From that day on, Rong Xun was confined to Warm Fragrance Pavilion, unable to even step outside the courtyard gates. Every day, he had to look at Nanny Wang’s sharp and petty old face while studying a series of tedious rules.
What was a wife expected to do? Put her husband above all else, possess good morals, appropriate speech and demeanor, dignified posture, excellent household management skills, and never give in to jealousy.
To hell with it!
Whoever wanted to follow these broken rules could do so. Rong Xun let these hundreds of rules go in one ear and out the other, treating them as if he were listening to a celestial scripture. Nanny Wang, on the other hand, talked until her mouth was completely dry every day. Rong Xun was genuinely afraid that one day she would spit up a mouthful of blood and drop dead right inside Warm Fragrance Pavilion.
Half a month later, the wedding day arrived as scheduled.
On the day of the wedding, Rong Xun was hauled out of bed at the fifth watch. Warm Fragrance Pavilion was packed with people. The maids and nannies responsible for styling Rong Xun held hair accessories and cosmetic boxes as they stood in rows behind him.
When a prince takes a wife, the trivial etiquette involved is countless. The attendants were exceptionally careful, terrified of making a mistake at any stage.
Half an hour later, as Rong Xun looked at himself in the mirror, his sleepiness vanished entirely. The man in the mirror was dressed in gorgeous robes, wearing a phoenix coronet, with bright red hair ribbons resting on both sides of his shoulders. It was extravagantly luxurious.
Except.
Rong Xun was somewhat speechless. Why did they have to apply so much blush to his face? Didn’t this look like a monkey’s backside? He was originally a quite attractive person, yet now he had two fiery red patches of blush on his face. This wasn’t looking like he was getting married; it looked like he was going to perform in an opera.
“Nanny, this blush is way too red. Can we wipe some of it off?”
“Blush?” The attending nanny first looked confused, but after freezing for a few seconds, she understood. “Does Your Highness mean rouge?”
“Right, right, right! Rouge! Can we wipe some of it off? It’s much too red.”
“Oh, that simply will not do, Your Highness.” The old nanny smiled broadly. “Everyone who gets married must wear bright red rouge. The more you apply, the more prosperous your future days will be.”
Where in the world did this custom come from? Why had he never heard of it?
Rong Xun let out a helpless sigh. Fine, fine. Once he got into the sedan chair, he would secretly wipe some of it off. Otherwise, with this bright red face, he truly had no way to face people.
After finally finishing the makeup and going through a massive mountain of cumbersome rituals, it was already close to evening when Rong Xun, supported by the matchmaker, arrived at the main hall to bid farewell to his parents. Normally, a man wouldn’t need servants to support him, but this wedding robe was simply too cumbersome; one slight misstep and he would trip over it.
On the seats of honor in the main hall, the Marquis of Yong’an and his wife sat upright in their official robes. Coming and going guests stood on both sides outside the hall, curiously sizing up this Seventh Young Master of the Marquis’s Estate whom they had never met before. Those who knew the inside story merely smiled without speaking. The Marquis’s Estate was truly daring indeed. Right under the emperor’s nose, they actually dared to pull off such a switcheroo.
Rong Xun stood in the middle of the main hall. Lady Chen wore the attire of a first-rank noble lady, and no matter how hard she tried to suppress it, she could not conceal the joy on her face. When a son gets married, parents should at least put on a reluctant appearance. Yet because it wasn’t their own precious son who had to marry the Prince of Chen, the Marquis and his wife were apparently unwilling to even put on a superficial act. They were smiling so brightly it was blinding.
A eunuch’s somewhat shrill voice echoed through the main hall: “The auspicious hour has arrived. May the bride bid farewell to his parents and depart.”
As the words fell, the matchmaker beside Rong Xun helped him slowly kneel down on a soft cushion. Following the rules he had learned beforehand, Rong Xun bid farewell to the Marquis and his wife.
“Farewell, Father. Farewell, Mother.”
“Good, good, good.” Lady Chen said the word good three times in a row. She pulled out a brocade handkerchief to wipe away non-existent tears at the corner of her eyes. Supported by her head maid, she walked over and personally helped Rong Xun up. “Starting today, you will be married as someone else’s wife. Mother has a few words to instruct you. Once you enter the Prince of Chen’s Manor, put the Prince of Chen above all else in everything. Be sure to help him manage all matters within the estate properly. Later on, if the Prince has concubines, you must not harbor any feelings of jealousy.”
Such rambling instructions. Anyway, as far as Rong Xun was concerned, it was all a bunch of nonsense.
Lady Chen didn’t instruct him much longer. Seeing that the time was about right, she released Rong Xun’s hand and said with feigned affection, “Mother is giving you Nanny Wang and Qing’er as your dowry attendants. Once you go to the Prince of Chen’s Manor, having two people by your side who know your background will allow them to take good care of you.”
Logically speaking, Lady Chen’s actions were entirely appropriate. However, she had chosen to gift the two people most capable of stirring up trouble to Rong Xun as dowry attendants. His good mother truly knew how to plot and scheme.
Beneath the red veil, Rong Xun curled his lips in disdain. “Then many thanks, Mother.”
The eunuch beside them once again issued a reminder: “The auspicious hour has arrived. Will the bride please move forward?”
Outside the doors, the sound of gongs and drums rang out, and a servant hurried in to report: “Marquis, Madam, His Highness the Prince of Chen has arrived!”
Rong Huaizhou nodded and finally spoke: “Rong Zhe, escort your younger brother out.”
“Yes, Father.”
A young man to the side walked toward Rong Xun. He was half a head taller than Rong Xun. Though young, every movement of his was exceptionally steady. This was the legitimate eldest son of the Marquis’s Estate, Rong Zhe. Originally, it should have been him marrying the Prince of Chen. Who would have thought that at this moment, he would be the one personally delivering Rong Xun into the hands of the Prince of Chen.
Rong Zhe took Rong Xun’s hand, and beneath the red veil, Rong Xun heard his gentle voice: “Seventh Younger Brother, today your elder brother will escort you out of the gates. From now on, I wish you well in all things.”
Rong Zhe led Rong Xun outward, followed closely by the matchmaker, maids, and nannies. The Marquis of Yong’an and his wife led a grand procession of hundreds of people right behind them, arriving at the front gates to pay respects to the Prince of Chen.
Rong Zhe placed Rong Xun’s hand into the hand of another person.
This person’s hand was very warm. Although there were many calluses distributed across his palms, it inexplicably gave people a sense of peace of mind.
From beneath the red veil, Rong Xun could only see the boots of the person standing before him. Viewed from this angle, the Prince of Chen’s feet were quite large, so his height probably wasn’t short either.
Rong Xun subconsciously analyzed his new husband’s height. After all, he had heard quite a few rumors beforehand, and his heart was endlessly curious.
Tan Tai Si held Rong Xun’s hand and personally guided him into the sedan chair.
As the red curtains dropped, the sound of drums and music immediately rang out. The Prince of Chen held a noble status, and the two masters within the imperial palace cared deeply about this marriage. The emperor had specially dispatched officials from the Ministry of Works and the Ministry of Rites to plan this wedding. The grandeur and opulence were a rare sight in a century, comparable to the wedding rites when Emperor Longxi married his empress back in the day.
A red carpet stretched all the way from the Marquis of Yong’an’s Estate to the Prince of Chen’s Manor across dozens of streets, with no end in sight. Hundreds of maids stood on both sides, following the wedding procession as it slowly moved forward, scattering golden foil across the sky wherever they went.
Red silk ribbons were tied to every tree throughout the city. Surging crowds of people moved endlessly shoulder to shoulder, everyone stretching their necks to catch a glimpse of this once-in-a-century grand wedding.
Rong Xun sat inside the sedan chair, listening to the commotion outside. No matter how extravagant other people’s weddings were, at most they scattered real flowers. But here in his case? They were directly scattering gold foil. Good grief, as expected of a prince getting married; it was truly lavish.
Alas.
Rong Xun let out a regretful sigh. If only he could also walk outside and pick up some of that gold foil along the way.
Outside, gongs and drums shook the heavens, and human voices boiled with noise.
Rong Xun tugged at his sleeves and furiously scrubbed at his face. This wedding robe had been rushed out by craftsmen from the imperial palace, made using only the finest materials. Even with vigorous rubbing, his skin felt no pain at all.
Rong Xun didn’t carry a mirror, but guessing that the blush on his face had been mostly wiped away, he finally stopped.
At dusk, the afterglow of the sunset cast large swathes of orange-red light. The wedding sedan chair finally came to a halt.
“Lower the sedan chair! Welcome the bride!”
Outside the sedan chair, the matchmaker’s celebratory voice and the title of bride made the corners of Rong Xun’s eyes twitch violently.
A corner of the curtain was lifted, and a slender hand extended toward Rong Xun. Rong Xun paused for a moment before placing his hand into that person’s palm.
As he stepped out of the sedan, the matchmaker cried out loudly: “The bride steps over the fire basin, bringing gentleness and tenderness to the household!”
Holding that hand, Rong Xun stepped through all the ceremonial rites at the prince’s manor’s entrance one by one. In his heart, a faint sense of anticipation sprouted. What on earth did this Prince of Chen look like? With a hand this nice, he probably couldn’t look too bad, right?
Arriving at the main hall, imperial relatives, civil officials, and military generals stood to the left and right. Because the emperor was the Prince of Chen’s nephew, he did not attend in person, though he had sent plenty of fine treasures.
“Bow to heaven and earth!”
The ritual officer’s resounding voice echoed through the grand hall. Rong Xun slowly released that pair of hands, turned, and knelt to bow outward.
“Bow to the high hall!”
Emperor Longxi had passed away, and the Grand Empress Dowager was inconveniently unable to leave the palace, so there was no one seated in the high hall either. As Rong Xun stood up, he accidentally stepped on his trouser leg and looked as though he was about to trip.
A warm hand swiftly steadied his forearm, exerting a bit of strength to pull him upright. Rong Xun froze slightly, a wave of warmth surging through his heart. The two turned to kneel once more, bowing toward the empty high hall.
“Bow to each other!”
It was still that same pair of warm hands that helped Rong Xun up. The two turned to face one another, raising their hands to bow in salute.
The long ceremonial scrolls lowered.
“The ceremony is complete!”
“Tying our hair together as husband and wife, our love and trust shall never waver!”
As the final words faded away, beneath the red veil, Rong Xun’s long eyelashes fluttered gently.
Tying our hair together as husband and wife, our love and trust shall never waver.
Just like that, he had gotten married.
After completing the bows, Rong Xun and Tan Tai Si were swarmed by servants as they bypassed the main hall and arrived at the Eastern Courtyard. The Eastern Courtyard was where the Prince of Chen resided, and on the day of the grand wedding, the bridal chamber ought to be located here.
Because the Prince of Chen’s consort was a man, many of the tedious rites were omitted. The matchmaker and maids prepared the union wine before bowing and withdrawing.
The doors closed, leaving only Rong Xun and Tan Tai Si inside the room.
Men and women should not touch hands when giving or receiving things, but what about two men staying in the same space? Wouldn’t it be a bit awkward? Rong Xun swallowed nervously. Done for, done for. This was his first time getting married, and to a man at that!
He felt a tiny bit of anxiety.
The bedchamber was draped in festive red silk, and dragon-and-phoenix candles as thick as a wrist burned ceaselessly throughout the night.
Seated upright on the bed was a figure dressed in a red wedding robe.
Tan Tai Si’s gaze darkened. He picked up the weighing scale rod, took a few steps forward, and with a gentle flick, lifted the red veil, tossing it casually behind him.
As the veil slowly settled, Rong Xun slowly raised his eyes.
A face that could only be described as peerless abruptly burst into his vision.
Bright as spring blossoms, clear as an autumn moon.
The moment the veil was lifted, Rong Xun stopped breathing. He hadn’t made any psychological preparations for meeting the Prince of Chen. The veil had just been flipped away like that.
As he lifted his gaze, he beheld a stunningly gorgeous face.
It was a delicate yet striking visage, with facial features as flawless as if they had been carved by a master. His skin wasn’t exceptionally fair, but it looked remarkably smooth. Illuminated by the bright red candles indoors, the warm orange-red glow made it all look somewhat unreal.