usatvline Chapter 52 The Big Wedding
Chapter 52 The Big Wedding
Time flies, and autumn has arrived in the blink of an eye, bringing us to the eighth day of the tenth lunar month.
Before dawn, the Duke of Cao's mansion was already brightly lit.
Li Jinglong barely slept a wink all night. Having lived two lives, this was his first time getting married, and it would be a lie to say he wasn't nervous.
Although the imperial decree of Emperor Zhu had been issued long ago, Li Jinglong still felt a little unreal when the day actually arrived to marry Fu Wanqing.
Li Er was already waiting outside the door. Today he was wearing a brand new blue cloth robe with a red silk sash around his waist. He looked much more neat and tidy than usual.
"My lord, it's time to rise."
Li Jinglong responded, and the door was pushed open from the outside.
Li Er led four maids in single file. The first two carried copper basins and hot water, while the others carried the auspicious clothes and hats to be worn that day.
Li Jinglong got out of bed and let the maids wash his face and hands. He closed his eyes and let the maids wipe his face clean before standing up and walking to the screen.
Today's auspicious attire is a bright red silk robe, with a qilin embroidered in gold thread on the chest and a jade belt around the waist, the belt plaque carved with cloud patterns, exuding a noble air amidst its gentle elegance.
After getting dressed, Li Jinglong looked at himself in the bronze mirror. He was tall and slender, with fair skin and regular features. He could be considered a handsome man.
He raised his hand to adjust his official hat, moved the gold flower aside, and nodded only after confirming that it was in place.
Just as things were settled, Li Zengzhi and Li Fangying walked in. They were serving as the best men and women today, responsible for all the etiquette and arrangements during the wedding procession.
Both of them had already changed their clothes, with horn belts tied around their waists and Confucian headscarves on their heads, and were dressed neatly.
"Big brother, are you nervous?" Li Fangying looked up and asked with a smile.
Li Jinglong glanced at him, a slight smile playing on his lips: "What's there to be nervous about? It's not like we're going to war."
Li Zengzhi scoffed from the side: "Brother, you might not be nervous on the battlefield, but today's scene is almost as bad as a battlefield."
As the three were talking, the voices in the courtyard outside gradually grew louder. Guo Zhen, Deng Zhen, Chang Sheng, Qiu Zheng, and other second-generation nobles had also arrived at the Duke of Cao's mansion early.
When everyone saw Li Jinglong come out, they all came forward to congratulate him. One patted him on the shoulder, another bowed to him, and the courtyard suddenly became lively.
Guo Zhen walked over, looked Li Jinglong up and down, and said with a smile, "Jiujiang, with that outfit today, when Miss Fu lifts her veil, she'll probably be captivated by you."
"Alright, alright, stop teasing me." Li Jinglong waved his hand.
After everyone had chatted and laughed for a while, Li Zengzhi looked at the sky and stepped forward: "Brother, it's almost Chenshi (7-9 AM)."
Li Jinglong nodded, his smile fading, straightened his clothes, and strode towards the gate.
Behind him, Guo Zhen, Deng Zhen, Chang Sheng, Qiu Zheng and others also put away their playful expressions and followed Li Jinglong out the door in a grand procession.
Outside the gate, the wedding procession was already lined up, with eight musicians at the front: two each of the suona, gong, sheng, and flute, all wearing red ribbons around their waists, ready to play their instruments with all their might.
The bridal sedan chair was parked in the very middle of the procession. It was a large sedan chair carried by eight people, with a large red silk flower tied to the top and a hundred children embroidered on the curtain. The colorful silk threads shimmered brightly.
Li Jinglong mounted his horse, sat on its back, glanced back at the formation behind him, and a strange feeling welled up in his heart.
Li Zengzhi glanced at the sun, walked to the front of the procession, and shouted loudly, "It's Chenshi (7-9 AM), lift the sedan chairs!!!"
As soon as the words were spoken, the sound of suona horns erupted. Eight musicians played their instruments simultaneously, and the gongs and suona horns produced a lively and urgent wedding tune. The people along the street, seeing this, began to discuss among themselves.
"It's the Duke of Cao getting married!"
"He's marrying the daughter of the Duke of Ying's family, wow, what a grand affair!"
The wedding procession marched through the streets with music and fanfare, red ribbons fluttering in the wind, and gongs and drums resounding.
The Duke of Ying's mansion was already brightly decorated with lanterns and colorful streamers. Red silk was wrapped around the stone lions in front of the gate, and large double happiness characters were pasted on both sides of the gate. Red felt was spread all over the front of the gate.
Brothers Fu Zhong and Fu Rang stood at the door to greet them, both dressed in brand-new robes. Fu Rang tiptoed to look at the street corner, then turned to Fu Zhong and said, "Brother, you're here."
Fu Zhong nodded, straightened his clothes, and stood up straight.
Before long, Li Jinglong's entourage arrived at the gate of the mansion. Li Jinglong dismounted, straightened his clothes, and quickly walked to the Fu brothers, clasping his hands in greeting.
Led by the Fu brothers, Li Jinglong led his wedding procession into the Duke of Ying's mansion.
The mansion was filled with joy, with lanterns and decorations everywhere. Servants moved about, carrying fruit platters and snacks to entertain the wedding guests.
After passing through the front yard, Fu Wanqing's boudoir was right in the middle of the inner courtyard. Li Jinglong walked to the door, followed by Guo Zhen, Deng Zhen, and a group of wedding guests.
Guo Zhen nudged Li Jinglong in the ribs and chuckled softly, "Jiujiang, this hurdle won't be easy to overcome."
No sooner had the words left his mouth than a clear, crisp female voice came from inside the door: "Is that Duke Cao standing outside?"
Li Jinglong cleared his throat and said loudly, "It is indeed I. I have come today to welcome Miss Fu. I hope you ladies will do me a favor."
As soon as he finished speaking, a burst of laughter erupted from inside the door.
"Do us a favor? That's not so easy. First, compose a poem for us. If it's good, we'll open the door; if not, you'll have to stand outside."
"Write a poem! Write a poem!" the women inside the door shouted in unison.
Li Jinglong was well-prepared, having scoured Tang and Song dynasty poems and prepared seven or eight poems to urge the bride to get ready for the occasion.
"Crimson candles burn brightly in the painted hall, and fairy maidens descend upon the magnificent hall tonight. Let the music and singing not cease, for Ruan Lang will soon enter the Peach Blossom Spring."
The women inside the door fell silent for a moment, seemingly making their assessment, before bursting into whispers.
"Not bad, you passed." The person inside the door finally relented.
The latch was pulled off from the inside, and the two carved wooden doors slowly opened, releasing a faint scent of perfume.
The first to emerge was Fu Wanqing's mother, dressed in a maroon imperial robe, her eyes slightly red.
Behind her followed several young women from the Fu family, surrounding a red-clad figure in the center.
Fu Wanqing was wearing a bright red long dress today, with a phoenix and peony pattern embroidered in gold thread on the hem. She wore a matching red shawl over it, a cloud-shaped shoulder cape, and a phoenix crown on her head.
The hairpins hanging from the sides of her phoenix crown swayed gently with her movements, making a soft clinking sound.
She held a round fan in her hand, and a red veil covered her head, revealing only a section of her fair neck.
Looking at her, Li Jinglong suddenly felt at ease.
A matchmaker stepped forward and handed a piece of red silk to Li Jinglong. At the other end of the silk was a large red silk flower, which the matchmaker then handed to Fu Wanqing.
The matchmaker sang from the side: "Red silk ties the knot, a marriage made in heaven. A handsome man and a beautiful woman, a match made in heaven!"
Li Jinglong led the way with Hongchou in his hand, while two nannies supported Fu Wanqing on either side. The group slowly made their way to the main hall in the front courtyard.
In the main hall, Fu Youde and his wife were already seated on the high seat.
Li Jinglong and Fu Wanqing walked to the center of the hall and stood facing Fu Youde and his wife. The matchmaker, who was already waiting to the side, cleared her throat and announced loudly, "The newlyweds shall pay their respects!"
Li Jinglong's movements were swift and decisive, and Fu Wanqing, supported by two nannies, also slowly bent down.
"Treat her well." Fu Youde's voice was not loud, but it carried a certain weight.
Li Jinglong accepted the red envelope with both hands and said respectfully, "Father-in-law, rest assured, I will certainly live up to your expectations."
The matchmaker, standing nearby, sang at the opportune moment: "The auspicious time has arrived, the bride is leaving."
Li Jinglong took the red ribbon again and walked in front, with two nannies supporting Fu Wanqing behind him as they walked step by step towards the outside.
Fu Youde and his wife escorted their daughter to the gate of the mansion, where a bridal sedan chair was already waiting.
The matchmaker and the maids carefully helped Fu Wanqing into the sedan chair, adjusted her skirt and bridal gown, and only lowered the curtain after making sure she was seated securely.
Fu Youde stood on the stone steps in front of the door, his hands behind his back. Madam Fu stood beside him, her handkerchief soaked with sweat.
Fu Zhong and Fu Rang had already mounted their horses, ready to accompany the bride. Both of their horses were tied with red ribbons, distinguishing them from the wedding procession.
Li Jinglong, still on horseback, clasped his hands in a fist salute, bowed deeply, then straightened up and announced loudly, "Lift the sedan chair!"
The suona horns blared again, even more joyful and exciting than when they arrived. The wedding procession slowly turned around and, with music playing, headed towards the Duke of Cao's mansion.
Fu Zhong and Fu Rang led the Fu family's wedding procession behind the bridal sedan chair, merging with the Li family's welcoming procession, making the entire procession much larger.
The Duke of Cao's mansion had already made all the preparations.
The gates were wide open, and a red carpet stretched from the entrance to the main hall. The servants inside had changed into new clothes and stood in their places, waiting for the newlyweds to enter.
The bridal sedan chair landed in front of the mansion gate, and firecrackers immediately went off, crackling and popping for a while, with blue smoke billowing and red paper scraps flying everywhere and falling all over the ground.
The matchmaker lifted the sedan curtain and, together with two maids, helped Fu Wanqing out.
Upon entering the mansion, the first step is to pay respects at the ancestral hall and announce the formal marriage. Only then do they return to the main hall to conduct the wedding ceremony!
Li Jinglong led Fu Wanqing to pay respects to Heaven and Earth and their parents. After the ceremony, the matchmaker chanted, "Send them to the bridal chamber!"
Surrounded by people, Li Jinglong and Fu Wanqing passed through the back hall and entered the bridal chamber that had been prepared in advance.
After the newlyweds were led into the bridal chamber, Li Jinglong was pulled out, with Guo Zhen and Deng Zhen supporting him on either side.
"What's the rush? We have plenty of time tonight!" Chang Sheng laughed from the side. "Let's have a drink first!"
Li Jinglong was dragged back to the front hall, where a banquet had already been set up.
Zhu Biao also attended the event and was seated at the main table.
The guests have been taking their seats one after another. The Fu family's wedding procession and the Li family's wedding procession are sitting together, creating a lively atmosphere.
The banquet lasted from the afternoon until it was completely dark, and all the red lanterns in the courtyard were lit, illuminating the entire Cao Guogong Mansion as if it were daytime.
Li Jinglong had been forced to drink quite a bit of alcohol, and he was even staggering as he walked. But he still kept his distance, so he drank a bowl of hangover soup and washed his face with cold water, which made him feel a little more sober.
He took a deep breath, walked alone through the corridor, around the screen wall, and headed towards the new house in the backyard, illuminated by the red lanterns that filled the courtyard.
The door to the new house was ajar, letting in the warm yellow candlelight. Li Jinglong stood at the door for a moment, then reached out and pushed it open.
The door creaked open, and Fu Wanqing sat quietly on the edge of the bed, her bright red wedding dress making her figure look exceptionally slender.
When Fu Wanqing heard the door open, her body stiffened slightly, and her hands, which were folded on her knees, tightened unconsciously, her knuckles turning white.
Li Jinglong walked to the table, picked up the scale bar on the table, walked to Fu Wanqing, and gently lifted the square red veil with his wrist.
Fu Wanqing blushed and didn't look up. The pearl pendant on her earlobe swayed gently, making Li Jinglong's heart flutter.
"My wife," Li Jinglong called out, his voice much softer than usual.
Fu Wanqing then raised her eyes and glanced at him quickly.
The matchmaker took two ladles from the table, handing one to Li Jinglong and the other to Fu Wanqing. These were the nuptial wines; once drunk from the same cup, the ceremony was considered complete.
After drinking the nuptial wine, Li Jinglong put the two ladles back, then walked to Fu Wanqing's side. The matchmaker took out scissors and cut off a lock of hair from Li Jinglong and Fu Wanqing respectively, tied them together, and put them in sachets.
Fu Wanqing finally turned her head and looked directly at Li Jinglong. Her eyes reflected two flickering candlelight. Her lips moved as if she wanted to say something, but she didn't say it.
He reached out and gently placed his hand on the back of Fu Wanqing's hand. Her hand was a little cold, and her fingertips trembled slightly, but she did not pull her hand away.
"Wanqing," Li Jinglong called softly.
Fu Wanqing responded softly, and the red candle burned quietly by the bedside.
The autumn wind swept through the courtyard outside the window, making the window paper rustle softly, but the candlelight inside remained motionless.