On the fifth day of March, everything will be auspicious.
It is suitable for marriage and meeting relatives and friends.
Yonghefang and Huailiu Lane were hung with red silk, decorated with lanterns and colorful lights, and wedding blankets were spread from the lane entrance to the door of Zhanchun Bookstore. Men, women, old and young filled the entire lane.
Zeng Zhui, Hu Xu, Manager Wang, Lu Zhen, Liang Mo, and many neighbors set up posts inside and outside to receive the guests.
"Congratulations, congratulations."
"Thank you very much, thank you very much. Come on, please come in."
Liang Mo and Shopkeeper Wang checked the invitations and welcomed the guests at the entrance of the alley, and then asked Lu Zhen and Xiao Wang, the two younger ones, to lead the guests to the bookstore.
"Oh, it's the two top scholars. Nice to meet you, nice to meet you!"
When the visitor arrived at the bookstore, he saw that the people standing at the door to greet customers were the previous and new top scorers. He immediately stuck to them to share in the good news.
Zeng Zhui and Hu Xu were immediately surrounded by people, and only their voices could be heard but not seen.
Hu Xu had felt this kind of passion since he was in high school. He'd been enjoying a lot of quiet time lately, and now he couldn't bear it any longer. He quickly pulled Zeng Zhui in front of him to shield him from the clutches reaching out towards him.
The new number one scholar had just been announced and was still hot, immediately attracting everyone.
Zeng Zhui also felt fresh at this time. He listened to everything and responded to everything. If someone asked him to say something auspicious, he would say whatever they asked. If anyone wanted to touch him, he would let them touch him. He was happy and so were the others.
It was not until Master Lin and Xun Yan came out that everyone straightened up a little and came forward to greet them.
Master Lin was the host today and he invited the guests to take their seats.
Zeng Zhui, Hu Xu, and the servants brought by Xizhi helped with hanging gifts and settling things down.
The bookshop was narrow, used for entertaining the elderly, and the backyard was reserved for female guests. The men's seats were arranged from the tree in front of the door to the front of Shopkeeper Wang's shop. Regardless of their status, they could sit wherever there was space, creating a harmonious and pleasant atmosphere.
It was bustling in the front and there were quite a few people in the backyard. In addition to the cooks who were invited to cook, there were also neighbors who came to help and invited guests.
In addition to the household servants, Xizhi also brought several capable maids from Chongzhou to help with cooking and entertaining, keeping everything in order.
In the bridal chamber, Xu Jiang was getting ready.
She hid in Xizhi's arms, looking at the cotton thread being split in Aunt Lin's hands, and asked pitifully, "Can you not twist it?"
Aunt Cao smiled and said, "Why wouldn't a bride have a happy face? Only after she has a happy face can she live a different life and live a happy and harmonious life."
Aunt Lin smiled and said, "Don't be afraid, Auntie, my hands are steady, it won't hurt."
Lin Hongchu cast a sympathetic look at Xu Jiang.
Xu Jiang looked at Song Qiao and asked, "Ah Qiao, did it hurt when you opened your face?"
Song Qiao married Hu Xu years ago.
Song Qiao was about to nod, but was poked by Mrs. Zhuang beside him, so he had to shake his head, "It doesn't hurt."
Really? Xu Jiang was a little skeptical.
Xizhi touched her daughter's hair and said, "It will hurt, but not too much. If you're scared, just lean on me."
Xu Jiang had been spoiled by Xizhi these days. She nudged herself in her arms before putting her face under Aunt Lin's hand and said with her eyes closed, "Come on!"
Aunt Cao wiped Xu Jiang's face and applied powder, while Aunt Lin kneaded the dough.
As soon as the thread touched his face, Xu Jiang hissed, and Lin Hongchu couldn't help but cover his face.
After being strangled four or five times, Xu Jiang gradually got used to it and found it bearable.
Aunt Lin was not lying. She was indeed very fast and light in wringing the noodles. She only changed seven or eight threads and was able to wring out all the hair on Xu Jiang's face, neck and temples.
Then comes the eyebrow trimming. After the eyebrows are trimmed, the powder is washed off, and a white and rosy egg is baked.
"Look, isn't this better?" Aunt Cao held the mirror in front of Xu Jiang.
Xu Jiang looked around and saw that she was indeed fairer. Then she turned to Xizhi and asked, "Mother, do you think I look good?"
Xizhi couldn't help but touch her and said gently, "She looks beautiful." Her daughter was beautiful no matter what.
"It's time to change into your wedding dress." Aunt Cao cleared away the makeup tools she had used to twist her face. "Change into your wedding dress, then do your makeup."
Xu Jiang's wedding dress was complicated, so she changed into it first and then put on her makeup to avoid having to spend too much time on makeup.
Lin Hongchu and Song Qiao took out the wedding dress, and a group of people hurriedly helped Xu Jiang put it on. Xu Jiang treated herself like a puppet and let them manipulate her.
Xizhi looked at her daughter in her wedding dress, her eyes suddenly reddened, and she immediately turned her back to wipe away her tears.
Xu Jiang felt sad too, and hurried forward to comfort her, but before she could say a few words, she couldn't help but burst into tears.
Seeing this, Lin Hongchu and Song Qiao also had tears in their eyes.
I always have to cry at this moment.
Aunt Lin and Aunt Cao each persuaded a few people and finally calmed them down, and then they put makeup on Xu Jiang.
Xu Jiang thought of the heavy makeup Wang Chan and Song Qiao wore when they got married, and felt sympathetic. She hurriedly said, "Just a little touch-up will do."
But the white powder was still applied on her face layer after layer, and rouge was applied on her cheeks in clumps.
Finally, Xu Jiang took a look in the mirror and asked, "Oh my god, who is the monkey in this mirror?"
She looked at Xizhi as if for help. Xizhi couldn't bear her daughter's expression, so she washed off some of her makeup and re-applied it to make her look natural.
Then comes the hair combing, tying up, and pinning up the hair.
Aunt Cao went outside and invited a white-haired old woman in to comb Xu Jiang's hair and perform the three-combing ceremony.
The mother-in-law touched Xu Jiang's head lovingly and said, "This is a child who will have good fortune in the future."
Xu Jiang smiled at her and said, "Thank you, mother-in-law, for your blessing."
"Oh, half of this blessing is due to your sweet mouth." The mother-in-law pinched her cheek, then took the comb, asked her to sit with her back to her, and began to comb her hair.
"One comb, a perfect match is made in heaven, a good marriage is destined by heaven."
"Two combs, the zither and the harp sound in harmony, the sheng and the chimes are in unison."
"Three combs, the locusts prolongs the celebration. The heart is together forever."
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