Unlimited estates for rural beauty-Chapter 726: The Wedding of Five People (2)
Qiqi, itching with anticipation at the thought of the southern tour, couldn’t help but secretly ask Father, "I’d like to join the southern tour too, can I, Father?" Her voice was feeble, betraying the uneasiness in her heart.
Feng Xuxu looked at her son’s eager little eyes, her thoughts spinning for a moment, but said nothing as she averted her gaze.
Dugu Chen bowed his head and pondered momentarily, considering that once his son ascended the throne, there would likely be no time for such trips. While times were stable, it would be beneficial for him to gain experience, and so he agreed, "Yes, this time we will all go. The two of you should go back and pack your belongings."
"Woohoo, that’s great! Dad, Mom, I’m off!" Hearing she was included, Yueyue jumped up in excitement, wishing she could grow wings and fly away at once.
Qiqi grinned shyly, her jubilation evident—having expected to remain behind to oversee the state as previously arranged, she was pleasantly surprised by her father’s sudden approval.
The following day, news of the imminent weddings of several aunts from the Empress’s side and personal guards from the Emperor’s side spread like wildfire throughout the palace.
Yet, the protagonists gathered together, their brows furrowed in unhappiness and gloom.
Baihe, with a heart full of sweetness, embroidered her wedding dress, daydreaming about how she would look in it—would she be beautiful? Could she dazzle Xuefei into blindness? She thought distractedly of the upcoming wedding.
Yingsu and Lan Lengyun frowned at the person laughing foolishly beside them, rolling their eyes with a snort of disdain.
Mei Lenglei stitched her bridal gown with no emotion on her face, her heart aching at the thought of the man she pined for marrying another woman—it felt as though knives were gouging at her heart.
Zhu Lengqing sighed as she touched the bridal clothes she had finished embroidering days before, then quietly put them away, preserving her composure amidst a room of contrasting expressions.
Meanwhile, Xuan Yue and his group were all brow-beaten, each holding a jug of wine, seated on the rooftop, sipping listlessly.
Seeing them brooding like surly gourds, solely preoccupied with their wine and saying nothing, Tian Yi snatched their wine jugs away and bellowed, "Are you really going to watch the ones you love marry others without doing anything?"
"What else is there to do if we don’t watch? How can we act otherwise—do you suggest we defy an imperial command?" Xuan Yue stood up, swaying and glaring at Tian Yi with indignant frustration.
Huang Yi shook his head, stood up feeling depressed, and gently patted their shoulders, letting out a wry smile, "What’s the use in quarreling? Do you two want the whole palace to laugh at us?"
"Exactly, and besides, it’s not as if there’s no solution to this problem. There’s still hope for things to be salvaged," Di An pursed his lips, sitting on the roof, hugging one knee, and observing the three of them.
The men exchanged optimistic glances then rushed to Di An, "Speak fast, what’s the solution?"
"Stop beating around the bush, out with it—I’m dying of impatience here," Tian Yi sat beside him, shaking his arm eagerly.
Di An dropped his leg, crooked a finger to beckon them closer, and as they huddled, their eyes locked in anticipation. They listened to Di An whispering, and the faces of the others turned as if they were facing constipation, extremely unsightly.
"This is a good method, but it all comes down to whether you have the guts for it," Di An said, his eyes slanting towards them.
Tian Yi bit down, exhaled deeply, took a swig of strong liquor, and proclaimed to Di An, "Done."
The remaining two nodded in unison, "Yes, done."
"Remember, no one is to back out halfway."
"Don’t worry, none of us four can get away."
"Hahaha, let’s drink."
Having settled a significant event in their lives, they sat shoulder to shoulder on the rooftop, joyfully drinking to the moon.
In the blink of an eye, the fifth day of the seventh month arrived, and before dawn had broken, Feng Xuxu had sent over a dozen palace maids to help her personal maids get washed and dressed. Not long after, Feng Xuxu, dressed in festive attire, appeared in their chambers and personally styled their hair, which moved the maids to tears of joy.
"Look at all of you, crying on such a joyous day. If you keep this up, others might think I’m bullying you," she chided gently, putting down the comb and looking at their reddened eyes, which were like those of rabbits.
"If anyone dares to say that, I’ll skin them alive," Yingsu blurted out fiercely, almost tipping over the makeup box held by the maid behind her.
The others didn’t say anything else, but they all nodded seriously, clearly agreeing with Yingsu’s words.
"Hehe, you’re about to be married and yet your temper is still so hot-headed. I think Xuan Yue will be driven mad by your temper," Feng Xuxu said meaningfully, glancing at Yingsu.
Mei Lenglei tightened the fiery red bridal veil in her hands and her eyes dimmed. She forced a strained smile and turned to face the bronze mirror, silently applying rouge.
Seeing that Sister Mei’s face didn’t look very good, Yingsu bit her lip and tried smiling with stiff corners of her mouth: "Heh, hehe, no... no, it won’t happen."
The matchmaker standing outside looked at the time and saw it was almost right, walked in with festive makeup and a beaming smile, bowed to the Empress, and said, "Empress, the auspicious time has arrived. Is it time to get on the bridal sedan chair?"
"Yes, we mustn’t miss the auspicious time. I shall go out now."
"As you command, Your Majesty," the maid replied.
As soon as the Empress left, the chamber became chaotic with the maids bustling around, bumping and jostling each other in disarray, yet the brides remained calm and unhurried.
With bridal veils over their heads and lucky fruits in their hands, the sounds of celebratory trumpets soon reached them. One by one, the four brides sat in the prepared fiery red bridal sedan chairs and swayed their way out of the Imperial Palace, starting to circle around on the streets outside the Palace.
At that moment, Baihe, with her cheeks flushed, rode on a horse adorned with a large red flower at the front, followed by the procession carrying the bridal sedan chairs, heading towards Xuanyuan Mansion. She dared not let her gaze wander, nor did she dare to notice the astonished looks in the eyes of the commoners.
With music and fanfare all along the way, they finally arrived at Xuanyuan Mansion. Baihe dismounted from her horse, entered the mansion, and summoned the groom. After the groom sat in the bridal sedan chair, she rendezvoused with Di An and others at the Palace gate. They then circled East Street before heading to the Summer Villa outside the Palace, preparing for the wedding ceremony.
The Summer Villa was surrounded by crowds, and from afar, the sound of trumpets grew closer. The guards at the gate shouted into the interior: "The bridal sedan chair is here, set off the firecrackers!"
Strings of firecrackers, lifted by bamboo poles, crackled and popped vigorously. As the bridal sedan chairs approached, the noisy firecrackers continued unabated.
Xuan Yue, Di An, Tian Yi, Huang Yi, and Baihe all rode sleek black horses, coming to a halt in unison at the gate of the Summer Villa.
After the firecrackers ceased, the five men dismounted their horses together. The maids behind them each supported the bride (or groom) as they approached.
Huang Yi and the others exchanged glances, subtly changing their positions, waiting for the brides to step forward.
