sbdcsierra Chapter 1605 Married as a Couple, Their Love is Unwavering (244 Million Rewards)
Chapter 1605 Married as a Couple, Their Love is Unwavering (244 Million Rewards)
"Princess, Prince Consort."
The old woman stepped forward and said with a smile, "It's time to perform the nuptial ceremony."
The "Hejin" ceremony involves drinking from the same cup, symbolizing the union of husband and wife as one and their eternal bond.
The palace maids had already prepared the wine vessels.
Instead of ordinary wine glasses, they used a pair of gourds connected by a red thread, split in half, filled with fine wine.
Bai Mufeng stood up, personally picked up the pair of gourds tied together with red thread, and presented one half to Princess Wenshu with both hands.
Princess Wenshu also stood up and solemnly accepted it.
The two were so close that they could clearly see their own reflections in each other's eyes.
Princess Wenshu could smell a faint scent of alcohol on Bai Mufeng. It wasn't unpleasant; on the contrary, it made her heart pound.
"please."
Bai Mufeng gestured softly, his gaze gentle.
Princess Wenshu nodded slightly.
The two men raised their gourds simultaneously, crossed their arms, and brought the gourds to their lips.
The liquor was slightly astringent and bitter, sliding down the throat.
After Bai Mufeng finished the wine in his cup, he took the empty cup from Princess Wenshu and handed it to a palace maid to put back on the table.
After the wedding ceremony, an empty gourd connected by a red thread was placed under the bed, symbolizing eternal harmony.
Another palace maid stepped forward and carefully removed the five-phoenix crown from Princess Wenshu's head, handing it over to a designated person for safekeeping.
Then, Princess Wenshu's hair was styled into a light and easy-to-wear Ruyi bun, and a red gold and kingfisher feather butterfly hairpin was worn at an angle.
She changed out of her heavy wedding gown and into a lighter, yet still elegant, bright red satin nightgown. It accentuated her long neck and made her face appear even more gentle and beautiful.
Beneath layers of red, Princess Wenshu's slender fingers slightly tugged at the hem of her dress, revealing the nervousness of a bride-to-be.
Bai Mufeng also changed into a lighter red wedding dress.
Next came the ceremony of scattering the tent.
The old woman took handfuls of auspicious dried fruits such as dates, chestnuts, lotus seeds, peanuts, and longans from a golden platter that had been prepared beforehand, and gently scattered them onto the wedding bed covered with a bright red brocade quilt, while reciting auspicious blessings: "Scattered on the east side of the bed curtains, the candlelight glows red amidst the deep veils, the auspicious atmosphere lingers, and the painted hall is filled with spring breezes every day..."
Princess Wenshu stood quietly to the side, listening as the dried fruits, symbolizing early birth of sons and a life of wealth and fulfillment, fell onto the brocade, her cheeks growing even redder.
Finally, there is the hair-tying ceremony.
This ceremony is more private and symbolizes the couple's love and lifelong commitment to each other.
Bai Mufeng walked behind Princess Wenshu and gently removed the butterfly hair ornament from her hair.
Her long, flowing black hair cascaded down, releasing a faint fragrance.
He picked up a strand of his own hair, and then carefully picked up a strand of Princess Wenshu's hair, put the two strands together, and carefully wrapped and knotted them with a red silk thread that had been prepared beforehand.
His movements were clumsy, yet he was exceptionally earnest.
Princess Wenshu could feel the warmth of Bai Mufeng's fingers occasionally touching the back of her neck.
I could hear his slightly rapid breathing, so close to me.
Her heart was pounding, filled with a thrilling anticipation.
Finally, a not-so-perfect love knot was completed.
Bai Mufeng cut off a lock of hair, gently placed it in an exquisite box lined with red velvet, and closed the lid: "We are bound together as husband and wife, our love unwavering."
Princess Wenshu looked up at him.
In the candlelight, Bai Mufeng's handsome face was close at hand.
All the ceremonial procedures had been completed, and after the matrons and maids said a lot of auspicious words, they withdrew.
Only two people remained in the inner room.
Bai Mufeng raised his hand and gently brushed away a stray strand of hair from Princess Wenshu's cheek, his movements full of careful tenderness.
"Wen Shu."
"To marry you is an act of imperial grace and a great honor for me."
“I know you are of noble status, I…”
He seemed to want to make some promise or guarantee, but felt that any words would seem inadequate at this moment.
Princess Wenshu gently raised her hand and pressed her fingers lightly against Bai Mufeng's lips, stopping him from saying the rest of his words.
She looked at him, her eyes glistening with tears: "My husband, now that we have paid our respects to Heaven and Earth, to our parents, and gone through the wedding ceremony, from this day forward... I am your wife."
"In the palace, I am the eldest princess of the Great Zhou Dynasty, but in the Qiluan Pavilion..."
At this point, Princess Wenshu paused, her cheeks flushed, but she still bravely continued, "I am just Wenshu."
Bai Mufeng said no more, reached out and held Princess Wenshu's hand tightly in his warm palm. Then, with a gentle pull, he embraced her.
Princess Wenshu slowly relaxed, gently resting her face against his firm chest, listening to his steady and powerful heartbeat.
The man's presence enveloped her, strangely reassuring her.
The princess's reserve and poise finally faded on their wedding night, amidst the flickering red candles, revealing a woman's most genuine dependence on her husband.
The red candles burned brightly, and tears of joy streamed down their faces.
Deep within the brocade curtains, a room bathed in the warmth of spring...
……
However, at this time of celebration throughout the city, the atmosphere at Princess Yun'an's residence was extremely cold.
Logically speaking, Princess Yun'an, as Princess Wenshu's third elder sister, should also attend the wedding today.
However, the emperor did not want to cause any more trouble, so he used the excuse that Princess Yun'an was about to be married off to the Xiongnu to let her stay in the palace to prepare for her marriage.
The servants moved about carefully, not daring to make too much noise, for fear of offending Princess Yun'an.
Princess Yun'an sat in her bedchamber, not throwing a tantrum or smashing things as usual, but just staring blankly out the window.
Hearing the faint sounds of ceremonial music and clamor in the distance, Princess Yun'an could imagine the splendor of the sixteen-bearer phoenix carriage.
Wen Shu must be dressed in red today, happily marrying her lover.
why? !
Why is it that, despite both being princesses, Wen Shu was able to have a grand wedding, marrying the scholar she had always longed for, staying in the bustling capital, and enjoying everyone's blessings and envy?
She was like a piece of merchandise that had been appraised and was about to be packed up and sent to the harsh, unfamiliar grasslands to marry a barbarian Hun who looked down on her and only used her as a political bargaining chip?!
Her elder brother not only cruelly decided her fate, but even refused to let her attend Wen Shu's wedding, euphemistically calling it "preparing for her own marriage."
The real reason was fear that her presence might lead her to say something she shouldn't, thus disgracing the royal family. Or perhaps she was afraid that the sight of her would trigger painful memories and cause trouble?
He even deprived her of the last chance to experience human joy and say goodbye to her sisters...
This is blatant house arrest!
A scalding tear slid down without warning, landing on Princess Yun'an's cold hand.
Then came the second one, the third one...
The silent weeping gradually turned into suppressed sobs, and finally into a desperate lament.
Princess Yun'an recalled that when she was a child, she and Wen Shu used to chase butterflies together in the Imperial Garden and sneak away to listen to the Grand Tutor's lectures.
Although she always thought Wen Shu was timid, they were, after all, sisters of similar age in the deep palace.