At this moment, Duke Ying’s mansion was bustling with guests, the air filled with a cacophony of voices.
Song Yichun stood in the main hall. Despite his inner discontent, he forced himself to maintain a cheerful demeanor as he exchanged pleasantries with relatives and friends who had come to witness the ceremony, his face nearly stiff from smiling.
He took a moment to quietly ask Li Xian, the steward from the Accounts Office who was assisting him in entertaining guests, “Has Mr. Tao not returned yet?”
Song Yichun hadn’t needed to instruct Tao Qizhong to investigate how the Dou family’s fourth miss suddenly acquired an additional dowry of silver notes. Tao had taken the initiative to gather information. However, from yesterday until today, no definitive news had arrived, leaving Song Yichun feeling very uneasy. He felt as if he had overlooked something, yet couldn’t pinpoint exactly what, making him feel as if he were standing on the edge of a cliff, deeply unsettled.
Li Xian quickly replied, “Mr. Tao hasn’t returned yet. However, I’ve arranged for someone to wait in Mr. Tao’s room. As soon as he returns, he’ll be instructed to come see you immediately.”
Song Yichun nodded slightly, then noticed the white-haired Lu Fuli approaching.
He readjusted his mood once more, greeting Lu Fuli with a warm smile, calling him “Second Uncle” and offering a bow.
Although Lu Fuli was the second eldest, his older brother had passed away at the age of eight, making Lu Fuli effectively the eldest son of the Lu family. Upon hearing that Song Yichun had arranged a marriage for Song Mo with a bride from a financially powerful family, Lu Fuli wasn’t as pleased as Lu Zhan, the eldest grandson, had assumed he would be.
He led Song Yichun to a quiet corner under the eaves and asked in a low voice, “What kind of person is the Dou family’s fourth miss? Have you personally inquired about her?”
Song Yichun felt somewhat impatient.
This was the third time Lu Fuli had asked him this question.
The first time was when the Lu family heard about his request for the Dou family’s fourth miss to marry Song Mo and came to inquire about the details. The second time was when he went to deliver the wedding invitation to the Lu family.
“Second Uncle,” Song Yichun said with slight annoyance, “Yantang is my son. Do you think I would harm him?”
Hearing this, Lu Fuli frowned and said, “Do you think I’m overstepping as an uncle? I’m concerned because such a large household as Duke Ying’s mansion lacks someone to manage the inner affairs. I fear you might have made a hasty decision in choosing the wrong person…”
Displeasure flickered across Song Yichun’s face.
Lu Fuli couldn’t help but sigh inwardly, realizing that Song Yichun was now old enough to be marrying off his son and becoming a father-in-law himself. He couldn’t keep treating him like a child. So, he swallowed the rest of his words and instead expressed some of his other concerns, “Has there been no news from the Palace of Heavenly Purity, the Palace of Earthly Tranquility, or the Palace of Compassionate Tranquility?”
In the past, when the heir or eldest son of Duke Ying’s family married, the palace would always send rewards.
“No!” Song Yichun replied, his unease showing as he spoke of this. He lowered his voice, “I’ve heard that His Majesty isn’t in good health. Perhaps the palace is too preoccupied to attend to such matters?” Inwardly, he wondered if the Emperor was displeased with his sudden arrangement of Song Mo’s marriage and was using this opportunity to put him in his place.
Lu Fuli asked, “Can you guess why?”
“How dare I presume to interpret the Emperor’s intentions?” Song Yichun’s words were diplomatically correct, but they left Lu Fuli feeling uncomfortable.
Once the Dou family’s fourth miss entered the Song household, the Song and Lu families would likely grow even more distant.
If he had known it would be like this, he should have chosen one of his granddaughters to marry into the Song family.
Lu Fuli sighed deeply and returned to the main hall.
Song Yichun, however, no longer wished to force a smile and exchange pleasantries with the guests.
He instructed Li Xian, “Call me when the bridal sedan arrives.” Then he returned to Xiangxiang Court.
But no sooner had he lain down than Song Mo returned with the bridal sedan.
Grumbling, he made his way to the main hall.
The bridal sedan crossed over the money and grain basin. Song Mo shot an arrow through the sedan curtain, and the bride stepped down, holding a treasure vase.
It was then that everyone noticed how tall the bride was.
For women, submissiveness was considered a virtue, and a petite stature was thought to convey gentleness and compliance more than a tall figure.
Ma Youming and others couldn’t help but widen their eyes in surprise.
Shen Qing even whispered to Zhang Xuming, “When Song Da lifts the veil, won’t he be in for a shock?”
Teasing the newlyweds in the bridal chamber was something only done by common folk.
They would have to wait until the bride’s return visit three days after the wedding, when they could use their close family ties as an excuse to visit Duke Ying’s mansion, for a chance to see the bride’s true face.
Zhang Xuming, however, wasn’t in a hurry. His wife was one of the bridesmaids, so he could ask her when they returned home.
Hearing these discussions, Song Yichun smiled silently, feeling somewhat better.
After paying respects to Heaven and Earth, the newlyweds were escorted to the bridal chamber by the wives of Wang Qinghuai and Zhang Xuming, who served as bridesmaids.
By this time, the bride’s escort party had been arranged to rest elsewhere. Only the lucky woman from the bride’s side followed, along with the lucky woman from the groom’s side, accompanying the newlyweds into the bridal chamber.
After the groom’s collar was pressed down, the bed curtains were scattered with auspicious items, and the veil was lifted, Song Mo and Dou Zhao finally saw each other again.
Song Mo couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief.
When the bride’s family sends the dowry, the groom’s family must express gratitude. This ceremony of gratitude can be performed either on the day the dowry is sent, with the groom accompanying those who come to urge the bride’s preparation, going to the bride’s family to kowtow to the in-laws, expressing “gratitude for receiving the dowry.” Alternatively, it can be arranged on the wedding day itself, where after the bridal sedan enters the gate, the groom, accompanied by the matchmaker, goes directly to the main hall to kowtow to the in-laws.
If gratitude has been expressed on the day of urging the bride’s preparation, it need not be repeated on the wedding day; the two ceremonies cannot be performed together. Moreover, since in the former case, the groom goes to the bride’s family with those urging the bride’s preparation, bringing a large number of gifts, on the wedding day they can simply take the bridal sedan and leave, appearing both dignified and efficient. Most families in the capital prefer the former method when taking a daughter-in-law. Song Mo had specifically chosen to express gratitude on the wedding day so he could personally see Dou Zhao enter the sedan… He didn’t want to be presumptuous and repeat the mistake Wei Tingyu had once made!
Dou Zhao had finally, smoothly, become his wife through the wedding ceremony!
But before his heart could settle, Mrs. Zhao suddenly shouted, “Gaosheng! Gaosheng!”
Song Mo was startled.
He knew his father-in-law’s most trusted steward was named Gaosheng, but what did Gaosheng have to do with his wedding?
Song Mo then saw Mrs. Zhao swiftly snatch the red veil from his hand.
He couldn’t help but look towards Dou Zhao.
Dou Zhao suppressed a smile and turned her face away.
Mrs. Zhao was preventing Song Mo from sitting down…