Chapter 102 Hao Yucheng's Wedding 3

Chapter 102 Hao Yucheng's Wedding 3

The Wang family thought the villagers were afraid of them, but little did they know that as long as the villagers seized an opportunity, like now, they could unite as one and verbally abuse the Wang family until they couldn't hold their heads up.

The Wang family's previously relied-upon, reckless style of doing things became completely useless against the villagers' overwhelming advantage of "numerous numbers and power".

Not only were the couple who tried to freeload taken directly to Chen Lizheng's house by the villagers, but even Aunt Wang and others were dragged along by the villagers and had no choice but to go and be scolded as well.

This wasn't the first time Chen Lizheng had dealt with troublesome matters related to the Wang family. He didn't waste words with them, but instead launched into a tirade, venting his anger at how the villagers always came to their door because of them. After that, Chen Lizheng gave them an ultimatum.

“If your family ever disrupts someone else’s wedding celebration again, I will call the village elders together and have your family kicked out of the village.”

Aunt Wang was indignant. "How did we cause trouble? We're all from the same village, what's wrong with us going to a wedding?"

Before Chen Lizheng could even speak, the other villagers unanimously brought up and severely criticized their shameless behavior: not only did they not give gifts, but they also tried to take all the food from the table for themselves, leaving everyone else to go home hungry.

While everyone was criticizing the family's shamelessness, they also firmly warned them, "From now on, no one in your family is allowed to enter my house. Whether it's a normal day or a wedding or funeral, you all better stay away!"

"My family is the same!" *N

Everyone spoke in unison, taking the opportunity to distance themselves from the Wang family. Even Brother Chen Zhao spoke up for Xie Wanniang and the others, saying, "The Xie family, A Yuan's family, and Uncle Hao's family are also like that," which made the Wang family so angry that they almost vomited blood at the same time.

Chen, the village head, didn't care what they thought. If he weren't the village head, he would have wanted to shout along, "My family too!"

Due to his status, he couldn't count on this good thing, but he could still reprimand the Wang family with a stern face.

"You all heard what everyone said, right? Your family has such a bad reputation, how come you don't know how to reflect on your actions at all?"

“From now on, you all better behave yourselves. If anyone comes to me again and says that you’ve taken advantage of someone’s family, as long as the evidence is conclusive, I will invite the village elders over for a meeting.”

The Wang family dared not defend themselves any longer. Although they were still very resentful, they eventually became obedient on the surface.

Seeing that they were no longer trying to argue, Chen Lizheng waved his hand at them, "Alright, take the people back."

After the Wang family slunk away, Chen Lizheng waved to the others, "You should all hurry back and wait to see the show. The new bride will probably be back soon."

As they walked out, the group chattered noisily with Chen Lizheng, saying things like, "Aren't you going?" and "Let's go together."

"Go ahead, I'll be there in a bit," Chen Lizheng replied to the others while glancing at his wife.

His eldest son and daughter-in-law had to stay home to take care of the children, so only he and his wife went to Hao Yu's house to give gifts and attend the banquet.

The elderly couple tucked the money away and strolled over to Hao Yu's house.

After giving the gift and sitting down to drink less than a bowl of water, the carriage that had gone to fetch the new bride indeed came clattering back.

Hearing the noise, Chen Zhao quickly took out the firecrackers he had prepared and lit them.

Amidst the crackling of firecrackers, the carriage slowly came to a stop in front of Hao Yu's courtyard.

Jiang Yuan and the others who accompanied the bride got off the car first, followed by Hao Yu, who had changed into a festive new outfit.

The bride, supported by the matchmaker, slowly climbed onto Hao Yu's back, and Hao Yu carried her into the courtyard.

In another carriage following them were the bride's elder brother and sister-in-law, her own sister, her brother-in-law, her cousin, her nephews and nieces, and her maternal nephews.

In the courtyard, a little in front of the main hall, Xie Wanniang had already had a table prepared to display the memorial tablets of Hao Yu's parents.

This is for the newlyweds to kneel and bow to when they perform the second bow to their parents.

After distributing numerous red envelopes, Hao Yu, who had successfully brought back his bride, carefully put down Miss Chen, who was clinging to his back. Under the guidance of the matchmaker and wedding attendant, the two began to formally perform the wedding ceremony.

After the simple three bows, the bride was taken by the matchmaker to the prepared bridal chamber to sit on the bed.

Hao Yu herself, as well as Xie Wanniang who had attended the weddings of her clansmen, felt that Hao Yu's wedding ceremony was too simple. However, the matchmaker who also served as the wedding officiant, the bride's family members, and the villagers who came to offer their congratulations did not think so at all.

During the initial preparation phase, Hao Yu had a minor disagreement with the matchmaker on this matter, but in the end, Hao Yu chose to listen to the matchmaker, follow local customs, and not seek special treatment.

After the bride was escorted into the bridal chamber, Wang Xiaozhi and Jiang Yuan invited her relatives from her family to accompany her.

With everyone present as witnesses, Hao Yu lifted her red veil, and the matchmaker, who also served as the wedding officiant, guided them to drink the nuptial wine and perform the hair-tying ceremony.

When drinking the nuptial wine, the newlyweds must link arms and drink the wine in one gulp. After drinking, the cup is thrown to the ground; if the cup lands upright on one side and upright on the other, it is considered an auspicious sign.

The so-called "hair-tying ceremony" refers to the two people each cutting a strand of hair, tying it together with a red string into a "joined bun," and treasuring it.

This ritual originates from the concept that "our bodies, hair, and skin are given to us by our parents," symbolizing that the union of husband and wife is a lifelong commitment, and that the intertwined strands of hair represent the interconnected fate of the couple.

After these two parts were finished, the bride was given a half-cooked white flour dumpling by the matchmaker who was also acting as the wedding officiant.

Halfway through the dumplings, the matchmaker loudly asked the bride, "Will you have a baby?" Amidst the good-natured laughter of the women who had gathered to watch the commotion, the bride whispered, "Yes."

With that, the wedding ceremony was officially concluded.

In other words, the feast can begin.

Preoccupied with the enticing aroma of meat wafting from the kitchen, the women who had come to join the fun all rushed back to their chosen seats in the courtyard.

Not long after they sat down, the kitchen staff started bringing out dishes.

The village head, elders, and old man Chen Zhao, who were in the main room, along with the bride and her family in the bridal chamber, were the first to eat at the feast.

Following them, the other villagers in the courtyard also eagerly awaited the arrival of various dishes filled with the aroma of meat.

The steamed white flour buns that Xie Wanniang's family next door had prepared were also placed in clean baskets by Aunt Chen and others and delivered to each table where the people at the banquet were frantically grabbing for food.

Having tasted an unprecedentedly hearty dish, the villagers had no time to discuss its quality; they were busy piling meat into their bowls with incredible speed and skill.