Two-life wedding
Royal weddings were not allowed to feature loud music, gongs, or drums. Pei Heng personally issued an order, saying that Pei Zhaoying's wedding ceremony must be conducted "with a rank equal to that of a prince and the same ceremony as that of an empress." The procession, dressed in red and green, was dignified and solemn, and the joy did not lose the royal family's superiority.
Early in the morning, Pei Zhaoying was woken up and had her hair and face combed by Nanny Xi. After finishing her makeup, she said goodbye to the Emperor and the Empress Dowager.
The Queen Mother was frightened and just wanted to send her away as soon as possible. She gave her a few simple instructions and sent her away.
When she was first carried into the sedan chair, adorned with necklaces and jades all over her body, Pei Zhaoying didn't think anything of it.
After leaving the palace, Pei Zhaoying heard people outside announce that the prince consort was welcoming the eldest princess back home to get married. She knew that she had run into Xiao Bo as a newlywed couple. She came to her senses belatedly and was at a loss, with sweat all over her face.
The veil covering her face was breathable. Pei Zhaoying wanted to lift it up to breathe deeply, but Qiluo stopped her:
"Your Highness, please be patient. The wedding veil will have to wait for the Prince Consort to unveil it personally. We have been preparing for the wedding for so long, let's hope for a good start and pray for a smooth and harmonious future."
Pei Zhaoying felt uneasy after hearing this. She lifted the heavy curtain of the sedan chair with sparrow feathers sewn on it and asked Jin Chenxiao, the guard holding the halberd, in a cowardly manner:
"What should I do? How am I supposed to spend my wedding night? I promised Master Xiao Bo that I would treat him like a great man, but now I've turned around and sent him to the bridal chamber. Will he hold a grudge against me for the rest of my life?"
"If it suits His Highness's wishes, then he can favor her. It is his honor to be the Princess."
"Is this... appropriate?"
"Of course it's appropriate. Master Xiao Bo has come here happily to marry him. If you don't do something, you're actually failing to show him favor! Your Highness, a woman like you, why would you hesitate to favor a man? Especially since he's your husband, who was married to you through a formal marriage!"
Pei Zhaoying wanted to see Xiao Bo's figure leading the way in front, but she couldn't lift the veil. She must have felt guilty when she saw him, and she broke out in a sweat, unable to express her pain.
However, Xiao Bo had indeed not shown any aversion since they started preparing for the marriage... But Pei Zhaoying felt that something was not right when they were about to live together as a proper husband and wife.
Jiang Yubai listened, poked his head out and cursed with gritted teeth:
"You deserve to be scolded! You clearly have evil intentions towards Xiao Bo, but you don't dare to risk the stigma of touching your advisor's body. Right now, you must be hoping that Xiao Bo will take the initiative to throw himself into his arms, so that you will be 'forced' to kiss him!"
Jin Chenxiao hurriedly reminded Jiang Yubai not to be rude. Jiang Yubai's eyes were red, and he didn't know whether he was angry or for some other reason, but he swallowed Jin Chenxiao's advice.
Pei Zhaoying smiled dryly, "Of course not... Yubai, you're being too serious. Can you please give me some consideration? I'm a girl after all."
Jiang Yubai's veins on the back of his hands bulged, and his demeanor waned. "Before we enter the bridal chamber, let me ask you one more question: Do you really want to get married like this? If it's really not what you want, then at worst, I can take you away. Don't be bothered by these involuntary affairs anymore..."
"Are you crazy? I have to get married! I'm willing to get married! I'll take care of it, you don't have to worry about it."
Pei Zhaoying was frightened by Jiang Yubai's words. When the time came, all the eyes of the world were on this marriage, and there was no way she could escape.
She said this with certainty, threw away the felt curtain, and retreated into the bridal sedan.
Xiao Bo frequently reined in his horse and looked back, paying attention to the movements around the wedding sedan, and naturally saw Pei Zhaoying and her bodyguards whispering and laughing.
The words were drowned out by the sound of horse hooves and people. He could not see clearly the lower half of her face, which was accidentally revealed by the swaying veil. The corners of her lips were curved upwards, with a smile mixed with anger.
It was completely different from the previous life, when she was dignified and solemn without any trace of joy.
Xiao Bo thought to himself that Pei Zhaoying could accept her.
Although he didn't expect to get along like an ordinary couple after going through the wedding ceremony, he still wanted to stay by her side silently, hoping that one day the ice would melt.
It was the first time for Xiao Bo to be a groom. The road was lined with guards and was crowded with people who came to watch and congratulate him.
The eldest princess's appearance cannot be exposed casually, and the prince consort who leads the team has become the face of the royal family. Words of praise for the prince consort's appearance are heard one after another.
Xiao Bo had handled many difficult and important cases and seen all kinds of storms, but he lacked the experience of marrying a bride and accepting congratulations. His face was very thin at this moment, and the red that seeped into his flesh was as if he had been burned by the sunlight.
Fortunately, the horse carried him steadily step by step. Otherwise, just thinking about really marrying the immortal who had been thinking about two lives, he would have been dizzy and his mind was trembling, and he would not be able to tell the directions.
Fortunately, he was used to not showing his emotions, and he sat upright and dignified on the horse, so no one could see through his sophisticated disguise.
Pei Zhaoying had walked the road from the palace to the Princess's Mansion many times, but today it was the longest and longest. Her heart felt like it was boiling in hot oil. She wanted to lift the curtain to take a closer look at the groom in the red brocade robe, but she couldn't bring herself to do it.
Finally they arrived at the gate of the mansion. Princes and important ministers lined up to congratulate them. The wedding sedan landed steadily and Nanny Xi said many auspicious words. When the maids wanted to lift Pei Zhaoying's wheelchair down, Pei Zhaoying frowned and was unhappy.
With so many eyes watching, she didn't want to get married and be seen in an embarrassing and undignified situation.
"Xiao Bo, carry me." Pei Zhaoying found it difficult to explain this little thought of the whole group directly to others, so she said it with a hint of annoyance.
"I am here, and of course I am happy to serve Your Highness." Before Pei Zhaoying spoke, Xiao Bo had already dismounted and approached the sedan chair.
"Yeah." Pei Zhaoying felt a warmth in her chest and responded softly. With the help of her men, she easily lay on Xiao Bo's back.
When the people around saw this, they cheered and applauded, saying that the princess and her husband were truly a loving couple.
Xiao Bo looked thin and fragile, but when his upper body was pressed tightly together, it became as solid and sturdy as a mountain.
Pei Zhaoying made up her mind and wrapped her arms tightly around Xiao Bo's neck. She didn't want to fall off, so she held on tightly.
But she turned her head to the side, not wanting Xiao Bo to notice her hot cheeks and reveal her true feelings. It was really... very embarrassing.
Xiao Bo had been practicing martial arts for years and had never felt any weight on his body. Pei Zhaoying's weight was so light that it made him feel bitter.
In the previous life, the lonely and thin Pei Zhaoying remained stubborn and unyielding on the day of her wedding with Xiao Yucheng.
Xiao Bo carried Pei Zhaoying on his back, took solid steps, and walked up the stairs one by one. He stepped over the threshold and everyone cheered.
The breathing and heartbeat of the person on his back were as chaotic as a sudden rain, which did not escape the perception of Xiao Bo, a martial artist.
He carefully worked with Pei Zhaoying's maid to send her to the bridal chamber first. Without saying much, he followed the etiquette to hold a banquet to entertain the guests.
The Xiao family did not come. Xiao Yucheng was still resentful about his sister being stripped of the title of County Lady, so he claimed to be sick and stayed indoors.
With the head of the Xiao family taking the lead in showing a bad face, the other elders of the ancestor just let it go and no one showed up.
Xiao Bo didn't care at all. He had been looked down upon by the Xiao family since he was a child. The Xiao family didn't give him face, and he didn't regard the Xiao family as relatives.
But amidst the clinking of glasses and the exchange of congratulations, Xiao Bo was suddenly shocked - this time, his identity was the prince consort, the groom, and no longer the best man who was just making up the numbers...
In her previous life, Pei Zhaoying could not bear the pleading of the emperor and his mother, so she gritted her teeth and stepped into the fire pit to marry Xiao Yucheng.
During the marriage negotiation stage, Xiao Yucheng was already making things difficult for Pei Zhaoying. He asked Pei Zhaoying to move to the Grand Marshal's Mansion and acted like a male chauvinist.
For the sake of the greater good, Pei Zhaoying endured as much as she could. On the day of her wedding, it was windy and rainy, and all the people accompanying her had worried looks on their faces. They didn't look like they were attending a wedding, but rather a funeral.
Xiao Yucheng did not attach importance to marrying the princess, and since there was no man of the right age in the family, he sent Xiao Bo to be the best man.
Xiao Bo was about to greet Pei Zhaoying with courtesy at the gate of the Grand Chancellor's Mansion when he discovered that Xiao and Cheng had not even built a temporary path with wooden boards for Pei Zhaoying to use in a wheelchair.
Xue Can, Xiao Yucheng's top counselor, received the order and deliberately made things difficult.
Xue Can said, "The Grand Marshal is an important official of the state. His safety must not be compromised. Your Highness must be searched before entering the Xiao family's house. No weapons are allowed in."
As he spoke, a rough-handed soldier began to violently search the maidservant beside Pei Zhaoying. The man even put his hand into the girl's sleeve...
"Stop! How dare you touch the people around me!" Pei Zhaoying shouted.
The eldest princess and the Grand Marshal were getting married, and all the important people in the court were present. Xiao Yucheng gathered everyone to show his power to Pei Zhaoying in public.
The maid was young and knew it was a big day. She felt so humiliated that she couldn't help crying as she huddled behind Pei Zhaoying's wheelchair.
Xue Can took advantage of the situation and said, "Why are you crying? Your master is having a wedding, and you're mourning!"
Then, Xue Can stabbed Pei Zhaoying in the back of his hand: "Your Highness, since you are married, you must follow the rules of being a wife. Why are you making trouble with me and ruining the wedding? Please accept the body search and follow the rules of the Grand Marshal's Mansion."
"Do I have to be searched too?" Pei Zhaoying laughed in anger.
"Yes, Your Highness is not immune."
Xiao Bo wanted to stop this humiliation, but he couldn't think of a way for the time being. Xue Can's status was much higher than his, and it was useless for him to speak out against it.
The people around were whispering to each other, surprised again and again——
"Oh my god, even the princess has to be searched when entering the mansion..."
"I've never seen a bride suffer so much upon entering the house, and it's the emperor marrying his sister!"
"I've heard of setting rules after marriage, and showing off before entering the house. The Grand Marshal is really... Sigh..."
At that time, Xiao Bo had never met Pei Zhaoying before. Pei Zhaoying was wearing a veil, and they didn't recognize each other's faces. Xiao Bo simply felt sympathy for her.
Xiao Bo thought she would be so angry that she would cry and tremble helplessly.
Unexpectedly, Pei Zhaoying was as steady as a rock, comforting the frightened maid with one hand while laughing heartily.
"Okay, since you're solely concerned about your mistress's safety, I admit it," Pei Zhaoying asked softly, "I do have a knife on me. Would you mind handing it over to you, sir? Let's be kind. You can't let anyone actually touch your mistress, can you?"
If that were the case, Xiao and Cheng would have no more face left.
Xiao Bo was surprised that she gave in so quickly.
Xue Can thought that the princess had seen the situation clearly and was willing to take a step back.
Xue Can hurried forward and said, "Your Highness is able to be open-minded, that's the most...ah——!"
He screamed in pain.
Blood was gushing from the shoulder.
Blood splattered on the veil.
Just when his defenses were at their lowest, Pei Zhaoying decisively plucked out the phoenix hairpin on her head and thrust it upwards with all her strength into Xue Can's shoulder...
The hairpin seemed to collide with Xue Can's bones, making a teeth-grinding sound.
The guests were horrified, and the soldiers drew their weapons and surrounded Pei Zhaoying and her wedding party.
Xue Can was at least a famous scholar. He endured the pain and did not beg for mercy: "Your Highness committed a crime at the gate of the Grand Chancellor's Mansion. Does that mean you don't want this marriage anymore? Ahhhh!"
As soon as he started talking nonsense, Pei Zhaoying poked the hairpin in again, then pulled it out with all her strength.
A bleeding hole appeared on Xue Can's shoulder. He fell to the ground, holding his shoulder, his face pale due to blood loss and pain.
Pei Zhaoying threw the hairpin away in disgust, clapping her hands and laughing. "Your Excellency asked for weapons, so I'm handing them over to you now, aren't I? I just want this marriage to go smoothly and live a peaceful life. If your master wants to take advantage of others, forget it. The worst that can happen is that we'll all die together!"
"Just in time, on the day of our wedding, your blood added color to me."
"Go and advise your master not to try to embarrass him. He can be searched with swords, spears, and halberds, but why not take off all his hairpins and hairpins and leave me naked with my hair disheveled? If he wants to kill someone, what can't he use as a weapon? Does he want to live?"
The red veil was stained with blood, leaving a large, eye-catching patch. Pei Zhaoying washed away the shame with blood with her own hands, repaying the enemy with tooth for tooth.
From that moment on, this bright and dazzling red color reached deep into Xiao Bo's soul.
There are people in this world who can be stuck in the mud without bowing their heads or changing their expressions.
Xiao Bo walked down the stairs and bowed:
"Your Highness is a precious treasure. It is the offender who acted inappropriately and offended Your Highness. The roads to the palace are not yet repaired and convenient. May I respectfully invite Your Highness to enter the palace?"
"Well, thank you." Pei Zhaoying felt that someone who could speak human language had finally come to the Xiao family, and it was just the right time to help them out of the predicament and prevent the situation from getting out of control.
"Excuse me." Xiao Bo, along with his reliable and honest servants, lifted the wheelchair and walked up the stone steps into the mansion.
Xiao Bo, in particular, was extremely careful about the balance of the wheelchair, so as not to bump Pei Zhaoying or increase physical contact or disturb the bride.
During this time, he heard Pei Zhaoying's barely audible sigh.
As the eldest princess, she had to endure the humiliation of being searched in public on her wedding day. How could she have a good life in the future?
Xiao Bo had grown up in isolation, so he shouldn't have any kindness towards Xiao and Cheng. His heart ached, and he wanted to leave behind a few words of comfort.
Perhaps a little bit of kindness can give this woman who has entered the deep palace a little comfort in the darkness.
However, Xiao Bo did not wait for a convenient opportunity to talk. After the wheelchair entered the door, Pei Zhaoying's maids hurriedly took over and followed the Xiao family's people to lead them to the bridal chamber.
Pei Zhaoying had been holding back her tears for a long time and urgently needed a place where no outsiders were around to vent.
There was an unknown fragrance on the bride's body, which lingered on Xiao Bo's belt, as stubborn and distant as Pei Zhaoying herself.
Finally, with the passage of time, it faded away in the wind.
One thought falls, another thought arises.
Xiao and Cheng were really frightened by Pei Zhaoying's earth-shattering act of dying together. They were afraid that she would target their vital parts in the same way while they were sleeping in the same bed, and their lives would be in danger. They didn't dare to set foot in the new house, and they never slept together for a day since then.
This did not prevent Xiao and Cheng from finding fault with Pei Zhaoying every now and then, and also from causing trouble for their unreasonable sister-in-law.
Xiao Bo had no say in the affairs of the Xiao family's backyard, and had no reason to intervene. In the mansion, the two of them never had the chance to meet each other, and Xiao Bo was surprised that the two of them had no chance to meet.
Later, Pei Zhaoying could no longer bear it, so he took his people to live separately, often drinking and listening to music to express his feelings.
Once, in order to investigate a case, Xiao Bo disguised himself as a musician and mixed in with the musicians, but was stopped by Pei Zhaoying.
The woman, with her unparalleled beauty and a decadent beauty, tapped her slender fingers lightly: "You, come out and play a song for me."
Xiao Bo held the zither in his arms, not moving a step, staring at her blankly.
Pei Zhaoying's face was filled with pure suspicion. "Hey, it's you. Move a little? Why don't you obey my orders?"
She didn't recognize him at all.
What replaced the loss was an overwhelming joy.
He had known her for a long time, but she seemed to have just begun to see him. It was no different from changing identities.
A song of "Long River Song" flowed from his fingertips. Xiao Bo never told her his real name, but it did not prevent the mountains and rivers from accompanying him for a long time...
Ethics, identity, and concerns have all been wiped out in this life.
Lu Yunqi was the great contributor to Pei Zhaoying's health care. Although his official rank was not high, they set up a wedding banquet for her in the quiet and elegant pavilion.
Lu Yunqi ate heartily, without having to bow and nod behind Shangguan, feeling very comfortable.
During this time, Xiao Bo came to see her, and Lu Yunqi slapped her thigh:
"Congratulations! Now I have to call you Prince Consort Xiao Bo. Regarding the poisoning of His Highness, I have repeatedly observed and recorded his pulse and have made some new discoveries..."
After Xiao Bo heard what she said, his drunken eyes suddenly lit up. He thanked her and left, walking hurriedly towards the new house.
"Bang!" Someone saw a pair of mandarin ducks and kicked the rockery hard, causing a large rock to roll down.
Lu Yunqi was frightened and called out to the man, "Commander Jiang? Commander Jiang has been on patrol all day and hasn't stopped yet. Come and have a drink."
Jiang Yubai turned around coldly: "No, I'm not hungry."
Pei Zhaoying was waiting for the ceremony to end and was extremely hungry, so she ate a lot of pastries to fill her stomach.
When thirsty, he drank water, and when he was full, he ate snacks, and so on. He cried bitterly to the housekeeper:
"Mammy, I'm holding on..."
"Your Highness, please eat less, and your stomach will naturally feel better!"
Pei Zhaoying was too embarrassed to say it. The thought of marrying Xiao Bo and spending the bridal chamber made her more nervous and helpless than going to the battlefield, so she had to eat to relieve her stress.
"Here he comes, my son-in-law is here, Your Highness, let's tidy it up again."
Qiluo was always paying attention to the movements outside. When she heard footsteps, she asked the little maids to straighten Pei Zhaoying's clothes and hair, and was especially careful not to let any cake crumbs get on her wedding dress.
As he was speaking, the door opened and the person who came in walked steadily and did not look drunk.
The housekeeper was all smiles as she helped the newlyweds complete the wedding ceremony.
Pei Zhaoying liked to act like a big shot who had seen the world in front of Xiao Bo. She tried not to say a word, and when she had to respond, she would be frugal with her words and maintain her dignity.
As a result, when each person was given a cup of wedding wine to complete the ceremony, Pei Zhaoying's hands were shaking, and Xiao Bo's forearm was trembling.
Even the liquid surface in the wine glass was shaking.
I could faintly hear Xiao Bo's chuckle.
Pei Zhaoying was greatly embarrassed and rolled her eyes in shame and anger through the veil.
After the wedding wine went down her throat, the housekeeper asked the prince consort to lift the veil.
Pei Zhaoying thought that she was not ready yet, and then the veil that restricted her vision was lifted, and Xiao Bo's handsome face caught her eye.
Xiao Bo's neck and ears were stained red from the wedding wine he had given to the guests. His eyes were shining, and he was clear-headed and not drunk at all.
Pei Zhaoying was greatly disappointed.
It would be great if Xiao Bo got drunk...
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