Shen Lixue smiled faintly: "Return to Lixue Pavilion, comb your hair, and get dressed!" Then, she would await her wedding!
Chapter 162 The Wedding (Part 2)
As dawn broke, Shen Lixue returned to Lixue Pavilion. Qiuhe and Yanyue were already waiting outside the door. Upon seeing her return, they hurriedly prepared hot water and served her with smiles as she bathed and changed. Her bodice, inner garment, and wedding dress were all bright red, proclaiming her status as the principal wife.
Afterwards, the blessed lady, whose parents were both alive, who had both a son and a daughter, and whose family was harmonious, performed facial hair removal and hair combing for her.
Looking at the woman in the mirror with her fair face, arched eyebrows, and red lips, Shen Lixue blinked. She had applied four or five layers of rouge and powder to her face, completely covering her original skin tone. Her bridal makeup was so heavy.
"Li Xue is so beautiful!" Dongfang Yu'er exclaimed, running over with a beaming smile, her crimson robes fluttering gently, radiating enthusiasm.
Shen Lixue looked at Dongfang Yu'er in the mirror and raised the corners of her mouth slightly: "Don't you like fiery red clothes? Why did you change into scarlet today?"
"Today you are the bride, and if I wear bright red, wouldn't I be stealing your thunder!" Dongfang Yu'er is a royal princess, free-spirited but also very thoughtful. When people get married, the bride and groom are the main characters, so how could she run around in bright red?
Shen Lixue smiled. Dongfang Yu'er was lively but not careless; she was thoughtful and meticulous despite her rough exterior.
Unaware of Shen Lixue's thoughts, Dongfang Yu'er looked her up and down, becoming more and more satisfied with her. Her beautiful eyes were full of admiration: "Brother Heng is so lucky to have married such a beautiful bride!"
Madam Quanfu smiled radiantly: "Princess Lixue is the most beautiful bride I have ever seen, whether she is wearing heavy makeup or light makeup, she looks good!"
"Thank you for your kind words!" Shen Lixue smiled, unconsciously clenching her small hands. Having lived two lives, this was her first marriage, and she was marrying the person she loved. She felt inexplicably nervous.
"Princess, the bridal sedan chair has arrived!" Yan Yue's cheerful voice came from outside the door.
Shen Lixue was taken aback: "There's still half an hour until the auspicious time, why has the bridal sedan chair arrived so early?"
"It must be that my cousin Heng couldn't wait and wanted to marry you as soon as possible, so he came early!" Dongfang Yu'er personally presented a magnificent phoenix crown strung with precious pearls and gemstones, her smile incredibly ambiguous.
"Your Highness, you may not know this, but for the royal family and the Prince's mansion, welcoming a bride is an unparalleled honor. The earlier the groom arrives, the more satisfied he is with the marriage, and the more face the bride will have!" Lady Quanfu took the phoenix crown and carefully placed it on Shen Lixue's hair, beaming with joy: "Furthermore, Princess Lixue is incomparably beautiful, and Prince An is fond of her, so naturally he can't wait to arrive early!"
Prince An is the God of War of Azure Flame. He is always cold and aloof in public, and no one can see a trace of his true emotions. Now, he has changed his ways and come to marry Princess Lixue ahead of schedule. He must dote on her very much.
The fact that she could change the Azure Flame War God shows that this future Princess Consort of Anjun is no ordinary woman.
"Princess Lixue, congratulations!" The curtain was lifted, and Chu Youran walked in with a smile. Her black hair was simply tied up with a jade hairpin, her beautiful face was lightly made up, fair and rosy, and her pale yellow Xiang dress was beautiful and flowing. She was indescribably elegant. She held a delicate sandalwood box in her slender fingers: "This is just a small gift, I hope the princess will not find it offensive!"
When they first met at Zuixianlou, she felt that Dongfang Heng and Shen Lixue were an exceptionally good match, and assumed that they were husband and wife. Unexpectedly, they were just engaged, but their feelings for each other were deep, and today they were about to become a real couple. She believed that the two of them would live happily ever after and become an enviable couple.
"I am already very happy that Miss Chu has sent her blessings!" Shen Lixue smiled slightly and instructed Qiuhe to accept the gift. On her wedding day, she would naturally not refuse the blessings from others.
Standing behind Chu Youran, Granny Li looked at Shen Lixue's bright face, which overlapped with the beautiful face of Lin Qingzhu in her memory. Her eyes were slightly moist. Miss Lixue really looked like Miss Qingzhu. Miss Qingzhu was deceived and suffered half a lifetime of misery, dying young. Miss Lixue married the person she loved and will definitely be happy!
"Princess, the auspicious time has arrived!" A maidservant announced from outside the door.
With a beaming smile, Madam Quanfu methodically directed the procession: "It's time to get into the sedan chair. Quickly cover the bride with the bridal veil... gather all the auspicious items and check carefully to make sure nothing is forgotten..."
A bright red bridal veil covered the phoenix crown, obscuring Shen Lixue's vision. All she could see was a sea of red, and joyful music filled the air. Her heart suddenly raced. She was about to marry Dongfang Heng; it felt like a dream.
Holding a lucky charm symbolizing peace, happiness and fulfillment, Shen Lixue was helped out of Lixue Pavilion by Madam Quanfu. The air was filled with the noise of people, firecrackers, and congratulations.
As they walked further, the deafening sound of gongs and drums heralded the arrival of the wedding. The festive atmosphere dispelled the tension in Shen Lixue's heart. She hugged the mascot tightly and slowly walked along the bluestone path.
Amidst the crackling of firecrackers and joyful cheers, Shen Lixue left the Prince's mansion and headed towards the bridal sedan chair. She heard Dongfang Yu'er's boastful voice beside her: "Brother Heng, I delivered your bride to you unharmed. How are you going to reward me...?"
Shen Lixue, with her red veil covering her face, couldn't see Dongfang Heng's expression, but she could clearly feel his burning gaze upon her. Her cheeks flushed slightly. It had only been three days since they last met, yet he was so uninhibited in front of all the guests...
"The auspicious time has arrived, the bride is to board the sedan chair!" The master of ceremonies announced loudly. Shen Lixue lowered her head and sat in the sedan chair under the gaze of Dongfang Heng.
The wedding of the Princess of Anjun, whom the Emperor himself bestowed upon her, was extremely grand. The wedding procession was led by Imperial Guards who escorted the street, while on both sides, auspicious maids dressed in formal attire carried flower baskets and scattered red petals along the way, filling the air with fragrance.
Following them, a band played music all the way, and with the 120 loads of dowry carried on the back, the entire procession was nearly 100 meters long, creating a grand and spectacular sight. People along the roadside flocked to watch, making it a lively and exciting event.
The wedding procession moved steadily, but Shen Lixue, still feeling a little dizzy inside the sedan chair, stepped down and went through the wedding ceremony. She and Dongfang Heng were now husband and wife, destined to be together for life, never to be apart. It all felt like a dream, so beautiful that she didn't want to wake up...
In a daze, deafening firecrackers rang out outside the sedan chair, drowning out the joyful sounds. The sedan chair came to a steady stop, the curtain was lifted, and bursts of laughter and cheers rushed out. Shen Lixue felt inexplicably nervous. A large, jade-like hand reached out and tightly grasped her slightly cold hand. A gentle comforting voice whispered in her ear: "Don't be nervous, I'm here for you!"
A wave of warmth seeped through her fingertips and into her heart, quickly calming Shen Lixue's wildly beating heart. Holding the red ribbon, she followed Dongfang Heng towards the wedding hall.
The Holy Prince and Holy Princess have both passed away, but the old prince is still alive. Dressed in formal attire, he sits in the wedding hall, eagerly awaiting the arrival of the newlyweds. Beside him stands Dongfang Xun, dressed in a light blue robe. His serious injuries have only healed by about 30%, and he is weak and pale. As he watches the newlyweds slowly enter the wedding hall, a slight smile appears on his lips.
"What a perfect couple!" The old prince beamed with joy as he looked at Dongfang Heng's bright red wedding robe and Shen Lixue's bright red wedding dress, which complemented each other perfectly with gold threads connecting them, creating a dazzling effect.
"My second brother and sister-in-law are indeed a perfect match!" Dongfang Xun's lips curled slightly. Before even bowing to the elders, he had already changed his form of address.
The wedding hall was lined with guests who had come to witness the ceremony, all with smiles on their faces. Nangong Xiao stood among the crowd, looking at Shen Lixue, who was dressed in a bright red wedding gown and slowly came to a stop in the center of the room. His gaze was gloomy, his brows were furrowed, and he was vigorously shaking his folding fan, as if it were June weather.
Standing before the prayer mat, Dongfang Heng stopped, his large, jade-like hand tightly grasping Shen Lixue's small, white hand. Looking at the beautiful figure beside him, a gentle light flickered in his deep, sharp eyes.
The old prince smiled meaningfully: "A loving couple, very good. Let him hold a great-grandson soon."
Amidst the cheers and laughter of the crowd, the emcee stepped forward and announced, "The auspicious time has arrived, let us bow to Heaven and Earth!"
"Bowing to the parents twice!"
"Husband and wife bow to each other!"
"Send them to the bridal chamber!" As soon as the four words were uttered, Shen Lixue's usually indifferent eyes flickered unnaturally.
Dongfang Heng held her small hand tightly, a slight smile playing on his lips, and walked towards the bridal chamber amidst the blessings of the crowd.
The new house is a redecorated Maple Pine Courtyard, with many decorations and colors that girls like, creating a festive yet elegant atmosphere.
On the high table, red candles burned brightly, and the matchmaker, beaming, handed a ruyi scale to Dongfang Heng: "Your Highness, please lift the veil!"
Dongfang Heng took the Ruyi Scale and slowly lifted the bright red veil embroidered with mandarin ducks playing in the water, revealing the beautiful face from his memory.
Shen Lixue's vision finally brightened, no longer seeing only a sea of red. She gently lifted her beautiful eyes, and Dongfang Heng's handsome face was right in front of her. Today, he was wearing a bright red wedding robe, and he was less sharp and aloof than usual, but more wise and composed. His dark eyes gazed at her quietly, and a faint smile spread quickly through his pupils.