Yan Peiyu came to pick up his bride full of joy, only to be blocked at the door by Shen Yan.
"Uncle Yan, if you want to marry my mother, you have to get past me first!"
Yan Peiyu's fists tightened. He had already made an agreement with Shen Yan to let him cut him some slack during the bride - fetching process. But this kid actually took the lead in blocking him!
However, he still had a beaming look on his face. "Bring on whatever you've got!"
Shen Yan took out a note and read from it. "For the first challenge, Uncle Yan, please compose a bridal - urging poem. You can only pass if everyone thinks it's good."
Yan Peiyu snorted. "What's so difficult about this?"
As a top - scorer in the imperial examinations, a bridal - urging poem was a piece of cake for him. He quickly won the applause of everyone present.
Shen Yan nodded, a hint of cunning flashing across his face. "For the second challenge, drink up all the wine on the table."
As Shen Yan finished speaking, a servant brought in a table. The cups stacked on it were like a small mountain. There were at least a hundred or so.
These were not the small wine - drinking cups but huge bowls as big as basins. Not even ten people could finish all the wine on this table, let alone one person.
Yan Peiyu was in a fix. Just as he was trying to figure out a way, Qin Heng rolled his eyes and walked towards the table.
"Ouch!"
As he got close to the table, he suddenly slipped and lunged forward, hitting the cups just right.
The whole table of wine crashed to the ground with a clatter.
Yan Peiyu couldn't help but give his friend a mental thumbs - up. True to his name as a brother, he was really reliable at this moment!
The situation outside was reported word - for - word to those inside. Hearing Qin Heng's vivid fall, everyone burst out laughing.
Blocking the door was just for good luck and not meant to deliberately make things difficult for the groom. So, thanks to Qin Heng, the second challenge was bypassed.
Qin Heng went off to change his clothes with a pained expression. With his performance today, shouldn't he get a separate table?
Although Shen Yan was not entirely satisfied with the result, he still opened the third note. "Uncle Yan, if you want to marry my mother, you have to show your sincerity. For this third challenge, please show your sincerity."
Sincerity?
This challenge seemed simple but actually had hidden nuances. Sincerity meant different things to different people. It was not only for those outside but also for the bride inside.
If they thought it was enough but the bride didn't, then this challenge wouldn't count as passed.
Yan Peiyu thought for a moment, then bowed with cupped hands. "I, a humble scholar, am willing to use all my wealth to marry Miss Liu. I will hold your hand and grow old with you. I will have only one wife in this lifetime and will never take a concubine."
"Hiss—"
As Yan Peiyu finished speaking, everyone gasped.
Not only was he willing to spend all his wealth to marry a woman, but also vow not to take a concubine. Even though Liu Xuan was the mother of the heir of the Duke Protecting the Country, she was just a merchant's daughter and a remarried woman in her late twenties. Yan Peiyu was still in his twenties and at the prime of his life. This...
In this era, girls got married in their teens. A twenty - year - old unmarried girl was considered an old maid, let alone a thirty - year - old remarried woman. She was truly a middle - aged woman.
The men thought it was impossible, and the women whispered to each other.
Everyone found it unbelievable.
Taking advantage of everyone's momentary stupefaction, Yan Peiyu led the charge and broke through the defense, rushing in.
"The groom is coming in! Quick, get the fan!"
"Where are the shoes? The shoes!"
"Help the bride out!"
The people inside were also quite surprised by Yan Peiyu's words.
It was not until someone shouted, "The groom is coming in!" that they woke up from their daze and started to scramble.
Shen Qing was not surprised. After all, she had come up with this question. It was another guarantee she had prepared for Liu Xuan.
As soon as Yan Peiyu entered the room, he saw Liu Xuan in her phoenix crown and embroidered robe. Every stitch of this wedding dress was embroidered by Liu Xuan herself. It looked stunning on her.
Yan Peiyu caught his breath. He couldn't wait to take away the fan and see the beauty's true face. But he was also afraid that others would see this beauty, so he felt quite awkward. He could only quickly lead the bride away.
Yan Peiyu naturally also saw Shen Qing inside. He nodded at her, then led Liu Xuan out of the door.
Normally, the bride should be carried out of the door by her brother. But Liu Xuan had severed ties with her family. Originally, Shen Yan was supposed to carry her out, but before Shen Yan could come forward, Yan Peiyu squatted down in front of Liu Xuan.
"Madam, get on my back."
Liu Xuan was startled. "This won't do. Let Yan'er do it."
Yan Peiyu said, "But today, I just want to carry you myself. If madam doesn't agree, I'll have to carry you out in my arms."
Liu Xuan bit her lip. Imagining that scene, she obediently got on his back.
"The bride is going out!"
Yan Peiyu was beaming. He carried Liu Xuan out of the door and all the way to the sedan chair. "Madam, sit tight. We'll be there soon."
"Okay." Liu Xuan nodded. If it weren't for the fan covering most of her face, Yan Peiyu would definitely have seen her blushing clearly.
How could he call her "madam" so naturally, as if he had called it many times before?
Yan Peiyu had, of course, rehearsed it in his mind many times. He took one last reluctant look at Liu Xuan, then lowered the sedan - chair curtain and turned to mount the tall horse in front.
The procession made its way with music and fanfare. After circling most of the capital, they finally arrived at Yan Peiyu's mansion.
There were many guests today. Many aristocratic families had also sent people, mostly because of their connection with Shen Qing and Shen Yan.
The other nine members of the Wenyuan Pavilion had also come early, waiting eagerly.
It was not only because of Yan Peiyu but also because they wanted to take this wedding as an opportunity to apologize to Shen Qing.
After working with her for some time, they had been convinced by her abilities and means. No wonder the Prince Rong, who had never been involved in politics before, could take over the government affairs seamlessly after the emperor's departure. Now it seemed that it was all thanks to Lady Lingzhang.
They had been too arrogant before and had failed to recognize her true worth.
As the sound of the music outside got closer, everyone realized that the groom and bride had arrived.
The procession stopped at the gate of the Yan Mansion.
"Lower the sedan chair!"
Yan Peiyu dismounted and immediately someone handed him a bow and arrow. Nowadays, after the groom brought the bride to his home, he would shoot three arrows at the sedan chair the bride was in to express good wishes.
After the three arrows landed steadily on the sedan - chair door, Yan Peiyu let out a sigh of relief. His archery skills were not very good, and he had been practicing archery for the past few months just for this moment on his wedding day. Fortunately, everything had gone smoothly.
"Madam, please get off the sedan chair."
Yan Peiyu stood in front of the sedan - chair door, holding one end of the red silk in his hand. He cleared his throat and said.
But after waiting for a while, there was no movement inside the sedan chair. Yan Peiyu's palms started to sweat a little. He repeated his words.
Then a fair hand reached out from inside the sedan chair.
Yan Peiyu let out a sigh of relief. He held her hand and led her out of the sedan chair.
Liu Xuan got off the sedan chair with the fan in her hand. The matchmaker quickly handed over the other end of the red silk.
One on the left and the other on the right, they held the red silk and walked towards the main hall. As they stood in the hall, everyone could see their appearance clearly.
The fan covered most of the bride's face, so it was hard to see her clearly, but the joy and pride on Yan Peiyu's face were unmistakable.
Before coming, no one had thought highly of this couple, but now, they actually seemed quite well - matched.
Just as the emcee was about to shout the start of the wedding ceremony, a voice suddenly came, "The Prince Rong is here!"