Moonlight silk’s production was extremely limited, and in the past, a crimson colored one had never appeared before. And a wedding gown, a woman, in her lifetime, will only wear once, because it will be the one and only time. That’s why it was extremely valuable. But it was also because it was just once, probably no one would waste the best thing, so probably never once thought of this before.
However, Li Hong Yuan nevertheless did this, specifically spinning and weaving a bolt of crimson moonlight silk, and also that golden thread used for the embroidery. These all needed a considerable amount of manpower.
That’s why, Li Hong Yuan was just doing all he can to give Jing Wan the best, even if just using once.
The good fortune madam put on the phoenix crown for Jing Wan, similarly made of pure gold, and separated into the front-back two pieces. On the top of the head, it was fastened together using a few golden rods. The front portion, at the center, was a peony. Rather, it wasn’t the kind of extremely realistic style, but instead similar to relief sculptures. Two flying phoenixes face towards the inside, as if holding onto the peony with their beaks, the body gracefully extending outwards. On the front part hung numerous tassels, and the while the lower part had grain sized golden pearls sewn on, dangling before the forehead.
Jing Wan, who has thoroughly finished dressing up, appeared so beautiful.
Never mind the friends and relatives, even Luo Old Madam and Jing Wan’s maternal grandmother, towards this entire look of Jing Wan’s, were all very satisfied. A woman didn’t pursue after much in her lifetime. The phoenix crown, crimson cape, and ten li of dowry was even considered by quite a few women as the greatest honor and glory.
(T/N: Ten li is about 5000 meters.)
Jing Wan didn’t have any affection with her maternal grandmother, so they weren’t close. And Jing Wan’s intimacy with Luo Old Madam made her very much envious. How come she didn’t have such a clever and extremely outstanding in bearing and self-cultivation granddaughter? Naturally it was also because of objective reasons that caused her to feel regretful of Jing Wan being estranged with her. Rather, that stupid daughter of hers, how come was just able to give birth such a clever and lovable child? She wasn’t the least bit like her, practically just having dog-shit luck.
Towards this bit, Zhang-shi was actually immeasurably pleased with herself, but got slapped back with a line of ‘not close with you either’.
Since some were satisfied, then naturally some were discontent, further having those that were jealous. Same as people, yet how come such different lives? If nothing else, just this dowry, that was also ‘having the price but no market’[1]. You perhaps can have the money to afford it, but you are completely unable to touch it.
The gongs and drums clamored into the heavens, the firecrackers all crying out, also announcing the arrival of the palanquin for escorting the bride.
The Luo family’s not fully shut entrance, ‘the palanquin blocking gate’, and need to stuff in enough generous red packets before opening.
The marriage palanquin was placed down, the palanquin door facing outward, and the children weighing down the palanquin came down from the palanquin.
Shortly after, Wang-shi, holding a burning red candle in one hand, while holding a mirror in the other, began ‘searching the palanquin’, shining inside the palanquin, expelling the grieving ghosts hiding inside the palanquin, so as to avoid having bad luck.
Li Hong Yuan, for the sake of escorting the bride, called on nearly half of the talented youths in the entire capital, capable of literature, capable of martial arts, able to climb the eighty li volcano, and able to descend into the eight hundred li fiery ocean.
This while, the people of the Luo family haven’t even started blocking, yet several ‘bride urging[2]‘ poems were already loudly recited.
The people blocking the Luo family gates were completely caught off-guard. This was the feeling of about to get lead by the nose by the other party? This absolutely can’t be tolerated! They were the ones blocking the gate. The rules should be set by them!
One has to know, the people blocking at the Luo family entrance definitely weren’t few, the character also extremely outstanding. And it wasn’t just the Luo family young masters calling on their friends, even Head Minister Luo, for the sake of making things difficult for the pig that will soon dig up their family’s lustrous jade white cabbage, secretly ‘invited’ helpers. As such, the two sides were practically just sharply opposing one another, with neither side preparing to give an inch.
If setting aside the red and fiery bustling atmosphere in the surrounding, this was practically just an exceptionally top-notch literary battle.
Li Hong Yuan’s crimson wedding clothes naturally came from the same source as Jing Wan’s clothes. Speaking of which, no one had ever seen him in red before. In reality, the number one male beauty was precisely the number one male beauty. Even if dominating in red, it also wasn’t anything difficult.
The shoulder and collar areas were rather similar to Jing Wan’s clothes, just the stiff silk extended out parallel along the shoulders, and on the clothes were auspicious clouds and golden dragons. At the waist, it was like as if a golden dragon fastened onto the wide belt, and the golden crown on the head was switched to a red jade crown, even inlayed with a giant golden pearl.
Carrying a valiant figure, tall and upright, extraordinarily handsome.
Because it was the day of their wedding, Li Hong Yuan’s patience was seldomly not bad for once. However, this ‘not bad’ also had a limit. Because some were too engrossed in the ‘battle’, too excited, they seemingly all forgot what kind of occasion it was right now.
Li Hong Yuan went forward, standing between the two sides. The heated war of words suddenly came to a halt, mutually looking to one another. Some people even grew scared, secretly retreating a few steps, thinking back to whether or not they’d gone overboard just now. Speaking of which, blocking the living Enma from taking a wife, was it wanting to die, or wanting to die? However, such a day like today, he probably won’t hold a grudge, right?
And those helping Li Hong Yuan welcome the bride looked to one another in dismay. Just great, a moment ago, they were working that hard, yet in the end, still not as useful as this one stepping forward. Speaking of which, with just Jin Qinwang like this, even without them helping, would still be able to have his wife married back, right? Alright, that way, it probably won’t be called taking a wife, but rather stealing a wife!
Actually, it was more or less enough, best to move aside quicker. Facing the living Enma was very stressful, and further required courage.
However, precisely at this time, a little boy and girl stood out from behind the adults, standing before Li Hong Yuan, crisply calling out ‘older brother-in-law’. Perhaps having been pleased by this address, or perhaps because the other party were small children, Li Hong Yuan’s expression softened a little. His reputation was terrible, but it still was unlikely to go as far as to be ‘resounding’ even among the children. Moreover, good-looking people just have a natural born advantage.
As such, when the two children raised their little faces upwards at him, they didn’t get scared.
However, these two children’s appearance made everyone realize, as expected of Head Minister Luo’s descendants, practically just as ‘devious’ as him. No matter how crazy the living Enma was, he still wouldn’t ‘hit’ small children, no? Furthermore, they were the bride’s younger brother and sister. Sure enough……………
Li Hong Yuan extended his hand backwards, and afterwards, a few red packets were placed into his hand.
Li Hong Yuan also didn’t look to see how many, directly dividing in two, and handing it over to them.
This time, quite a few people’s eyes reddened with envy. Those that have received a red packet earlier have already checked, inside the red packet, if not gold banknotes, then it was just silver banknotes, and all two bills of one hundred. Just imagine, if one were to receive a few more gold banknote red packets, practically just easy money. One has never seen such an ostentatious ‘door knocking fee’ before.
“Thank you older brother-in-law.” The two children spoke in unison, and immediately after, the girl continued speaking, “Although we received older brother-in-law’s red packet, we still can’t make way for older brother-in-law. Older brother-in-law needs to answer a few questions first.”
Li Hong Yuan actually didn’t have any good impression towards small children, but today was rather somewhat of an exception, nodding his head as he stated, “Okay.”
“We all like third older sister very much, if third older sister gets taken away by older brother-in-law, what will we do when we miss her?”
“You all can come to the qinwang manor to see her at any time.”
“Grandmother loves third older sister the most, what will grandmother do when she misses third older sister?”
“Your third sister can come back to see her at anytime.”
“But…………”
“You all can go the the qinwang manor for a short stay from time to time, and your third older sister can also come back for a short stay.” Li Hong Yuan neither lightly nor heavily stated.
“Eh? Wasn’t it said that married young ladies can’t casually return to the maiden family? This doesn’t conform with the rules.”
“On this matter, what this prince says is the rule.”
Very good, this was very Li Hong Yuan, very living Enma. Other men were unable to say words like these. At home, matters in this aspect, they as the son or grandson, just never had the authority to speak.
These words naturally got passed on to the rear court word for word. Quite a few people all kindly teased Jing Wan.
Jing Wan sat upright on the bed, smiling but not speaking. These words actually didn’t exceed her expectations. In this aspect, she seemingly just carried that bit of indescribable confidence. And who gave her this confidence? Naturally the man that was about to marry her.
“Towards younger cousin, Jin Qinwang really is quite good. However, as a descendant of the imperial family, to actually personally come escort the bride, that was the most surprising.”
Jing Wan faintly swept her a glance. Should say this Gu family’s young miss still haven’t given up, or what? Always appearing from time to time to promote her existence, yet not adding good impressions, but rather disgust.
The others in the room also looked over, their gaze in sizing up this Gu little sister was a bit peculiar. Clearly written in their eyes was just: ‘Where did this braindead idiot come from?’ Under the heavens, the only one not required to personally escort the bride was just one person alone, and that was the Emperor. Even so, he would still arrange a grand procession to escort the bride for him. Apart from this, even if an imperial prince or qinwang, so what? Unless from the start, just not having the wife, as well as her family clan taken seriously, even extremely despising, and completely not worried about offending, else who would dare openly do this kind of thing? For normal people, that was just water entering the brains.
(T/N: This is the Miss Gu that’s Jing Wan’s maternal aunt’s husband’s younger sister.)
That Gu little sister flushed red, lowering her head, seemingly appearing somewhat helpless.
Heh, Jing Wan lightly sneered. She felt, this one wasn’t ashamed to the point of being unable to show her face, but rather excited———-receiving this much attention, and just preoccupied with ‘enjoying’, not at all detecting the true meaning in the surrounding people’s gaze.
“Qiao Qiao, last time, you’d helped me block the door, so quickly go, also go help Jing Wan block, you know, Feng Seeks Huang.”
Yuan Qiao Qiao first blanked, not knowing how this fire burned onto her head, but immediately after, came to realization, her two hands sticking at her waist, very shamelessly expressing, “Not going.” How suicidal would she have to be to go block the living Enma? Feng Seeks Huang? What’s that?
The others all covered their mouths and laughed.
[1] This phrase refers to things that are so expensive that there’s only a tiny market for it, which causes the quantity to also be very limited. The whole meaning of the line in this context is saying that even if you have money, some of these things you’re still unable to buy.
[2] Basically poems urging the bride to hurry up with the makeup and come out
