Broken Linglong (23)
Ye Yingying's eyes lit up, and she wanted to tell Yun Yanqiu about it immediately, but as soon as she reached the door, Zhi Que blocked her way: "Miss Ye, tomorrow is the wedding day, and we absolutely cannot afford any more mishaps at this time!"
Seeing that Zhique looked nervous, Ye Yingying comforted her, "It's just a trip to Lingyun Inn, you'll be back soon."
"That won't do!" Zhi Que said seriously. "You haven't been out for days, and you don't know how many maids and guards have suddenly appeared in the manor. If you go out now, you'll definitely be discovered!"
"I see..." Ye Yingying stroked her chin thoughtfully. She had come in such a hurry that she hadn't even brought a communication talisman with her. She had thought that since they were all on the same side, she wouldn't need one, but now it was inconvenient. "In that case, could you take a letter to the inn for me?"
"Ah, me?" Zhi Que exclaimed, "This... I don't know where Lingyun Inn is..."
Ye Yingying fell silent. She really hadn't expected that Zhi Que, who had been in Yuancheng with Qin Zhiqing for almost a month, still didn't know the layout of the city.
"I usually stay in the manor to serve Miss..."
Zhi Que sounded somewhat aggrieved, making Ye Yingying feel embarrassed to say anything negative about her. She sighed helplessly and resignedly said, "Fine, I'll just talk to Qi Shuojun tomorrow."
Tomorrow is the wedding, and there's still no news from Qin Zhiqing. Ye Yingying is already prepared to wear a red veil and "get married" in Qin Zhiqing's place tomorrow. However, Ye Yingying didn't expect the wedding schedule to be so tight. She had only slept for less than three hours when she was woken up by the chattering voices outside.
Ye Yingying rubbed her eyes and sat up in bed. A spirited old woman led a group of maids into the room, each carrying a wooden box tied with a red ribbon. They stood in a line, heads bowed, awaiting the old woman's command. Ye Yingying was startled by this sight; her eyes widened, and she froze on the bed, too afraid to move.
The old woman bowed to Ye Yingying expressionlessly: "Miss Qin, it's time to get ready."
At a command, the head maid placed a wooden box on the table and opened it, revealing a wooden comb and hairpin tied with red silk. Immediately afterward, Zhique brought in a basin of water from outside and walked to Ye Yingying, saying, "Miss, it's time to get up."
"It's not even dawn yet outside!" Ye Yingying said through gritted teeth, lowering her voice.
"It takes one or two hours to get ready, so just accept it..." Zhi Que replied softly, as she wrung out a handkerchief and then wiped Ye Yingying's face.
If it were Qin Zhiqing herself, she would have known these procedures by heart, but unfortunately, the person in question is Ye Yingying.
Ye Yingying, used to being wild, had never seen anything like this before. Dizzy, she was led by the maids to the dressing mirror and given a thorough makeover, with her hair combed and styled. She was told to close her eyes and bow her head as well. Sometimes, when her hair was pulled and she cried out in pain, the old nanny next to her would complain about how rough her hair was.
Ye Yingying rolled her eyes so hard they almost reached the sky; she hadn't expected getting married to be so troublesome. Zhique, waiting quietly to the side, watched Ye Yingying silently, thinking to herself: The real trouble is yet to come.
After the maids finished styling her hair, Ye Yingying was lifted up to put on her wedding dress. The moment she saw the bright red and gold-embroidered gown, Ye Yingying was truly amazed, but that amazement was quickly worn down by the endless dressing and grooming. She was like an emotionless wooden puppet, only able to obey commands, raising her hand, stretching her leg, bending over—the clothes and jewelry grew heavier and heavier. By the time all the clothes and jewelry were on, Ye Yingying clearly felt that she had gained about five or six pounds.
If she had known it would turn out like this, she would never have taken this job... Ye Yingying blankly let the maid apply makeup to her face, and finally picked up a large red flower woven from silk and covered her head with the veil. After everything was prepared, the old woman said, "Miss Qin, please come with me."
With that, Ye Yingying, supported by Zhique, went out with the old woman. The mansion was no longer quiet; it was bustling with activity. No matter where they went, Ye Yingying could hear the servants banging drums and gongs and saying auspicious words to them. She was overwhelmed by the festive noise and arrived at the main gate in a daze.
"Miss, go and pay your respects to Master Qin and Madam Qin," the nanny reminded her.
Ye Yingying was disoriented and stood there stunned for a moment. She only turned around when she felt Zhique pulling her arm. Ye Yingying could not see the expressions of the two people in front of her. She could only see the tips of their shoes through the gap under the veil. So she bowed straight forward twice.
Qin's father was quite displeased with Ye Yingying's overly straightforward bow. Normally, he would have immediately reprimanded her for her improper posture, saying it was a disgrace to the Qin family. However, with countless eyes watching, Qin Chaofeng could only put his hands behind his back and force a smile, saying, "After you enter your husband's family, you must be self-disciplined and observe proper etiquette. Do not break the rules."
Qin's mother, who was standing to the side, already knew the true identity of the "bride" in front of her. At this moment, she had no mind to say any polite words. She just looked at Ye Yingying with a complicated expression and did not say a word. To outsiders, she looked like a mother who was reluctant to let her child get married.
The old woman naturally noticed Ye Yingying's rough and casual manner of bowing. She coughed twice and quickly said, "The auspicious time has arrived, please get into the sedan chair, young lady."
As soon as she finished speaking, joyous music suddenly rang out, and gongs and drums resounded. Ye Yingying felt a group of people suddenly surge around her, crowding around her and sending her into the red sedan chair. As soon as she was seated, the sedan chair was lifted up and began to sway back and forth.
Immediately afterwards, the crackling sound of firecrackers resounded through the sky, and the streets on both sides of the bridal sedan chair were packed with onlookers, a dense sea of people. The wedding procession was extremely long, like a winding dragon weaving through the streets. On both sides of the outermost edge of the procession were maids carrying baskets. Every short distance they went, they would take out a handful of flower petals from their baskets and scatter them among the crowds on both sides of the street, causing everyone to jump up and scramble for them.
Occasionally, passersby who were unaware of the situation would be drawn to the scene and couldn't help but complain, "What's so great about scrambling for flower petals?"
"Buddy, you're too naive! This is the wedding of the Qi family's young master. They're not just scattering flower petals, they're scattering silver too!"
"Silver?" The passerby rubbed his eyes, then looked closely and saw that there really were a few pieces of silver sparkling in the sunlight among the large petals! "Wow, is it for real?!"
The old man with a stubble beard next to him chuckled: "They used to scatter gold ingots when they got married, but unfortunately it was too noisy and almost killed someone. So they just scattered loose silver now."
The passersby were dumbfounded, truly experiencing just how wealthy the Qi family was. He unconsciously glanced at the wedding procession again, remarking, "Which girl is so lucky to marry into their family? Young Master Qi is so handsome; the bride must be a great beauty too."
The bridal sedan chair completely concealed the bride, making it impossible to see what she looked like. Everyone could only guess at her appearance based on their imagination, and occasionally someone who knew a little about her couldn't help but boast, "I heard that the bride is the eldest daughter of the Qin family in Youcheng. She's as beautiful as a fairy and has long been infatuated with the young master of the Qi family."
"Come on, what kind of woman hasn't Young Master Qi seen? Do you think he'd marry her just because of her looks?" The girl next to him rolled her eyes.
"Tsk tsk tsk, what man isn't lustful? I think you're just jealous that she can become Mrs. Qi, and you're just being sour here."
"Pah! I think it's you ugly freak who can't stand seeing our Young Master Qi being handsome and rich, so you're spreading rumors and slandering him!"
"Alright, alright, stop arguing. If this gets out of hand and the Qi family's guards see you, they'll arrest you both."
Upon hearing this, the two who were just getting a little carried away immediately fell silent. But the curiosity of those around them only intensified—what kind of bride had this young, wealthy, and handsome man married?
At this moment, the "bride" was suffering terribly inside the sedan chair. After a morning of commotion, Ye Yingying was dozing off in the swaying sedan chair, but the endless gongs, drums, and suonas outside, along with the occasional firecrackers, were like a demonic noise that made it impossible for her to fall asleep.
This feeling of being half-awake and half-dazed was truly unbearable, making Ye Yingying sigh once again how troublesome this job was! She didn't even have the slightest desire to lift the veil and peek at the scenery on the street. She was carried around the city in a daze, almost traversing every street in Yuancheng.
Finally, Ye Yingying felt the sedan chair being placed on the ground, and a loud shout came from outside: "The bride and groom are passing through the main gate!"
Where are we now? Ye Yingying was at a loss, and immediately regretted not listening to Qi Shuojun's advice to prepare in advance. She sat in the sedan chair, not knowing what to do, when suddenly, the nanny leaned close to the window and whispered to her, "In a little while, just follow the young master through the three gates, and everything will be fine after that."
Three gates—it didn't sound like much. Ye Yingying breathed a sigh of relief, waiting for Qi Shuojun to come and meet her. She sensed someone lift the curtain, and a gust of wind rushed into the sedan chair. The person didn't speak, but simply held her hand tightly, gesturing for her to follow him. Ye Yingying's breath hitched slightly; she hadn't expected Qi Shuojun to grab her hand so directly, and she felt a little uneasy. But considering it was all an act, she obediently got up and stepped out of the sedan chair.
Qi Shuojun's hands were large and his palms were icy cold, somewhat similar to Yun Yanqiu's. Ye Yingying couldn't help but sigh, realizing that it wasn't just Yun Yanqiu; all men's hands were this cold. Qi Shuojun led her forward, his steps steady and considerate, showing considerable consideration for Ye Yingying's discomfort caused by her obstructed view.
Ye Yingying unconsciously compared him to Yun Yanqiu, feeling that Qi Shuojun was indeed better than Yun Yanqiu in this regard. It wasn't to belittle Yun Yanqiu, but the fact that Young Master Qi was so meticulous when he first took her hand to walk was something Yun Yanqiu would have done back then... clearly a step behind.
Lost in thought, Qi Shuojun pulled her to a stop, and a servant beside them shouted, "One gate, a golden goblet filled with wine, may our love last forever!"
As soon as she finished speaking, a maid brought over a tray with two golden wine glasses on it. Qi Shuojun picked up one and handed it to Ye Yingying, then took one for herself and downed it in one gulp. Ye Yingying took the wine and smelled it; the rich fruity aroma emanating from the glass was intoxicating. She downed it in one go, and instantly the strong smell of alcohol filled her nostrils, rushing straight to her brain.
Ye Yingying hadn't drunk alcohol in a long time, and was a little unaccustomed to it. She closed her eyes to calm herself down, and then followed Qi Shuojun to the next door.
"Double gates, gold enters with good fortune, dragon and phoenix bring auspiciousness!"
Ye Yingying didn't understand what was going on, but suddenly she heard children's cheerful shouts all around. In an instant, a large group of children rushed in from all directions, surrounding her and Qi Shuojun and asking for gifts. Ye Yingying panicked, not knowing what she could give these children.
Qi Shuojun, standing calmly to the side, took out a large brocade pouch and gave all its contents to the children beside him. Seeing that Qi Shuojun had gifts, the children all crowded around him, stretching out their hands to receive them. Once they received their gifts, they immediately clasped their hands in a fist and exclaimed, "Congratulations! May you have a long and happy marriage!"
Ye Yingying was curious about what gift Qi Shuojun had given her, and tried to peek through the small gap under her veil. Just then, a child lost their grip and dropped the gift to the ground. Ye Yingying looked closely—it was a gold nugget the size of a mung bean! Ye Yingying swallowed hard, wishing she could be one of those children asking for gifts. Unfortunately, she was the one giving out the gifts, even if it wasn't her money.
Ye Yingying waited blankly for Qi Shuojun to hand out gifts. After a while, Qi Shuojun emptied the brocade pouch several times to indicate that there was nothing left inside, and only then did the children leave.
So the two arrived at the last gate—"Triple Gate, Golden Cannons Fire in Harmony, May the Dynasty Prosper for Five Generations!"
"Are they going to set off firecrackers?" Ye Yingying wondered, but before she could react, Qi Shuojun suddenly scooped her up in his arms. The surrounding crowd immediately clapped and cheered, while Qi Shuojun whispered in her ear, "Hold me tight."
Just as Ye Yingying was about to cry out in surprise, she suddenly realized something was off about the sound. Before she could think further, deafening firecrackers erupted all around them. Qi Shuojun moved with lightning speed, carrying her straight through the billowing smoke of the firecrackers. He shielded Ye Yingying in his arms, preventing any exploding firecrackers from hitting her face. Amidst the clamor of voices and the resounding drums and music, the two boarded a carriage in this lively and festive atmosphere.
After Qi Shuojun put Ye Yingying down, she couldn't wait to lift her veil. Her brows furrowed, and she looked at the man in front of her with suspicion, asking, "Yun Yanqiu?"
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