Chapter 24.1: Getting Married

Upon hearing this, Xia Tong immediately took the item and examined it. A light, subtle fragrance wafted around her nose, barely detectable unless one focused closely. The best part was that it was convenient; no one would notice anything unusual.

“Miss!”

At that moment, Qing’er hurriedly entered with a bag of wedding candies. Seeing her, Xia Tong instinctively tucked the scented pouch away with a light smile. “So, how’s the celebration outside?”

Qing’er snorted lightly and pouted. “It’s nothing much. But I noticed that the Young Master didn’t seem very happy. Even if the Second Young Lady gets married, it probably won’t be all that great.”

As she spoke, she waved the bag of candies in her hand. “The Second Madam gave ten coins and these candies to everyone in the household. People are saying it’s the first time she’s ever given anything during the festivals. Guess she’s finally breaking tradition.”

As Qing’er continued to ramble, Xia Tong shook her head and picked up a book to browse through.

“By the way, I ran into Miss Shen outside!” Qing’er suddenly remembered something and looked around before pulling out a letter from her sleeve, handing it over. “This is from Miss Shen. She asked me to give it to you.”

Xia Tong hadn’t had a chance to thank the heroine for saving her life last time. Surprised that Miss Shen had sought her out, she took the envelope. Inside, the letter was filled with neatly written characters, and as she read it, her expression grew increasingly complicated.

“What did Miss Shen say?” Qing’er asked, looking puzzled.

Xia Tong handed the letter to the two of them but wore an even more sorrowful expression.

Indeed, the heroine wanted her to help obtain a fake travel pass, clearly indicating her desire to escape. It aligned with the heroine’s character. If she could have gotten a pass on her own, she would have left long ago.

But now, even if she had a pass, Xia Tong wouldn’t dare to run away, fearing she’d get caught and turned into a human lantern.

“This…what does Miss Shen need a pass for?” Qing’er was puzzled after reading it.

On the other hand, Fang Yu looked at her seriously. “Miss Shen saved you last time, so if you don’t repay this favor, you might feel guilty.”

Xia Tong rubbed her forehead in frustration. “I don’t want to owe anyone, but my father isn’t in the Ministry of Rites. It might not be so easy to get one.”

She envied the heroine’s freedom to leave at will, carefree and unburdened. Unlike her, who couldn’t just abandon her original family. Plus, the villain was still lurking around, making her feel as if she were walking on thin ice.

“While your father may not be able to help, there are other paths you could take,” Fang Yu whispered a few suggestions close to her ear.

Upon hearing this, Xia Tong frowned. Who could predict the future? Being a regent’s wife felt like an empty title. How could she truly take it seriously?

“Let’s put it aside for now,” she sighed, feeling overwhelmed.

But why did the heroine suddenly want to leave? Wasn’t the story supposed to be about the main couple affirming their feelings for each other?

She sensed that the plot might have already derailed. However, none of this mattered to her because the nightmare was about to begin.

She didn’t understand why she had to wake up so early for the wedding. It wasn’t until her turn came that she realized the reason. On the wedding day, before dawn, she was dragged out by a group of people. After bathing and being perfumed, a well-regarded matron from the clan styled her hair, dressing her in layer upon layer of ceremonial robes, topped with a heavy phoenix crown weighing seven or eight pounds, making it difficult for her even to walk.

Inside the room, the atmosphere was bustling. The old lady gazed at her granddaughter, who was stunningly dressed for the occasion. A subtle expression flickered across her face. After a moment, she waved her hand, signaling for everyone to quiet down. Looking at her granddaughter, she said, “As you embark on this new journey, you must serve the Regent well and abide by the rules of the regent household. You must not bring shame to the Xiahou family. Do you understand?”

The room was adorned in vibrant red decorations, and although Xia Tong felt tired, she nodded earnestly, replying, “I understand, Grandmother.”

“However, you are still a member of the Xiahou family. If you face any grievances, your grandmother will stand up for you. Always prioritize the family’s interests, and don’t forget my teachings,” the old lady said affectionately, holding her hand.

Once she finished speaking, the other women in the family chimed in. Despite her discomfort, Xia Tong maintained a serious demeanor and nodded, saying, “I will remember Grandmother’s teachings.”

Seeing this, the old lady smiled in satisfaction, but her gaze shifted to Madam Liu, who was weeping nearby, and her expression turned disapproving. “Crying on such a joyous occasion is inappropriate. As her mother, you should be more mindful and not bring bad luck to Tong’er!”

“That’s right, it’s not a funeral. Look how sad the fourth sister-in-law is. If you don’t know, you would think something happened to Tong’er.” Madam Zhang said sarcastically.

After hearing this, Madam Liu’s eyes turned red as if she wanted to explain something, but Xia Tong at the side couldn’t help herself and looked at her aunt with a smile and said, “I remember when my cousin got married a few days ago, my second aunt was also so reluctant to let her go. Why, does my second aunt think sending my cousin off to get married is like mourning?”

“You girl!” Madam Wang’s expression changed, and she was about to scold Xia Tong, but upon seeing the old lady’s warning glance, she could only huff in annoyance and leave in a hurry.

“Madam Wang really is confused, speaking such nonsense,” the other women in the family murmured disapprovingly. It was inappropriate for a lady of the house to behave so thoughtlessly, even if there were private grievances; today was an important day.

“Alright, alright. You two should have plenty of personal matters to discuss. We’ll step out for now,” the old lady coughed gently and get out of the room with the help of Momo Liu.

Once everyone else had left, only Madam Liu and Xia Tong remained. Noticing her mother’s reluctance, Xia Tong shot a cold glance toward the door and said, “If it were up to me, Father should divide the family. If this continues, you won’t know how much more you’ll be bullied!”

Looking at her daughter, who had blossomed into a captivating young woman, Madam Liu ’s eyes reddened as she took Xia Tong’s hands, her voice filled with concern. “Your father has his own plans. You don’t need to worry about that. As long as you are well, I will be at ease.”

Then, Madam Liu suddenly pulled out a small book wrapped in red cloth from her sleeve and placed it in Xia Tong’s hands with a strange expression. “Although you’re the only one in the regent household, there’s no guarantee that others won’t come in the future. Since you’re shy and I haven’t taught you much, read this when you have time. It will be beneficial for you.”

As Xia Tong held the little book, her face felt warm. She quickly stuffed it into her bosom. She had never seen what an ancient risqué book looked like.

“Here they come!”

With the call of the matchmaker outside, Madam Liu felt tears welling up in her eyes but ultimately held back the tears. She squeezed her daughter’s hand and silently placed the veil over her head.

Xia Tong had no emotional reaction to the wedding, yet at this moment, she felt an inexplicable sadness. Surrounded by everyone’s well-meaning advice, she was suddenly lifted onto the matchmaker’s back and carried outside.

Compared to the Duke family’s joyful occasion a few days prior, the number of onlookers today outside the Xiahou household had doubled. The regent was notorious among the people, and the fact that he was marrying the most famous daughter of the Xiahou family surprised everyone. It was like a beautiful flower was planted in manure—such a shame for such a lovely girl.

In front of the long procession, a man in a bright red wedding robe sat tall on his horse, radiating nobility and grace, making it hard to connect him with the cruel regent. Wasn’t a treacherous official supposed to have a fierce expression and a brutish appearance?

As the bride was carried out, the man on horseback merely cast a fleeting glance without stopping and urged his horse forward.

Today, the streets were lined with guards, and the common folk could only gather on the sides, pointing and whispering as they watched the wedding procession go by.

On the second floor of a teahouse, a man grasping his teacup tightened his grip unconsciously as he observed the extravagant parade below, his expression inscrutable.

“Your Highness, do you think the regent truly has feelings for Miss Xia?” a subordinate cautiously inquired.

As the procession passed by the teahouse, the man on horseback showed no visible joy but also no irritation. The Xiahou family didn’t have enough power to warrant such efforts to curry favor.

Taking a sip of his tea, Xiao Jing turned his gaze away from the scene outside. “She’s just a woman. Why would I feel reluctant?”

After enduring for years, he would not let a woman ruin his plans.

“When the emperor wanted to betroth Princess Changyang to the regent, he didn’t respond, but it’s understandable. Miss Xia is beautiful. It’s rare for a man to remain unmoved,” the subordinate chuckled awkwardly.

As the last remnants of the procession faded from view, Xiao Jing’s gaze deepened as he swept over the street outside, his teacup slowly showing cracks.

*

Usually, the regent’s residence was a taboo for everyone, with few daring to enter, but today it was filled with guests coming and going. Even if people held grievances against the regent, they wouldn’t openly show disrespect by not attending. Witnessing the extravagant display, everyone had to admit the fourth young lady of the Xiahou family was extraordinarily beautiful. Over the years, many had sent various beauties to the regent, but he remained indifferent. Now, he was lavishly marrying one woman.

“His Majesty has arrived!”

When the bright yellow figure appeared among the crowd, everyone was startled and quickly knelt to pay their respects. No one expected the emperor, in his current condition, would leave the palace to honor the regent.

At this moment, Xia Tong was so hungry that her stomach felt like it was touching her back. The room was quiet, and she was alone inside. She had anticipated this situation and had cleverly hidden two steamed buns in her sleeve.

Without lifting her bridal veil, she sat on the edge of the bed, biting into a bun. She then pulled out a small yellow book her mother had given her. She expected ancient people to be modest, but she was shocked by the explicit content!

As she looked at the bold poses depicted in the book, her face flushed red, and she dared not turn to the next page. In a hurry, she stuffed the book back into her bosom, suddenly remembering the incense pouch Fang Yu had given her.

She slowly lifted her veil and noticed that the large room wasn’t adorned with wedding decorations—only the bed curtains were red. The furnishings were quite simple yet exuded a subtle luxury. The calligraphy on the wall was clearly from an extraordinary source, as it was inscribed with the date from five centuries ago, and it was rare for such artworks to be preserved so well; ordinary paper would have long since decayed.

As dusk settled outside, the sounds of celebration could be faintly heard from the banquet. Xia Tong didn’t want to delay any longer, so she quickly hung the incense pouch at the head of the bed, reassuring herself that she wouldn’t be scared tonight.

She covered her head with the veil again and obediently sat on the bed, waiting for someone to come in. However, she didn’t know how long she waited. The commotion outside died down, and no one entered. It felt as if no one would come today, which was unacceptable—if she didn’t drink the wedding cup today, the effects of the medicine wouldn’t take place, making it harder to trick him into drinking later.

Having finished the buns, Xia Tong felt dizzy from hunger. Just as she considered grabbing something to eat from the table, the door suddenly made a noise.

Instantly, her body tensed up, and she straightened her back. Yet, she couldn’t hear any footsteps. In the next moment, her veil was roughly pulled back, and a bright light flooded in. She saw a man in the distance grabbing a piece of clothing, preparing to leave.

“Wait a moment,” she called out suddenly, stopping him in his tracks. He slowly turned around, his gaze locking onto hers.

The man was dressed in a bright red wedding robe, tall and handsome, exuding an air of nobility. However, his face remained cold, showing no signs of joy. Just as her second aunt had said, he looked like he was at a funeral. But Xia Tong didn’t care about that. She was more concerned that he couldn’t just leave like this. If he did, how could she trick him into drinking later?

As their eyes met, Xia Tong slowly stood up, bearing the weight of the heavy headpiece, and walked step by step to the table. She quickly picked up a cup of wine and handed it to him. “Drinking the wedding cup is a custom before consummation,” she said nervously.