Shen gently combed her daughter's hair from roots to ends with a wooden comb, and smiled with tears in her eyes: "Over the years, I often bought some hair accessories for little girls, but unfortunately I never used them."
"Mother, please make my hair into a double bun. You gave birth to me so pretty. The hairpins you bought me before will definitely look good on me now." Jiuzhu turned around and hugged Shen's waist, saying coquettishly, "My daughter likes those cute and beautiful hair accessories the most."
"Okay." Shen bent down and patted her daughter's back gently, as if coaxing a child: "Whatever kind of bun you like, mother will make it for you today."
Ming Jiyuan looked at the mother and daughter hugging each other, turned his head away to hide the tears in his eyes, left the room, and closed the door for his mother and sister.
After the mother and daughter hugged each other for a long time, Shen took out a carved wooden box from the house. After opening the box, she saw many jewellery used by the little girl neatly packed inside.
Gold necklaces, gold bells, longevity locks, various pairs of hairpins, and jade necklaces, each one carries an innocent childlike interest.
"So beautiful." Jiuzhu touched the jewellery. There was such a full box of them. How long had her mother been waiting for her to come home all these years?
"Take all these away." Shen combed her daughter's hair and said, "I wish you and the prince will grow old together, live in harmony, and love each other forever."
She was a little unfamiliar with combing her hair, but every move was extremely gentle: "Although being in the royal family is not easy, if you have a firm mind, nothing in the world will be difficult for you."
Double buns are a hairstyle commonly worn by unmarried girls.
Shen pinned the red bean pins on both sides of her hair: "Does it look good?"
People only know that red beans are a painful way to miss someone they love, but they have no idea how deep the love of family members is.
"It looks good." Jiuzhu looked at herself in the mirror and nodded heavily: "Thank you, mother."
"Jiuzhu." Shen put her hand on her daughter's shoulder: "Don't let yourself down. The Ming family will always be your home."
"Mother." Jiuzhu held her hand: "Don't be sad."
"I'm not sad." Shen forced a smile, "I just can't bear to let you go."
The setting sun shines through the window lattice and climbs onto the dressing table like a naughty child.
Jiuzhu hugged Shen's waist again: "Mother, this will always be my home."
A warm tear flowed across her cheek and rolled over the corner of her mouth.
Prince Chen woke up from his dream, looked out the dark window, and sat cross-legged on the bed. It was not dawn yet?
The eunuch who was serving outside heard the noise and asked quietly from outside the tent, "Your Highness, are you awake?"
"Light the lamp." Prince Chen got down from the bed and said, "Bring some water. I want to take a bath."
"Your Highness, you just bathed last night..."
"I don't like to say what I said a second time."
"Yes, Your Highness."
Prince Chen touched the ointment on the table, remembered that Ming Xiaozhu was allergic to incense, and was worried that she would not like the smell, so he took out his hand towel and wiped his fingertips.
It's a very late morning in early spring.
Sun Caiyao was sleeping when she heard a commotion in the courtyard next door. She was worried that the people had woken up His Highness, so she called the palace maids to ask, "Why is there so much noise outside?"
"His Royal Highness Prince Chen needs to take a bath in the morning, and the people below are waiting for him." The palace servant looked at her awkwardly: "Princess, today is His Royal Highness Prince Chen's wedding, you... take care of it."
Getting up so early to take a shower?
Sun Caiyao was puzzled: "It's still several hours before the auspicious time for the wedding. Isn't it too early for the prince to prepare?"
"I heard that His Royal Highness Prince Chen was going to Ming Shilang's residence to personally welcome the princess, so I got up early to prepare." The palace maid said what she heard: "It is said that the Ministry of Rites originally did not agree with His Royal Highness Prince Chen going to Ming Shilang's residence to welcome the bride, but His Royal Highness insisted on going, so the Ministry of Rites had to compromise."
The royal family is respected, and when a prince marries a concubine, he almost never needs to go to the princess's house to pick up the bride.
If the prince values the imperial concubine, he will personally go to the palace gate to lead the bride down from the sedan chair, such as when she married His Highness. If it is according to the rules, he only needs to wait for the bride to enter the house before he and her hold the red embroidered ball over the threshold of the second gate.
Prince Chen and Ming Jiuzhu were married in Qilin Palace. If Prince Chen had greeted Ming Jiuzhu outside Suzaku Gate, it would have been enough to give Ming Jiuzhu face. Why did he need to go to the Minister's Residence to greet her in person?
Seeing that the prince's wife didn't say anything, the palace maid said cautiously: "How about I go and talk to the servants in Prince Chen's courtyard and ask them to keep their voices down."
"No need." Yun Yanze walked in after lifting the curtain: "Today is Fifth Brother's big day, let's have some fun."
"Your Highness, are you awake?" Sun Caiyao stood up to greet Yun Yanze when she saw him coming in.
"Hurry up and sit down. We are husband and wife, so there is no need to discuss these rules." Yun Yanze pulled Sun Caiyao to sit down, then turned to ask the palace maid, "You just said that your fifth brother insisted on going to the Ming family to pick up the bride?"
"Yes, your highness."
Yun Yanze smiled helplessly, turned his head and said to Sun Caiyao: "Fifth brother has always been like this. He is the only one who dares to do things that the other princes dare not do."
Hearing this, Sun Caiyao felt relieved. Yes, when His Highness came to the gate to greet her, he already valued her very much. Which other prince would dare to act recklessly like the Prince of Chen?
The Prince of Chen bathed and changed his clothes into an elaborate wedding gown. His handsome face looked even fairer and more handsome against the red dress.
"Why haven't the officials from the Ministry of Rites arrived yet?" He sat in the main hall, wanting to drink tea but afraid of getting bloated halfway through, which would be indecent. There was only one wedding, and he couldn't let his wedding with Ming Xiaozhu be imperfect.
"Your Highness, the Halberd Corps is ready, and the Dragon Guards and Golden Armor Guards are all in place." The eunuch said, "But the officials from the Ministry of Rites said that the auspicious time has not yet arrived. Your Highness, please wait for a moment."
"Tsk." Prince Chen stood up and paced around the room. He usually didn't feel time passing so slowly. Why did it feel so slow today?
"Fifth brother, congratulations." Prince Huai came in with Prince An and Prince Jing. When he saw Prince Chen's wedding dress, he felt a little sour in his heart.
A son is noble because of his mother. After all, he is the empress's son. The specifications of Yun Duqing's wedding dress are half a level higher than theirs.
"Thank you, brothers." When the Prince of Chen saw the three of them, he raised his eyebrows and bowed to them: "Brothers, you have come at the right time. I still have something to ask of you."
Seeing Prince Chen taking the initiative to bow to them, the three princes couldn't help but take a step back. Normally, how could Yun Duqing be so polite to them?
You're so polite. There must be something wrong, and it must be a big problem.
Prince An and Prince Jing looked at Prince Huai standing in the middle in silence. Prince Huai said, "Fifth brother, feel free to say whatever you want to say. We are brothers, there is no need to be so polite."
Pah, you can tell at first glance that it’s not a good thing.
"I've seen that in folk weddings, when the groom welcomes the bride, his brothers will always help. I wonder if the three brothers are willing to help me with this small favor?" Prince Chen said with a smile: "Father often says that the brothers are mature and stable, and close to each other. I'm sure the brothers will not refuse, right?"
The three princes: "..."
Not only did you run to the Ming family to pick up the bride with such a flattering face, but you also asked the rest of us brothers to accompany you. There should be a limit to how thick-skinned you can be, do you understand?
"Brides need to be festive, brothers, tie these three red belts." Prince Chen stuffed a belt into each of his three brothers and said, "Brothers, the auspicious time is almost here, shall we set out now?"
The three princes stared blankly at the ugly red belts.
Did he give them a chance to say no?
"Brother..." Prince An turned to look at Prince Huai, hoping that his brother would have the courage to reject Yun Duqing's shameless request.
Prince Huai turned his head away from the hopeful eyes of his two younger brothers and tied the red belt around his waist: "We are brothers. As older brothers, it is our duty to help our younger brothers to get married. It will be more lively with more people."
Prince An and Prince Jing silently withdrew their gazes and resigned themselves to tying their red belts.
Who said that the eldest brother is like a father?
The brotherly love that the eldest brother had for them could only be described as a landslide.
When the official from the Ministry of Rites saw that Prince Chen had come not only by himself but also with three other princes, he turned to his colleague and asked, "Do the other three princes owe you a lot of money?"
"Ahem." The colleague coughed dryly, "At least he's one of us."
The Prince of Chen is from their Ministry of Rites, and the Princess of Chen is the daughter of an official from their Ministry of Rites, so she is also considered one of their own. If one of their own bullies other princes, can that be considered bullying?
"Your Highnesses truly have a deep brotherly love, which has touched me and others." The Ministry of Rites loudly praised the brotherhood of the four people. Although the other prince had a gloomy face, it did not affect the speed of their praise.
Words like brothers are friendly and respectful to each other, blood is thicker than water, and brothers are of one mind, etc., are all poured out in a rush, exaggerating one's level and demeanor.
For a moment, the three princes could no longer look unhappy.
"The auspicious time has arrived, get ready!"
The Prince of Chen rode on a horse with a red embroidered ball tied to it, looked up at the red paper and flowers falling from the palace wall, and held the reins tightly in his hands.
He is going to take the princess home.
In the Ming family, Jiuzhu was accompanied by eight ladies of noble birth and ten wives of blessed ladies. There were dragon guards around the mansion. She held a fan in her right hand and a jade ruyi in her left hand, and she didn't dare to move her head.
The dragon and phoenix wedding crown is beautiful, but it is too heavy.
The sound of firecrackers rang out outside, and soon there were a lot of voices. As the sounds got closer, the eight ladies vaguely felt that something was wrong.
In a royal wedding, isn't it the bride's family who escorts her to the sedan chair and then takes her directly to the palace?
Why is there such a commotion outside?
Just as they were wondering, they heard someone outside the door reciting a makeup-inducing poem loudly. The voice sounded... like the King of Chen?
Prince Chen comes in person to pick up the bride?
The eight ladies exchanged looks in disbelief. One of them secretly opened the crack of the door and looked out, and found that not only Prince Chen had come, but also Prince Huai, Prince An, and Prince Jing were the best men.
She took a deep breath, turned around and looked at the ladies in the room, straightened her posture and spoke, "The groom has finished his poem, please ask the bride to bid farewell to her parents and get on the sedan chair."
The lady of the highest status wrote a line between Jiuzhu's eyebrows: "The sea swallows live together, and poetry is a good match."
"County Lord, please cover your face with a round fan so that others cannot see your beautiful face."
The door of the room was wide open, and the ladies of honor and Madam Quanfu were standing on both sides. One of the ladies was about to help Jiuzhu hold the jade ruyi in her hand.
"I'm here." Prince Chen walked to Jiuzhu, held her hand, and whispered in her ear: "I'll go with you to bid farewell to your father-in-law and mother-in-law."
"Your Highness, this is inappropriate..."
Not in line with the rules.
The lady swallowed back her unfinished words under the sharp gaze of Prince Chen.
In the main hall, Ming Jingzhou and Shen Ying were sitting in their best attire. When they heard the sound of firecrackers, tears almost fell from Shen Ying's eyes.
But when she saw Prince Chen coming with his daughter and the three princes following behind the eight ladies, the tears in her eyes froze.
What is Prince Chen doing?
"I, an unfilial daughter, bid farewell to my father and mother." Jiuzhu handed the jade ruyi to the lady closest to her, fanned herself with both hands, and knelt down in front of the two elders.
"Kowtowing!"
The moment Jiuzhu kowtowed, Prince Chen bent his waist and bowed deeply.
A king cannot kneel before his subjects, but as a younger person, it is acceptable to bow to the elders.
All the members of the Ming family present looked at Prince Chen, who was bowing deeply with a thoughtful look on his face.
Ming Cunfu wanted to step forward to help Prince Chen, but Ming Jinghai stopped him.
"Kowtowing again."
Bow again.
After the third kowtow, Shen Ying reached out to help her daughter up, and Ming Jingzhou also held Prince Chen's arm.
Your Highness, use your strength to enhance the sincerity of the prince when he marries the princess.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
