Chapter 94

◎Two families unite in marriage, a contract is made in one hall◎

Since Prince Feng had agreed, Emperor Wei did not announce the annulment of the engagement. He simply changed the bride from the legitimate son to the adopted son. Xue Lingyu had gained Prince Feng as a backer and had such a noble adoptive mother to support her. In addition, he was the son of the prime minister, so marrying into the Jiang family was a truly good match.

Things have turned out this way, and we can say that we have finally achieved a satisfactory conclusion.

Not to mention that Prince Feng gave all of the Prince Feng's estate to Xue Lingyu, the Dowager Xue also took a portion of her own dowry to add to Xue Lingyu's dowry. This was an immense honor, something most people wouldn't even dare to dream of.

The Emperor had already prepared gifts last time, but a mistake occurred and he didn't have time to send them out. This time, in order to please Consort Xue, he bestowed a bunch of rare treasures upon Xue Lingyu.

Jiang He acted as if she wanted to marry a god of wealth.

Not to mention that the Xue family only has one legitimate son, Xue Lingyu, whom they cherish and love, and whose dowry is no less than that of a prince.

Jiang He suddenly felt some pressure; it seemed she needed to work harder to save more money.

"Your Majesty, why not set the wedding date for the eighth day of next month? This old minister wishes to see his adopted son married as soon as possible, lest his health fail him." Prince Feng pleaded with the Empress, who looked haggard and was growing weaker by the day; she feared she truly could not wait much longer.

The emperor couldn't help but feel sad. He frowned slightly and sighed, "Aunt, what are you saying? The imperial physicians in the palace are all highly skilled. They will surely help you recover."

"As for the wedding date..." Emperor Wei looked at Jiang He and saw that she looked very energetic, so he guessed that she was also looking forward to getting married soon.

The emperor, fearing further complications and the possibility of unforeseen problems, simply said, "Although the eighth day of next month is a bit rushed, it is still an auspicious day. I will send some palace staff to help with the arrangements, and we will certainly have enough time. Let's settle on this."

Jiang He raised his voice to express his gratitude: "Your subject Jiang He thanks Your Majesty for your great kindness."

The hall was filled with a joyful atmosphere. Xue Lingyu returned to sit down next to Xue Taifu. Mian'er in his arms seemed to sense the joy as she waved her little hands incessantly, her chubby face beaming with happiness.

He couldn't help but look up at Jiang He. She stood in the hall, her eyes filled with a deep smile. She had clearly dressed up carefully for today's marriage proposal. She wore a gorgeous robe and brocade, her black hair was tied up high with a jade crown, and she had thin lips and bright eyes. Her eyes even had a slightly arrogant and unrestrained curve.

This would become his wife.

His Majesty has decreed this marriage; his word is law and cannot be changed.

Jiang He didn't keep Xue Lingyu waiting too long. Even though the wedding date was set, she still had to formally propose to Xue Lingyu according to the rules of marriage.

When Jiang's parents learned that the wedding date had been set, they were initially very happy. However, the fact that the bride was Xue Lingyu left them deeply surprised.

Xue Lingyu became the adopted son of Prince Feng and was to marry into the Jiang family with a title. Although this was an unbelievable thing, it was something that was going to happen.

The knot in Jiang's father's heart had not completely disappeared, and Jiang Shangyi was still thinking about the old and new grudges with Xue Lingyi, so he did not agree to Xue Lingyu entering the family. Jiang He did not waste her breath trying to persuade her, but instead took Mian'er back home.

The elderly couple had been hoping for most of their lives to finally hold their granddaughter.

Mian'er is a well-behaved child. After meeting her grandparents, she immediately won their love and affection. Father Jiang was already excited for several days after hearing about his granddaughter's birth. Now, holding his chubby granddaughter in his arms, he was reluctant to let go.

“Look at those eyebrows and eyes, they’re just like He’er’s. No wonder she’s a descendant of the Jiang family.” Father Jiang held Mian’er’s little fist, smiled lovingly, and gestured for Jiang Shangyi beside him to look. “Look at Mian’er’s little hands, she’s sure to be a great person in the future.”

Jiang Shangyi had long wanted to get closer to her granddaughter, but she didn't dare to show it too obviously. She took a closer look very seriously and commented in a serious tone, "She is indeed a good prospect for learning arithmetic."

It's not that she's exaggerating, it's just the truth.

This made Jiang's father glare at her angrily, "What abacus? I think it's the hand that holds the pen of a top scholar. Are you getting senile? You've become so obsessed with doing business."

If the Jiang family could produce a top scholar in the imperial examination, that would be a truly glorious achievement for the family.

My granddaughter can't be like Jiang He, who only knew how to play with abacus when she was young. Even when she finally got into the study, she only drew doodles.

Jiang Shangyi reluctantly agreed, "Yes, yes, my husband is right."

Whether the child pursues literature or business, she will support him; it all depends on where his talents lie in the future.

The two elders were so easily captivated by their granddaughter. Father Jiang almost wanted to keep Mian'er by his side every day so he could show off to his friends. But when he thought about the price of agreeing to let Xue Lingyu into the family, he hesitated for a while, but finally gritted his teeth and nodded.

Since Xue Lingyu is capable of bearing children, she should at least give him a grandson after entering the family.

When Jiang's father got tired of carrying her and went to take a nap, Jiang Shangyi finally had a chance to hold her granddaughter properly.

Jiang Shangyi usually deals with account books and is considered a rough man. Suddenly faced with such a soft and fragrant baby, he was at a loss. In the end, he simply picked up the household's account books and taught Qi Mian'er how to check them.

As descendants of merchants, even if they later receive an education, they must still be able to read account books.

Jiang Shangyi had just opened the ledger and hadn't even read two lines when she couldn't help but widen her eyes, feeling more and more uneasy as she looked.

The money and land deeds in the manor have all been taken away, and most of the treasures stored in the storeroom are gone!

This has emptied the Jiang family's coffers by more than half!

She knew without even thinking who did it. Who else but her good daughter Jiang He would be so generous? It must have been used for betrothal gifts!

Jiang Shangyi felt a pang of pain in her heart. She held her granddaughter and wept until her tears ran dry. She never expected the baby to be so expensive; all her savings were gone.

Mian'er clutched a corner of the ledger, her laughter as clear and melodious as a silver bell.

Yuange followed behind Jiang He, directing the Jiang family's servants to move box after box of betrothal gifts to the Xue family. It was easy to imagine what the head of the family would look like. Miss's move was quite clever. First, she used the young lady to win over the two elders, and then she handed over most of the Jiang family to Young Master Xue. Now, even if they didn't agree to the marriage, they would have to marry him.

Ji Xue was holding a jade bottle with Guanyin in his hand. He had said he didn't want to come, but in the end he made up an excuse to come along.

"Jiang He of the Jiang family, with great courage, requests to marry the eldest son of Prime Minister Xue. I am willing to offer the Jiang family's wealth as dowry, entrust him with the management of the household, and grow old together with him. This is the letter of betrothal written by my own hand, along with a list of gifts, which I present to Prime Minister Xue for his review."

Unlike the previous time, Jiang He's entourage was even more impressive this time. The betrothal gifts alone took more than a dozen carriages to carry, and dozens of servants to carry them. Not to mention the deeds to the fields and houses. The Jiang family was incredibly generous, astonishing everyone in the capital.

Xue Lingyi felt her hands trembling. She hadn't expected Jiang He to be so sincere. After so many things had happened, she still treated Xue Lingyu the same way. It seemed she really liked him.

She misjudged him back then, being old-fashioned and looking down on businessmen.

She took the betrothal letter and gift list from Jiang He's hand, and felt that they were quite heavy. It seemed that she would have to empty the entire Xue family to be worthy of this betrothal gift.

"As a mother, I naturally agree to this marriage. I hope that after you two get married, you will support each other and grow old together."

Xue Lingyi nodded in front of everyone.

Xue Lingyu had already heard that Jiang He was coming to propose marriage, but his father said that he couldn't show himself at this time, lest he be seen and laughed at. So he secretly hid behind the screen and eavesdropped on his mother's conversation with Jiang He.

Upon hearing his mother's agreement, he couldn't help but clutch his chest, his heart pounding, and his face flushed red.

Jiang He bowed and immediately changed her address, saying, "Thank you, Mother-in-law."

Xue Lingyi's eyes were full of admiration as she took Jiang He's hand and said, "Son-in-law, there's no need for such formality. I only have one child, Yu'er. Seeing that you and he have finally achieved your happy ending has put my mind at ease."

Jiang He raised her eyes, suddenly glancing at the screen, and a slight smile appeared on her lips.

"I will definitely treat him well in the future."

Xue Lingyi nodded with satisfaction.

The people in the Xue family were all talking about how even after clearing out the backyard, they still couldn't fit all of the Jiang family's betrothal gifts. Many people envied Xue Lingyu's good fortune in having such a highly regarded wife.

Xue Lingyu walked into the courtyard when suddenly a figure fell from the roof.

The boy looked awkward as he shoved the vase into his arms, saying, "Here you go."

Xue Lingyu recognized him, "Remember Xue?"

Ji Xue still seemed angry with him, but that was understandable, since he had even hurt and deceived Ji Xue in order to leave the Jiang family.

He was prepared to be ignored by Ji Xue, but he didn't expect Ji Xue to come with Jiang He to present the betrothal gifts.

This white Guanyin bottle is clearly a rare treasure, probably from the Jiang family's storeroom. Xue Lingyu looked at the boy who was glancing around but dared not look at her, and asked with a smile, "Is this a gift from you?"

The boy didn't say a word, his lips pursed tightly.

Xue Lingyu took his hand and said, "Consider it a gift to me. Thank you. Let me take you to get something to eat."

Hearing the gentle and familiar tone, Ji Xue couldn't help but feel a little overwhelmed. He lowered his eyes and looked at Xue Lingyu pitifully, feeling extremely wronged.

"I want to eat the pastries from Ruyi Restaurant, and I also want to play with the little miss!"

Only in this way could he barely calm down.

Xue Lingyu knew that Xue was easy to coax and still had the mind of a child. She smiled and said softly, "Okay, I promise you. But Mian'er is at the Jiang residence now. You can play with her when you go back."

Ji Xue nodded, her clear eyes wide, and said, "I want to eat osmanthus cake."

He could already smell the osmanthus fragrance on Xue Lingyu, and a look of anticipation appeared on his face.

"You have a good nose. I just bought these this morning. Come on, I'll take you to eat them." Xue Lingyu led Ji Xue to her room and gave him the whole box of pastries.

After discussing the marriage with Xue Lingyi, Jiang He was about to leave, but she couldn't find Xue anywhere. She figured he must have been bored and gone off somewhere to play.

Yuange said, "Miss, I saw Ji Xue go to the backyard of the Xue residence. He was carrying the Guanyin white bottle in his hand. I wanted to tell him to be careful, but Ji Xue walked too fast and I couldn't stop him."

Xue's lightness skill was excellent; ordinary people couldn't stop him at all, and he was also lively and unrestrained.

This time, it's highly likely they're looking for Xue Lingyu in the backyard.

Yuange tentatively asked, "Miss, shall I go to the backyard to look for Ji Xue?"

Xue was not in a good mood today, and it would be bad if something happened at the Xue residence.

Jiang He boarded the carriage. "He'll be back when he's tired of playing."

The wedding date of the eighth day of next month is a bit rushed. Although the Emperor sent people to help, there are still some things that she has to do herself.

Jiang He went to find Fang Xiulang, wanting to have a well-fitting wedding dress made before the wedding.

Jiang He still wanted Xue Lingyu to wear the wedding dress he had personally embroidered, so he asked Fang Xiulang to alter the dress to Xue Lingyu's current size.

Fang Xiulang said helplessly, "Miss, the stitching and patterns of this wedding dress are of the finest quality, but it can't withstand a few more alterations."

"This is the last time." Jiang He looked at the altered wedding dress and was very satisfied.

Fang Xiulang's craftsmanship was naturally excellent.

Jiang He examined it for a while, then suddenly asked Fang Xiulang, "Can you teach me embroidery?"

Fang Xiulang was caught off guard by the question. If he remembered correctly, the young lady had never even touched a needle and thread. Embroidery was something that only men learned, and he had never heard of any woman who knew how to embroider.

Moreover, this is not something that can be learned overnight.

Jiang He counted the days; it should be enough time for her to learn.

"I want to learn how to embroider plum blossoms. The designs don't need to be too complicated; just the simplest ones that are easy to identify as plum blossoms will do."

Jiang He looked at her hands. These hands were used to manipulating an abacus and wielding a knife and sword, but she had never tried embroidery.

She wanted to give Xue Lingyu a surprise and decided to give it a try.

At Jiang He's repeated requests, Fang Xiulang finally agreed to teach her embroidery.

"A gentleman is upright and dignified, as bright as the moon, as noble as the plum blossom, and as handsome as a woman. If one does not see him for a day, one will be driven mad with longing."

When the poem was delivered to Xue Lingyu, the man, known for his talent, couldn't help but laugh out loud.

Anyone who has studied poetry would not write like this, which shows that Jiang He is truly illiterate. However, her feelings are very sincere and lovely, and the smile on Xue Lingyu's lips never faded.

In short, she was thinking about him.

According to the customs of Fengman, the newlyweds should not meet before the wedding, otherwise it will bring bad luck. Therefore, Jiang He had not come to see him, but the letters had not stopped.

Xue Lingyu read the poem carefully several more times, reluctant to put it away.

He suddenly noticed that Jiang He's handwriting looked a bit strange, as if she was afraid to put pen to paper.

After learning embroidery from Fang Xiulang for only a few days, Jiang He's fingers were almost all pricked and bleeding. Although the needle was thin and small, it hurt terribly when it pierced the flesh.

That's why her pen-holding posture is a bit strange when she writes.

However, that poem was something she racked her brains to come up with, and it also quoted famous anecdotes. It was the best poem she had ever written since she started school.

She spent three whole years studying poetry and literature in the Fog City, so it's impossible that she's still at the same level as before!

Jiang He felt good about herself, but when it comes to embroidery, it's not something you can do well just by trying. In the end, even Fang Xiulang couldn't stand it anymore, and Jiang He finally managed to embroider a crooked plum blossom.

It's neither pretty nor ugly; it can only be described as a plum blossom in general.

Jiang He held the handkerchief she had just embroidered, overjoyed and relieved at the same time, as she could now consider herself a successful embroiderer.

When she held a needle and thread, her hands seemed to have a mind of their own, but when she used an abacus, they became incredibly nimble. It seems she really didn't have any talent in this area and was no match for Xue Lingyu.

His embroidery skills are among the best in the capital.

Although the wedding day was fast approaching, Jiang He longed to see Xue Lingyu more and more. Mian'er had already been sent back to the Xue family mansion, and the child could not be without his father by his side. Moreover, Xue Lingyu had always insisted on feeding Mian'er himself, and they could not change the wet nurse halfway through.

If Jiang He were still a teenager, she would definitely have climbed over the wall to secretly see Xue Lingyu. But after experiencing so much, her mind had matured, and no matter how much she wanted to, she managed to restrain herself.

Everything will wait until the wedding day, the wedding night.

The altered wedding dress was delivered to Xue Lingyu. He immediately recognized it as the one he had embroidered himself and burst into tears. When he locked the wedding dress away, he never imagined he would have the chance to wear it again.

"I was four months pregnant at the time, and Jiang He ordered the embroiderers in the manor to alter my wedding dress. I never expected that it could be altered back now. I can really wear the wedding dress I embroidered myself to get married. Father, look!" Xue Lingyu proudly showed her wedding dress to her father.

Seeing his child so excited, Mr. Xue's eyes also welled up with tears.

Father Xue stroked Xue Lingyu's face and said with satisfaction, "Yu'er, you will wear this wedding dress and get married in a grand manner in the Xue family. At that time, all the men in the capital will envy my Yu'er for marrying such a wonderful wife."

"Father, I'm really getting married. I'll no longer be the eldest son of the Xue family, but the young master of the Jiang family." Xue Lingyu threw himself into his father's arms, uncertainly asking, "Can I really be a good husband to Jiang He?"

“Silly child, she has chosen you, and you are her best husband. If anything happens in the backyard, remember what I taught you before.” Father Xue gently patted his back and instructed, “A husband and wife must trust and rely on each other. She is the closest person to you. As long as you treat her well and love her wholeheartedly, you don’t need to worry about anything else.”

"After the marriage, everyone will have to call you Young Master Jiang. I have always raised you as a future noble prince. Yu'er, I believe you can do well."

Xue Lingyu's worries completely vanished.

He will always love Jiang He and always treat her well.

As Jiang He eagerly awaited, the eighth day of the lunar new year finally arrived as scheduled.

Before dawn, Xue Lingyu was woken up by her father. After washing up, she changed into her wedding dress and began to put on makeup.

Xue Lingyu's skin was extremely fair. With just a touch of blush, he looked exceptionally charming. Even the servants who attended to him couldn't help but marvel at how handsome their young master was. They couldn't tell he had never given birth; he looked like a seventeen or eighteen-year-old boy.

Xue Lingyu looked at himself in the mirror. He had bright eyes and white teeth, and his skin was as smooth as cream. There was also a bright red peach blossom on his forehead. He looked much more beautiful than usual. When he thought of Jiang He's expression when she saw him, he couldn't help but lower his head and hide his shyness.

Prince Feng arrived at the Xue residence today, and together with his family, he accompanied Xue Lingyu on her wedding.

Xi Gong placed the fan in Xue Lingyu's hand, instructing him to hold it in front of his chest to cover his face, and then helped him out of the room.

Seeing Xue Lingyu come out, Xue's father couldn't help but want to go forward, but was stopped by Xue Lingyi. Xue's father could only look at him and said reluctantly, "Yu'er."

Prince Feng seemed to be truly witnessing Yu'er's wedding; he staggered as he reached out his hand, but ultimately withdrew it.

Supported by Xi Gong, Xue Lingyu knelt in the middle of the courtyard and bowed deeply to her mother, father, and Prince Feng. Her eyes were slightly red as she said, "Today is my wedding day. I will not be able to fulfill my filial duties to my elders in the future. I hope that my mother, father, and godmother will take care of themselves."

He bid farewell to each of them, even though he was reluctant to part. The bridal sedan chair was already in front of the Jiang family mansion, and Jiang He was still waiting for him there.

Upon seeing Xue Lingyu board the bridal sedan chair, Xue's father finally couldn't suppress his sobs.

Xue Lingyi hugged her father and comforted him, "Today is a joyous day. Yu'er will return to her parents' home in three days. It's not like we'll never see each other again."

Princess Feng was much calmer. She watched the bridal sedan chair disappear from her sight before being helped away by her confidants.

She coughed softly several times, then smiled without regret.

The wedding procession had been gone for a long time but had not returned. With the auspicious time fast approaching, Jiang He was not only anxious but also nervous and scared.

She only breathed a sigh of relief when the bridal sedan chair appeared.

Jiang He took a deep breath, stepped forward to lift the curtain of the bridal sedan chair, and saw Xue Lingyu sitting inside. She handed him her hand, and Xue Lingyu placed his hand in Jiang He's palm. Feeling her warmth, he couldn't help but burst into tears of joy.

He cried on the way here.

Jiang He noticed his slightly damp clothes and guessed that he was reluctant to leave his family, so she whispered, "I will treat you well."

She placed the red silk in Xue Lingyu's hands and led him into the gate of the Jiang residence.

All the powerful and influential people in the capital attended the wedding, and some wealthy merchants were also invited by the Jiang family to come.

Xue Lingyu's dowry consisted of more than a hundred tables, enough to cover a ten-mile-long street, which amazed everyone in the capital. After all, she was the grand-nephew of Xue Taifu and married into the Jiang family, the richest family in the country. Such a grand and prestigious dowry was probably unmatched by anyone.

Upon arriving at the main hall, Jiang Shangyi and his father sat at the head of the table, watching the newlyweds.

"Perform the fan-offering ceremony—"

Xue Lingyu slowly lowered the fan and met Jiang He's eyes.

"With venerable elders above, this document serves as witness that our two families are united in marriage, a covenant concluded in this hall, a blessed union forever bound, a match made in heaven—"

The Jiang family had many guests today, and many wanted to see the excitement and share in the joy. The wedding hall was packed with people. Wen Huai was not tall and was almost pushed to the ground. In the end, a pair of hands caught her so that she wouldn't be in such a sorry state.

Wen Huai turned around and exclaimed with delight, "Young Master Hao!"

He Sui nodded and bowed slightly, asking, "Is Miss Wen Huai also here to observe the ceremony?"

Wen Huai quickly waved his hand, "I am not a proper guest. My brother is a servant in the Jiang family. He was only allowed to come and observe the ceremony because he won the master's favor."

After not seeing her for several days, the little girl seemed to have grown quite a bit taller. He Sui stretched out his hand to compare and confirmed that she really had grown taller.

When Wen Huai saw this, she couldn't help but look up at the handsome He Sui, her face turning slightly red.

"It's a bit stuffy in here, and we can't go inside. Miss Huai, if you have some free time, why don't you come for a walk with me?"

Ask Huai was naturally willing.

"May I be so bold as to ask, what kind of woman does Young Master He prefer?"

He Sui was taken aback by her question and looked surprised. Wen Huai thought she had been too forward, so she said, "If Young Master He doesn't want to say, that's fine. It was my presumption."

He Sui pondered for a moment and said, "It's not that I'm unwilling, it's just that I have no intention of getting married."

"Perhaps Miss Huai has heard about me. My family is very wealthy, so I must go out and do business. I will also have to deal with many women. However, most women hope that their husbands will stay in the backyard. Just for this reason, I think many people will not dare to ask me for marriage."

He Sui lowered his head and smiled, as if he were talking about someone else's affairs.

“I think Young Master He is a very good and gentle person. Those people criticize you because they don’t understand the real you and don’t know how good you are.” Wen Huai looked into his eyes and said firmly, “Young Master He, you must not be so self-deprecating!”

He was so gentle, never got angry because of other people's prejudices, and always did good deeds and helped others, just like a spring breeze, making people want to get closer to him little by little.

Whenever he saw someone slandering him, Wen Huai would get even more agitated than he was.

He Sui paused for a moment, then smiled and patted her head. "Thank you for speaking up for me, Miss Wen Huai."

After the entire wedding ceremony was over, someone came to lead Xue Lingyu to the bridal chamber. Jiang He still had to entertain the guests in the front yard and would arrive later.

Xue Lingyu was startled as soon as she took the man's hand.

“Words from the Heart…”

Xin Yan lowered her head and said, "This servant will escort the young master to the bridal chamber."

Xue Lingyu felt a mix of emotions. Xin Yan was the kindest person to him besides his family and Jiang He. If it weren't for Xin Yan, he might have been bullied to death by those people long ago.

The two walked silently for a while, until they reached the bridal chamber, where Xinyan stopped.

"Today is the young master's wedding day. I wish the young master and the young lady a harmonious and loving marriage."

Finally, Xinyan softly said, "Chunxiao, happy marriage."

Xue Lingyu looked over and saw Xin Yan smiling sweetly.

Xinyan is still the same Xinyan, treating him as well as always.

Xue Lingyu's eyes reddened.

Xin Yan immediately said, "Don't cry. If Miss sees you, she'll be heartbroken."

He took out a handkerchief and quickly wiped away Xue Lingyu's tears.

"Chunxiao, you have to smile today. My father told me that you have to smile on your wedding day, so that you can keep smiling throughout the rest of your life. Besides, you are so beautiful. If you cry, won't you become ugly?" Xinyan pretended to scare Xue Lingyu. In fact, even if Xue Lingyu cried, she would still look very pitiful and would not become ugly at all.

Xue Lingyu sniffed, "I'm not crying anymore."

He held Xinyan's hand tightly. The two did not speak, but they understood each other's feelings.

Xin Yan opened the door to the bridal chamber and said with a smile, "Come in, today is your big day, you must be happy!"

A note from the author:

There will be one more chapter before midnight: The Wedding Night.

"With venerable elders above, this document serves as witness, uniting two families in marriage, a covenant concluded in this hall, a blessed union forever, a match made in heaven—" (from the internet)

Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants with nutrient solution between 2022-03-11 20:49:52 and 2022-03-12 18:00:16!

Thank you to the little angels who watered the nutrient solution: 5 bottles from BuCai; 1 bottle from jyxsxlyjh;

Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!

◎Latest Comments:

[emmm…]

[Sigh, as long as Jiang He is happy.]

-over-