Unlimited estates for rural beauty-Chapter 538 Another Bird Flies In At Night (3)

All eyes were on Feng Tiemu as they waited for him to preside over the ceremony. Feng Xi was even more anxious, watching Feng Tiemu closely, fearing that he might mess things up. Though the matchmaker had been prepared, her heart still couldn’t help but race at the sight of the emperor, and she understood how a humble peasant must feel in the presence of their sovereign.

Seeing how nervous Feng Tiemu was, Feng Xuxu furrowed her brows. With lotus steps, she moved her feet lightly and took her place to preside over the ceremony. At this moment, all eyes turned to the Empress, and different expressions emerged on their faces. The lively scene quieted down instantly, and even those who spoke did so in whispers, quieter than a mosquito’s buzz.

With a faint smile on her face and a sweep of her phoenix eyes, Feng Xuxu lightly parted her red lips and, using a bit of spiritual power, raised her voice to say, "Today is a very joyful day for my dear brother, and I am very thankful to all of you for taking time out of your busy schedules to offer your congratulations. Today, I shall preside over the wedding ceremony." As soon as the words were spoken, the courtyard erupted with warm applause.

"Bow to the Heaven and Earth, and then the couple shall turn around."

Feng Xi and Zhang Jiaojiao turned in unison, their backs to the ’Heaven and Earth Table’.

"Bow."

The couple bent at the waist, bowing deeply and pausing for a moment before standing back up.

"Bow to the family hall." As Feng Xuxu called out, Mei Lenglei and Zhu Lengqing brought forth two ancestral tablets, placing them on two chairs.

Feng Xuxu glanced out of the corner of her eye to see that everything was in place before she continued, "Couple, turn around and bow." With a drawn out call to ’bow,’ the two turned once again and bent deeply. At this moment, Feng Xi’s bow was a bit longer than usual, and the bride followed suit, not straightening up until Feng Xi did.

"The couple bows to each other."

Last, the two of them turned around automatically, looking at each other. Even though their eyes were covered in red, with veils between them, their passionate gazes could not be concealed.

"Bow."

They bowed deeply once more, then stood up together, facing the ’Heaven and Earth Table’.

"Enter the bridal chamber."

At this point, the children, who loved the excitement, cheered immediately and crowded around the bride and groom, heading towards the bridal chamber, chattering all the way.

Feng Xuxu stepped down from the stage and returned to Dugu Chen’s side, only to see him giving her a thumbs up, with a deeper light in his eyes. Feng Xuxu giggled shyly and, holding onto her husband’s arm, returned to ’Lotus Garden’.

With the Empress and Emperor gone, the rest of the women boldly began to speak and, with somewhat stiff legs, went to the bridal chamber to join the excitement.

The rich merchants of the town, meanwhile, had surrounded Castle Young Master Jueqing with all sorts of questions. Irritated beyond endurance, he finally said, "At the wedding feast, both the Emperor and Empress will be present. You can ask them then." With that, he turned and left, leaving the butler alone in the room.

Seeing Jueqing gone, the local merchants turned their attention to the butler. Unlike the Young Master, the butler didn’t dare turn his back and walk away, so he patiently engaged with them.

Outside the bridal chamber, a fortunate old woman blessed with both sons and daughters, dressed in a festive outfit and holding a tray full of dates, chestnuts, longans, and peanuts, entered the bridal chamber. As she grabbed the fruits and scattered them over the bed canopy, she chanted, "Toss a date, receive a son. Toss a chestnut, receive a daughter. A handful of chestnuts, a handful of dates, may the little ones follow the elder’s gait."

After finishing the tossing, the auspicious old woman helped arrange the bedding, still speaking auspicious phrases like "May you be harmonious for a hundred years and have children soon." And with the blessing said, the mattresses and quilts on the bed were properly laid out.