CHAPTER 329: CHAPTER 329: WEDDING IN PROGRESS (PART 3)

The two conversed quietly for a while, and soon matchmakers from both sides arrived, along with Xiao Family’s Quan Furen, filling the room with people.

Xiqiu was confusedly fed a spoon of lily and lotus seed soup, which she immediately spit onto a handkerchief. Suddenly, a heavy phoenix crown was placed on her head, and as the veil descended in front of her eyes, everything turned into a sea of red. She could hear Quan Furen endlessly speaking auspicious words.

Tong Shen Zhi carried Xiqiu out of the courtyard on his back. Lying on his back, tears inexplicably began to fall from Xiqiu’s eyes. Tong Shen Zhi walked steadily, pausing with each step. There were sounds of chatter and laughter around, but Xiqiu could see nothing—only endless red. Memories of the Tong Family flooded her mind.

No matter how the Tong Family is, her closest ones were all here. From henceforth, once she crossed the threshold of Tong Mansion’s gate, she would no longer be Miss Tong; she would be the wife of the Xiao Family!

Upon reaching the main room, Tong Shen Zhi put her down. She kept her head bowed, and before her appeared a pair of black cloud-patterned boots, and the corner of a crimson coat. She knew it was Fourth Master Xiao.

With assistance from Quan Furen, she entered the main room, knelt before the First Master in the main hall. First Master looked at Xiqiu, kneeling before him with reddened eyes. He simply said, "Go bid farewell to your mother." Regardless, in the eyes of outsiders, Lady is still the mistress of Tong Mansion.

Xiqiu entered the room and knelt to Lady. She could hear Lady’s grunting but could not see her expression. Without seeing, she knew that Lady’s face would definitely not be pleasant at this moment!

After stepping out, Tong Shen Zhi carried her to the second gate. She sat in the sedan chair, and someone gave her a copper mirror and treasure vase to hold. Following this, someone sang in harmony, and the sedan chair swayed a few times before moving steadily...

She looked back through the curtain but could not see anything. She took a handkerchief to catch the tears at the corner of her eyes!

At the entrance, Madam Xia stood on the hollowed-out corridor, tears filling her eyes...

Amidst the sounds of ceremonial music, the sedan chair circled the city. After unknown time had passed, Xiqiu again heard a series of firecracker sounds, and the sedan chair swayed three more times. Someone lifted the sedan curtain and assisted her out.

Cheers and joyful laughter filled her ears.

Guided by that person, Xiqiu walked on the red carpet, stepped over a saddle, a brazier, and then approached a three-stepped threshold. Xiqiu knew she had reached the destination. With voices singing in chorus, Xiqiu was assisted as she bowed numerous times, before being muddle-headedly escorted into a room, where she was seated on the bed.

The room was filled with subdued laughter, and then someone shouted, "Fourth cousin, quickly unveil her!" Immediately, a short steelyard appeared in her sight, and then the bridal veil was lifted.

Xiqiu’s eyes brightened as she looked up and saw Fourth Master Xiao standing before her, with long phoenix eyes, a high nose bridge, and thin yet tightly closed lips sculpted like chiseled stone—exceptionally handsome...

Her heart unexpectedly skipped a beat again...

Someone sighed, "The bride is so beautiful!"

"Indeed, truly a match made in heaven!" Hearing this, Xiqiu raised her head to see Fifth Madam alongside an unfamiliar noblewoman leading the group. Behind them stood Xiao Yanzheng and seven or eight other women whom she did not recognize.

No time to inquire, Xiqiu’s face appropriately flushed, she lowered her head.

Quan Furen took the treasure vase from her hands and placed it on the offering table in the main hall, then spoke numerous auspicious words like "May you raise the eyebrow levelly," and had Fourth Master Xiao sit beside her, while someone from afar tossed peanuts and red dates onto the bed... Amidst laughter, Fifth Madam hid her smile with her sleeve, "Fourth sister-in-law has the most peanuts on her, surely she’ll bear children early and prosper with offspring!"

Xiqiu’s face blushing red, the room filled with subdued laughter.

Seated beside her, Fourth Master Xiao rarely showed a bit of smile on his face.

Fifth Madam turned to the noblewoman beside her, saying with a smile, "Second sister-in-law, I told you our Fourth sister-in-law is the most charming and graceful, did you see for yourself today!"

So she is Princess Chengning!

Xiqiu raised her eyes to examine the lady opposite her, appearing around twenty years old, with almond eyes bright and clear, wearing a willow braid with a Phoenix Spreading Wings Six-sided Jade and Seven Treasure Bright Gold Hairpin, and on either side, ruby and kingfisher blue pendants. She wore a crimson overcoat with double gold standing collar scattered with flowers, revealing a fair and tender neck skin below, paired with a light blue gauze skirt, embroidered with budding peony flowers. She was tall and curvaceous. Seeing Xiqiu looking over, she nodded slightly and showed a well-mannered smile, truly radiant and elegant, dignified yet charming.

Second Madam, full of smiles, spoke, "I’ve often heard of you, today I’ve truly seen it." Beside her, a woman in a pale yellow coat, around twenty-seven or twenty-eight, chuckled, "It’s my first time meeting her today too, indeed she’s very spirited... Fourth cousin truly has good fortune."

Just then, a maid brought in a plate of dumplings. Quan Furen placed one in a bowl and fed Xiqiu, who swallowed it with a grimace, hearing someone ask, "Is it raw?"

Xiqiu, blushing, softly replied, "Cooked!"

The woman beside Princess Chengning wearing the pale yellow coat, covered her face, and laughed, "Fourth cousin, this is what your young sister-in-law said herself, ’Cooked!’" The room erupted in sleeve-covered giggles. Xiao Yanzheng’s face blushed, and she hurriedly pulled her maid and ran out.

The woman in the pale yellow coat then turned to see Xiao Yanzheng, laughing, "Second sister, don’t go—your day is drawing near too, learn a bit!" Xiao Yanzheng’s pace quickened!

Second Madam turned to the woman, saying, "Sister-in-law Hua, Second sister is thin-skinned!" Her tone carried noticeable protectiveness.

Sister-in-law Hua? When Second Lady spoke to Xiqiu about household matters, she briefly mentioned the Xiao Mansion. Old Marquis Xiao originally hailed from Songjiang and had three brothers, only Old Marquis Xiao’s household now lived in the Capital, while the other two remained in Songjiang.

Could Sister-in-law Hua be the one from Songjiang origin?! No wonder her speech had a familiar Shanghai accent.

With thoughts fleeting, someone brought out a tray with two halves of wedding cups, the bases tied with red cords, each containing wine. Quan Furen handed one to Xiqiu, the other to Fourth Master Xiao. Xiqiu took a sip, sweetly spicy, with a faint bitterness...

Her face covered by her sleeves, Xiqiu glanced sideways at Fourth Master Xiao to her left, who was staring at her with smiling eyes, his angled eye corners glancing at her, holding immeasurable emotions.

Her heart missed a beat, hastily turned her face away and drank the remaining wine in the cup, then handed it back to Quan Furen...

Quan Furen took the two halves of the wedding cups, joined them together, and sang, "Husband and wife are one, advance and retreat together, grow old together..."

While she spoke, someone reported from outside the door, "Great Governor, someone came from the palace."