Tangli Fried Snow

In the boudoir of Qian Yue Xuan, a girl of extraordinary beauty knelt on the ground, earnestly praying to her ancestors: "Today I marry, I dare not act on my own initiative. I will offer sacrifices continuously throughout the four seasons and eight festivals, informing the gods, and earnestly hoping for their blessings, for good fortune and celebration, for a happy marriage, for freedom from disaster and hardship, for a long and healthy life together, for a life as harmonious as fish in water, and as sweet as honey..." The girl recited a long prayer, her heart filled with both nervousness and sweetness, and a hint of anticipation. After the prayer, she slowly stood up.

Her personal maidservant rushed forward to help her up, and together with several other maidservants, they helped her comb her hair and change her clothes.

The scene was busy and lively.

Miss Xu's name was Sang Ning. She was only fifteen or sixteen years old. Her face was as beautiful as a lotus, her eyebrows as fine as lacquer, and her eyes as bright as stars. She already had the beauty of a national treasure, but her face still had some immaturity and innocence. When she was dressed in a phoenix coronet and wedding gown, she looked a bit like a child wearing an adult's clothes.

"Oh dear, Fuying, stop putting rouge on me. My face is all red like a monkey's bottom, it looks awful. Xiangming, I'm so hungry, can you get me a pastry to tide me over?"

The head maid, Fuying, said with a smile, "You'll look prettier today if you wear more rouge! Oh dear, Miss, don't wipe it off with your handkerchief!"

Before long, an old woman came out with a book that was only to be brought out on the wedding day, and gave the bride a lesson on the knowledge of marital relations.

The picture book was exquisite and explicit. The bride glanced at it a few times and her face turned red without her realizing it. Fuying said, "Granny Gui, put it in the girl's trunk. This book is best kept at the bottom of the trunk."

Granny Gui smiled and handed the book to her. "Alright, young lady, take a look whenever you have time."

Fu Ying said mischievously, "No need to read a book, Prince Duan will personally teach you, young lady!"

The bride's face turned even redder, and she angrily pinched the soft flesh on her waist.

Granny Gui said, "Oh dear, the young lady's face is like a red rose, she doesn't even need to wear rouge."

Xu Sangning was both embarrassed and annoyed, and she pouted and ignored them.

Inside, laughter and chatter filled the air. When the time came, the groom arrived at the city lord's mansion gate.

Duan Jingyu, dressed in a red robe embroidered with twelve imperial symbols and dragons, with the sun on his left shoulder, the moon on his right, and stars on his back, representing universal radiance, arrived at the city lord's mansion on a tall horse, exuding nobility and bearing.

There were more than twenty brothers-in-law and brothers-in-law blocking the door, all eager to try their luck. Some wanted red envelopes, some wanted to test their knowledge, some wanted to compose poems, and some wanted to demonstrate swordsmanship. The scene was unusually lively.

Duan Jingyu, being from a prestigious family, naturally knew how to handle any challenge and easily conquered these difficult problems.

With the help of his strategists and brothers from the military camp, a servant threw a handful of silver coins into the crowd, causing a commotion and a scramble. Duan Jingyu smiled and seized the opportunity to lead his men through the gate's defenses.

A matchmaker led the way with a smile.

The groom led a group of people directly to the Qian Yue Xuan where the bride was staying.

Xu Sangning wore a jade-green wedding dress embroidered with dragons and phoenixes in gold thread, and a luxurious phoenix crown. She sat properly on the bed, only using a small round fan to cover her face. Only one delicate white hand was visible, resting neatly on her knee, and she was nervously clutching her skirt.

"My lady, the time has come." Duan Jingyu took the bride's slender hand and led her into the main hall.

The group of people behind her looked at the pair of jade-green eyes with envy.

The bride's parents were seated in the main hall. After Xu Dao'an and his stepmother Jiang received the tea offered by the young couple, they gave them their blessings. Xu Dao'an looked at his son-in-law with satisfaction and said, "You two should respect and love each other from now on, follow each other's lead, and have children as soon as possible to guide the young."

Duan Jingyu smiled and agreed to his father-in-law's request.

Looking at her daughter, Madam Jiang felt as if she were still an infant in swaddling clothes just yesterday, but today she was getting married. She couldn't help but wipe away her tears and said, "Ning'er, you must live a good life with your husband. You must put your husband first in everything, discuss everything with him, be careful, and maintain harmony."

As Xu Sangning listened to her father and mother's words, tears welled up in her eyes.

Seeing that the bride was about to break down, Duan Jingyu quickly bowed to his parents and led the bride out of the house to sit in the bridal sedan chair.

Duan Jingyu rode a tall horse, leading the bridal sedan chair and dowry procession around the city.

The procession stretched for miles, with carriages and dowry bearers lined up in an orderly fashion from one end of the street to the other. Crowds thronged the roadside, and there were also squads of soldiers maintaining order. The surging crowds were shoulder to shoulder, with everyone craning their necks to watch this once-in-a-century wedding.

"Wow, the groom is so handsome!"

"Is this dowry worth a hundred loads?"

"The wedding was so luxurious, I've really seen something new today."

There was a lot of chatter in the crowd.

After circling around, they returned to the city lord's mansion. There, people set off firecrackers and cannons, and red lanterns cleared the way. A burst of cheerful drumming and music filled the air as the bride stepped down from the sedan chair.

Upon returning to the city lord's mansion, they went directly to the courtyard prepared for the newlyweds, named Spring Garden, where they held their wedding ceremony.

The young couple bowed and offered tea to Meng Jiuzhou again.

Meng Jiuzhou then gave the newlyweds a long lecture.

The surrounding brothers all envied the bride's beauty, and Xu Sangning's girlfriends all praised the groom's handsomeness, saying that the two were a perfect match, a match made in heaven.

The ceremony finally ended, but before the bride and groom could even meet, Duan Jingyu was dragged off to drink.

They would drink until midnight.

The bride sat on the bed, waiting for the groom.

Her stomach was rumbling, and the bed was covered with peanuts, dates, longans, and other snacks. Apart from eating some desserts, she hadn't eaten anything all day! And female relatives kept coming in to talk to her, claiming they wanted to share in the bride's good fortune.

Even though everyone had finally left, she couldn't lie down and rest. The heavy phoenix crown was pressing painfully on her forehead. She had gotten up early this morning, hadn't eaten anything properly all day, and had been sitting until midnight. Now her back and waist were aching.

Weddings are exhausting!

Duan Jingyu entered the bridal chamber reeking of alcohol. He wasn't drunk, and he even ordered someone to prepare some delicate dishes for his beautiful bride as a late-night snack.

Xu Sangning had just reached the age of seventy, the most delicate age for a girl. She was also beautiful and had been pampered since childhood, possessing the charm of a young lady from a wealthy family. Duan Jingyu liked her more and more the more he looked at her.

Watching her eat until her cheeks were bulging, he couldn't help but whisper in her ear, "Wife, is it delicious?"

Xu Sangning nodded shyly, feeling sweet inside as she looked at her handsome and considerate husband. "These crystal dumplings are the best. Here, you should try one." She smiled and picked one up, placing it near his mouth.

Duan Jingyu smiled and ate the dumpling.

He added softly, "Wife, you must eat your fill! Otherwise you won't have the energy when we get down to business later..."

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