Chapter 74 (1/2)

Finally get a t.i.tle for this chapter.

This chapter has been provided to you by me, orormunroe90, leecherleechleech and vivie.

Chapter Seventy Four Jealousy

On the day of He Ming's marriage, Qu Qing Ju and Jin An Princess received the womenfolk who'd arrived for the celebration as the mistresses of the house. Now that Ning w.a.n.g Fei was under house arrest in Bright Moon Tower, Qu Qing Ju held seniority among the w.a.n.g fei. For this wedding of He Ming, her little brother-in-law, even if she wanted to be lazy, she couldn't avoid it.

The womenfolk were fine. Order a few cheerful plays, put out some fruit and refreshments and chit chat. It wasn't very difficult. But it was more complicated on the men's side. It didn't just touch on the personal interests of some, they had to pay attention to people who were drunk and would cause an unfortunate disturbance. Additionally, He Yuan wasn't willing to demean himself by receiving guests so He Heng and some of the officials of the Ministry of Rites had to organize the guests.

Even if it seemed busy, most of those who came were smart. They wouldn't cause a disturbance at this kind of setting, and wouldn't try to find trouble. Most of them respectfully sat down and waited for the wedding to begin.

Jin An Princess paid attention to the time. Not long after, a taijian ran over and reported that the wedding sedan was almost at its destination. A crowd of women stood to walk to the front hall and waited for the couple to bow to the Heaven and Earth.

Qu Qing Ju and Jin An Princess stood together. She swept a gaze across the hall. The men and women stood at their own sides, the men on the left and woman on the right, clearly divided. In a short while, the music sounded. She tilted her head to look and saw He Ming wearing the bright red wedding clothes, his hand holding one end of a red silk cord as he walked in from the outside. On the other side of the red silk cord was Luo Wen Yao, who was wearing a phoenix crown and cape.

While Qing De Emperor and the Empress didn't personally attend, their gifts had been sent down very early beforehand. Qu Qing Ju watched as the couple bowed to the empty seats above them and once again looked down on the Imperial House. The father wasn't present when the son got married. Was there even any meaning left when the Imperial father and son were like this?

When the three brothers in front of He Ming had married, Qing De Emperor had personally written out a celebratory speech to be read at each of the ceremonies, expressing the regret of his absence and wished to make up for such a deficiency. Why wasn't there one when it was He Ming's turn?

After the ceremony, Qu Qing Ju and the others followed the newly wedded pair to their bridal rooms and waited for He Ming to lift the bride's veil.

The bridal rooms were very busy. Qu Qing Ju even saw Jin An Princess' two children. She watched as He Ming slowly lifted the bride's veil. Underneath it, Luo Wen Yao's face was full of bashfulness, like a flower just before blooming.

Some said that a woman was most beautiful on the day of her marriage. Qu Qing Ju smiled at the bashful Luo Wen Yao and had to admit it was true. She and Jin An Princess smiled as they came forward to say some lucky words. After the children received their red packets, they ushered everyone out and left a silent s.p.a.ce for the newlyweds.

Coming out of the bridal room, Jin An Princess looked at the darkening sky. She smiled as she reminisced: ”That year I was married, the didi were still all children. Now, all of them are married.”

Qu Qing Ju guessed that Jin An Princess was thinking of her failed marriage, comforting: ”Time is like flowing water, jiejie doesn't have to be sad.”

Listening to the noise from the banquet in front of them, Jin An Princess smiled as she glanced at Qu Qing Ju: ”You are a.s.suming that I am sad over what happened with the Count of Bei Lu?” She laughed, ”Right now, I am the Princess Royal, I have a son and daughter, and they have their t.i.tles. What do I need to be sad about?”

Qu Qing Ju hadn't thought Jin An Princess would say such unaffected words and stilled before conceding: ”It's me that was mistaken.”

Jin An Princess shook her head: ”When the Count of Bei Lu betrayed me in the beginning, he should have thought of the conclusion. I am the daughter of the Emperor, he underestimated the people of the Imperial Family.” Maybe it came about because of the Imperial Family were too courteous to him when they used to return to Jing, and that made him forget what they were truly like.

Qu Qing Ju felt that Jin An Princess was extremely domineering right now. As they walked closer to the wedding banquet, she looked ahead and hesitated before speaking: ”A few days ago, a subordinate of my w.a.n.g ye came back from Jing Zhou. I heard him say that ninth-grade official's daughter died from sickness, the Count of Bei Lu hasn't stepped out of his home and even sent up a request to transfer the t.i.tle to his didi.”

”Fuhuang will not agree,” Jin An Princess smiled as she explained, ”This t.i.tle, until the Count of Bei Lu dies, will always be on his head. But after he dies, it isn't certain that this t.i.tle will still be the Cao Family's.”

Qu Qing Ju looked at the smile on Jin An Princess' face, instantly feeling reverence. This was what a true woman should be like.

At the wedding banquet, He Heng occasionally drank a cup with the guest but most of the time, he only had to sit to one side and wait for others to come to him. Looking at the noisy play on stage, he gave a yawn of disinterest.

”Er ge is tired?” Sitting by his side, He Yuan played with the wine cup, looking lazy, ”Now that lao si has married, he will get busy in the future.”

He Heng didn't seem to hear the implication in his words. He raised the wine cup and swirled the contents: ”With a w.a.n.g fei to care for him, si di will have more relaxing days.”

”Ha,” He Yuan snorted, ”When did er ge become so simple? Didi finds it very unexpected.” He Heng was pretending not to understand his words, still acting in front of him.

He Heng gave a warm smile as he responded: ”Er ge is always like this. It was san di who didn't know before today.”

The corner of He Yuan's lips jerked. He turned his head to avoid looking at He Heng's expression and saw his eldest sister and Duan w.a.n.g Fei emerge from the back and walk to the female side. He frowned as his gaze landed on Qin Bai Lu who had been seated the whole time. The hand which held the wine cup tightened. They were both w.a.n.g fei, but why was the difference in conduct so large?

The noise eventually had to quiet down. When Qu Qing Ju and He Heng came out of Cheng w.a.n.g Fu, it was already the deep of the night. She inhaled, watching as the guards surrounded Jin An Princess as she left, before she said: ”We can finally return and rest.”

He Heng helped tie her cloak: ”Let's go back.”

”Er ge and er sao, take care.”

Qu Qing Ju turned her head and saw He Yuan and Qin Bai Lu walking together with a stride length between them. Qin Bai Lu's expression didn't seem right.