Chapter 45 Good Things Take Time Staring at her fair, lightly made-up face, Pei Lang…
Lin Zhi's residence was burned beyond recognition, so for safety reasons, she was arranged to stay in a separate courtyard not far from Lanxue Pavilion.
Two days have passed since the fire, but she is still plagued by nightmares every night. She finally manages to fall asleep, but wakes up and can't fall back asleep.
Lin Zhi took a deep breath and sighed. Every time she closed her eyes, the scene of Pei Lang rushing into the fire would reappear, and her heart ached.
Although Pei Lang managed to snatch the wedding dress, it was mostly destroyed. Lin Zhi was utterly exhausted. Why did such a good thing have to be so difficult?
Seeing her mistress looking worried about her wedding dress every day, Chun Tao felt bad for her too: "Miss, why don't you take out the wedding dress you didn't finish embroidering before? I think there's not much work left, so why don't we help you finish embroidering it?"
Lin Zhi sighed, "How can that be? How can my cousin and I use our old wedding dresses for our wedding?"
"Let me think about it some more."
Chun Tao wisely put down what she was holding and left, then went to find the madam to try and find a solution.
"The stitching on this set is too coarse, and the colors are too ugly."
"This set is even more elaborate, with every embroidery pattern imaginable! Just look at it yourselves, isn't it beautiful!"
She hurriedly ordered someone to buy a few sets to tide her over, but Lin Shaowan didn't like any of them and gave the servants a thorough dressing-down.
"I'm sorry to have troubled you, Aunt."
When Lin Zhi came over and saw this, she felt very uncomfortable. She kept blaming herself for having too good a memory, remembering all the good and bad things her aunt had done for her too clearly, so that she couldn't be too close to her aunt or too distant from her.
Seeing Lin Zhi approach, Lin Shaowan waved for her to leave: "The fire incident has been investigated. It was a maid who didn't put the candles properly, and they fell over while burning."
"They didn't even pay attention to such an important matter; they've already kicked the man out of the mansion."
"It's just a pity about those headdresses and wedding dresses."
Lin Zhi stiffly held her aunt's hand, wanting to say something but swallowing it back, and lowered her eyes to comfort her: "Fortunately, no one is seriously injured."
"Hair ornaments are a minor matter. There is a set of ruby jewelry in the treasury of the manor, which would suit you perfectly."
"But as you can see, we bought quite a few wedding dresses, but none of them are usable."
Lin Shaowan sighed heavily. Since that day, she seemed to have changed her opinion of Pei Lang a little, but the impression she had left over from so many years was too deep to be erased.
"But there's nothing we can do. The auspicious day is less than ten days away. Even if it's crude, we have no choice but to use it. Maybe if we bring it here earlier, I can modify it and make do with it."
Lin Zhi's understanding nature only made Lin Shaowan feel more heartbroken. This child was already a pitiful person, and now that she finally had the joy of getting married, she encountered such a man-made disaster.
Lin Shaowan hesitated several times before she could speak, but before she could open her mouth, she saw Pei Lang rushing back from outside.
"Why did you leave the manor? Didn't the doctor say your injury needed to be properly treated?"
Seeing that his nose was red from the cold, Lin Zhi hurriedly got up and went to greet him, her face full of nervousness and reproach.
But Pei Lang ignored Lin Shaowan's presence, reached out and grasped Lin Zhi's hand, his dark eyes shining like stars: "Look what I brought back for you!"
Lin Zhi was drawn to his gaze. When she came to her senses, she saw Xingyun behind him carefully carrying a small wooden box. She reached out and opened it, and was amazed by the pearl headdress placed inside.
The pearls on the jewelry are full and lustrous, adorned with gemstones and dangling with four delicate tassels. Such precious jewelry is rarely seen, not even by empresses or noble ladies in the palace, let alone weddings.
"This is......"
“This is my mother’s dowry. It has been sitting unused for a long time. I was worried that you would find these things old-fashioned, but now that the newly bought headdress is burnt, I’ll use this as a temporary solution.”
Lin Zhi's heart trembled, and she touched Pei Lang's cold hand: "How could I dislike it? This is an elder's item, and I'm just afraid of offending him."
Pei Lang, abandoning his usual dignified demeanor, smiled lightly and said, "If Mother could know this from beyond the grave, she would be happy to know that we could be helped. You are her daughter-in-law, and these things were meant to be left to you anyway."
Seeing the two younger generation members jumping for joy, Lin Shaowan's expression softened. She was getting old, and her only son was gone, leaving only this niece and her nominal son.
Perhaps we can gradually let go of the past?
Pei Lang handed the jewelry to Chun Tao, but knelt down in front of Lin Shaowan, which shocked Lin Shaowan so much that she rushed forward to help him up.
What are you doing?
But Pei Lang stubbornly refused to get up, saying, "The wedding day is just around the corner. I hope Mother can put in a lot of effort to find a wedding dress for Azhi so as not to disappoint her."
"I was just being ignorant before. If I have offended you, I hope you will forgive me, as long as I can fulfill A-Zhi's wishes!"
Every word he spoke was so touching that even Lin Shaowan couldn't help but soften her heart: "You child... get up first, can't we talk things out properly?"
"You wait for your mother to come up with a plan. In any case, she will make sure your wedding day is perfect."
Lin Zhi was so moved that tears welled up in her eyes. Pei Lang then stood up with the help of the two of them, but let out a soft hiss.
Lin Zhi then noticed that the wound on the back of his hand hadn't been dressed yet. After apologizing to her aunt, she quickly pulled him away.
Unwrapping the bandages, all that could be seen on the once smooth and clear back of her hand were blisters that had burst open. Lin Zhi felt a lump in her throat and couldn't help but complain in a muffled voice, "Are you stupid? You dared to rush into such a big fire! You almost scared me to death."
"In the end, the wedding dress couldn't be saved, and the person was injured. Do you really think you can handle things so easily in the imperial court?"
Although Lin Zhi complained, her movements were as gentle as could be.
Seeing that she kept her head down, Pei Lang reached out and wiped away her tears without even looking at her: "Just thinking that the wedding dress was embroidered by you, stitch by stitch, and now it's ruined, makes my heart ache more than if it were being tormented by a raging fire."
"But when I rushed in and snatched you out, I was thinking of you, and then I didn't feel the pain anymore."
Those few words, though seemingly casual, brought tears to Lin Zhi's eyes.
"Stop talking!"
"I don't care what I wear, as long as I can marry you."
After re-bandaging the wound, Pei Lang pulled the person into his arms, using the gesture to hide the fleeting anxiety in his eyes.
Although it was a risky move, it was the only option.
He does too many things with complete confidence, and sometimes it's okay to take a gamble.
Lin Zhi thought the wedding dress would be delayed for a few more days, but unexpectedly, her aunt called her over the next night.
"Why hasn't Aunt rested yet?"
After Yu Shu led her there, she quietly withdrew. Lin Zhi hesitated for a moment before stepping into the room, only to see an exquisitely beautiful wedding dress hanging in the center of the room, a dress that defied description.
Not only were the embroidered patterns exquisite, but Lin Zhi was also impressed by the ingenious combination of the designs. Although they were all auspicious patterns, they were not complicated, resembling a well-arranged landscape painting.
"Aunt, this is...?"
Lin Zhi stared at the wedding dress in front of her with a fascination in her eyes. The craftsmanship from top to bottom was exquisite and exceptional. Not only was the skill superb, but it was also embroidered by one person from beginning to end.
Ordinary embroiderers would work together in groups to make one piece, and there would be some slight differences in their skills. But this piece was perfectly made, without a single flaw.
Seeing Lin Zhi staring in admiration, Lin Shaowan's face showed a complex emotion: "Azhi, what do you think of this wedding dress compared to your craftsmanship?"
"His skill is far superior to mine! He's even more adept!"
Without a second thought, Lin Zhi immediately offered praise.
Even though she was confident in her embroidery skills, she still had to admit defeat in front of it.
No sooner had she finished speaking than Lin Zhi saw her aunt take down the wedding dress, hold it up against her body, and stare at it intently.
"Not bad, it seems your figure is almost the same as mine back then. It seems there's no need to change it, the clothes fit perfectly."
"Your mother is indeed a skilled cook."
Upon hearing her aunt mention her mother, Lin Zhi stood frozen in place, unable to move: "...Does Aunt mean that this wedding dress...was made by my mother?"
Lin Shaowan pulled her into the inner room and asked her to change into the dress. She couldn't help but sigh, "My sister-in-law carefully prepared this wedding dress for me back then, but unfortunately I couldn't wear bright red when I entered the Pei family, so I had to put it aside with great pain."
"So many years have passed in the blink of an eye. I'm afraid even my sister-in-law couldn't have imagined that one day her daughter would be able to wear a wedding dress embroidered by her own hands..."
Lin Shaowan had only spoken half a sentence when she saw Lin Zhi slowly walk out from behind the screen. She usually preferred to wear light colors, but now her bright red wedding dress made her face look even more rosy and radiant.
Lin Zhi looked at her aunt's expression somewhat awkwardly, quite embarrassed: "Aunt, take a look, is my clothing inappropriate?"
"Perfect!"
Lin Shaowan's eyes suddenly lit up. She pressed the person down to sit in front of the bronze mirror and stared at the girl in the mirror. Even without makeup, she was stunningly beautiful.
"If Sister-in-law Yu saw this, I wonder how happy she would be."
Although Lin Zhi was also deeply moved, she was also apprehensive: "Aunt, this is the wedding dress that Mother prepared for you. It is not right for A-Zhi to wear it like this."
"A-Zhi will change now..."
But Lin Shaowan looked at her firmly in the mirror and said, "Azhi, you don't need to argue with your aunt about these things. Your mother cared for me before, and now it's only right for me to care for her daughter."
“Didn’t Pei Lang also bring out his mother’s jewelry? But this wedding dress is of great significance to your aunt. I hope that after you wear it, you can return it to your aunt and keep it.”
Lin Zhi nodded quickly: "These are my aunt's things! Of course, they should be returned!"
Although Lin Zhi was happy, she also felt a little strange. She felt that her aunt's expression was somewhat complicated today. Her eyes seemed to hold both nostalgia and longing.
Lin Shaowan's hand gradually moved from her shoulder to the hem of her dress, gently stroking it twice in an inconspicuous place. Then, as if making up her mind, she told Lin Zhi to change out of the wedding dress and take it back.
When Lin Zhi returned to her residence with her wedding dress, she still felt a little dizzy. Her mother had passed away many years ago, and she was actually able to get married wearing a wedding dress that her mother had embroidered by hand!
Even though the wedding dress belonged to her aunt, just being able to wear it was enough to bring tears to Lin Zhi's eyes.
As soon as she entered, the two maids were full of curiosity about what she was holding: "Madam is truly amazing, finding such a fine wedding dress in such a short time!"
"The craftsmanship is truly exquisite! I feel that even the embroidery workshops in the palace can't compare!"
Seeing that the two women practically pressed themselves against the wedding dress to examine it closely, Lin Zhi suppressed a laugh and didn't interrupt them.
Suddenly, Xia Ying exclaimed, "Miss! Come and see!"
"What's wrong?"
Lin Zhisheng feared that something had gone wrong with the wedding dress again, so he rushed over and saw Xia Ying find a small, strange pattern in the turned-up corner of the dress.
"This doesn't look like a flower at all, it looks more like... what kind of character?"
Is it the character "青" or "胥"? But it doesn't seem like either...
Lin Zhi took it with a puzzled look and indeed it was a small, incongruous pattern. But if you insisted on calling it a small flower, it would be plausible. However, in such a hidden place, it could only be a pattern that had extraordinary significance for the owner of the wedding dress.
Lin Zhi's eyes flickered slightly, and she quickly put away her wedding dress: "Alright, alright, it won't be visible anyway, it's nothing."
"This one needs to be taken very seriously. If anything goes wrong again, I'll have nowhere to turn to cry."
The two maids exchanged a glance and quickly nodded, "Don't worry, Miss!"
They couldn't see each other for three days before the wedding, so Lin Zhi was worried about Pei Lang's hand injury for those three days. Although the servants came to report every day, it was still not as reassuring as seeing it with her own eyes.
However, as a newlywed, she had even more to do, and she got up before dawn to dress and do her makeup. Fortunately, the two mansions were not far apart; if they were farther, Lin Zhi would probably have fainted from hunger long ago.
Even after being helped into the bridal sedan chair by the matchmaker, Lin Zhi still felt lightheaded and unreal.
Clutching the wedding fan tightly, she felt that the bridal sedan chair wasn't so cold after all.
But as soon as they settled in, they saw the sedan curtain being lifted, and it was Chun Tao.
"Miss, please take this. The young master instructed me to prepare several hand warmers for you. If they get cold, please ask me to change them for you."
Holding a steaming hot hand warmer in her hands, Lin Zhi's lips, adorned with delicate lipstick, curved slightly in a sweet smile.
The ten-mile-long red-bridal procession stretched along the street. If one did not know that this was the Grand Secretary marrying a concubine, one would think it was a noble family giving away their daughter. Such a grand spectacle!
Pei Lang, who was usually composed, was now dressed in a bright red wedding robe, making him an even more handsome and eye-catching young man. He mounted his horse with ease and grace.
Lin Zhi's hands trembled involuntarily as she felt the sedan chair being lifted, but before they could go far, the wedding procession stopped again.
Lin Zhi couldn't help but frown, and asked Chun Tao in a low voice through the curtain.
"Miss, it seems there's someone blocking the way ahead. I think it looks like... Xie Shaoqing?"
Hearing Xie Zheng's name, Lin Zhi's heart tightened.
Xie Zheng is an upright and honest person. Even if she rejected him, he wouldn't cause trouble on their wedding day, would he? Besides, he and Pei Lang are good brothers.
Unlike Lin Zhi's worries, Pei Lang, riding a tall horse, felt only slight anger. He stared disdainfully at Xie Zheng, who was also riding a horse and confronting him.
"Brother Xie is so loyal and righteous, coming to see me off and offer his congratulations so early in the morning."
"How about we go for a drink at the wedding?"
That's what they said, but Pei Lang didn't send a wedding invitation to the Xie family at all. He knew Xie Zheng wouldn't accept it, so he simply didn't send one.
I never expected him to dare to block my way on my big day.
Xie Zheng had known Pei Lang for many years, so how could he not see through Pei Lang's thoughts? He also sneered and said, "There's no need for a wedding banquet. The Dali Temple is currently handling a case and pursuing a fugitive."
"We need to block the road to arrest people, so I'll have to trouble Lord Pei to bear with us."
Pei Lang tightened the reins in his hand, his gaze slowly turning cold. This person was clearly doing it on purpose.
Why take their route when there are so many other options?
The matchmaker standing nearby also got anxious and rushed over to tell Pei Lang that the auspicious time could not be delayed.
Pei Lang pursed his thin lips and stared at Xie Zheng, his tone no longer friendly: "Get out of the way."
Xie Zheng, abandoning his usual good temper, dismounted with a cold face: "The Dali Temple is handling a case today! No idlers allowed!"
Pei Lang also dismounted, his bright red wedding robe stinging Xie Zheng's eyes. He couldn't understand why he was inferior to him.
Just as the two were locked in a stalemate, the surrounding crowd suddenly exclaimed, "Why is the bride getting out of the sedan chair!"
Xie Zheng's expression froze, and Pei Lang quickly turned his head, only to see Lin Zhi gracefully approaching in a wedding dress as vibrant as the sunset. Although she half-covered her face with a fan, her beautiful eyes were still clearly visible.
Pei Lang frowned slightly, already displeased that he had disturbed Lin Zhi. When he turned around and saw Xie Zheng stunned in place, his face darkened even more.
"I hope you are well, Xie Shaoqing."
Lin Zhi, her face half-covered, gave him a slight curtsy: "Today is my joyous day. Knowing that Minister Xie is busy with official duties, we would not want to disturb you."
"We will make way for you, Shaoqing, so please don't delay the auspicious time."
As she spoke, Lin Zhi lowered the fan slightly, revealing a beautifully made-up face. She first handed the fan to Chun Tao beside her, and then took a packet of red-wrapped candied fruit from her hand and handed it over.
"Today is a day of great joy for me, and I hope you will share in my happiness, Shaoqing. I hope you will not find it offensive."
After hesitating for a moment, he looked at her again and saw a pleading look in Lin Zhi's eyes. His anger and resentment vanished, and he couldn't bear to make things difficult for her.
After a long silence, she slowly reached out her trembling hand to accept the bag of celebratory fruit. Lin Zhi withdrew her hand extremely quickly, so quickly that their fingertips didn't even touch for a moment.
Xie Zheng swallowed hard, his throat bobbing. "...Then congratulations, Miss Lin, may you be a pair of lovebirds, inseparable for a hundred years."
Pei Lang stepped between the two, snatched the wedding fan from Chun Tao's hand, gently took Lin Zhi's hands and placed them back in her palms, and slowly escorted her back to the bridal sedan chair.
Xie Zheng watched the two figures walking side by side, unconsciously clenching the celebratory fruit in his hand, making a crackling sound.
Watching Pei Lang mount his horse like a victorious general, Xie Zheng could only grit his teeth and order his men to step aside and make way.
As the bridal sedan chair passed in front of Xie Zheng, a gentle breeze lifted the curtain, and he saw Lin Zhixin's joyful and expectant profile, immersed in happiness, a contentment he had never seen before.
Only after the bridal sedan chair had left did Xie Zheng realize that a slight smile had crept onto his lips. He then gave a self-deprecating laugh, spurred his horse, and rode off in the opposite direction.
"I bow to Heaven and Earth for blessings!"
"Second bow to my parents on their birthday!"
May the couple's love and affection last forever!
The auspicious and celebratory words almost overwhelmed Lin Zhi. Although she was a concubine, Pei Lang was unwilling to wrong her in any way. Looking at Pei Lang, whose eyes were also shining brightly, through the ceremonial fan, Lin Zhi felt her heart beating extremely fast.
When the matchmaker led her into the bridal chamber, Lin Zhi's legs went weak and she sat on the bed, unable to come to her senses for a long time: she had actually married Pei Lang?
The irrepressible smile on her lips made her feel as if she were in a beautiful dream; she finally had her own little home!
Pei Lang still had to entertain the guests, so Chun Tao and Xia Ying hurriedly came in to help Lin Zhi relieve her fatigue, fed her something, and even secretly slipped a small booklet into her hand.
"Miss... please put your things away carefully. A matron will come in later to teach you..."
Lin Zhi glanced at it and then quickly closed it, her face turning as red as if it were about to bleed!
"This..." She couldn't not look, even though Lin Zhi had been of marriageable age for several years, she was still confused. After listening to the nanny's teachings, her heart almost jumped out of her throat.
Today is a rare auspicious day, and Pei Lang is so busy with banquets in the front hall that he is overwhelmed with joy. Everyone present is beaming with happiness, except for Prime Minister He, who got up and left early.
Pei Lang clinked glasses with the old man while keeping an eye on him as he left. He subtly looked away and then smiled and thanked him.
As soon as He Xiangcai got off the carriage and returned to his residence, he heard the sound of things being smashed as soon as he entered the door. After a few loud bangs, he heard servants and maids begging for mercy and crying.
He couldn't help but frown and go over, and sure enough, he saw his youngest daughter beating and scolding the servants in a completely unseemly manner, even picking up broken pieces of porcelain from the ground and trying to slash their faces.
"Luochen! Don't be silly!"
Enraged, He Luochen heard her father's voice and abruptly looked up, but her hands didn't stop moving. With a heavy slash, a horrific wound appeared on the maid's face, from which blood flowed.
Disgusted, He Luochen tossed aside what he was holding and waved impatiently for someone to drag him away: "Don't get in my way!"
Looking at his daughter like this, He Xiang couldn't help but chuckle softly: "You child, you're so grown up, yet you still have the heart of a child."
He Luochen's eyes reddened with anger. "Father! Didn't you say that Pei Lang would definitely be my husband?"
"You said before that this was just a concubine entering the manor, but you've seen the scene today! Even a princess's wedding wouldn't be this grand!"
"How can I not be angry!"
He Xiang stroked his beard and sighed: "Do you know why you can't compare to your elder sister?"
Upon hearing He Luoyun's name, He Luochen's expression changed, but he quickly backed down.
“Your elder sister suffered just as much hardship and injustice in the Eastern Palace as you did, but she endured it all. A small act of impatience can ruin a great plan.”
"In the palace today, who can rival Consort Hui in terms of favor?"
"You're just too impatient, kid."
Although He Luochen was dissatisfied, he also felt that she had a point: "Then tell me, what should I do?"
"Do you really think I'm going to let this little orphan girl climb all over me?!"
He Xiang chuckled, "Just wait and see. When this little orphan girl kneels before you begging for mercy, you can do whatever you want with her."
As the wedding banquet came to a close, all the guests began to drink, so much so that they could no longer see who was in front of them. Some even clamored for Pei Lang to drink, unaware that the groom had already disappeared.
Standing outside the door, Pei Lang took a deep breath, then smelled the faint scent of alcohol on his body before pushing the door open and entering.
He had only taken a few steps inside when he saw his delicate and beautiful young mistress sitting obediently by the couch, waiting for him. When he didn't move, she urged him with some confusion.
"Pei Lang? Is that you?"
Lin Zhi's voice was already soft and sweet, but now, perhaps because he had been drinking, it sounded even more refreshing, like a clear spring.
He approached slowly with steady steps, but took advantage of her momentary distraction to snatch the fan away. Their eyes met suddenly, almost touching.
Staring at her fair, lightly made-up face, Pei Lang felt a burning itch in his heart, and asked in a low, husky voice, "What should you call me?"
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Author's note: Here we go! We're finally getting married!
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