Chapter 235 Wedding Ceremony
"What's going on? Where's the wind coming from?"
The servant stood in front of Shen Changhe, his sleeves flying in the wind and he couldn't open his eyes.
The two of them went to the corridor of the inn to take shelter. Fortunately, the wind came and went quickly, and it slowly dissipated in a short while.
The servant frowned, very surprised, "What's going on? It's so eerie and scary for no reason."
——
Shen Anan was invited out of Madam Shen's yard by the maid, and Xiao Yuan was waiting on the bluestone path.
"Aren't you playing chess with your father? Finished?"
"Aren't you looking for me?"
Shen Anan, "...When did I find you?"
"Brother said you had something important to talk to me about, and it was urgent, so I came over."
“…”
A smile appeared on Shen Anan's lips, "Are you getting in the way of the young couple?"
"No." Xiao Yuan said seriously, "I just reminded my elder brother. When we got married, he talked about many rules and etiquettes, but now it's his turn, he has forgotten them all."
Shen Anan chuckled, "It's not easy for the two of them to finally get married, so don't make things worse."
"How can it be a calamity? It is obvious that he did something wrong on the first day, and I will repay him on the fifteenth day."
As they were talking, Madam Shen's maid hurried over in the night. When she got closer, she saw the two people talking and hurriedly bowed, "This old servant greets the Fourth Prince and the Princess."
"Well, have you sent Miss Lin to the inn?"
The old woman nodded, "We did send them off, but... the eldest master said he wanted to stay with Miss Lin and refused to come back."
How can a groom stand guard at the bride's door the first night? That's so disrespectful and will be laughed at if it gets out.
"It should be." Shen Anan said, "It's not easy for my elder brother and sister-in-law to get to where they are today. Tomorrow is the wedding ceremony, so we should be more cautious."
“But…” The mother-in-law wanted to say something, but was interrupted by Shen Anan’s cold voice.
"You should obey the master's decision, and don't complain about your own opinions in front of my mother, stirring up trouble and causing unrest in the family."
"Princess, please understand. I have absolutely no such intention." The old woman knelt down hurriedly. "I am Madam's dowry. I am loyal and devoted. Of course, I am only thinking about you and your wife."
"Get up." Shen Anan bent down and helped the person up. "I know that Madam is loyal, but the housework is trivial, not much else. In the future, when we get along for a long time, you should know what to say and what not to say."
"Sister-in-law has contributed a lot to the Shen family and has a very close relationship with my eldest brother. In the future, when you and your mother-in-law get along, you should learn to be flexible and avoid disputes. It is the right thing for the family to live in harmony."
"Yes, I've made note of it." The old woman lowered her head, but her heart was deeply shocked.
She had been with Madam Shen for several years, and she also had the mentality of becoming a mother-in-law after many years of being a daughter-in-law.
But now that he was beaten by Shen Anan, all his thoughts immediately disappeared.
The eldest son and the princess are the roots of the Shen family, and the apple of the eye of the master and the lady. How dare she look down upon the people they are protecting?
"Go ahead and take good care of your mother."
"Yes, yes."
Xiao Yuan withdrew his gaze from the old woman's departing figure and put his arm around Shen Anan's waist, "Madam is so majestic when she scolds people."
Shen Anan glanced at him and said, "The Lin family has fallen into decline, and the servants cannot see the situation clearly, so they will inevitably look down on her. She is the top leader in the mother's yard. If we give her a warning today, we will give everyone a warning."
"Even if something happens in the future, I will weigh it carefully and give my sister-in-law more convenience to help her gain a firm foothold."
The most difficult person for a bride is her mother-in-law.
Xiao Yuan didn't understand the twists and turns in the backyard. How could he know that servants also had skills in speaking, and different ways of speaking could either trip up others or flatter them.
Madam Shen was looking at the wedding dress for tomorrow. When she saw the old woman coming back, she waved to her side and said, "Take a look at this wedding dress. What do you think of it?"
The old woman smiled and said, "Young Master is so handsome, he looks good in anything he wears."
"Well," Mrs. Shen was full of joy, "By the way, Chang He, there are still many things to do. You have to worship your ancestors when the cock crows, don't forget."
The old woman still smiled and said, "The young master hasn't come back yet. I accompanied him to send Miss Lin to the inn. He said that it was not easy for the two of them to get to where they are today, but they finally achieved their goal. He was afraid that there would be more trouble, so he ignored Miss Lin's objections and insisted on staying at the inn."
Madam Shen frowned.
The old woman immediately added, "They have a good relationship as a couple, which is a blessing for the entire Shen family. I see that the young master's temperament is very similar to that of the master when he was young."
Mentioning Shen Wen's entanglement and infatuation with him back then, Mrs. Shen couldn't help laughing.
She glared at the old woman and said, "Hun, he doesn't have He'er's infatuation. He only has swords, spears and sticks all day long. How can he compare with my son?"
"Forget it, let him guard it. They will enter tomorrow anyway. They have come through so many disasters today, so it's right for me to worry about them."
——
Shen Anan and Xiao Yuan lived in the courtyard before she got married.
The yard was spotlessly clean, and all the furnishings were there, exactly the same as before she got married. It must be that Madam Shen had arranged for someone to clean it every day.
Xiao Yuan walked around the room, looking around, as if he was very curious about everything that had happened to her before.
"What are you looking at?"
He opened her makeup box and said, "Let's see if there is a man who shares your feelings with you before you get married."
Shen Anan glared at him and said, "I've been busy fighting you since I came back from Jiangnan, so I don't have time to flirt with others."
Xiao Yuan raised his eyebrows, "Really? I'm afraid that all the ladies in the capital city don't have as many as you have seen in the past one or two months."
“…”
This reminds me of that scholar again.
Shen Anan has really forgotten that person's name now. It's a pity that this person is still brooding over it.
She took off her shoes and got on the couch, ignoring him. Xiao Yuan then moved closer to her, put his arm around her waist and whispered to her.
"Look around the capital, which royal family member would accompany his wife back to her parents' home? I'm the only one, and you're still treating me coldly. You don't know how to cherish me at all."
"But there is only one Shen An'an in the whole capital." She turned around and glared at him, "Besides, it wasn't me who asked you to come back with me for a short stay. Didn't you have to come with me?"
He placed his finger on the tip of her nose, then leaned over and rubbed her neck with a smile.
"This is my mother's house, you can't mess around."
"Don't worry, I know my limits."
He said this, and really did not do anything excessive.
Before dawn the next day, Shen Anan was awakened by the sound of firecrackers. The courtyard was already brightly lit, and servants were busy coming and going.
She also stood up, and Mo Xiang came in to help her wash and dress, "Madam said that although we can't wear red and green, we still have to set off firecrackers to tell everyone that the Shen family is getting married today."
On the wedding day, Shen Anan avoided Zhenghong and wore a festive pink outfit. After she dressed up, Xiao Yuan couldn't take his eyes off her.
"Okay, it's time to worship our ancestors."
She pushed away Xiao Yuan's hand and walked out.
"Is Big Brother back?"
"I'm back. I'm waiting for the princess in the main hall."
In the main hall, Shen Changhe sat upright, having changed into his wedding attire. He exuded a gentlemanly and gentle demeanor, without showing any sign of fatigue from standing in the cold wind all night without rest.
"Brother, congratulations."
Shen Changhe stood up and saluted in return, "Don't laugh at me. Yu Rou and I are where we are today thanks to my sister's efforts. I will always remember it in my heart."
"We are all one family, why are we talking about different things? Is the door to the ancestral hall open? Are the things ready?"
"Everything is ready, just waiting for you."
"Wait for me?" Shen Anan was a little surprised. As a married girl, she was not allowed to enter the ancestral hall today according to the rules.
"Father and mother said that the Shen family can be what it is today thanks to my sister. No one is more qualified than my sister to enter. Grandmother... must miss you too."
Yes, she hasn't visited her grandmother for a long time.
Shen Anan's eyes were hot, "There is no time to lose, let's go now, don't delay your wedding."
The brother and sister went to the ancestral hall.
There are very few families who are on good terms with the Shen family nowadays, but there are still some who come to congratulate them for the sake of the Fourth Prince's Mansion. They gather in the Shen family courtyard, greeting each other in groups of three or four, and it is quite lively.
And Xiao Yuan, standing in front of these people, was like a stabilizing force that supported the situation, and everything was going on in an orderly manner.
In the ancestral hall, Shen Anan and Shen Changhe offered incense to their ancestors, and then according to the rules, informed Shen Changhe of the happy event that he would be getting married today.
"An An, talk to your grandmother for a while. I'll wait for you outside."
"good."
The door of the ancestral hall was closed. Facing the countless tablets on it, Shen Anan was not afraid at all. She locked her eyes on the tablet in the front and tried hard to hold back her tears.
“Grandma, I listened to you and married Xiao Yuan. As you said, under his wings, the Shen family and I are doing well.”
She kowtowed three times, lying on the ground for a long time without raising her head, her shoulders shaking violently, "I have always wanted to take you back to Jiangnan, so that we can live together as a grandparent and granddaughter like before, and I have been working hard for it..."
"You are right. Aunt is your daughter after all."
Parents love their children and are willing to care about their life and death. She has no right to comment.
"I will be fine. I will lead the Shen family through all the difficulties and make the person who used you as a pawn pay the price."
In order to allow her, who disliked Xiao Yuan, to marry into the Fourth Prince's mansion smoothly and be used by him, he framed Concubine Shen and even added his grandmother's death to the mix.
The seeds of hatred in Shen Anan's heart never stopped growing. She just needed an opportunity now, an opportunity to completely bring him down.
"Princess, it's almost time." Mo Xiang reminded from outside.
Shen Anan straightened up, slowly wiped the tears from her face, stood up and walked out.
Shen Changhe looked at her worriedly, "An An, are you okay?"
"It's okay. I was just saddened by the scene. It's getting late. Let's go quickly so as not to delay the wedding sedan."
Shen Changhe was dressed in wedding clothes and had an outstanding figure, but the eyes of the guests in the courtyard all fell on his face.
Because they were afraid of Xiao Yuan's presence, no one dared to say anything, but the look in his eyes alone was enough to make people feel disgusted.
Shen Anan's eyes gradually turned cold, but Shen Changhe didn't care at all, and chatted with those people with ease.
Li Huaiyan and Ling Chenyi stepped forward and hooked their arms around Shen Changhe's neck, saying with a smile, "Your brother-in-law specifically instructed that we must get you drunk today."
"Tsk, things change over time. If you had known this would happen, why did you do it in the first place? Who made you offend him? Don't you know that your brother-in-law is the one who holds grudges the most?"
Xiao Yuan, who was standing by, heard this and walked towards the three of them. "Stop throwing dirty water on me. An An will settle the score with me later. Neither of you can escape."
Several people laughed out loud, and the others also smiled when they saw this scene.
Even the cold-blooded Fourth Prince has met his end. Who among them has the courage to continue causing trouble for the Shen family?
Firecrackers exploded beside her ears, crackling for a long time. Shen Anan watched Shen Changhe mount his horse and lead the wedding procession away, tears in her eyes.
A pair of gentle hands covered her ears, and the deafening sound of firecrackers weakened a lot. Xiao Yuan stood beside her, like a huge ship floating on the rough waves, giving her stability and confidence.
As the firecrackers sounded, there was a sudden commotion among the crowd. A carriage stopped in front of the Shen Mansion, and a young man in purple official uniform walked over.
Shen Wen and Xiao Yuan looked at each other, with a cold light in their eyes.
"I come here uninvited, Lord Shen, I hope you won't mind."
"Minister Shen, you are too kind. Everyone who comes here is a guest."
Shen Yunbai smiled and turned to look at Shen Anan, “Fourth Prince’s Concubine, long time no see.”
"Not long ago, we met during the hunting trip in Lingshan a few days ago."
"Oh, really?" Shen Yunbai raised his eyebrows. "How come I don't have any impression of you? Given our friendship, if I had seen you before, I would not have forgotten you."
"Oh, Lord Shen fainted that day while trying to save the emperor and was hung upside down on a horse. It's normal that he doesn't remember it."
Shen Yunbai narrowed his eyes slightly, and the two looked at each other for a few breaths, and Shen Anan curled his lips and smiled faintly.
"But Lord Shen is indeed very capable. With his merit in saving the emperor, he rose from a commoner to the position of Vice Minister of the Ministry of War and then to the position of Minister of the Ministry of War in just a few days. He really rose to prominence at a rapid pace."
As soon as these words were spoken, the ministers present who were already dissatisfied with Shin Yunbai's official position all looked gloomy, and looked at Shin Yunbai with eyes full of disdain and contempt.
How could they not be jealous when a person who had not even taken the imperial examination obtained the height that others could not reach in their entire lives in such an opportunistic way?
Shen Anan let go of Xiao Yuan's hand, slowly approached Shen Yunbai, with a polite smile on her face, and spoke in a voice that only the two of them could hear.
"I heard that Lord Shen has been busy trying to smooth things over with officials and win over powerful forces to pave the way for Chen Tian to reveal his identity and gain a foothold in the court. It must be very difficult for a monk who becomes a monk halfway through his career."
Shen Yunbai's eyes suddenly turned cold, but there was still a gentle smile on his face.
"Someone come." Shen Anan called a little maid forward, "Take Lord Shen to the front yard to wait for the ceremony."
She stepped back half a step, smiling like a flower, "Since you are here to attend the wedding, then please come, but don't forget to bring gifts, you can't take advantage of the good fortune for nothing."
"Don't worry, Princess Fourth Prince. The gift has already been received by the doorman." Shen Yunbai's face remained expressionless, but his tone was slightly cold.
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