Chapter 674 - Getting Married
In order to personally attend their young miss’s wedding, all the Yu Family"s shops were closed for the day and had signs that said "the owner has an event for celebration". The managers of these businesses, Yingtao, Yangliu, Hechun, and Xichun, were usually so busy every day that they rarely had the time to sit and rest their feet. Despite that, they all needed to congratulate their mistress on her special day.
As the complete fortune matron took a bold and resolute approach to her makeup, these loyal maidservants could only helplessly watch as their sweet and lovely young miss was turned into a white-faced, red-lipped blood-sucking monster.
Hechun"s makeup skills were good and she wanted to come forward and give her young miss a beautiful makeover. Unfortunately, she was an orphan and was a servant bought by the Yu Family. For auspiciousness, all the people invited to do the makeup for the bride were all people who were fortunate in all corners of their life. Sadly, this era"s makeup could only be described in one way: not flattering!
The complete fortune matron praised Xiaocao for having soft and silky black hair as she braided it and wound it around her head. She put on the head ornaments and was stopped by Xiaocao just as she was about to put on the headpiece, "It"s only morning. It"s still too early for me to get picked up. If I wear that for half a day my neck will break. How about waiting until the afternoon and let the maidservants put it on for me? Madam, you"ve worked hard. Ying Chun, please take the madam to the side hall for some tea and pastries!"
When the complete fortune matron heard there was good tea and pastries, her heart was full of joy. Who didn"t know that the tea and pastries of the Yu Family were the best in the capital? Unfortunately, with her ident.i.ty, she would never reach the level of Royal Princess Jinan. She got really lucky to be invited over to do makeup for Royal Princess Jinan, the future Princess Consort Xu. There was even tea and refreshments, how flattering!
Once the complete fortune matron left, Yu Xiaocao turned to Hechun and said, "Quick, help me wash this foundation off. How thick is this powder? It"s like I rolled out of the flour jar!"
Hechun was hesitant. Yu Xiaocao stared at her and said, "Is it because I"m getting married now so you don"t have to listen to my orders? I’m just telling you to wash it off and let you do my makeup, what are you worried about? You"ve followed me for so long, so when have I ever cared about societal views? If a couple"s happiness is affected by the status of the person who puts on your makeup, what"s the significance of such a fragile marriage?"
Wutong heard this and her expression changed slightly. She looked around the room and saw that the ones left in the room were all close servants. She breathed a sigh of relief and said in a placating manner, "Let"s not talk about such sad things! Today is your wedding! Hechun, you can do what the young miss tells you to do. When has our young miss’s decision ever been wrong?"
Seeing this, Hechun no longer hesitated. She picked up the cosmetics on the dressing table and gave her master a thin foundation layer. Her young miss’s skin was bright and clear, so using too much powder would appear thick and unnatural. The young miss’s eyebrows were very stylized, so just a slight sweep with the eyebrow brush was enough. For the area around the eyes, Hechun expertly drew on a fine line of eyeliner and blended in a faint pink eye shadow. This was paired with a pink blush and the corresponding lip color. This was the most suitable spring peach blossom makeup, natural and transparent, with a bit of sweet charm.
It had to be said that Hechun"s makeup skills were better than the one who taught her. No wonder the newly launched cosmetic products for Blossoming Beauty were selling so well! Hechun also sighed that her young miss’s base was so good that she didn"t need too much makeup to achieve the ideal effect.
Yingtao, who had just given birth to her eldest son, was a little plumper in shape. Her round face was full of joy, and she said with a smile, "Young Miss doesn"t normally dress up. With the make-up, she"s become a peerless beauty. It’s too bad that Imperial Prince Xu has gotten such
Yangliu glared at her and scolded with a smile, "Only you know how to be cheeky when the person in question is not around. When his highness comes to pick her up, if you dare to say that, then you"re my biological sister!"
Yangliu and Yingtao were born in the same year on the same month, so the difference in age between them wasn"t any more than a few days. Yingtao relied on her earlier birth by a few days and called herself the older sister all the time. Yangliu seemed honest but she wasn"t easy to fool. They had been quarreling about it for seven to eight years but they still hadn"t come to a conclusion. Yangliu"s words today were a dare that Yingtao wouldn"t dare to mess around in front of Imperial Prince Xu like this.
Sure enough, at the thought of the prince whose gaze could make hearts stop, Yingtao"s plump expression collapsed and she pouted unwillingly!
"Alright! You guys are all managers yet are still fighting so childishly. Be careful that your subordinates might see this! This might damage your image in front of them." Wutong persuaded the two maidservants.
Pipa was as quiet as ever, cleaning her young miss’s makeup box at the side with a small smile on her face. Yingtao, Yangliu and Pipa were the first to follow the young miss. Now Yingtao and Yangliu had become Xiaocao"s a.s.sistants in business, while Wutong and Pipa were in charge of the many matters in the courtyard. All of them had indispensable roles.
There was also Hechun, who was in charge of Blossoming Beauty and Xichun who was in charge of the cold storage and the canned preserved fruits workshop. There was also Yingchun and Tanchun, who were both the head maidservants in the courtyard and acted as the left and right hands of Xiaocao. These people were all going with her along with their businesses as part of her dowry once she married over.
The mistress and her servants were chatting and laughing in the inner courtyard but it was very lively outside. The whole street where the Yu Family was located was shrouded in a festive atmosphere and was filled with people. There were many people waiting to see the festivities. The dowry lineup yesterday had shocked the entire capital. To be able to witness the marriage of Royal Princess Jinan and Imperial Prince Xu was a once in a lifetime opportunity!
Among the people who came to give congratulations, there were those who came to give the couple their sincere blessings, those who came because of the two"s power and influence to gain some publicity and flatter them, and also those who came with the crowd to maintain their reputations... Everyone"s intent was different but they all had the same festive, happy smile on their faces.
As time went by, Xiaocao"s good friends gathered around her to congratulate her and appreciate her makeup. Those of them who had already gotten married especially admired her makeup.
He Wanning put out her hand and poked Xiaocao"s face twice, pouting unhappily, "Xiaocao, you"re too sly, hiding such a beautiful bridal makeup from us. When I got married, I had a pale white face and lips that looked like I just drank human blood. I didn"t even dare to look at myself in the mirror. Lu Hao"s surprise and dislike when he lifted the veil was clear to me. Hmph! I even thought of you like a sister, but you"ve actually hid such beautiful makeup."
Yuan Xueyan was alright. When she got married, the complete fortune ,atron revered her so she went with her requirement of having a lighter makeup, the lighter the better. However, all that could be said was that the makeup at least didn’t make her look worse.
Royal Princess Minglan and Li Mengqi were both older than Xiaocao by one or two years, and had gotten married in the past two years. Their makeup was also done by the complete fortune matrons...Ah, it was best not to mention the results!
"It"s not that I"m hiding it. In the past two months, our Blossoming Beauty has just come out with a new cosmetic line, right? Manager Hechun learned a few new makeup skills. Originally, we were originally planning to gain publicity using public activities. Today, I tried it on my face using this opportunity. You should know that I have no taboos, not like your families, sticking to traditions! Even if you guys didn"t get married first, and learned how to do this makeup, would your families allow Hechun to do your makeup for you?" Yu Xiaocao said this to save herself from her friends" complaints.
When they heard this, they looked at one another, and didn"t say anything more! Xiaocao was right, if just anyone could do their makeup then there wouldn"t be any need to invite some complete fortune matron over!
Li Mengqi and Yu Wanqing, who had set down their engagements, quietly squeezed in and talked to Xiaocao, "Elder Sister Yu, Manager Hechun"s makeup was taught by you right? So...when we get married, can we ask Older Sister Yu to help with our makeup?"
Yu Xiaocao pinched them on their red faces and said with a smile, "Do you know what a complete fortune matron is? In addition to the parents being alive and in a loving relations.h.i.+p, their brothers and sisters must be in harmony, and their various children must be still alive! If you can wait, maybe in three to five years, seven to eight years, when my son and daughter are born, I will do your makeup. The point is, can your fiance afford to wait that long?"
Yu Wanqing"s eyes were disappointed, but she said naively, "Maybe your first pregnancy will be twins that are boy and girl? Then next autumn, when I get married, you can help me with my make up... "
"I thank you for planning my first pregnancy as a girl and boy pair! The main thing is that having a child also depends on fate. How can they appear like when and how you want?" Yu Xiaocao couldn"t help pinching the young girl"s tender face, and she laughed until she cramped.
After Royal Princess Minglan married, she became much more mature. She looked at the two girls who didn"t know shame and said, "The two of you are unmarried girls. Talking about having children or not having children, don"t you know shame? It"s almost time for the escort group to arrive. Quick, put on the phoenix headpiece and wedding robes."
Xiaocao, who put on the whole set of clothing, surprised everyone present. The phoenix headpiece on top of her head was different from the traditional one. The gold base was in the unique and exquisite shape of a phoenix. It was decorated with festive rubies and fine diamonds, which were blinding. Before her forehead hung a few wisps of gold twisted ta.s.sels, which had glittering rubies dangling at the ends. This made Xiaocao"s delicate face seem even more charming and alluring.
The red wedding dress was an improved wedding dress in the Qi-style with a small collar, delicate b.u.t.tons, and was made of cloth that had a pattern of a n.o.ble peony in golden silk threads. The waist area was designed to look slender and elegant and the crystal ornaments at the neckline and sleeves made it seem even more elegant and luxurious. This wedding dress was carefully embroidered by Modiste Jiang for two months. After finis.h.i.+ng the embroidery, Modiste Jiang was reluctant to send it out. She repeatedly said that this wedding dress was the pinnacle of her weaving and embroidery career!
Just as they were all complimenting it, a sound of joy came from the front courtyard. "Coming, coming!" There was a stir coming from the outer courtyard.