Chapter 169 Wedding
The tenth day of April, spring ends and summer comes, the whole city is full of flowers and it is a good time for marriage.
Today the weather was very nice, the sky was clear blue, and the sun shone brightly on the flower path. The Duke of Zhenguo Mansion was renovated, and the main gate, which had been silent for many years, was opened wide. The bright red ribbons were hung in the dark corridors of the main hall, which was simple and solemn. Passers-by, no matter rich or poor, old or young, only needed to glance at it to know that this family was going to marry off their daughter.
However, the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion was decorated solemnly, but there were very few guests. In recent days, the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion received many invitations, each of which was filled with enthusiastic praise, praising Ming Huashang to the sky, but in the end, they often pretended to regret that they could not come due to some unexpected circumstances.
Seeing that no decent guests had come to the bridal chamber for a long time, the bridesmaid was very embarrassed. She could only raise her voice and say auspicious words on purpose. She talked and laughed, wishing to fill the bridal chamber with her words. She felt very sorry for the princess. enjoy the blessing, her husband had already lost power.
The palace naturally celebrated the wedding of Prince Yong with all its might. The emperor repeatedly asked the Ministry of Rites to take charge of the event, but Li Huazhang declined. The emperor was very sorry, and he sent a stream of gold, silver, treasures, silks and satins to Prince Yong's mansion, making such a big fuss that he wished the whole world knew about it.
The emperor was cheerful on the surface, as if he was happier about his nephew's wedding than his own son's. But everyone in Chang'an knew that Shengxin and Prince Yong had already had a rift, and the more rewards he gave, the more obvious it was. In such an environment, who would dare to risk offending the emperor and come to the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion to marry?
At this moment, Ming Huashang, who was "very pitiful" and "lost favor before marriage" in the eyes of the bridesmaid, did not feel miserable at all. Her whole mind was on the flower-pin Zhaiyi in front of her. According to her rank, she should wear a blue silk embroidered Zhai bird wide-sleeved dress, nine flower-pins and nine trees, a knee-covering, a small ribbon, and two pendants at the wedding. Even though she was familiar with it before, when she really put it on, she was still confused by the complicated Zhaiyi and had no energy to care about what others thought of her.
She can hardly see herself.
Ming Huashang was getting married today, and Ming Yuji came early to help Ming Huashang comb her hair, put on makeup, and change clothes. She was very busy. After finally putting Zhai's clothes on her, Ming Yuji was sweating.
The maid brought the hair crown, and Ming Huachang's smooth black hair was tied into the bright and gorgeous flower tree crown. In an instant, she lost her lively and childish look and took on the dignity and stability of a princess. Ming Yuji looked at her and was suddenly filled with emotion.
Only then did she realize that Ming Huashang was going to get married. Although they were twin sisters, they were separated at birth and lived in different places. After a lot of effort, they finally met each other, but then the family split, the coup, the court and many other things happened one after another. They were led by the outside world and didn't have much time to spend together.
Before she learned how to get along with a sister of the same age, Ming Huashang was leaving home first. Ming Yuji felt guilty when she thought of today's situation. This was an important moment that only happened once in a woman's life, but Ming Huashang's wedding was empty. She really felt ashamed of the name "sister".
Ming Yuji was feeling depressed when she suddenly heard Ming Huashang whisper, "Sister."
Ming Yuji was startled for a moment, then turned around and asked, "What's wrong?"
Ming Huashang propped up her neck, staring at her like a deer, and said innocently, "I'm hungry. I remember there's frozen puff pastry on the menu. Can you ask the kitchen to make a few pieces for me?"
When the bridesmaid heard this, she hurriedly said, "Second Madam, you can't eat before the ceremony is over. Please bear with it for a while."
Weddings are very particular, and royal weddings are even more particular. If the bride wants to go to the toilet or feels uncomfortable during the wedding, it will be a loss of royal dignity, so just in case, the bride is not allowed to eat before the wedding. The bride is so strict that she is not even allowed to drink water.
Ming Huashang didn't know if other brides felt uncomfortable or not, but she couldn't hold on. She could die, but she couldn't starve.
Ming Huashang looked at Ming Yu Ji pitifully. Ming Yu Ji hesitated for a moment, but finally gave in.
Anyway, there were no guests coming to watch the wedding, so why bother putting on airs? As for whether the palace ladies who came to assist with the wedding would be unhappy after seeing this… they could say whatever they wanted. The emperor didn't really bless this marriage anyway, so what difference did it make between worse and worse?
Ming Yuji said, "The frozen crispy flower cake is too cold. You may get upset if you eat it. Ask the kitchen to bring a plate of five-blessing cake. It's small and easy to digest. It's perfect for you."
Ming Huashang said hurriedly: "Leave me a few pieces of frozen shortbread cakes, I'll come back to eat them!"
The bridesmaid stared in astonishment as Princess Junyong finished a plate of five-blessing cakes in the blink of an eye. Before leaving the house, she even made a reservation for what to eat next time. The bridesmaid thought to herself that she was really a little girl who only remembered eating. When she gets married and takes care of the housework, takes care of her husband and children, and serves her in-laws, she may not be as cute and naive as she is now.
Thinking of this, the bridesmaid felt a little sad and said with a smile: "It is a blessing to be able to eat. The second lady is obviously a wealthy and noble person. If the second lady likes this taste, why not marry the cook who makes cakes to the palace, so that the second lady will not miss her parents' home."
"That won't do." Ming Huashang said, "The cook has to stay in the Duke's Mansion. Otherwise, how can I have an excuse to come back and eat for free in the future?"
The maids and servants in the room all laughed when they heard this. The bride wiped away her tears and said, "Second Lady has a really good relationship with her parents. She's already thinking about going back before she even got married."
"That's not true. Thanks to my sister who is capable of managing the household, I will not only be able to eat and drink for free when I come back, but I will also have to bring one more person with me."
There was a burst of laughter in the room. Ming Yuji felt helpless listening to Ming Huashang's nonsense, but she smiled unconsciously.
Yes, the wedding is just a ceremony. Ming Huashang is still a member of the Ming family. Their relationship has not been severed, but instead they have gained one more relative.
They are a family that lives a down-to-earth life, so why wouldn't they be able to enjoy a house full of friends and guests?
They were chatting and laughing in the room when they suddenly heard the maid report: "Madam, Madam, the Marquis of Pingnan is here!"
Ming Huashang was a little surprised. Ren Yao actually came? The situation was unclear and their families were having a hard time. She thought Ren Yao would not come. Ming Yuji was the first to react. She said "Please come in" and asked the maid to take away the cake box and re-make up Ming Huashang.
Ren Yao was wearing a purple Hu costume with beasts embroidered on it, and her long hair was simply tied up. She strode along the way with great vigor and vigor. When she came in, she saw the maids busy packing up the cake boxes, and said casually: "Eat when you are supposed to, why are you hiding it? Don't you treat me as your own?"
Ming Huashang chuckled when she heard this and said, "Sister Ren is right. Bring me the frozen shortbread cakes as well. I don't think I'm full."
Ming Yuji glared at her and said, "Still eating? You've even eaten your lip makeup. If the wedding party comes later, are you going to leave like this?"
"Why not? I'll use a fan to cover my face when I go out anyway, so no one can see me. How can they know I don't have lipstick on? When I fan myself at night, I'll say I got the lipstick scratched on me."
The more Ming Huachang thought about it, the more she felt that this was a perfect excuse. Ming Yuji was both angry and amused: "You only know how to cut corners on your own wedding. People who don't know would think you are getting married for someone else."
Ren Yao also said: "No need to put on so much makeup, after all, beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. No matter how Er Niang dresses, Li Huazhang thinks she is the most beautiful."
Ming Huashang refused to give in and said, "That's because I am beautiful. It has nothing to do with him."
Seeing Ming Huashang talking and laughing without restraint, the bridesmaid gradually realized that her sympathy for Ming Huashang was groundless and even ridiculous. There were few guests on the wedding day, and the future of her husband's family was uncertain. If it were another woman, she would definitely feel wronged, but Ming Huashang didn't care at all. Instead, she talked and laughed, ate and drank, which showed that she was not worried about her future life at all, and she felt safe enough with her husband and family.
If you are living a happy life, why do you need spectators?
Just as the bridesmaid finished her thoughts, several more female guests arrived, from the Princess Taiping Mansion and the Prince Xiang Mansion. Princess Taiping and Prince Xiang were relatives of Li Huazhang, and it was inconvenient for them to come to the bride's banquet, so they sent their most capable daughters-in-law or daughters to the scene, silently expressing their attitude. The small concubine's room was gradually filled with people. Although there were few people, each of them was of great importance.
Before they knew it, it was evening, and the auspicious time for welcoming the prince was approaching. The maids who were watching the excitement at the second gate hurried in, shouting, "Prince Yong is here! Prince Yong is here!"
There was a flurry of activity in the bridal chamber, with the maids hurriedly looking for a kneeling blanket and a round fan to cover Ming Huashang's face. Ren Yao picked up a handy wooden stick, loosened his muscles, and said, "You guys take your time to look for them, don't worry, I'll go to the door to stop them, I'll never let Li Huazhang in easily while I'm here."
When Ming Huashang saw the wooden stick as thick as a table leg in Ren Yao's hand, her scalp went numb and she hurriedly said, "Sister Ren, be friendly!"
The Tang Dynasty followed the Northern Dynasties and the people were martial, even in weddings. If a son-in-law wanted to enter the house, he had to be tested by the bride's relatives. The bride's elders would beat the new aunt with a wooden stick behind the door, commonly known as "beating the son-in-law". Even the emperor was not immune to this custom. Sometimes the beating was so severe that it was not uncommon for people to die.
After the martial arts, the groom has to compose poetry. He has to recite a poem on the spot every time he passes through a door. When he arrives at the bride's room, he has to compose a poem to urge her to get ready. He can only see the bride when everyone on the woman's side is satisfied.
However, this is only the first step. After that, there are still obstacles, saddles, weddings in the green house, and fans. Anyway, Ming Huashang feels that if she is reincarnated as a man, she will never be able to marry a wife in this life. Fortunately, Li Huazhang is both civil and military, so it should be no problem for him to fight against Ren Yao... right?
In the main hall of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion, Li Huazhang, dressed in a red wedding gown, bent his bow and drew his arrow. He shot one arrow to the sky, thanking God for the marriage, one arrow to the ground, asking for the blessing of the ancestors, and one arrow to the wedding car, to drive away the bad guys and to bless the couple to be of one mind and one heart for the rest of their lives, and to grow old together.
He fired three arrows in quick succession, and the momentum of the arrows was like a rainbow, which attracted the onlookers to applaud and cheer. Li Huazhang had prepared for this day for a long time. The poem for blocking the door was not worth mentioning. He also knew the structure of the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion very well. He was unstoppable all the way and drove straight in. Before the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion could react, he had already reached the last barrier - in front of Ming Huashang's concubine's room.
Ren Yao stood in front of the door holding the stick, relaxed his shoulders, clasped his fists and said, "King Yong, I'm sorry."
Li Huazhang saw the wooden stick in Ren Yao's hand, which was as thick as his arm, and sighed helplessly: "At least it's better than I expected. At least he didn't bring a red-threaded gun."
"You look down on me?" Ren Yao held the table leg and swung it lightly, raising his eyebrows and asking, "Are you going to come at me together or one by one?"
Jiang Ling had been clamoring to be the best man when Li Huazhang announced his marriage. He had annoyed Li Huazhang for half a year, and finally got what he wanted. Jiang Ling watched the show happily all the way. He was not tired of watching the excitement and said: "The enemy is few in number, and it is not a gentleman's behavior to attack in large numbers."
"You're right." Li Huazhang nodded, pushed Jiang Ling out without warning, and rushed towards the courtyard gate.
Li Huazhang hated redundant staff and positions the most. He arranged the staff so that no one was redundant or wasted. Jiang Ling was not good at writing poetry or martial arts, so why did Li Huazhang use him as a best man?
Obviously, there is a contribution to be made.
Jiang Ling was clearly watching a show when he was caught off guard by the sticks. He looked at the sticks coming towards him and said in panic, "Show mercy! We are all on the same side, don't hit us!"
Li Huazhang used Jiang Ling as bait and successfully got the golden cicada out of its shell. He approached the gate of the courtyard when Ren Yao was not prepared. But as soon as he opened the door, a strong wind came down on him. Li Huazhang hurriedly took a step back and narrowly avoided it.
Ming Yuji stood behind the door, slowly weighing the stick in his palm, smiling: "You want to take a shortcut by being sneaky? You wish."
Li Huazhang looked at the other angular table leg in front of him. As expected, one should not be complacent. He still failed to dodge what he should have dodge. He sighed and said helplessly, "How many tables did you dismantle?"
Ming Huashang sat on the bed, listening to the cheers and jeers outside. She felt very uneasy and frightened.
Normally, marrying a son-in-law is just a game, and the bride's family uses it to reduce the prestige of the aunt and remind him to treat the bride well. It is not dangerous. But their family is different. Ren Yao and Ming Yuji are both professionally trained female secret guards. They can really kill people by beating people with wooden sticks.
Li Huazhang dodged in the yard. It was not that he could not beat Ming Yuji, but it was customary for the groom to marry at a wedding. He could not use a weapon and could only dodge passively. He could win by dodging, but it was too slow.
Li Huazhang looked at a thin door not far away and suddenly said inexplicably: "I'm sorry."
Ming Huashang was holding the round fan, feeling restless. She was thinking whether to send a message to Ming Yuji and Ren Yao, hinting that they were almost done. Suddenly, the door was knocked open, and the maids who were hanging on the crack of the door fell into a heap. Ming Huashang looked up in surprise. Through the round fan with golden silk and colorful phoenixes, she saw a tall and slender boy passing through the crowd and landing in front of her like a surprise. He said with a smile: "It is said that you should adjust your rouge under the candlelight, and don't act like a prostitute in front of the mirror. You don't need to put on makeup on your face, but keep your eyebrows waiting for someone to paint you. Shangshang is beautiful, and it is not easy to marry her. I can only resort to this last resort and come to kidnap her."
Li Huazhang grabbed Ming Huashang's wrist and ran out. At this time, the women in the bridal chamber finally realized that he wanted to kidnap her and started to make a scene, saying, "Don't let him go! Stop him!"
The groom's wedding party brought by Li Huazhang finally found its place. The young men rushed in to help while cheering loudly. Ren Yao heard the noise inside and hurried to go back to support. Jiang Ling rushed over like a bear and hugged Ren Yao tightly: "Leave a line for others so that we can meet again in the future. If you offend Li Huazhang too much, be careful that he will take revenge on you at your wedding!"
Ren Yao couldn't kick him, and couldn't shake him off, so he said in shame, "Let me go. I'm not afraid of his revenge."
"I'm scared!" Jiang Ling refused to let go and said, "Ouch, I sprained my ankle and can't stand up."
Ming Yuji was furious when she saw that Li Huazhang, this shameless villain, was actually playing dirty tricks and trying to force the bride out of her marriage instead of just going through the gate. She frowned and rushed over to stop Li Huazhang, but was stopped by someone on the way.
Su Xingzhi changed into red clothes, which was rare, and stood in the crowd, holding Ming Yuji helplessly: "Yuji, it's not easy for Prince Yong to marry a wife, forget it."
Ming Yuji got angry when he heard this. It was not easy for him to write a few poems along the way? It was easy for the Duke of Zhenguo to raise a daughter?
Men are always easy to empathize with in such matters. Ming Yuji said coldly, "Let go." Su Xingzhi hesitated for a moment, but still did not let go. Sure enough, the next moment Ming Yuji swung his stick at Su Xingzhi. Su Xingzhi dodged quickly, thinking that he, as a guest at the ceremony, was really wronged. He was angered just for saying a few fair words. He hoped that Li Huazhang would not let his sacrifice down and marry his sister away as soon as possible.
Li Huazhang pulled Ming Huashang through the chaotic crowd. The jewels on Ming Huashang's hair crown clashed back and forth, and the noisy voices in her ears seemed to become a background. She raised one hand to hold the swaying hair crown, and couldn't help laughing while running, asking: "We are running like this, isn't it against the rules?"
"Wedding, wedding, the most important gift is to marry the one you love." Actually, this was not Li Huazhang's plan, but when he met her, he, who was usually self-disciplined and polite, could no longer follow the rules. His mind was completely occupied by one thought: to meet her as soon as possible.
The wedding procession and the wedding escort team were both looking for the bride and groom. Both sides were crowded together, and it was very lively. Little did they know that the protagonist of the wedding had already run away. Li Huazhang ran out of the courtyard with Ming Huashang, thinking about how to end it next. Suddenly, an idea came to his mind. Why not just take Ming Huashang away, leave everyone behind, and go to a place where only the two of them were.
Before he could sort out this crazy thought, he ran into a group of people. Zheng Guogong was waiting for his son-in-law and daughter to come to the palace, when he suddenly heard a servant say that Prince Yong had kidnapped his bride.
The Duke of Zhenguo thought that it was a lie spread by the servants. How could Erlang, who was so well-mannered and sensible, kidnap the bride? He hurried over without any room for embellishment and saw Li Huazhang trying to kidnap his daughter.
The Duke of Zhen was furious and shouted, "Erlang, what are you doing?"
Li Huazhang still knew the importance of the matter. He obediently returned to the main hall and completed the second half of the ceremony step by step. Then, amid the jeers of the crowd and the murderous gazes of his father-in-law and sister-in-law, he took Ming Huashang to the wedding car and drove to Prince Yong's Mansion.
The Yong Palace was already filled with distinguished guests and the lights were brightly on. The Li royal family, headed by Prince Xiang and Princess Taiping, had been waiting for a long time.
Although Li Xian was wary of Li Huazhang, Li Huazhang was the orphan of Crown Prince Zhang Huai and a contributor to the Shenlong coup, so he could not treat his wedding badly. The wedding banquet at Prince Yong's mansion was very grand. Even though Prince Xiang and Princess Taiping were trapped in a shallow beach, they still showed their respect and brought their entire family to attend the banquet in full dress, making it a grand occasion.
As the wedding car approached, music and salutes were heard from Prince Yong's Mansion. Li Huazhang ignored the crowds on the roadside. He dismounted and walked to the wedding car with a clear purpose. He reached out to help Ming Huashang down, as if this was the only thing in the world.
His hands were long and strong, a touch that Ming Huashang had been most familiar with since she was a child. As soon as her hand fell into Li Huazhang's palm, he held it tightly. Ming Huashang was almost half-hugged by Li Huazhang and fell to the ground.
The red felt carpet had been laid on the ground. Ming Huashang's sight was blocked by the round fan. She could only follow the lead of the other end of the red silk and walked forward woodenly. The well-trained maids ran beside her, constantly moving the felt carpet from the back to the front. Ming Huashang walked along without getting dust on her feet, without having to worry about anything. Together with Li Huazhang, they stepped over the saddle, the brazier, the noisy guests, the gold and colorful fruits that fell all over the sky, and worshipped as husband and wife in front of the green room with the singing of the ceremonial officer.
The news of Li Huazhang's bride-kidnapping had already reached the palace. The maidservants who came with the dowry were obviously on guard against him. Li Huazhang did not have any more sudden ideas in the following process. He honestly wrote many poems with the round fan. Only after the Zhenguo Mansion was satisfied with the dowry did he finally remove the round fan and see the beauty's true face.
The lights flickered, Ming Huashang raised her eyes, her bright eyes and white teeth were as charming as autumn waves, and she smiled at him brightly as if she had won the game of hide-and-seek when she was a child.
In an instant, everything in the world faded away, the voices of the guests around him faded into nothingness, Li Huazhang looked at Ming Huashang, unable to control his senses. He seemed to live only in her eyes at this moment, and all the things in the past and the rest of his life had answers.
Princess Taiping saw that Li Huazhang had been staring at her bride and did not want to respond to their questions. She understood and took the initiative to leave with the royal family. After the guests left, the palace maids and female officials also left in a row. The maid of the Zhenguogong Mansion looked at Ming Huashang with some concern and was pulled away by her companions.
In the blink of an eye, they were the only two people left in the lantern-lit Qinglou. Ming Huashang realized that their relationship was different from now on, and she couldn't help but feel nervous. However, Li Huazhang seemed to be unaware of it. He walked over and held her shoulders skillfully, took off her hair crown, and stroked her hair with his slender fingers, massaging her gently: "Are you hungry?"
His words instantly brought her back to the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion. He was still her most reliable brother, and she only needed to be a lazy, brainless, useless sister. Ming Huachang's nervousness disappeared, and like a child going to school without parents for the first time, she half complained and half acted coquettishly: "I'm almost starving. I got up at dawn today and have been busy until now. I don't even have time to drink water. If I hadn't secretly eaten two pieces of cake, I would have fainted on the road."
It's hard to say for other young ladies, but Ming Huashang has never suffered such grievances since she was a child. When Li Huazhang heard that Ming Huashang had been hungry for so long, he hurriedly said, "Please bear with it for a while. I'll ask the kitchen to prepare a meal for you and serve it up right away. Do you want to eat now or after you take a bath?"
Ming Huashang hesitated for a moment and said, "Let's eat after taking a bath."
"Okay." Li Huazhang said, "The hot water is ready. Go take a shower first. I'll ask them to set the table."
Ming Huashang responded and went to the bathroom next door to take a shower.
Qinglou is a temporary wedding room, similar to the tents of the nomadic people in the Northern Dynasties. The newlyweds only sleep here for one night and will move back to the main courtyard tomorrow, so the furnishings in Qinglou do not need to be too exquisite, and it is basically only used for sleeping. But Li Huazhang is very clear about Ming Huashang's living habits. Even if it is a temporary residence for only one night, he has carefully prepared a bathtub, a mirror, and a screen. The furnishings are exactly the same as in the Zhenguogong Mansion. Everything is the most familiar look to Ming Huashang.
Ming Huashang sank into the hot water and breathed a sigh of relief.
She scooped up a handful of water and watched the water droplets slide down her arm, leaving only a petal on her skin, like a red plum reflecting the snow. Ming Huashang was originally a little scared of what was going to happen next, after all, they were once brother and sister, but now, she believed that no matter what happened, he was still the original second brother.
No matter if his last name is Ming or Li. No matter if he is the prince of Zhenguo or the prince of Yong, the protector of the country.
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