The princess's wedding was different from that of ordinary people.
Because the princess still lived in the princess's mansion after the marriage, only there was one more man in the mansion.
Therefore, on the day of her wedding, Xiao Yunyan did not need to get up early to dress up and wait for her husband to pick her up. She could get up a little later and dress up while waiting for the royal guards to bring Chu Yuning to the princess's residence.
Shen Yuan had just taken a few bites of the wedding cake when she heard lively gongs and drums sounding outside the princess's residence.
Someone at the table said, "It must be the Prince Consort arriving. Let's go take a look!"
Shen Yuan was too lazy to look, but Cao Sui'an saw her and insisted on dragging her along to snatch the wedding candy and reward money.
So Shen Yuan followed Cao Suian and squeezed into the crowd.
She stood in the courtyard and saw Chu Yuning, dressed in wedding attire, being helped off her horse.
"Newcomer arrives! Step over the fire basin to ward off bad luck!"
Someone brought over a basin of burning charcoal and placed it in the center of the princess's mansion gate.
In folk tradition, this is a ceremony that a newlywed bride must undergo.
But in this princess's residence, the one who needed to step over the fire basin to ward off bad luck became Chu Yuning.
Chu Yuning lifted her robes, leaped over the brazier, entered the princess's residence, and then knelt on the ground to receive instruction from the master of ceremonies.
It was called instruction, but it was actually more like being lectured.
The main purpose was to listen to the master of ceremonies explain the proper way to get along with the princess after marriage. For example, one must not beat or scold the princess after marriage. If one does so, one will be punished with fifty strokes of the cane and be forced to remain celibate for one year. One must not take concubines after marriage. Even if the princess has nowhere to go, one can only adopt children and cannot take concubines. One must not eat, drink, gamble, or whore after marriage, and one must not disrespect the princess.
When the princess drinks tea, you have to fan her; when the princess eats, you have to peel shrimp and fish for her; when the princess sleeps, you have to warm her bed in advance...
There were more than a hundred admonitions alone, and the official in charge of rites spoke for almost half an hour.
During this time, Chu Yuning knelt under the sun, her forehead covered in sweat.
Shen Yuan stood under the eaves, feeling drowsy from listening. Just as she was about to go back, she saw Chu Yuning looking at her with eyes full of restraint.
In addition, there was a sense of determination to win.
The gaze, like that of a venomous snake, made Shen Yuan extremely uncomfortable. She tugged at Cao Sui'an's arm and said, "It's too hot. Let's go back quickly, or we'll get sunburned!"
Cao Suian followed Shen Yuan back to the banquet, chattering incessantly the whole way: "A princess is a princess. Even after marriage, she doesn't have to leave her original home, nor does she have to abide by the three obediences and four virtues of a woman. She can even establish rules to make her husband respect and love her for the rest of his life! Princess Jingwan is truly a role model for us women!"
Shen Yuan disagreed: "If only she can enjoy this kind of treatment, how can she be considered a role model for women?"
"If she can make all the girls in the world respected and loved by their husbands, then she can be considered a role model for women."
After listening, Cao Suian nodded thoughtfully: "What you said makes a lot of sense, but... it's too difficult to make every girl in the world live like a princess!"
Shen Yuan smiled and didn't say anything more.
After the Emperor and Empress Chen arrived, Chu Yuning and Xiao Yunyan officially began their wedding ceremony. Only after the ceremony was completed did everyone take their seats.
At the wedding banquet, everyone drank and chatted happily until dusk.
Cao Sui'an was drunk and had to be helped back by the Cao family.
Shen Yuan was not in a hurry to leave, because Shen Wei had been summoned by the Emperor to drink with him in the inner courtyard and had not yet come out.
They came today in only one horse-drawn carriage.
Shen Qingshu and Shen Changshu had finished their drinks, but the brothers were reluctant to go back since they had finally managed to get out of the city.
Shen Changshu stayed close to Shen Yunjin, chatting and laughing with her.
But no matter what, Shen Yunjin couldn't smile.
She had only been pregnant for ten days and should have been recuperating at home, but today was Xiao Yunyan's wedding day, and as Xiao Yuncheng's principal wife, she had to come and offer her congratulations no matter what.
But when she forced herself to come over, she was met with a glare from Xiao Yunyan.
Xiao Yunyan actually said that she shouldn't have come to the princess's residence since she lost her child, as it would bring bad luck to the princess's residence.
How is that any different from stabbing her in the heart?
She had just lost her child, and Xiao Yunyan not only didn't comfort her, but also verbally attacked her. How could she tolerate that?
She couldn't bear it any longer, but for now she could only endure it.
Unlike Shen Yunjin, Shen Yuan was in a fairly good mood today.
No need to give gifts or present money for today's meal; just bring your own mouth to eat.
She ate her fill, her belly bulging. After eating and drinking her fill, the only thing she looked forward to was waiting for Chu Yuning and Xiao Yunyan to enter the bridal chamber.
Once tonight is over, everything will be settled!
She can finally take revenge on her enemies!
Just then, the servant behind Shen Yuan suddenly leaned close to Shen Yuan's ear and whispered, "Something's not right."
Shen Yuan narrowed her eyes upon hearing this.
As darkness fell completely, most of the guests had left the banquet, leaving only a few scattered, drunken guests.
The servants of the princess's residence, carrying lanterns, began preparing for the wedding banquet.
However, the emperor and empress's entourage had not yet left the princess's residence.
In other words, the emperor and empress have not yet returned to the palace.
This is very unusual!
Shen Yuan led her people to the inner courtyard, but before she could enter, she was stopped by the guards of the princess's residence: "The imperial carriage is here, do not disturb it!"
Shen Yuan said, "I am the eldest daughter of the Shen family. I have no intention of disturbing His Majesty. I have only come to find my father and return to the manor!"
"His Majesty is currently drinking with General Shen and the other court officials. Miss Shen, there's no need to wait any longer. You should return to your residence first! Once General Shen comes out, we will prepare a carriage and personally escort him back!"
Seeing that the inner courtyard was heavily guarded by the government soldiers, and not even a fly could get in, Shen Yuan had no choice but to give up.
But she didn't leave, saying only, "My father is injured and might have a relapse, so I'll wait for him here!"
"Miss Shen is truly filial."
The guards remained indifferent. Seeing that Shen Yuan insisted on waiting, they told her to wait outside.
Seeing this, Shen Changshu and Shen Qingshu assumed that Shen Yuan was deliberately standing there to show her filial piety, so they followed her and stood at the courtyard gate without leaving.
Shen Yuan glanced back at them and found them to be in the way.
"You all go back first!"
Shen Qingshu retorted, "Why can you come here to show your filial piety, but we can't? I'm also waiting for Father here!"
Shen Yuan rolled her eyes speechlessly, then turned around and gave the maid and servant behind her a look.
The courtyard, separated by only one wall, was filled with Imperial Guards.
Inside the main hall in the north of the courtyard, the Emperor of Great Yan sat on a soft couch, looking at Shen Wei, Prime Minister Cao, and the other two officials who were drunk on the table. His face was cold and stern, as if covered with a thick layer of frost.
Three steps away from him, on the open ground, knelt a man in a yellow robe, none other than Xiao Yuncheng.
Xiao Yuncheng knelt on the ground, raising his hands high above his head, holding a blank imperial edict stamped with the imperial seal.
He looked up at the emperor sitting on the soft couch, a smile playing on his lips: "Father, you are old, it's time for you to rest. Let the throne be passed to your son today!"
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