Glory

When Lu Guanyi escorted Ye Yaming into the bridal chamber, a crowd of female relatives followed behind to watch the excitement.

The bridal chamber was located in the inner courtyard, a place where outside men were forbidden to enter. However, since it was the Lu family's wedding day, female relatives were allowed to attend the ceremony and watch the bride unveil her red veil, giving everyone a chance to see what the bride looked like.

The wife of Zhenbei Marquis hadn't spotted her daughter yet. When someone took hold of her arm, she turned and saw it was An Jingning. Surprised, she lowered her voice and asked, "Why are you here?"

"Why can't I be here?" An Jingning said indignantly, tilting her chin toward the front. "I want to see what she looks like."

The wife of Zhenbei Marquis frowned slightly. "Ning'er, you're old enough to know how to behave properly. This is a marriage arranged by the Emperor himself—you can't cause any trouble."

An Jingning pouted. "I know."

The wife of Zhenbei Marquis glanced at her, then firmly grasped her hand and headed toward the bridal chamber.

She knew her daughter wouldn't rest until she had seen the bride's face. Whether the bride was beautiful or plain, once she had seen her, the matter would be settled.

Not to mention that this marriage had been decided by Lu Guanyi himself, but even if it were solely an imperial decree, it was unchangeable. No matter how stubborn her daughter was, she would have to let it go.

Meanwhile, Lu Guanyi wasn't as nervous as grooms who had never seen their brides before, but his grip on the ceremonial scale was tight, clearly showing his excitement.

"Master Heir, hurry and lift the veil so we can see the bride's radiant beauty!" some of the female relatives teased.

It was a joyous occasion, meant to be lively rather than quiet. In the past, when Lu Guanyi married, there would have been female relatives close to the Xuanwu Marquis Household in attendance to show their support.

However, Lu Guanyi's birth mother had passed away early, and he had no close connections among the noblewomen. Those who had been friendly with Shi Shi wouldn't dare show their faces at the Xuanwu Marquis Household—they would rather everyone forget they had ever associated with her.

Old Madam Ye was worried that without noblewomen present, the atmosphere in the bridal chamber would be too quiet and inauspicious, so she specifically invited female relatives from the Lu clan to liven things up.

Qi Furen, however, knew that many young women in the capital had once been smitten with Lu Guanyi's looks and wanted to marry him. But Lu Guanyi had always kept them at a distance, never showing them any favor. These women, now around nineteen or twenty, were mostly married. Yet, many still harbored resentment and were eager to see what kind of beauty Lu Guanyi had ended up marrying.

Some of them might even come to stir up trouble at the bridal chamber. As long as a few showed up, along with their maids and attendants, the chamber wouldn't be quiet. However, it was hard to say whether their words would be kind. Though this was an imperial marriage and they wouldn't dare say anything too offensive, some might still make sarcastic remarks to sour the mood.

Therefore, she didn't object to Old Madam Ye's suggestion.

As a result, several of the female relatives present had been specially invited by Old Madam Ye—all of them witty and eloquent. The one who had just teased Lu Guanyi was one of the Lu clan relatives.

"Brother Yi, you're used to wielding spears and clubs on the frontier—don't tell me you can't even hold a ceremonial scale steady!" another person joked.

This drew laughter from the crowd.

The room was filled with a festive atmosphere.

Lu Guanyi took a deep breath, moved the ceremonial scale horizontally in front of Ye Yaming, and slowly lifted the veil.

A beautiful face, slightly lowered, was revealed to everyone.Though the bride kept her head slightly lowered, her full forehead, high nose bridge, and long eye lines were clearly visible, revealing an excellent bone structure. With almond-shaped eyes and peach-blossom cheeks, she was undoubtedly a beauty. Yet her bowed head and downcast eyes kept her features partially obscured.

The onlookers were practically itching for Ye Yaming to lift her face and grant them a clear view.

The bride’s relatives and friends had turned back halfway after accompanying the wedding procession, leaving only the wedding matron hired by the groom’s side in the bridal chamber. This matron had been specially invited by Old Madam Ye, generously rewarded in advance, and repeatedly instructed by Old Madam Ye, Qi Furen, and Lu Guanyi.

During the bridal escort, she had already been struck by Ye Yaming’s beauty.

She understood best what everyone was thinking. At such a moment, who wouldn’t be curious about the bride’s appearance?

With a cheerful smile, she announced, “The bride and groom shall now drink the nuptial wine.”

On the red silk-covered wedding table nearby were festive candles, fruits, wedding candies, and two cups of wine. Just as someone moved to fetch the wine, Xia Momo—swift and unnoticed—had already produced a tray bearing two ladles carved from a gourd, each filled with wine.

She presented the nuptial wine to the couple.

Under normal circumstances, her action might have stirred a slight commotion, but at that moment, no one paid it any mind. Even those who noticed were quickly distracted by the collective gasps around them.

For Ye Yaming had lifted her face.

The first thing that captivated everyone was her extraordinarily beautiful eyes. Words failed to describe their brilliance—they shimmered like starlight, dazzling and soul-stirring. No praise seemed excessive for those eyes, let alone for her flawlessly sculpted, exquisite face.

It was a countenance of breathtaking beauty, one that could topple cities and captivate nations.

Her demeanor was equally exceptional—ethereal and immaculate, as if she had descended from the heavens.

“Heavens, she’s stunning.”

“So beautiful…”

The women who had resented Lu Guanyi for overlooking them and had hoped to mock Ye Yaming fell silent.

Someone murmured, “No wonder.”

Lu Guanyi had met Ye Yaming before and even traveled with her to Huizhou. He had assumed he would remain composed when the veil was lifted.

Yet now he stood utterly transfixed, staring blankly at Ye Yaming, his mind blank and his entire being floating as if on clouds.

He had always known Ye Yaming was beautiful—especially her eyes, which left an indelible impression after just one glance.

But he was not one to fixate on appearances. What he admired was Ye Yaming’s sharp intellect and broad perspective. He had never encountered a woman so intelligent, far-sighted, and magnanimous.

Yet at this moment, he was utterly, helplessly captivated by her beauty. He felt that for the rest of his life, no other woman would ever catch his eye. She was too beautiful, her image etched deeply into his heart and soul.

An Jingning, who had been staring intently at Ye Yaming, bit her lip tightly and gripped her mother, the Marchioness of Zhenbei’s, hand with such force that it hurt. Beyond the pain, the Marchioness could feel her daughter’s slight trembling.

She quickly patted her daughter’s hand and shot her a stern warning glance.

If An Jingning lost her composure here, it would become a monumental scandal, swiftly spreading through noble circles. And her daughter was still unmarried.

Heeding her mother’s warning, An Jingning finally snapped back to reality.She released her mother, biting her lip tightly as she lowered her head, her spirits utterly dejected.

She couldn't compare. At least in terms of appearance, she couldn't compare.

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