Chapter 52 Marriage

The next morning, after Qin Zhao finished the formalities at the government office and signed the marriage contract, he went to Runxiangyuan with Cao Xi and Qi Qige to finalize the wedding banquet ingredients.

“This is nothing to worry about. Just leave it to me,” Qi Qige said confidently.

He was normally relaxed and easygoing, but when it came to handling business, he was efficient and didn’t mess around. Before long, the ingredients for the feast were all ready.

Cao Xi had prepared everything early, and the wedding room was decorated warmly and festively.

Qin Zhao stared at the red double-happiness quilt on the bed and smiled foolishly, tossing a handful of dried longan flowers onto the bed.

In Qin Zhao’s mind, he wanted to hire a flower palanquin and take a walk around the city of Qizhou.

However, this idea, which involved spending money and effort, was quickly vetoed by Cao Xi. Qin Zhao was left feeling a little sulky.

Cao Xi saw that Qi Qige had brought a whole group of people with him, and they filled the entire courtyard, which made him blink in surprise. “Is this really necessary?”

Qi Qige pointed to the people around him. “Not at all. These people are the chefs, and these are the helpers. Don’t worry, everything is under control.”

“And this one?” Cao Xi’s gaze turned to Xun Mao.

Qi Qige slapped his head in realization.

“Oh, this is Mr. Xun, a close friend of mine and Qin Zhao. He’s come specially to attend our wedding.”

Xun Mao greeted Cao Xi, “So this must be my sister-in-law. Congratulations, congratulations! How is Qin brother?”

Cao Xi returned the greeting, “He’s setting up the bridal chamber.” He then called out to Qin Zhao, “Come here, quickly!”

When Qin Zhao entered the room, Qi Qige, seeing him, let out a loud whistle.

Qin Zhao rolled his eyes at him, but when he saw the courtyard full of chefs and helpers, he immediately went silent.

Qin Zhao glanced at Qi Qige, then turned to Xun Mao and greeted him, “Brother Xun, it’s an honor to have you attend our wedding.”

Xun Mao returned the greeting, “You’re too humble, Qin brother.”

Qin Zhao turned his head toward Qi Qige and said, “You really don’t need all these people. Just leave three chefs and five helpers. That’s enough.”

Qi Qige waved his hand, and like magic, the entire group was swiftly sent away.

Since the bride was not supposed to meet guests before the ceremony, Cao Xi had gone back to the room early to get ready and was waiting for Qin Zhao to come and escort him to the wedding.

As the guests slowly started arriving, Li Feng and the others came early to help. However, as soon as they entered the courtyard, they saw the chefs and helpers already handling everything, so there was no need for their assistance.

“I’m going to find Xi Jie,” said Xiao Rui, eating a few flower seeds at her seat before running toward the bridal chamber.

Li Feng set down the tea cup, “It’s fine, Cao Xi is alone in the room, which might be a little awkward for her. I’ll go keep her company.”

Li Feng nodded at Xiao Rui, who eagerly ran off to find Cao Xi.

“Xi Jie, it’s me, Xiao Rui. May I come in?” Xiao Rui knocked on the door and peeked through the crack.

“Come in,” Cao Xi’s voice came from inside, as he was in the process of putting on his headpiece and needed some help.

Xiao Rui opened the door, and a bright red scene greeted her eyes—everything was decorated in a festive manner.

Cao Xi, in a bright red wedding gown, sat at the dressing table, with the headpiece crookedly placed on his head.

Xiao Rui quickly walked over, “I’ll help you.” She adjusted the headpiece and made sure it was properly positioned before securing it in place.

Today, Cao Xi looked truly beautiful. He was both lively and poised. The light blush on his face added a soft, graceful touch, making him appear charming and alluring.

Xiao Rui continued helping Cao Xi with the earrings and bracelet, then guided him to sit on the bed, waiting for the auspicious time to arrive.

“The banquet outside has already started. The time should be approaching soon.”

Xiao Rui pressed her ear to the door, listening intently to the sounds from outside, feeling more and more anxious.

Cao Xi grew increasingly nervous, beads of sweat forming on his palms.

About the time it took to drink a cup of tea, Xiao Rui suddenly exclaimed, “He’s coming, he’s coming!”

Cao Xi quickly retreated a few steps in shock when he saw Qin Zhao, dressed in red, being pushed to the door by a crowd of people.

Cao Xi startled, took a moment to collect himself, and then heard a knock on the door.

“Mother, I’ve come to escort you,” Qin Zhao’s voice rang out, slightly tense but unusually clear.

For some reason, hearing Qin Zhao’s voice only made Cao Xi more nervous. His throat felt tight, and his legs grew weak, nearly buckling beneath him.

Qin Zhao waited a moment, but when there was no response, he raised his voice slightly, “Mother, I’ve come to escort you to the ceremony.”

This time, his voice was louder and stronger, no longer tight but resonating clearly.

Cao Xi hurriedly lowered the curtain to conceal his face, quickly adjusting the edge of his clothes, signaling to Xiao Rui to open the door.

The door slowly creaked open, and Qin Zhao immediately spotted the bride sitting on the bed. Her beauty, partially veiled by the curtain, made her even more alluring in her red bridal gown.

Qin Zhao stood frozen, mesmerized by the sight. He stared at her for a long time, until Qi Qige nudged him, breaking the moment.

Qin Zhao quickly stepped forward, gently taking Cao Xi’s hand from where it rested on his knees. Cao Xi, still a bit stiff from sitting for so long, nearly collapsed as his legs gave way. Qin Zhao swiftly caught him around the waist to steady him.

Cao Xi felt embarrassed, took a deep breath, and tried to regain his composure.

Throughout the process, Qin Zhao kept his arm around Cao Xi’s waist, guiding him out of the room. Without the presence of parents, they bowed to each other, honoring their respective families.

Afterward, they both offered a toast to the guests in gratitude for their well wishes.

When the formalities were done, Qin Zhao, still worried, gently escorted Cao Xi back to the bridal chamber. “I’ll bring you some food.”

Cao Xi tried to stop him, but it was too late. Qin Zhao had already returned with a tray of food, saying, “I made sure to pick what you like. Eat first. I’ll go greet the guests outside and be back shortly.”

Cao Xi, still touched, picked up his chopsticks and took a few bites. Just then, the door opened again, and Xiao Rui entered, holding more food. She stopped when she saw Cao Xi eating.

“Ah, you’ve already started eating? I’ll go send it back.”

Cao Xi stopped her, “Did you eat already?”

Xiao Rui: “I’ve eaten already.”

Cao Xi smiled and gestured for her to come over, “Come sit, let’s eat together.”

Xiao Rui hesitated for a moment, unsure whether it was proper to eat in the bridal room.

Cao Xi urged her, “Hurry up and come! Why are you standing there?”

Hearing Cao Xi’s encouragement, Xiao Rui stopped overthinking and happily joined her, sitting down to eat with her.

Xiao Rui helped Cao Xi remove her bridal crown and change into more comfortable clothes. As they chatted, they heard a voice calling from outside the door.

It was Xiao Chuan, Xiao Rui’s brother: “Sister, it’s getting late. We should be leaving soon.”

“Okay, I’ll be right there,” Xiao Rui called back, then turned to Cao Xi with a smile. “Sister Xi, it seems the guests outside are leaving. I should go too.”

Cao Xi nodded, “Yes, if you have time, come visit us again sometime.”

By the time Xiao Rui exited, Qin Zhao was already standing by the door, bidding farewell to each guest.

Qi Qige, meanwhile, was giving orders to his servants to clean up the leftover food. After a while, once the last of the guests had left, Qi Qige began tidying the courtyard.

Qin Zhao, still standing by the door, teased him, “Why wait until everyone’s gone before cleaning up?”

“Ha, are you not in a hurry to enter the bridal chamber?” Qi Qige winked at him, a playful smirk on his face.

Qin Zhao’s face turned red, and he silently accepted Qi Qige’s teasing.

Qi Qige grabbed a few servants and began directing them, “Take the leftovers to the kitchen. Once everything’s cleared, we’re ready to leave.”

Just before leaving, Qi Qige pulled Qin Zhao aside by the jujube tree. With a mysterious look, he took something from his robe and handed it to Qin Zhao.

Qi Qige raised an eyebrow and whispered, “The new version?”

He pointed to the book and smirked, “New… positions?”

Qin Zhao’s face turned crimson, and he desperately tried to cover up the book. “I—I don’t want to take it,” he stammered.

Qi Qige teased him, “So the previous one wasn’t enough? You’re going to be busy, aren’t you?”

Qin Zhao, now thoroughly embarrassed, pushed Qi Qige away. “Enough of that! Hurry up and go!”

He shoved Qi Qige outside, slammed the door, and took a deep breath.

The book in Qin Zhao’s hands felt like a hot potato, and he rushed to the study to hide it. He intended to return it later, maybe when they were finally alone that night. However, he couldn’t shake the embarrassment that had seized him.

Once in the study, he quickly put the book away on a shelf, but just holding it made him feel incredibly self-conscious. The contents were something he couldn’t bear to look at right now.

As for Qi Qige, he had completed his task of handing over the book, seemingly quite pleased with himself. He left with his retinue, casually waving his folding fan as he departed.