Concubine Fang's lips trembled slightly, her chopsticks unsteady in her hand, until she finally set them down.
"Master wouldn't really let Yaoying marry into the He family, would he?" She looked at the man pleadingly, hoping to hear a firm answer from him, but unfortunately, his expression remained indifferent.
Concubine Fang continued on her own, "Ren Yaohua married the head of the Lei Family, Ren Yaoqi is marrying into the Yanbei Prince's Mansion—how could their own younger sister marry someone like that? Master surely wouldn’t agree, he wouldn’t!"
The man glanced at Concubine Fang but offered no response, turning instead to leave. His duty was only to relay the news from outside to this woman; anything else was none of his concern.
Concubine Fang muttered nervously under her breath, "It shouldn’t be like this... It shouldn’t... My children’s fates are all good... better than anyone else’s..."
As she spoke, tears streamed down her cheeks, though she seemed unaware of them.
The next day, as dawn had just broken, Ren Yaoqi was awakened by her maid. The matrons from the Yanbei Prince's Mansion led a procession of maids carrying trays and various boxes into Ren Yaoqi’s west wing.
Ren Yaoqi’s boudoir was relatively spacious, but with over twenty people entering, it suddenly felt crowded.
The matrons and maids were all beaming with smiles, offering a collective curtsy to Ren Yaoqi before each taking up their duties. They attended to her bathing, dressing, grooming, and makeup. Despite the large number, they were well-trained and worked in an orderly, quiet manner without any chaos.
The scented bathwater was specially prepared, fragrant yet subtle, not overpowering. A woman’s bath on her wedding day was a ritual to ward off evil and pray for blessings, meant to cleanse impurities and seek good health.
The weather that day was splendid. After several overcast days, the sun shone brightly—a very auspicious sign. However, while the omen was good, it also meant Ren Yaoqi would suffer more discomfort, as her wedding attire consisted of multiple layers, each adding to the complexity.
Ren Yaoqi’s auspicious gown was a pale yellow, with a total of eight layers. Though each layer was not particularly heavy, wearing them all together felt stiflingly hot. Yet, as this was a tradition passed down by ancestors and something she would wear only once in her lifetime, Ren Yaoqi endured it.
The matrons and maids from the Yanbei Prince's Mansion were meticulous, carefully smoothing out even the slightest wrinkles on the gown. The bathing and dressing alone took a full hour.
The matron who came to comb Ren Yaoqi’s hair was someone she didn’t know, an elderly woman said to be blessed with both sons and daughters. Ren Yaoqi sat quietly before the dressing table, listening as the matron chanted softly while combing her hair. In that moment, she felt a sudden daze, as if she had only just realized she was about to become a married woman.
In her previous life, Ren Yaoqi had also harbored vague fantasies about her future husband in her youth. Like any ordinary girl, she couldn’t help but wonder what kind of person he would be and whether he would love her. But fate played its tricks, and after leaving Yanbei, Ren Yaoqi never again entertained thoughts of marriage. Even those faint, youthful fantasies gradually faded from her memory, never to be recalled.In this lifetime, Ren Yaoqi initially only thought of changing the fate of her closest relatives; she never expected to meet Xiao Jingxi.
At this moment, Ren Yaoqi couldn’t help but carefully recall whether the person she had yearned for in her youth bore any resemblance to Second Young Master Xiao. After reflecting for a long time, she still couldn’t reach a conclusion.
Ren Yaoqi thought there must be some similarities, right? If it weren’t for his poor health and his rare appearances in public, a man like Xiao Jingxi would be the dream lover in the hearts of most women in this world.
Lost in these wandering thoughts, Ren Yaoqi snapped back to reality when she felt a weight on her head. Three or four maids were gathered around her, helping her put on the phoenix crown. The double-happiness, kingfisher-feathered, three-phoenix crown was nearly six or seven inches tall. Although it wasn’t solid inside for ease of movement, the abundance of pearls and jade still made her head feel heavy.
The matron helping Ren Yaoqi with the crown noticed her slight movement and chuckled, “Is the young lady not used to it? You’ll get accustomed after wearing it a few more times. From now on, you’ll need to wear formal attire and the crown during festivals and ancestral ceremonies. When the Princess Consort first married into the mansion, she wasn’t used to it either, but she adapted after wearing it often.”
Ren Yaoqi smiled at her and sat up properly.
By the time Ren Yaoqi was fully dressed and groomed, half the day had already passed.
There was still some time before the Yanbei Prince’s Mansion would come to fetch the bride. Pingguo secretly brought Ren Yaoqi a bowl of bird’s nest porridge and two plates of pastries.
Ren Yaoqi was indeed a little hungry. When Ren Yaohua got married, she had also eaten something, but Ren Yaoqi was worried about the many rules in the Yanbei Prince’s Mansion. Moreover, with a room full of people watching her, she couldn’t bring herself to eat. So, she asked Pingguo to set the food aside and didn’t touch it.
However, the lead etiquette matron from the Yanbei Prince’s Mansion smiled and said, “We servants will wait outside and return shortly to touch up your lip color.” Worried that Ren Yaoqi might feel embarrassed, she added, “There’s still some time before the auspicious hour. You should have a little something to eat, or you’ll feel very uncomfortable.”
With that, the etiquette matron led the others out of the room.
Pingguo brought the bird’s nest porridge over to Ren Yaoqi, who accepted it and took small sips. She also ate a few pieces of pastry, and having something in her stomach indeed made her feel much more comfortable.
After Ren Yaoqi finished eating, Pingguo brought tea and a spittoon for her to rinse her mouth.
Seeing Pingguo’s calm and steady demeanor, Ren Yaoqi smiled and said, “The Yuan family must be getting impatient, right?”
Pingguo blushed and stammered, “No…” After glancing at Ren Yaoqi, she added earnestly, “I want to stay by your side and serve you forever. If… if I get married, I won’t be able to serve you closely anymore.”
Her serious expression amused Ren Yaoqi, who shook her head and said, “That won’t do. Sister-in-law Yuan would blame me. The Yuan family has already waited for you for several years.”
Ren Yaoqi had originally planned to arrange Pingguo and Yuan Dayong’s wedding before her own, making the Yuan family her accompanying servants. However, since the Yuan family were originally servants of the Ren Family, and Ren Yaoqi’s branch had severed ties with the Ren Family, she had to put in some effort to free the Yuan family from the Ren Family. As a result, the wedding was postponed until after her own.The Yuan family naturally had a thousand and ten thousand reasons to be willing to follow her. Although Sister-in-law Yuan had long desired Pingguo as a daughter-in-law, having waited for several years already, waiting a few more months was nothing. After all, this daughter-in-law wasn’t going anywhere.
However, when Pingguo heard Ren Yaoqi say this, her expression darkened slightly.
Ren Yaoqi glanced at her with a smile. "Once you’re married, you’ll be able to help me manage the courtyard. Won’t you still be serving by my side?"
Only then did Pingguo cheer up again.
The former housekeeper, Granny Xu, who had been by Ren Yaoqi’s side, had returned home some time ago because her son had fallen ill. Ren Yaoqi had given her a considerable sum of money so she could focus on treating her son at home.
Ren Yaoqi had initially kept Granny Xu by her side to probe her true intentions. Later, although she learned that Granny Xu had not intentionally harmed Ren Yaohua back then, Ren Yaoqi no longer blamed her, though she still felt somewhat uneasy about it.
After Granny Xu returned home, Ren Yaoqi did not seek another housekeeper for herself. She thought that Xiao Jingxi’s courtyard likely already had its own manager, so she would let things proceed as they naturally would.
As for the affairs within her own quarters, she planned to entrust them to Pingguo and Sangshen, having one manage internal affairs and account books, and the other oversee the maids in the rooms. Both Pingguo and Sangshen had been carefully trained by her over the years, and she was accustomed to relying on them. The two maids, Leshan and Leshui, were still young and not yet in a hurry to be married off, so they could remain by her side for a few more years to attend to her closely.
In addition to these four senior maids, Ren Yaoqi also had four accompanying maids: Chunyan, Chunlan, Qiulian, and Qiuxiang. All were selected by Nanny Zhou and meticulously trained. They were around eleven or twelve years old, clever and quick-witted. Nanny Zhou had deliberately chosen younger ones, not only because they were easier to train but also so they could take over once the senior maids were married off. This way, Ren Yaoqi would not be left without capable helpers.
Ren Yaoqi was quite satisfied with these four young maids and intended to have her senior maids guide them well so they could be of great use in the future.
Xiao Jingxi arrived at the Ren Family at the hour of Shen (around 3–5 p.m.). The timing of the wedding was said to be carefully chosen, calculated by the etiquette officials of the Prince’s Mansion based on the birth dates of the two newlyweds.
Before Xiao Jingxi entered, the Ren Family had already set off ceremonial cannons in advance. Several nannies came to lead Ren Yaoqi to bid farewell to Master Ren and Madam Li. Originally, Ren Yaoqi should also have bid farewell to the ancestors of the Ren Family, but since Master Ren had been expelled from the family, there was no ancestral hall here with the Ren family’s ancestral tablets. Instead, an incense altar was set up in the courtyard for Ren Yaoqi to pay respects to various deities.
When bidding farewell to her parents, Madam Li couldn’t hold back her tears. With both daughters married, a mother’s heart still felt sorrowful. Master Ren, looking at his daughter dressed in wedding attire, also felt reluctant to part. In his heart, he had actually wished for Ren Yaoqi to stay a few more years. Now that his daughter was married, there would be no one left to appreciate paintings and calligraphy with him.
After bidding farewell to her parents, Ren Yaoqi was taken back to wait for Xiao Jingxi to escort her out. The customs of the Yanbei Prince’s Mansion were different. Ren Yaoqi did not need to be carried out by a brother from her family. Instead, a large red felt carpet was laid from her feet all the way to the bridal sedan outside. Ren Yaoqi was to walk out together with Xiao Jingxi.Xiao Jingxi was also dressed in a crimson-yellow ceremonial robe today, marking the first time he had ever worn such a vibrant color in public, as his usual formal attire was black.
As Second Young Master Xiao walked along, he effortlessly captured the attention of everyone who laid eyes on him.
What a dashing young man, truly captivating. I would gladly pledge my life to him, without a single regret.
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