Daiyu looked up at him and smiled faintly: "Thank you, cousin."

Daiyu's calm expression made Baoyu feel a pang of sadness again.

Grandmother Jia, watching from the side, was also heartbroken.

Originally, she wanted to bring her two most beloved grandsons and granddaughters together, but she never imagined things would turn out this way.

But now that Daiyu is marrying into the royal family, a life a hundred times more glamorous than in the Jia family, there's no need to be overly sad. So he took their hands and comforted them repeatedly.

The rest of the crowd chatted and laughed, drank and socialized, and not many people paid any attention to what was happening here.

As night fell, the Lin residence was brightly lit, and the guests, having eaten and drunk their fill, returned home in high spirits.

Because of her advanced age, Grandmother Jia took her leave and returned to her residence early.

Jia Zheng and the others also left one after another.

Lin Ruhai stood outside the gate, seeing off each guest one by one. Only after the last guest left did he finally breathe a sigh of relief.

Back in his study, Lin Ruhai looked at the mountain of gift lists on the table and was filled with emotion.

He picked up his pen and wrote a letter, intending to send it to the capital the next day to express his gratitude to the Emperor and Empress.

The next day. It was still dark.

The Governor's Mansion was already brightly lit.

Today, Daiyu is getting married and going to the capital.

Daiyu, dressed in a wedding gown bestowed by the Empress, was being meticulously dressed by the maids sent from the palace.

The wedding dress was made of bright red brocade with a pattern of a hundred birds paying homage to the phoenix embroidered in gold thread. Every stitch was made by court embroiderers.

Her dress was adorned with pearls, shimmering and sparkling as she walked, like the morning glow reflecting on snow.

Zijuan presented the phoenix crown bestowed by the Empress. The crown was inlaid with twelve pearls from the East China Sea, and in the center was a golden phoenix with outstretched wings, holding a thumb-sized ruby ​​in its beak, which shone brightly.

The old woman placed the phoenix crown on Daiyu's head and softly praised, "The princess's beauty today surpasses even that of the Nine Heavens Mystic Maiden."

Daiyu looked up at the mirror. The person in the mirror had eyebrows like distant mountains, eyes like autumn water, and lips like a dot. She was stunningly beautiful.

She gently stroked the patterns on her wedding dress, her heart filled with mixed emotions.

Xueyan's eyes reddened as she whispered, "The young lady is getting married today; she is truly the most beautiful woman in the world."

Zijuan presented the dragon and phoenix auspicious veil and said softly, "Miss, the time is almost here."

Outside the mansion gate, the wedding procession stretched for miles.

Hongtun, dressed in the formal attire of a prince's heir, rode on a fine horse, followed by a gilded sedan chair carried by sixteen men. The curtains of the sedan chair were made of strung pearls, which rustled gently in the wind, like heavenly music.

Lin Ruhai personally escorted his daughter to the bridal sedan chair, tears welling in his eyes: "Yu'er, from now on you will be a member of the royal family. Remember to be careful with your words and actions."

Daiyu knelt down and kowtowed, choking back tears, and said, "Your daughter will remember Father's teachings."

The dock was packed with people, all eager to witness this grand spectacle, comparable to a princess's wedding.

The official boats lined up in a row, their hulls adorned with red decorations, and the dowry chests were sealed with imperial seals. Guards escorted the passengers as they boarded the boats one by one.

One passerby exclaimed, "This dowry must stretch from Nanjing all the way to the capital!"

The Jia family members stood on the specially set-up viewing platform. Grandmother Jia, leaning on her cane, looked at Daiyu's back and murmured, "My Yu'er, she has finally flown to a higher branch."

Yuan Chun helped her grandmother up and whispered, "Grandmother, rest assured, Lin Daiyu is blessed with good fortune and will surely have a peaceful and prosperous future."

Baoyu stood at the back of the crowd, clutching a page of the manuscript tightly in his hand, but ultimately did not take a step forward.