Trip to Beijing (No. 11)
After her last meeting with Mu Chuan, the Princess's residence entered the final preparations for the wedding.
The mansion was decorated with lanterns and colorful streamers, and even Mu Lan was conscripted by the princess to work as an assistant.
As for Wang Pan'er, no family would have the bride decorate the bridal chamber for the wedding. The princess specially chose a quiet courtyard to serve as her "boudoir" and told Wang Pan'er to rest well and recuperate in order to cope with the very complicated procedures on the wedding day.
Wang Pan'er stayed in her room for more than two days, finally making it to her wedding day.
She opened her eyes with great interest as soon as the sun peeked out.
Soon after, the maids and nannies who were doing her hair and makeup filed in.
Leading the group was Lüyi, followed by Xi Mama, a highly experienced palace maid.
Because of their familiarity with each other, Lüyi was specially assigned to accompany and serve them, while Granny Xi was invited to keep track of the details in case the younger generation overlooked anything.
As soon as Lüyi entered, she began to say auspicious words: "Miss, you look radiant today. Once you put on makeup, you will surely make the young master fall head over heels for you."
When people are happy, they are in high spirits. Even the ends of Wang Pan'er's eyebrows were more raised than usual. She couldn't help but smile and said, "You have such a sweet tongue. Hurry up and help me get dressed."
"Okay!"
Lüyi directed the maids carrying the wedding dresses to line up in a row from the inside out.
This is the phoenix coronet and embroidered robe bestowed by the Emperor. It has seven layers in total, inside and out. Fortunately, the weather has turned cool, and the inner layers are light and thin. Otherwise, this wedding dress that I have to wear would be a great suffering.
The wedding dress was custom-made, stitch by stitch, and fit perfectly. After Wang Pan'er put on the dress, she looked at herself in the mirror and indeed felt a sense of dignified presence.
I wonder what Mu Chuan will look like in his wedding attire.
Perhaps sensing Wang Pan'er's thoughts, Lüyi said, "Young Master has already burned incense and offered sacrifices to inform our ancestors and pray for the couple to grow old together in harmony. After the sacrifices are finished, it's time for him to come and fetch the bride."
The phoenix crown was an elaborate and complex craft. To ensure it was secure, they styled Wang Pan'er's hair into a relatively simple yet sturdy bun with sufficient support.
Applying powder, rouge, drawing eyebrows, attaching floral decorations, and applying lip rouge—once all these steps are completed, the full makeup look is finished.
Fortunately, the regular schedule in ancient times allowed Wang Pan'er to grow her hair to be thick and black, and her eyelashes to be thick and curled as well. Otherwise, without eyeliner, it would always feel like something was missing.
Looking at herself in the mirror, now made up, Wang Pan'er's features were much more striking, and her every move exuded a seductive charm.
This makeup artist's hands are incredibly skillful.
Wang Pan'er struck several poses with satisfaction, almost becoming mesmerized by the sight. She happily pulled out her small purse, took out the gold leaves she had prepared inside, and distributed them to everyone present.
Everyone was overjoyed until the phoenix crown was finally placed on their heads.
Wang Pan'er's smile froze, and she began to feel a little scared.
It's undeniably beautiful, but it's also undeniably heavy; all beauty comes at a price.
Although this marriage involved the princess leaving home and entering her residence, it was still a marriage between members of the imperial family, and it could not be taken lightly.
After the wedding procession, they must make a full circuit around the inner city of the capital so that the people who come can share in the joy.
I need to find a way to free my neck.
Not long after Wang Pan'er finished dressing, the sound of gongs and drums began to faintly rise from afar, gradually approaching, and finally stopping at the entrance of the courtyard.
Mu Chuan has arrived.
Granny Xi covered Wang Pan'er's head with a veil and helped her out of the courtyard.
The servants of this household naturally dared not make things difficult for their young master, and Wang Pan'er did not think that such considerations could play any role in the wedding.
So Mu Chuan easily met his princess at the courtyard gate.
Wang Pan'er couldn't see Mu Chuan's expression, but she heard him say with a smile, "This day has finally come."
Mu Chuan extended his hand, and Wang Pan'er grasped it, then held it tightly as he carefully escorted her to the bridal sedan chair.
Many people came out along the street to share in the joy, and the maids leading the way kept scattering wedding candies on the street.
Wang Pan'er lifted the veil and sedan curtain, but after only a short while, she reluctantly gave in to the weight of the phoenix crown, finding a good support to lean against and relieve the pressure on her neck.
This was the second time she had ridden in a bridal sedan chair.
Last time it was a resurrection from the dead; this time it's about binding one's fate to another person.
Marriage is a high-stakes gamble, but Wang Pan'er is not afraid at all at this moment.
She once thought that as long as she could be her own support and a safety net for her life, she would be fearless. But when she actually sat in the bridal sedan chair, Wang Pan'er realized that having her own confidence was not enough. She also needed the other person to be a very, very good person in order to truly find inner peace and wholeheartedly focus on intertwining their future destinies.
If Ruo Muchuan, or even the Princess and Mulan, showed even the slightest disrespect or hostility towards her, Wang Pan'er would not be able to accept the arranged marriage without any resentment, and would not be able to spend her life with them.
The wedding procession finally completed its circuit around the inner city. The capital was vast; even just the inner city took a full three hours to circle, and the sedan chair bearers were changed four or five times.
Fortunately, Mu Chuan secretly tossed some snacks into the sedan chair along the way to replenish her energy, so Wang Pan'er didn't collapse from exhaustion.
When they returned to the Princess's residence, the sun was setting.
Dusk is the time of day when day and night alternate and yin and yang are in harmony, and it is also the most auspicious time for newlyweds to perform the wedding ceremony.
The eldest princess was already seated on the high hall, waiting for the newlyweds to arrive, her eyes filled with joy.
The former prince consort shamelessly attended the wedding banquet and sat in the high hall with the princess.
He was completely invisible; if the eldest princess hadn't spoken up against him, Wang Pan'er, who was wearing a veil, wouldn't have even noticed him.
"If Lord Lin is not satisfied with this marriage, he doesn't need to come here with such a gloomy face. Don't spoil Mu Chuan and Pan'er's happy occasion."
His son's wedding was not well-received, and his surname was changed. Lord Lin was so angry that his nostrils flared, but in the end he could only give in and force a smile.
King Pan'er of Muchuan happily bowed to heaven and earth, and to her parents, and then they stood facing each other and bowed to each other as husband and wife.
Thus the ceremony is complete.
Granny Xi pulled over a red silk ribbon and had Mu Chuan lead Wang Pan'er into the bridal chamber.
The red ribbon grew shorter and shorter in Mu Chuan's hands, and the two figures drew closer and closer.
His little scheme was noticed, and Wang Pan'er couldn't help but touch his palm along the red silk, teasingly saying, "So cute."
Despite his usual quick wit, Mu Chuan always finds himself at a disadvantage when faced with this woman's "hooligan" behavior.
He thought, "It's our wedding night, why bother being a gentleman? I'll have to use my hands instead of my words later."
Remain silent, do not respond, and do not fall into traps.
Mu Chuan settled Wang Pan'er on the edge of the bed: "I still need to see my guests, so please wait for me a little longer."
"Go ahead, it's alright."
At the Prince's wedding, no one dared to cause trouble in the bridal chamber. As soon as Mu Chuan left, Wang Pan'er relaxed and sprawled on the bed.
She regretted spoiling Mu Chuan too much, letting him go through the entire ceremony. Now she was exhausted, her back ached, and she was hungry and sleepy.
Fortunately, the quick-witted Lüyi went to the kitchen to bring out food as soon as Wang Pan'er entered the room, and did not forget to remind her that it was ordered by the young master.
No wonder the princess always kept her by her side; the little girl is really good at handling things.
Wang Pan'er slurped down two large bowls of white rice, successfully making herself dizzy from the heat. She started yawning incessantly, unable to open her eyes no matter how hard she tried.
Knowing it was wrong, Wang Pan'er couldn't resist the drowsiness and said, "Wake me up before Mu Chuan comes back," before falling into a deep sleep.
As darkness fell completely and the last guest left after having eaten and drunk his fill, Mu Chuan immediately abandoned his usual aloof and demure demeanor and hurriedly ran towards the courtyard.
He stood in front of the courtyard, then stopped, raised his sleeve and sniffed. Sure enough, there was the smell of wine and meat.
This was a taste Wang Pan'er disliked. He frowned, sighed, and then turned to order a servant to fetch water for him to wash himself.
Mu Chuan, looking refreshed, stood in front of the bridal chamber again, wanting to give Wang Pan'er a surprise. He stopped Lü Yi from going into the room to report and stepped straight in.
Unexpectedly, Wang Pan'er was fast asleep, fully clothed, leaning against the edge of the bed.
Seeing how exhausted she looked after a whole day of running around, Mu Chuan couldn't help but chuckle.
He pulled Wang Pan'er to the inner side, then lay down beside her head, gently inhaling the fragrance of her hair.
Wang Pan'er vaguely sensed someone approaching. She tried to open her eyes, but saw only the light of the wedding candles. She then closed her eyes again, having a rare and beautiful dream.
In her dream, her medicinal cuisine restaurant became a popular spot for online influencers, attracting huge crowds and turning her into a wealthy young woman.
Just as her best friend was heartbroken, Wang Pan'er waved her hand and took her friend to a club to have some fun.
Today, the club has an ancient Chinese theme. Wang Pan'er and her girlfriends sat in a private room, picking out models standing in a row.
"This won't do, the soles are too thick, I'm afraid he'll twist his ankle."
“This won’t do either. His nails are longer than mine. Is he looking for an older sister or an older brother?”
"This is good."
Just as Wang Pan'er was about to give her friends some advice, this "not bad" taxi driver called out "Zi Zi" in a sweet, cloying way, almost blowing their skulls off.
The two put on masks of pain and finally pulled out a handsome young man dressed as Jia Baoyu.
The young ladies were quite fond of his appearance and teased him, "Young Master Bao, can I take a look at the jade?"
The handsome young man looked innocent and bewildered: "Jade? What jade?"
The young woman frowned: "You don't know about the Jade of Spirit Communication?"
This "Second Master" was still clueless.
The two girls put on masks of pain, let out a wail, and slumped onto the sofa.
Wang Pan'er was also utterly dejected. She asked the supervisor listlessly, "Are there any other people here? I'm not short of money. You guys have to make my sisters happy today."
The supervisor looked embarrassed, and before he could answer, the young woman suddenly hugged her, pointed to the door, and excitedly shouted, "Absolutely gorgeous, this is absolutely gorgeous!"
Wang Pan'er looked closely and saw a man dressed as a groom, looking like an immortal, walking towards her. Her eyes lit up and she exclaimed excitedly, "Mu Chuan, what are you doing here?"
Upon seeing this "outrageous" individual, the foreman quickly explained, "He's not..."
What is it not?
It doesn't matter, my girlfriends are already full of energy.
His exquisite eyes seemed to have hooks at the corners, captivating all who looked away. He seemed quite pleased with his charm, walking straight up to Wang Pan'er and pulling her out of the room.
The two girls transformed into screaming chickens on the spot, screaming incessantly.
The scoundrel dragged her into another empty room. Wang Pan'er, blinded by lust, reached under his collar.
He did not resist, like a male bodhisattva, letting Wang Pan'er touch him all over.
It should have firm chest muscles, eight-pack abs, and feel great to the touch—firm, bouncy, and with a cool, fair complexion. If you press too hard, it can even leave a light pink mark.
No, in this dimly lit room, where would one find pale skin or light pink marks?
Wang Pan'er jolted awake and opened her eyes.
Mu Chuan propped his head up, watching her with interest. Seeing that she had woken up, he said unhurriedly, "Have you touched enough?"
Wang Pan'er's gaze shifted downwards, and the person opposite her was already disheveled.
She awkwardly withdrew her hand, only to be pulled up from the bed by Mu Chuan: "You lifted the veil yourself, I'm sorry, but the rest of the ceremony can't be skipped."
A wedding shouldn't have any regrets, so Wang Pan'er quickly pulled the veil from in front of the bed and put it on her head, saying, "Don't regret it, you can leave, and we'll start over!"
Mu Chuan was surprised by this turn of events. He gently flicked her head, straightened his disheveled clothes, and left the room, taking the jade ruyi from the tray held by Lü Yi.
The door was reopened.
Wang Pan'er watched as Mu Chuan's shoes came into her narrow field of vision, their tips touching.
Ruyi lifted the red veil, revealing a bright and cheerful face.
Even though he had already seen the face under the veil, Mu Chuan was still stunned for a moment.
While suppressing her auntly smile and stealing glances, Lüyi and the other maids brought over a small table.
On the table was a bowl of meat, a pair of gourds, a pot of wine, a pair of scissors, and an exquisite brocade box.
Wang Pan'er was still somewhat ignorant about traditional wedding customs and could only imitate Mu Chuan's actions.
Mu Chuan noticed that Wang Pan'er was unfamiliar with these things, so he picked up the meat from the bowl, cut it in half, put one half in Wang Pan'er's small plate and the other half in his own small plate, and said, "This is called 'shared meal,' where husband and wife share the same animal, which represents the unity of superiors and inferiors and the sharing of blessings and longevity."
Wang Pan'er and Mu Chuan swallowed the stewed meat together, and then watched him raise the wine pot and pour the wine into the nuptial cup.
"This is the nuptial wine. Drinking it together symbolizes sharing joys and sorrows. The husband and wife each hold a ladle, drink half first, exchange ladles, and then drink the rest of the wine from the other person."
Wang Pan'er thought it was a toast to the deceased. It was pretty much the same, so she followed suit and drank the wine in the gourd.
After finishing the wine, Mu Chuan put the two empty gourds back together and tied them tightly with a red string.
Wang Pan'er guessed that the scissors and brocade box at the end were for tying up hair.
You guessed right.
Mu Chuan picked up the scissors, took a strand from his own hair, and also picked a strand from Wang Pan'er's hair bun, tied them together, and carefully put them into the brocade box.
Wang Pan'er asked, "What does this mean?"
Mu Chuan stood up, walked closer, and embraced her, replying, "We are bound by blood and fate."
Wang Pan'er tilted her head back, met Mu Chuan's gaze, and smiled, "It's time to melt it."
Realizing what Wang Pan'er was saying, Mu Chuan's ears instantly turned bright red.
He didn't reply, but instead lifted Wang Pan'er up and placed her on the bed, removed her phoenix crown, took off her shoes, and then pulled off her belt.
The series of movements were completed in one go, and by the time Wang Pan'er reacted, her waist had already loosened.
"You're unusually efficient today. Aren't you shy anymore?"
She mischievously tugged at her already bright red earlobe.
Mu Chuan snorted softly, grabbed the mischievous hands, and pinned them behind his back. He lowered his head and kissed the lips that he had forced close: "I've rehearsed this countless times in my mind. Now that my dream has come true, I'm too excited to care about being shy or not."
Wang Pan'er broke free of her bound hands and, not to be outdone, pulled out Mu Chuan's belt and unbuttoned his clothes: "Then let me inspect the results of the rehearsal."
"You really are something."
Mu Chuan grasped her hands again, untied the curtain, and shut out the light from the pair of dragon and phoenix wedding candles.
As the room grew dark, Mu Chuan's flushed face could no longer be seen.
Wang Pan'er felt a pang of regret and teased, "You're just shy."
Mu Chuan, unable to bear it any longer, shouted: "Shut up!"
Wang Pan'er wanted to tease him, but before she could speak, Mu Chuan leaned in and physically silenced her.
Outside the new house, no human voices could be heard; the rustling of fabrics was especially clear at night.
Green Ripple and Granny Xi exchanged a glance, then retreated to the courtyard with satisfaction.
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