They finally got married
On the day of the wedding.
The maids and servants in the Fu mansion all changed into clothes with auspicious and prosperous patterns, and the whole mansion was filled with a festive atmosphere.
Fu Zhi Qiao got up very early. First, she went to the Buddhist hall to pay respects to Fu Chang Yue's memorial tablet. Then, Yu Rou Lan pulled her to change clothes and do her makeup.
The bride's wedding dress had six or seven layers, including an inner garment, a middle garment, a sleeved shirt, a long skirt, and an outer wide-sleeved skirt. The layers made her look a bit rounder.
"Comb through to the end!"
"Two combs of white hair, level with the eyebrows!"
"Three combs bring a house full of descendants!"
Yu Roulan invited a famous fortune teller from Qintai Street to comb Fu Zhiqiao's hair and open her face. Opening the face involves using two threads to remove the fine hairs on her face, making her face smoother and more delicate.
Even though the old woman was quite skilled, Fu Zhi Qiao still winced in pain. The old woman comforted her, saying, "For a young lady, this is the most beautiful day of her life!"
After arranging your hair in a bun and completing the facial makeup, you can start applying makeup.
The person who did Fu Zhi Qiao's makeup was Qiu Qin, the former head maid of the Fu family. Now she works as a manager in Fu Yun Pavilion. Fu Zhi Qiao taught Qiu Qin her makeup skills herself, and she was very confident in entrusting her with today's bridal makeup.
Her eyebrows were lightly drawn, her lips were slightly touched with rouge, and a floral decoration was drawn between her brows. The faint blush on her cheeks added to her beauty.
Qiuqin used a small brush made by Fuyun Pavilion to dip into the lip rouge and gently applied it to Fu Zhiqiao's lips. "Miss, this lip rouge is made according to the recipe you gave me. It is made with peach blossom dew and balsam juice. The color is delicate and long-lasting, and it will not melt like ordinary lip rouge."
Her hair was as black as ink, her skin as white as snow, and the moment she put on red lipstick, her entire makeup came alive.
After arranging her hair into a bun, Yu Roulan personally took out a phoenix crown and placed it on Fu Zhiqiao's head, securing it with a gold hairpin. The bride's attire was now complete.
The wedding dress had a long train that trailed three feet on the ground. It was embroidered with patterns of mandarin ducks and twin lotus flowers, symbolizing the love between husband and wife, with gold thread stitch by stitch. The phoenix crown was adorned with golden brocade, exuding elegance and nobility. The brilliance of the gemstones intertwined with the golden thread on the wedding dress, creating a dazzling spectacle that was impossible to look away from.
Her gown and phoenix crown were magnificent and exquisite, perfectly highlighting her noble air.
Fu Zhiqiao stared blankly at her reflection in the bronze mirror, dressed in a phoenix coronet and wedding gown, momentarily lost in thought.
"Could it be a fairy from heaven who has descended to earth?" The lucky old woman's exclamation broke the silence.
Yu Roulan asked with a smile, "A Qiao, how are you feeling?"
"I feel like I can't straighten my neck!" Fu Zhi Qiao's words amused everyone in the room.
Just then, the matchmaker's voice rang out from outside the door: "Madam, Miss, the young master has arrived!"
The room fell silent instantly.
Yu Roulan walked over and put a red veil over Fu Zhiqiao's head, her eyes red-rimmed: "Aqiao, once you step out of this door, you'll be an adult. Mother wishes you a lifetime of peace and joy!"
Everything in front of her was covered by a red cloth, so Fu Zhi Qiao couldn't see Yu Rou Lan's expression. She squeezed Yu Rou Lan's hand to show that she would.
Stepping out of the room, Fu Zhiqiao heard faint sounds of joyful music coming from outside. She let out a soft breath, then suddenly tensed up.
Qintai Street, in front of the Fu family's house.
A red silk sedan chair adorned with pearl tassels at its four corners was already waiting.
A fiery red figure gracefully approached, golden sunlight bathing her. The gold threads embroidered on her wedding dress shimmered in the sunlight, making her radiant with every step she took.
This scene made everyone hold their breath.
I couldn't help but want to peek at the face of the person under the veil.
With the help of the matchmaker, Fu Zhiqiao left the Fu family gate. Xie Zhuo came forward and bowed to Yu Roulan.
"We've been married since we were young, and our love is unwavering. Today, I'm entrusting A-Qiao to you. From now on, you must treat her well!" Yu Roulan placed Fu Zhi Qiao's hand in Xie Zhuo's hand.
Xie Zhuo nodded in agreement, smiled, and took Fu Zhi Qiao's hand, "Qiao, I've come to take you home."
After helping Fu Zhiqiao into the sedan chair, Xie Zhuo mounted his horse and declared, "Let's go back to the manor!"
The matchmaker waved her bridal veil and announced, "The bride is ready to leave for the sedan chair!"
"Receive the lucky fruit! Receive the joy!" The alley was already crowded with people who came to watch the excitement. The maids and servants of the Fu family took out wedding candies and threw them to the crowd. The children jumped and shouted as they tried to grab the candies.
Xie Zhuo was dressed in a red robe, and his angular face revealed a cold and handsome look, a kind of grand and noble appearance that ordinary people rarely saw.
A man and a horse walked at the very front, looking quite imposing.
Fu Zhi Qiao sat in a sedan chair carried by eight people, followed closely by servants escorting her dowry and guards holding long swords. As the wedding procession passed by, a collective gasp of astonishment could be heard.
Looking around, the procession carrying the dowry seemed to stretch as far as the eye could see.
Even ten miles of red bridal procession are not enough to describe it.
Passersby stopped to watch the spectacle and exclaimed, "Wow, what a grand wedding!"
"It's not just a wealthy family; today's wedding is between the heir of Prince Duan and the Lady of Ming'an County. You know the Lady of Ming'an County, right?"
The man scratched his head sheepishly, "I don't know, I haven't been to the city in a long time."
The kind-hearted aunt explained to her, "Young lady, let me tell you, this Lady Ming'an is truly remarkable! She has invented a magical remedy that can reduce high fever, called alcohol. Anyone with a persistent high fever can have their fever brought down by using this alcohol. It's a real life-saving treasure!"
The aunt's words resonated with many, and onlookers craned their necks, discussing the grand wedding.
The wedding procession made a lot of noise and banging as they arrived at the Prince's Mansion.
The gates of the Prince's mansion were wide open, and many servants gathered in front of the gate to wait for the bride.
"Here she comes! The bride has arrived!"
After getting off the bridal sedan chair, a red silk ribbon was stuffed into her hand, with the other end in Xie Zhuo's hand.
With her head covered by a veil, Fu Zhi Qiao's vision was obstructed, and she could only see the ground beneath her feet. Holding the red silk ribbon, she slowly walked into the palace with the help of the matchmaker.
The Prince Duan's mansion was adorned with red lanterns and colorful ribbons fluttered everywhere. Servants, dressed in newly ordered festive clothes, bustled in and out as they carried the bride's dowry into the mansion.
The dowry is the bride's source of confidence. After it is delivered to the husband's family, it is not put away immediately, but displayed for the guests to see.
The dowry was carried in one load after another into Qinghui Courtyard. Before long, Qinghui Courtyard was no longer able to hold it all, so the steward had no choice but to move the dowry to the neighboring courtyard.
Soon, there was no room to step in the other courtyard either, as it was completely filled with dowry items.
Tang Yuying, who came to watch the ceremony with the Duchess of Anguo, gradually widened her eyes as she saw this scene. Even the weddings of princesses and county princesses were not so grand. What made her, a county princess from a merchant family, so special?
Tang Yuying pouted sourly, "I really don't know what kind of bewitching potion the young master has been given, to make her give him so much dowry to save face."
The Prince's mansion was bustling with guests, so no one heard Tang Yuying's mutterings.
The two courtyards were filled with chests covered with red cloth, and the guests who came to offer their congratulations were all taken aback when they saw the dowry filling the courtyard.
Is the family of the magistrate of Ming'an County really that wealthy?
Before anyone could resolve their doubts, the master of ceremonies announced, "The auspicious hour has arrived! Greetings, play the music!"
The master of ceremonies announced: "On this auspicious day, the bride enters the house..."
Enter the wedding hall and pay respects to Heaven and Earth.
With dozens of kilograms of clothing weighing down her, and being manipulated like a doll all day, Fu Zhi Qiao sighed after hearing the announcement that the ceremony was complete, finally able to take a breather.
In the new house, Fu Zhiqiao and Xie Zhuo sat side by side on the wedding bed.
"Lift the veil and drink the nuptial wine!"
In that instant, Xie Zhuo felt that everything else had lost its color, and only the person in front of him was the only bright spot in the world.
The scene of his first meeting with Fu Zhi Qiao flashed through his mind.
In the teahouse, she held her own against a group of scholars; in Qingzhou, she sold Taibai wine at the market, and he immediately saw through her disguise as a man, and the two gradually became entangled...
Perhaps from the moment they first met, she caught his eye.
The red veil was lifted, and Fu Zhi Qiao subconsciously looked up, only to be met with a bright red wedding dress, a man with black hair tied up high, wearing a noble and gorgeous golden crown, and a pair of dark eyes staring at her with affection.
"A perfect match, a perfect couple! Everyone come and see, our bride and groom are truly a match made in heaven!"
A group of people, strangers to Fu Zhiqiao, surrounded her, scrutinizing her face while exchanging auspicious greetings.
After the bride is led to the bridal chamber, she must drink the nuptial wine and listen to the matchmaker sing the blessing. Only then is the wedding ceremony completely over.
*
With the veil no longer obscuring her view, Fu Zhi Qiao could finally see the room clearly. The bridal chamber in the Prince's mansion was two or three times larger than her original room, and the furniture was exquisite in every piece. Thick red wedding candles were burning, and there were festive decorations everywhere, such as magpies playing among plum blossoms and fish playing among lotus flowers.
After drinking the nuptial wine, Xie Zhuo was pulled to the wedding banquet to drink with the guests.
According to custom, the women could come and see what the bride looked like. Zhou Miaosi and Qin Xiyu came to Qinghui Courtyard together.
"Sister Fu, you look so magnificent, I almost didn't recognize you!" Qin Xiyu teased, her tone filled with admiration and envy. She had never seen Fu Zhi Qiao dressed like this before. Wearing a gorgeous wedding dress and a phoenix crown, Fu Zhi Qiao looked like a golden jade body, incomparably noble.
Zhou Miaosi chimed in, "You and the young master standing together are simply a perfect couple, like a match made in heaven!"
This prompted Fu Zhiqiao to chuckle softly.
The women couldn't stay in the bridal chamber for too long. After chatting for a bit, they all left. Xie Huaiwei came over, softly called out "Sister-in-law," and then left with a blush on her face.
In the new house, with the help of the maids, Fu Zhi Qiao removed her makeup, washed off the cosmetics on her face, and changed into a light dress, which made her feel much more relaxed.
Yinxing brought her a plate of pastries to fill her stomach, massaged her shoulders and back, and Cui Mama ordered someone to prepare water for her bath.
The women who had seen the bride quickly returned to the wedding banquet.
The wedding banquet was divided into male and female guests. The male guests drank in the outer courtyard, while the female guests ate in the main hall in the inner courtyard.
Unlike the male guests who were toasting and chatting enthusiastically, the female guests were much quieter, gathering together in the flower hall to gossip.
"Hey, did you see that? That Lady Ming'an is really beautiful!"
"I saw her! I saw her when the veil was lifted. She's as beautiful as jade, a perfect match for the young master!"
...
The Prince's mansion was packed with guests, creating a lively and bustling atmosphere.
The banquet was prepared by the imperial chefs from the palace, and the wine used was also top-quality, a rare and highly sought-after premium Taibai liquor.
Xie Zhuo was genuinely happy, his joy was unstoppable. No matter who raised a glass to congratulate him, he accepted it without hesitation, walking from table to table with his wine glass in hand, laughing heartily from time to time, looking smug and triumphant.
So, he was naturally made to get drunk.
The moonlight was bright and clear.
Xie Zhuo dragged his unsteady steps back to Qinghui Courtyard, barely managing to maintain a sliver of consciousness. He let out a long sigh as he looked at the door, his heart surging with emotion at the thought that the person he had longed to marry was sitting in the room.
He really did marry her!
The thought of Fu Zhi Qiao becoming his wife filled Xie Zhuo with overwhelming excitement, his eyes bloodshot and his heart pounding wildly. He had imagined Fu Zhi Qiao marrying him countless times, but even now that the moment had arrived, his heart was still pounding with emotion.
Fu Zhiqiao was carefully washed with fragrant balm by Yinxing, and then took a comfortable bath. The hot water left her with a rosy complexion that had not yet faded.
She exuded a blend of languidness and allure.
Xie Zhuo had never seen such a scene before, and he was completely mesmerized.
"Ah Qiao, Ah Qiao..."
You look so beautiful!
Fu Zhiqiao: ...
Because of the alcohol, Xie Zhuo's eyes were reddish, making him look a little silly.
"Ah Qiao, you're so beautiful!" Xie Zhuo muttered this sentence over and over again.
"Okay! I understand!"
Granny Cui brought over a bowl of hangover soup, which Xie Zhuo drank. Fu Zhi Qiao then instructed the servants to prepare bathing supplies.
After taking a bath, Xie Zhuo regained his senses and stood two feet away from the bed, staring intently at Fu Zhi Qiao.
An indescribable feeling spread between the two of them.
Xie Zhuo walked to the bedside, took Fu Zhi Qiao's hand and placed it on his face, guiding her hand to touch his eyebrows, eyes, and fingertips along the high bridge of his nose to his lips.
He kissed Fu Zhi Qiao's hand. "Qiao, thank you. Thank you for believing in me."
The hot breath sprayed onto her fingertips, instantly sending a tingling sensation through her. The heat rushed to her face, and Fu Zhi Qiao swallowed hard, making it difficult to breathe.
Xie Zhuo really liked kissing her.
In public, he always maintained his dignity, treating people with politeness and distance, preserving his proud and aloof identity as the crown prince.
But once they were together, that polite distance turned into a strong possessiveness, and he wanted to be with her every moment.
Xie Zhuo's eyes were filled with tenderness as he leaned down and gently rubbed her lips until they turned a rosy red.
The curtains fell, and the candlelight flickered.
Intense emotions were released, filling the room with an intoxicating crimson hue.
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