Chapter 739: Chapter 739: Wedding Day
“The Dugu Family sure put up a grand show, with so many people coming.”
“After all, the bride is the granddaughter of Dugu Fengyun, and the groom is from the royal family of Xuan Country. How could this not be grand?”
“Ah, Lord Dugu Fenglei of Dugu Family has come, but Dugu Fengyun didn’t come.”
“It is said that Dugu Fengyun never agreed to this marriage since the beginning. However, since the other members of the Dugu Family agreed, Dugu Fengyun had no choice.”
“Regardless of Dugu Fengyun’s attendance, the wedding will carry on, as the alliance of the two families is imperative.”
“Dugu Nian is caught in a tough spot. Being part of a significant family, many things are not up to her.”
“What’s so tough about that? There are countless girls out there who dream of marrying the Crown Prince. Dugu Nian is very fortunate.”
Many people whispered, and at this moment, the wedding procession from the Dugu Family was drawing near, with a big red sedan chair carried by sixteen people standing out noticeably.
In the sedan chair, Dugu Nian was dressed in a colorful robe and a phoenix headgear, enhancing her natural beauty, clearly having been meticulously prepared.
Dugu Nian was expressionless, the colorful beads on her phoenix headpiece slightly shaking. Her mood, however, was surprisingly calm.
In Dugu Nian’s hand, she tightly clutched a bamboo flute that seemed a bit rough, but it was her only solace at the moment.
Next to the sedan chair, Dugu Ruoxu was walking alongside as an escort, with a sword at his side. Looking at the bustling wedding scene in the distance, he felt waves of anger and powerlessness at the bottom of his heart.
However, besides Dugu Nian and a few others from the Dugu Family, most of the people from the Dugu Family present favored Lord Fenglei and were optimistic about the marriage alliance. Their faces were full of joy.
“Brother Dugu.” The Xuan Emperor stepped forward to welcome a thin-looking elder with a salute.
Despite the elder’s thin appearance, he exuded competence. His eyes were particularly sharp, like that of an eagle. Ordinary people dared not meet his gaze.
This man was Dugu Fengyun’s brother, Dugu Fenglei, the head of the Dugu Family. Because he was second in rank among the elders in the Dugu Family, he was referred to as Lord Fenglei.
This wedding procession was personally led by Lord Fenglei himself. His presence was significant because his status within the Dugu Family was not much lower than Dugu Fengyun’s.
Dugu Fenglei saluted the Xuan Emperor, and slightly nodded, “Your Majesty, sorry for our delay.”
The Xuan Emperor shook his head and smiled, enthusiastically grabbing Dugu Fenglei’s arm, “No matter, today our two families become one, there is no need for formalities.”
The sedan chair was set down, and Dugu Nian, draped in a red silk veil, stepped out with the help of two young girls.
Zhou Yishui stepped forward with a gentle smile on his face. First, he saluted Lord Fenglei, then he saluted the parents of Dugu Nian.
Considering Zhou Yishui’s status, Dugu Nian’s parents dared not neglect him, but they also did not appear too enthusiastic.
At this point, the grand wedding officially began.
The people from the Dugu Family took their seats, naturally sitting with the royals. The Xuan Emperor and Lord Dugu Fenglei were engaged in a pleasant conversation.
Amidst the clinking of glasses, the scene was vibrant, especially the people from the Dugu Family and the royal family, they were as close as a family.
Dugu Nian sat next to Zhou Yishui. She had already removed the red silk veil from her head. When the crowd saw her face, they couldn’t help but gasp in awe.
The term ‘national beauty and heavenly fragrance’ perhaps could not accurately describe Dugu Nian at this moment. There were not a few women present with extraordinary beauty, but compared to Dugu Nian, they seemed much less appealing.
“From today onwards, Nian will be the Crown Princess Consort.” A woman from the Dugu Family said to Dugu Nian, but her expression hinted at a touch of mockery.
Dugu Nian glanced at her and smiled lightly.
Not far away, Wang Erdan, Mei Yingxue and Steward Shen, among others, were looking at Dugu Nian, their hearts filled with mixed feelings.
“Alas, poor my brother Fang Lin, his body isn’t even cold yet.” Wang Erdan looked depressed, continuously drinking his wine.
Mei Yingxue was looking at Dugu Nian the entire time. Being a woman herself, she could see that Dugu Nian didn’t genuinely want to marry Zhou Yishui.
Moreover, Dugu Nian had been too calm all along, so calm that it was abnormal.
“The Lord of the Western Town, Lu Feng, has arrived!”
With a long blast of the horn, Lu Feng and his two attendants arrived.
“The journey was long, and we didn’t get here in time. My apologies. Here’s a token of our appreciation. Please accept it,” Lu Feng said, laughing heartily.
The Xuan Emperor stood up and stepped forward with Zhou Yishui to welcome them.
“Lord Lu, your presence at my son’s wedding is a great honor for our Xuan City.” The Xuan Emperor smiled.
“Lord Lu, I propose a toast to you.” Zhou Yishui stepped forward with a glass of wine, showing great respect to Lu Feng.
“A wedding gift for my beloved nephew on his big day.” After Lu Feng downed a glass of wine, he presented a gift.
“This is a Tiankui Pill! That’s a fifth-grade pill!”
“Only a Grandmaster of Pill could refine such a superior pill!”
“But for a figure as significant as Lord Lu of Western Town, offering a Tiankui Pill is nothing much.”
Dugu Nian gracefully walked up to Lu Feng and gave him a slight bow.
Lu Feng nodded slightly and also gave Dugu Nian a gift. Naturally, it would not be inferior to the Tiankui Pill.
“Your Majesty, it’s almost time,” someone from the royal family whispered in the Xuan Emperor’s ear.
The Xuan Emperor nodded.
“The auspicious time has come!” The royal master of ceremonies announced loudly, his voice mellow and pleasing.
According to the wedding customs, when the appropriate time came, they needed to worship the heaven and earth, offer sacrifices to the ancestors of the two families and perform a series of rituals before the marriage was considered complete.
Immediately, everything quieted down and no one was making noise.
Zhou Yishui and Dugu Nian stood on a high platform already set up in advance, their expressions solemn.
“Offer sacrifices to the Heaven!” The voice of the royal master of ceremonies rang out.
Zhou Yishui and Dugu Nian together picked up the incense stick in front of the altar and performed a ritual towards the sky.
“Offer sacrifices to the Earth!”
The two continued the ritual.
“Offer sacrifices to the Ancestors!”
The ceremony continued unabated. Although not complex, it took quite some time.
During this process, the audience maintained their silence.
The Xuan Emperor, with a smile on his face, exchanged a look with Dugu Fenglei. Both noticed a satisfaction in each other’s eyes.
On the high platform, Dugu Nian performed the rituals woodenly, feeling desolate in her heart.
Once all the rituals were completed, she would become Zhou Yishui’s wife according to tradition, the Crown Princess Consort of the Great Xuan Country.
No matter what her intentions were, as long as these rituals were completed, she would formally belong to Zhou Yishui.
Far in the sky, the horizon suddenly erupted with flames, as if a great expanse of a burning cloud was wafting towards Xuan City.