Chapter 22: The wedding of his legitimate wife who had three written engagements and six betrothal gifts.
On March 22, all the people will celebrate the festival to worship the gods.
At the first light of dawn, the streets and alleys are already bustling with activity. People who believe in Huaixian are standing on both sides of the long street, holding baskets filled with fruits and food.
The sounds of gongs and drums in the distance grew closer. Before long, a procession came marching in a mighty procession. A sedan chair inlaid with gold and silver approached the crowd. On the sedan chair stood a statue of a deity with a jade face and a clear emerald green hue. His arms were slightly folded, as if praying for the people. On one side of the sedan chair stood a group of believers with fangs, green faces, and narrow-waisted, wide robes. Seeing the gods coming, the people lit incense and followed in worship.
Zhu Hao was held tightly by a pair of large hands. Her height was only below the man's waist. He walked very quickly, and he had obviously forgotten that he was holding a little girl who was about to turn five years old.
“Pah.”
The long street was crowded with people, and as they jostled each other, her candied haws fell to the ground.
Zhu Hao frowned and burst into tears.
The man who was leading her forward just stopped. The morning sun was reflected behind him, so dazzling that Zhu Hao could hardly see his face.
"Big brother, my candied haws..."
"Wait until we find your father and ask him to buy you a new one, right? It's just a bunch of candied haws, why cry about it? Didn't you even cry when you were lost just now?"
After he finished speaking, Zhu Hao was pulled by him into an alley.
"Brother, you're walking too fast! Oh, right! Brother, do you know that statue in the parade? Some people despise it, while others revere it. My aunt dislikes it, saying it's a fallen immortal, not a god. But my father always takes me to the temple to worship it on the 22nd day of the third lunar month! He says that good and evil shouldn't be judged by the public. If it can keep everyone safe and healthy, then it's a good god."
"My father said that since I was born, I've had a high fever every few days. The doctors said I wouldn't live past my first birthday. Later, my father carried me on his back to the temple to worship the gods, and I've grown up to this size... Big brother, my shoe fell off! Dad is going to scold me!"
"...Hey, hey, hey! The other one fell off too! Big brother, do you really know where my father is? You're not... a human trafficker, are you?"
The man finally stopped, and Zhu Hao fell headfirst onto his waist, a cold scent of spikenard lingering around her nose.
"Big brother, you smell so good."
He glanced at her with disdain, his expression unhappy.
He saw a little girl standing barefoot on the bluestone ground with her toes bent. The long street was covered with gravel. He saw people coming and going, and the two children's boots were no bigger than his palm. It was difficult to find them, and he was too lazy to make the effort. He lowered his brows and thought for a moment, then picked up the little girl with one hand and sat her firmly on his shoulder.
"Big brother, Daddy often lets me ride a big horse like this."
"...I'm not a Malaysian." He paused, then added, "If you keep talking nonsense, I'll throw you away."
Zhu Hao didn't know that this knight-errant-like big brother carried her around several alleys before sending her to her father. She only knew that her father taught her that one must be polite and follow human nature, and that one must respect etiquette in order to gain a foothold.
She should have thanked her elder brother, but the man only left her with a shadow. He left resolutely. Zhu Hao was anxious to escape from her father's arms and ran back barefoot.
Finally, Zhu Hao touched his sleeves, and the incessant sound of gongs and drums suddenly disappeared, and even the mountains and rivers collapsed and the army was defeated. Everything, as far as the eyes could see, faded into a grayish white.
In the end, she was unable to see the man's true face.
Zhu Hao's eyes widened as she woke up in panic. She hadn't dreamed for a long time and it was difficult for her to tell whether the scene in her dream happened in her childhood or was a fictional dream.
The sunlight outside the window is faint, and it is obviously morning.
Zhu Hao leaned on the edge of the couch and sat up, feeling dizzy.
The window was half-closed, and the morning breeze blew up the curtain embroidered with gardenias.
wrong……
Zhu Hao felt as if she was doused with a basin of cold water. She suddenly came to her senses and realized that she should be in the midst of a blazing fire.
Zhu Hao drew aside the curtain and looked around. All the furnishings were the same as before. A small black lacquer table inlaid with snails held a jade vase. Several wild flowers that had been picked from the yard yesterday were budding in the vase. A jade-carved screen with lake and mountain scenery complemented the window view. The number of gardenia flowers and the shape of the branches embroidered on the curtain were exactly the same as those in her boudoir. Zhu Hao was absolutely certain that the place she was in was indeed the boudoir that her parents had prepared for her before they passed away.
A basket was placed on the eight-legged round stool, and Zhu Hao was tidying up the headband that was almost finished last night.
She lay down with uneasiness in her heart, opened the secret layer of the closet, and found the wooden box still there. She opened it and found a deposit slip still lying in the middle. However, her left wrist was aching slightly due to the series of violent movements just now. She rolled up the sleeve of her left hand and a burn half a finger wide suddenly caught her eye. There was a light-colored ointment on the wound, and it would not hurt much if it had not involved the wound.
The traces of last night's events became clearer in my mind, and the flames lighting up the sky were not a dream.
Zhu Hao lay in the dead room, looking around at the furnishings, and suddenly remembered the figure she saw when she was dying.
He walked out from the flames, with sparks accompanying him, like a demon Shura coming from purgatory.
Although it was just a blurry figure and Fang couldn't even make out the eyes and nose, Zhu Hao was inexplicably certain that this person was Song Xieqing.
If her guess was correct, this place should be Songheju.
Zhu Hao casually straightened her clothes, which were a little loose from sleeping, put the deposit slip into her sleeve pocket, and pushed the door open and walked out.
Although the inner room was the same as her boudoir, the view outside after opening the door was quite different.
The house faced a small pond, deep yet shallow, the bottom visible at a glance. A few lingbo fairy plants grew along the edge, growing languidly, withering before they bloomed. Zhu Hao turned onto the veranda and headed for the main entrance. As she stepped into the front yard, a few unexpected conversations reached her ears.
"Hey! Tell me, why would this human god go to so much trouble to rebuild a house that looks just like her boudoir? If it's going to be a disaster, why not just rebuild the entire burned-down house?"
"That's not the most annoying thing! What's bothering me is that he actually ordered the three of us to stand outside his house with our belongings on the day of the proposal. Tsk, sisters, could this little god really be infatuated with the mortal girl inside? Otherwise, why would he bother to do everything himself to such an extent?"
Zhu Hao quietly hid behind the pillars of the corridor. The three women in the front yard were the maids who accompanied Song Xieqing on the day he proposed marriage. The three of them stood in a circle under the century-old pomegranate tree for shade. The woman who read the list of gifts that day threw down the broom in her hand. "My two dear sisters are both newcomers, so of course you don't know this man. 'Infatuated'? How can he be worthy of love? He was just punished by heaven, and he had no choice but to compromise and marry a mortal woman..." She made a gesture of wiping her neck and said sinisterly, "Otherwise, Song Lang would have killed her long ago!"
"Oh, there's one more thing." Zhuoshui turned around and stared at Zhu Hao's hiding place. "Since you're awake, please come with me. He's waiting."
Zhu Hao took a step forward and pointed at himself, "Me?"
"Who else?"
…
Zhu Hao followed Zhuo Shui to the outside of the house. A brand new and luxurious carriage was parked on the side street. She looked up and saw that the plaque of the house had been changed to the words "Song House" at some point. Zhu Hao stepped on a low stool to get into the sedan chair, while Zhuo Shui sat outside and drove the car.
Zhu Hao sat securely in the sedan chair. She rolled up a corner of the curtain. Huai Street was bustling with people, and the occasional children's playful chatter reached her ears. Through the curtain, Zhu Hao could vaguely see the silhouette of Zhu Shui driving the carriage. She asked, "Where can we find him?"
Before Zhuo Shui could reply, Zhu Hao's body suddenly tilted sideways. The carriage walls shook, and she felt dizzy. After a moment, the carriage finally stabilized.
Zhuoshui's calm voice came from the outer room, "Don't panic, don't panic. I just learned how to drive today, so I'm not very experienced. But I shouldn't have any problems. As for where to find him? He said it was called 'Shuyu Tower' before, so it should be around the alley ahead."
Damn it! Zhuoshui cursed inwardly.
If Song Xieqing hadn't ordered the three of them not to use their magic, how could she have been reduced to driving a carriage for a mere mortal? Furthermore, he ordered her to be a servant and maid to sweep his newlywed courtyard! How could he have transformed the three of them into humans just to do these awful things for him?
"You and Song..." Zhu Hao pondered, "Are you familiar with the Immortal Lord?"
"I say, what's wrong with you calling him by his name? I won't tell him. Besides, I'm not familiar with such a wicked man. We've only known each other for a hundred years." Zhuoshui yanked the reins, and after passing a small stall, the carriage came to a complete stop. "We're here."
Upon hearing this, Zhu Hao ducked down and stepped out of the sedan chair. She happened to see Zhuo Shui stroking a colt. To facilitate driving, she rolled up her sleeves to her forearms. Seeing a few golden scales on the inside of her wrists, Zhu Hao said, "Since the world is home to gods, are there also spirits and monsters? For example... the little demons who achieved enlightenment and transformed into human form in the storytellers' stories."
Zhuoshui's hand paused slightly, and she smiled with a sly look in her eyes, "Oh? Then what kind of monster do you think I am?"
"Fox spirit." Zhu Hao blurted out almost immediately. Seeing Zhuoshui's expression falter for a moment, she couldn't help but burst out laughing. Zhu Hao added, "It's not a derogatory term. I say you look like a fox spirit simply because you are so beautiful and charming. Isn't that what the storybooks all say? Fox spirits are naturally beautiful. But... if you really are a demon, you're probably a scaly little demon? The kind that swims in the water?"
Seeing that Zhuoshui was just staring at her, hesitant to respond, Zhu Hao said, "Did you intend to tell me what you and the other two just said? Indeed, when I first met him, I also felt that he wanted to kill me to vent his anger, but now, I don't feel that way anymore."
"Although he usually has an arrogant attitude that looks down on others, and his reputation is even more tarnished, his words are mostly sarcastic, and he rarely says a word of kindness, but..." Zhu Hao said this, and suddenly raised her head, only to see the man in black leaning against the railing of the second floor. Their eyes met unexpectedly, and she looked at Song Xieqing and said calmly: "Although he is not a good person, he is probably not a bad person either."
Zhu Hao thought that when she first met Song Xieqing, although he used threats to seduce her and acted like a villain, she thought carefully about the past and realized that he had never really hurt her. At most... he had ridiculed her a few times.
Zhuoshui frowned upon hearing this, her face revealing indignation. She spoke in a tone of disappointment, "How long have you known Song Lang? What's a month in the mortal world? He's a bad seed. When he was a human, he was a scumbag! When he was a god, he was a scumbag! How could he be called a 'fallen immortal'? How could such a villain be worthy of being a god? He was just born into a good family! He picked up a bit of luck to become a god! Putting aside his parents, Song Lang is nothing! They all died, so how could Song Lang deserve to survive? He, living on the eighteenth level..."
Zhuoshui's tongue and mouth suddenly stopped as if they were tangled. She suddenly felt a hostile aura approaching her body. Zhuoshui changed the subject and said against her conscience, "The Immortal Lord is a dashing and charming man, with the appearance of a phoenix and the demeanor of a dragon, and he is very elegant..."
Best wishes: ...
Song Xieqing propped his chin up on his hand, leaning against the railing. Although a smile played on his lips, a sullen air surrounded him. Song Xieqing glanced at Zhuoshui, who had no choice but to take shelter behind him. He chuckled, "Zhuoshui, you're right. This is the first time I've heard of a little koi demon being so sharp-tongued. Now that you've sent the person away, go back to the house and clean up."
He paused, then lowered his voice and said, "Let the civet cat and the viper rest well. You can do the work alone."
He saw Zhuoshui take the order and quickly go into the side alley. Song Xieqing just then said to Zhu Hao, "Come."
…
Shuyulou is the leading jewelry store in Huaicheng, and can undertake many matters such as contracting and making. Huaicheng is already wealthy, and there are many wealthy families, so during the day, most of the wealthy ladies visit this building. But today, Shuyulou seems quiet, and there are no visitors coming in or out of the gate.
The people of Dacheng are open-minded and there is no rule that prohibits the bride from meeting her husband before her wedding. Instead, the couple usually prepare the items needed for the wedding day themselves, and the elders of both families only need to pay for it after their death.
The owner of Shuyulou was a graceful woman. Seeing Zhu Hao coming upstairs, she hurried forward and said, "Oh, I guess this young lady must be Madam Song? Look at her, she's as beautiful as a flower! No wonder Master Song was willing to spend a fortune to book Shuyulou for her all day. What kind of style does Madam Song like? If I were to say, since it's for a wedding, the crown should be one inlaid with gold and jade! I wonder if Madam Song..."
Zhu Hao could hardly bear the heat. She had already been choked by the first three words "Mrs. Song". Song Xieqing sensed her embarrassment and said, "Pian Pian and I haven't been married yet, so it's not appropriate for the shopkeeper to address her as 'Mrs. Song's name is not suitable for me. Pian Pian is shy, so just call her Madam Zhu."
The shopkeeper nodded repeatedly, and she said apologetically, "Yes, yes, yes. Look at me, ah, I get so carried away when I'm happy!" She took Zhu Hao's arm and walked to the treasure rack, pointing to a crown made of gold, silver, filigree, and jadeite. "Do you like it, Madam Zhu? This crown has exactly ninety-nine ornaments, large and small! It symbolizes the longevity of the newlyweds! Six jade hairpins, two flower hairpins... made with the craftsmanship of wire drawing, filigree, and jadeite! Madam Zhu..."
"Shopkeeper," Zhu Hao interrupted, "I'd like to choose with Young Master Song alone. Is that convenient? Once we've chosen something we like, I'll let you know."
The shopkeeper was stunned for a moment, then quickly came to his senses. Alas, they were about to get married, and naturally they had a lot of feelings to express. So the shopkeeper said generously, "That's convenient! I'll be waiting in the main building. If you two want to settle your accounts or recommend a model, feel free to ask me to do it."
After saying this, the shopkeeper swayed her plump figure and hurried downstairs.
The pavilion wasn't big, but it was elegant and clean, with green plants and curtains decorating the interior. Seeing Song Xieqing still leaning against the nearby viewing platform, Zhu Hao casually said, "Thank you."
The man at the stage turned around and said, "Last night, a fire raged, and the Zhu residence was reduced to ashes. The authorities have yet to determine the cause of the fire, so it's not my place to interfere. Everything in this world has its own destiny. I saved you not for personal gain, but because you weren't meant to perish in the wildfire. Just like this month, although you were on the brink of death several times, you managed to find a glimmer of hope. In other words, my saving you was just another part of your destiny, so there's no need to thank me."
Zhu Hao still found it difficult to understand Song Xieqing's bizarre theory of self-proclaimed heavenly authority. According to him, from the moment a living being was born, everything, big or small, was determined by so-called destiny? She simply refused to believe it. For example, You Yan's imprisonment was clearly the result of the concerted efforts of her and the people of Huaicheng. How could the lighthearted phrase "heaven's destiny" negate all their efforts?
If that was the case, could it be that even if she did nothing, You Yan would still be punished by fate, by the laws of nature? Even if she did nothing, even if she didn't have to fight tooth and nail to survive, could she still survive?
How could this be possible? The reason she was able to survive until now was partly due to Song Xieqing's help, but more importantly, it was the result of her own hard work.
She is not a puppet of fate, she should take her life into her own hands.
Although Zhu Hao pondered this in her heart, she was too lazy to argue because of Song Xieqing's kindness in saving her last night. She simply said calmly, "No matter what the Immortal Lord says in response, I only know that it was indeed the Immortal Lord who rescued me from the sea of fire last night. So, shouldn't I express my gratitude to the Immortal Lord? My father taught me since I was young, 'Properties must be followed and people must respect them before they can gain a foothold.' Moreover... I am alone in the world, with only the small house my parents left me and the dowry they hid. The Immortal Lord not only saved me, but also brought back to me the only thing I cherished."
"Song Xieqing, thank you."
Song Xieqing hadn't heard anyone thank him for nearly a hundred years, let alone anyone calling him by his full name. He felt inexplicably uncomfortable, but it was difficult for him to explain the feeling. He only knew that it wasn't because he disliked them.
He looked away, fingertips fiddling with an orchid by the window. "If you're truly grateful, why don't you quickly decide on some jewelry? We haven't even looked at the wedding dress yet, and I imagine the wedding ceremony will take quite a while. I don't want to waste my free time on you."
Zhu Hao pointed casually and said, "No need to pick, this one will do."
Upon hearing this, Song Xieqing glanced her up and down. The young lady was dressed simply, without any gold hairpins to complement her outfit. Her black hair was only tied up with a plain flat hairpin. It is said that clothes make the man, but she relied entirely on her looks to support herself.
"Earrings, bracelets, necklaces, jade rings?" He paused, looking away from her. "It's not that I'm nosy, but this is the rule of Shuyu Tower. Anyone who buys here must purchase at least ten pieces of jewelry. You can choose. If you don't see anything you like, just pick ten or so at random. You can sell them or give them away after the wedding. At worst, you can just throw them away."
Zhu Hao looked at the cabinet full of precious ornaments and was stunned by what he said. Then, she glanced at Song Xieqing meaningfully.
Well, the gods’ silver is not silver.
…
By the time Zhu Hao and Song Xieqing had prepared everything they needed for their wedding the day after tomorrow, the bright moon had already peeked out from the thin clouds. As they passed by a shop that made paper figurines and shrouds for the dead, they happened to run into Fang Xuyin walking out of the shop.
Although Fang Xuyin's mother had passed away for quite some time, her body had not been buried yet because it was related to her brother's case.
The three of them looked at each other, and Fang Xuyin was the first to nod and make friends.
Zhu Hao saw that her complexion had mostly calmed down and she had changed into clean spring clothes. The three of them did not approach her, but just greeted each other and then walked away in their respective directions.
Zhu Hao walked very slowly, and only after she saw Fang Xuyin's figure completely disappear into the moonlit night did she retreat back to the inn she had just passed. Song Xieqing didn't try to stop her, nor did he follow her. After all, Zhu Hao was a grown-up, she would return home on her own time, so why should he worry? If he had to constantly keep an eye on her, wouldn't that be tiring?
The shop was narrow, with colorful paper figurines of handwritten notes piled up around it. A few yellowed and dusty funeral clothes hung on the tilted wooden shelves. Only a one-eyed old woman remained in the shop. Zhu Hao asked softly, "What funeral items did the woman who just came into the shop buy from the old woman?"
The old woman paused her stitching and slowly looked up. Seeing the visitor was a young girl, she assumed she had no ill intentions, so she explained, "It's just an old burial suit and some paper and gold ingots. They said they need them urgently for the funeral the day after tomorrow... Little girl, are you here to buy funeral supplies too?"
Zhu Hao shook her head and took off a white jade bracelet of medium quality from her wrist. This bracelet was given to her by the owner of Shuyu Tower because he saw that Song Xieqing was generous. The owner forced the bracelet into her wrist and did not allow her to refuse.
Zhu Hao handed the white jade bracelet to the old lady and said, "When the girl returns to the shop to get her things, please change her into a new set of burial clothes."
After Zhu Hao left the murder place, he did not rush back to the Song residence, nor did he go to see the burned-down Zhu family home.
She went into a bank alone and handed the deposit slip to the servant on the side. Half a cup of tea later, she saw the servant walk out from the staircase.
He took the bamboo box and said, "Miss Zhu, the amount of silver recorded in the deposit slip still needs to be verified. As the amount is quite large, we will have to wait a few days. However, you may take the things in my arms immediately. This is also your father's wish."
Zhu Hao walked with heavy steps along the long street where the lights were gradually dimming. She held the bamboo basket tightly in her arms, feeling the heat as if she were holding charcoal.
What did Daddy leave for her?
Zhu Hao was in unbearable pain and was in a state of mental distress. She could not wait to return to her residence to uncover the secret. Seeing that there were few people on the long street, Zhu Hao carefully lifted a corner of the box cover.
When Song Xieqing met Zhu Hao on the road, what he saw was a young lady squatting on the ground with a bamboo basket in her arms and crying loudly.
…
Time flies, and the wedding day is here in the blink of an eye.
Since Zhu's house had burned down, Zhu Hao had no choice but to live under the same roof with Song Xieqing, but... he was hardly seen recently.
It was just getting light, the sky was a shade of grey, and a moon-white chrysanthemum in the jade pot was growing very well and had reached its full bloom.
Zhu Haochuo picked up the towel she had prepared last night and washed her face. She casually put on a plain shirt, picked up the chrysanthemums in the jade pot and went out.
The eastern suburbs at the end of the city were still some distance away from the inner city, but fortunately she had hired a coachman in advance.
When she arrived at the Fang family, the sky had turned from blue-gray to blue-gray. There was no cloud in the sky, like a piece of brand new cloth, and the scorching sun still covered the mountains.
The wedding is usually held at dusk, and the auspicious time is set at sunset. Taking into account the time of bathing and dressing, she only needs to return before the afternoon.
Outside the Fang family, she did not hear the mournful music she had imagined, but only the sound of fallen leaves swirling in the wind, which gradually became a melodious sound. The outer door was ajar, and Zhu Hao pushed it open gently. The wooden door was already dilapidated, and rotten wood chips were shaken off with this move.
The Fang family's house is very small, and the courtyard is even narrower. If it is called a "courtyard", it would be more accurate to call it an open space in front of the house. Although it is a humble room, the house is kept spotlessly clean.
Opposite the main gate was a hastily built mourning hall with funeral banners hanging on both sides. Two crudely made coffins were barely placed in the narrow front yard. Fang Xuyin was lying on the coffins for a short rest. The candles in the hall were dimly lit and the morning breeze blew gently, extinguishing a candle on one side.
Zhu Hao tiptoed to the front of the hall, relit the extinguished candle, and placed the chrysanthemum in his hand under the tablet of Fang's mother.
The red sun rose from the peaks, and the first ray of sunlight of the day shone squarely on the girl who was resting beside the coffin.
Zhu Hao bowed down towards the mourning hall and the coffin, and left before Fang Xuyin woke up.
When Zhu Hao hurried back to the Song residence, the powder seller and the matchmaker had already been waiting for her in the boudoir for a long time. When they saw Zhu Hao enter, they said jokingly, "We thought the bride had run away on purpose! We were just about to curse Mr. Song for not being able to keep the young lady he loved! It's really funny!"
After they chatted for a while, they wanted to help Zhu Hao undress and wash up, but Zhu Hao insisted on doing it herself. They couldn't persuade her, so they had to retreat to the outer room and wait.
After Zhu Hao had taken a bath, the powder-selling woman placed her on a brocade stool and applied powder to her hair and put it into her bun.
The wedding dress was chosen by Zhu Hao and Song Xieqing together. To be precise, it was not really a choice. The two parties were not interested in the wedding banquet. They just went through the motions and took whatever dress the shopkeeper recommended. They just roughly compared their sizes, and if they fit, Song Xieqing would buy it.
The makeup and hair style were completed, and the powder seller was about to take out the wedding dress that was delivered in the morning, but was stopped by Zhu Hao.
Zhu Hao pulled out a square bamboo box from the cupboard. She opened the cover and took out a red, silver, snail-green and blue wedding dress embroidered with hundreds of butterflies. Each butterfly was a unique color. Not only that, although the powder seller was not good at embroidery, she could tell that the embroidery on this dress was definitely not done by one person. Despite this, she could embroider hundreds of butterflies so vividly that their embroidery skills were outstanding. The hundreds of butterflies seemed to be dancing out of the brocade, and the main butterfly was even inlaid with pearls and gems.
The powder seller was shocked when she saw the wedding dress. Although she was just an amateur, she could easily see that the dress was very valuable and the satin embroidery was so complicated that it would take months to complete.
The wedding dress was heavy and complicated, and it was a bit difficult for her to help Madam Zhu put it on alone. She hurriedly called a few maids to help. It took her quite a while to finish just one piece of inner garment.
It is said that Zhu Hao should have been waiting at the Zhu residence for Song Xieqing to pick him up, but a fire a few days ago burned down the Zhu residence. The matchmaker who was invited to take charge of the wedding racked her brains and finally came up with a plan. Since the groom could not go to the bride's house to pick her up, it would be a good idea for him to ride a tall horse and lead the young lady in a parade through the streets to liven up the atmosphere.
Song Xieqing was reluctant at first, but when he thought that this was indeed a marriage that could not be refused, he agreed.
At the hour of You, when the sun is setting and dusk is approaching, it is a good time to get married.
At this hour the tourists should have gone home for dinner, but today the long street was filled with common people. When they saw the wedding sedan chair from the Song residence approaching, they consciously stepped aside to make way for the ceremonial procession.
There were children in the crowd carrying flower baskets. When they saw the bride's sedan chair approaching, they began to throw the flower petals from the baskets at the sedan chair. A few of the braver children shouted, "Happy wedding, sister! May you and Brother Song live happily ever after! May you respect each other!"
When everyone heard this, they all clapped and laughed.
…
When they turned back, it was already dark and Zhu Hao was helped out of the sedan chair by the matchmaker.
The wedding veil on her face was made of Xiangyunsha, which was thin and breathable, so Zhu Hao could vaguely see the vague scenery through the veil.
Zhu Hao was led into the hanging flower gate and straight into the inner courtyard. The matchmaker holding Zhu Hao's hand entrusted her to Song Xieqing. His palms were cold, while Zhu Hao's palms were as hot as fire. Song Xieqing couldn't help but frown and look at Zhu Hao.
Suddenly, the night wind blew hard, blowing the wedding cover away.
He saw that the corners of the young lady's eyes were red, obviously she had wiped away tears secretly, and even the bright pink rouge could not hide her tear marks.
She is not ugly at all. On the contrary, the red under her eyes makes her look charming and beautiful.
Tonight the moon is as bright as day, the sky is full of stars, the bright moon is connected with the watchtower, and the myriad of herbs and flowers planted in the courtyard at who knows when are sending bursts of fresh and fragrant fragrance with the east wind.
Zhu Hao was wearing a red, silver, and blue wedding gown embroidered with hundreds of butterflies, and a crown of gold, silver, and pearls on her head. Her sleeves were full of spring breeze, and as her clothes fluttered, several butterflies fluttered in the wind. Zhu Hao only had to stand still, and it seemed as if she had won the favor of hundreds of butterflies. The pearls on her head swayed with the movement, sparkling in the long night. She was born extremely beautiful, and was favored by the moonlight, making her no less than the fairies in the heavenly palace.
She is like a butterfly fairy, temporarily descending to the mortal world.
Their eyes met, and a hint of surprise flashed in their eyes, and then they both looked away.
Zhu Hao then realized that the inner courtyard was already crowded with spectators. She saw many familiar faces, most of whom were ordinary people who had stood outside the hall watching the court proceedings, or who had complained with her about You Yan's crimes.
Shi Chunsheng was even standing in the corner, holding Qinggui's hand, facing her gaze and smiling at her.
Zhu Hao was overwhelmed with emotions, but it was hard to articulate what she was feeling. Just a few days ago, the people of this city had shunned her like the plague, speaking ill of her. Suddenly, they had abandoned all their prejudices and treated her so well, even coming here to participate in this sham wedding. However, it was indeed the people of Huaicheng who had instilled in her a certain level of enthusiasm.
She suddenly caught a glimpse of a woman in a plain skirt not far away, and the wedding veil happened to fall on her shoulders. This person was Fang Xuyin.
Zhu Hao's eyes and nose were sore, and she inexplicably recalled everything that had happened in recent days. She lowered her head to look closely at the wedding dress with butterfly patterns on her body. Every stitch and thread was embroidered for her by her mother and father.
The shoulders and sleeves of her wedding dress were a little too big, and her mother and father hoped that she would be taller and stronger on her wedding day.
Ever since she lost her parents, Zhu Hao felt that fate had been unfair to her. As she grew from a child into a young woman, she suddenly realized that fate wasn't just against her. The world, despite its many jokes and injustices, always managed to pull her back when she was on the verge of death. Fortunately, at only eighteen, she still had many years to fight it. She would thrive in the blizzard, becoming a towering ancient tree, unmoved by rain and unshaken by wind.
Fang Xuyin walked towards her with a wedding hat in his arms, and handed it to Song Xieqing who was standing beside him.
Zhu Hao's voice trembled slightly as he asked, "Why are you here?"
This was not a question, but although today was her wedding banquet with Song Xieqing, it was also the funeral of Fang Xuyin's mother and elder brother.
Fang Xuyin's eyes were filled with tears. She thought of her mother's newly made birthday clothes and the moon-white chrysanthemums that had bloomed this morning. Fang Xuyin retorted, "I should be asking you this. Why are you here?"
The two of them covered their sleeves and laughed at the same time, and Zhu Hao squatted on the ground laughing.
This scene dragged Song Xieqing's thoughts back to the day he and Zhu Hao went shopping for wedding supplies. Even as the moon was covered by gloomy clouds and the streets were deserted, Zhu Hao still hadn't returned. As spring drew to a close, the nights were dreary, and he took a leisurely stroll to relieve his boredom when he stumbled upon Zhu Hao, crouched on the ground, sobbing uncontrollably.
He wasn't quite sure whether Zhu Hao didn't like others seeing her crying, or didn't like him seeing her crying. Anyway, as soon as Zhu Hao saw the person coming, she covered her face and tried to hold back her tears, with only intermittent sobs leaking out of her throat.
Song Xieqing put the wedding veil back over Zhu Hao's face and snapped his fingers.
Only Zhuoshui and the other two women did not show any abnormality. The rest of the people all stopped where they were, and even their breathing stopped.
Song Xieqing looked up at the moon and said, "Cry quickly."
…
The two of them finished their wedding ceremony under the supervision of the matchmaker, and were then sent into the bridal chamber amid the noise of the crowd.
Zhu Hao sat down in front of the couch, occasionally wheezing and coughing, feeling that all the wedding ceremonies had exhausted her physically and mentally. Ever since she fell off the cliff and was flogged, her body had been like the withered pomegranate tree in the inner courtyard, and it was difficult to cure its roots.
I don't know how long I sat there. When I closed my eyes, I suddenly heard steady footsteps coming from outside the door.
With a creaky sound, the door was pushed open by the visitor, and a gust of night wind rushed into the inner room, blowing away all the tiredness that Zhu had felt.
Zhu Hao was restless and panicked. After all, this was her first time getting married. Although she knew that Song Xieqing had no feelings for her, Zhu Hao married him out of mutual benefit. However, Song Xieqing always said, "You have to play it to the fullest." If she followed his words, then the wedding night would be an indispensable and important part of the wedding.
If she wanted to have sex with Song Xieqing...
Zhu Hao's ears were so hot that she found it difficult to continue her daydreaming.
In the flickering firelight, she could only vaguely see Song Xieqing's proud silhouette through the fragrant cloud gauze veil. Then, a green jade auspicious cloud ruyi came into her sight.
However, he only lifted a corner of the wedding cover, and the jade ruyi was quickly withdrawn.
She suddenly heard the person in front of her ask, "Do you have a man you like now?"
Zhu Hao was a little confused by his strange question. The inner room fell into a long silence. Suddenly, the wedding candle exploded.
Song Xieqing loosened his collar and glanced at the mirror beside him. He saw a faint curse thread climbing up his neck, like a thorny vine growing and entwining under the spring sun and rain. Recently, he and Zhu Hao had shared a roof. The curse thread hadn't caused any pain, and its color had gradually faded. The only doubt remained: they had married in the church, and Zhu Hao was his legitimate wife, married with three letters and six betrothals, but the divine punishment caused by the prayer had not completely disappeared.
Although he had been unwilling to face the crux of the matter before, he had already gotten married tonight and the curse was still there, so he had to prepare for the worst.
Song Xieqing was quite patient in asking this question. As the candle burned to the end, he finally heard Zhu Hao's low voice: "No."
As soon as she finished speaking, Zhu Hao suddenly felt a large hand holding her cheek through the fragrant gauze.
Her heart was pounding, and she was about to ask, but the figure in front of her was getting closer and closer. She clutched her wedding dress tightly, rubbing the satin repeatedly to relieve the sudden sense of panic.
Although Song Xieqing did not remove the wedding veil, Zhu Hao could clearly feel their foreheads rubbing against each other, and there was a warm breeze brushing her chin, which was his slow breathing.
Zhu Hao was trying to lift the wedding veil, but before her fingertips touched the Xiangyunsha, her wrist was clamped by someone. The next moment, his lips covered Zhu Hao's lips exactly.
The Xiangyun gauze was thin and light, and in her hands, it seemed like an empty object. The warmth and breath of Song Xieqing's lips made Zhu Hao feel confused and at a loss. She didn't know how to breathe and felt that she would die in a moment.
Song Xieqing raised his eyes and glanced at the mirror table. He saw that the curse thread wrapped around her cervical vertebrae was almost transparent. Song Xieqing noticed that Zhu Hao's body was leaning back frequently. He frowned slightly and grabbed her neck with his backhand.
Song Xieqing didn't let go until the curse faded away. He took a step back and said to Zhu Hao sincerely in silence, "Miss Zhu, I apologize for the offense."
Song Xieqing still remembered that at first, all he needed was for Zhu Hao to marry him and sign the marriage contract, but the current situation was completely different from the day before yesterday. He had to do just as many things as he had asked Zhu Hao to do before. It was true that the root of the matter was that she accidentally threw the hydrangea at his jade statue, but Zhu Hao was an innocent girl after all. One day, she would meet the man she loved. Therefore, no matter how he openly criticized Zhu Hao, he still felt a little guilty in his heart.
However, it's only a few points.
Zhu Hao lifted the wedding veil, and what came into view was Song Xieqing's jaw glowing with bright yellow candlelight.
The Zhu Yin wedding dress he was wearing made Song Xieqing's stern brows softened by the warm light. Song Xieqing's collar was slightly loose, revealing his neck and half of his scapula in front of Zhu Hao. His neck was flushed, and the red mole on his Adam's apple was like a spark in a blazing flame.
The two of them looked at each other in silence, neither mentioning what had just happened.
Zhu Hao blushed, thinking about the "divine punishment" that Zhuo Shui mentioned. She knew that he was helpless, and she didn't suffer any loss, so there was no need to dwell on this matter.
Zhu Hao lowered her head, fiddling with a butterfly on her wedding dress with her fingers, and handed half of the gourd to her.
Newly-weds need to drink wedding wine together.
Zhu Hao took it hurriedly. She was not good at drinking, and because she was in a tight spot, she subconsciously gulped down the whole ladle of wine.
Zhu Hao choked and coughed. Not only was the wine spicy, but the tip of his tongue felt like it was being rubbed by a fine blade. Zhu Hao felt dizzy and the Song Xieqing in front of him inexplicably turned into dozens of people.
She was completely limp, the buzzing of flies could be heard in her ears, and the bright moon by the window was particularly dazzling. Her thoughts came to a standstill, and she fell unconscious on the wedding couch.
…
The clouds in the nine heavens were changing, and the golden palaces and jade towers were far behind Song Xieqing. He had taken off his wedding clothes and was walking up the jade steps.
He suddenly stopped, a sneer on his face, and Song Xieqing turned around - Chi Xing was laughing with a smile three feet away.
Chi Xing pressed her knuckles against her lower lip, "Xie Qingjun, here..."
Song Xieqing raised his hand and lightly touched his lips, but there was no lip balm on his hand. He raised his eyes and looked at Chi Ying, feeling a nameless anger growing in his heart. He was actually fooled by Chi Ying.
He was clearly kissing her through the wedding veil. Although the veil made of Xiangyunsha was as thin as an empty object, he knew his limits and never dared to take any risks or offend her. In this case, how could the young lady's lip balm easily get on his lips?
The funniest thing is that he actually took the bait because of Chi Xing's casual remark.
"Clouds and rain at Wushan, a spring breeze..." Chi Xing swallowed back the filthy words that were about to follow due to a sharp look from Song Xieqing. He coughed dryly a few times to hide his embarrassment, "Actually, I think you could stay in the mortal world forever and stay with Lady Zhu. The life of an ordinary person is but a blink of an eye for the gods, not to mention..."
"What's more?" Song Xieqing was confused and said calmly, "Zhu Hao and I are innocent. Why should we stay together? You don't have to test me so often. If I admire her, I will admit it."
Chi Xing looked at Song Xieqing carefully and said with a long drawl, "Besides, Madam Zhu only has three years left to live."
Song Xieqing's expression remained unchanged. "How do you know? Even gods cannot interfere with the fate of the mortal world. How could Lord Chi Xing know? If I remember correctly, anyone who reads the fate book privately will be punished."
"Bring Qingjun to me? How could I have the guts to do that? I owe it to Father God to reveal Madam Zhu's fate. He knew you'd been troubled by this matter recently, so he asked the Emperor of Heaven to ask the angels who control the fate of the mortal world to find out Madam Zhu's fate. Father God reassures you that she died because of her own fate, and when the time comes, the gods will surely resolve the issue." Chi Xing shrugged and said, "Three years in the mortal world is only three days in this world. Since you have no interest in her, just endure it and it will pass."
Song Xieqing mourned and wished her well. No matter how desperate the situation was, the spark in her eyes never went out. It was ridiculous that fate was the best at mocking people. Those who wanted to live often died young, while those who didn't want to live lived long lives.
However, now that everything is over and the heavenly punishment has been lifted, what does it have to do with him?
Song Xieqing looked at the clouds in the distance and just smiled.
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The author has something to say: Don’t worry, it’s a HE!
Xiao Song is 120+, Pian Pian is 18, Xiao Song is an old cow eating young grass (hehehe)
In the past, when two people looked at each other, Pian Pian was usually the first to look away. This time, Xiao Song also hurriedly looked away (hehe)
Xiao Song now: Do you understand that I should just leave it to fate?
Xiao Song from now on: You are the one who wants my wife to die? Fine, fine, go and leave it to fate, I won’t listen!
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