Chapter 146 Du Min's Wedding
After passing Heyin County, the bridal sedan chair was loaded onto an empty horse-drawn carriage. A few people who couldn't ride horses also got into the carriage, and the wedding procession sped up, quickly heading towards Luoyang under the scorching sun.
On the afternoon of the first day of the fifth lunar month, the wedding procession arrived in Luoyang and stayed at a post station two miles away from the county government office.
After settling into the post station and washing up, Du Li and Meng Chun went to the government office to discuss with Prefect Yin the arrangements for their wedding procession to the groom's home at dawn the next day.
Yin Mingfu handed the dowry list of Madam Yin to Du Li and said, "We have prepared a house for Caiwei in Chongrenfang, Heqing County. The dowry and bridal sedan chair will be moved into this house after they arrive in Heqing County. The wedding procession will depart from here on the sixth day of the month."
Du Li was glad that he had studied writing with Meng Qing for more than half a year. Although he could not write many characters, he recognized quite a few. He glanced at the dowry list. At the beginning were two hundred acres of farmland and a house; followed by twenty chests of copper coins; fifty bolts of silk; ten loads of gold and silver bowls and dressing cases; ten chests of clothing; four carts of brocade quilts, embroidered mattresses, curtains, and screens; one couch, one pair of tables, eight pairs of chests and cabinets, two loads of lacquerware, and two loads of porcelain; ten servants; one carriage... There were still three columns of characters that he could not recognize. He only recognized the characters for "qin" (zither) and "zheng" (zither).
Seeing the change in Du Li's expression, Yin Mingfu stroked his beard with satisfaction and said, "Caiwei is the first daughter of me and her mother. We have cherished her since she was a child. When she was young, we started to save up her dowry, hoping that her life after marriage would be as comfortable and smooth as it was at her parents' home."
Du Li folded up the dowry list and said admiringly, "We come from a poor family, and I have never seen a girl so loved and cared for by her parents. Today, I have seen it all and learned a lot. If I have a daughter in the future, I will definitely learn from you, Uncle."
Meng Chun secretly curled his lip. Was this bullshit? He had never seen any girl so loved by her parents. Putting aside others, his parents were willing to give up all their savings when his sister got married. Such love was not as good as that of the Yin family's parents.
"...Du Min is lucky to marry Madam Yin; he probably never expected such a grand wedding. It is his blessing to marry Madam Yin, and he will cherish and love her dearly. Please rest assured, Uncle, Madam Yin will not suffer any hardship or injustice after entering the Du family," Du Li assured him.
Yin Mingfu was satisfied with his attitude and said, "Don't talk about whether he is marrying above his station. It is a predestined fate that Caiwei and Du Min can get married. After marriage, if the young couple supports each other, respects each other, and lives a good life, we, as their parents, will be satisfied."
“You’re right.” Du Li nodded.
“It’s getting late. I’ve prepared a feast. You two can stay for dinner,” said Yin Mingfu. “Caiwei’s uncles and brothers have all returned. They will be in charge of escorting her to the wedding tomorrow. You can meet them beforehand to get acquainted and discuss any issues that may arise on the way.”
Du Li replied, "Thank you for your help, Uncle."
At the banquet, Du Li raised his cup to toast Madam Yin's uncles and brothers, including his uncle, paternal uncle, cousin, elder brother, and younger brother—a total of eight people. After one round of drinking, Du Li was already a little dizzy.
Meng Chun watched from the sidelines, and only when he saw that Du Li's eyes were glazed over from drinking did he step forward to accept the wine that Madam Yin's uncles and brothers were pouring for him.
As darkness fell and curfew approached, Du Li and Meng Chun left the government office. They refused the suggestion from Magistrate Yin to have their servants escort them, and instead pretended to be sober, they walked steadily out of the street where the county government office was located.
Away from human sight, the two brothers-in-law stopped, leaning against the wall. Meng Chun, who was more lucid, crossed his arms and looked at Du Li, asking, "Can we still walk?"
"Yes." Du Li shook his head with his eyes closed, then stretched out his arm. "Brother Chun, help me up."
"I can't be bothered to help you." Meng Chun grabbed him and roughly pulled him forward.
Du Li was dizzy, but his mind was still clear. He asked in confusion, "Brother Chun, did I upset you?"
"Does Du Laosan's success make you look down on the Meng family?" Meng Chun couldn't hold back his words and questioned him directly.
"What are you talking about? How could I look down on the Meng family? What are you saying? When did I ever look down on the Meng family? Don't try to frame me for something." Du Li was agitated.
"You said you've never seen any parents love their daughter as much as the Yin family's parents. Did you say that?" Meng Chun bluntly stated, "How did you come up with that statement? What's your basis for it? Is it based on the amount of the dowry? If we're talking about the amount of the dowry, my parents certainly didn't treat my sister as well as Mr. and Mrs. Yin."
Du Li was speechless.
"Well? I didn't wrong you, did I?" Meng Chun asked loudly.
"What accusation?" Du Min's voice came from not far away. "Brother Meng, I heard your voice from far away. What are you shouting about?"
Meng Chun snorted and didn't say anything more.
Du Min quickly approached, "Are you two drunk?"
"Prefect Yin invited us to have dinner at the government office. Madam Yin's uncles and brothers were also at the table, and we had a few drinks with them," Meng Chun explained, handing Du Li to Du Min. "You help him."
Du Min looked at the two men with surprise. Had the sun risen in the west? Had Du Li lost his mind? He had really offended his brother-in-law this time.
Seeing Meng Chun walking ahead alone with an aggressive air, he asked in a low voice, "Du Lao Er, what did you do to offend your brother-in-law?"
"I misspoke," Du Li replied dejectedly.
"You're finished! Just wait until my second sister-in-law comes after you!" Du Min gloated. "Of all people to offend, you dared to offend her brother? Don't you want to die?"
"Shut up." Du Li was annoyed with him.
The three of them had just entered the post station when the curfew drum sounded. Du Min wiped his sweat, escorted Du Li back to his room, and then asked a postman to bring a bucket of water. After watching Du Li wash himself and lie down on the bed, he went to knock on the door next door.
"Who?" Meng Chun asked.
“It’s me,” Du Min replied. “Open the door.”
Meng Chun went to open the door and asked in confusion, "Is there anything else you need?"
"No, I just want to ask how your brother-in-law offended you? What did he say wrong?" Du Min inquired.
Meng Chun frowned and replied rather unenthusiastically, "It's nothing, it's not an offense."
Du Min smiled and said, "He might say a few nonsensical things when he gets impulsive, but don't take it to heart. His feelings for my second sister-in-law are genuine, more loyal than a dog. He loves her so much that he loves everything about her. If I had to choose between you and me, he would protect you more, not to mention my second sister-in-law's respected parents. How could he look down on them?"
Meng Chun knew immediately that he had overheard his argument with Du Li. Feeling a little uncomfortable, he tried to smooth things over by saying, "It's nothing, don't take it to heart. Get some rest, you have to get up early tomorrow to welcome the bride."
Du Min nodded, "You should get some rest too."
Meng Chun watched Du Min leave, then closed the door. After a while, he chuckled, "Truly worthy of being brothers, so considerate of each other."
*
Early the next morning.
Du Li woke up and sobered up. He changed into clean clothes, went to the kitchen to bring a meal to Meng Chun, and said, "Brother Chun, it's time to eat."
Meng Chun hummed in agreement. "When are we going to fetch the bride?"
Du Li glanced at him and, seeing that he seemed to have calmed down, smiled and said, "We left at the beginning of Chen Shi (7-9 AM), so there's still a little over half an hour left."
Meng Chun nodded, "Go ahead and get busy, I'll come help you after I finish eating."
Just then, someone outside called him. Du Li hesitated for a few seconds before going out.
"Second brother, has your brother-in-law calmed down?" Du Min asked.
Hearing the sound, several people nearby looked over.
Du Li glared at him secretly. "What nonsense are you talking about? What do you want?"
"The Yin family has started airing the dowry. I want Mengchun to wait at the intersection ahead so that when the dowry procession comes, he can lead the yamen runners to meet them. After I welcome the bride out, I'll send someone to inform him, and he can lead the dowry procession ahead," Du Min said.
“Okay, I’ll go talk to him.” Du Li nodded.
Upon hearing this, Meng Chun, fearing it would delay things, didn't even eat and instead led his constables to the designated intersection to wait.
Half an hour later, Du Min, wearing a big red flower, rode a tall horse and led the wedding procession from the post station to the government office. On the way, they encountered the Yin family's procession displaying the dowry. The wooden boxes and dowry boxes were not covered, and the shimmering brocade clothes and quilts, the dazzling gold and silver utensils, the lacquerware with mother-of-pearl inlay, and the exquisitely crafted vases were all on display.
As the wedding procession and the grand wedding procession passed by, surrounded by onlookers on both sides of the road, Du Min looked at the loads of dowry being carried one after another and truly felt the gap between his family and the Yin family. It wasn't just about wealth, but also about their social standing. He was touched by a woman who was not in the same social class as him.
This was the reward for his hard work, and he regarded it as an honor. Thinking of this, the smile on his face widened even more.
When the last load of dowry was carried out of the government office, Du Min arrived. Among the people he brought were General Qi and Deputy General Wu, who were military officers, and Magistrate Zhao and his eight junior brothers, who were civil officers. After two rounds of tests, the group easily opened the gate and walked into the government office with smiles on their faces.
Yin Mingfu and his wife stood in front of the hall, while guests strolled through the hall, corridors, and courtyard. The room was filled with brocade robes and the courtyard with red silk ribbons. Du Min, under the scrutinizing gazes of the crowd, left the throng and strode to the front of the hall, where he knelt down and said, "Son-in-law greets Father and Mother."
"The bride hasn't even left the house yet, and they're already calling her 'father' and 'mother' so impatiently?" a relative joked with a laugh.
Du Min smiled and knelt down, saying, "I am eager to acknowledge my parents. I hope they will treat me like their own son."
Everyone present laughed upon hearing this. Madam Yin's sorrow was dispelled by his words, and she shook her head and chuckled as well.
"Alright, alright, get up first." Yin Mingfu smiled and helped his new son-in-law up.
"The auspicious hour is approaching, groom, come with me to see the bride." The matchmaker led Du Min away.
"Listen up, ladies inside! The groom has already knelt before his parents-in-law and acknowledged them as his own. They're family now. Open the door and let him in to marry his bride!" Deputy General Wu shouted at the door.
"Hand over the poem urging you to get ready. If the bride isn't satisfied, you can refuse to open the door," Sister-in-law Yin, who was guarding the door, called out with a smile.
Yin Caiwei lowered the fan in her hand, revealing her eyes staring at the doorway. The room was noisy inside and out, and she felt dizzy, her heart filled with both tension and excitement. The intense emotions caused her to lose her hearing for a moment.
"Sister, are you satisfied?" Sister-in-law Yin asked loudly.
Yin Caiwei didn't hear the content of the poem urging her to get ready at all. Facing the teasing gazes of her friends, she covered her face with her fan and nodded slightly behind the fan.
The door to the boudoir opened, and Du Min walked in with a radiant face. He immediately saw the bride sitting on the bed, dressed in a magnificent ceremonial robe, her hair adorned with jewels, and behind a silk fan that revealed a beautiful face. He walked over step by step, feeling somewhat annoyed that he couldn't remember what she looked like.
“My lady, I have come to take you home.” Du Min extended his hand. “Let’s go and say goodbye to our parents together.”
Yin Caiwei extended her hand, and Du Min quickly grasped it. As their fingers touched, he felt a jolt of fear, his mind went blank, and his face flushed red.
Laughter erupted inside, and people outside crowded in to watch.
"What's wrong? What's wrong?" asked a guest in the courtyard, wondering what had happened.
A moment later, the newlyweds emerged, surrounded by a crowd. Du Min's appearance immediately made everyone aware of what was going on.
Seeing Du Min's lovesick expression, Du Li felt deeply ashamed, thinking him a worthless good-for-nothing.
Amidst bursts of laughter filling the courtyard, Du Min led Yin Caiwei to the front of the hall to bid farewell to her parents. Afterward, he couldn't wait to send the bride into the bridal sedan chair and hurriedly prepared to leave as if fleeing.
"Lift the sedan chair!" the master of ceremonies announced.
As the music began, Du Min mounted a black horse adorned with a large red flower, just like himself, and led the way away in a bridal sedan chair.
Du Li gave an instruction to a yamen runner, who then quickly ran to the front of the procession.
Meng Chun accompanied the wedding procession to the crossroads to air out the dowry. Seeing a familiar-looking yamen runner, he went to say to Madam Yin's uncle, "Second Uncle Yin, the wedding procession has left, it's time for us to set off too."
"The auspicious time has arrived, get ready to set off!" Uncle Yin called out.
The dowry was carried up one by one, the oxcart started moving, the porters walked, and the wedding procession started moving, just in time for the welcoming procession to catch up.
A moment later, the two teams joined together, stretching for two miles, a truly magnificent sight.
"Whose daughter is getting married? Such a grand affair," a passerby asked.
"The magistrate of Luoyang is marrying off his daughter."
"The magistrate of Heqing County took a wife."
"We've found some good luck!"
"May the magistrate be overjoyed, and may you all share in his happiness."
One after the other, the two teams simultaneously scattered lucky money, and passersby bent down to search for coins on the ground, while cries of congratulations spread from the bottom up.
After leaving Luoyang, the wedding procession needed to rest. While they stopped to rest, Du Min leaned over to the side of the bridal sedan chair and spoke to the bride inside.
Du Li found his pretentious manner offensive and went to find his brother-in-law in the line ahead.
Meng Chun borrowed two buckets of well water from the families along the way for the bride's family to use. Du Li came over and said a few words, then called Meng Chun away.
“I’ll take care of them here later. You can go sit in the carriage in the back,” Du Li said.
"Okay." Meng Chun didn't want to bother with Du Min's happy occasion.
“Brother Chun, I misspoke last night, but I didn’t mean to belittle or look down on the Meng family. I think I need to explain. What I said last night was firstly to flatter Prefect Yin, and secondly, I have never seen a family prepare such a large dowry for their daughter’s wedding, especially since they started saving it up when their daughter was young. I myself didn’t even realize it, which shows how precious the sentiment is.” Du Li said hesitantly.
Meng Chun nodded. He had felt uneasy this morning, but after seeing Madam Yin's dowry in person, his unease had long since disappeared. Madam Yin's fifty-bearer dowry consisted of everything from small items like bowls, plates, clothes, and shoes to large items like beds, tables, chairs, carriages, and sedan chairs—all exquisite and far beyond what could be acquired in a year or two.
“Brother-in-law, I’m just being petty, please don’t take it to heart. I’m the kind of person who cares a lot about what I lack these days, and I’m narrow-minded and narrow-minded.” Meng Chun smiled ashamedly, and said as if making a vow, “If I have a daughter in the future, I will be like Yin Mingfu, saving up for her dowry when she is young. I will save up for good timber in advance, and set aside a sum of money every year to make her an expensive but inconspicuous dowry. When she grows up, I will make sure she marries in style and never let her in-laws look down on her.”
“Me too.” Du Li nodded.
A yamen runner came from the rear to inform the procession that it was time to depart. Du Li told Meng Chun to rest in the carriage at the back, while he followed the wedding procession to the left and right.
Carrying the dowry and bridal sedan chair, the procession moved slowly, traveling for three days, and arrived in Heyin County on the evening of the fifth day of the fifth lunar month.
Governor Zheng's horse had arrived an hour earlier. He abandoned his carriage and patrolled the riverbank when he suddenly heard the sound of firecrackers. He looked back and saw soldiers on the south bank of the Heyang Bridge setting off firecrackers.
As soon as the firecrackers on the south bank stopped, they started again on the north bank. Nearby laborers, students from the free school, and passersby all gathered around, watching the wedding procession cross the river.
Hearing the commotion inside the government office, Meng Qing and Dr. Xu came out and stood by the main road. They gazed at the wedding procession with its music and fanfare. In the procession, the groom, standing on horseback, looked as if he had won a battle, quite proud of himself.
“I never imagined he would have such great fortune,” Dr. Xu said.
“Me too,” Meng Qing said.
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Author's Note: There will be another update at 12 o'clock.
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