a bed.

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Author's Note: I really wanted to write a whole new chapter in one go, but I've been traveling for work lately and have been incredibly busy. I can only manage a tiny bit each day, like squeezing toothpaste. For those who appreciate a good reading experience, you can save it up for a few days and read it all at once! [Please][Please][Please]