Chapter 39 The Big Day
The purpose of studying had been achieved; continuing would probably be a waste of her youth. Yanru's first act upon returning to the capital was to take a leave of absence from Guanyan Academy. At a time when young girls were abandoning their studies to hastily marry, the teacher who oversaw her quarters showed no sign of regret or remorse. This was common in all the women's academies in Sui Dynasty, where girls would marry and have children mid-study. Furthermore, she dozed off in class, disappeared after class, and spent her days shopping and drinking tea with the Wen family girl. Her schoolwork was as muddled as their minds. Furthermore, she had frequently taken leave for the past six months, wasting her time traveling back and forth between Jinling and the capital. If she left, a spot would be freed up, giving the teacher less homework to review and less anger.
It's all the same with or without her.
Everything unfolded smoothly. Other girls were always shy about marriage, deferring to their husband's family for fear of causing them to gossip. But Yanru was the complete opposite. For her, this was the most crucial turning point in her life, a gamble she had made on marriage. When she won, the auspicious day for the Goddess of Painting would surely have the grandeur of the Queen Mother marrying her daughter. She was still a stranger to the Xue Mansion, and standing outside the door, she couldn't fathom what her in-laws were thinking. What if the banquet they arranged wasn't to her liking?
This was a serious matter, so Yanru took the initiative and enthusiastically participated in the wedding preparations, personally deciding on the gift list, dishes, and flower decorations. She used coaxing, deception, and threats to force Xue Jia to prepare according to her requirements, which made her mother-in-law, Madam Xue, sneer: "This daughter-in-law is really smart and capable."
The previous things were relatively easy, but the most difficult problem was that Yanru's parents' home was in Jinling, and her husband's family was far away in the capital. So where should the sedan chair be taken on the day? All the family members came to the capital and stayed in an inn temporarily. If they went from the inn, it would seem a bit embarrassing. Yanru thought hard and finally came up with a brilliant idea. Bu Yibo's Fan Garden was usually idle except for banquets. She wrote a letter to Bu Yibo in the name of Ji Mingxiu, saying that she and her husband had a connection with Fan Garden, and asked if he could lend Fan Garden to her when she got married. After reading the letter, Bu Yibo first called the imperial physician at night to check whether he was crazy or Yanru was crazy. After making sure that he was in good health, he politely rejected Yanru's ridiculous request.
Yanru settled for the next best thing, asking to borrow some exquisite ornaments from Fan Garden to entertain the guests. They were just a few things, and not lending them would make him, a count, seem stingy and embarrassed. So Bu Yibo chose a few screens, shelves, and jade pieces to make things look good for her. Unbeknownst to her mother, Wen Yue lent her a charming little house from her dowry for a day, furnishing it with the fine things he'd gotten from Bu Yibo, and by patching together a respectable "home."
After everything was ready, she thought for a moment and personally went to Zheng Sirui's new residence. Zheng Sirui had returned to the capital earlier to receive an imperial decree. In the future, she would be in charge of the current government's taxation and finances at the Ministry of Revenue, and would officially take up her position the day after tomorrow. Sitting in the hall, Yanru ordered the servants of the Zheng residence to serve her comfortably. She then dragged Zheng Sirui along to recall every detail of the past years, her voice pitiful and tender: "All this way, you've been my only companion. The day after tomorrow is the most important moment of my life. If you don't come, I'll be marrying alone."
Zheng Sirui said, "Well, if you get married, why wouldn't I go?"
Yanru smiled happily: "Okay, then when you come that day, remember to wear your official uniform."
The word "nervous" got stuck in Zheng Sirui's throat, and she swallowed it hard: "I'm going to a wedding banquet, not a court banquet. Why should I wear official uniform?"
"If you don't wear official uniform, who would know that you are a fifth-rank court official? Who would know that I am a close friend of a fifth-rank court official?" Yanru thought that this matter was as natural as adding salt to cooking.
Zheng Sirui arrived as promised, carrying several gifts—of course, she didn't wear her official uniform, opting for a dress that was more presentable. The house where Yanru got into her bridal sedan wasn't far from the Zheng residence. She didn't have many relatives in the capital, and the guests at the wedding banquet were mostly classmates from Guanyan Academy. As Zheng Sirui stepped over the threshold, a plump girl waved at her, "Senior Sister Zheng! Come this way!"
Zheng Sirui walked over and said with a smile, "I recognize you, you are Wen Yue."
Wen Yue grabbed a handful of melon seeds and handed them to the fairy in her heart: "Yes! In the past, Senior Sister Zheng was busy, so I often went to play with Yanru, but it was rare for me to have a chance to talk with you. In the past, when you went out to eat, I could only watch. I really envy Yanru for being able to be friends with such a wonderful person like Senior Sister. Come, Senior Sister, this is made by the cook in my room. It's delicious. Try it. Yanru likes it very much. She specially asked me to ask the cook to make it for her as a snack at the wedding banquet."
"You're so flattering, so flattering! Not really, really." Her enthusiasm was excessive, and Zheng Sirui, not so good at socializing, couldn't resist. She took the lotus root powder and osmanthus sugar cake that Wen Yue stuffed into her hands and looked around. The house was beautifully built, with many pear trees and banana trees planted. A red sandalwood inlaid stone screen separated the inner room from the courtyard, and two black lacquered gilded embroidered screens separated the tables and chairs for the banquet. In the southeast corner were piled gifts, and in the northwest corner was a huge shelf filled with gold and jade. The opulent luster made Zheng Sirui curious: "Yanru is really powerful. Where did she get all these things?"
Wen Yue said, "This room is from my dowry, and I lent it to her for the bridal sedan. Those ornaments were borrowed from her and Uncle Yi, and they really make the room look nice."
"Borrow?" Zheng Sirui suddenly felt that the whole courtyard was a bit absurd, but when she thought about Yanru's actions, the absurdity became reasonable. She felt amused for no reason: "Yanru's marriage is indeed very thoughtful."
"Did you put in the effort?" Wen Yue cracked a walnut, then, seeing that no one was paying any attention, leaned over and whispered in Zheng Sirui's ear, "Sister, look over there, do you see those dowry boxes? They look so many, so heavy, and so impressive, don't they? When I came over to pack this morning, I took a look before the locks were locked. Two-thirds of them are actually made up of large stones. The ones that are there are just ordinary things like the four treasures of the study and bedding—and they were bought from the best shops and the best craftsmen. Only the two blankets embroidered by Yanru's mother are valuable. I accompanied my mother in preparing the dowry for my sister, and I could tell it was all hastily bought to make up the numbers, with all the focus on showing off to outsiders. I always felt like Yanru was in a hurry to get married, especially the man, as if she was afraid of more trouble down the road and was eager to take two steps at once."
Zheng Sirui glanced at Wen Yue deeply, and both of them simultaneously revealed expressions that said everything. Following Wen Yue's chatter, she finished her piece of candy cake, then stood up and went back to her dressing room. There were many edible decorations in the hall, including steamed buns, clams, pork elbows, chestnuts, and lotus seeds, symbolizing the auspiciousness of "five sons passing the imperial examinations." Today's bride had changed into her wedding dress, and Pei Lan was combing her hair, humming a folk song from her home in Lingnan:
"One comb to the end; the second comb our girls' white hair to the eyebrows;
The girl with three combs has many children and grandchildren; the man with four combs has good luck and will meet noble people on his way out.
Five combs and five sons come to receive the contract, five silver bamboo shoots are all in variety;
Friends and relatives came to celebrate with me, and I painted my face red in front of the mirror in my boudoir.
The seven sisters of Qishou came down to earth to match Dong Yong, and they looked down on each other on the magpie bridge;
The Eight Immortals came to celebrate the birthday, and the precious duck flew through the lotus path.
Nine combs and nine strings of gold will bring you everything; ten combs and a couple will grow old together."
The mother's hands were slender, and her skin was even more delicate than her face. Pei Lan took a small sandalwood comb and combed her daughter's ink-black hair inch by inch, as if stroking those expensive silk threads. Marriage requires love and affection between spouses. Women with both sons and daughters comb the hair of the bride. Pei Lan knew that there was discord in the family and her husband was unfaithful, so she was reluctant to do Yanru's makeup. But today is not only a victory for her daughter, but also for her mother. Yanru argued with reason and finally closed her eyes, raised the corners of her mouth, and enjoyed the love she had painstakingly fought for. Until the moment she opened her eyes, she saw Zheng Sirui's figure in the bronze mirror. Yanru frowned and her facial features drooped: "Why aren't you wearing an official uniform?"
Zheng Sirui held her forehead and tried to come up with an excuse: "My official uniform and your wedding dress clash in color. You are a one-of-a-kind bride, how can I wear the same color as you?"
"That's right!" Yanru was very satisfied with Zheng Sirui's thoughtfulness.
Pei Lan finished combing her hair, and after careful consideration, she called in the specially hired bridesmaid to help Yanru with her hair and makeup. She applied osmanthus oil, accessorized with an oversized hairpin, and pinned it with a jade-inlaid gemstone. Her eyebrows reached down to her temples, and a round pearl sat between her eyebrows and in her dimples. Yanru's neck stiffened, straining to hold the garish crown aloft. Her face strained, fearing the fish bladder adhesive would falter and any expression would cause the pearls on her cheeks to fall off. She could only slightly open her mouth and ask her sister and best friend, "Does it look good?"
Zheng Sirui smiled, "Need I say more? The peach blossoms are young and tender, their flowers are dazzling. The son is married, and he is suitable for his family. You are so beautiful that I can get drunk at the sight of you. Why do you need me to drink at your wedding?"
Yanbao said: "It is indeed beautiful, sister, why bother to dress up so beautifully, my brother-in-law is so ugly, it is a waste to dress up like this - Ouch, why did you kick me!"
"Little bastard, today is my lucky day, don't force me to slap you on this auspicious day." Yanru was warning Yanbao when someone outside shouted that the groom was coming. The classmates rushed over, closed the door, and blocked it tightly, threatening Xue Jia to give a red envelope before entering. Xue Jia stuffed a round of red envelopes, but the people inside still didn't open the door. He was a little fed up, and in order to urge Yanru to open the door and get on the sedan chair, he forced the musicians to play the urging music vigorously, and fired four or five urging cannons in a row. The gongs and drums were loud, the firecrackers rang out, the face of the suona player was red and the neck was thick, the limbs of the gong player were sore, and the smell of sulfur wrapped in Xue Jia's voice floated in: "You Yanru! If you don't open the door! I'm going back home!"
Zheng Sirui felt a surge of discomfort upon hearing this. Who on their wedding day would shout out their wife's maiden name in the streets? Yanru, however, didn't care. She had suffered the consequences of her reserve at the hands of the Wen family before, and she was afraid she would really anger Xue Jia. Men can do anything when pushed to the limit, especially this one, who was so foolish that both humans and gods would hate him. Without a word, she sent Yanbao out to stop the people from blocking the door, and hurriedly got up. In her haste, she knocked over a box of rouge on the table, and the pink rouge shattered all over the floor, startling the matchmaker and shouting, "Peace every year, peace every moment."
Zheng Sirui was puzzled. "Isn't urging the bridegroom to marry a normal gift? I've seen other people's weddings where the groom has to send four or five urging gifts or seal the door. He's begging you to be his wife. It's only been a short while, why are you already panicking?"
"You don't understand. Mother! Hurry up and ask grandma and father to come over and sit in the hall, quickly!" The room became anxious. After a flurry of activity, the ceremony of paying respects to the bride's parents finally began.
Yanbao and Zheng Sirui's presence was a bit of a nuisance, so they stepped back and stood outside on the porch, watching the newlyweds kneel, bow, and offer tea. Yanru, Peilan, and Qian Laoniang were all crying together, half sincere and half sullen, with winking eyes. Zheng Sirui whispered to Yanbao, "Why don't you go up, second sister?"
"No, my sister doesn't really like me. It's rare for her to be close to grandma and mom, so I won't go up and take up her attention." Yanbao's honesty surprised Zheng Sirui. Embarrassed by the You family's strange warmth, Zheng Sirui changed the subject: "Second sister's eyes are shining, but are you looking forward to your own big day?"
Yan Bao said, "I'm really looking forward to it—we'll see. If my future husband looks like my sister's ex-husband, Big Brother Liu, or the young man Sister Zheng used to be with, then I'll be looking forward to it. But if he's like this brother-in-law now... then there's nothing to look forward to."
"Yes, indeed," Zheng Sirui nodded and took Yanbao's hand. "But my second sister, whether you expect it or not, I hope that you won't encounter the same difficulties I did in the future, let alone end up like your sister."
[Mumbling]: The wedding isn't over yet! And more!
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