Various thoughts surged in Ye Xinyan’s mind. After today, she would be Jiang Yifan’s wife, and they would be a family. From now on, they would share happiness and hardships, live together under one roof, and accept each other’s strengths and weaknesses.
Zhou Biyao and Yin Yuanfang were whispering comforting words nearby.
Zhou Biyao especially reminded her, "Sister, remember your brother-in-law’s instructions, just listen to the bridal matron and the matchmaker, and don’t get distracted."
Ye Xinyan responded with a hum, her nervousness slightly eased, even somewhat grateful that Zhou Biyao saw Jiang Yifan’s note. Otherwise, with her current nervousness, she might have forgotten the instructions on that note.
This stubborn girl, she can be reliable at times.
When Ye Xinyan left the house to board the sedan chair, she was carried out by a clan brother from the Ye Family.
Jiang Yifan, who was waiting eagerly, although mentally prepared, still felt a burning sensation in his eyes seeing another man carrying out his bride.
This was Ah Yan, whom he had been longing to marry for years. Her wedding dress was resplendent with flowers, faintly reflecting specks of gold and silver. The embroidery on the bright red veil was exquisite and gorgeous, adorned with pearls that shimmered softly.
Such a beautiful and dazzling Ah Yan, yet she was carried out first by a Ye Clan brother... so annoying!
Accompanying him in his marriage were six friends, the closest being a fellow scholar and an Imperial Guard friend. Seeing him staring fiercely at the young man carrying the bride, one was puzzled, the other amused.
The Imperial Guard quickly tugged on his sleeve, reminded softly, "Yuanfan, she’s out."
Only then did Jiang Yifan come to his senses, unwillingly retracting his gaze.
Fortunately, the distance was short, and after a few steps, Ye Xinyan soon reached the sedan chair. Jiang Yifan hurried over before anyone else, whispering, "Ah Yan, don’t be nervous, I’m right by the sedan."
The bridal matron and the matchmaker both gave Jiang Yifan several glances. This bride was already quite eye-opening; without reminders, she didn’t move at all, showing no intention of acting on her own.
No one expected the groom to be such an oddball too. With so many people watching, couldn’t he restrain himself a bit and not say such words in front of everyone?
At the moment the veil was placed over Ye Xinyan’s head, she was so nervous she could only hear the bridal matron’s cues, oblivious to anything else.
With one foot in the sedan, Ye Xinyan suddenly heard Jiang Yifan’s encouraging words. Before she could digest the meaning, a loud cry sounded behind her.
Ye Xinyan paused, thinking, why is this boy suddenly crying? At such a time, she couldn’t turn back, so she placed her other foot into the sedan and sat down.
Ye Yuan’s cries not only didn’t stop but seemed even more heartbroken.
Seeing that the maid and nanny couldn’t console Ye Yuan, Maternal Aunt Zhao set aside her tasks and tried comforting him herself, but to no avail.
The little guy reached out toward the sedan, distressingly inconsolable, as if something precious had been taken away.
Jiang Yifan watched, his eyes twitching, what did this boy mean? The person sitting in the sedan is his wife, who will share his life, hardly connected to this boy!
Seeing the sedan curtain still undrawn, Ye Xinyan’s body fidgeted inside, seeming uneasy. Jiang Yifan had no choice but to signal to Shi Yu behind him, "Bring Brother Yuan over."
When Shi Yu brought Ye Yuan over, Jiang Yifan wasn’t afraid of crumpling his robe. Taking the heartbroken Ye Yuan from Shi Yu, he silently gritted his teeth, kindly coaxing, "Brother Yuan, don’t cry. Look, isn’t this your sister? Sister is out for an errand, and will come to play with you tomorrow. Don’t cry anymore, or else, no playing tomorrow."
Ye Yuan didn’t heed Jiang Yifan, still reaching out toward Ye Xinyan under the veil, his sobbing only slightly lessened yet still severe.
Jiang Yifan sighed inwardly, holding Ye Yuan, bending down to tell Ye Xinyan, "Tell him you’ll play with him tomorrow, maybe hearing your voice will calm him."
Ye Xinyan’s throat tightened, voice hoarse, "Brother Yuan, be good with your brother, sister is busy today. Tomorrow, come to sister to play, sister will prepare something delicious for you."
Hearing Ye Xinyan’s voice, and with Qi Jiaer reassuring nearby, the little guy gradually quieted, looking towards Qi Jiaer with somewhat reddened eyes, hiccuping and sniffling.
Jiang Yifan gritted his teeth watching, darn it, Qi Jiaer also had red eyes, maybe it was this boy who triggered Ye Yuan’s crying spree.
Ye Xinyan was exceptionally obedient afterward, doing whatever the bridal matron instructed. Feeling tossed about with ups and downs several times, she finally got her hands on the legendary red silk. Needless to say, the other end of the red silk surely must be held by Jiang Yifan.
Thinking about Jiang Yifan at the other end of the red silk, listening to the loud singing in the hall, Ye Xinyan completed the ceremony smoothly, gradually moving away from the noise, led by the red silk.
Subsequently, supported by the bridal matron, Ye Xinyan was led into a room, settled onto a kang bed.
Through a gap beneath the veil, she saw a pair of boots approaching, hearing Jiang Yifan’s gentle voice, "Ah Yan, just sit here for a while, I’ll be back soon." A steady hand was placed on her shoulder, pressing softly, as the boots moved away, footsteps fading with the sound of the door closing.
Ye Xinyan clearly realized, this was neither Duke An’s Mansion, nor any of her domains, but the Jiang Family’s place.
Although occasional chattering from the bridal matron and Song Ping’s Household distracted her, she still felt a long time passed before there was any movement at the door again.
The bridal matron called out, "Greetings, Master’s son."
Through the veil’s gap, Ye Xinyan saw a few people standing in front of her, something resembling a ruler lifted the veil open.
As the veil lifted, Ye Xinyan instinctively raised her eyes, drawn magnetically, she looked into a pair of bright eyes.
Jiang Yifan’s eyes retained their usual brilliance, now sparkling with a joy she had never seen before.
The two of them gazed at each other, moments felt both brief and eternal.
Until the bridal matron coughed lightly, reminding, "Master’s son, the hair-bonding ceremony is next."
Startled, Ye Xinyan blushed fiercely, quickly averting her gaze downward. She must have been foolish to behave so absurdly at such a time.
Jiang Yifan, enthralled by the mesmerizing beauty of her face, couldn’t tear his eyes away. Yet as Ye Xinyan lowered her head, that breathtaking beauty was momentarily concealed, somewhat irked by the commotion around him, he even cast a displeased glance at the bridal matron.
Jiang Yifan and Ye Xinyan were reuniting as husband and wife. The arrangements for the wedding and Jiang Yifan’s requests had Qin and the matchmaker in quite a dilemma for a while.
But Jiang Yifan was resolute; this was Ye Xinyan’s first and only wedding, insisting on completing it with full ceremony. Hence, the matchmaker, extremely troubled, could only take a small portion of their hair to finish the remaining steps of the wedding chamber ceremony.
Jiang Yifan, happily close to Ye Xinyan, sat a while longer before repeatedly beckoned by the ceremonial officer outside to go and toast.
After Jiang Yifan left, others departed too, easing the atmosphere in the wedding chamber.
Song Ping’s Household called over the maid, removing the Phoenix Crown from Ye Xinyan’s head, retying her hair with the prepared hairpins and rings.
The Jiang Family’s relatives would soon come to see the new bride. Ye Xinyan had another wave of well-wishers to handle, only then could she truly relax, waiting for Jiang Yifan to return from the toasts.
The Jiang Family’s wedding banquet wasn’t as grand as Duke An’s Mansion, but was lively with many cheerful guests.
Especially Jinrong’s few attendants were exceptionally enthusiastic, displaying sinister smiles, raising bowls of wine as if it were ordinary water, eyes fixed on Jiang Yifan, chanting joyfully: for such a joyous occasion, they must drink to the fullest with Lord Jiang.
Jiang Yifan, accompanied by smiles, pushed the groomsmen forward, especially Guan He, who had to come forward first to set the scene.
Guan He occasionally complained about his junior being too sly and cunning, but since it’s his junior, someone his master entrusted him to look after.
This Yuanfan had been drooling over the bride for years, only marrying her today. If these pesky fellows got him too drunk to complete the tasks, not just his junior, even he, as a senior, would likely be infuriated to the point of spitting blood.
Even with Hong Wu and others being imposing, they couldn’t withstand the drinking capacity and strength of Guan He and his group.