MYUFPC CHAPTER 46
My Princess
The Duke Anguo's manor was bustling with guests on this day and it was quite lively. Even though the Duke of Anguo had expressed some dissatisfaction with Zhan Yue’s marriage to the princess, he was still very happy to welcome the relatives and friends who came to congratulate him.
The guests who came today were either rich or noble, either royal relatives or aristocratic officials. Although the Duke Anguo's manor had declined to such an extent, there was no need to curry favor with anyone, but in life, one had to live for face.
The Duke of Anguo chatted with the guests who came to congratulate him one by one, his face smiling a little stiffly.
Zhan Yue, the future husband of the princess, felt the most honored and proud, followed by the friends who are related to the Duke of Anguo.
This wedding banquet was hosted by the old lady Wen. The old lady had always been good at dealing with people, and even though the Fu family was no longer as good as it once was, since the Fu family was Zhan Yue's maternal family, the old lady had people arrange their seats at the very front.
After so many years of wind and rain, the only ones who were truly qualified to attend the banquet from the former Yongding Marquis's Mansion were Fu Xiao and his wife.
Princess Ruyang had become a nun and only sent a gift. Fu Rong's widow, Madam Lu, had passed away from illness many years ago, leaving behind only one daughter. The daughter was eight years older than Zhan Yue and had married to Zhili more than ten years ago, so she also sent a gift but did not attend in person.
Fortunately, Song Shi was generous and talkative, and she had no difficulty getting along with the other noblewomen.
The truly awkward ones were the people from the Wu Chongbo Jia family.
Although Jia shi had passed away, she was still nominally Zhan Yue's mother, and this time it was Zhan Yue who was marrying the princess, so the old lady naturally sent a wedding invitation to Wu Chongbo.
After deliberating for several days, the Wu Chongbo family generally believed that it was not a big deal to offend the Duke of Anguo's family, but it would be bad to offend the royal family and the princess. Moreover, their nephew was still the eldest son of the Duke of Anguo's manor, so they had to send someone to attend the occasion.
Therefore, the current wife of Wu Chongbo came.
The current wife of Wu Chongbo, Madam Jia, was the maternal aunt of Zhan Tai.
I don't know if it was intentional or accidental on the part of the old lady, but she actually arranged for Madam Jia and Song shi to sit at the same table. In the past, Jia shi and Fu Shiyu did not get along, and Madam Jia had heard some things about it. But in the past, Jia shi was the main wife, and Fu Shiyu was a concubine.
Now, the tables had turned, and Madam Jia was visiting the Duke of Anguo's mansion because of Fu Shiyu's son's marriage to the princess.
Madam Jia originally thought that her nephew could become a third-rank official in the Ministry of Rites, which was already considered a great achievement. She did not expect the Fu family to decline so much that Zhan Yue could actually silently surpass Zhan Tai.
Madam Jia muttered to herself while continuing to force a smile.
Amidst this hypocritical exchange of pleasantries, Jiashan's sedan chair was formally carried into the gate.
She, with her head covered, first stepped over a basin of money and grain, then stepped over a saddle. A red apple was also placed on the saddle, symbolizing a peaceful life.
These steps were all very familiar to Jiashan.
She only took a momentary breath when Zhan Yue lifted the red veil with a scale.
Zhan Yue was tall, and the red silk sash on his wedding gown outlined his waistline very tightly. Jiashan was sitting on the bed, and at the moment, she was just as tall as Zhan Yue's waist.
From her angle, she could just see the overly tight muscles under Zhan Yue's wedding gown. Jiashan's heart pounded for no reason.
Her brows curved slightly, and her face turned red suddenly. Under Zhan Yue's intense gaze, Jiashan lowered her head slightly.
She rarely had such a charming and alluring look. A touch of tenderness appeared in Zhan Yue's long eyes, and he couldn't help but curl his lips.
Wife of the Duke of Zhenguo, Wang shi as the auspicious person at today's wedding, also joined the group of married ladies who came to welcome the bride and the married ladies who came to send off the bride in the new room.
According to the custom, she had asked the people from the Zhenguo's mansion to prepare "descendants buns" the day before. These "descendants buns" were deliberately cooked to be half-cooked and half-raw.
Wearing a festive pomegranate red brocade jacket, Wang shi smiled and took a "descendants buns" from the plate to feed Jiashan.
Jiashan's pupils contracted slightly, but she still carefully took it and brought it to her mouth. As expected, only the outer layer of the "descendants buns" was cooked, and the inside was still wrapped in uncooked dough.
T/N: Descendant Buns is a traditional Chinese wedding custom. These buns are often served to the newlyweds during the wedding banquet. The idea is that if the bride bites into a cooked part of the bun, it symbolizes a quick and easy pregnancy. However, if she bites into an uncooked part, it implies that the couple will have difficulty conceiving and that the process will be more challenging.
As soon as she took a small bite, a little boy who had been arranged to be under the window immediately shouted, "Is it cooked or not?"
Zhan Yue was still sitting beside Jiashan, his breath steady, but his gaze was burning. Jiashan bit her lip and said with a hint of embarrassment, "It's cooked."
Wang shi and the other married ladies covered their mouths and laughed happily. Wang shi said with curved eyes, "With these words, the princess and the fuma, you must be a happy couple and have many children in the future!"
Zhan Yue nodded and replied in a serious manner, "Yes."
Jiashan's heart raced as she blushed and gently pushed him away, causing another burst of laughter in the wedding chamber.
Wang shi grabbed a handful of wedding fruits from a nearby plate and tossed them into the air. The fruits prepared for this ritual were a mixture of red dates, peanuts, longans, and chestnuts, symbolizing "early birth of a precious son."
Wang shi scattered the fruits over the couple. Zhan Yue slightly protected Jiashan with one hand while turning his face to the side.
The ceremony had been going on for so long, and Zhan Yue hadn't even had a chance to really look at her.
All the way to the wedding chamber, Jiashan had been sitting in the sedan chair with her head covered with red veil. Now that they were so close, he could almost reach out and touch her rapidly beating heart.
Zhan Yue suddenly couldn't help himself and wanted to lean down and kiss her.
"My princess," Zhan Yue's fingertips wrapped around a strand of Jiashan's hair, and he thought to himself repeatedly, "She's really mine now."
"It's time for the newlyweds to drink the wedding wine!" Wang shi's words pulled Zhan Yue out of his affectionate thoughts.
Wang shi handed them two delicate wine cups, and Jiashan and Zhan Yue each took one.
They exchanged a subtle glance and both turned their heads slightly.
Jiashan's face was flushed, and she tried her best to remain calm, but her curled eyelashes fluttered, making her look very charming.
Zhan Yue's eyes were clear and bright, and his handsome face looked like a blooming peach blossom.
Thinking that this was actually her second marriage, but this was the first time Zhan Yue had drunk wedding wine, Jiashan felt a little embarrassed.
What was there to be nervous and flustered about? Jiashan told herself this.
But the next moment, the breath Jiashan exhaled was still scorchingly hot. The wine went down her throat was strong, and for a moment, their breaths became unsteady.
Under the wide wedding gown, Zhan Yue reached out and firmly grasped Jiashan's hand. He leaned over slightly and whispered in Jiashan's ear.
After that, they ate the "descendent dumplings," and the ceremony was officially completed.
After the ceremony, only the ladies of honor could stay in the bridal chamber. As the groom, Zhan Yue still had to go to the main hall to toast. According to the order of closeness, it should be Wang shi, the blessed person, and Zhan Yue's elder sister-in-law, Zhang Shi, who would stay behind to entertain the ladies of honor who had come to send off the bride.
However, in order to avoid any accidents, the old lady Wen arranged for Zhang Shi to go to the main hall and found another cousin of the Duke of Anguo, Zhan Yue's aunt from his father's side, to do this.
The old lady Wen came from a distinguished family, and the Wen family was still very influential. The person she had chosen was the current second madam of the Wen family. The second madam of the Wen family represented the Duke of Anguo's mansion and led the married ladies to the flower hall. Wang Shi instructed the remaining maids and servants to clean up and then retreat.
Leaving the bridal room to Jiashan and her servants that she brought with her.
Generally, in strict aristocratic families, it was rare to find people gossiping about the new bride when she was alone.
Especially since Jiashan was of noble birth. Even if someone wanted to join in and say a few words, they wouldn't dare to open their mouths.
After all the irrelevant people had completely dispersed, Jiashan's stiff back finally relaxed slightly. She wiped the sweat from her forehead and let out a long breath.
For a woman, marriage was a big deal. Zheng mama was also happy for Jiashan, and fearing that Su Yu and the others were inexperienced, she personally accompanied the princess and watched over her.
After a day like this, not only Jiashan, but Zheng mama also felt tired for her.
Zheng mama stepped forward, handed Jiashan a cup of tea, and asked with a smile, "Now that the ceremony is over and there are no outsiders, would Your Highness like to eat something to fill your stomach first? The fuma is entertaining the guests in the main hall and may be a while before he returns."
Jiashan had only drunk a bowl of porridge before putting on her makeup and had not eaten anything else since then. She should have been starving, but perhaps the feeling of hunger had passed, or perhaps she had no time to think about being "hungry."
Jiashan simply took the tea and moistened her lips. She smiled and said, "Mama is kind. But in this way, it would be disrespectful to the fuma. Later, I'll wait for him to eat together."
Jia Shan was a princess, and although she had married down by marrying Zhan Yue, Zheng mama naturally hoped that the princess and the fuma could have a harmonious relationship.
Hearing Jiashan say this, Zheng mama said happily, "It's good that Your Highness thinks so."
"Just now, I took a look at the married ladies who came to welcome the bride today," Zheng mama had been with the Empress for many years, and she could basically recognize all the married ladies with some status. She analyzed for Jiashan, "The blessed person is the wife of Zhenguo Mansion, and the bridesmaids are the second madam of the Wen family and the wife of the Marquis Yongning's eldest son. They are all considered to be well-known figures in the aristocratic families. It seems that the Duke of Anguo's mansion still has some manners."
Jiashan just smiled faintly. Based on her understanding of theDuke of Anguo's mansion, such a grand gesture was not something the Duke of Anguo or Zhang Shi would do.
At least, in my previous life, when Jiashan married Zhan Shaoying, the auspicious/blessed person wasn't the wife of Zhenguo mansion, but the Lady of the Marquis of Changxing. The bridesmaids weren't the same people either. In my last life, one of the bridesmaids invited by the Duke of Anguo's mansion was the wife of the Marquis of Cheng'en heir, a relative of Zhang Shi.
The only person in the Duke of Anguo's mansion who could invite the wife of Zhenguo out of retirement is probably the old lady Wen. Marquis Yongning's eldest son and Zhan Yue are both serving in the Five Military Commission, so the wife of Marquis Yongning's eldest son was probably invited by Zhan Yue."
Jiashan said casually, "This is just the first day. There's more to come. It's too early to say whether they know what etiquette is or not."
"However, the person who planned this wedding was indeed thoughtful," Jiashan said slowly.
Tomorrow when she will go to see the elders, and she will surely meet the old lady Wen. In order to return the favor, she needs to make her happy too.
Zheng mama said, "I've already had Su Yu prepare the gifts for tomorrow's visit. Although the princess won't be staying at the Duke of Anguo's mansion for long, they are after all the fuma's family, so we need to take care of them."
Zheng mama was old and experienced, and with her taking care of these small matters, Jiashan didn't worry. But there was another problem that Jiashan needed to consider.
Now that she was newly married, she should stay at the Duke of Anguo's mansion for a while out of propriety. She could move to the princess's mansion after returning to her parents' home.
The Duke of Anguo's mansion was a den of vipers and dragons, and Jiashan had experienced it firsthand in her previous life. She could avoid this bunch of annoying relatives and go to the princess's mansion.
What about Zhan Yue?
After all, he was surnamed Zhan, and he was of the same blood as the Duke of Anguo's family. Moreover, with his pride, would he be willing to live with her in the princess's mansion? Would he be afraid of people gossiping?
Jiashan took a sip of hot tea and decided that she should find a time to discuss this matter with Zhan Yue.
"Your Highness..." Zheng mama helped Jiashan take off her phoenix crown and said with some difficulty, "Today is your wedding night, and when the fuma returns, he will definitely have a lot of wine. I saw that the Duke of Anguo did not arrange any other concubines for the fuma..."
Even Zheng mama, with her thick skin, found it difficult to say this. She coughed and said softly, "If the fuma... the first time... Your Highness should be more tolerant."
Zheng mama's words were vague, but Jiashan understood. Her face immediately turned red.
Zhan Yue didn't have any concubines before, which meant he was inexperienced. In her previous life, after getting married, Jiashan had heard other maids mention similar things. They said that some men, on their wedding night, because they had never been with a woman before, had an unpleasant experience with their wives.
Because of this, he might even resent his wife and start thinking about taking a concubine.
Zheng mama was afraid that... Zhan Yue and herself... would have a bad experience on their wedding night?
Jiashan blushed, and the rouge on her face became even brighter.
Just as Jiashan was lost in thought, a respectful voice suddenly came from outside the door: "Fourth Master is back!"
Outside the new room, someone from the Duke of Anguo's mansion was also on guard, so they called Zhan Yue "Fourth Master."
Zheng mama didn't expect Zhan Yue to come back so early. Guests usually stayed until they were satisfied, and her surprise was still on her face when Zhan Yue pushed open the door and came in.
Jiashan quickly patted her face, not wanting Zhan Yue to see her unsteady side. Zheng mama also turned around and bowed to him.
Zhan Yue knew that Zheng mama was Jiashan's wet nurse and had a close relationship with her. Out of affection for Jiashan, he naturally treated Zheng mama very politely and said, "No need to be so polite."
Although Zhan Yue had the smell of alcohol on him, it was not strong. Zheng mama guessed that he must not have drunk much, so she said, "Has the fuma had dinner? I'll have someone prepare some."
Zhan Yue looked at Jiashan and said slowly, "Has the princess eaten?"
Jiashan smiled and replied, "I'm waiting for you."
Just now, when they were drinking the wedding wine, the other people might not have heard. But Jiashan heard it clearly. He had leaned over and said in her ear, "Wait for me."
Since that was the case, she would wait for him.
Zhan Yue's eyes were clear, and he said softly, "Then I'll trouble you, mama."
Zheng mama quickly replied politely and left.
After Zheng mama left, only Zhan Yue and Jiashan were left alone in the wedding chamber. There was a strange silence for a moment, and then it seemed that both of them felt that it was too awkward to be silent with each other.
Zhan Yue walked to the bed and sat down. Seeing the fatigue on Jiashan's face, he asked in a hoarse voice, "Are you tired?"
His gaze, without dodging or avoiding, circled Jiashan directly.
Since entering the room, Zhan Yue had only said a few words, and almost all of them were based on her wishes, showing great respect. A warm current flowed through Jiashan's heart, and she smiled, "It's okay. Marriage is only once in a lifetime, so it doesn't matter if I'm a little tired."
She asked, "What about you? You just went to toast, you must be even more tired."
Zhan Yue replied, "Not tired. I'm too happy."
"I'm covered in the smell of alcohol, so I'll go wash up first." Zhan Yue paused, and after rolling the rest of his words on his tongue, he said, "Can you wait for me a while?"
His cautiousness made Jiashan feel embarrassed.
She nodded and said, "Okay. I need to wash off my makeup too."
"Then I'll have someone else serve you," Zhan Yue said.
Seeing him hesitate before speaking, Jiashan couldn't help but say, "We are husband and wife now."
Her expression turned serious, and she softly called, "Yanqing. You don't have to be so polite with me."
This was the first time Jiashan had called him Yanqing.
Zhan Yue's Adam's apple bobbed slightly, and his eyes seemed to be burning with a flame. A place in his heart suddenly softened.