Chapter 235.1: Wedding 1
The next morning, more and more people came to add dowry for Jing Wan.
Even some people that she was just relatively familiar with also visited. As such, the people coming in and out of the Luo Manor was endless, and the things they gave her were also relatively valuable. However, after getting ‘eye washed’ by the things Li Hong Yuan sent over, no matter how expensive of an item, Jing Wan was all able to remain calm. En, her scope has rose not just one or two levels.
In the afternoon, the dowry was lifted out of the Luo family gates load by load. Such an ample dowry was more than enough for quite a few people to enthusiastically discuss about for a very long period of time. And as the various relatives of the imperial family, the things displayed on the surface, rather, wasn’t likely to make them feel anything, and the ones in the chest, for the sake of maintaining their own dignity, they also won’t look into, but they were all very certain, there were many many good things in the chests. The things Jin Qinw.a.n.g sent to the Luo family, would they be inferior?
The relatives and descendants of the imperial family, from top to bottom, aside from the Emperor’s branch, the others, don’t look at how they have a national surname, their relation was similarly getting pulled further and further apart, the n.o.bility rank dropping rank by rank, and in the end, just an ordinary commoner. And if they don’t work hard themselves, then perhaps in the end, they’d be even less than commoners. The Emperor possessed the world, could it be that he would still care about relatives outside of five relations? Multiplying down like rabbits generation by generation, don’t know how many descendants there were. It’s not like he was that bored.
As such, even if some people still hold a junw.a.n.g t.i.tle, in reality, their family have already become poor, especially those not favored by the Emperor. And as the wife, their family background actually weren’t considered high to begin with, the good things they’ve seen also limited, so towards these, they naturally drooled with desire. However, to maintain their own status, they all must uphold themselves, not only can they not lose their bearing, they also need to have a calm and disdaining look. If they lose face, and get kicked out, the consequences definitely isn’t something they can bear.
From Jing Wan’s first-rank servant girls, Qing Zhu and Qing Lan led the other dowry servants and proceeded ahead. Originally, they were still a bit overcautious, worrying that the qinw.a.n.g manor’s rules will be numerous, and making a mistake will make their miss lose face. But who knew that the people of the qinw.a.n.g manor had them appropriately taken care of, and for miss’s dowry, they’d also long sorted out a specific courtyard to store, completely not needing them to do anything. And as the head steward, Eunuch Mu further circled around Qing Zhu and Qing Lan shamelessly calling older sister left and right, even more polite and attentive than the little servant girls of the Luo family.
Precisely as the saying goes, ‘being overly attentive and fawning for no reason, if not wicked, then corrupt’. As such, it instead made the two of them even more on guard.
Eunuch Mu rubbed his nose, rather speechless. What was that, he was merely wanting to build a good relations.h.i.+p with the people by w.a.n.gfei’s side in advance. Anyone who helps him say a few good words in front of w.a.n.gfei, for him, perhaps it’ll all be a great benefit.
But they don’t know you want to increase social points with their master, they just know that you’re w.a.n.gye’s close serving eunuch, the manor’s head steward. In their eyes, can be considered in a high position, and under normal circ.u.mstances, their own master, after marrying in, all need to give some face. It should be them trying to court favor. They haven’t even done anything yet, yet you already did something completely unfitting of your status first, so naturally the thorns were erect all over, guarding against your evil intentions.
If Eunuch Mu knew of these two’s thoughts, probably just two words———-so wronged!
Speaking of which, among the servant girls, Qing Zhu’s age was the biggest. Originally, prior to Jing Wan marrying, they were going to look for someone that they can entrust her to for the rest of her life for her, but the plans couldn’t keep up with the changes. Jing Wan’s marriage was at least a year earlier than antic.i.p.ated. However, even if she’d married, in the end, she probably would still become a dowry servant.
At night, Zhang-s.h.i.+ came over to Jing Wan’s side, waving away all the servants.
“Mother, this late, is something the matter?” Jing Wan somewhat puzzlingly asked.
Zhang-s.h.i.+ suspiciously took out a thing, looking to her own daughter stuttering.
As soon as Jing Wan saw her like this, then looking to the shape of the thing wrapped using a brocade cloth in her hand, she roughly understood. This was the adult teachings prior to marrying. However, it was obvious, her mother wasn’t a qualifying instructor, stammering for half a day, unable to say a single word. In the end, under Jing Wan’s ‘suspicious’ gaze, she just quickly shoved the thing into her hands, “Wan Wan, properly look over on your own, mother will go back first.” Like as if something was chasing her, Zhang-s.h.i.+ left very quickly.
Jing Wan laughed in spite of herself, but still picked it up, wanting to see what Qi Yuan’s erotic drawings were like. Removing the brocade cloth on the outside, she causally flipped a few pages. Truthfully speaking, the characters weren’t good-looking enough, but the important areas were much clearer than antic.i.p.ated.
Setting aside Jing Wan’s past life, towards the things in this area, she really wasn’t completely blank. But even so, in this life, with a certain misbehaving b.a.s.t.a.r.d, even if they didn’t reach the last step, you think he just won’t say? On one hand, deliberately, lowering his voice, telling her by her ear, and on the other hand, even indicating with his hands, having Jing Wan restlessly stirred up.
Jing Wan instantly had the book slammed shut, throwing to one side. The man inside, compared to a certain someone, was far too inferior. What fun is there looking at him? Moreover, Jing Wan raised her eyebrow, this book perhaps was even a source of disaster. According to a certain someone’s magical train of logic, would he, because she looked at ‘another man’s’ body, randomly eat flying vinegar again? The one to suffer a calamity would still be her.
(T/N: Jing Wan’s complaint about the male models in the book being too ugly to look at is just lmaooooo.)
When Gong mama came in, Jing Wan was currently using a silver pick to fiddle the lamp with, lightly opening her mouth, “Mama, have this book taken out and burned.”
Gong mama walked forward, picking up the book on the recliner, immediately knowing what it was, “Miss, this thing for the bottom of the trunk can’t be burned. This is one of the necessary items of the dowry. Without it, it’ll be inauspicious.”
“Oh, then mama, just press it into the bottom of the trunk.” Jing Wan’s voice was still indifferent.
However, Gong mama who had a relatively good understanding of Jing Wan personality knew, her miss was just using calmness to cover up the nature of not wanting to discuss this matter, and the most basic reason why she didn’t want to discuss was still because she was embarra.s.sed.
Miss was immediately about to get married, and w.a.n.gye also can finally obtain what his heart desires. Although she long knew there would be such a day, and despite being somewhat happy, she was also somewhat dejected as if losing something.
Jing Wan completely didn’t expect that a certain someone would actually come visit at night again. Wasn’t it said that in the three days prior to the wedding, can’t meet?
Fortunately, aside from holding Jing Wan and sleeping, he didn’t do anything else either.
Then again, tomorrow, for Jing Wan, bathing and changing into the wedding clothes, it won’t be the people by her side doing it. If by chance there were markings on her body, that would really be big trouble.
Since he didn’t move, Jing Wan was also just hazy, and didn’t completely wake up, subconsciously leaning into his embrace.
Just, when she was about to fall asleep, Jing Wan recalled something, “Tonight, shouldn’t there be a boy sleeping together with you? Is it really okay for you to just leave like this?”
Towards this bit, Jing Wan also felt it was quite interesting. In the three days prior to the wedding, a little boy who has both parents alive will accompany the groom to sleep, and moreover, slept in the inside of the bed, called the ‘best man’. At night, need to give this little boy steamed buns, peanuts, and an egg to eat, the implied meaning ‘to give birth to a son’. And when leaving on the morning of the wedding, need to give him a red packet, commonly referred to as ‘raising out the urinal pitcher’.
(T/N: In chinese the word for best man ‘伴郎’ translates literally to ‘accompanying the groom’; the words for steamed bun, peanuts, and egg in chinese all have characters in them that allude to giving birth. Also I have no idea what the saying at the end means, when I looked it up, it just says that this is part of the marriage customs but doesn’t explain anything.)
The best man, just a few years old child, worlds apart from her past life.
“Our bed, how can I let unrelated people sleep on it.” Li Hong Yuan bluntly answered.
“So…………”
“Gave that child a bit of nerve calming medicine and threw to some other place. In any case, this prince isn’t one to abide by the rules.”
Jing Wan lifted her eyes and swept him a glance. Then, he really was someone whose words matched his actions?
T/N: The answer to last chapter was Zhang-s.h.i.+’s father, Jing Wan’s maternal grandfather being alive. In chapter 215, the author wrote that ‘Zhang father till his death didn’t rise beyond a fourth rank position’. And now he has magically rose from the dead lol. I had a bit of a double take when I was translating this chapter because of it. Although his character is minor enough that it really doesn’t make much difference whether he’s dead or alive.