Chapter 186

Chapter 186 : The Grand Wedding (Part II)

After the ceremonial rites in the hall were over, two young girls with skin as fair as powdered jade, holding dragon and phoenix candles, escorted Jiang Ruan into the bridal chamber. Although Jiang Ruan had already lived through one lifetime, this was her first time experiencing marriage, and all the complicated procedures very nearly caused her to lose her normal composure. After Jiang Ruan and Xiao Shao had been escorted to seats at opposite sides of the room, everyone else quietly exited.

Jiang Ruan felt faintly unsettled, yet she could not remove the veil covering her head. After some thought, she said, "You should hurry up and leave, they're waiting for you at the wedding banquet to do the congratulatory toasts."

After saying this, she heard a chuckle. It was Xiao Shao who had laughed, and then Jiang Ruan felt her hands being firmly held. Xiao Shao's voice whispered into her ear, "Don't be nervous."

"I am not nervous," Jiang Ruan interrupted him, her somewhat rushed manner of speech hinting at her annoyance at having her worries exposed. "Go, quickly."

Xiao Shao straightened up and called for Lian Qiao and the others to wait upon Jiang Ruan well before walking unhurriedly out of the room. Jiang Ruan waited for him to leave before ripping off her veil, shocking Bai Zhi, who immediately moved to put the veil back in place. "Miss, cover yourself quickly. What will you do if someone catches a glimpse of you uncovered?"

"It's just a marriage ceremony, is there any need to be so cautious and scrupulous?" Jiang Ruan retorted helplessly. These convoluted and over-elaborate formalities were tormenting her to the point of madness. She had no idea whether all this was due to Steward Lin, for, while in the palace, what she had heard of the marriage formalities for princesses had not been anything at all like this. Today's wedding ceremony had certainly reeked of pomp and ceremony, and it was truly overwhelming.

Lian Qiao felt a pang of distress for Jiang Ruan and thus echoed her sentiment. "Aiya,, there's no one to look at Miss right now and when someone comes along we will replace the veil then. Won't that do? If not for the fact that this hairstyle is difficult to undo, it would be better to remove the phoenix crown together with the veil. That phoenix crown sits so heavily on the top of the head, I feel Miss's weariness."

"In this enormous world, that one is at ease is of the greatest importance." Lu Zhu took out some daintily made pastries from a small box and said, "Miss has not eaten anything up till now, and will have to wait for a period of time so it will not do for you to go hungry. Early this morning, this servant went to buy these at Fei Cui Zhai. They are dainty and won't mess up your lip rouge. Miss, do eat some so your stomach is not empty."

Apart from the red eggs that she had eaten when she awoke, in fact, nothing else had passed her lips. It would have been better if Lu Zhu had not said anything because once it was mentioned, Jiang Ruan did feel a little hungry. As it was, the pastries were dainty, so she took a few and ate them. Bai Zhi poured a cup of tea and handed it to her, saying, "Moisten your mouth." This was repeated a few times, and it was not until Jiang Ruan had finished all the pastries in the box that she felt somewhat tired. Tian Zhu took in her appearance and said, "If Miss is sleepy, Miss should rest for a while. It will take some time before Young Master returns. When he comes in, this subordinate will wake Miss up."

Jiang Ruan thought briefly before taking up the suggestion. Finding a position which would not damage the phoenix crown, she lay down on the bed to rest.

* * *

At the banquet, the people from the Zhao family and those from the Jinying Wangfu appeared to be so happy that there was nothing else left to say between them. Although Jiang Quan was Jiang Ruan's father, the Jiang family at present was rather desolate with only himself and Xia Yue. At a glance, he seemed exceedingly cold and forsaken. It was as if, wherever he sat, there emanated an atmosphere of rottenness and decay. In addition, everyone knew that the relationship between him, Jiang Ruan and Jiang Xin Zhi was strained. Those attending today's festivities were mostly on good terms with the Zhao family and the Jinying Wangfu, so they naturally kept a respectful distance from him. Thus, in this way, Jiang Quan had been isolated.

Jiang Xin Zhi had drunk more than usual today. It was Jiang Ruan's big day, and he was Jiang Ruan's closest relative. Acting as her father as well as her elder brother, he proposed a toast with each of Xiao Shao's fellow disciples, one by one. His words were humble, but also hard-hitting, probably because he was entrusting Jiang Ruan into their care, while at the same time clearly indicating his continued support of Jiang Ruan behind the scenes. The Zhao family's Zhao Yi, and his three brothers, shared a hatred for a common enemy with Jiang Xin Zhi. Although Jiang Ruan had not had much interaction with the Zhao family, she had previously helped Zhao Yi and Zhao Feizhou several times. This- in addition to the urging of Zhao Guang- ensured that the Zhao family would also be a pillar of support for Jiang Ruan.

Xiao Shao, dressed entirely in red, was standing amongst his guests as the toasts progressed. His expression was indifferent and cold, as was the norm for him, but – perhaps because this was a day of joyful celebration – there was some degree of delight in his eyes, which were considerably mild and gentle. In the midst of this large, rambunctious crowd of people gathering to drink and toast, he was definitely eye-catching.

After Jiang Xin Zhi had finished making his round of toasts, he could not resist walking over to Xuan Pei. Xuan Pei was sitting next to Liu Min, and his faintly smiling visage was both moderate and respectful. His features were naturally beautiful, and to add to this, his every movement was infused with quiet elegance. At such a young age, he already drew everyone's attention; who knew how much brilliance he would radiate as he grew older.

On seeing Jiang Xin Zhi approaching, Xuan Pei smiled faintly at him and said, "General Jiang." When he smiled, he appeared delicate and refined, making him seem harmless and guileless. However, Jiang Xin Zhi felt that this young man was not someone who was unambitious, or was seeking an unobtrusive life. Hence, he abandoned any attempt to beat around the bush and said, directly, "Thirteenth Highness has come to attend my meimei's wedding reception, this humble servant is truly terrified."

"General Jiang has no need to be unduly humble," said Xuan Pei smilingly. "Hong'an Junzhu can be considered this prince's family. Today, she is marrying into the Jinying Wangfu, of course this prince has to come and offer congratulations."

These words were unproblematic, but Xuan Pei was a dignified prince, and he could not possibly have come with the motive of currying Jiang Ruan's favour. Yet, he had spent all that money on sixty-six shops – this did not seem to be something that a barely related 'sibling' would do. Jiang Xin Zhi frowned. This young man was simply playing dumb and refusing to speak honestly. No matter what he did, Jiang Xin Zhi was unable to draw out the truth, and found himself flummoxed.

Xuan Pei seemed to discern what Jiang Xin Zhi was thinking. He raised his wine cup towards Jiang Xin Zhi and said, "In any case, today is her wedding, you should be like this prince and be filled with sincere happiness for her."

Stunned, Jiang Xin Zhi raised his eyes to look at the young man before him. In his eyes, the situation was obviously not as simple as Xuan Pei made it out to be, but, at this moment, this young man's eyes were full of sincere affection, which seemed to arise from a heartfelt desire to bless Jiang Ruan, without a trace of pretence. No one would doubt him. While he was still stunned, Xuan Pei lifted the wine cup and drained its contents in a gulp before giving him a smile.

Since his counterpart, a prince no less, had already adopted this attitude, it would be wrong for Jiang Xin Zhi to doggedly pursue his line of questioning. He could only raise his wine cup in response and likewise drain its contents, with all the suspicions in his heart remaining unresolved.

Among the guests present, Liu Min's smile was a tad forced. From the former upstart in the imperial court to the minister who spoke bluntly before the Emperor at present, Liu Min was young and good-looking, with a bright future, and was as yet unmarried. Any family among the guests who had a daughter of appropriate age were all observing him fervently. The corners of Liu Min's mouth lifted in a wry smile. Shaking his head, he slowly took a sip from his wine cup.

He had never been accustomed to drinking wine, but at this time, due to the immense melancholy in his heart, he was discovering that wine was an excellent tool for dispelling his worries. Once again, the image of the newlywed couple standing together in the wedding hall came to mind. That woman was wearing crimson wedding clothes, bright and colourful, and how beautiful she looked under her concealing veil was solely for the newlyweds to see. At first, he thought this intelligent woman had treated him a little differently, but, when all was said and done, fortune had deceived him. He was not even in time to express his heart when the opportunity to do so was lost to him forever.

However, it was not just him- more than one person was suffering in such a pitiful state. Take for example, Qi Feng. Not long after Xiao Shao's return, Qi Feng had shaved off his beard. He had always been an outstandingly handsome young man, but his beard had concealed it by giving him a somewhat unruly air. Now that he was shaven clean, it was as if he was a completely different person. He had a naturally distinguished and wise demeanour, and as he stood there, he drew the gazes of more than a few families with unmarried daughters. However, Qi Feng did not have the heart to look at other people. Although he had a smile on his face, there was an inexplicable tinge of lonesomeness about him.

Jin Er was crouched on the ground peeling prawns before eating them. As he took in Qi Feng's appearance, he sighed and shook his head before saying, "Fourth Young Master Qi is truly too miserable. In the past, no matter what happened, he was a master at passing through a field filled with multitudes of flowers and emerging without a single leaf on his body[1], but now he's grown so thin. What's even more unlucky is that his rival was Young Master."

[1] 万花丛中过片叶不沾身 (wan hua cong zhong guo pian ye bu zhan shen) – in other words, a person who was single-minded in dealing with his or her emotions, able to keep them in check and uninterested in love.

"He's not the only pitiful person tonight," Jin Si said as she tied up her long hair. Putting on a fake smile, she said, "All is pathos as far as the eye can see. Look, isn't that another one approaching?"

A young man wearing a light yellow brocaded robe walked past in front of them. Amidst the exuberance of the wedding banquet, an expression with just a hint that something was amiss would be easily observable. What's more, this person's head was drooping, and he seemed excessively dispirited. Jin San craned her neck and said, "Isn't that Young Master Gu, the youngest son of the Commander-in-Chief Daren's fu? He initially admired Young Furen. Tsk tsk, I even said that a young master from such a wealthy family was probably only coveting the beauty of the moment. Right now, though, he looks genuinely heartbroken. I never took him to be an affectionate person."

Jiang Ruan had captured Qi Feng's attention by her wisdom and intelligence due to all the time they had spent together; Liu Min liked Jiang Ruan because they had shared a confidence. However, Gu Yi, from start to finish, seemed to be the only one who had had genuine contact with Jiang Ruan, and that was during their fateful meeting on Ling Long Boat, not long after she had returned to the capital. At that time, he had simply been a young man from a rich family who didn't understand anything, but the talented lady, gentle and beautiful, had moved his heart, and it had not taken long for him to like her. Who would have imagined that Gu Yi would still be concerned about her even now.

Jin San flipped her long hair and said, "It is heart-wrenching to see this young master. This jiejie will console him." Having said this, she brushed off Jin Er and Jin Si's attempts to stop her, and walked across to Gu Yi. He had just made his way to a secluded garden which had fewer people. He felt less unsettled, and the gloom in his heart had also dissipated considerably. His head hanging low, he stared at the wine in his hand and was about to take another sip when the silver wine flask vanished from his hand, leaving it empty. A coquettish voice came to his ear from opposite him, saying, "Young Master, it is very lonely to drink by yourself, do you want jiejie to keep you company?"

Gu Yi looked up to see a young lady standing across from him. She could be considered naturally beautiful, but she had an undefinable quality, and a mature bearing. She smiled, tilted her head, and aimed the flask at her mouth, causing a stream of sparkling, crystal clear wine to pour into her mouth. Her movements were casual yet charming, and she wiped her mouth after she had finished. Her wine-soaked lips were red and glistening, and looked especially lustrous.

Gu Yi was initially startled by this beauty, but he immediately understood her intentions. Flushing, he said, "This woman from who-knows-where does not know how to act with propriety!"

Although he favoured talented beauties, the beauties who caught his eye tended to be gentle, like water, such as the lithe and graceful Jiang Ruan he had encountered on Ling Long Boat many years ago. Although one could say that the affectionate feelings of youth are not serious, they are forever engraved on one's heart, and those emotions can never be described in simple words. At present, he was truly depressed, and to have this woman suddenly appear, beautiful but not perfectly so, and acting impetuously – he felt resentful and discontented.

"Such unkind words," Jin San giggled. "I saw that you were unable to shake off your dejected mood tonight, so I deliberately came to talk to you. To console you. However, you're treating me like this. You're honestly somewhat unreasonable."

"What do you mean, 'unable to shake off my dejected mood'? I don't understand what you're saying." Gu Yi frowned and made a move to walk around Jin San to leave the garden. Yet, he did not imagine that he would next hear this woman's crafty voice saying, "You don't know? Don't you like the bride? Aren't you sad to see her married?"

She spoke quickly in a high, clear voice, with what seemed to be a trace of discernible malice. Because she had not bothered to moderate her voice, the sound broke the quiet of the garden. Shocked, Gu Yi reacted with a combination of guilt and anger at having his heart laid bare, and immediately denied it. "Utter rubbish."

Jin San shrugged and said, "So, you don't like the bride, that's fine. As it so happens, I know the bride a little bit, and can say a word or two to her. Sometime in future, perhaps I will mention that Young Master Gu attended the wedding banquet but ran off to the garden to drown his sorrows in alcohol. The bride may suspect she's done something wrong." Jin San laughed guilelessly and continued, "Of course, this does not concern Young Master Gu in the least." Having said her piece, she turned to go.

"You, stay put!" Seeing that his counterpart was about to leave, Gu Yi could not stop himself from yelling. Although he did not at all believe that this woman, with her peculiar way of doing things, was acquainted with Jiang Ruan, he could never, ever, have Jiang Ruan find out about his current situation. Thus, Gu Yi tamped down his fury and said, "What on earth do you want to do?"

Jin San fluffed her long hair and turned to pat Gu Yi on the shoulder. She only came up to his shoulder, so her action was full of arrogant superiority, like an older sister patting her younger brother. She smiled widely and said, "Don't be nervous. As I've already said, all I want to do is to divert you from your melancholy. Tonight, you can tell me about whatever is making you unhappy. Then, after you've said it, you'll be happy, I'll be happy, so doesn't that mean we'll all be happy?"

Gu Yi was speechless.

* * *

After the third round of toasts, the wedding banquet was almost finished, and the hall was in a mess after the riotous drinking party. Those who lived further away had earlier departed in their horse carriages, and those with closer connections were now planning to return home. Jiang Xin Zhi stood in the middle of the hall, intending to look in on Jiang Ruan in the bridal chamber. Steward Lin grasped the situation and immediately pulled him by the hand, saying, "Young Master Jiang, see, it's late. Tonight, we've had our meal, but we still have something special arranged. Let's go, let's go. Jin Er, why aren't you coming over to help support Young Master Jiang, can't you see that he's had too much to drink."

While Jiang Xin Zhi did not have a large capacity for wine, he was nowhere near as drunk as Steward Lin was implying. Straightaway, he said, "I will go look in on Ah Ruan."

Steward Lin inwardly cursed this Young Master Jiang's terrible sense of judgement; what brother in their right mind would ever meddle in the events of a wedding night? Although this was how he felt, in the end, he did not dare to express himself openly. Everyone knew how protective Young Furen was, and this Young Master Jiang was the untouchable apple of her eye. Jin Er and Jin Yi came over to support Jiang Xin Zhi on either side, and Steward Lin said, "Ai, Young Master Jiang, Lao Lin understands how you feel. When one is a lonely soul, it is very challenging to see other people all lovey-dovey with each other. Looking at our Young Master Jiang, how could a person of such talent lack the support of two people by his side? It's not that Lao Lin is bragging, but Lao Lin is far more experienced in this aspect than you are. As a matter of fact, for the benefit of Young Master Jiang, Lao Lin has specially gone to Bai Hua Lou to arrange for a hundred 'flower blossoms'. Today, Young Master Jiang can pluck whichever blossom he wants to pluck, whether it's this one, or that one; you can even take her home. He patted Jiang Xin Zhi's shoulder and said with sincerity, "Gather flowers while they are in bloom, don't wait until the branches are devoid of flowers[2]."

[2] 花开时节堪须折，莫道无花空折枝 – a Tang poem by an unknown poet. While written in celebration of youth and love, there is also the underlying premise of cherishing time, or 'carpe diem' – grasp the good times of youth, seize opportunities, don't suffer wasted years.

Jiang Xin Zhi had nothing to say in response.

On this front, Jiang Xin Zhi had been dispatched. On the other front, the bridal chamber was exceptionally quiet. Because of Xiao Shao's temperament, no one dared to disturb the privacy of the bridal chamber[3]. Once Xiao Shao reached the door, Tian Zhu readied herself to give her report, but Xiao Shao waved his hand at her, giving her permission to leave. Lian Qiao and Bai Zhi had no reason to stay, and Lu Zhu initially wanted to rouse Jiang Ruan, but with one mild look from Xiao Shao, she departed without a word.

[3] T/N: This is in direct contrast to what is normally done, as guests will usually visit the chamber to banter with and play pranks on the newlyweds. (After our wedding dinner, our friends made us dress up in make-shift costumes and act out scenes from famous dramas)

The first thing Xiao Shao saw on entering the room was Jiang Ruan asleep on the bed. She was clearly at ease, with her veil tossed to one side, but her sleeping position was carefully arranged so as not to disturb the phoenix crown. Her hair was a little messy. The face leaning on the pillow was absolutely beautiful, beyond compare, and with her eyes closed, her long eyelashes, drooping down, were like the spread wings of a butterfly poised to fly off. Her tiny, exquisite nose; her rosy lips, like sunrise-tinted clouds; her fair skin, as clear and lustrous as snow. The bridal chamber was perfumed through the burning of yin si charcoal, and the faint heat caused two patches of blush to bloom on her cheeks, rendering her even more gorgeous than her natural beauty without any applied rouge.

He had become familiar with her eyes, cold and distant, and now that they were shut, she seemed both docile yet seductive, like an alluring spirit of unknown origins who had mistakenly wandered into someone's room and, having walked until fatigued, seized the opportunity to lay down to sleep on the fir flower bed[4]. Fragrant and beautiful, no one would dare to disturb her. In truth, Xiao Shao did not actually want to disturb her. He looked at Jiang Ruan sleeping so sweetly, and noticed that the flower candle at the side had a while to go before it burnt out. In that case, he might as well call someone to bring him water for a bath.

二十八、承载床笫之欢的花床- 知乎

[4] 花床 (huāchuáng) – lit. flower bed. It is made of fir wood, carved all over the body, on both sides of the front of the bed, two little lions are carved in wood, which means to drive away ghosts and ghosts and keep safe, and the two sides of the front of the bed and the eaves of the bed are carved with patterns of flowers, grass, birds and phoenixes to show auspiciousness.

The servants who were waiting outside had not expected that Xiao Shao would want water so early. Momentarily, they felt this was somewhat strange, but their master's command could not be disobeyed, so they brought him hot water quickly. Xiao Shao went around the screen, changed his clothes, and submerged himself in the huge wooden tub, his head full of thoughts.

After an unknown period of time, Jiang Ruan sensed that the room seemed to be getting a little cooler and woke up groggily. On rousing, she discovered that the servants in the room had all left at some point. Still slightly muddled, she heard sounds coming from behind the screen and subconsciously turned her head towards it. The large coloured glass screen was of the highest quality, so that the picture depicted, of carefully engraved mandarin ducks playing in the water[5], seemed almost real. As the steam (from Xiao Shao's bath) slowly rose while Jiang Ruan looked at the screen, she suddenly felt that something was not quite right. She discovered that the picture on the screen had quietly changed without her noticing, and the rich and festive mandarin ducks playing in the water had transformed into a man and a woman. As the steam rose further, this new picture became even more amazing, for the actions and postures were full of ecstasy, and it was clearly understood what was being depicted. Jiang Ruan was no ignorant little maiden; in her previous life, when she had entered the palace, the momo in charge of teaching the new concubines had distributed a little pamphlet to each of them. It was just that this screen was magnificently detailed. Her initial thought was that no one had discovered anything fishy about the screen because with Xiao Shao's honest and decent temperament, it was highly unlikely that he would allow such a thing to be placed in the room.

[5] 鸳鸯戏水 (yuan yang xi shui) – mandarin ducks are symbolic of a happy, lifelong marriage, as they are said to mate for life (a pair of mandarin duck figurines is not uncommon as a wedding present). The phrase is also an euphemism for sexual relations.

What Jiang Ruan did not know was that the Jinyi Guards had pooled their money to have this screen imported from the West. The coloured glass was of the best quality, with brilliant colour and top-grade purity, and it had been specially worked on by skilled craftsmen. Once it came into contact with hot water or steam, an unusual pattern would be revealed. Rich families could use it to add some spice to their lives. For example, if one had just enjoyed intimacy with another and was cleansing one's body, looking at the picture on the screen, wouldn't one's desire be even more intense? This screen had also been approved by Steward Lin, and everyone was highly satisfied with it. All this goes to show the eager anticipation with which the Jinyi Guards regarded their master. It's just that the two masters involved had no clue about the matter.

Jiang Ruan, who was gazing at the screen in stupefaction, did not notice that the person behind the screen had gotten up. With a clatter, the very next minute, this person appeared before her eyes.

Jiang Ruan was still stunned, and Xiao Shao, who very rarely saw Jiang Ruan staring dazedly at something, inevitably followed the direction of her gaze. Just one glance caused his expression to go rigid. Jiang Ruan finally reacted, as her baffled face flushed red in a split second. Originally, this would have not been an issue as she had always found it easy to control her emotions, but because Xiao Shao was present, she felt uncomfortable all over, and felt what seemed to be a twinge of embarrassment. Her eyes darted around the room for a while, but she finally could not help looking at Xiao Shao to gauge his expression.

Xiao Shao looked much calmer than she did, calmly draping his outer clothes on the screen to conceal that 'charming' picture. He had just taken a bath, and so was only wearing his snow-white inner garment; his long hair, like inky black jade, was slightly wet and hung down his back. Although he looked cold and indifferent, the backs of his ears were slightly red.

As he walked towards Jiang Ruan, she could not help but feel nervous. Although she had quietly told herself that nothing would happen, she still subconsciously gripped the mattress under her tightly. Xiao Shao noted her movements and stopped a few steps shy of her. A little helplessly, he said, "I'll sleep on the couch."

There was a soft couch in front of the window. After Xiao Shao had spoken, he moved forward to retrieve a quilt. Jiang Ruan glanced at the couch and realised that since it was near the window, it could be subject to the cold night wind. She thought briefly, then steeled herself and said, "What do you mean, sleep on the couch? Still trying to put on an act. Just sleep here." She moved closer to the centre of the bed and made space for him.

Xiao Shao was astounded, and an odd expression showed momentarily in his eyes as he looked at Jiang Ruan wordlessly. Jiang Ruan was secretly annoyed with herself – these words, no matter how they were interpreted, sounded like an invitation. She coughed lightly, probably to cover up her awkward expression just prior, then calmly took off her outer clothes before shooting Xiao Shao a look and saying, "You've worked hard the whole day, don't you feel tired? If you're tired, you should hurry up and sleep, tomorrow we still have to visit the palace. I'm going to sleep first." She spoke rapidly and precisely, appearing to be absolutely calm and steady, but Xiao Shao could not help laughing. He did not laugh on a daily basis, so once he did, it was like the thawing of ice and snow, with the colour of dawn in springtime, an effect that almost dazzled the eye. Jiang Ruan stared at him and asked, "What are you laughing at?"

"Relax and sleep comfortably," he said while suppressing his laughter. "I'm exhausted, and don't want to do anything."

Jiang Ruan's face heated up again in a flash, but the cause of her calamity was calmly getting onto the bed. The acacia quilt[6] was large and gorgeously worked, and had been sprinkled very lightly with incense. However, this could not compare with the clear, raw scent that emanated from the very bones of this young man in front of her. Xiao Shao shared half the quilt with her; his long eyelashes dropped down, but he could not hide the joy in his eyes.

[6] 合欢被 (he huan bei) – the acacia is associated with romantic love. According to Chinese wedding customs, the bride's parents often gift the newlyweds up to 20 of these brightly coloured quilts – red, green, purple, and gold, festive and auspicious. The quilts are to be brought to the bridal chamber to invite auspiciousness and harmony.