If he were really getting married today, he would definitely invite people to his home to help out, set up a few tables, and have the villagers witness it.
But the truth is, he wasn't marrying a wife; he was marrying into her family.
He's not out of his mind. Why would he invite people over to laugh at him? Is he ashamed of marrying into the family as long as it's already embarrassing enough?
He walked hurriedly, very quickly.
Jiang Lu was left behind by them. The little girl was carrying a basket filled with prepared wedding cakes. Seeing that Jiang Bai and his sister had left, she quickly took out a wedding cake and handed it to Li Fugui, saying with a smile, "Today is my sister's big day of wedding. Uncle, please have a cake and share in the joy."
"The wedding procession?" Li Fugui was stunned when he saw Ji Yanwen walking out, and he was even more confused when he heard Jiang Lu's words.
"Yes, Scholar Ji is marrying into my family, and my older sister has come to pick him up." The little girl smiled, revealing her gaping teeth.
Ignoring Li Fugui's stunned expression, Jiang Lu stuffed the wedding cake into his hand and then quickly caught up with Jiang Bai and the other person, carrying the basket.
"Oh my god, this... Scholar Ji, you're so confused!"
Behind them came the sound of Li Fugui pounding his chest and stamping his feet. He really didn't understand why this scholar Ji would give up a wife with a dowry of fifty taels and instead be so foolish as to marry into another family!
I've really lost my mind.
Ji Yanwen, who had left long ago, was naturally unaware of Li Fugui's disappointment and frustration. After leaving Qianshan Village, he slowed down.
"What? Are you ashamed of marrying into the family and too embarrassed to face people?"
Jiang Bai looked at him with amusement.
He's the one who wants to marry into the family, and he's also the one who's afraid of losing face. Why is this guy so awkward?
"If it weren't for... if it weren't for your hands being so restless and you discovering my secret, do you think I would have been willing to marry into your family?"
Before you say that, shouldn't you think carefully about why I discovered your secret?
Ji Yanwen's expression changed, and he turned his face away.
How could I forget? It was when she came to his door to discuss the matter of him marrying into the family that she discovered his identity.
"It seems you've remembered."
Jiang Bai looked at him meaningfully. It was clearly his own stubborn desire to marry into the family, yet he was putting on an act of being forced, which displeased her.
Ji Yanwen remained silent, knowing he was indeed in the wrong.
She wouldn't have agreed to the marriage if he hadn't exchanged information about her mother for it.
“I did ask for this myself. You’re right, I shouldn’t have acted like this.”
He took a deep breath, suppressing his resentment and bitterness.
"Don't worry, although I've married into your Jiang family, I'm a grown man. I'll learn to earn money and won't freeload off your Jiang family."
Revenge can't be rushed. He should have humbled himself and started earning money to ensure his own survival before talking about revenge.
Besides, he had already agreed with Jiang Bai that they would not consummate their marriage after getting married, and he would have to pay the birth tax a year later!
"That would be best." Jiang Bai glanced at him. Her biggest goal in marrying him was to get the travel permit through him. Otherwise, she really wouldn't have agreed to the marriage.
After all, apart from women, the villagers could not easily leave their registered residence. Only scholars who participated in the imperial examinations could legitimately obtain travel permits.
The two were close together and speaking softly, and Jiang Lu was also far away, so she didn't hear what they were saying.
When they reached the end of the village, several village women were sitting under a tree waiting. As soon as they saw the groom arrive, they called out, "The groom is here! The groom is here!"
As they shouted, shouts echoed from the village, and several people stood at intervals along the road, the relay of voices continuing all the way to the Jiang Family Ancestral Hall.
Therefore, the clan leader and the others received the news before the two even arrived.
"What are they doing here?" Ji Yanwen was full of questions. Only when he heard the shouts and the sounds of a group of village children jumping and clapping as they watched the fun did he begin to feel like he was getting married today.
"It's a wedding procession, so let's have some fun. First, let's go to the ancestral hall to pay our respects. We also need to add you and me to the family genealogy today!"
Jiang Bai was also a little surprised. She had thought that since everyone in the village was busy with farming, her wedding wouldn't take up everyone's time, so she deliberately didn't hold a banquet. She didn't expect the clan chief to arrange for people to join in the fun.
Along the way, the shouts of aunts and uncles, and the laughter of children, added a touch of joy to this humble wedding.
Jiang Lu happily handed each person a wedding cake, saying auspicious words.
"The newcomer is here! The newcomer is here!"
Upon arriving outside the ancestral hall, someone shouted loudly that the village head's wife was carrying a tray with large red flowers woven from river white and river green, looking very festive.
"Da Ya, go in with the groom to complete the wedding ceremony!"
The two ends of the red flower cloth were placed into the hands of the two women. The village head's wife stepped aside, and the door behind her opened, revealing the offering table set up in the courtyard of the ancestral hall. Jiang Anliang's memorial tablet was placed high on it, and on both sides of the offering table sat the clan head, the village head, and the elders of the Jiang family.
The person who chanted the ceremony was the eldest son of the clan chief, and Jiang Bai and the others had to call him Uncle.
"kneel."
His voice was loud and clear, and his lyrics were full of emotion. Jiang and Bai each held one end of a red flower and knelt down as instructed.
"First bow to Heaven and Earth."
The two bowed towards the direction outside the ancestral hall.
"Bowing to the parents twice."
He rose, knelt down facing Jiang Anliang's memorial tablet, and kowtowed again.
"Husband and wife bow to each other."
The two stood up at the same time, facing each other. The moment their eyes met, a complicated feeling arose in their hearts. They lowered their eyes, knelt down, and kowtowed. It was as if a thread in the dark bound the two together.
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