April 16th is an auspicious day for marriage.
Zhan Xinjia was still asleep when her mother dragged her out of bed. She yawned and glanced out the window; it wasn't even dawn yet.
"Mom, I'm so sleepy."
She tilted her head and leaned against her mother's shoulder.
Liu Ruyan glanced at her, "Didn't you torment me and your father before by threatening to kill yourself at home because you wanted to marry that weak pretty boy, and you even angered your brother half to death? What, you're not in a hurry now?"
"hey-hey."
After her mother exposed her secrets, Zhan Xinjia laughed awkwardly a few times, and then she sobered up a bit.
While Xiaotian and her sister Cui'er were applying something to her face, she reached out and hugged her mother's waist, snuggling against her softly like a child who hadn't grown up yet, tilting her head back and sweetly acting coquettish.
She blinked, her smile incredibly radiant.
"Oh, you guys don't understand, Master Shen and I are truly in love!!"
Upon hearing this classic love-struck rhetoric, Liu Ruyan was so angry that she rolled her eyes and nearly fainted, pinching her philtrum several times.
How could Liu Ruyan have given birth to such a naive and innocent child!
After her youngest daughter woke up from her nap, she suddenly started making a fuss, insisting that she would marry no one but Lord Shen. If it weren't for the fact that the child was usually too lazy to go out, Liu Ruyan would have suspected that her daughter had been possessed by a ghost or an evil spirit.
But then again, Lord Shen's conditions were indeed exceptionally good...
He is handsome, young and promising, and refined and cultured.
Although he was granted the rank of First Rank Official, he could be promoted further after the Crown Prince ascended the throne in a few years. At that time, he would be ranked among the Three Dukes and serve as the Grand Secretary of the Cabinet. His future prospects were so bright that they could dazzle others!
But this is also what Liu Ruyan and Zhan Yue are worried about.
My daughter has always been a silly girl with a peculiar way of thinking. If she marries such a smart man, who knows what kind of trouble she will suffer in the future.
But before delivering the three letters and performing the six rites, Lord Shen swore before the Emperor that he would only have Xiaozhi as his wife for the rest of his life. The list of gifts he sent was so valuable that it was astonishing, and it would take a whole day to read it all, making people wonder if this was all the wealth of that Grand Tutor.
Then, he even sent over a wedding dress that he had personally embroidered over several sleepless nights. This... this...
I have a feeling that his possession is even more severe than my own daughter's!
However, there are aspects that I am satisfied with.
The residence of that Lord Shen is located near Changning Street on the Second Ring Road of Beijing. Although it is quite a distance from the General's Mansion in the suburbs of Beijing, if Xiaozhi suffers any grievances after the marriage, her father and brother will be able to punch that weak civil official in the face within half an hour.
Besides, Lord Shen has no parents, brothers, or sisters, so I won't have to serve my parents-in-law or be subservient to others after I marry him.
Thinking about it that way, they do seem like a good match.
"Mother, Mother, what are you thinking about?"
Zhan Xinjia, who was halfway through applying her makeup, tugged at Liu Ruyan's sleeve.
Liu Ruyan suddenly came to her senses, a faint smile appeared on her lips, and her gaze towards her daughter softened with even more love.
It feels like just yesterday that little girl was clinging to my lap, begging for candy, and now she's all grown up and ready to get married...
With a heavy heart, Liu Ruyan gently stroked her daughter's hair with her fingertips, holding back her tears of reluctance, and put a hairpin on her head.
Theoretically, at this point, she, as the mother, should have said something admonishing, such as "You can't be willful and reckless after marriage." But recalling the humble and subservient demeanor of the supposedly upright and virtuous Lord Shen in front of his daughter when he came to propose marriage...
Liu Ruyan's eyes twitched, and she tapped the little girl's forehead with her knuckles.
"After you marry him, you must not commit domestic violence. You must speak politely to Master Shen and not hit him at the drop of a hat. Do you understand?"
Even if you have to resort to violence, you need to be careful and not act impulsively. After all, your husband doesn't seem very resilient... In short, try your best not to kill anyone. Your family will cover for you otherwise.
Zhan Xinjia: "..."
No, Mother, what am I really to you?
The makeup was almost done, and it was time to change into her wedding dress. It was at this moment that Zhan Xinjia realized that her father was not there.
Where is Dad?
When asked about this, Liu Ruyan gave a cold laugh.
"Ha, you're getting married, and although he doesn't say it, he's been crying his eyes out for several nights in a row, burying himself under the covers and howling all night long. If nothing unexpected happens, he's probably still crying right now."
Zhan Xinjia found it both funny and heartbreaking.
On the day that Lord Shen came to propose marriage, she almost got a double beating from her father and brother. Fortunately, Lord Shen was a civil official, and his speech was clear and fluent. He persuaded her mother in just a few words.
As everyone knows, the mother is the most powerful person in this family, so the father and brother, who were against it, were silenced.
Adding to that, when the wild geese returned, the three of them, arm in arm, drank heavily for half a month.
Across several courtyard gates, suddenly, joyous firecrackers and deafening drum music rang out, followed by the cheerful laughter and congratulations of maids and servants. It turned out that the wedding procession had arrived.
She was fine before, but now, upon hearing the noise, Zhan Xinjia's heart began to race and she unconsciously became nervous.
Her heart pounded as she stared blankly at her reflection in the bronze mirror. Although there was nothing to fear about marrying Lord Shen, the day itself felt almost too good to be true.
After changing into her wedding dress and having her veil placed on her head, the bride is theoretically to be carried to the bridal sedan chair by her brother. However, this is where the first problem arose—
When Yan Hui said, "Mei Bao and I grew up together as childhood sweethearts. She even called me 'brother.' What's wrong with me carrying her for a while?"
Yan Yuyao: "This little girl is also half my sworn sister... cough cough, what's wrong with me carrying her for a while out of filial piety?"
Wangcai, who had just taken up his post at the Six Doors, said, "I don't care, I want to share in the joy of Sister Azhi and Brother Ergou!"
Fu Shouan: "It's so lively, I want to come too!"
Zhan Yinshu: "...?"
Dude, do you even have the right to speak here?
My sister is going to marry that sickly fox, I'm furious.
Even the job of carrying the baby girl to the bridal sedan chair was being snatched up by others, which was even more infuriating.
However, the few childish kids almost got into a fight over the spot to carry the bride to the bridal sedan chair. In the end, they had to compromise and each carry her for a section of the way.
The last stretch of road before leaving was taken over by Yan Hui.
The red veil blocked her vision, and Zhan Xinjia couldn't see the road clearly either, but she still kicked his leg in annoyance, "You've been crying all the way, stop crying, I haven't even cried but you're crying here, are you crazy, Yan Huishi!"
Yan Hui choked up, then choked back tears, "I didn't cry, I'm in a great mood!"
Your tears have dripped onto my shoes!
"I...I was happy!"
Feeling the reassuring weight on his back, Yan Huishi lifted her up slightly, making his carry even more steady. He looked up, and when his gaze fell upon the wedding procession waiting outside the door, he couldn't help but feel a moment of disorientation.
The smoke from the firecrackers must have been too thick, blinding him. Otherwise, why would his eyes hurt so much?
"Little Sister".
"Um?"
"If a teacher dares to treat you badly, once I ascend the throne, I... will send troops to raid his house every day!"
Zhan Xinjia: "..."
Holy crap, do you think I'll ever be able to live a peaceful life without my home being ransacked?
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