Getting married in a traditional Chinese wedding ceremony

  Xiao Heng stiffened and pulled at the corner of his lips, just as a cry of surprise came from behind him, "Everyone stop, you've got the wrong person!"

  This sentence was like a thunderclap on a clear day, and the group of people who were enthusiastically beating someone up suddenly stopped their hands, retreated, and scattered. Inside, they revealed Zhou Chunhua, who had been beaten until his face was blue and swollen, stumbling to get up, still muttering: "Run quickly, younger brother Yuan." Then with a thud, he fell to the ground, unconscious.

  Xiao Heng was startled and quickly ran over, turning the person over to examine them. He found that the attacker had shown restraint, but Zhou Chunhua's small body was too weak and he had fainted from the shock of the thunder, perhaps even more so from seeing stars before his eyes.

  It was as if to prove his conjecture, Zhou Chunhua slowly woke up, her eyes dull and lifeless, barely glancing at Xiao Heng, weakly saying: "From now on, younger brother, don't call me older brother again, with all these stars shining brightly, I can hardly see your face."

  Xiao Heng's face suddenly turned black, and the people around him couldn't help but laugh and cry. They had never seen anyone so silly before. This loud and clear second-class herald, it seemed that all his cleverness was used up on reading books, looking at this stupid appearance, he had unknowingly taken a punch for someone else, it was simply pitiful.

  At least this is also the second uncle of the mansion, a young gentleman with a few more years of seniority on the sidelines said: "Quickly help the second uncle to rest in the wing room."

  Someone immediately nodded in agreement, it was too embarrassing, without waiting for the servants to be called, a few brothers took the initiative to take action and carried the person away. Anling was also one of them, as for why, it was because among these people, he was the most hated, his heart couldn't bear it, feeling guilty towards Erjie, of course, he had to do his best.

  Just before leaving, he didn't forget to glare at Xiao Heng fiercely and said: "You got lucky. Humph, we'll see about that."

  Xiao Heng smiled slyly at him, thinking to himself, "Let's see who teaches whom." He then bowed his hands to the young nobleman who had just spoken, "An Yuan brother, can we bring out the bride now?"

  Zhu Anyuan glanced at Xiao Heng, nodded slightly, and walked to the door of Yuanyi's room. He knocked gently on the door and said loudly, "The groom has arrived, it's time for the bride to come out."

  Xiao Heng's face was filled with excitement as he stared at the door, feeling that time was passing slowly and painfully. He wished he could rush in and take Yuan Yi away immediately, regardless of all these trivial rules. Fortunately, the door opened just then, not giving him a chance to act impulsively.

  Only a slender and tall woman wearing a bright red festive wedding dress, with a beautiful figure, delicate and elegant, her embroidered shoes with mandarin ducks playing in the water stepped on the red carpet, her skirt slightly lifted, and between her lotus steps, there were many charming and graceful manners.

  A beauty's charm lies not in her skin, but in her bones. Just this one glance at her demeanor is enough to reveal how alluring and charming the woman under the red headscarf is. The young masters from various families who followed Xiao Heng here all started teasing him, patting his shoulder and raising an eyebrow: "You lucky dog, your good fortune is not shallow!"

  Xiao Heng didn't care about those people's teasing at this time, his heart and eyes were all filled with Yuan Yi's figure, staring blankly at her without even blinking. When he saw Yuan Yi pounce on An Yuan's back and being carried over by him, the corner of his eye twitched, and he glared at him fiercely.

  He's Xiang Heng's daughter-in-law, and she hasn't even held hands with him yet, but this kid has already taken advantage of her. Which old-fashioned rule is it that says the older brother has to carry the sedan chair? Under the sky, who else has more qualifications than this future husband?

  Xiao Heng gritted his teeth as he watched An Yuan slowly lift the sedan chair with Yuan Yi on it, and then hastily went over to ask through the curtain, "Yi'er, are you comfortable? Once you're settled, we can leave."

  The original intention was wearing a few kilograms of heavy gifts under the red cover, and turned over a white eye. This stuff is not serious at all. At this time, the bride can't speak, isn't this nonsense? The sense of existence is also brushed without limits.

  As for her silence, Xiao Heng didn't think much of it. He was just casually asking and hadn't planned on getting an answer from her anyway. Before he even finished speaking, he turned around to instruct the sedan chair bearer: "Let's get going, walk steadily and don't jolt my daughter-in-law."

  This thick-skinned man, before even paying respects to the ancestors, shamelessly called out "wife" repeatedly, and the Zhu family's young masters glared at him with anger.

  Xiao Heng, however, was still oblivious and smiled as he nodded to them, signaling the musicians to play the drums and zithers, singing "Feng Qiu Huang" as they slowly exited the Zhu Manor.

  As soon as he went out of the gate, he flipped over and got on his horse, riding in front of the flower sedan chair. In front of him, someone was firing firecrackers to clear the way, behind him there were harmonious music and laughter, and beside him a large crowd of Beijing citizens gathered to watch the excitement. Xiao Heng's face was full of joy, smiling even more freely and unrestrainedly.

  This is a good momentum, he can't wait for the whole city to know that Xiao Heng has married the fourth daughter of the Zhu family, so as to prevent some petty people from coveting his wife.

  Outside, firecrackers and gongs shook the sky, but Yuanyi sat in the flower sedan chair with an unbearable bitterness. The sedan chair was carried by people, and although it walked steadily, she still suffered from occasional bumps. Every slight movement of her neck made her hear the cracking of bones. The few pineapple pastries that Xiangmei had given her in the morning had been digested long ago, and now her stomach was growling with hunger, making her want to devour the bright red apple in her hand.

  It was good that she still had her wits about her, so she closed her eyes and took a nap. After an unknown amount of time, the sedan chair finally stopped, and the sound of it landing woke her up. Along with the sound of three swift arrow shots, the door of the sedan chair was opened, and light suddenly poured in. A smooth red silk handkerchief was stuffed into her hand by a warm and large hand, just as a clear voice rang out from outside: "Please ask the bride to get off the sedan."

  She had been instructed beforehand, and with great care, she stepped over the saddle in front of the sedan chair, onto the red carpet, holding one end of the red silk cord, crossing the brazier, treading on the tile pieces, before finally arriving at the main hall. She stiffened her body, dazedly listening to the eulogies, sometimes kneeling, sometimes standing up, until after the final "Husband and wife pay their respects...the ceremony is complete", she let out a long sigh of relief.

  She never wants to go through such tedious and exhausting etiquette again in her next life.

  Her hand was held by Xiao Heng, and her palm felt a warm and humid sensation, but she didn't know whose sweat it was. As they walked towards their new home, Xiao Heng pointed out where the threshold was and where the ground was even, speaking softly and slowly. This considerate gesture suddenly made Yuan Yi feel more affectionate towards him.

  It's not easy to finally move into the new house, and as soon as she sat down, her face under the red veil twisted instantly. Oh no, how could she have forgotten that there were peanuts, longans, lotus seeds, walnuts, dates, and other miscellaneous things scattered under the bed sheet?

  Xiao Heng felt the sudden tightening of his grip, and sensed a severe tingling sensation at the bottom. He understood seven or eight tenths of it in his heart, and a hint of smile flashed across Peach Blossom's eyes.

  At this time, the matchmaker finally came over, saying auspicious words, and picked up a strand of hair from Yuan Yi and Xiao Heng respectively, tied an auspicious knot, separated them into two sachets, and placed them under the new wedding pillow.

  "The bride and groom will be together from now on, growing old hand in hand, loving each other without any doubts."

  As soon as the old woman's voice fell, the young wives who had been gathered in the bridal chamber burst out laughing. Yuan Yi heard many familiar voices among them, including a bright and clear one that belonged to Rui Wangfei. She was seen smiling and saying: "From afar, you little scoundrel, what are you still standing there for? Don't you dare lift the veil?"

  Xiao Heng hastily nodded, took the five-color auspicious scale from the matchmaker, steadied his slightly trembling hand, and lifted open the embroidered mandarin duck playing in the water red veil.

  Originally, he only felt that the obstacles that had been blocking his line of sight suddenly fell away, and after blinking slightly, he met Xiao Heng's dazed and infatuated gaze. The noisy sounds from just now instantly disappeared, leaving only a low, gasping sound.

  Delicate eyebrows like autumn water, not painted but naturally beautiful. Cherry lips like tender flowers, not dotted with red. Ice-like skin and jade bones, spirit and elegance shining through, like fine silk, like warm jade, like magnificent clothes, dazzling literary talent, the goddess of the Luo River, none can surpass her.

  In the capital, it was rumored that the Zhu family's daughters were matchlessly beautiful. They didn't believe it and thought it was just ignorant commoners making a fuss. For a long time, they didn't take it to heart. Today, in the bridal chamber, they saw the two daughters of the Zhu family who came, but they only had average looks, where was the exaggeration that others spoke of?

  Until the groom lifted the veil, they didn't know that the four daughters of the Zhu family sitting on the wedding bed were the most outstanding ones. Their beauty was beyond what had been rumored. What is meant by "national color and fragrance" and "overturning the country and city", they finally understood today.

  As for Xiao Heng, at the moment when he lifted the red veil, his mind went blank and all he could see was the stunning face in front of him. He had always known that Yuan Yi was beautiful, otherwise he wouldn't have been infatuated with her at first sight. However, as they spent more time together, he found her interesting and gradually forgot about her looks. Besides, she usually wore a plain expression, unlike today when she was all dressed up and radiant, making her beauty even more striking than usual.

  His gaze was piercing, as if he wanted to melt her away. Even with Yuan Yi's thick skin, she couldn't withstand this intensity, and her cheeks flushed red as she slightly lowered her head.

  Fortunately, the matchmaker was someone who had seen big scenes before, and she quickly came back to her senses. She brought over a plate of raw dumplings, picked one up with chopsticks, and handed it to Yuanyi's mouth, indicating that she should eat it, then asked: "Raw or not?"

  Her expression cracked for a moment, and she forced a smile, saying "Live." Fortunately, her stomach was empty, or else she wouldn't have known whether she would throw up.

  With a "poof" sound, Xiao Heng burst out laughing. He had never seen Yuan Yi look so disheveled before. Thinking back to all the times she had bullied him in the past, he felt utterly relieved.

  She was still fuming, and all her suffering was because of him. Hungry and tired people have a particularly bad temper, and Xiao Heng's smile thoroughly irritated her. She glared at him with ill humor and mentally marked him down, waiting to see how she would deal with him later.

  Xiao Heng was completely unaware that he had gotten himself into trouble, but Yuan Yi's flirtatious gaze made his body numb all over, and he couldn't help but want to take her to the bridal chamber right away. However, he still had to go ahead and offer a toast, and his heart was itching with impatience. So, plucking up his courage, he wrapped his arms around Yuan Yi's waist, leaned in and lightly kissed her lips, and then dropped a sentence "Yi'er, wait for me" before hastily retreating from the bridal chamber.