"You are a Madam now, so you can wear red!"
"Besides, the Marquis himself had someone send this to you!"
"Today is the Marquis’s grand wedding; you can’t possibly wear pink, can you!"
Lady Wen considered it and agreed. Although only the principal wife could wear bright red. But... she had to secure some dignity for her son, didn’t she? With that thought, she finally felt a bit more confident.
...
At Marquis Zhongyong’s Mansion, guests filled the seats.
In the front courtyard, the entrance was lined with all kinds of carriages, their occupants all here for the wedding banquet.
The side door was also crowded with various carriages.
They belonged to the female family members of those officials.
With no mistress of the household or Old Madam present, there was no one to entertain the female guests!
So, as soon as Lady Wen arrived, she was pulled aside by someone sent by Xia Tingfeng.
"Who says there is no Old Madam? Isn’t this the Old Madam?"
When everyone looked, it was the birth mother of the Marquis.
She was none other than Second Madam Xia, who had recently been the talk of the capital’s social circles.
Whatever had happened to the once-flamboyant principal wife, Lady Yao, they did not know.
However...
Lady Wen’s status was elevated because of her son; this was the dignity her own son had given her, and no one could deny it!
She was the Marquis’s mother; who would dare slight her?
Everyone quickly started to exchange polite pleasantries.
Even if some looked down on her in their hearts, they dared not show it on their faces.
For a time, the atmosphere was quite harmonious and lively.
The front yard was even livelier.
Although Xia Tingfeng was a guard in the palace, his rank was not low—he was the Deputy Commander of the Imperial Forest Army.
He was upright in his conduct and accomplished for his young age.
The military generals admired him greatly.
Many wished to make his acquaintance.
Nearly all the military generals from the court were present.
Moreover, there was his band of brothers.
Tiger, Rat, Monster, and the others were a given, along with a group of his brothers from the Imperial Forest Army.
In short, everyone who could come had come.
Gathered in groups of three or five, they feasted on large cuts of meat and drank wine from big bowls.
They had managed to get Xia Tingfeng, who had not yet departed to fetch the bride, half drunk.
"Big brother!"
"Big brother, drink this little brother’s toast!"
"And mine too! Wishing Big brother and sister-in-law a hundred years of wedded bliss!"
A group of people surrounded him, making a racket.
Xia Tingfeng’s gaze was hazy, and his bright red wedding robes were considerably soaked.
He pushed away the people surrounding him with one hand.
"Go..."
"All of you, clear out! I still have to go fetch the bride!"
With that said, and with the help of a few personal guards in plain clothes, he successfully made his escape.
After some turmoil, he managed to mount his horse, leading the bridal procession towards the Ni Residence.
The bridal procession was long; his brothers from the Imperial Forest Army had all come to show their support.
The bridal sedan chair was carried by eight bearers and was adorned with a jeweled canopy.
Embroidered on the bright red silk were auspicious designs: phoenixes in harmonious song, mandarin ducks playing in water, twin lotus flowers on a single stalk, and acacia trees.
The canopy was further embellished with various gold, jade, and precious stones.
Such a magnificent canopy was hardly inferior to those used in the weddings of Commandery Princesses or County Princesses of the Royal Family.
Xia Tingfeng rode his pure white horse, spotless without a speck of another color. Dressed in bright red with a large red flower on his chest, he led the long wedding procession slowly through the busiest streets of the Capital City.
A young General of renowned military achievements, a youthful and promising Marquis, a trusted confidant of the current Emperor.
Now, he was riding a white horse to welcome his bride.
Although ancient Eastern tales lacked a ’Prince Charming on a white horse,’ a husband like him, and such a grand procession, was undoubtedly the dream of every young lady from a noble house in the Capital City.
...
At this moment, these maidens truly felt regret. They were green with regret. They could never have imagined that a reckless youngster of humble beginnings would one day garner such glory. Nor could they have foreseen that the daughter of a minor Fourth Rank official would be blessed with such good fortune as to become Lady Hou. Lady Hou! That was a status many men could never aspire to in their entire lives. Yet she had achieved it at such a young age. Although his was only the rank of a third-class Marquis, it was still a noble title. The status of a Marquis was far better than that of an official; being a Marquis meant... the Emperor held you in high esteem! What a grand reward that was! Alas... why hadn’t such a man with great potential fallen to them?
「At this moment, in the Ni Residence」
Miss Ni had already completed her bridal makeup. Covered with a red bridal veil, she sat by the edge of the bed, quietly waiting for her husband-to-be to come for her.
She held the apple given to her by the Wedding Matron, her heart aflutter with both nervousness and joy.
"Dong’er! What Shi Chen is it now?"
Dong’er glanced at the time-measuring device.
"Miss, the auspicious hour is almost here. I expect the Marquis will arrive soon!"
Ni Manxue’s face flushed, and she quickly lowered her head.
After some time, the front courtyard suddenly burst into a flurry of activity.