To highlight Princess Zhaoping's nobility, the Empress Dowager spared no expense this time: the day before the wedding, many eunuchs and palace servants carried large rolls of red silk, paving the way from the palace gate to the gate of the Prince Xiu's residence.

The festive decorations along the way were countless.

Princess Zhaoping wore a red wedding dress embroidered by herself and a phoenix hairpin bestowed by the emperor on her head. She was dressed in her finest attire and looked exceptionally noble.

Simeng and Siyi, the two personal maids, surrounded Princess Zhaoping, happily saying auspicious things, which made Princess Zhaoping very happy.

Princess Zhaoping has never been as happy as she is today. Her childhood dream has finally come true.

It was as if her life, from that moment on, was always at its peak.

When the auspicious hour arrived, the Empress Dowager and Aunt Sun came to greet them personally.

The Empress Dowager held Princess Zhaoping's hand, her somewhat cloudy old eyes shining with endless hope and brilliance: "Zhaoping, I have done everything I can for you. After entering the Ninth Prince's mansion, you will belong to the Ninth Prince's mansion. I can no longer protect you in every way as before. You must strive to gain the Ninth Prince's favor, firmly trample that bandit under your feet, and fight for yourself and for me."

"Aunt, I will remember your kindness to Zhaoping for the rest of my life; I will also try my best to win the love of Brother Xiye, and I will never let that bandit disgrace the Ninth Prince's Mansion and the royal family again." Princess Zhaoping said with tears in her eyes as she shook hands with the Empress Dowager.

When the grand wedding procession arrived at the palace gate, the emperor and empress also came to see her off at the palace gate. This was an honor that was not even shown to princesses when they got married, truly giving Princess Zhaoping a lot of face.

The onlookers outside the city saw it all clearly: the emperor and empress looked exceptionally eager and happy as they escorted the bride, as if she were not a princess from a distant fiefdom, but their most beloved daughter.

At this moment, the wedding procession from the Ninth Prince's Mansion also arrived.

However, among the wedding procession, only the Ninth Prince's carriage was present; the Ninth Prince himself was nowhere to be seen.

Moreover, that carriage was not the one that the Ninth Prince usually rode in.

The wedding procession was small, with only two or three ceremonial guards, even smaller than the procession of an ordinary merchant family taking a concubine.

Wuying rode an ordinary chestnut horse at the head of the procession. Upon seeing the Emperor and Empress on the city wall, he calmly dismounted, bowed, and announced loudly, "Your Highness caught a cold yesterday, which aggravated your injuries, and you are now bedridden and unable to get up. Fearing that you might miss the auspicious time, I have sent this humble servant to greet you on your behalf."

The emperor and empress looked very unhappy, but there was nothing they could do.

We can't ruin this marriage just because of the Ninth Prince's momentary sense of loyalty.

Princess Zhaoping felt a pang of disappointment upon hearing this. She had been eagerly anticipating that her beloved brother Xiye would take her hand and personally lead her into the wedding hall, but he had unexpectedly fallen ill and had not even shown up.

But it doesn't matter, since he's sick and can't come, it's the same if she goes.

As his wife, she should be more generous and considerate.

The royal family may try to cover up the truth, but the onlookers are not so blind.

Seeing that the bandit was no longer nearby, the onlookers finally dared to speak freely and began to offer their own opinions:

"If you ask me, if someone doesn't come to pick up the bride after the wedding, it means they don't like her."

"The Ninth Prince is completely captivated by that bandit. I really don't know what he has that makes him better than the gentle and virtuous Princess Zhaoping, besides his good looks."

"Is it because the Ninth Prince didn't come out to greet the bride in person to prevent the bandits from causing trouble?"