The Second Sister of a Farmer's Family's Path to Imperial Destiny

Three months is neither short nor long.

Although He Ruo and He Xin were not rule-abiding people, they were restricted by the various etiquettes of preparing for a wedding and stayed at home. They occasionally picked up needlework to embroider their own wedding dresses, but most of the time they had the embroidery done by the embroiderers in the mansion.

Getting up in the morning to look at the account books and do some morning exercises is not much different from usual.

The general's mansion is very lively today. Two young ladies are getting married on the same day, one to the current prince and the other to the aristocratic Pei family.

Because of the difference in status, He Xin left the mansion earlier than He Ruo.

However, the two young ladies were very close, so they agreed that the King of Shu would leave the palace first and walk around the city, and then Mrs. Pei would leave the palace. They would calculate the time and arrive at the palace gate at the same time to welcome the two brides.

Zhao He got up very early, first went to the palace to worship his ancestors, and then paid a visit to Concubine Jing'an in the palace. When the time came, he got on his horse at the signal of the ceremonial officer.

The dark wedding gown made his eyes and eyebrows look sharp, but the jade belt around his waist swayed in the morning breeze, giving him a touch of warmth.

When the wedding procession passed through Zhuque Street, the carved windows on the second floors of the taverns along the street were opened one after another, and the acacia petals thrown by the people mixed with the morning dew and landed on the back of his hand that was tightly holding the reins.

This parade was arranged by Xin'er. She said that it was due to his three years of fighting and her countless suggestions.

The marriage of two such well-matched people should be known to everyone in the country and everyone should congratulate them.

Therefore, the cassia petals thrown by the people were also offered by her.

At this moment, in the east wing of the general's mansion, He Ruo and He Xin were holding gilded twined branches and cutting wedding candles.

The bronze mirror reflected He Xin's nine-pearl-beaded hairpins trembling softly. Her rouge-stained lips curled up, her eyebrows curved. "I wonder where Zhao He is now?"

He Ruo laughed so hard that the hairpin on her head swayed. "My dear sister, are you missing your lover so much now? Don't worry, you will see him in half an hour at most."

"Sister, you are still mocking me." He Xin reached out and patted He Ru gently.

The two of them started pushing each other, and Nanny Xi beside them was terrified, fearing that the two porcelain dolls that she had dressed up with great difficulty would be disgraceful to others.

The two maids counted the hours and bent down, "Young ladies, please stop fighting. The two young masters should be here soon."

The two stopped fighting instantly.

"Sister's pearl hairpin is crooked." He Xin suddenly chuckled, and the gilded armor gently brushed against the trembling pearls on He Ruo's temples.

He Ruo raised the corner of her lips slightly beneath her fan, and with her backhand, she stuffed the prepared sachet of scented flowers into the man's sleeve. "The royal family is not like the Pei family. There are many rules. Please keep this calming incense."

He Ruo and He Xin bid farewell to their ancestors in front of the ancestral hall, and stood in front of the steps, each holding a golden round fan. The morning breeze suddenly blew, and the two shark gauze veils looked like overlapping red clouds, and the skirts embroidered with lotus flowers were entangled into continuous brocade waves in the rosy glow.

Although her face was covered with a veil, she could not be seen, but He Xin still knew from the compliments of the people around her and the whispers of the maids that Zhao He looked very good today.

When the salute exploded, the two sisters stepped onto the sedan chairs at the same time. Their gold-embroidered shoes stepped on the broken shadows of the morning sun all over the ground. The two sedan chairs were lifted in different directions.

Zhao He sat on the tall horse that had accompanied him during the war, looked back at the sedan chair behind him, and the corners of his lips couldn't help but rise.

That’s great! After three years, he finally married Xin’er.

Inside the sedan chair, He Xin could clearly hear the noise outside.

He Ruo and her sedan chair left in opposite directions, and now she was alone.

No, she was not. She gently lifted a corner of her veil and looked at Zhao He in front of her who was wearing a red wedding dress. In the future, he would be her husband and the lover who would accompany her for life.

The cheers from both sides of the street reached his ears. They were the sounds of the people in the capital celebrating their marriage.

Over the past three years, not only did King Zhao He of Qi win the love of the people by guarding the border, but she also provided many strategies to help Da Zhao become strong and gain the respect of the people.

Some people also came to join in the fun, offering copper coins and candies as congratulations, but that didn’t matter, as happy events were meant to be lively.

Unfortunately, due to etiquette and with the common people and ceremonial officials watching, she did not dare to quietly lift the curtain of the sedan chair and take a look outside.

Or perhaps the two of them had telepathic connection, the sound of horse hooves in front suddenly stopped, and it seemed as if the horse had changed direction and was heading towards her.

A corner of the curtain on one side of the sedan chair was lifted, and it was Zhao He.

"You should also be able to watch our happy event." Zhao He gently pulled a corner of the curtain and looked into He Xin's eyes under the red veil.

He Xin smiled softly and nodded.

She knew that Zhao He was the man she chose, and he would definitely not let her have any regrets in her marriage.

The ceremonial officer standing by saw the scene and looked at his nose with his eyes and his heart with his nose.

The Prince of Qi is the most beloved prince in the present age. He will surely be the right-hand man of his elder brother, the Prince of Qi, in the future. So let's let the marriage go with him.

He Xin looked out through the gap and saw children chasing the sedan chair barefoot, beggars with red ropes tied around their waists climbing on tiptoe to pick up candied haws, and staring at the candy coins thrown by the guard of honor.

One of the little girls caught her eye at first sight. She was as delicate as a piece of jade, with two pigtails that bounced as she ran. She was so adorable.

Zhao Heziran also noticed the little girl. He smiled with a hint of teasing, "I hope our first child will be as cute as her."

He Xin was very satisfied with this answer and curled her eyes: "Shouldn't the royal family prefer a boy as their first child? You actually prefer a daughter?"

"My daughter looks like you."

In this way, with you and I talking, the sedan chair arrived in front of the palace.

The curtain was lifted, and He Xin let go of the hand that had been holding the veil. The light from outside shone in, and even through the veil, she couldn't help but squint.

A hand stretched out, long and strong, with thick calluses on the fingertips. Looking up, covering the wrist was a red wedding dress embroidered with auspicious patterns.

She knew that this was the hand of her lover, and this time, they could finally appear in front of the public hand in hand in a legitimate and open manner.

After two lifetimes of hard work, I finally met the person I love who is worth entrusting my life to.

In an instant, everything that happened in this life in the Jokhang Dynasty kept appearing in my mind, like a vivid animation appearing before my eyes.

Seeing that she hadn't come out for a long time and was stunned in the sedan chair, Zhao He said softly, "Hmm?"

He Xin came to his senses, stretched out his right hand, and used force to get down from the sedan chair.

The two people's hands were tightly clasped together, and Zhao He's strong and powerful hands tightly wrapped around her hands.

The body temperatures of both of them continued to rise, and beads of sweat kept appearing on their palms.

The sound of my heartbeat is still in my ears, getting stronger and stronger. It's mine and his, celebrating the arrival of this day.

The ceremonial officer brought two cups of warm wine. He Xin took the cups, crossed their arms, and the two of them leaned against each other.

"Zhao He, will you regret marrying me in the future? From now on, you will lose your freedom and be confined to the capital." He Xin took a sip of wine.

"No. As long as you are here, I am free."

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End of the full text.