On this day, the sky was clear and bright. Despite the scorching summer weather, an occasional cool breeze made it much more bearable than the stifling heat of the previous few days. It seemed as if heaven was blessing this grand wedding ceremony, which was no less significant than the wedding of Princess Chaoyang.
Before dawn arrived, Xin He was woken up. Thanks to various rituals, she had to wash face, comb hair, and dress. Surrounded by a group of women fussing over her, even Shulan and Xiaoyu couldn’t get close. The room was filled with maids bustling about, making it a hive of activity.
Every detail was crucial, even down to the order of combing her hair. If anything was wrong, the women would fuss and protest that it was bad luck.
Xin He felt a headache coming on.
This wedding was very different from what it would have been in Yang Luowan.
Though there were formalities there too, it was just Aunt Gui Xiang who took care of dressing her and combing her hair. It was nothing compared to the present situation, where she was surrounded by a group of women chattering incessantly, and the norms and customs had multiplied manifold.
As the preparations were getting tedious even before the event had commenced, she wondered how much more difficult things would become as the day progressed.
She was the kind of person who hated troubles!
Xin He couldn’t help but hold her forehead. If she knew it would be like this, she would have arranged the wedding back in Yang Luowan.
A woman instantly protested, "Oh no! We have just done your makeup, Miss. You must not ruin it. Please sit properly, or we will run out of time!"
Xin He, speechless, quietly lowered her hands.
A few days ago, the capital city was still engrossed in the discussions of the dance performance of Diplomat Wan Hua’s Courtesan Ah Lian, who had been the top courtesan for ten years. But today, the city had a new sensation -- the wedding of Minister Mu.
How could anyone miss such an important event? 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚
Many people had even rushed to reserve seats at the tea house that the bridal procession would pass by, just to enjoy the spectacle. Even if they couldn’t catch a glimpse of the bride, it would be worth it just to see the usually grim Prime Minister in his festive clothes.
The Le Yuanhou mansion was also bustling. Lady Sun was under house arrest. With his legitimate daughter getting married, the old lady didn’t want to entrust the preparations to anyone else. So she personally took charge. Due to the preponing of the wedding, everyone was busier than ever.
Only when it was broad daylight did Xin He finally finish dressing up and doing her makeup. Wearing an extravagant and stunning wedding dress, a phoenix crown on her head, she looked at herself in the mirror. She could hardly recognize herself.
It was the second time she was wearing a wedding dress. She thought she wouldn’t be bothered at all, especially since she didn’t like troublesome matters, and doing the same thing twice took away the charm. But unexpectedly, her heart was still pounding.
Because she was marrying him, even if she were to marry a hundred more times, her feelings would still be the same.
Xin He’s mood had been gloomy all morning. However, when she looked at her reflection, she suddenly felt much lighter, her lips involuntarily curling up into a smile.
One of the women standing next to her praised, "Miss is truly beautiful. Only someone with such stunning beauty like you can pull off this bridal outfit!"
Xin He smiled and signaled Xiaoyu, who took a red envelope from her sleeve and handed it to the woman.
The woman, overjoyed to receive the silver reward, repeatedly thanked her.
Xin He didn’t play favorites. All the women who had helped her dress and comb her hair that day were given silver coins. It was like buying good luck.
Soon, the old lady arrived. She was first startled looking at Xin He’s appearance, then she couldn’t help but shed tears, "My dear granddaughter, you’ve only been home for a few days and now you’re getting married. I, an old woman, can’t bear to let you go."
"Grandma..." Xin He didn’t know what to say, her mind a torrent of emotions.
However, the old lady was a smart and efficient woman. She quickly wiped her tears and took Xin He’s hands to take a seat, "You’re about to get married. No matter how much I talk, it’s not going to change anything. Today, I just have one thing to tell you. You have to remember it."
"Please tell me, Grandma."
"Although you’re getting married and moving away, you mustn’t forget that you’re not an ordinary peasant girl. You have Le Yuanhou mansion backing you. No matter how arrogant Marquis Mu is, he wouldn’t dare bully you excessively!" The old lady declared, smacking the table in indignation.
The sudden movement startled Xin He, reminding her that this marriage was indeed forced by Marquis Mu. The Le Yuanhou mansion was increasingly dissatisfied with the arrangement, especially since she was implicated in a conspiracy to assassinate the Imperial concubine because of him. As the old lady loved her granddaughter very much, she was very unhappy with the marriage and even wanted to call it off.
But Marquis Mu acted swiftly and obtained a marriage grant from the Emperor. Not only was there no possibility of canceling the marriage, but the wedding date was also brought forward to seven days later. This infuriated the old lady.
Thus Xin He tried to reassure her, "Grandma, please don’t be angry. He treats me very well."
The old lady snorted coldly, "He’d better. I know you’re not someone to take things lying down. If he does mistreat you, write to us, and let your father seek justice for you. We will ask the Emperor to grant you a divorce. At least the mansion can take care of you and ensure that you’re not wronged."
Xin He managed a small smile and murmured, "Yes..."
"Now that you’re getting married, you’ll have to go with him to Yu State in a few days. I heard that it’s also your former home, and you still have relatives there. I believe that if this is true, it will make things easier for you, and I can be at peace. When you go there, remember to take care of the people who raised you. Your father and I were not able to take good care of you, and it’s thanks to them."
Xin He felt a lump in her throat. To her, it didn’t matter whether she had biological parents or not. She was just a spirit. In her previous life, she had no parents, no family. In this life, she’d met many people who cared for her deeply. It felt as if perhaps God was compensating her for her past life.
"I understand," Xin He said, her voice a little hoarse.
The old lady lovingly smiled, "Don’t cry. If you ruin your makeup, which we finally managed to get right, it will be such a waste. My dear grandchild, even when you get married, don’t forget your home."
"Hmm."
Just then, a young maid ran in excitedly, saying, "Old lady, Miss! Minister Mu is here to escort the bride!"
The old lady scolded her angrily, "What are you shouting for? Let him wait! We, grandmother, and granddaughter, haven’t finished our talk yet. What’s the rush?"
The young maid could only respond awkwardly, "Yes."
Xin He couldn’t help but laugh. The old lady was probably trying to teach Marquis Mu a lesson, letting him know that the marriage did not come easily and that he should treasure it.
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