Wei Xuan prepared to lift the veil, surrounded by a crowd of onlookers. Nervous in the presence of so many people, his hands trembled slightly. In an attempt to conceal his nervousness, he swiftly raised and tossed the veil aside.
As the veil fluttered away, it revealed the Princess of the Kingdom of Jin, named Fu Shan, adorned in a traditional Fengguan Xiapei, the ancient Chinese wedding dress. She possessed a white, oval face and a pair of eyes as clear as water.
Despite being from the Kingdom of Jin, her appearance was indistinguishable from a Central Plains beauty. Her gentle and graceful demeanor suggested a lady of wealth and refinement. Without prior knowledge, no one would have guessed her foreign origin.
The revelation of the bride’s face prompted various reactions among the onlookers. Xu Qingwan subtly pursed her lips, Ji Xianxian and Wei Shan widened their eyes in surprise, and Wei Ying displayed a look of astonishment. In contrast, the reborn Yin Hui remained the most composed, offering a smile when the bride’s gaze met hers.
In her previous life, Xu Qingwan exuded a dignified aura tinged with aloofness, while Ji Xianxian carried an air of arrogance. Fu Shan, the fourth sister-in-law, treated Yin Hui with equality, showing genuine interest in Central Plains customs.
Fu Shan didn’t receive Yin Hui’s kindness. She was very nervous. She looked at the women first because they were far away. It seemed most convenient for her to sit. She took a quick glance and didn’t see any of them clearly. She looked nervously at the groom standing in front of her. As soon as she raised her head, she met a young and handsome face, which was whiter than any man on the grassland, as white as the bright moon in the sky.
Fu Shan blushed and lowered her head in embarrassment and joy.
Only then did Wei Xuan come back to his senses. He looked at his sisters-in-laws with a guilty conscience, as his face turned red.
As Wei Yan moved out of the room, his steps seemed light, and he felt a sense of intoxication even before taking a sip of alcohol.
Wei Yan couldn’t resist teasing in a hushed voice, “So, is the Princess beautiful?”
Aware of Wei Yan’s playful nature and not wanting to engage in discussions about his wife with his second brother, Wei Xuan excused himself to pay respects to his third brother after the toast.
Wei Luo maintained his usual composed expression, clinking bowls with his fourth brother before tilting his head back for a hearty gulp.
Observing his third brother, Wei Xuan suddenly comprehended why Wei Yang had no complaints about marrying Yin Hui. Her beauty had a way of uplifting one’s mood, a sentiment Wei Xuan could now relate to as he felt a similar uplift in his own spirits.
——-
The wedding banquet concluded, and Wei Xuan eagerly headed to his bridal chamber. The four brothers enjoyed some drinks together before parting ways for the night. Wei Yang, although curious about Princess Jin’s appearance, believed in maintaining a gentlemanly demeanor as the eldest brother. He engaged in conversation with Xu Qingwan about the wedding banquet, steering clear of prying into Wei Xuan’s marital affairs.
Wei Yan, paying little attention to his elder brother, turned to Ji Xianxian for information. She responded with a snort, “Look for yourself when she serves tea tomorrow morning.”
In Chengxin Hall, Wei Luo, detecting the scent of alcohol on his body, decided to take a bath. Upon his return, he found Yin Hui already lying down on the bed.
During the time when the Yan Palace celebrated the wedding, Wei Luo wasn’t the groom, yet he accompanied the groom to meet the bride, being away for more than twenty days. Upon his return, he directly entered Yin Hui’s bed.
Yin Hui chuckled at him, saying, “Do you want to be a groom again?”
The subdued light illuminated Yin Hui’s hair, and Wei Luo gazed at the sparkling boldness in her eyes. On their wedding night, her nervousness and shyness had been palpable.
He had been discontented before marriage, but at least on that night, he found happiness.
Fu Shan married this time, and brought four maids, two of which were brought from the Central Plains and had served her since she was ten years old. She had also learned a lot about the customs of the Central Plains from their mouths.
In both the grassland and the Central Plains, women had to depend on men to sustain their lives. The distinction lay in the fact that there were fewer societal constraints on the grassland.
Furthermore, the honor attributed to the royal family in the Central Plains was profound, with common people bowing down upon their presence. Conversely, on the grassland, individuals warmly approached and engaged in conversation with the Khan. In the eyes of maidservants, the royal family resembled the sky. Fu Shan only truly grasped this reality upon entering Pingcheng, crossing the high walls of the Yan Palace.
However, her husband, Wei Xuan, the fourth son of King Yan, proved to be exceptionally handsome, possessing the allure of a Central Plains talent yet without any sense of weakness.
After exploring the various rooms of her new home, including the hall and inner chambers, Fu Shan lay down on the bed. The bed itself was exquisite, featuring intricate patterns carved on fine wood, a wedding curtain of dense yet delicate fabric, and a quilt that felt exceptionally comfortable to the touch.
In every aspect, Fu Shan found nothing to dislike. Despite concerns from her father and elder brother about her potential hardships in Pingcheng, they were unaware of her deep-seated yearning for the prosperity and culture of the Central Plains. Nevertheless, after a month-long journey in the carriage, the weary bride succumbed to slumber on the sumptuous bed.
Night fell quietly, and the four dowry maids saw that the master was sleeping soundly. Thinking that the fourth master would also sleep, it made no difference whether they woke up the Princess or not.
This perspective was shared by the two maidservants from the Kingdom of Jin. Given their humble backgrounds, having never been trained by wealthy families, they perceived little difference between waking or not waking the Princess. Consequently, when Wei Yan arrived at the new house, only the maidservants greeted him.
Therefore, when Wei Xuan came to the new house drunk, only the maidservants greeted him.