Chapter 043: Marriage, wedding night
The so-called "makeup gift" is an important wedding ritual on the eve of a woman's wedding, expressing the blessings of her family and friends for the bride and their support for the new family. Participants are generally the bride's female elders, sisters, and other ladies.
Qin Xue is unlucky. Apart from Qin Laicai, she has no other female elders.
If she had married someone else, there would probably be very few female elders who would come to her house to add to her dowry.
But the man she was marrying was Liu Zhiyan, a recent high school graduate from the capital. He was also the son of Ye Qinghan, the renowned first female official of Zhao State. This meant many people were eager to establish friendship with them and to establish connections with their family.
As a result, many female elders came to her house to add makeup, which surprised Qin Xue and her father.
The gifts given as make-up gifts are all very valuable.
The father and daughter were not stupid, so they naturally knew that the gift was not really for them, but for Liu Zhiyan, who was married to them.
The father and daughter had said long ago that they would not bring any trouble to the Liu family or Liu Zhiyan from any gossips, so they treated these dowry gifts and dowry people with ulterior motives to a good meal, and when they left, they let them take all the gifts back intact.
And tell them clearly that they can have less contact with each other in the future if there is nothing to do.
Their family does not want to have too much contact with such a snobbish family.
This is the gift of makeup from the elders in the morning, so it would be better to give more when adding makeup to Sister Qin Xue in the afternoon.
Guessing that the same situation would occur in the afternoon, Qin Xue had some return gifts prepared in advance at noon. For those girls who came to her house on their own without much acquaintance, she would directly send a return gift, and then send the girl away along with the dowry she brought with her.
There is an unwritten rule when giving betrothal gifts to others, which is that the better the relationship and the closer the affection, the later the gift should be given.
Among the ladies, Qin Xue interacted more with the three sisters of the Wang family, and the ones she was closest to were the Cheng Jingshuang sisters.
So, these five people were the last ones to come and add makeup to her.
Therefore, Qin Xue had the most time to greet the five of them.
She brought the five people who had come to her house to add makeup to the flower hall in her courtyard. After the maids served tea, Qin Xue finally breathed a sigh of relief. "I only sent out ten invitations, but there were more than thirty people who came to visit."
"This is the first time I know how popular I am." Qin Xue said this with a hint of sarcasm.
Among those who came today, many of them had said that her father was too indulgent towards her, raising her like a straw bag, and were 'worried' that she would completely ruin the Qin family in the future.
"Now I understand what it means to 'bring prosperity to the whole family'."
Qin Xue casually mentioned the reason why she was different from her past self. Wang Lai Di, who was about to say something sarcastic, stopped herself and only said a little bit of sarcasm, "Congratulations, not only do you have a husband who is about to become a god, but he also has a very important background. It's hard not to want to curry favor with you."
Wang Lai Di, the second of the three sisters in the Wang family, loves to be sarcastic about others. Qin Xue didn't care what she said. "Then, sister Lai Di, are you trying to curry favor with me like them?"
When they were playing together, because Ruan Ruyi, who loved to compete with Qin Xue, was there, Qin Xue basically chose to ignore Wang Lai Di's occasional sour words.
Now that Ruan Ruyi is not leading the charge, Wang Lai Di's sour words stand out.
Wang Lai Di originally thought that she would do as she did before and ignore the sourness in her words.
I didn't expect her to ask me such a direct question, and I was stunned for a moment.
In the end, it was Wang Zhaodi, the third daughter of the Wang family, who came to the rescue, "I think that now, Sister Xue, not only are all the girls in Yangzhou Prefecture trying to curry favor with you, but even all the girls in Zhao State want to curry favor with you."
"After all, you're about to become the daughter-in-law of Ye Qinghan, the first female official of the Great Zhao Kingdom. Which woman wouldn't want to be close to Ye Qinghan?"
"Everyone wants this opportunity, but Sister Xue'er is the only one who gets it. How can this not make people want to curry favor with her?"
"Third sister is right." The eldest sister Wang Sidi echoed Wang Laidi's words, "Other people who don't know Sister Xue'er definitely won't have the chance to curry favor with you. Those of us who used to be good friends with you should have at least some chance, right?!"
Because she had been groomed as an heir since she was little, Wang Sidi actually looked down on people like Qin Xue who only cared about eating and drinking. In her eyes, just like in the eyes of the world, Qin Xue was a fool, someone she was not very willing to associate with.
She originally thought that a person who only knew how to eat and drink would never achieve anything great in his life.
I didn't expect that this person hadn't come out to eat and drink for half a year, and then appeared in everyone's sight again, which was so surprising.
If she was like other ladies, only caring about herself, she would definitely not show up on this occasion today. But she wanted to take over everything in the Wang family and become the one in charge of the Wang family, so she had to show up on this occasion today.
Not only do you have to show up, but you also have to establish a friendly relationship with her.
Qin Xue always knew that Wang Sidi looked down on fools like her. Of course, as someone who was being trained as a successor, even if she looked down on her, she would not do anything to be criticized.
She had never said or done anything inappropriate to herself. Of course, she didn't participate in their ladies' parties most of the time. It was only after Wang Xingsheng was adopted into the Wang family that she began to appear at their ladies' parties.
So, in fact, Wang Sidi didn’t have much contact with this group of ladies.
To be honest, Qin Xue was quite surprised that she came along today.
Qin Xue responded to her words like this, "The Qin family's door is always open to all the sisters. If you want to come, we are always here to welcome you."
"We dare not disturb you while you're studying so hard," Cheng Jingshuang continued. "Of course, you have a famous teacher now, and you're making rapid progress every day. We're not as lucky as you, but we don't want to be left too far behind, so we have to spend more time studying."
"Ever since we went to audit the academy with you in August, my second sister and I have been spending a lot of time studying every day. Although we're not as reclusive as you, we really haven't been out much either."
Cheng Jingrou followed her words and continued, "I didn't understand before why you just said you didn't want to attend our party. But after spending some time at home studying, I realized that this simple life has its own unique charm."
"Although a month and a half has passed and I still haven't found something I really like, the process of finding something I like is a good thing in itself."
"No wonder I felt that you looked better than ever this time." Qin Xue was very happy to hear Cheng Jingrou say this. "So people should still have something to pursue. When you have something to pursue, you will be like a radiant being."
"To encourage me, my mother gave me a shop and let me run it myself." The mother Cheng Jingrou mentioned was her stepmother, Cheng Jingshuang's biological mother. "She said that if I could increase the shop's profits, the increased profits would be given to me as my own private property."
"My second sister has some talent in mathematics. My mother now asks her to help with the accounting." Cheng Jingshuang added.
Although the two sisters were not from the same mother, Cheng Jingrou's concubine was originally a maidservant of Cheng Jingshuang's biological mother. After being promoted to concubine, she always adhered to her duties and never overstepped her bounds. Cheng Jingrou was also taught by her to respect her mother and always put her elder sister first in everything.
Therefore, the relationship between the two sisters has always been good.
"It's because my mother loves me that she gave me such a good opportunity." Cheng Jingrou said sincerely.
Seeing the three of them being so affectionate, Wang Lai Di suddenly said, "To put it nicely, your mother loves you, but to put it bluntly, you can't distinguish between legitimate and illegitimate children."
"Second sister, stop talking nonsense." Wang Sidi said coldly, "Apologize."
"I didn't say anything wrong." She was still afraid of her elder sister, so she spoke in a low voice.
Other Huizhou merchants might be afraid of the three sisters of the Wang family because of the Wang family's wealth, but Cheng Jingshuang was not.
She looked straight at Wang Lai Di, who looked unconvinced, and retorted bluntly, "It's true that not distinguishing between legitimate and illegitimate children is not good, but no matter how bad it is, it's better than some families where legitimate and illegitimate children kill each other."
"Who killed the legitimate wife and the illegitimate child? Explain clearly."
"Whoever takes the lead will be criticized." Cheng Jingshuang doesn't like conflicts, but that doesn't mean she won't fight back if someone comes to her. "Let's put everything else aside, just talk about Wang Xingsheng's matter. How dare you say it has nothing to do with you?!"
Everyone knows that Wang Xingsheng's escape was caused by the biological mother of the three sisters.
Hearing the hidden meaning in her words, Wang Sidi frowned and said, "Miss Cheng, you can eat whatever you want, but you can't say whatever you want."
"Miss Wang, you'd better take care of your sister first. If she doesn't start trouble first, I won't bother to waste my breath on arguing with her." Cheng Jingshuang met Wang Sidi's sharp eyes and replied slowly.
The incident of Wang Xingsheng not only caused the head of the Wang family to be ridiculed, but also caused great harm to the three sisters of the Wang family.
Ever since his incident, the three sisters of the Wang family have been criticized whenever they go out.
Wang Lai Di hated hearing people mention him the most, and when Cheng Jingshuang brought him up, she immediately flew into a rage. "That bitch Wang Xingsheng deceived my father and made the Wang family the object of ridicule. You don't punish him, but instead you're here blaming us, the victims. Miss Cheng, don't you think that's unkind?"
"I'm just using your own spear to attack your shield. How is that unfair?!"
As the host, Qin Xue didn't let them continue arguing, but instead changed the subject to herself. "Tomorrow is my lucky day. You guys came here to congratulate me, so shouldn't you say something festive and auspicious to me?"
"Yes, yes, we haven't thanked her yet." Cheng Jingrou quickly took over the conversation, "I wish Sister Xue'er a happy marriage and a harmonious marriage."
"I wish Sister Xue'er a happy marriage, a life together as a pair of mandarin ducks."
"I wish Sister Xue'er a happy marriage with twin flowers and a beautiful tree."
"I wish Sister Xue'er a happy marriage and a long line of descendants."
"I wish Sister Xue'er will have many children and grandchildren after she gets married."
The next day, before dawn, Qin Xue was pulled out of bed by two maids, Tang Shuang and Su Shan.
She washed her face, had breakfast, then put on a bright red phoenix crown and bridal robe, and sat in front of the dressing table waiting to be put on makeup.
In ancient times, when a woman got married, she needed to have her face opened by a married woman.
The so-called blessed woman is a female elder whose parents and parents-in-law are still alive, whose husband and wife are in harmony, and who has both sons and daughters.
The blessed lady invited by the Qin family was none other than Cheng Jingshuang's mother, Madam Cheng.
The so-called face-opening is that the married woman uses a thin thread to twist off the hair on the bride's face. This is a symbol of the bride's farewell to her girlhood and is something that every married girl must experience.
Mrs. Cheng stood beside Qin Xue holding a thin red thread, staring at the little girl sitting on the round stool. Looking at her rosy little cheeks that seemed so red that water could be squeezed out of them, she felt a little reluctant to do anything to her face.
From the corner of her eye, she saw Mother Cheng staring at her face but not taking any action. Qin Xue turned her head and asked her, "Aunt Cheng, is there something wrong?"
"Your little face is so delicate, I can't bear to touch it." As she spoke, she stretched out her hand and pinched her cheek. The touch was smooth and elastic, and it felt great. "Look at this little face, you can pinch it to make water come out. It's great to be young."
She is nothing like she is now, with loose and flabby skin.
Not to mention men, she herself doesn't like any of them when she sees them.
"No matter how beautiful one's appearance is, it will eventually age. Not everyone can be like you at your age, with parents and parents-in-law still alive and two sons and one daughter." Over the past six months, she and Cheng Jingshuang have become closer and closer, and she is also more familiar with Cheng's mother than before. "When I reach your age, if I can be a happy wife like you, then people will envy me."
"You are becoming more and more pleasant to listen to. No wonder Shuang'er and the other two sisters like to play with you more and more."
Before Qin Xue changed, although Cheng Jingshuang and her sister did not look down on her like other people did, they did not have a very deep friendship with her.
After Qin Xue changed, with her intentional efforts, Cheng Jingshuang and her sister did get closer to her.
Mrs. Cheng had heard a lot about Qin Xue's changes from the two sisters. As someone who had experienced it, she knew better than anyone that once a person found the direction of his or her efforts and was willing to spend time and energy to learn and do it, success was only a matter of time.
She was happy to see her two daughters get closer to ambitious people, so she never stopped them from interacting with Qin Xue.
Unexpectedly, this girl's luck was far greater than she imagined.
Not only did she have her own pursuits, she also became the daughter-in-law of the first female official of the dynasty, and was said to be very much loved by Lord Ye.
Thinking of this, Mrs. Cheng was very glad that she had never been a person who judged others by their appearance. Even before Qin Xue changed, she never looked down on others just because they only knew how to eat and drink.
Seeing her staring at her and not making a move, Qin Xue thought she was reluctant to do it, so she couldn't help but say, "Aunt, I'm ready, you can do it now."
The energetic voice brought Mrs. Cheng back to her senses, and she quickly gathered her thoughts. "Then I'm ready to take action."
"It will take about half an hour to an hour, and there will be slight pain."
Qin Xue nodded to indicate that she understood. "Okay, I understand. Go ahead."
Mrs. Cheng first spread a layer of fine powder on her face, then picked up the thin cotton thread on the table, folded it in half, bit the folded part with her mouth, and covered the two ends with her hands to form a cross triangle.
Because she had cotton thread in her mouth, Mrs. Cheng couldn't speak anymore. She just nodded to her and started to move.
The triangle fork was placed against her cheek, and before Qin Xue could think about it, the lines on her cheek began to move...
The string caught Qin Xue's hairs, causing her to shudder with the sting of being pulled out by the roots. The string left her cheeks. Mrs. Cheng didn't rush to catch up with her face until she recovered and then moved her face closer to the string. "You can continue."
After what happened just now, Qin Xue was prepared. This time when Mrs. Cheng attacked again, even though the pain was still there, Qin Xue did not react too much.
Seeing that she had adapted, Mrs. Cheng began to speed up.
The thread flew between her fingers, leaving Qin Xue's skin burning, then reddened, and finally strangely smooth. Her movements were expertly executed, touching her brows, temples, and jawline, leaving no trace. Sweat beads formed on her forehead, but she didn't bother to wipe them away, concentrating on adjusting the angle of the thread, fearing that too much pressure would hurt Qin Xue, while too little would prevent her from removing all the hairs.
Tang Shuang stood aside, holding a handkerchief in her hand. Seeing the sweat on Madam Cheng's forehead getting more and more, she couldn't help but whisper, "Madam, why don't you take a break? I'll wipe your sweat for you."
Mrs. Cheng didn't even raise her head, only shaking it. Still biting the cotton thread, she couldn't speak, only letting out a soft "hmm" from her throat to indicate she was fine. Qin Xue watched her focused expression, her heart warmed, and her nerves, once tense from the stinging pain, gradually relaxed. She sat obediently, her gaze fixed on herself in the bronze mirror, watching the fine hairs on her cheeks gradually disappear, her features becoming clearer. She felt a strange sense of anticipation.
After about three quarters of an hour, Mrs. Cheng slowly loosened the cotton thread in her mouth and breathed a long sigh of relief. She stepped back, carefully examined Qin Xue's face, and nodded with satisfaction. "Okay, feel it yourself and see if it's smoother."
Qin Xue raised her hand and gently brushed her cheek with her fingertips. The touch was even finer than the finest silk. The faint hairs that were there before were gone. "It's much smoother now."
Looking in the mirror again, her originally rosy cheeks turned a light blush, like the petals of peach blossoms that had just opened in spring, revealing their tenderness.
She is truly more beautiful than flowers. Just looking at her makes me feel so good. “No wonder people say a woman is most beautiful on her wedding day.”
In the past, I had to wear makeup to attend banquets, big or small. However, no matter how good the makeup was, it never matched the look I have now.
"Opening the face is just the first step. You can say this after you finish putting on makeup." Mrs. Cheng took the handkerchief handed to her by Tang Shuang, wiped the sweat from her forehead, picked up the teacup and drank a sip of warm water to moisten her throat, then she said this.
Sushan had already set up the dressing table. In the rosewood box, there were rouge, gouache, and black ink, all of which were high-quality products carefully prepared by the Qin family.
Mrs. Cheng opened a small gilded box containing fine white pearl powder. She dipped some on a piece of fine silk and gently applied it to Qin Xue's face, her movements as gentle as if she were afraid to break a fragile porcelain doll. "This pearl powder is very fine. Not only will it be easy to apply rouge later, but it will also nourish the skin."
Qin Xue closed her eyes, feeling the coolness of the fine powder falling on her face. She could hear Mrs. Cheng's gentle voice in her ears and the faint fragrance of rouge and powder lingered around her nose. The nervousness about getting married in her heart slowly turned into anticipation.
She thought of Liu Zhiyan, his usually gentle features, and the focused look on his face every time he looked at her. The smile on her lips deepened a little.
"Okay, it's time to draw eyebrows." Mrs. Cheng picked up a piece of black ink and compared it to the bronze mirror. "You have good eyebrows and eyes. You don't need to draw too thick eyebrows. Just draw eyebrows like distant mountains to make you look gentler." As she spoke, she gently held Qin Xue's chin, asked her to raise her head slightly, dipped the tip of the brush in some water, and carefully outlined her eyebrows.
The color of Luozidai is dark brown, not as thick as ink, and the eyebrows drawn with it look natural and lively.
Mrs. Cheng's technique was very skillful. With just a few strokes, her eyebrows instantly curved like distant mountains, complementing Qin Xue's eyes perfectly. Qin Xue looked at herself in the mirror, and there seemed to be a touch of charm in the corners of her eyebrows and eyes that she had never seen before.
"Aunt, your cooking skills are really good." Qin Xue praised sincerely.
Madam Cheng smiled, put down the black ink, and picked up a box of rouge. "Now, put on the rouge."
She dipped her fingertips in some rouge and gently smudged it on Qin Xue's cheekbones. The red color gradually spread, as if it was coming from her skin, natural and bright. "You have fair skin, so this kind of rouge looks best on you. It makes you look more healthy."
"Okay, the last step, lip balm." Madam Cheng picked up a tube of lip balm and compared it to the bronze mirror. "You have small lips, so let's get cherry lips." As she spoke, she gently pinched Qin Xue's lips, put a dot of lip balm in the center of her lips, and then slowly spread it out, leaving only the bright red dot in the center of her lips, like a ripe cherry, very tempting.
The makeup was finally done. Mrs. Cheng took a step back, looked at Qin Xue carefully, and nodded with satisfaction, "Okay, take a look for yourself."
Qin Xue looked into the bronze mirror. The girl in the mirror had eyebrows like distant mountains, eyes full of autumn water, a face as rosy as a peach, and lips like cherries. Her bright red phoenix coronet and bridal robe made her even more dazzling and charming. She had never seen herself like this before. It felt both strange and familiar, and her heart was filled with joy.
"It's really beautiful." Sugar Frosting and Sushan exclaimed in unison.
At this moment, Ye Qinghan's voice came from outside the door, "Xue'er, the auspicious time is almost here, are you ready?"
Qin Xue had been an orphan since childhood, and there were no female elders in the Qin family. Ye Qinghan felt sorry for her, and since they were married in the Qin family, Ye Qinghan simply played the role of her mother.
Qin Xue's heart leaped with joy when she heard Ye Qinghan's voice. She looked at the woman who walked into the room and said, "Sister Ye, I'm fine now."
Stopping Madam Cheng from bowing to him, Ye Qinghan looked at his satisfied daughter-in-law with approval, "She's so beautiful! That brat Zhiyan is so lucky."
Then she thanked Madam Cheng for dressing Qin Xue, "Thank you, Madam Cheng."
Thinking about the rumors from all sides since Qin Xue’s marriage was decided.
Especially when people knew that the man she was going to marry was the youngest son of Ye Qinghan, the top female official of the dynasty, malicious speculations became innumerable.
Not to mention others, Mrs. Cheng is also worried.
Qin Xue was worried that she would be wronged in this unequal marriage.
But when she saw with her own eyes the concern for Qin Xue in Ye Qinghan's eyes, Mrs. Cheng knew that she was worrying for nothing.
Thinking of this, she was sincerely happy for Qin Xue. "Xue'er is a girl I have watched grow up since she was a child. I can dress her up with my own hands and watch her get married with my own eyes. I am so happy."
Hearing her say this, Ye Qinghan suggested, "Then why don't we put the phoenix crown on her together?"
Mrs. Cheng would naturally not refuse to do such a meaningful thing with the first female official of the dynasty.
So, the two of them carefully picked up the phoenix crown and put it on Qin Xue's head.
The Phoenix Coronet was very heavy. When Qin Xue first put it on, she felt a little uncomfortable and shook her head slightly. Madam Cheng quickly supported her: "Slow down, the Phoenix Coronet is heavy, you have to hold on tight, don't let it fall."
Tang Xing and Su Shan also hurried forward to help Qin Xue straighten the folds of the shawl, making sure every part was neat and proper.
After making sure that everything was in place, Qin Xue walked out of the room step by step, surrounded by a group of people.
Outside, a red carpet stretched from the room to the courtyard entrance. The courtyard was covered in red silk and wedding characters. The servants were all dressed in festive clothes, with smiles on their faces. In the distance, the sound of gongs and drums could be heard. They were the instruments her father had specially invited to celebrate her and Liu Zhiyan's wedding.
Thinking of the upcoming wedding ceremony, Qin Xue took a deep breath, straightened her back, and walked out step by step with a firm yet gentle smile on her face...
When Liu Zhiyan said he would marry into the Qin family, he was not just talking about it, but really did it.
Therefore, their wedding ceremony was held at the Qin family today, and Qin Xue went directly from the side courtyard to the main hall to worship him.
The Qin family is rich, and today, all the places where people walk in the Qin Mansion are covered with brand new red carpets.
When a normal woman gets married, she is carried on her brother's back.
But Qin Xue has no brothers, no biological brothers, no cousins, and no cousins.
Unable to find a suitable person to carry her, she simply suggested walking to the main hall to get married.
Anyway, there was a brand new red carpet on the floor, so she didn't step on the floor, so it wasn't anything out of the ordinary.
Qin Laicai originally disagreed, but Ye Qinghan said: Today she has the courage to get married on her own, and if she is not happy in her marriage, she will have the courage to leave one day.
Qin Laicai was persuaded by Ye Qinghan's words and agreed to let his daughter walk to the outer courtyard by herself.
Ye Qinghan was wearing a phoenix crown and a red robe, and walked out steadily and steadily with lotus steps.
The maids in the corridor held their breath and watched their young lady wearing a phoenix coronet and a red robe, walking alone on the red carpet with an upright posture and no trace of timidity.
Both sides of the red carpet were filled with guests, most of whom were regular customers of the Qin family, and some of Qin Xue's close friends.
At first, some people murmured, "Why don't we see the Qin family's brothers carrying the bride?"
But watching Qin Xue's steady steps, the discussion gradually turned into admiration. "It's true that when you've been away for three days, you should look at someone with new eyes. I didn't expect that the completely changed Miss Qin would have such a dignified demeanor. You really can't judge a person by appearance."
In the past, when Qin Xue only knew how to eat and drink, countless people felt sorry for Qin Laicai.
It's a pity that he only has this one daughter and is unwilling to remarry and have another son.
He was worried that Qin Xue, his daughter who only knew how to eat, drink and have fun, would squander his family fortune sooner or later.
Who would have thought that in just half a year, this girl had become like a completely different person.
The noises of these people were quite loud, and Qin Xue could vaguely hear some of them, so her steps became more steady.
She knew that what she was walking on today was not just the red carpet, but also the days she would spend with Liu Zhiyan in the Qin family in the future - she did not need to rely on others, and with her own courage, she could also walk a perfect path.
When they reached the main hall door, Liu Zhiyan was already waiting there. He was wearing a bright red groom's suit, and his eyes were fixed on Qin Xue from under his black hat. Seeing her approach, he hurriedly stepped forward and stretched out his hand to help her, but then he remembered etiquette and curled his fingers at his side. Finally, he just whispered, "Xiaoxue'er, you're here."
Qin Xue looked up at him, seeing his eyes filled with tenderness and approval. Her heart warmed, and she softly hummed a "hmm." The bridesmaid stepped forward at the perfect moment and sang loudly, "The newlyweds are seated, and the ceremony begins."
The candlelight in the hall crackled, and the sandalwood on the altar curled up, circling the tablets of "Heaven, Earth, Emperor, Parents, and Teachers", adding a bit of solemnity. The bridesmaid first looked at Qin Laicai, and her voice became a little higher: "First bow to Heaven and Earth, second bow to your parents——"
Qin Laicai walked over to the left side of the altar and sat down on the armchair, which was covered with a thick red brocade cushion. He looked at the newlyweds in front of him, his eyes filled with satisfaction, relief, and even a hint of moisture...
The daughter he had cherished for more than ten years was about to get married.
Although she was not getting married like other girls, Qin Laicai still couldn't help feeling reluctant when she thought that the couple would have to go to Beijing soon after their marriage.
However, he knew that his daughter was able to marry her son-in-law and marry into a prominent family like the Liu family, so he should be content.
Be content...
Seeing his father-in-law's expression, Liu Zhiyan quickly pulled his wife along and knelt down in front of Qin Laicai. The red silk slipped from their shoulders and draped over the red carpet, like two intertwined red threads.
"Father-in-law" Liu Zhiyan's voice was steady and powerful, and he looked at Qin Laicai with burning eyes, "Don't worry about leaving Xue'er to me. I will protect her for the rest of her life and will not let her suffer any grievances."
Qin Laicai knew Liu Zhiyan's current state, and he must have thought so in his heart, "Dad believes in you."
But people's hearts change easily. Thinking this way now doesn't mean you will think this way forever. "However, if you no longer have feelings for Xue'er in the future, just tell me directly. I will definitely not tie you down."
His wife died young, and he wondered if she were still alive today, would he still be so completely absorbed in her. But he had seen too many couples who were so in love when they first got married, only to become bittersweet lovers over time.
He didn't want the couple in front of him to be like this in the future.
Liu Zhiyan wanted to say that day would never come, but he knew that this was Qin Laicai's deep love for his daughter. "If that day ever comes, I will definitely tell my father-in-law."
Qin Laicai nodded, and then said in a choked voice, "Get up and live a good life."
Liu Zhiyan kowtowed to Qin Xue three times. When he stood up, Liu Zhiyan did not forget to hold Qin Xue's arm, fearing that she would lose her balance.
Qin Laicai finally felt better after watching this scene.
After paying respects to her father-in-law, the bridesmaid turned to Ye Qinghan and sang, "Three respects to mother—"
In fact, for those who really marry into the bride's family, there is no such thing as the groom paying respects to his new mother.
But although their wedding was a marriage of the bride's wife, they said from the beginning that it would have a completely different etiquette.
Therefore, both Qin Laicai and Qin Xue insisted on joining the part of paying homage to Ye Qinghan.
Ye Qinghan has the soul of a modern person. Even though he has lived in this dynasty for decades, he still has a modern heart.
He doesn't care much about whether his son marries his wife or gets married.
In her opinion, as long as the child is willing, he will still be filial to her even if he marries into her family.
The child is not interested. Even if you marry him, it will be useless except to make you angry.
Of course, her in-laws and daughter-in-law had good intentions, so she didn't refuse.
So, she accepted the wedding ceremony.
Today she was wearing a dark blue jacket embroidered with orchids, and a red gold and kingfisher hairpin in her hair. She looked at the newlyweds in front of her with a gentle smile.
Liu Zhiyan and Qin Xue knelt down again and kowtowed to Ye Qinghan.
Ye Qinghan accepted the gifts from the two, and then said solemnly, "Minxing, your father told me to tell you to treat Xiaoxue'er well and not to tarnish our Liu family's reputation of loving their daughters-in-law."
Liu Zhiyan nodded, "Mom, I'll remember this."
Ye Qinghan turned to Qin Xue again and patted the back of her hand. "Xiaoxue'er, remember that I will always be your Sister Ye."
Qin Xue nodded vigorously, her eyes warm, and whispered, "Thank you, mother." This "mother" was more intimate than before outside the bridal chamber. When Ye Qinghan heard it, he smiled so much that his eyes curved.
When the wedding ceremony was over, the bridesmaid sang loudly, "Husband and wife bow to each other."
Liu Zhiyan and Qin Xue stood facing each other. The light and shadow from the red carpet fell on them through the window lattice. Liu Zhiyan looked at Qin Xue's eyebrows under the phoenix crown, and remembered her walking the red carpet alone just now. His heart was filled with admiration and love. He whispered, "Xiaoxue'er, let's walk the road ahead hand in hand."
Qin Xue looked up, met his gentle gaze, and nodded gently. They bent down and kowtowed to each other. As they stood up, Liu Zhiyan's fingers quietly hooked around Qin Xue's. Qin Xue's cheeks flushed, but she didn't let go, letting him hold her.
The guests in the hall applauded and cheered, and someone shouted with a smile, "Mr. Liu, Miss Qin, I wish you a happy marriage!"
Someone else joked, "Mr. Liu, you must listen to Miss Qin from now on. After all, Miss Qin dared to walk the red carpet by herself. She is no ordinary woman!"
Liu Zhiyan smiled and replied, "Of course." As he spoke, he carefully supported Qin Xue, fearing that she would step on the hem of her shawl.
When the wedding ceremony was over, the bridesmaid shouted loudly, "The auspicious time has arrived. Send her to the bridal chamber."
The sound of gongs and drums rang out again, even more lively than before. Liu Zhiyan supported Qin Xue and walked along the red carpet to the bridal chamber. Qin Xue walked on the red carpet, feeling the warmth of Liu Zhiyan's palm, and looking at the smiling guests on both sides, she suddenly felt that her decision today was not wrong.
So what if she didn't have a brother to carry her out? With her own courage, she walked out a path of her own to get married, and also found someone who was willing to accompany her for the rest of her life.
Thinking of this, the smile on Qin Xue's face became even wider.
The two walked hand in hand to the bridal chamber, and after entering the bridal chamber, they turned around and closed the door.
The flickering candlelight in the bridal chamber illuminated the bright red decorations, creating a warm and festive atmosphere. Liu Zhiyan looked at Qin Xue, reached out and gently removed her phoenix crown, revealing her long black hair. "Xiaoxue'er, you look so beautiful today."
Qin Xue sat in front of the dressing table, looking at herself in the mirror, then glanced at Liu Zhiyan behind her, a gentle smile on her lips, "Of course, the day you become a bride is the most beautiful day in a woman's life."
"Wrong, as long as there is enough love, a woman can be the most beautiful every day." Liu Zhiyan said with reason and evidence, "Just look at my mother and you will know."
His mother, Ye Qinghan, is old now and her face is a little frosted, but her beauty is no less than when she was young.
It should be said that his mother has different beauty at different ages.
Thinking of Sister Ye's ageless face, Qin Xue was filled with envy. "When I get to Sister Ye's age, I wish I could be like her."
"You have your own goals now. I will love you like my father loves my mother. You can do it."
Sister Ye was her idol. Qin Xue had heard a lot about her. Occasionally, when she chatted with Liu Zhiyan, she would also hear about how Sister Ye got along with her father-in-law. Now, hearing her husband say this, Qin Xue couldn't help but feel anticipation. "Okay, I'll wait."
After the couple finished drinking the wedding wine, Liu Zhiyan had to go out to entertain the guests, while Qin Xue stayed in the bridal chamber, waiting for the wedding night...
The bridal chamber was located in the main courtyard of the Qin family, which was also the courtyard where Qin Xue lived before. Qin Xue was not unfamiliar with this place.
But she has never been here since it was decorated as a bridal chamber.
So, after Liu Zhiyan left, she sat upright on the bed and looked around the room where she had lived for more than ten years.
She sat on a bright red quilt embroidered with mandarin ducks, which complemented her crimson wedding dress, delicately embroidered with gold-thread peonies, creating a festive atmosphere. On an antique display stand in the corner, Qin Laicai meticulously selected jade vases and porcelain pillows, all arranged in pairs. From the ceiling hung a large red palace lantern, its candlelight flickering, casting a warm glow throughout the room. Even the air was filled with the faint aroma of incense and candied fruit.
"Miss, please have some lotus seed soup to fill your stomach first. Your son-in-law is entertaining guests outside and may not be back for a long time." Sushan came in with a bowl of steaming lotus seed soup and handed it to Qin Xue carefully.
Qin Xue didn't know whether other brides were reserved or not.
Anyway, she is not reserved at all.
After all, this is her territory, and the people serving her are all old people who have been with her for more than ten years.
So, she took the bowl from Sushan, picked up the spoon and began to enjoy it. The sweet taste spread on the tip of her tongue, "Sweet, soft and delicious."
"I knew you would like it."
After Sushan served Qin Xue her meal, Tangshuang began to help her take off her phoenix crown and help her wash and dress.
After she changed into comfortable pajamas, she heard light footsteps outside the door, and then the door was gently pushed open.
Qin Xue looked up and saw Liu Zhiyan walk in. His bright red wedding suit was still neat, but his black hat was held in his hand. His hair still smelled of alcohol, and his cheeks were slightly flushed. Perhaps because he had drunk quite a bit, his steps were slightly unsteady, but his eyes were still clear, and he looked straight at her the moment he entered.
"Xiaoxue'er, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting." Liu Zhiyan walked over to the bed and sat down. His voice was a little hoarse from the alcohol, but still gentle. He reached out, wanting to touch Qin Xue's cheek, but was afraid that the alcohol on his hand would offend her. His fingers paused in mid-air, and finally he just gently held her hand on her knee.
Qin Xue shook her head and her eyes fell on his face, "There are many guests outside, you must have worked hard to entertain them." She noticed that there was a little oil stain on Liu Zhiyan's cuff, thinking that he accidentally rubbed it when he was entertaining guests just now, so she reached out to help him wipe it off, but was stopped by Liu Zhiyan.
"It's nothing, just a small matter." Liu Zhiyan said with a smile, "Just now, my father-in-law pulled me aside and gave me a lot of instructions. He just wanted me to treat you well and not let you suffer any injustice."
He paused, his eyes becoming extremely serious. "Xiaoxue'er, don't worry. I promised my father-in-law that I will never break my promise. In the days to come, I will definitely protect you and make you happy."
The trust of his beloved woman made Liu Zhiyan's heart warm. He slowly leaned over and gently kissed Qin Xue on the forehead, his movements as gentle as a feather. Qin Xue's heartbeat instantly accelerated, and her cheeks turned even redder. She lowered her eyes slightly, not daring to look Liu Zhiyan in the eye.
Resisting the urge to take a step closer, Liu Zhiyan let go of the person and went to the bathroom...
After bathing, he returned to the bridal chamber with the cool water vapor and sat next to Qin Xue who was still waiting for him on the bed. Liu Zhiyan said, "Xiaoxue'er, let's go to bed."
After saying this, Liu Zhiyan reached out and hooked the silver hook on one side of the curtain. Then, when he turned around, he saw Qin Xue still sitting on the edge of the bed, gently twisting the hem of her clothes with her hands. Her eyelashes drooped like butterfly wings, and even the tips of her ears were stained with a faint red. He walked lightly and blew out most of the candles on the table, leaving only two in the corner, making the light in the room as soft as if it were soaked in warm water. "The night is getting cold, get under the quilt quickly."
Qin Xue heard his gentle voice and slowly raised her eyes. She saw him standing in the candlelight, the moisture in his hair had dried, and the strands of hair hung down in front of his forehead. He was less dignified than during the day and more casual and homely. She said "hmm" softly and got into the quilt sideways.
Qin Xue had just laid down when she felt a slight sinking on her side. It was Liu Zhiyan lying next to her.
It was the first time for the two of them to sleep in the same bed. Liu Zhiyan was afraid that she would not be used to it, so he deliberately left half a fist's distance between them.
The twin lotus flowers embroidered on the curtains were faintly visible in the candlelight. Qin Xue could smell the faint scent of soapberry on him, mixed with the lingering hint of alcohol, which made her feel strangely at ease. She was stunned when her wrist was suddenly gently grasped. Liu Zhiyan's palm was warm, wrapping around her slightly cold hand.
Thinking about what was going to happen next, Qin Xue couldn't help but curl up the hand that was being held.
Noticing her nervousness, Liu Zhiyan soothed her gently, "Don't be afraid, I'm just warming your hands." Then he asked her, "Are you exhausted today?"
Qin Xue's originally tense nerves gradually relaxed because of his words, "I'm fine, but you, after drinking so much wine, still have to deal with the guests..."
Before he could finish his words, Liu Zhiyan gently interrupted him, "I'm a man, this little bit of wine is nothing."
Qin Xue looked up at him, the candlelight fell into his eyes, reflecting tiny lights, brighter than the brightest stars in the night sky.
Thinking that this was the person who would accompany her for the rest of her life, Qin Xue suddenly put her hand on his waist and buried her face in his chest, "Liu Zhiyan, it's great to have you."
The beloved girl took the initiative to throw herself into his arms. Liu Zhiyan could no longer bear it and turned over to press her under him...
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