Chapter 7 The Wedding.
Jade noticed that she had been looking worried and sighing for a long time.
They praised her, saying she was absolutely stunning today, outshining all the other beauties, and the maids and old women behind her all chimed in with the same sentiment.
To say that she should be the most beautiful woman in the capital shows that those people in the capital have no taste.
Ji Wanyuan loves beauty. In the past, she always wanted to use the best, the most gorgeous, the most precious, the rarest, the most dazzling and sparkling things... She didn't care about anything else and just focused on the word "best".
The reason she pursued Wen Qiyan so relentlessly was not only because she fell in love at first sight with this aloof, elegant, and refined man, but also because he was the "most outstanding" young master from a prominent family in the capital.
Jade praised for a long time, but Ji Wanyuan still didn't show a smile. She seemed to be daydreaming and looked listless.
He then leaned closer and whispered to her what he had overheard from the maid in charge of purchasing a few days ago.
It is said that when the noble ladies of the capital heard that she had married the eldest son of the Wen family, their hearts were broken, especially the young lady of the Lin family. "The old matriarch of her household said that she has been claiming to be sick for many days and has not shown her face. In my opinion, she may be hiding and crying."
“In the past, she used to be known as the most talented woman and the most beautiful woman in the capital, which put you ahead of me, Miss. But now she still hasn’t won the favor of the eldest son of the Wen family. Let her cry.”
If it were in the past, Ji Wanyuan would have been overjoyed to hear these words, and would have proudly raised her head and said yes! But now she still had a sullen face, and her eyes were filled with deep sorrow that lingered for a long time.
It's no wonder she's not happy. She's married to Wen Qiyan now, but if the Wen family's problems aren't resolved, she'll die when she's in her final month of pregnancy, and the Wen family will also be in trouble.
She wasn't getting married happily; she was going to her death in a grand and dramatic way.
When the thought of dying comes up, who cares about all these romantic comparisons and rivalries?!
According to the information I learned from the storybook, in less than two years, Wen Qiyan gained a foothold in the imperial court by handling the case of the prime minister. The following year, he married the white moon of his heart, which was that Lin family girl, the thorn in her side!
The two of them ended up living happily together, but the child she left behind suffered from isolation and neglect and died young.
Lin Nianxi was the one who had the last laugh, how could she be happy?
Moreover, although Wen Qiyan is already considered outstanding among the young masters of noble families of the same age, two years later he will truly be at the pinnacle of power, enjoying unparalleled prominence and attracting much attention!
When Lin Nianxi married him, she was even more glamorous than she is now. How could she possibly smile? She was furious.
Thinking of this, Ji Wanyuan began to grit her teeth again, twisting the red veil in her hand into a pretzel and tearing it in half.
Seeing this, the old woman quickly coaxed her to take it away, saying that the auspicious meaning of mandarin ducks playing in the water and butterflies flitting among flowers should not be ruined, and served her tea to make sure she drank it.
"Miss, these are auspicious cakes made by the madam herself. Please have some, because there won't be any left when we go out later."
"Take it away! Take it away!" How could she possibly have the appetite to eat?
Jade's face showed worry. "Miss, what's wrong with you..." It was as if she was possessed. Not only did she lose interest in everything, but she also became moody.
"you--"
Before he could finish speaking, the wedding procession from the Wen family arrived outside.
"Hurry, hurry, we can't miss the auspicious time."
Before Ji Wanyuan could say a word, the maids covered her head with a red veil, plunging her into darkness. Amidst the hurried voices around her, she was helped out like a puppet on a string.
"..."
Inside the main hall of the Ji family residence, guests filled the room.
The newlyweds are listening to their parents' words of advice.
Despite her repeated attempts to hold back, Madam Ji couldn't help but tear up, and her voice trembled slightly with a sob, even though she was smiling.
Ji Wanyuan couldn't see her mother's face, but her nose tingled because of her mother's voice.
Only now, listening to the earnest teachings of her parents who have loved her for so many years, did she truly feel the reality of getting married.
Once she stepped out of that door, she gained another identity.
She felt like crying, so she sniffed hard to stop herself from crying, lest she lose control of her emotions and break down.
"..."
The handsome, aloof man, made even more striking by his red wedding attire, naturally noticed the subtle movements of the woman beside him, who was wearing a red veil.
He glanced at her almost imperceptibly out of the corner of his eye, but finding nothing amiss, he impatiently looked away.
After Madam Ji finished speaking, the old woman beside her shouted, "Miss is going out!"
Suddenly, the sounds of gongs, drums, and sheng music arose.
Ji Wanyuan was helped out step by step.
Watching her daughter's figure disappear through the gate, Madam Ji couldn't help but turn her head away and wipe away the tears that welled up in her eyes. Prime Minister Ji sighed and patted her shoulder.
"..."
Upon arriving at the hanging flower gate, Ji Lingyue, as the elder brother, even though he was not a biological son of the Ji family, escorted Ji Wanyuan out of the gate.
Noticing the unfriendly gaze directed at him, Wen Qiyan calmly met it.
The two locked eyes, and a fierce undercurrent of tension surged beneath their gazes. Though no flaws were visible on the surface, only the two of them truly understood.
Ji Lingyue was the first to look away, his voice gentle, "Yuanmei, let's go, I'll see you off today."
"Um."
After a moment of silence, the bride spoke.
Wen Qiyan glanced at her red veil, on which the pattern of mandarin ducks playing in the water was embroidered beautifully, so much so that it was glaringly obvious against the red silk and displeasing to the eye.
Just like the feeling she had always given him, it was exactly the same.
"..."
When the prime minister marries off his daughter, the preparations are handled by the two ministries of the imperial court. Needless to say, the scale of the event is extraordinary. The red bridal procession stretches for miles, and the wedding procession and the escorting procession are as dense as a river or lake.
Look at that huge dowry! Everyone marvels at Ji Wanyuan's good fortune; how did she end up being born as the prime minister's only legitimate daughter?
She was pampered from a young age and got whatever she wanted. Even the princesses in the palace didn't have it as good as her, mainly because the Ji family was powerful and received great imperial favor.
Wen Qiyan and Ji Wanyuan are both controversial figures among the prominent families of the capital.
The former is dazzling and renowned, while the latter... is infamous and its story is hard to describe.
The main reason is that the two of them already had a "connection". Everyone in the capital knows that the Prime Minister's daughter, Ji Wanyuan, is in love with Wen Qiyan and has been pursuing him relentlessly for years. Unfortunately, he has no interest in her and never gives her a second glance or speaks a word to her.
The eldest son of the Wen family and the young lady of the Lin family get along quite well. The Wen and Lin families also have a friendship. The young lady of the Lin family is gentle and graceful, much better than the arrogant and spoiled Ji Wanyuan.
If you're going to marry, marry Miss Lin.
Who would have thought that the Wen family would actually marry the Ji family?! It truly shocked everyone in the capital. The imperial decree of marriage bestowed by the emperor instantly caused a huge uproar in the capital.
There were too many people watching the spectacle. Even if they weren't there to watch the excitement, everyone wanted to grab the lucky money and gift bags distributed by the Prime Minister's residence. So no one wanted to leave, and the imperial court sent the Capital Guards to guard the area.
Although most people were stopped, many people still gossiped about it.
Then someone said, "I heard that the Prime Minister's daughter and the eldest son of the Wen family had an affair before their marriage..."
"What do you mean, 'private'?" someone nearby chimed in.
The person who started the conversation lowered their voice, "What private? What else could it be but a private matter, of course it's a personal relationship."
"How is that possible?" The person who answered counted the lucky money they had snatched. There was a lot of money inside, almost a month's wages.
"It's common knowledge in the capital that the eldest son of the Wen family doesn't like the young lady of the Ji family. They used to avoid her like the plague. How could there be any romantic relationship between them?"
"How could there not be? I was delivering wine to the restaurant when I overheard people gossiping in the alley. They said that before dawn, they saw the eldest son of the Wen family come out of the back door of the restaurant that Miss Ji used to like to rest at."
"If there were no personal reasons, why would you try to avoid people? The news has spread all over the area."
The person who heard the story sounded very convincing and carefully counted the silver coins twice became interested, "Really?"
Those who had been eavesdropping nearby squeezed in, asking, "Did you see clearly? Was the person coming out of the restaurant where Miss Ji was resting really the eldest son of the Wen family?"
"It was too early at the time, and it was foggy, so I couldn't see clearly, but I could see a person wearing a moon-colored brocade robe, with a dignified and extraordinary bearing. It really looked like him."
"Is it... fake?" Some people remained skeptical without seeing it with their own eyes.
"What do you mean, fake? I think it's real. How many people can squeeze into the restaurant that Miss Ji went to? It's the most famous restaurant in the capital, Wangyue Tower. Not only are the food and drinks expensive, but people who can stay there overnight must be someone of importance, so..."
The person who said this didn't finish their sentence, making suggestive gestures with their eyes and ears.
"Besides, if there really is nothing wrong, how come the Ji family and the Wen family have never had any dealings with each other, and suddenly the Emperor has bestowed a marriage upon them?"
"Yes, yes, I also heard that a few days before the marriage was arranged, Prime Minister Ji and his wife visited the Wen family. Some time after they left, Madam Wen asked someone to hire a matchmaker to find a live goose!"
"Oh, there's more to this story! Then it must be true."
"I really can't believe that Young Master Wen used to be so disgusted with Miss Ji. How come he's been having an affair with her? Could it all be an act?"
"Men, you know."
A man with a pointed snout and monkey-like face, cracking peanuts with his teeth, scoffed, "Aren't they all the same?"
"Miss Ji's reputation is somewhat inferior to Miss Lin's, but her figure is excellent—that slender waist, that full bust… neither of the two Miss Lins can compare…"
As he spoke, his demeanor became increasingly lewd, and he rubbed his hands together, revealing a sly grin.
The men around them also burst into laughter.
The women and old women nearby looked over with disgust and disdain, “…”
After a long, swaying ride in the bridal sedan chair, we finally arrived at the Wen family home.
This should be considered Ji Wanyuan's first proper visit to the Wen family. She had been here before, but that time... let's not even mention it.
After getting off the bridal sedan chair, Wen Qiyan was needed to greet and lead her.
In front of others, one must put on a good show, so even if he was unhappy, Wen Qiyan's expression remained calm and composed, and his every move was flawless.
On the contrary, Ji Wanyuan, when her hand was placed in the man's large palm at the prompting of the maid, couldn't help but shiver when she touched that cold surface.
Some long-past images, still hard to forget, flashed into her mind: being tossed and turned, repeatedly humiliated, her pleas for mercy ignored, and being bullied to the point of tears.
She was so frightened that she instinctively defended herself and subconsciously pulled her hand back.
The woman's soft, delicate hand had just lowered when she pulled it back before he could take it, her fingertips, adorned with pink and red nail polish, lightly brushing against his palm...
It inexplicably reminded him of that disgusting affair from the previous month.
He was filled with rage and an irrepressible urge, and barged in without any mercy, wanting nothing more than to kill this reckless and audacious woman.
She clung to him tightly in pain, as if grasping at the last piece of driftwood. In her excessive force, her fingertips scratched and broke his back.
At that time, Ji Wanyuan used a lot of force, which felt spicy and painful, far less intense than the slight itch and tingling sensation she was experiencing now, like a cat scratching her.
What trick is she playing now?
A flash of displeasure crossed Wen Qiyan's eyes. He grabbed her hand tightly and pulled her forward.
Ji Wanyuan felt the powerful force under the man's palm.
She winced in pain but dared not cry out. She could only bite her lip, swallowing her words with aggrieved resentment.
"..."
A note from the author:
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Here they are! [rainbow fart]
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