Chapter 251: Snow Reflects Red Makeup, Waiting for the Right Time
At daybreak, icicles still clung to the eaves of Shufangzhai, like strings of transparent crystals. The snow had stopped, and the sun, hidden behind clouds, had stained the sky a pale pink and purple.
Xiaoyanzi woke from the cold. She felt around and found Ziwei and Qing'er still sound asleep. Jinsuo was curled up at the foot of the bed, a faint smile on her face. She quietly got up, stepped barefoot onto the thick felt carpet, and walked to the window, pushing it open a crack. A cold wind whistled in, making her shiver, but also making her feel more awake.
"I'm freezing to death!" She quickly closed the window, and when she turned around, she accidentally hit her ankle against the leg of the dressing table. She grimaced in pain, but dared not make a sound. She could only squat on the ground, covering her ankle.
"What's wrong?" Ziwei was awakened by her movement. She rubbed her eyes and sat up. Her moon-white nightgown slid down to her shoulders. "Did you sprain your ankle?"
Xiaoyanzi shook her head and said with a grin, "It's okay, I just tripped over a table leg." She stood up and limped to the mirror. "Look at my hair, it's like a chicken coop!"
Ziwei smiled and got out of bed, picking up a mahogany comb to help her comb her hair. "I have to go pay my respects to the Empress Dowager and the Emperor today, so I need to comb my hair neatly." Her fingers gently ran through Xiaoyanzi's hair, her movements as gentle as a spring breeze through willow branches. "You, you're always so frizzy."
Qing'er and Jinsuo also woke up, and the room gradually became lively. Mingyue and Caixia came in with hot water. Seeing the jewelry boxes and clothes scattered on the floor, they smiled and said, "Are you awake, princesses? Breakfast is ready: hot porridge and steamed dumplings."
Xiaoyanzi sat at her dressing table, looking at herself in the mirror. She suddenly sighed, "I'm really getting married." She picked up a phoenix hairpin and gestured, "Do you think I'll look like an opera singer if I wear this?"
Ziwei was putting earrings on her. Hearing this, she paused and said with a smile, "No way, our Xiaoyanzi looks good in anything." She fastened the earrings, stepped back and looked at her, "Look, how energetic she is."
Qing'er was wearing a light green cotton-padded jacket and was helping Jinsuo put a silver hairpin in her bun. "Jinsuo looks really beautiful today. With this hairpin, you look even more like a bride."
Jinsuo's face flushed bright red as she looked down at her lilac-colored jacket. "Please stop teasing me, ladies and gentlemen," she said. She pulled a small red cloth package from her dressing box and opened it to reveal a round pearl. "Brother Liu sent this yesterday. He told me to sew it on the collar of my wedding dress."
Little Swallow came over to take a look and stretched out her hand to take it: "Let me see..."
"Be careful!" Jinsuo hurriedly protected it, "Don't fall. This is something that Brother Liu specially sent someone to find from the Pearl Pond in the South China Sea."
Ziwei smiled and tried to smooth things over: "Alright, alright, hurry up and pack up, it's time to go and pay respects." She picked up a pomegranate red cloak and put it on Xiaoyanzi, "It's cold outside, put this on."
Xiaoyanzi put on her cloak, tied the belt, turned around and ran out: "I'll go see if breakfast is ready!"
"Run slower!" Ziwei shouted behind her, with a helpless smile in her eyes.
In the Fang Mansion's study, a charcoal fire burned brightly, warming the blue brick floor. Yongqi stood by the window, watching the servants sweeping the snow in the yard. His dark blue prince's formal attire made him look tall and straight.
"What are you thinking about?" Erkang walked in with a brocade box in his hand, and there was a little snow foam on his sky-blue robe.
Yongqi turned around and said with a smile, "I'm thinking about tomorrow's procedures, worried about missing anything." He walked to the table and picked up a piece of red paper covered with densely written words. "Look at the steps of the wedding ceremony. Aren't they too complicated?"
Erkang placed the brocade box on the table and opened it to reveal a jade hairpin with a lifelike crape myrtle flower carved on the head. "Don't worry, the Ministry of Rites has made all the arrangements." He picked up the hairpin and said, "This is what I prepared for Ziwei. I'll put it on her tomorrow."
Yongqi picked up the jade hairpin, examined it, and praised, "This carving is truly fine. Ziwei will surely like it." He put the hairpin down and pulled out a small silver whistle from his bosom. "I prepared this for Xiaoyanzi. She said that if she wants to see me in the future, she can just blow it and I'll be there."
Erkang laughed: "You are the only one who spoils her." He walked to the table and poured himself a cup of hot tea. "Yesterday I went to see Ziwei, and she found the plum blossom hairpin her mother left behind and said she wanted to wear it when she got married."
Yongqi nodded. "Ziwei is a sentimental person, so this is fine." He looked out the window. "Where's Xiao Jian? Hasn't he come back yet?"
"I guess he went to buy plum blossoms for Princess Qing," Erkang said, taking a sip of tea. "He said Princess Qing likes the red plum blossoms from Jiangnan, so he sent some over there on horseback."
As he was speaking, Xiao Jian pushed the door open and came in, still wearing a cold air. He was wearing a dark blue cotton robe and holding a white porcelain vase with a few red plum blossoms in bud.
"You're back?" Yongqi went to greet her. "These plum blossoms are really beautiful. Qing'er will definitely like them."
Xiao Jian placed the vase on the table and said with a smile, "I had them pick it out specifically so it can be opened tomorrow." He rubbed his red, frozen hands and said, "I just passed by the guesthouse and saw Liu Qing pasting the Double Happiness pattern on the window. It was done crookedly, and Jinsuo scolded him. Haha."
Erkang also laughed: "Liu Qing is a rough-handed man. It's really difficult for him to do such delicate work."
Yongqi picked up the process sheet on the table and read it again: "It's almost time, we should go to the palace, don't let the emperor and the queen mother wait anxiously."
The three of them walked out together. The snow in the yard was swept to the sides, revealing the bluestone pavement. The sun finally broke through the clouds, shining on the snow, making it hard to open your eyes.
In the main room of Shufangzhai, Xiaoyanzi was spinning in front of the mirror, wearing her modified wedding gown. The pearl tassels swayed gently with her movements, making a small sound.
"How is it?" she asked Ziwei and Qing'er, with a little pride on her face, "Isn't it beautiful and convenient?"
Ziwei sat on a chair, needle and thread in hand, sewing the last pearl on her wedding dress: "It looks good, but don't get too carried away. Don't jump around like you do today tomorrow."
Qing'er helped her adjust the hem of her skirt. "The curve of this skirt is just right. It doesn't drag on the ground, but it looks elegant." She picked up the shawl draped over the back of the chair and said, "Here, try this on."
After putting on the shawl, Xiaoyanzi immediately felt more dignified. She walked to the mirror and looked at herself. Suddenly, she felt a little embarrassed and her cheeks flushed slightly.
"It's really beautiful." Jinsuo stood aside and admired sincerely, "Princess Huanzhu looks like she stepped out of a painting when she put on this wedding dress."
Little Swallow was a little flattered by the praise. Just as she was about to say something else, Little Stool and Little Mosquito ran in, panting.
"Princess! Princess!" The little stool was holding a sugar figurine in its hand, a grinning groom. "Prince Rong asked me to bring this to you, saying that you can taste its sweetness."
Little Mosquito held up a red paper bag and said, "Gee whiz! This is what Uncle Fu gave to Princess Mingzhu. He said it's top-notch rouge, perfect for tomorrow!"
Ziwei took the rouge, opened it and smelled it, a faint floral fragrance filled her nose: "Thank Erkang for me."
Xiaoyanzi picked up the candy figurine, took a big bite, and said incoherently, "Yongqi really understands me!" She passed the candy figurine to Jinsuo's mouth and said, "Try it too."
Jinsuo shook her head: "No, princess, I still like the candy cakes made by Brother Liu."
Qing'er looked at them with a smile on her lips, and the needle and thread in her hand kept moving, embroidering her hopes for the future into the small purse.
The sunlight outside the window grew warmer, shining on the red silk, on the wedding characters, and on everyone's smiling faces. The air was filled with the sweetness of sugar, the fragrance of rouge, and a thick, unbreakable anticipation.
Tomorrow is the big day.
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