Knotting the Hair (II)

The dusk was like the thickening ink in the inkstone, pressing down heavily, carrying with it fine snow foam, and silently flowing over the tall blue brick wall of the Bai Mansion in Chaisang City.

The gilded copper bells hanging from the eaves were blown by the cold wind, making sporadic and crisp tinkling sounds.

In front of the door, two red gauze palace lanterns with gold inlay had already been lit by the servants. The dancing flames shone through the gauze, making the newly written "囍" character in cinnabar on the door even brighter and more eye-catching. In this gray and bleak early spring evening, a warm and festive little world was created.

"It's unfortunate today. Sang Li went out with her master for something, so I didn't intend to bring you to this crowded and noisy place..."

Beneath the courtyard wall, several pots of fine silver charcoal were burning brightly. The red-hot iron blocks turned the falling snow into wisps of swirling white mist, dispelling the surrounding coldness.

The main road in front of the Bai Mansion was decorated with red silk. He Shu stood by the warm brazier, eagerly waiting with the other guests. He patted the back of Cang Jue's hand, who was tightly tugging at his sleeve. His eyes were still glued to the approaching wedding procession outside the door, and he continued to give instructions:

"But you begged me so earnestly... Now that you're here, remember to follow me closely and don't get lost. This mansion is huge, and there are many guests."

"Okay, I understand. I will definitely follow you closely."

Cang Jue responded obediently, clenching his hand that was tugging at his sleeve even tighter. He turned his head, his light grey eyes looking at He Shu, and asked curiously,

"By the way, Brother He, where's your...mortal lover? Why isn't he by your side today?"

Before he finished speaking, the loud sound of gongs and drums outside the door had already reached very close.

Surrounded by his relatives and friends, the groom Bai Ziming stepped into the gate of the Bai Mansion with high spirits.

Today he did not wear the usual crimson suit worn by ordinary grooms, but a deep and elegant green round-necked robe with gold weaving. The corners of the robe were embroidered with intricate dark patterns of auspicious beasts in silk threads of the same color. He wore a jade silver belt around his waist and a particularly eye-catching gilded red velvet flower on his lapel, which made his originally ordinary face look more upright and noble.

It was much more presentable than the shabby blue shirt that he was wearing when I first met him.

He Shu was thinking in his heart, and then he felt that more and more men and women were coming around him, and the voices were noisy. He quickly pulled Cang Jue to the corner of the crowd and answered the young man's question in a low voice:

"He had something to do today and was asked to help."

After most of the noisy wedding procession had poured into the main hall and the whispers and laughter had faded away, He Shu patiently explained to the bewildered Cang Jue:

"Today's bride is Miss Bai Qiaochun, the only daughter of the second branch of the Bai family. Although the groom is marrying into the family's family, according to the etiquette and rules of the mortal world, when the bride leaves the house, she needs to be carried out of the boudoir and sent to the bridal sedan by her father or brother. If the bride is marrying into the family, she will be carried to the main hall."

As he spoke, he held Cangjue's wrist and slowly walked at the end of the crowd. Soon, he entered the main hall which was brightly lit and filled with warm fragrance.

The hall was already bustling with people, all laughing and chatting. A turquoise brocade tablecloth covered the pearwood altar in the center, neatly arranged on it were ritual vessels such as a gilded wine jug and a silver gourd vase. A ceremonial officer in a dark blue brocade robe stood beside it.

He Shu couldn't help but lower his voice, almost whispering in Cang Jue's ear:

"It's just that Miss Bai has had a difficult life. She lost her father at a young age and has no biological brothers. Qingshan... he, um... just happens to have some unclear blood relationship with the Bai family. He also served as the groom's mentor for a while. His knowledge and character are respected, so the Bai family kindly asked him to carry the bride out of the house."

"I see……"

Cang Jue nodded in sudden realization and was about to ask something else when the crowd around him suddenly erupted in even louder noise and admiration. They all stood on tiptoe and stretched their necks to look towards the corridor outside the hall connecting to the inner courtyard.

The snow seemed to have thickened, falling softly. The crimson wedding silk wrapped around the vermilion lacquer columns looked even more vibrant under the lantern light.

Under this curtain of snow and joy, Qingshan steadily carried a slender scarlet figure on his back, walking calmly step by step on the scarlet felt carpet.

The bride wore a luxurious silver fox cloak, with an exquisite shawl embroidered with lotus patterns inside. The edges were decorated with tiny pearl tassels, which swayed gently with Qingshan's steady steps, making a soft and pleasant sound.

The veil was made of bright red gold brocade, embroidered with auspicious patterns of lotus flowers in bloom and mandarin ducks playing in the water in gold thread. The bride's long skirt dragged on the ground, sweeping across the red carpet, and was stained with some crystal snowflakes, like broken stars.

Almost everyone's attention was drawn to the bride, bathed in the glow of the sunset. Admirations and blessings filled the air. Even Cang Jue, who couldn't see, seemed to be infected by the warm atmosphere. He tried hard to raise his face in that direction, his lifeless eyes reflecting the flickering light and shadow.

However, He Shu's gaze only stayed on the dazzling scarlet for a brief moment before drifting away involuntarily, and finally, landed firmly on the man carrying the bride.

Qingshan was wearing a light red round-necked robe with cloud patterns today, which he rarely wore on weekdays, and a jade belt of the same color around his waist.

This slightly formal attire gave him an air of nobility and dignity, a child of an aristocratic family, but his face was still as gentle as jade, his brows were filled with his usual composure, his eyes were clear, his steps were steady. Amidst the hustle and bustle, he carried a kind of warm strength that made people feel at ease.

He walked slowly and steadily from the ceremonial gate connecting to the inner courtyard into the main hall, and only stopped in front of the altar. He bent his knees slightly and carefully placed the bride on his back on the carpet to make her stand firmly.

The groom Bai Ziming immediately stepped forward with a big smile, and stretched out his hand to support the bride who was about to marry him. However, the guests around him, especially the young and nosy ones, rushed forward noisily, talking and joking, intentionally or unintentionally separating the newlyweds.

"Oh my! Master, you're really impatient! The bride hasn't even been married yet, and you can't wait to get close to her?"

Someone shouted a joke at the top of his voice, which made all the guests in the room burst into laughter. The good-natured laughter almost blew the roof off.

He Shu's gaze was still closely following the light red figure until laughter broke out all around him. He suddenly came to his senses, but he didn't know what funny thing had happened. He could only look around blankly, then he pulled up the corners of his mouth and laughed twice with everyone, just to fit in.

The newlyweds stood facing each other in front of the altar amidst the lively laughter and blessings.

The red candle on the table was burning brightly, and the jumping flame cast a warm glow on the bluestone floor.

Following the instructions of the ceremonial officer, they took the silver gourd vase presented by the maid, and poured the wedding wine, which symbolized their union, into two small jade cups. They gently wrapped their arms around each other, and the bride's veil was slightly lifted to be reserved. They both lowered their eyes at the same time and drank the clear wine in the cups.

He Shu stood among the crowded guests, looking at the solemn yet perfect ceremony. His heart seemed to be slowly soaked by a pool of warm spring water. A mixture of emotion and secret warmth for others finally getting married rose quietly from the bottom of his heart, making the corners of his lips unconsciously rise, revealing a sincere smile.

He subconsciously raised his eyes, looking over the shoulders of the three or two guests in front of him, and looked at the figure standing aside not far away who had just completed his task.

Coincidentally, Qingshan was also looking at him quietly.

Across the hustle and bustle of the crowd and the flickering glow of the candlelight, the man just stood there, his eyebrows as calm as an ancient well, but on his lips there was a gentle smile that was deeper than usual.

That gaze was so focused, so deep, as if it had penetrated all the noise and distance. It had been waiting for a long time, just waiting for him to look back unintentionally at this moment.

He Shu was caught off guard and bumped into the tenderness that was almost drowning. His heart felt like it was gently scratched by a soft feather, suddenly tightened, and then began beating out of control.

A burning heat quickly spread to his ears, and the relief and happiness he had just felt for the newlyweds was instantly replaced by an inescapable shyness and excitement.

He hurriedly lowered his eyelashes and lowered his head, trying to hide his guilt even more. His fingers unconsciously clutched his sleeves tightly, and his knuckles turned slightly white.

He felt that the noisy voices and music in the room seemed to have quieted down at that moment, and the only sound was his own heartbeat, which was as loud as the beating of a drum, and was so clear that it hit his eardrums again and again.

“Clang——”

The jade cup was placed back on the altar, where it gently touched the silverware, producing a crisp lingering sound.

After the quilt-closing ceremony, the ceremonial officer was in high spirits and sang loudly. The long and loud voice, wrapped in the warmth of the charcoal fire, spread steadily in the hall:

"Bow to Heaven and Earth——"

He Shu could clearly feel that smiling gaze following him like a shadow, never moving away. He became increasingly afraid to look up, staring intently at the tip of his shoe, as if trying to see a flower in the non-existent dust on it.

He was lost in his thoughts when someone suddenly tugged at his sleeve, and he came to his senses as if he had grabbed a life-saving straw.

"What's wrong?"

As if he had found a way to escape the unnerving gaze, he bent down and almost half-hugged Cang Jue, who was pulling him, out of the crowd. He quickly retreated to a less crowded corner on the side of the main hall, hiding his figure behind a tall bonsai.

"Brother He."

As soon as he stood firmly in the corner, Cang Jue couldn't wait to tiptoe, leaned close to his ear, and asked in a low voice, his tone full of curiosity,

"Did you see it? The bride...is she pretty?"

"How would I know?!"

He Shu was so shocked by this straightforward question that he almost jumped up and subconsciously took a half step back.