She had been having wonderful dreams the entire night!
Ling Jingshu felt both mortified and vexed, her pretty face flushing so hot it was nearly on fire.
The candles in the room had already been lit, and they cast her blush into sharp, clear relief.
“Miss, it is so early in the morning — why is your face already red?” Bai Yu had no idea what had happened and laughed as she teased her: “The young master hasn’t arrived yet! You can blush and feel shy once he comes — there’s no rush now.”
Qiao Yun laughed and took up the thread: “Quite right! The young master won’t come to receive the bride until after noon. The ones arriving soon will all be the Ling Family’s relatives and friends. There is no need for Miss to be anxious or afraid.”
She wasn’t anxious or afraid at all — she just felt she couldn’t face anyone!
Ling Jingshu thought this in vexation, but there was no way she could open her mouth and explain.
On the day of the wedding, there were dedicated ceremonial matrons to handle the bridal grooming. Bai Yu and Qiao Yun attended to Ling Jingshu first — helping her into her everyday clothes and then seeing to it that she ate some breakfast.
The breakfast that morning would be the only chance to eat anything all day.
Once the ceremonial matrons arrived, Ling Jingshu would have to sit still and let herself be managed. Following the customs of the time, she would not be permitted to drink water or eat anything again until the evening.
Very soon, two ceremonial matrons arrived.
These two had been personally dispatched by the Wei Empress from within the palace. Both were past forty years of age; their skill at bridal grooming was extraordinarily refined, far surpassing that of ordinary ceremonial matrons. After a lifetime spent within the palace, their bearing too was beyond what common people could match.
The two ceremonial matrons took their places beside Ling Jingshu, and at once they carried an aura of total command.
“Bai Yu, go and prepare a basin of hot water. I am going to do the thread-removal on Ling Miss first.” One of the ceremonial matrons gave the order.
The other ceremonial matron instructed Qiao Yun: “In a moment I will comb Ling Miss’s hair and apply her makeup. It would be inconvenient to be disturbed. You wait outside the door. If anyone comes, ask them to wait outside. Only let people in once the grooming is finished.”
Bai Yu and Qiao Yun acknowledged this in unison and each went about their tasks.
There was nothing for Ling Jingshu to do. She simply let herself become a wooden figure, allowing the two ceremonial matrons to bustle and fuss as they pleased.
One hour later, the ceremonial matrons finally finished their work.
Ling Jingshu looked at the brilliantly beautiful young woman in the mirror — vivid, enchanting, beyond all words — and felt momentarily dazed.
Her appearance was just as it had been in her previous life, yet it was also distinctly different. The brilliance and beauty that poured from her eyes even startled herself.
“Ling Miss is already a beauty of breathtaking grace to begin with — now, all dressed and adorned like this, it is truly a beauty that could overturn kingdoms.” The ceremonial matron smiled and praised: “When the Imperial Physician Wei lifts the red veil this evening, he is certain to be struck speechless.”
The other ceremonial matron laughed and added her own remark: “Indeed! I have spent so many years in the palace, attending to so many ladies at their toilette. None of them can compare to Ling Miss.”
Ling Jingshu pressed her lips together in a soft smile, put on the shy expression becoming of a new bride, and lowered her head in silence.
……
The Ling Family members who had been waiting outside the door were finally permitted to enter.
Jiang Rongyue — carrying Junzi and with her large belly — Ling Jingyan with her blossoming figure, the smiling Sun Shi, and then Ling Wuye, Ling Xiao, Ling Ji, and all the others came in. Even Ling Old Madam had come.
“Grandmother is still not recovered — she should rest in her room. Why did you make the special effort to come?” Ling Jingshu hurried to her feet and went to meet Ling Old Madam.
Ling Old Madam had grown thinner; the wrinkles on her face were more pronounced than before, and her complexion was somewhat pallid and dull. Even so, her spirits were reasonably good. Hearing this, she smiled and said: “Today is the great happy day of your wedding. How could I, as your grandmother, not be here? Being able to see you wed with my own eyes — even if it tires me, I am glad in my heart.”
Ling Jingshu’s face was smiling, but inside she gave a cold snort.
It was not for her sake as a granddaughter that Ling Old Madam had forced herself to come — it was for the favour shown by the Wei Empress, plain and simple.
The Wei Empress had specially dispatched ceremonial matrons from the palace to lend her support and honour her. That kind of consideration and care was truly touching.
Ling Old Madam sat for a short while, then, unable to sustain the effort any longer, was helped away once more.
Guests soon began arriving at the Ling household to offer their congratulations. Ling Wuye, Ling Xiao, and the others went out to receive them. Even Jiang Rongyue accompanied Sun Shi out as well.
Only Ling Jingyan remained in the room to keep Ling Jingshu company.
Ling Jingshu’s gaze fell on Ling Jingyan’s belly and she could not help exclaiming in surprise: “Cousin Yan, your belly is so enormous! Could it be that you are carrying twins?”
Ling Jingyan’s belly was indeed startling in its size — already past seven months, and it jutted out round and full and extremely large.
Ling Jingyan replied with a cheerful grin: “A few days ago, a well-known physician in the capital took my pulse, and indeed there is a possibility of two. My father-in-law and mother-in-law are thrilled — they’ve brought in four midwives to stand by at the household.”
“Today they were not going to let me leave the household at all. I pleaded and pleaded before they relented. There are seven or eight maids and matrons attending on me. Honestly, I am perfectly strong and healthy — I’m not that fragile. And then there’s my husband — so worried he can barely function, following me about like a little shadow. If it weren’t inconvenient for him to enter your chambers, he’d have shamelessly followed me in by now.”
“Cousin Yan, stop lamenting when you’re sitting in abundance.” Ling Jingshu laughed. “Your husband is following you about because he cares for you.”
The smooth round contours of Ling Jingyan’s pretty face were full of happiness and sweetness. “After you are married, Wei Yan will certainly dote on you just the same.”
Thinking of Wei Yan, Ling Jingshu felt a warmth in her heart.
Today was their great and happy wedding day. Very soon, Wei Yan would ride here on horseback to marry her.
……
Because of the trouble with the Lu Family, Ling Daye had pleaded illness and stayed at home to keep his head down — avoiding suspicion — for a full two months.
Though the matter had not yet entirely blown over, this joyous occasion for the Ling household could not be handled with a low profile. It had to be celebrated with great fanfare and splendour.
Ling Daye had thought it over at length, then steeled himself and sent out a great stack of invitation cards. In his heart he hoped that even half of the recipients would come, and that would be considered respectable.
What he had not expected was that far more guests came to offer their congratulations than he had anticipated — and a good number even came uninvited.
These guests had all come on account of the Wei Empress and the Crown Prince’s Consort. The Wei Empress could not come in person but had dispatched two ceremonial matrons to the Ling household. The Crown Prince’s Consort, however, had come in person to the Ling household on this day. This honour and face-giving were enough to make everyone envious.
The entire Ling household was occupied with receiving guests, rushing about so frantically their feet barely touched the ground. The main hall, the inner hall, and the side parlours were all packed with people, and later-arriving guests had to be arranged in the main reception rooms of the various courtyard buildings.
Ling Daye swept away his earlier dejection and gloom, put on a beaming smile, and set about greeting guests with great enthusiasm.
Ling Wuye was even more gratified, thinking proudly to himself: I really did produce a fine daughter. All three sons put together couldn’t compare to Ling Jingshu alone.
In the days to come, he as the father-in-law would inevitably benefit from his son-in-law Wei Yan’s reflected glory. Never mind anything else — looking at today’s guests alone, every one of them was an official of the court, yet each and every one treated him, a mere holder of the civil examination degree, with exceptional warmth and friendliness.
Surrounded by the flattery of the crowd, Ling Wuye could not help but feel rather elated.
In the future, he would be better off simply accommodating Ling Jingshu in all things. Since Ling Jingshu disliked Li Shi, he would let Li Shi keep to herself and behave properly, and she was not to hover in front of Ling Jingshu again. Better not to stir up Ling Jingshu’s displeasure.
Indeed — that was decided!