https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-140-Meng-Xiaojiu-I-Your-Commander-Have-Come-to-Marry-You/12582617/
Chapter 141: The Ceremony
Chapter 141: The Ceremony
"First bow to Heaven and Earth," the officiant announced.
On the threshold of the hall, Lu Yuan and Meng Qianqian slowly bowed together.
"Second bow to the parents," the officiant continued.
The newlywed couple turned and bowed respectfully to Meng Qianqian's uncle, Meng San, who was seated in a chair.
Meng Tianlan, often scorned by his grandfather, was now experiencing a highlight of his life. When he returned to Youzhou, he would have to boast about this to his grandfather and his second brother.
"Now, the couple will bow to each other," the officiant said.
The two slowly turned to face each other and bowed deeply.
However, perhaps due to their proximity, their heads collided, eliciting a round of playful laughter from the guests.
The awkwardness of bumping heads during the wedding ceremony was akin to the couple accidentally sharing an intimate moment in full view of the assembled guests.
As they hurriedly tried to stand up, their heads collided again, sending the guests into peals of laughter.
It was quite a sight to see the usually composed Grand Marshal lose his composure like a flustered young man, and the guests were thoroughly amused.
Tears of laughter streamed down the matchmaker's face as she declared, "The ceremony is complete!"
The officials present were delighted to see the notorious Grand Preceptor lose face, and despite the embarrassment, he was beaming with joy at having acquired a wife. Only Yu Shi and Lin Wan'er looked dejected amid the festivities.
Yu Shi, in particular, was deeply affected by this turn of events.
The Grand Marshal's new wife was her daughter, yet she had been completely unaware of this fact. She should have been the one sitting in the place of honor, receiving the groom's respects, and taking the seat at the main table!
These complex emotions reached a climax when she saw Yu Li also seated at the main table, and she lost all sense of composure.
"Yu Li... Yu Li!" she called out, her voice tinged with madness as she made her way towards the main table, uncaring of those around her.
Several young ladies were startled by her expression, and they whispered among themselves.
"Isn't that the wife of the Marquis of Anyuan? What's wrong with her? She looks terrifying."
"I don't know, but I saw her at Lady Xing's banquet the other day, and she didn't look like this. She seemed very gentle then."
Ceng, the head steward, smiled as he blocked Yu Shi's path, "Thank you, Madam Yu. The seat for the Marquis of Anyuan's family is over there."
Ceng recognized Yu Shi, but the Grand Marshal had instructed that Yu Shi and Meng Xiaojiu were to be treated as strangers. She was to be accorded the treatment of a regular guest, nothing more.
"I..." Yu Shi's blood boiled within her, and she had to restrain herself from blurting out that she was the Grand Marshal's mother-in-law.
The words reached her lips, but she held them back.
She glanced at the main table and said, "I'm looking for Yu Li. I'm his paternal aunt."
Ceng smiled but did not invite her to the main table. Instead, he asked a maid to inform Yu Li of her presence.
Yu Li was chatting with Meng Tianlan when the maid delivered the message. Upon hearing it, the two men turned their gazes towards Yu Shi.
There was a chill in Meng Tianlan's eyes that caused Yu Shi to shudder involuntarily.
Yu Li approached her and said, "Aunt, let's speak outside."
The two of them walked to a nearby small garden, a quiet place where they wouldn't be disturbed by guests.
"You seem quite familiar with the Grand Marshal's residence," Yu Shi remarked.
"I've only been here once before, accompanying Third Uncle," Yu Li replied.
As they spoke, two passing maids bowed to Yu Li respectfully.
"Young Master Yu!" they greeted.
The maids also bowed to Yu Shi, addressing her as "Madam" in accordance with the customary greeting for guests.
Yu Shi's heart was filled with conflicting emotions.
After the maids had left, Yu Shi asked, her voice laced with disbelief, "You've only been here once?"
Yu Li had indeed only visited once, and during that visit, Ceng had shown him around the Grand Marshal's residence, excluding only the interrogation room and the dungeon.
He understood what was shocking his aunt, for although he had visited the Marquis' mansion three times, his aunt had always worried that he would offend the elderly madam or others, so she had asked him to stay only in her and the Marquis' courtyards.
Yu Li had no idea what the Marquis' mansion looked like, and most of the servants didn't recognize him either.
He had no intention of arguing with Yu Shi, and cut straight to the point. "Aunt, you didn't come to see me just to talk about this, did you?"
Yu Shi, whose emotions had just begun to settle, was once again agitated. "What's the deal with your cousin? Didn't she marry a long time ago? Why is she now the bride of the Grand Marshal? Why didn't you tell me about her situation sooner?"
Yu Li hit the nail on the head. "Aunt, did you ever ask?"
Yu Shi was taken aback.
Yu Li continued, "The year your cousin married and moved to the capital, our family sent you a letter, asking you to look after her, even if you didn't recognize her as family. All we asked was for you to visit her from time to time."
Yu Shi pouted, "The Marquis was assigned to a post in the west, and I accompanied him to Xicheng. What could I have done? Should I have stayed in the capital alone just for her?"
Yu Li couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Her husband died, and both the Meng family and the Yu family sent people to bring her back, but she refused. She remained a widow for five long years! I can't even imagine what kept her in the capital. Was she hoping that by staying, she'd get to see her mother just once?"
Yu Shi was shocked. "Her husband is dead? She remarried?! How could a remarried woman become the wife of the Grand Marshal?"
And to be treated with such respect!
The Grand Marshal is an influential official, so respected that even the Emperor addresses him as 'Elder'. Who would have thought he would bow to a remarried woman?
Disappointment filled Yu Li's eyes. "Is that all you care about, Aunt?"
He didn't want to say another word to his aunt.
Yu Shi watched as Yu Li walked away without so much as a glance back. "Yu Li, stop right there! I'm ordering you to stop! I'm your aunt! Don't you dare disobey me! I said, stop!"
But Yu Li kept walking, ignoring her commands.
Upon returning to the table, Yu Li's mood was noticeably downcast.
It was a day of great joy, but encountering such an incident would dampen anyone's spirits.
Meng Tianlan patted him on the shoulder. "Don't be sad."
Yu Li lowered his head. "I'm sad for my cousin."
Meng Tianlan glared at him. "What do you have to be sad about? Among your peers, she's the most admirable and fortunate! You should be sad for yourself. If you don't amount to something after three years at the Imperial College, wait and see how your father deals with you!"
"Yes, Uncle," Yu Li replied.
Yu Li was a respectful and obedient young man, not just to Meng Tianlan but to most of his elders. If it weren't for his aunt's cold-heartedness...
He didn't want to dwell on unhappy thoughts on his cousin's wedding day. Changing the subject, he asked, "By the way, Uncle, where's my cousin? I want to find her."
Meng Tianlan quickly pulled him back to his seat. "You fool, the newlyweds have retired to their nuptial chamber. What are you looking for?"
The nuptial chamber.
Meng Qianqian sat quietly on the bridal bed.
Lu Yuan sat beside her, his face cold and distant.
Tan'er had gone to find Baozhu Zhu, while Banxia and Li Mama guarded the outside.
They had no idea what was happening inside the chamber. Why was the Grand Marshal taking so long? Shouldn't he be out greeting the guests?
Meng Qianqian, still wearing her bridal veil, fiddled with the pearl tassels on her wedding dress.
The dress made by Yun Niang was truly beautiful, with large, round pearls. But she had counted them over a dozen times, and the Grand Marshal still hadn't lifted her veil. Was he planning to sit like this all night?
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
