Chapter 456 Wedding
New Year's Day 2013 happened to be the 20th day of the 12th lunar month in the year of Renchen, the month of Renzi, and the day of Dingmao.
It’s an auspicious day, everything will go well.
At nine o'clock in the morning, the auspicious time has arrived.
The Song family's wedding procession was fully assembled at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse.
The most eye-catching centerpiece of the procession was undoubtedly the eight-man sedan chair made of golden nanmu wood. Its body was intricately carved with auspicious dragons and phoenixes, and blossoming flowers, and embellished with shimmering gold foil.
The sedan chair curtains are double-sided embroidery of top-grade Suzhou embroidery, with patterns of either "A Hundred Children" or "Butterflies in Love with Flowers", with fine stitching and elegant artistic conception; the sedan chair roof is even decorated with a filigree golden phoenix, which is extremely luxurious.
The eight sedan bearers were dressed in uniform festive uniforms and walked with steady steps.
Song Ci is wearing a Ming Dynasty scholar-official dragon robe and jade belt, which was designed by Pan Yuzhen's team and customized by a master of intangible cultural heritage. He wears a Liang crown on his head, his face is as handsome as jade, and he looks majestic.
His father Song Zhang was wearing a solemn traditional suit, with a jade pendant on his waist, which was a symbol of his status as the head of the Song family. He stood beside Song Ci, his brows filled with unconcealable joy.
The wedding procession was in full order: a gong to lead the way, a silence sign, a festive sign with the words "Song Mansion Welcoming the Wedding", palace lanterns, and a canopy were arranged in order.
There were also special personnel holding exquisite gift boxes symbolizing the "Three Books", and the ceremonial guards were all dressed in elegant ancient costumes, exuding an ancient charm.
The betrothal gift team followed closely behind, carrying gift boxes filled with antique jade swallows, fine silk, high-quality tea, custom-made goldware and other symbolic and precious betrothal gifts.
The whole team was mighty and majestic, showing the style of an ancient aristocratic family.
The master of ceremonies sang loudly: "The auspicious time has arrived! Welcome the bride!"
Drums and music suddenly sounded, and the wedding procession slowly walked towards the main gate of Fangfei Garden to the solemn and festive sound of ancient music.
The scenery along the way attracted the attention of guests and dignitaries from both inside and outside the State Guesthouse, and this team became the most shocking visual focus at the moment.
When they reached the Chinese-style gate of Fangfei Garden, the procession stopped. Song Ci, his father, the best man, and the others dismounted and walked steadily inside.
At this time, in Fangfei Garden, Liu Yuqing was standing by the window, gazing out. Seeing the wedding procession approaching from afar, she turned and shouted, "Brother, here to welcome the bride! Oh, why is my uncle here too?"
In the boudoir, the bride Liu Shishi smiled sweetly, wearing a phoenix coronet and a bridal gown, looking elegant and gentle, breathtakingly beautiful.
Several bridesmaids looked at her, unable to hide their envy.
This phoenix crown and bridal bridal gown cost a huge amount of money and was made by a master of Beijing embroidery. It is made of top-quality fabrics such as silk satin, kesi silk, and brocade, and is supplemented with silk and kingfisher feather inlay techniques. It is also inlaid with top-quality pearls and gems, making it priceless.
"We have to think carefully about this. We can't let the groom take the bride away so easily."
"Yes, yes, the red envelope cannot be less."
"We need to let Director Song show off some of his talents. I heard he's a great singer."
The bridesmaids were talking excitedly and the atmosphere was lively.
On the other side, Song Ci and his father had passed the middle gate of Fangfei Garden and arrived at the door of the boudoir.
Song Zhang stepped forward steadily and solemnly took out the scroll of "Wedding Letter" written on gold-sprinkled rice paper and carefully framed from the rosewood tray held by the deacon.
He slowly unfolded the scroll, his breath sinking into his dantian, and read aloud the "Song Mansion Wedding Letter" in a loud and sincere voice:
"I beseech the heavens and the earth to be in harmony, the sun and the moon to shine together. On this auspicious day, the Zhu Chen alliance is concluded.
The Song family's children, inherited the great virtues of their ancestors, and possessed the gentleness of a gentleman. The daughter of the Liu family, Shishi, was born into a beautiful and prestigious family, with a kind heart and a noble character, and both virtue and beauty.
The two met at a young age, childhood sweethearts, and a secret love blossomed. They studied together in school, their youthful companionship deepened their bond. From classmates, they became close friends, and from close friends, their love deepened. Time served as a matchmaker, years as a betrothal gift, their bond stronger than gold, finally becoming a loving couple.
Now, respectfully adhering to ancient rituals, I have issued three letters and six invitations, announcing this to Heaven and Earth, and to all my relatives. I have specially prepared a phoenix carriage, eight bearers, to respectfully welcome Miss Shishi, a distinguished lady from the Liu family, back to the Song residence.
May the newlyweds live in harmony, grow old together, be a good match for the family, and have many descendants.
I sincerely pray for your approval!
Song Zhang, the head of the Song family, bows his head
"Auspicious day in the winter month of the Renchen year"
After the reading, Song Zhang handed the "Wedding Letter" to the master of ceremonies. The entire room was silent, with only the lingering sound of the ceremony, the solemnity reaching its peak.
In her boudoir, Liu Shishi's eyes shone with light, and a warm feeling welled up in her heart. Her father-in-law had actually come in person to welcome her. This attention made her realize that she was the legitimate daughter-in-law of the Song family.
Listening to the "Wedding Letter" again, she recounted the story of her acquaintance with Song Ci when they were children and how they were childhood sweethearts. Love was everywhere between the lines, and one's heart almost melted in this quaint tenderness.
"Please come out, bride!" The master of ceremonies called out again.
Immediately, the girls' crisp laughter could be heard from behind the door: "Groom, where's the red envelope?" "You have to sing a love song before they open the door!"
Song Ci smiled when he heard this and gave Wang Sicong a wink.
The latter understood and took out a handful of red envelopes with a smile: "Plenty of red envelopes, but how can you see them if you don't open the door?"
The bridesmaids hesitated for a moment, then finally opened the door a crack.
A hint of mischief flashed in Wang Sicong's eyes. He slowly handed the red envelope to the crack of the door. When the bridesmaid reached out to take it, he suddenly pushed the door hard to prevent it from closing.
The groomsmen behind him were quick-witted and rushed forward to push the door open, and it creaked open.
The girls realized they had been tricked and stamped their feet in anger, but there was nothing they could do. Wang Sicong raised an eyebrow at them, his face full of pride.
Seeing this, the master of ceremonies smiled and said, "Please invite the bride out!"
At this point, the bridesmaids had no choice but to follow the ceremony procedures.
Liu Shishi stood up with the help of others, covered her face with a jade-handled round fan, and walked out gracefully.
The phoenix coronet and bridal robe shone brightly in the sunlight, with gold and silver threads and gems complementing each other, drawing exclamations of admiration from those around.
When they reached the sedan chair, Song Ci stepped forward and bowed. The couple looked into each other's eyes, and a thousand words were spoken without words. Afterwards, the bridesmaids and the married woman helped the bride into the eight-man sedan chair.
"Lift the sedan!"
The bearers lifted the sedan steadily, and the drums and music roared again. The wedding procession circled the State Guesthouse and finally stopped at the main ceremony area of Fangfei Garden.
When the sedan chair came down, Song Ci stepped forward, gently opened the curtain, and bowed to invite the bride to get out.
Liu Shishi still covered her face with a round fan, and she and Song Ci were tied together with a red silk cloth. Under the guidance of the chanters and the melodious music, they walked step by step on the gorgeous carpet and entered the ceremony area.
The elegant floral arrangements and warm light around them make the newlyweds look even more like a perfect match.
The newlyweds stood still, and the MC recited a poem about a fan: "Light silk and white shadows conceal the fairy figure, orchids and hyacinths share a heart known by the sun and moon. The poem and pen write a three-life contract, and one day the fan reveals the jade branches."
After reciting, Song Ci called softly, "Please fan me, Madam."
Liu Shishi slowly removed her round fan, revealing her stunning face. Her eyes met Song Ci's, their affection flowing. At this moment, amidst the traditional weight of the Chinese ceremony, was a tenderness that belonged only to the two of them.
After the fan, the classic worship of heaven and earth comes next.
"Bow to heaven and earth!" the emcee sang loudly.
Song Ci and Liu Shishi smiled at each other, bowed to the heaven and earth side by side, and expressed gratitude to fate for the gift.
"Bow to your parents twice!"
The couple turned around and bowed deeply to Mr. and Mrs. Song Zhang, and Liu's father and mother, who were sitting in the upper seats, to express their gratitude for their upbringing.
"Husband and wife bow to each other!"
The couple stood facing each other and bowed solemnly. They bowed once for love and bowed again for growing old together, symbolizing that they would be of one mind and one heart and respect each other from now on.
"Perform the same prison ceremony."
The deacon brought a dish filled with the meat of the same animal, and the two sat at the same table, each taking a little to eat. From then on, they shared the joys and sorrows together, and were each other's companions throughout the three meals a day and all seasons.
"Perform the wedding ceremony."
Exquisite gold-inlaid jade wedding cups were brought up, connected by red silk threads, and filled with mellow wine.
The master of ceremonies said with great emotion: "Let us drink the wedding wine together and share the joys and sorrows from now on!"
Song Ci smiled as he and Liu Shishi each held a cup. They drank half a cup each, then exchanged cups and drank the rest - the clinking of cups was like the fusion of their lives and their eternal bond.
"Untie the tassel and tie the hair, and be together forever!" the emcee continued to sing.
Song Ci was full of tenderness and he gently untied the engagement tassel from Liu Shishi's hair bun.
Afterwards, Mrs. Quanfu took a lock of hair from each of the two men, tied them into a ball with a red tassel, and put them into a brocade bag. The hair was entangled together, which meant that they would stay together for the rest of their lives and never be separated again.
The ceremony ends here.
The master of ceremonies raised his voice to offer his blessing: "The ceremony is concluded! Congratulations to the newlyweds, Mr. Song Ci and Mrs. Liu Shishi: May you live in harmony and be together forever! May your descendants continue to prosper for generations to come!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the relatives and friends watching the ceremony burst into thunderous applause that lasted for a long time.
As the night deepened, this sensational wedding of the century finally came to an end. Song Ci and Liu Shishi saw off the last group of distinguished guests and returned hand in hand to their private residence, Jingyuan.
The garden is naturally elegant. There are no gaudy red lanterns or "囍" characters hung for the wedding. Instead, there are two scrolls mounted in thin rosewood frames.
On the left is the elegant running script "Ci Yun Qing Huan", and on the right is the graceful regular script "Shi Xin Orchid Yi".
They are all works of famous artists, with dark ink and gold powder as embellishments. They not only cleverly integrate the names of the two people, but also imply the expectation of harmonious future, silently announcing the owner's identity and the joy of their marriage.
It's cold outside the window, but warm inside.
The lights in the bedroom were dim, and Liu Shishi snuggled up to Song Ci, her face showing the sweetness and satisfaction of a newlywed.
Her slender fingers slid lightly across the tablet computer. The screen showed the refined photos that the wedding photographer had just sent. Each one was breathtakingly beautiful, perfectly capturing the dreamlike classical ceremony.
"Honey, look at this one!" Liu Shishi clicked on a photo.
The picture shows her wearing the priceless phoenix coronet and bridal robe, holding a fan, and slightly turning her head in front of the eight-man sedan chair made of golden nanmu wood.
The filigree golden phoenix on the phoenix crown seems to be about to spread its wings, the kingfisher feathers are glittering, and the pearls and gems reflect a warm and dazzling light; the Suzhou embroidery lotus pattern on the shawl is lifelike, and the edges outlined with real gold thread shine with low-key luxury.
The Diaoyutai State Guesthouse's unique solemn eaves and elegant gardens in the background make this classical beauty even more extraordinary.
"So beautiful, Shibao." Song Ci's eyes were full of surprise and love, and he lowered his head and kissed his wife's eyebrows.
"I want to choose a few to post on Weibo and share this happiness with my fans." Liu Shishi's face was full of joy like a little girl. "They must have been waiting for a long time."
Song Ci smiled fondly, "Send it. Let them all see how beautiful my bride is."
Liu Shishi nodded and carefully selected nine of the most representative photos to form a perfect nine-square grid:
Close-up of the phoenix coronet and bridal robe, the departure of the sedan chair carried by eight people, the fanning ceremony, the second bow to the parents, the wedding ceremony, the untying of the tassel and the tying of the hair, the panoramic view of Fangfei Garden, and the family portraits of the Song and Liu families.
And the last photo of the couple in Chinese formal wear. Song Shishi is wearing a dragon robe and jade belt, looking handsome and extraordinary; Liu Shishi is wearing a phoenix crown and a red robe, looking graceful and elegant. The two of them stand in the classical garden of the State Guesthouse, like a pair of lovers who traveled through time and space.
She pondered for a moment, asked her husband to help her write, and then wrote the accompanying text:
"On an auspicious day in the winter month of the Renchen year, Song Ci and I, with three letters and six ceremonies as our pledge, and a phoenix carriage carried by eight men as our engagement, have officially married and formed a happy marriage.
We are grateful for the time that brought us together as childhood sweethearts and the years that brought us together as a couple. We are grateful for the kindness of our parents and the love of our relatives and friends.
A gathering of elegant traditional Chinese culture, a meeting of aristocratic families. Even the phoenix coronet and bridal veil, the lush red makeup, cannot compare to the boundless joy in my heart. Holding your hand, I will grow old with you.
From then on, day and night, year after year. @宋词v”
New Year's Day has always attracted much attention, and the wedding of the richest man and the eldest sister was kept secret from the outside world because it was held at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse.
But the release of this Weibo post was like a huge rock thrown into a quiet lake, instantly causing huge waves!
In just a few minutes, the number of reposts, comments, and likes soared exponentially, and the Weibo server was under pressure for a while.
Fortunately, the platform technicians had a plan in place and managed to stabilize the situation and avoid paralysis.
Topics such as "Liu Shishi's phoenix crown and bridal robe", "Song Ci Liu Shishi's Chinese-style wedding", "This is a formal marriage", and "Wedding scene at Diaoyutai State Guesthouse" quickly became hot searches.
In the blink of an eye, it occupied the top of the list, and each topic was followed by a striking "explosive" label, which was extremely popular.
The comments section of netizens and fans was completely boiling, and the words were full of shock:
"Oh my god! Shishi is not a bride at all, she's clearly the Queen Mother of the Nine Heavens descending to earth! This phoenix crown and bridal robe are breathtakingly beautiful. Sister is so happy!"
"Holy crap! I knew Shishi was pretty, but I never thought she could be this beautiful! Does the gem on the phoenix crown glow?
Is the embroidery on the shawl alive? With this face and this outfit, she instantly outshines all the queens and concubines in costume dramas. She's the pinnacle of classical aesthetics!
"A grand sedan chair carried by eight people! Golden nanmu wood! With this grand occasion, Boss Song is a true boss, and Shishi is a true wife of a wealthy family! Every frame of the wedding photo looks like a movie poster, no, it's even more shocking than a movie!"
"I cried watching this! Shishi walked out of the sedan chair, moved away and fanned that picture. The happiness in her eyes was brighter than diamonds! This is what it looks like to marry the right person!"
"Three letters and six ceremonies! A sedan chair carried by eight people! Washing hands, sharing the same incense, drinking the same wine, and tying the hair! My history book has come alive!
This is the ultimate Chinese wedding, a thousand times more profound than the cookie-cutter Western weddings, and it makes your blood boil!"
"Holding a Chinese-style wedding at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse? Director Song's energy and style are amazing!
The layout of Fangfei Garden, including palace lanterns, screens, and floral arrangements, is free of bright red and gold, yet exudes elegance and sophistication. This is the essence of "low-key luxury with substance." It's truly an eye-opener!
"Shishi's copywriting is amazing! 'Auspicious day in the winter month of the Renchen year,' 'Three Books and Six Rites,' 'A Gathering of Elegant National Style,' 'A Promise of an Aristocratic Family,' it's way better than those 'We're getting married' ones! Even after marrying a talented husband, her copywriting is so charming."
"The brocade pouch for untying the tassel and tying the hairpin has a school uniform pattern and the initials! Perfect detail! The story of childhood sweethearts is integrated into the traditional ceremony.
The designs by masters Yang Cessna and Pan Yuzhen are so wonderful! This wedding is destined to go down in history!"
"Who said before that 300 million couldn't do it? Master Guang's phoenix coronet and bridal robe are worth 100 million, right?
There was a golden nanmu sedan chair, antique jade wedding cups, and the venue was Diaoyutai. Saying 300 million is an understatement. This is the wedding of the century!
"Eight-man sedan chair guard, gongs clearing the way, silence signs—not even a TV show would dare to film it like this!
Mr. Song has ingrained the concept of "marrying with a formal matchmaker" into his bones, giving Shishi enough dignity and honor. I'm so envious that I'm at a loss for words!
"When Mr. Song's father read the 'Wedding Letter', his voice was full of energy, every word was sonorous, and there was joy hidden in the solemnity. It was so touching!
This is the generosity of a wealthy family in marrying off a daughter. The Song family's regard for Shishi is self-evident!"
"From now on, Western-style wedding dresses have fallen out of favor in my heart! Liu Shishi's phoenix coronet and bridal bridal gown redefines the most beautiful moment for a bride. Chinese wedding dresses YYDS! Pan Yuzhen's team and intangible cultural heritage masters, please accept my knees!"
"The significance of this wedding goes far beyond entertainment news. It showcased the solemnity, beauty, and profound meaning of traditional Chinese wedding ceremonies in an extremely sophisticated manner and at a venue of the highest standard.
It has a benchmark significance in promoting the revival of traditional culture, especially the modern inheritance of wedding customs and etiquette. Song Ci and Liu Shishi have made great contributions.
"After watching it, I just want to say that teachers Yang Cesium and Pan Yuzhen are truly legendary! The combination of "an elegant gathering of national style and a meeting of aristocratic families" and personal stories, coupled with the blessing of the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse, has reached an unattainable height.
This is the ceiling of high-end customization, setting a new benchmark for the industry. Cultural depth and ultimate aesthetics are king! "
(End of this chapter)
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