He held her hand the whole time, never letting go. There were many people watching the lanterns, and Ju Mu'er could feel how crowded it was, but he kept protecting her and didn't let go.
Surprisingly, she didn't get lost from him.
Along the way, some people even gave them lanterns, saying it was a wish for her and Master Long to grow old together. Master Long accepted them and handed them to her to carry. Ju Mu'er blushed the whole time, but couldn't help smiling.
I'll marry him.
She should trust her first instinct.
The eighteenth day of the first lunar month.
The festive atmosphere of the New Year in the capital had not yet completely dissipated when the wedding of the Second Master of the Long Mansion once again brought the gossip mood of the entire city to its peak.
The entire Long Mansion was adorned with festive decorations, and a bright red silk cloth stretched from the main gate all the way to the street corner.
Even before the appointed time, guests arrived with boxes of gifts, which the groom, Master Long, accepted without any hesitation. The list of gifts grew to a long stack, and the guests even pulled aside the servants and stewards of the Long family to inquire about how other families had given their gifts, fearing that if they didn't give a proper gift, they would incur Master Long's wrath.
Some people came and immediately apologized to Long Er, saying that the date had been moved up and they hadn't prepared the gifts they originally planned. They offered a small gift first and would make up for it later. Long Er smiled and accepted them all without any refusal.
In fact, not only did Master Long not refuse, he even calculated in his mind how much he would lose by moving the wedding date forward for Ju Mu'er. He had a clear understanding of all the losses he would incur.
As he rode his red-silk horse and led the bridal sedan chair to fetch Ju Mu'er, he thought on the way that he would definitely make up for the loss he had suffered with his wife.
Once she's inside, he can do whatever he wants to her. He can see her every day and have her make him happy. If she doesn't do things right, he can punish her without any qualms.
Okay, he can start dealing with her tonight.
Ju Mu'er, dressed in her wedding gown and with her veil covering her face, sat nervously on the edge of the bed, waiting for her husband with warm hands to come and take her home.
She wanted to be a good wife to him, to do whatever he wanted, and to make him happy. She also thought she would find a chance to tell him her secret. However, tonight probably wasn't a good time.
Thinking of her wedding night, and recalling the stories about married life told to her by her neighbors and their wives, Ju Mu'er nervously twisted her fingers.
Suddenly, a cacophony of laughter, joyful music, and congratulatory words erupted from outside. The women around her kept asking, "Is it here? Is it here?"
Su Qing ran in from outside, shouting, "Sister, sister, the second master is here! The groom is here! It's time to get into the bridal sedan chair!"
Ju Mu'er's heart pounded wildly. Su Qing came over to support her, and several neighboring wives quickly stepped forward to help. The crowd escorted Ju Mu'er out of the Ju Family Wine Shop. Outside, a scene of jubilation unfolded, with deafening music and endless congratulations. Ju Mu'er was feeling a little dizzy when her father grabbed her hand, tears streaming down his face, and cried out joyfully, "Daughter, daughter..."
Ju Mu'er wanted to smile and comfort her father, but found herself too nervous to speak. Just then, a large, warm hand grasped hers, instantly calming her heart. She spoke a few comforting words to her father, who, holding his daughter's hand, wept with a mixture of joy and tears.
Finally, the matchmaker urged him that it was almost time, and only then did the old man let go. Long Er led Ju Mu'er to the bridal sedan chair, squeezing most of his body into it as well. Taking advantage of the fact that the sedan chair blocked everyone's view, he lifted Ju Mu'er's veil and chuckled, "Let me see if you'll come up with some wicked tricks at the last minute and find someone else to play a trick on me."
"I wouldn't be so reckless." He's even trying to prevent theft? Ju Mu'er was both amused and annoyed: "It is me, no doubt about it."
Long Er smiled, in a good mood. He leaned down and kissed her lips, whispering, "Very good, you've finally fallen into my hands."
The veil was lowered, and he released her hand. Then Ju Mu'er heard the matchmaker chanting auspicious words and calling for the sedan chair to be moved.
The bridal sedan chair was lifted up, and Ju Mu'er swayed inside before steadying herself. She bit her lip, her face slightly flushed.
She thought about what he had said, "You've finally fallen into my hands." She wanted to laugh, but she was also a little resentful. She wasn't afraid of him at all.
The bridal sedan chair swayed back and forth, accompanied by joyful music. The matchmaker sang all the way. Ju Mu'er recalled how she had known Long Er since their first meeting. His arrogant sarcasm had made her throw tea all over him. He had humiliated her with a banquet, and she hadn't let him off easy. He had stolen her bamboo cane, and she had given him a zither in response... One thing after another, she couldn't help but laugh as she thought about it.
She had really changed a lot after going blind, and she never expected to meet such an annoying man who brought out her bad temper. But she couldn't deny that she was happy with him.
The bridal sedan chair swayed all the way to the gate of the Long residence. When it stopped, Ju Mu'er tensed up again. She heard the curtain being pulled back, followed by Long Er's powerful voice: "Come!"
Ju Mu'er reached out her hand; she couldn't see it, but her hand accurately landed in his palm. His palm was broad and warm.
He took her hand and led her out of the bridal sedan chair. He then led her through the gates of the Dragon Mansion.
Ju Mu'er's heart started pounding again. She suddenly thought of a saying: "I have nothing to repay you with but my body."
Soon, he became her husband.
She must be his good wife, she must treat him very, very well.
Author's Note: Alright, I'm married now. Finally, I've finished writing this.
However, I need to ask for a few days off. This story is really stuck; I need time to sort it out, and I also want to revise some parts that weren't good. My writing hasn't been going well these past few days, and I'm finding it very difficult to move forward. So, I'll be taking a few days off to adjust, and I'll continue updating next Monday. Thank you everyone!
46. A joyous wedding ceremony with Heaven and Earth.
Getting married is a lively and joyous occasion, but it can also be a complicated and tiring affair.
Wearing a thick wedding dress and a heavy wedding crown, Ju Mu'er felt exhausted from every movement. The veil covering her eyes was a given; since she couldn't see anyway, the inconvenience was negligible. What bothered her more was that she wasn't using a bamboo cane. Since the wedding ceremony was a significant event, it would look unseemly for the bride to be carrying a cane, potentially disgracing the Long family. Therefore, Ju Mu'er entered the bridal sedan chair empty-handed.
Fortunately, Long Er was thoughtful. He discarded the long floral ribbon and directly took her hand, leading her out of the bridal sedan chair.
Ju Mu'er's heart pounded wildly, and she nervously gripped Long Er's hand. The surroundings were filled with the noise of people, a deafening cacophony of music. Ju Mu'er could barely hear Long Er's words. She followed him through the gates of the Long residence, and before they had taken a few steps, she suddenly heard him say, "Lift your leg."
Did they mean "lift your leg"? Ju Mu'er didn't remember there was a second door after entering the Long Mansion. She was a little slow to react and kicked a high threshold, almost tripping.
Then she felt Long Er approach her and say, "There's a threshold here, it's for wedding customs, we have to step over it together."
Ju Mu'er remembered; the matchmaker had told her about it. She nodded, lifted her foot to step over the threshold, but then kicked it. Long Er said, "Lift it a little higher, a little higher, that's enough."
Amidst the clamor of the surrounding crowd, Ju Mu'er blushed deeply. Although it was the proper etiquette, this threshold was ridiculously high. Ju Mu'er suddenly realized that she was holding onto Long Er with both hands, and under the watchful eyes of everyone, she quickly let go, feeling ashamed.
Just as they were in a flurry of activity, they suddenly heard Long Er say, "There's a small brazier ahead, just step over it." To accommodate Ju Mu'er's poor eyesight, the brazier was two sizes smaller than those used at other weddings.
Ju Mu'er nodded, but her hand remained tightly gripping Long Er's. Long Er led her to the front of the brazier and said, "Alright, you can step out now."
Ju Mu'er lifted her foot, then nervously put it down again. She was unsure how big a step she should take; what if she accidentally knocked over the brazier and ruined the good fortune?
Just as she was about to grit her teeth and take her biggest step, she heard Long Er sigh, "You're a big problem." Then she felt a tightness around her waist as Long Er grabbed her waist and lifted her over the brazier.
Ju Mu'er landed, her face flushed crimson, thankful that the red veil covered her face. Long Er led her forward, and Ju Mu'er subconsciously counted his steps; he took one step, and she took one step too.
Two matchmakers sang auspicious words along the way, and there were many other voices around them. But Ju Mu'er counted Long Er's steps and gradually calmed down.
She strode forward, trying to keep up with his pace, and Long Er, clearly accommodating her, slowed down. Ju Mu'er secretly bit her lip under her red veil. If only she could hold his hand like this forever, how wonderful that would be.
The two finally arrived at the wedding hall. Because of the ceremony, Long Er released Ju Mu'er. This immediately made her nervous again. Two matchmakers came over to support her and taught her how to bow to heaven and earth. Ju Mu'er was pushed around and spun around; after completing the ceremony, she felt dizzy and disoriented.
Then they heard someone shout "The ceremony is complete," followed by "Send them to the bridal chamber." Ju Mu'er was pushed along, but she couldn't hold Long Er's hand again. She bit her lip, trying hard to control herself and not lose her composure. She wanted to call out "Second Master," but she knew she had to hold back.
A group of old women and maids escorted Ju Mu'er into the bridal chamber. Ju Mu'er was helped to sit on the wedding bed, and two matchmakers stood in front of her and sang auspicious words. Granny Yu thanked them and gave them a reward. Everyone exchanged auspicious greetings and made a fuss for a while before finally leaving.
The room quieted down, and after a while, Granny Yu returned, saying she still had to go out to take care of some matters and wouldn't be coming any further. She also told Ju Mu'er to rest assured, as her two maids, Xiao Ping and Xiao Zhu, were there, and she could tell them if she needed anything. Ju Mu'er nodded repeatedly. Granny Yu gave the maids a few more instructions and then left.
Ju Mu'er was a little reserved, sitting there blankly for a long time, not daring to move. She suddenly remembered that her father had given her several red envelopes, which the neighbor had taught her to give to Granny Yu after the ceremony, when she went inside to wait. It was said to be a reward, a matter of courtesy. But now that Granny Yu had already gone out, was it appropriate for her to call her back specifically to give her a gift? But wouldn't it be inappropriate to give it to her tomorrow?
Ju Mu'er was hesitating when she suddenly heard a maid calling at the door, "Third Madam, Miss Bao'er." It turned out that Feng Wu had brought Bao'er over.
As soon as Fengwu arrived, she said, "I am here on my second uncle's orders to take care of the bride." Bao'er chimed in, "I am here on my second uncle's orders to take care of my second aunt."
Their cheerful tone made Ju Mu'er laugh. Feng Wu also laughed, mimicking Long Er's tone: "Anyway, you have nothing to do here, go keep your second sister-in-law company, see if she's tired, hungry, thirsty, or bored."
Not only Ju Mu'er laughed, but the two maids also laughed. Feng Wu was always down-to-earth and played with the maids. At this moment, Xiao Zhu teased, "Second Master must be worried that Third Madam will cause trouble for him at the wedding banquet, so he sent Third Madam here."
Xiao Ping chimed in, "That's right, that's right, otherwise why didn't you call the First Madam?"
"Hmph." Feng Wu waved her hand, bickering with them: "Second Uncle is so cunning, so calculating. He wants to collect more gift money, so he dares to invite just anyone. Some of the guests don't get along with Eldest Brother. If Eldest Sister-in-law isn't there to keep things in check, who can control Eldest Brother's stubborn temper?" As Feng Wu spoke, she took Ju Mu'er's hand: "Now that Second Sister-in-law has entered the family, she has to teach that fox Second Uncle a good lesson."
Ju Mu'er just smiled. The two maids and Feng Wu bantered a few more times, and Bao'er climbed onto the bed and sat next to Ju Mu'er, even peeling peanuts from the wedding bed to eat. Ju Mu'er felt relaxed after their antics. Just then, two servants brought in wine and dishes, saying that it was ordered by the Second Master.
After they left, Fengwu called to Ju Mu'er, "Why don't you lift your veil and come eat something? I heard the wedding banquet outside is still a long way off. We can't just wait around and go hungry."
Ju Mu'er took the opportunity to quietly ask Feng Wu about the wedding etiquette, the wedding gifts, and so on. Feng Wu replied nonchalantly, "Long San and I never had a proper wedding ceremony, so I really don't know anything about these things. Long San lied to me; I thought I was already married to him, so I didn't do any of these things. Later, when I found out, I thought it was too much trouble and didn't want to have any ceremony. Don't worry, it's all about etiquette; it depends on the person. Look at Long San and me, we didn't have any formalities, and we're doing just fine, aren't we?"
Ju Mu'er was somewhat surprised and didn't quite understand. Feng Wu, however, said that her story was a long one and there would be plenty of time to tell it later. Ju Mu'er's heart stirred, and she suddenly realized that Bao'er was there, perhaps out of consideration for the child. She nodded and also said that there would be plenty of time to tell it later. Bao'er was diligently peeling peanuts and eating them on the bed when Feng Wu picked her up and put her on the table to eat her vegetables. Inspired by them, Ju Mu'er was also encouraged to remove her veil and sit down at the table to eat and drink with them.
The two women, having eaten and drunk their fill, chatted for a long time. Night had fallen, and Bao'er, sometime during the night, climbed back into bed to shell peanuts. While shelling, she even buried herself in the pile of bedding and fell asleep. After a while, the sounds of hurried footsteps and voices finally broke the silence outside. Two maids rushed over to help Ju Mu'er back to bed and covered her with a veil. Just as they finished, the door opened, and Long Er, reeking of alcohol, stood in the doorway.
Long Er was already quite drunk; he stumbled in, his steps unsteady. Behind him was a group of young men, shouting that they wanted to see the bride's wedding night antics. Long Er, drunk, didn't say anything, simply entering the room. Long San was left to try and stop them from causing trouble, but unfortunately, he couldn't possibly hold them off alone.
At this moment, Feng Wu, whose face was flushed from drinking, jumped up, ran past Long Er and went outside, loudly echoing, "Okay, okay, let's make a ruckus in the bridal chamber together!"
As soon as she joined in, the commotion outside immediately stopped. Everyone looked at each other, then offered their congratulations and left. They were just joking around; the wedding night pranks were only lighthearted and no one dared to take it seriously. But if Madam Long San were to come in, the situation might get out of control, so it was best to disperse, lest they cause trouble and everyone end up taking the blame for Madam Long San.
Long San breathed a sigh of relief. He couldn't stop that group of people, but he could handle his wife. Feng Wu was very disappointed to see everyone leave, so she rushed to Long San and complained.
The old women rushed into the house and handed a steelyard to Long Er to lift the bride's red veil. They then prepared the nuptial wine, dumplings, and other items. Once the formalities were completed, everyone quickly left.
On Master Long's wedding night, anyone who disrupts it is asking for death.
Long San also took Feng Wu back to her room. Feng Wu was a little drunk and clung to him, unwilling to let go, so he half-carried and half-dragged her back. As they walked, he asked, "Where's Qiao'er?" Feng Wu shook her dizzy head and replied, "She's with the wet nurse. She's probably asleep."
Long San wanted to laugh at her drunken state, so he kissed her cheek and asked, "Where's Bao'er? Is she asleep too?" Feng Wu nodded first, then shook her head. Then she stopped, looked around, and asked, "Where's Bao'er?"
Long San was stunned: "You're asking me?"
Feng Wu was stunned for a moment, then suddenly jumped up: "Oh no, I left Bao'er on Second Uncle's bed."
At this moment, Long Er was also annoyed by the living child that had suddenly appeared on the bed.
He finally managed to get everyone out of the room, and was about to hug his wife when he was pricked by a hairpin on her wedding crown. He grumbled in displeasure and started to remove the crown from Ju Mu'er. But the crown was difficult to remove; there were small clips on the left and hairpins on the right. Long Er frowned as he carefully disassembled it, asking, "Is this thing heavy?"
“Heavy,” Ju Mu’er replied. Long Er felt her tug at his sleeve.
"Is it tiring to wear it?" he asked again.
"fine."
Long Er frowned: "I'll do it as soon as possible."
"Okay." Ju Mu'er's scalp ached from his tugging, but she didn't complain at all. But Long Er muttered, "I said I'll do it as soon as possible, don't rush me."
"I didn't rush you."
"Then why are you tugging at my sleeve?"
"I didn't lie."
Long Er stopped abruptly. Before he could speak, a clear, sleepy child's voice came from behind Ju Mu'er: "Second Uncle, where's my mother?"
Long Er and Ju Mu'er were both so astonished that their mouths dropped open. Long Er was half-sobered up from the shock. Luckily, the wedding crown couldn't be removed, and luckily, he wasn't in such a hurry to consummate the marriage. Was Feng Wu deliberately trying to sabotage him by leaving the child here?
Before Long Er could react, Long San and his wife were already knocking on the door, demanding their child. Long Er, his face dark, handed Bao'er back to them. His fierce gaze made Feng Wu determined to behave herself for the next three days and never appear before him again.
Long Er slammed the door shut. Ju Mu'er couldn't help but burst into laughter again, laughing uncontrollably until she collapsed onto the bed.
"Laugh, laugh, laugh..." Long Er wanted to scold her, but he couldn't help laughing himself. He walked over, pounced on the bed, and pinned Ju Mu'er down beneath him. Ju Mu'er laughed until tears streamed down her face. Long Er kissed the corner of her eye, then moved his lips to hers.
Author's note: I haven't had a proper rest during these few days of hiatus.
My husband, Calvin Klein, is still hanging around, my cervical spondylosis has flared up again, and then a cold hit me. There were a few other unpleasant things too. In short, headaches, sore throats, stuffy noses, chest pains—all sorts of discomforts—it's truly miserable.
I'll go and pray to them once I'm better, but I don't know if it will work.
47. A drinking contest amidst a beautiful wedding.
Ju Mu'er could no longer laugh. Long Er's kiss was passionate.
He hooked her tongue and gently bit her lips.