Seeing that Prince Guo was laughing, the people below gradually became more relaxed. One by one, they began to raise their cups and drink, thoroughly enjoying themselves.
Just then, a shout came from outside the mansion: "The bridal sedan chair has arrived."
Yunli stood up and walked out the door.
The maidservant hurried inside to inform Lanqin and the others, "Your Highness, the bridal sedan chair has arrived."
The Empress Dowager stood up. "The bridal sedan chair has arrived. Take me to see it quickly." After saying that, the maid helped her out, and Lanqin and the others followed.
The bridal sedan chair finally arrived, and firecrackers went off in front of the Seventeenth Prince's mansion. The area was packed with onlookers, including not only high-ranking officials and nobles, but also ordinary people who came to watch from the streets. It was quite a lively scene.
"Alight from the sedan chair," the chief officiant at the head of the procession called out.
Two large red sedan chairs stood on the left and right, with curtains made of bright red brocade embroidered with auspicious flowers, phoenixes facing the sun, and a hundred children motif. Gold and silver tassels adorned the sides, and a long dowry line ran behind them.
Two little girls, about five or six years old, dressed in their finest attire, escorted the bride out of the sedan chair.
Yu Yin's wedding dress was embroidered with mandarin ducks and pomegranates, fastened at the chest with a gold ruby collar button, and covered with a crimson double peacock embroidered cloud and gold necklace shawl, the embroidery on which was so exquisite that the peacocks seemed to come to life.
Meng Jingxian wore a bright red satin dress embroidered with double flowers and birds, with a waist belt draped with twelve flowing skirts of gold and silver depicting clouds and cranes. The skirt was embroidered with a pattern of a hundred children and a hundred blessings, and the hem trailed about three feet to the ground. The edges were trimmed with inch-long gold threads and inlaid with five-colored rice beads, making a rustling sound as she walked.
It seems that both families knew their daughters were getting married alongside others, so they put a lot of effort into their wedding dresses, not wanting to fall behind and become a laughing stock. Not to mention the dowries they sent, which included gold, silver, jewels, and fine silks. It seems that both families went all out, especially Yu Yin's side, because her daughter was a secondary consort, so their dowry was even more elaborate, showing an air of surpassing that of the primary consort.
The two looked like fairies descending to earth, leaving passersby stunned.
To ensure fairness, the Seventeenth Prince chose to welcome both brides inside at the same time.
When Fourth Master saw Lanqin come out and stare at the bride in a daze, he went over and hugged her waist, startling Lanqin.
"What are you doing? You seem so engrossed in what you're looking at?" Fourth Master asked.
"It's nothing," Lanqin said, lowering her head.
"Can't I tell you're troubled? We've been husband and wife for so many years, don't I know you?" the Fourth Prince continued.
Lanqin sighed and said, "I regret that I have never ridden in a bridal sedan chair, nor worn a phoenix coronet and embroidered robe, nor have I ever married you."
The Fourth Prince sighed, "Yes! I didn't have a wedding ceremony with you."
“Being able to have a wedding with the person you love is also a kind of happiness!” Lanqin said, leaning on Fourth Master’s shoulder.
"To be honest, I do envy Yunli a little," the Fourth Prince said.
Yunli stood in front of the gate, listening to the announcer shout again: "The newlyweds step over the fire basin!"
Yunli stepped over first, then reached out to help Meng Jingxian and Yu Yin.
The two brides stepped over the brazier, one after the other.
The officiant continued, "Light incense, light incense a second time, light incense a third time! First kowtow to Heaven and Earth, second kowtow to the elders, third kowtow to husband and wife." The Empress Dowager sat in the main hall, her mouth agape in a wide smile.
"Greetings, Your Majesty," the official in charge of announcing the ceremony said again.
The formalities had already been completed, but since the Fourth Master had arrived today, they bowed to him again.
"Get up," the Fourth Prince said. "I wish you a long and happy marriage and many children."
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