Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Early in the morning, Wen Qiao was roused by Lian Yue, who was surrounded by a group attending to her grooming.

The servants in Jishui Courtyard were scarce. Apart from Lian Yue, who served as her personal maid, there were only two maids in charge of cleaning and sweeping. As Wen Qiao preferred tranquility, these servants seldom appeared before their mistress, making Jishui Courtyard the quietest corner in the Wen household.

To ensure that everything went smoothly, Second Madam had specially arranged additional help for the day.

Washing, hair styling, makeup application, and dressing – each step proceeded methodically.

Dressed in her heavy wedding attire, Wen Qiao sat on a couch, holding an Earth Rank magical artifact in the shape of a Ruyi scepter, awaiting the auspicious hour.

"Lady, are you hungry?" Lian Yue asked.

The matronly attendant standing by advised, "Young Miss, please bear with it a little longer. It's best not to eat too much before setting out, just in case it causes discomfort."

Lian Yue wasn't pleased. "How can we let Lady go hungry when she's not well? If Prince Seventh were to find out, he'd be worried sick."

The matron's lips twitched slightly but she couldn't refute Lian Yue's point. Based on the prince's behavior towards his fiancée over the past month, it was evident that he cared deeply for her.

Eventually, Lian Yue fetched a bowl of spirit rice and lily flower porridge for Wen Qiao to fill her stomach. The matchmaker quietly turned away, pretending not to see, as rules and etiquette meant nothing in front of these cultivators. However, today's wedding was not a cultivator's dual cultivation ceremony but an ordinary wedding held according to the secular world's customs, simply to bask in the festive atmosphere. Having received her instructions, the matchmaker had no choice but to adhere to the rules. But if the bride didn't want to abide by them, what could she do? When several ladies from the Wen family arrived, they fell silent upon seeing Wen Qiao dressed in her wedding attire, calmly sipping her porridge. The matchmaker smiled awkwardly, feeling guilty for failing her client's trust and unsure of what to say. Fortunately, cultivators were not bound by trivialities. The second wife and the others showed no displeasure and took their seats beside Wen Qiao, engaging her in conversation. They discussed wedding etiquettes and the Ning royal family's rules and trivia, preparing Wen Qiao for her new life so she wouldn't be ignorant upon joining the family. These matters should have been discussed between Wen Qiao and her mother long ago, but unfortunately, the eldest branch lacked senior family members. Thus, the second wife reluctantly took on the role of a mentor, seizing this opportunity to share some wisdom. After finishing her lily flower porridge, Lian Yue helped Wen Qiao touch up her makeup. The cultivation world differed from the secular one; even women from noble families seldom used cosmetics. They absorbed the essence of heaven and earth to refine their bodies, naturally possessing stunning beauty. Even with a bare face, they outshone elaborately adorned secular women. Only on special occasions would they apply light makeup to enhance their radiance. Today, Wen Qiao also wore a subtle makeup, her pallor concealed by delicate powder, giving her a rosy glow. Dressed in a exquisite phoenix and phoenix red wedding gown, she stood out, captivating everyone in the room.

It wasn't until the veil was lowered, concealing her face, that the guests snapped back to reality.

They had all heard of the Wen sisters, said to be the most exceptional young women of their generation in the Wen family, both stunningly beautiful and gifted with remarkable talents. However, after seeing Third Miss Wen, they realized that this unassuming third daughter of the Wens surpassed even the renowned Wen sisters in terms of elegance. It was only because she rarely appeared in public that she had remained unknown to the world.

As the auspicious hour arrived, the sounds of gongs and drums echoed from outside.

The Wen family's ladies-in-waiting hurriedly rose to their feet. Second Madam spoke, "Princess Heir Seven will be here soon to fetch the bride. Hurry up and get ready."

Jishui Courtyard buzzed with activity once more.

Prince Heir Seven Ning Yuzhou rode his magnificent demonic steed to the Wen residence for the wedding ceremony.

He dismounted gracefully and strode into the Wen family compound, dressed in a resplendent scarlet robe embroidered with gold threads, his tall and elegant figure radiating an enchanting glow that illuminated every corner of the room.

All who witnessed him couldn't help but marvel and sigh in regret. Such an extraordinary man was unable to cultivate. In just a hundred short years, no matter how outstanding his physique or handsome his appearance, he would eventually become nothing but a pile of bones and dust.

Arriving at Jishui Courtyard, Ning Yuzhou caught sight of the bride seated majestically in the main hall, and a gentle smile graced his lips. He approached her with long strides.

Ning Yuzhou bowed to the Wen family's ladies nearby before gently lifting his bride into his arms.

Everyone was left in confusion.

Wen Qiao was also taken aback by Ning Yuzhou's action.

Then, she heard the soft, gentle voice of the man holding her whisper in her ear, "Don't be afraid, I'm here to fetch you."

Wen Qiao wanted to say something, but the loud drums and gongs made it impossible, so she silently acquiesced to his actions.

The person in his arms was incredibly light, and Ning Yuzhou lifted her effortlessly without any strain. He spoke politely to Madam Second, "Third Miss isn't in good health, so I'll carry her out."

All the madams: "......."

No matter how unwell she was, she was still a cultivator – surely better than a non-practicing good-for-nothing like him?

Everyone watched in silence as Ning Yuzhou carried the bride out of Jishui Courtyard and headed for the main hall in the front yard to bid farewell to the bride's family.

Despite being a secular wedding ceremony, most of the Wen family's elders had shown up to give their respects.

The Wen family elders, led by Wen Zhongqing, were assembled in the main hall.

Ning Yuzhou, accompanied by the bride, bid farewell to her maternal family.

Wen Zhongqing had no particular feelings for his niece; he could even be said to be distant from her. Naturally, he didn't experience any reluctance as she left. He simply followed tradition, offering parting words of encouragement, urging the couple to support each other through thick and thin and live harmoniously.

The rest of the Wen family elders were similarly detached.

After bidding farewell to the elders, Ning Yuzhou personally carried the bride into the wedding palanquin. He then mounted his demonic steed, and the lively procession left the Wen residence.

As they watched them depart, the Wens felt an unexplained sense of relief.

The wedding party circled around the Imperial City before finally arriving at the Seventh Prince's residence, which bordered the Hehao Palace.

Upon reaching adulthood, the Seventh Prince had moved out of the palace to establish his own estate. To ensure the safety of his beloved youngest son, Emperor Chenghao had built the Seventh Prince's residence adjacent to the palace and assigned highly-trained disciples from the royal Ning clan as guards, making the entire estate as secure as an iron bucket.

Emperor Chenghao arrived early at the Seventh Prince's residence to oversee his youngest son's wedding ceremony in person.

Other elders from the Ning clan were also in attendance.

Due to the Ning family's high regard, the other noble clans naturally showed their respect as well. Not only did they send gifts, they also attended the wedding in person, witnessing this ceremony conducted with secular world customs.

"A wedding in the secular world is like this? Different from our cultivators' dual cultivation ceremony, it's more intricate," remarked the girl in a jade-green lake-colored dress, her voice filled with innocence. "Fifth Brother, our Father Emperor truly dotes on Seventh Brother, allowing him to go through all these preparations."

Princess Ning Pingzhou spoke with a hint of detachment, "Father Emperor has his reasons."

The girl's eyes darted around before she whispered softly, "Even if Father Emperor spoils him, he's still a good-for-nothing. He has to marry early and even hold a wedding following the secular tradition. They're both a good-for-nothing and a sickly one – truly a match made in heaven."

"Foolish talk," Ning Pingzhou reprimanded, though without much reproach in his tone.

The girl stuck out her tongue, appearing innocent and carefree.

After the couple exchanged bows, Wen Qiao was led into the bridal chamber.

A slender, jade-like hand lifted her veil.

Looking up, she saw a man wearing a purple-gold crown and a scarlet robe embroidered with gold. His handsome face, just as beautiful as when she last saw him a month ago, exuded warmth and gentleness, leaving a pleasant impression.

Ning Yuzhou gazed at her for a moment before saying warmly, "I still need to see Father Emperor off. You sit here for a while. If you're hungry, feel free to have something to eat."

Wen Qiao acknowledged with a soft sound, her expression unchanged, displaying no signs of nervousness.

Ning Yuzhou took one more glance at her before turning to leave.

Not long after Ning Yuzhou's departure, several maidens entered to attend to Wen Qiao, assisting her in washing up and changing her attire. They removed the heavy phoenix headdress from her head, gently coiling her luscious black hair into a simple bun, adorned only with a white jade hairpin. Then, they presented her with soft silk robes and served her during her ablutions.

Lian Yue stood there, somewhat dazed, observing the well-coordinated actions of the imperial maidens. This sudden comparison made her feel a bit inferior.

At that moment, Wen Qiao spoke, "Lian Yue, where's the flower pot?"

Lian Yue snapped back to reality and promptly replied, "It's outside, Miss. Should I bring it in?"

Wen Qiao gave an assenting hum.

The maids, carrying steaming spiritual delicacies, glanced at her curiously yet cautiously. Their eyes widened when they saw Lian Yue entering with a roughly crafted ceramic flower pot filled only with dark brown soil. They couldn't help but be perplexed.

Why would she bring in an empty flower pot?

Seated at the dining table, Wen Qiao ignored the maidens' gazes. After receiving the pot, her delicate fingers traced the rim before placing it beside the table. Taking the chopsticks offered by a maiden, she began her meal unhurriedly.

The exquisite spiritual delicacies on the table contrasted starkly with the humble flower pot, like the opulence of an aristocratic household versus the simplicity of a rural cottage. It was a striking disparity.

Could it be that, after marrying the Seventh Prince, this princess had lost all hope and adopted the ways of mortals?

Only Lian Yue knew how much her lady cherished the seeds in that very pot, even though they had yet to sprout. After all, they were a gift from the Seventh Prince, and thus, held great value to her lady.

Upon hearing Lian Yue's unintentional revelation, the servants of the Seventh Prince's estate finally understood that this seemingly unremarkable item was, in fact, a gift from their prince.

Having gained insight, the maids no longer regarded the flower pot with odd glances but instead treated it with great care.

When Ning Yuzhou returned from seeing off his guests, he was greeted by his bride, freshly bathed and exuding a delicate, dewy radiance, cradling that very rustic flower pot in her arms.