Chapter 238.1: Wedding Night
The previous two children held the dragon and phoenix candles in front leading the way. Li Hong Yuan, using the red silk flower, led along Jing Wan towards the direction of the bridal chamber. The wedding hall was in the main hall of the front courtyard, and the bridal chamber in the main rear court. In the vast qinw.a.n.g manor, this distance wasn’t short, especially since Jing Wan even has to walk stepping on the rice sacks step by step. The five sacks of rice was spread out in a row, and every time she walked pa.s.s one, the servant girl will just pa.s.s on to the front to spread out onto the red felt. ‘Carrying on the ancestral line, five generations in one hall’[1].
The rice sack was placed smoothly, and aside from her line of sight being blocked, step by step, Jing Wan walked rather steadily.
Stopping in front of the bridal chamber’s door, Jing Wan step over the brazier at the door.
Under the matron of honor’s guide, Jing Wan and Li Hong Yuan stopped by the bed, just first going up a step, pa.s.sing through the ‘door’, then walking two steps to reach the bedside. Very good, from now on, start using the babu bed.
(T/N: You can kinda see how the babu bed has a step to go up and ‘door’ to pa.s.s through before getting to the actual bed.)
The man to the left, the woman to the right. Originally, Li Hong Yuan should have the right side of his upper garment pressed on top of the left side Jing Wan’s upper garment, yet he was like as if he’d forgotten the rules again, their clothes just side by side, neither having a gap, nor overlapping.
Once, perhaps it was having forgotten, but what about two three times? Not ‘hiding’ when entering the gate, not kneeling down first during the kneeling ritual, and not suppressing the bride when sitting on the bed, the intention of having the wife held high couldn’t be more obvious. Then, why exactly was Jin Qinw.a.n.g doing this?
However, at this time, probably no one would stupidly go remind him either.
Next was scattering the sheets. A room full of womenfolk, Sun Yi Jia and the others that saw off the bride, and the various n.o.ble madams of the imperial household——-regardless of what they were thinking. All in all, the room was completely packed. This while, everyone set to the task all at once, giggling as they continuously scatter the jujube, peanuts, guiyuan, lotus seeds, and such items, saying auspicious words while scattering.
Everywhere in the room, on the bed, and naturally also on Jing Wan. Speaking of which, these things, if exerting a little strength, landing on the body, it would still be quite painful, but with the living Enma watching at the side, even if his expression was tranquil, completely just a quiet male beauty, just every time someone had the things scattered towards Jing Wan, his line of sight would always look towards that person. And they would always feel in that glance, his eyes just darkening a little, seemingly wanting to have you remembered, and then………….Thus, they would always stiffen, subconsciously lightening their strength, or just take a turn, scattering in another direction.
In the end, there were only a few things in Jing Wan’s bosom, letting some people can’t help but recall the time when they got married, nearly having gotten buried. Not only so, it even hurt quite terribly. After all, some people just maliciously want to mess with people. This was just the disparity. Perhaps, they can use the excuse of ‘the bride didn’t get as many blessings as them’ to balance their heart.
As for their true thoughts, probably only they themselves would know.
After scattering the sheets, the matron of honor fetched over the weeding steelyard[2]. Li Hong Yuan got up, taking the wedding steelyard, lightly lifting the veil on Jing Wan’s head. Jing Wan slightly lifted her head, and Li Hong Yuan’s gaze became exceptionally gentle and loving. Clearly it long wasn’t the first time seeing this kind of gaze from him, and moreover, compared to other newlyweds, towards each other, they can be considered familiar to the point that they can’t be more familiar, yet strangely there was the illusion of ‘one glance, ten thousand years’. Afterwards, Jing Wan strangely blushed, rapidly lowering her head.
Li Hong Yuan lightly hooked the corner of his mouth. Today’s Wan Wan was exceptionally beautiful. On normal days, she very rarely wore red, yet unknowingly, she was actually this lovely when wearing, making his heart restless, even wanting to directly have the people all kicked out, advancing his wedding night. Perhaps in the future, can buy her some more red colored clothes.
“This is having gotten struck dumb from seeing the bride? However, the bride is truly beautiful.”
With someone teasing, the others also echoed along with while giggling. Jing Wan right now just need to lower her head and pretend to be bashful.
Li Hong Yuan put down the wedding steelyard, finally sitting back down again.
At this time, the servants also brought over offspring dumplings. The matron of honor carried it before Jing Wan, picking one up and feeding it to Jing Wan.
The dumpling was very delicately made, able to eat one in one bite. As Jing Wan subconsciously chewed, she finally recalled, this thing seemingly was half-cooked, and should directly be swallowed, but after chewing, Jing Wan discovered, it was fully cooked. She lightly shot a glance at Li Hong Yuan out of the corner of her eye, and he also quietly stared at Jing Wan.
“To give birth or not?” The matron of honor asked with a smile.
“Give birth.” Jing Wan said against her heart.
(T/N: The word for ‘to give birth’ and raw are the same character 生 in chinese. So it’s both asking whether she will give birth or not, and asking whether or not it was raw.)
The matron of honor fed her two more before finally letting go.
The servant girl then brought over two cups of wine. In reality, wealthy families for the most part all no longer use bottle gourd as the cup for drinking the nuptial wine. Based on each different social cla.s.s, and the difference in degree of wealth, the cup used naturally was different.
The cups were connected by a red thread. Jing Wan and Li Hong Yuan each took a cup, turning face to face, slightly lifting the cup, drinking half, then swapping cups, and drinking the rest of the wine in the cup.
The matron of honor’s auspicious words just freely flew out, and the others also endlessly teased, yet this didn’t have any effect on the two newlyweds. Jing Wan was truly calm, and as for Li Hong Yuan, when he wanted to pretend, regardless of who, all won’t be able to tell what he was truly thinking inside.
After drinking the nuptial wine, it was subsequently the hair binding rite. The matron of honor used the scissors to cut a strand of Li Hong Yuan’s hair, and then cut a strand of Jing Wan’s. Don’t a.s.sume that because the bride’s hair was tightly coiled, and also can’t dismantle the phoenix crown, this hair just couldn’t be cut. In reality, when combing the hair, a tuft was already set aside, and this tuft of hair can very easily be taken down, not having the slightest influence.
The servant girls received the hair from the two of them, mixing in the red thread and nimbly tying into a heart knot, hanging it at the head of the bed. From here on out, their body and soul will be forever bounded together, never to separate.
(T/N: This is a heart knot, which is really ‘同心’ meaning ‘same heart’ or ‘connected at the heart’.)
The ones currently in the room rather wanted to continue messing with the bride, but unfortunately the groom was also sitting there, not leaving, just quietly staring at them. The desire to kick out couldn’t be more obvious. Want to torment his wife? Heheh, never mind the ‘door’, the door crack didn’t even exist[3]. As such, without even needing the people of the maiden family’s help, these people just obediently left.
That’s why, this living Enma’s reputation, often times, was still very useful. If not for him, facing these n.o.ble madams of the imperial family, the people of the bride’s maiden family really didn’t have a way of ‘kicking’ them out. And if encountering some that would go overboard, the bride most likely will have to suffer all kinds of grievances. Without a comparison, it was just difficult to distinguish between good and bad. Jing Wan’s zhoulis, which one didn’t get messed with. Although it didn’t go overboard, not a single one was s.h.i.+elded by their newly-wedded husband. But after seeing s.h.i.+, Ci, Ge, Fu, the four servant girls, their hearts balanced somewhat again.
Once the irrelevant people were all gone, Li Hong Yuan reached out and embraced Jing Wan, immediately kissing.
Jing Wan hurriedly reached out to block him, but how could she block. Li Hong Yuan, after ruthlessly kissing her thoroughly, finally let go. The lip rouge on Jing Wan’s lips, for the most part, all got eaten by him, yet he still licked his lips, wis.h.i.+ng to continue. Staring at Jing Wan, that gaze truly was like wis.h.i.+ng to have her swallowed alive.
Jing Wan swallowed her saliva, s.h.i.+fting backwards. That said, this man was also dazzling and fragrant, so to actually use his male charms to seduce her, too unfair. Right now, they were already legitimately husband and wife. Getting teased as such, Jing Wan was afraid she might lose control and directly pounce on him. “w.a.n.gye should go out.”
“Heh…………” Li Hong Yuan softly laughed, “Wan Wan don’t worry, already waited that long, so unlikely to not be able to wait until nighttime.” If it was up to him, he would’ve directly consummated the marriage right now, who’d want to bother with those people outside. However, in this case, his little darling will get criticized by other again. Already having taken ninety-nine steps, this last step wasn’t that big of a deal either.
Jing Wan gave a ‘deadpan’ face. Li Hong Yuan knew she wasn’t angry, but rather having nothing to say. He became increasingly amused, reaching out to sc.r.a.pe the tip of her nose, “I’ll be going then. In the room, no need to restrain yourself. I had someone prepare a table of dishes for you, so don’t have yourself starved. If you don’t like, or perhaps having something you want to eat, just directly tell them.”
Jing Wan nodded her head, really was increasingly talkative. This style isn’t right, okay? Speaking of which, this should be a completely unfamiliar place, but in reality, these decorations were quite similar to the ones in her boudoir back in the Luo Manor, just this place was much bigger, that’s all. Additionally, the people that originally served her were also all here, so she really wasn’t that restrained.
Li Hong Yuan leaned over and kissed her again before finally preparing to leave.
Gong mama very calmly handed him a handkerchief, letting him wipe away the lingering lip rouge on his lips.
The banquet was a flowing banquet, lasting from now all the way until nighttime.
Speaking of which, regardless whether it was the Head Minister of Appointments Manor, or Jin Qinw.a.n.g Manor’s side, all can’t be neglected. As such, quite a few people all accepted invitation from both sides today. The same family, deciding on which side to attend as guests, all need to properly consider. This was a ‘burden’ and also an honor. After all, for families that were able to visit both sides at the same time, they still needed to have status and background.
[1] 传宗接代 – Chuan zong jie dai; carrying on the ancestral line, this phrase is being represented by the rice sacks getting pa.s.sed; just a.s.sume at this point that everything is going to be a pun, 传(chuan – pa.s.s on) 种(zhong – seed) 接(jie – receive) 袋(dai – sack).
[2] The rod of a steelyard balance is used to lift the wedding veil, it’s for auspicious purposes. I added picture of what a normal steelyard balance scale looks like, what a one used for a wedding would look like, and a picture of how it’s used.
[3] The word for ‘no way’ in chinese is 没门儿 which literally translates to ‘no door’.
T/N: Bonus when I was looking up the babu bed again, the price is in yuan which converts to only $139,748,699.86 USD and last I checked it’s still in stock. It’s made from red sandalwood too, which I think is illegal to farm for now.