The Empress Dowager did not want her beloved grandson's marriage to be delayed, and Jian Pingyu, who had already retired from office, despite being in good health and still vigorous in old age, could only "take to his bed" after receiving the secret edict.

  This old master's first wife died early, and his second wife, Madame Wen, also passed away more than a decade ago. He has not remarried since then.

  Although there are several concubines serving beside him now, when it comes to major events, the eldest son Jian Li still has to take charge of the overall situation.

  Jian Li's trusted old servant rushed to the imperial capital overnight and tearfully told Duke and Duchess of Jin: "This time, the old master fell ill suddenly. All the famous doctors from far and near were invited, but even if they had a magic cure, they wouldn't even prescribe medicine! The old master is so anxious that he can't sleep or eat. A few days ago, someone told him a solution, saying that in this situation, it's better to have the younger generation get married immediately, and the joyful energy will dispel the sick energy, and naturally, he will recover."

  It just so happens that although the old master has many children and grandchildren, they are either already married or not yet of age. This matter of rushing to congratulate, cannot be done by younger generation, only the old servant can come forward and request that the eldest princess and second master welcome the brides for the two young masters!

  The Princess of Jin State nodded in understanding, but before she could speak, Jian Li Kuo said: "The marriage between Yi Rou and Yu needs to be re-discussed. Ah Xū is the youngest son and cannot surpass his older brother. Whether or not it's for Father's happiness, it would be better to let Third Brother remarry instead. After all, since Third Brother's wife passed away after a difficult childbirth, he has been living alone, without even taking in a concubine - it's really desolate!"

  "Are you going to find a wife for Third Brother?" The Eldest Princess turned her head, her eyes icy cold, her voice squeezed out from between her teeth, "Who do you plan to introduce to Third Brother? Not even one of the eight characters in his fortune is auspicious - Big Brother is the most cautious person, and he's worried to the point of losing sleep and appetite. As for Father's situation, it can be imagined! You're ignoring the perfect match between Ah Xū and Yi Xiao, and instead plan to slowly find a good woman for Third Brother?! Is this how you act as a son?!"

  Jian Li Kuan was rebuked by her, his face lost all its luster, and he felt a surge of indignation in his heart that almost burst forth. He took several deep breaths before suppressing it, stiffly saying: "It's my fault for not thinking things through."

  "Nonsense!" The Princess of Jin snorted, not bothering to reason with him. Instead, she changed her tone and spoke kindly to the old servant who was shrinking away in fear, "As a descendant, how can you bear to see your elders suffer? Don't worry, I will personally go to discuss this matter with Queen Wei tomorrow and ensure that Father is safe and sound!"

  Wei Mengying was worried that her good son-in-law had flown away, but the Princess Chang personally came to the door and said that the wedding would go on as usual, she was so happy that she didn't have time to think, how could she have any opinions?

  As for public opinion, filial piety is the most important virtue. Under the banner of "wishing grandfather a speedy recovery", no one can say that Jian Yu Bai ignored his brother's wedding, but instead should praise his filial obedience and thoughtfulness.

  Thus, on September 15th, Song Yixiao left the palace as scheduled.

  The wedding was in the late afternoon, and to ensure her energy for today, she wasn't called up until nearly noon - thanks to a good sleep, when she sat down at the dressing table and gazed into the mirror, all she saw was delicate skin with a hint of pink, radiant and moist like dewy peach blossoms, complemented by bright eyes and pearly teeth, truly a vision of loveliness.

  The woman who was specially invited to dress her up took one look and exclaimed: "A bride like this, does she need any dressing up? With a face like that, she can just walk out as is and captivate the whole city!"

  "On such a grand day, Wei Mengying must be present to oversee everything. Upon hearing this, she smiled and said: 'On a good day, who doesn't want to add flowers to the brocade? But I'm counting on your skilled hands to make my son look radiant and majestic when he goes out!'"

  "It's already quite impressive," the woman said with a smile. "I wonder which family's young master is so blessed?"

  On the left and right, they naturally told her that the groom was Yan Guo Gong. The woman actually already knew, so she intentionally asked, just to get a good phrase out of it: "Ah! That's truly a perfect match! A talented husband and beautiful wife, a match made in heaven!"

  Everyone loves to hear good words, Wei Mengying is very clear about her little trick, but with a good mood, she called someone to take out a pair of golden lockets and put them in a purse for her: "Borrow your auspicious words, you can also share the joy!"

  The woman smiled and thanked the reward, asked someone to bring water to clean her hands, then opened the cosmetics and started dressing up Song Yixiao - in the middle, Wei Mengying also made various suggestions, so they discussed while doing it, and occasionally returned to work.

  Song Yixiao was manipulated like a puppet for nearly two hours before hearing a voice say, "Alright!"

  She let out a sigh of relief, like a pardon from heaven, and was immediately pushed by Wei Mengying, urging: "You take a look yourself, if you're not satisfied, hurry up and change it while there's still time!"

  Song Yixiao heard the words and looked into the mirror - lotus face, peach blossom cheeks, slender eyebrows, apricot eyes full of waves, cherry-like lips, shining with moisture, tender and beautiful, fully meeting Wei Mengying's requirement of "adding flowers to brocade", unable to describe her elegant beauty and rich colors.

  Nature has no opinion.

  "Then let's change!" Wei Mengying nodded.

  A delicate hand brought up the ornate headdress and ceremonial robes - Yan Xun, the Duke of Bai Lian, was a man of noble status. His wife, Song Yi Xiao, wore a nine-phoenix coronet, two jade hairpins, and nine pearl ornaments, dressed in a dragon-embroidered robe with nine layers of embroidery, a jade belt around her neck, and a complete set of dignified yet elegant attire.

  After dressing up, Wei Mengying instructed: "Raise your hand and turn around for me to see."

  Song Yi smiled and nodded in agreement. After stopping for a moment, she saw the unreserved admiration in her mother's eyes: "Elegant beyond compare, it's exactly like this!"

  "Mother!" she cooed.

  "What's there to be shy about?" Wei Mengying smiled, "If you don't look good as a new bride, how can you face people normally?"

  "The princess said that the young lady should stop being modest." Everyone echoed in agreement, "Isn't this young lady a perfect combination of beauty and elegance?"

  Everyone teased and flattered Song Yixiao for a while, and Wei Mengying calculated the time in her heart, then hinted to them to withdraw: "I'll instruct Xixiao alone for a few words!"

  Only the mother and daughter were left in the room, Wei Mengying gestured for her daughter to come over, personally tidied up her collar and hem, gazed at her youthful face for a moment, and had tears in her eyes: "In the blink of an eye, six years have passed, my child is getting married!"

  Whether she was sincere or not, this sentence made Song Yi laugh and immediately shed tears: Ah, I'm going to get married - in her past life, what she had been longing for was to get married.

  It's not about yearning for a beautiful marriage, nor is it about having a crush on some young man from another family. It's just to get away from the Song family and those people!

  But in the end, he did not get what he wanted, and instead died a tragic death, suffocated by the weight of public opinion.

  In this life, I haven't even reached adulthood yet, but I've already put on a wedding dress.

  Although her husband had said with his own mouth that he did not love her, yet compared to the previous life, it was already a luxurious and beautiful scene.

  "I'm so reluctant to part with my mother!" The sorrow and despair of her past life, the pain of being drowned and suffocated still fresh in her memory. In this life, as she is about to become a wife, fear and hope are again rising to the surface, and Song Yi Xiao unknowingly has tears streaming down her face.

  She bit her tongue hard and suppressed the surging emotions, saying what she should say at this moment, "Really really can't bear to part with you!"

  "Mother will miss you too." Wei Mengying didn't know her daughter's true feelings, seeing her crying so hard, she thought it was all because of missing herself, feeling both delighted and relieved. While handing her a handkerchief to wipe away tears, she scolded, "You just put on good makeup, how can you cry? Later, someone will have to retouch it for you... Fortunately, you're marrying in the capital, and won't be living with your mother-in-law. In the future, come back often to visit Mother, okay?"

  Song Yi smiled and nodded tearfully.

  "Remember when you were little, just a bit bigger..." Wei Mengying hugged her, with a gentle tone recalling past events - but what she thought was warmth, for Song Yishuo who had been abandoned by her in the previous life, it was an unspeakable irony.

  "Mother, don't say that!" Song Yi Xiao finally couldn't bear it anymore and interrupted, seeing Wei Mengying's shocked expression. She took a deep breath and put on a concerned look, "You're pregnant now, if we reminisce about the past and you get emotional, what if it affects your baby?"

  Daughter afraid that she thought of the discord with the old thing of Pang's family? Wei Mengying was relieved, and patted her hand comfortingly: "Don't worry, as long as mother is doing well now, those who can't stand us being happy will be the ones who are unhappy!"

  For example, Song Yuan and Pang Shi!

  "But mother has been working hard these days..." Song Yi smiled and pulled the corner of her mouth, suppressing her frustration, and coquettishly told her to take care of herself - this trick was very effective, it not only stopped Wei Mengying from continuing to reminisce about the past, but also made her feel much better.

  The mother and daughter coaxed each other until the servant, Wei Mengying, came to urge them: "Many guests have arrived, including several ladies. Thin Mama can't handle it alone; you should go over yourself."

  Wei Mengying comforted her daughter, who was reluctant to part with her: "What I should teach you, I've already told you before. Don't be too nervous, in terms of talent and appearance, you're both good, and Jian Yu Bai personally chose his wife, no matter how he doesn't admit it, it's impossible for him not to have a good impression of you... just do as I taught you!"

  Song Yi smiled and nodded to indicate she had taken note of everything, before turning around and leaving with quick steps.

  After all, men and women are different - Huanxia Xiaozhu is joyful but can't help having a few sad goodbyes, while in the Yan State Duke's residence, it's pure joy.

  The Grand Lady of the State of Jin smiled and measured her youngest son, who was standing in the hall with a heroic appearance: "Ah, Ruo has married a wife and become a grown man. From now on, this entire household will rely on you to support it!"

  "No matter how grown up, in front of his mother he is still a son." The simple white wedding dress was embroidered with nine chapters, hanging nine cyan jade pendants, and led by beautiful jade hairpins - the traditional attire passed down from ancient times, the unspeakable majesty that has been precipitated over time, not everyone can wear it with its due elegance.

  But Jian Yu Bai was born into a noble family, and since childhood, she had been accustomed to giving orders with a flick of her finger. This attire made her look even more elegant and majestic, only the four words "noble beyond words" could describe her.

  At this moment, she rolled up her sleeves and raised her eyes, standing elegantly with a smile, "Mother can't stop loving me just because I've married a wife!"

  "You are the apple of my eye, how can I bear to not pamper you?" The Empress Dowager looked at him with increasing pride, and couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions. As she stroked the hairpin on her temple, she discreetly dabbed at the corner of her eye, before smiling reproachfully and saying, "But you are also the Duke, this Yan State Duke Manor is your property..."

  Just then, a "clink" interrupted her words - it was Jian Li Kuo, who sat opposite her, his face sinking as he put down the tea bowl.

  The Empress Dowager frowned, "What's wrong with you? Ah Yu is about to go welcome his wife into the house, and you don't even say a word?"

  "It's marrying a wife, not giving away a daughter." Jian Liang raised an eyebrow slightly and said calmly, "It's just welcoming relatives, we won't leave the city, it's just a few steps away, what's there to remind you?"

  At this moment and scene, Father said such a remark, which was extremely disappointing.

  The expression of the Princess of Jin Country twisted slightly, but looking at her youngest son who was humbly lowering his head, she finally took a deep breath and held back, forcing a smile to mediate: "Although it's a common practice nowadays to make things difficult for the new husband, how can your in-laws bear to make things difficult for someone as talented and handsome as Ah Xū? No wonder your father isn't worried."

  Take a glance at the copper clock, "The time is almost up, you go down and tidy up, get ready to welcome the bride, mother is waiting for your return as a couple!"

  "Yes!" Jian Yu Bai's entire demeanor had changed from his previous proud and carefree self, almost to the point of walking out with his head hung low.

  The young son's lonely back, made the Jin State Princess's heart ache, she estimated that after he walked far away, she would no longer hide it, and suddenly stood up, snatching the dusting cloth from the hand of the inner servant beside her, and whipped it at Jian Li Kuang's body: "Who are you making a face for? Ah? Who are you making a face for?! On the child's happy day, you don't even have a good tone, is the sky upside down or what?! Don't want to spend the day anymore, is that it?!"

  The Grand Princess of Jin, who had just shown off her authority, didn't know that Jian Yu Bai regained his composure as soon as he walked out the door, only curling up the corners of his mouth to reveal a hint of schadenfreude: He dared to give him attitude in front of his own mother? The Grand Princess of Jin can be called a kind mother, but to be honest, she really doesn't qualify as a virtuous wife!

  All these years he never learned how to fawn over his father, but when it comes to his mother, he has always been a natural at throwing tantrums and vying for her favor since he was young!

  Think not benevolent, asked his mother?

  She gave her own father a glance, and with a good mood, she set out on the welcoming road - because Song Yiliao was not a member of the Hengshan Wangfu after all, and after her marriage, it wasn't necessarily a good thing for many people in the Wangfu either. So the Wangfu didn't bother to make a fuss, they just sent off Song Yiliao and focused on entertaining the guests instead.

  Because everything went too smoothly on the way here, in order to seize the auspicious moment, the procession even took a detour on the way back to the Yan Guo Gong Fu.

  Just before the auspicious hour, the bridal sedan chair landed on the ground.

  The handkerchief with the intertwined knot was stuffed into Song Yixiao's hand, and the subtle force transmitted to her, as well as the low reminders from left and right, led her step by step into the main hall of the Yan State Duke's mansion.

  The sound of the wedding ceremony is loud and sonorous——

  "A bow to heaven and earth!"

  "Hurray!"

  "Two bows to the high hall!"

  "Hurray!"

  "Husband and wife bow to each other!"

  "Hurray!"

  The delicate embroidery on the robes swept across the dust-free ground, and when they bowed their heads, the jade pendants collided with each other, mingling with the loud drums and noisy voices of the crowd. It was almost inaudible yet clearly audible - at this moment, whether it was Jian Yu or Song Yi Xiao, their emotions were so complex that they couldn't be put into words.

  It's a kind of being filled to the brim with something, yet feeling empty and at a loss for words when trying to describe it.

  Like a dream and like an illusion, in the clear mind there is an irrepressible confusion.

  The joys and sorrows of this life, the blessings and misfortunes of this world, after this wedding, they will all go through together, share the responsibilities together - when one is honored, both are honored; when one is harmed, both are harmed.

  "The knot of hair tied with you, to be together until old age." Seated upright in the bridal chamber, Song Yi smiled quietly as she watched Quan Fu tie a strand of her black hair and Jian Yu's white hair into a conjugal knot, solemnly putting it away in a brocade pouch, and suddenly thought of a poem she had read before.

  However, when he raised his eyes and saw Jian Yu's calm and peaceful gaze, the faint expectation that had been there all along also turned into a fleeting self-mockery and awakening. "The past is far away, this life has changed, but now, it's just beginning!"

  "A loving couple without suspicion" marriage or just waiting for someone with affinity, but since becoming the mistress of this Yan Guo Gong Fu...

  Song Yi Xiao withdrew her gaze and silently recalled the various teachings of her mother before she left the pavilion.

  Who doesn't want to live a good life?