Chapter 227: The Phoenix Crown is First Donned, Smiles Fill the Courtyard
Before the morning mist had dissipated, newly pasted red lanterns were already hanging from the eaves of Shufangzhai. The "囍" characters on the lanterns were dampened by the morning dew, making their crimson even brighter. A small table was stepping on a ladder, pasting a bright red couplet on the door frame. The top line read, "Swallows dance and orioles sing to welcome a good son-in-law," and the bottom line, "A perfect match for a happy marriage." The ink was still wet, emitting a faint scent of pine smoke. A small insect squatted by the doorstep, applying gold powder to the edges of the couplets, imitating the magpie's call: "Chirp, chirp, may you have a son soon! Chirp, chirp, may you live together till old age!"
"You've rubbed the gold powder you applied onto the doorframe!" Little Mosquito came running out of the kitchen carrying a tray filled with steaming sweet-scented osmanthus cakes. "The Empress and Madam Rong will be here soon. If they see you smearing the doorframe with all sorts of colors, they'll make you copy the Palace Rules!" He was wearing a newly made black short coat, and the collar was stained with flour, but that didn't stop him from yelling. "Oh my goodness, the Empress is here in person. This is a huge honor. We have to make the yard look sparkling!"
Xiaoyanzi was sitting in front of the mirror, Mingyue combing her hair into a bun. She was wearing a soft, water-red satin jacket with a gold-embroidered swallow at the collar. Her hair was half-tied up, with some strands sticking up unruly. She reached out to smooth it back, but Mingyue slapped her hand away, saying, "Princess, don't move. This is the new 'mandarin duck bun' you've just learned. You have to comb it neatly, or the Empress will complain."
"Just keep nagging me," Xiaoyanzi made a face at the mirror. The girl in the mirror had curved eyebrows and eyes full of clever smiles. "Anyway, the Queen is very nice to me now. Last time I dropped her jade hairpin, she didn't even scold me."
"That's because the Empress loves you." Ziwei walked in, holding a brocade box in her hand. She was wearing a lilac dress with lotus embroidery on the hem. She walked to the mirror and opened the brocade box. Inside were two phoenix crowns. "This is what the Empress sent. She said it's for our wedding. Try it on and see if it fits you."
The phoenix corona was inlaid with tiny pearls and rubies, its tail feathers woven from gold thread, and the dangling beads sparkled. Little Swallow gasped in amazement, "This must weigh several kilograms! My neck will break if I wear it on!" She grumbled, but still asked Mingyue to help her put it on. As soon as she put it on, she tried to shake her head, and the beads clattered. She frightened herself and quickly held onto the crown, "Ouch! If one of these beads falls off, I can't afford to pay for it!"
Ziwei was amused by her and reached out to help her straighten the crooked beads. "Slow down, this phoenix crown was worn by the Empress when she was young. It's said that those who wear it enjoy harmonious marriages." She also picked up another phoenix crown and asked Caixia to gently place it on her bun. The beads drooped by her cheeks, making her eyebrows and eyes even more gentle. "Look, doesn't it look good like this?"
"It does look pretty, but it's too heavy." Xiaoyanzi looked left and right in the mirror, and suddenly reached out to take off the phoenix crown and put it on the table. "I'll wear it on the wedding day. Wearing it now will delay my sword practice!" As she said this, she was about to run out, but was stopped by a figure at the door - the queen was wearing a bright yellow casual dress with a gold phoenix embroidered on the collar, and Rong Mama followed behind her, holding a red lacquer box in her hand. Both of them stood in the corridor with smiles on their faces.
"You took it off right after putting it on. Do you think the phoenix crown I gave you isn't pretty enough?" The Queen walked in, her tone teasing. Her eyes fell on the phoenix crown on the table, her eyes full of love. "When I got married, I wore this phoenix crown for a whole day. My neck was stiff, but my heart was filled with joy."
"Empress!" Xiaoyanzi saluted quickly, her cheeks flushed slightly. "It's not that it doesn't look good, it's that it looks too good. I'm afraid it'll get damaged."
Rong Mama placed the red lacquer box on the table and opened it. Inside were two gold bracelets engraved with the words "Forever Together" and two strings of beeswax Buddhist beads with round, plump beads. "The Queen said these bracelets are for the princesses to keep as a treasure," Rong Mama's voice was much gentler than before. She picked up a string of Buddhist beads and put them on Xiaoyanzi. "These beads were obtained from Mount Wutai. They guarantee safety and success. Wear them on your wedding day, and the Buddha will bless you."
Xiaoyanzi touched the gold bracelet on her wrist. The cool metal touched her skin, but her heart was warmed. "Thank you, Queen, and thank you, Aunt Rong! You are so kind to me."
The Queen took Ziwei's hand and asked her to put the phoenix crown back on. She looked at it carefully and said, "Our Ziwei looks more and more like a lady from a noble family when she wears the phoenix crown." She turned to Rong Mama and said, "Bring me the copy of 'The Grand Wedding Ceremony'. You can teach them carefully to avoid any problems on the wedding day."
Rong Mama pulled a blue-covered booklet from the box and opened the first page, which depicted the wedding process: "On the wedding day, you must step over a fire basin and walk on a red carpet. When you worship heaven and earth, you must bend your waist just right. When you pay your respects to the Emperor and Empress, you must kneel three times and kowtow nine times..." She pointed to the pictures and explained, tapping her finger lightly on the paper. "Princess Xiaoyanzi is impatient, so you'll have to go slowly and don't get your skirt dirty."
"I know!" Little Swallow stuck out her tongue, but obediently leaned over to take a look. "Is stepping over the fire basin like warming yourself over a blazing fire during Chinese New Year? Is stepping on the red felt the same as walking on a red carpet?"
"Almost," Rong Mama was amused by her, and the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes smoothed out. "But the rules in the palace are more strict. When you step over the fire basin, you must lift the hem of your skirt to prevent the flames from burning your clothes. And when you step on the red carpet, you must take each step steadily, which symbolizes that the future life will be peaceful and stable."
Ziwei listened carefully and took out a pen and paper to write down the key points. The tip of the pen moved across the paper, leaving behind beautiful handwriting: "I will remember everything that Mammy said. I will not make any mistakes when the time comes."
"Our Ziwei is the most attentive." The Queen nodded with satisfaction and turned her gaze towards the doorway, where she saw Yongqi and Erkang standing, each holding a cloth bag. They had probably heard the commotion and come over. Yongqi, dressed in his dark blue uniform, noticed that Xiaoyanzi wasn't wearing her phoenix crown and asked with a smile, "Why aren't you wearing it? From a distance just now, you looked like a beautiful golden phoenix."
"What do you care?" Xiaoyanzi glared at him and pushed the phoenix crown on the table towards him. "Try trying it on. It's so heavy you can't even lift your neck!"
Yongqi actually picked up the Phoenix Coronet and carefully placed it on his head. He stumbled a bit just as he put it on, causing everyone to laugh. He held onto the top of the coronet and smiled bitterly, "It's really heavy. Our Little Swallow is amazing. She's been wearing it for so long without complaining of being tired."
Erkang handed Ziwei a cloth bag containing a pair of red embroidered shoes with lotus flowers on their stems. The soles were thickly stitched and the stitches were fine. "I asked Fu Jin to have them made. The soles are padded with cotton so your feet won't get tired even if you walk a lot on your wedding day."
Ziwei picked up the embroidered shoes, and her fingertips stroked the lotus on the upper. Her eyes were slightly warm: "You are always so thoughtful."
The Queen looked at them and smiled at Rong Mama, saying, "Look at these two pairs of children, how well-matched they are." She stood up and adjusted the hem of her skirt. "It's getting late. I should return to the palace. Make good preparations. If you have any questions, ask someone to ask me." She walked to the door and turned back to remind them, "It will be cold on the wedding day. Remember to wear an extra coat under your wedding dress to keep warm."
After seeing off the Empress and Rong Mama, the sun was already high in the sky, its warm rays filling the courtyard. Xiao Xiaostool brought a small table and placed freshly brewed Biluochun tea on it. Xiao Wenzi brought a plate of freshly fried Sanzi, crisp and steaming. Xiaoyanzi picked up a Sanzi and handed it to Yongqi, taking a big bite herself. She mumbled, "Do you think it will snow on the wedding day? If it does, it will look beautiful with white snowflakes falling on the red carpet!"
"Maybe it will snow," Yongqi helped her wipe the crumbs from the corner of her mouth, his eyes full of tenderness, "When the time comes, I'll warm your hands with a warmer to make sure you don't get cold."
Ziwei and Erkang sat nearby, watching them playfully, smiling at each other. The red silk beneath the corridor fluttered gently in the wind, red lanterns swayed in the sunlight, and in the distance came the sound of court musicians practicing wedding music. The crisp suona music, mingled with the laughter of the crowd, echoed for a long time in the courtyard of Shufangzhai, like a warm ballad, singing of the impending consummation.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
