Steward Gu hurriedly stepped forward to smooth things over. “Fourth Young Master’s unrestrained behavior is nothing new. This servant should have informed Fourth Young Master of the rules beforehand.”
Gu Chaobei shrugged. “So I’m not allowed to express dissatisfaction? My apologies, my apologies. I truly didn’t know beforehand—I had no intention of embarrassing the Shen Manor. Should I paste this gift list back on then?”
Madam Shen’s face turned green with rage. Laughter erupted from outside, and many people pointed and whispered about the Shen family’s dowry piled to one side. Twenty boxes actually wasn’t a small amount, but after Fourth Young Master Gu’s little scene, idle gossips gathered together to mock the Shen family’s dowry.
Master Shen’s expression also darkened, the veins on his neck nearly bulging out. Gu Chaobei bowed to them in salute, returned the torn piece of the gift list to Madam Shen, then went to fetch the new bride as if nothing had happened.
“Steward, come with me!” Madam Shen stamped her foot in fury and, calling for Steward Shen, retreated to the courtyard where the dowry was stored.
“Add ten more boxes—brocade or daughter’s red wine, whatever you can find. Get me a full thirty boxes and carry them out through the front gate one by one!”
Steward Shen was startled. “Madam, gather them now? The manor doesn’t have that many things…”
“Then take them from my storeroom!” Madam Shen’s eyes reddened. “The Shen family has never been so humiliated. Master will probably vent his anger on me later. That Fourth Young Master Gu is truly infuriating—no sense of propriety! He embarrasses himself with his lack of manners and drags our Shen family down with him.”
Steward Shen lowered his head and sighed. He knew better than anyone what those twenty boxes contained. Though Fourth Young Master Gu’s methods were too discourteous, Madam had also been discourteous first, treating Third Miss far too harshly.
“Yes.” Taking the storeroom keys, Steward Shen went to Madam Shen’s storeroom and selected ten full boxes of items to add to Shen Guiyan’s dowry.
Shen Guiyan was helped by the wedding attendant to perform farewell bows. Madam Shen was too angry to say a word. Only Master Shen sighed, “You must be respectful and filial, serve your parents-in-law well, support your husband and educate your children. Don’t waste your father’s teachings.”
Bowing her head, Shen Guiyan choked up slightly. “This daughter will certainly not fail Father’s teachings.”
After completing the series of rituals, Gu Chaobei took her hand and helped her into the bridal sedan.
Unable to see the path clearly beneath her veil, Shen Guiyan walked very carefully with each step. But Gu Chaobei’s palm was warm, holding her hand with firm strength.
“Don’t worry, I won’t let you fall,” Gu Chaobei said quietly.
Shen Guiyan truly felt reassured and followed him step by step out of the Shen Manor’s main gate and into the bridal sedan.
The wedding procession returned to the Gu Manor by another route. Madam Wu and the other madams watched from the gate. The dowry carried behind was displayed box by box, basket by basket, very distinctly. Madam Wu even counted them one by one—my, there were actually thirty!
Standing at the gate, Madam Shen felt somewhat pained seeing those dowry items, but turning to look at Madam Wu’s speechless expression, she became pleased. Twisting her handkerchief and touching her hairpin, she rolled her eyes skyward with great satisfaction.
Madam Wu laughed lightly, called over several madams to board their sedan chairs, and headed to the Gu Manor for the wedding feast.
This wedding wasn’t as grand as Gu Chaodong’s—firstly because time was short, and secondly because Gu Chaobei was merely a concubine-born son. The surrounding common people all felt somewhat sorry for Shen Guiyan.
“The first wedding was so grand—they set up over eighty tables for the banquet. Yet it was snatched away by her own younger sister.”
“Isn’t that right? First Young Master Gu is so excellent, but through some twist of fate she could only marry Fourth Young Master Gu. Sigh…”
Sitting in the sedan, Shen Guiyan didn’t feel anything was wrong at all. Whether a wedding was grand or not was merely temporary glory—the key was still whom you married.
Prime Minister Gu had specifically ordered the manor to set up thirty tables today, inviting some relatives and friends to gather—nothing more. Madam Gu and the other concubines didn’t take this matter to heart, because right now everyone’s focus was on Shen Guiya’s belly.
So what if Fourth Son was taking a wife? He was a hopeless case anyway. But Gu Chaodong was different—the legitimate eldest son, a promising rising star in the court. His pregnant legitimate wife was far more eye-catching than any new bride.
Shen Guiya wore a gold-trimmed cross-collar jacket with peony patterns, sitting in a chair to one side watching the gate. During her days in the manor, she’d already thoroughly understood every house and courtyard. Most people in the manor liked her. Now that Shen Guiyan was marrying in, she was destined to be under her control.
The greater the gap between this wedding and her own, the happier she became. Wasn’t Shen Guiyan just pretty? She couldn’t stand seeing such people succeed. Did having a pretty face mean you could have everything?
How could a man as heart-stirring as Gu Chaobei be wasted on some feudal ancient woman? With his unrestrained nature, he should have more to say to her instead.
Shen Guiya smiled brilliantly, propping her chin as she waited for the newlyweds to enter.
Just as Gu Chaobei’s wedding procession reached a street near the Gu Manor, the crowd in the distance suddenly stirred. Then, for some reason, all the common people on both sides of the street knelt down.
A man and woman stood in the distance, both wearing splendid brocade robes with many guards following behind. After glancing once at the wedding procession, they headed toward the Prime Minister’s Manor.
The common people remained kneeling until that group had disappeared from sight before daring to rise.
“What’s happening?” Gu Chaobei frowned and asked Steward Gu beside him.
The steward frowned, his expression suddenly changing. “The Emperor is making an incognito tour.”
What? Gu Chaobei’s lips twitched. This was called incognito? The common people all knelt upon seeing them—what kind of incognito was that?
The wedding procession fell silent for a moment. Gu Chaobei looked ahead for a while, then turned with a smile. “Continue back to the manor. Don’t stop your trumpets and suonas.”
Everyone snapped back to attention and continued forward.
The current Emperor rarely left the palace. No one knew why he’d suddenly developed an interest in touring the capital with Consort Nian. Happening upon the Prime Minister’s Manor’s joyous occasion, he impulsively decided to join the celebration.
Upon hearing the news, the Gu Manor instantly descended into chaos. Fortunately, Prime Minister Gu took charge, calmly arranging for people to redecorate the ceremonial hall and prepare to receive the imperial presence.
“Why would the Emperor be interested in the Prime Minister’s Manor’s wedding?” Consort Nian smiled seductively. “Didn’t you promise to take me to see the eastern district?”
The Emperor looked at her deeply and wrapped his arm around her waist. “The palace hasn’t seen joyous occasions in a long time. I want to join in the festivities, and also see what this Fourth Young Master Gu that Duanwen mentions every day actually looks like.”
Consort Nian pouted. “You know I’ve always been at odds with Prime Minister Gu, yet you deliberately bring me to the Gu Manor.”
“What harm is there in looking?” The Emperor chuckled lightly and entered the Gu Manor with Consort Nian.
With the Emperor’s personal attendance, this wedding instantly became extraordinary. All the female relatives withdrew, leaving only Madam Gu and Master Shen kneeling in the hall to receive the imperial presence. Every corner of the manor was hastily cleaned, bright red silk properly hung everywhere, and the kitchen’s dishes were replaced with finer fare.
When Gu Chaobei led Shen Guiyan inside, the Emperor and Consort Nian occupied the seats of honor, with Prime Minister Gu and Madam Gu seated to one side. The various ministers’ wives who had come all stood obediently in the courtyard.
Frowning slightly, Gu Chaobei studied the Emperor above—a man in his thirties or forties with wise and gentle eyes. The woman beside him was quite seductive, her face layered with who-knows-how-many coats of powder. Her eyes seemed capable of bewitching people, and despite being in her thirties, she appeared quite youthful.
The wedding attendant’s voice trembled slightly. “…First bow to heaven and earth.”
Gu Chaobei pursed his lips and naturally turned to bow toward the entrance. Shen Guiyan bowed along with him.
“Second bow to the elders.”
The two turned around. Gu Chaobei frowned at Prime Minister Gu, who shook his head slightly and pointed to the Emperor and Consort seated above.
Bow to them? Gu Chaobei snorted lightly but bowed anyway. After all, they were the most honored people in the nation—naturally greater than one’s parents.
“Husband and wife bow to each other.”
Shen Guiyan clutched the red silk, her mind completely blank, and bowed in Gu Chaobei’s direction. Her flowered crown made a loud thunk as it collided with the person opposite her.
Gu Chaobei sucked in a sharp breath. Consort Nian above couldn’t help but laugh.
What’s so funny! Gu Chaobei glanced sideways at her. That woman laughed gleefully at their misfortune—her face was truly unpleasant no matter how you looked at it.
“The ceremony is complete. Send them to the bridal chamber.” The wedding attendant hurriedly came to help Shen Guiyan, trembling as she quickly led her away.
“Why would the Emperor and Consort come?” Sitting in the bridal chamber, Shen Guiyan couldn’t help asking this question.
Baoshan stood beside her, saying quietly, “No one can guess the Emperor’s thoughts, but Consort Nian and Prime Minister Gu have always been at odds. I heard that Prime Minister Gu even petitioned the Emperor to depose the Consort in the past.”
However, with the Emperor’s arrival today, this wedding instantly transformed from an ordinary concubine-born son’s marriage into a wedding attended by the Emperor himself. By tomorrow, the capital would surely be buzzing with discussion. Who knew whether Fourth Young Master Gu might rise in status because of this wedding?
Shen Guiya was sent back to the Eastern Courtyard. Yushu beside her complained dissatisfiedly, “Who would have thought the Emperor would come join the festivities at this time? Doesn’t that just benefit Third Miss? What was originally an ordinary wedding has now been gilded by the imperial presence.”
“What’s so great about it?” Shen Guiya sneered. “She won’t have an easy time either.”
Yushu looked at her young miss with some confusion, but Shen Guiya waved her out. “Fetch Granny Xu to see me.”
“Yes.” Yushu acknowledged.
Caressing the bottle in her hands, Shen Guiya snorted lightly. So what if the Emperor attended personally? It gave face to Gu Chaobei—what did it have to do with Shen Guiyan? Wasn’t she only able to be arrogant here because of her face? Then she’d ruin that face and see if Gu Chaobei’s feelings for her were true love.
Her reflection in the mirror appeared somewhat twisted. Shen Guiya immediately smoothed her face. She wasn’t some villain—it was just that if people didn’t look out for themselves, wouldn’t heaven and earth destroy them? She was merely striving for what she wanted.