Chapter 034 Lifting the Bridal Veil

Chapter 034 Lifting the Bridal Veil

On the fifteenth day of the tenth month, at the fifth watch of the night, the lights in the Lin family's residence were already lit.

The nanny invited from the Changqing Hou Mansion was dressing Lin Baozhen, while Fu Bin also sent over his best nanny.

Since Fu Bin's family background had been revealed, he no longer needed to hide or act behind the scenes. On the eve of the wedding, he sent over many gifts as part of Lin Yingxue's dowry.

Today, the nanny who would dress Lin Yingxue had previously served the Empress Dowager.

Dressed in her dragon and phoenix wedding gown, this attire was commissioned by Fu Bin when his nephew first arrived in the capital city. The gown was embroidered by the finest artisans.

Under the candlelight, the golden threads on the gown shimmered like flowing water, casting a cold light. The intricate patterns of dragons and phoenixes seemed almost alive, the result of half a year's meticulous work, making it exceptionally exquisite.

Lin Yingxue sat with her hair loose, a phoenix crown placed beside her right hand.

The artisans hammered gold into extremely thin leaves, which were then attached to the phoenix crown. As she moved, they swayed gently. Large, high-quality rubies were embedded within, crafted by skilled artisans. The most remarkable feature of this headdress was its consideration for weight; it was both splendid and comfortable for the bride to wear without causing headaches.

Lin Yingxue tilted her head as the nanny applied makeup to her face.

The nanny's movements were gentle; she had been released from the palace due to age but still had connections inside, needing the assistance of Eunuch Fu. She put all her effort into dressing Fu Bin's nephew's new wife.

While dressing Miss Lin's second daughter, the nanny couldn't help but think that such natural beauty required little effort to enhance. Her task was merely to add the finishing touches.

The nanny was dedicated to her work, aiming to ensure that when the groom lifted the veil, he would be awestruck.

"The colors here are gradually changing, making the eyes appear more innocent."

"There is a small trick with the lip color, Miss Lin, please observe my technique."

This nanny not only applied makeup to Lin Yingxue but also imparted her skills to her.

Lin Yingxue nodded, taking note of each detail, realizing for the first time that seemingly effortless makeup was actually meticulously designed.

Time passed. When she began bathing and changing, it was still dark, relying solely on candlelight. Later, a golden glow slowly emerged from the horizon, casting warm golden-red light through the window lattice, scattering specks of gold across the floor.

While Lin Yingxue's bridal chamber was orderly, Lin Baozhen's side was eerily silent.

On the eve of the wedding, Lin Baozhen saw valuable items being delivered to Lin Yingxue, which infuriated her.

She, Lin Baozhen, always used the best things in the household. Now, everything for Lin Yingxue's wedding surpassed hers, causing her immense distress.

Most importantly, because Father promised to give Lin Yingxue the same dowry, her own could not be increased for her benefit.

The bride showed no joy, her face sullen as the nanny applied makeup. Even with the nanny's skillful hands, the sight of her face seemed odd. Lin Baozhen looked more like she was going to a funeral than a wedding.

The maids exchanged glances, Chang Yan hesitated, and Lady Wang, seeing Lin Baozhen like this, could no longer hold back. She dismissed everyone, then grabbed Lin Baozhen's hand and whispered sternly:

"Have you had enough? The Lord Marquis will be here soon. Do you want people to laugh at you?"

Lin Baozhen, staring blankly at herself in the mirror, responded to her mother's words: "I am already a laughingstock."

Turning to look at her mother, she realized the room was empty. With no one around, she could seek comfort from her mother.

Lin Baozhen's heart ached, wanting to throw herself into her mother's arms. But Lady Wang quickly stopped her, knowing that her daughter's elaborate headdress would need to be redone if she did so.

Lady Wang pressed her hand on her daughter's shoulder, "Baozhen, stop this!"

Reprimanded by her mother, Lin Baozhen felt even worse, pouting, "Mother, I'm really upset. Why did Fu Jiaze have to have such an influential uncle before the wedding? Everything she has now surpasses mine. And when the wedding processions enter together, won't I be overshadowed?"

Lady Wang also resented Fu Bin's actions the previous day. Initially, she had seen that Lin Yingxue's wedding preparations were simple, far from surpassing Lin Baozhen's. But overnight, everything changed, leaving the second miss to shine while her own daughter was overshadowed.

Lady Wang hated that Lin Yingxue's splendor outshone her daughter's, and even more, she despised Lin Baozhen's constant crying, fearing it would bring ridicule.

Lady Wang said, "She is merely nominal; when the wedding takes place, the discomfort will be apparent. On one side, there will be the ill-at-ease Lady Wen, and on the other, the temporarily reprieved Lady Fu."

"But Fu Bin alone overshadows everything," Lin Baozhen said, "Why does she get such a good marriage?"

Lady Wang sighed, "You were supposed to marry Fu Jiaze, but you pushed it away. If you didn't want it, why do you care who he marries now?"

"But I didn't know about his uncle. I just didn't want Lin Yingxue to marry him."

"Baozhen, how old are you?" Lady Wang's expression was weary, rubbing her temples, "You're not a child anymore. Fu Jiaze is someone you rejected; you can't control whom he marries. Besides, you've had premonitory dreams, knowing he is impotent. What do you care? As for Lin Yingxue, she's already married. You have your premonitions and are the legitimate daughter. Your life will be better than hers. Stop focusing on her."

Lin Baozhen thought, she didn't know if Fu Jiaze was impotent, and if he wasn't exiled, wouldn't he live longer? The reality differed greatly from her dreams, leaving her resentful.

Lady Wang continued, "She's marrying Fu Jiaze, and you're marrying Wei Wuhou. Baozhen, you must adjust your mindset, finish your makeup properly. Otherwise, you'll truly become a laughingstock. Do you want the Lord Marquis to lift your veil and see a bitter face? The procession will arrive in two hours. Baozhen, you can't continue like this."

The sounds of music were faintly audible, prompting Lin Baozhen to reluctantly nod, "Mother, I feel my makeup looks bad today. Can we fix it?"

"That's better. Your under-eye area is a bit dark," Lady Wang said, "I'll have someone apply more powder there. You look better when you smile. Baozhen, when the Lord Marquis lifts your veil, you must smile."

Lin Baozhen tried smiling in the mirror, but it still looked forced.

Lady Wang wasn't worried; the veil wouldn't be lifted until after the ceremonial wine was shared.

/

October fifteenth was destined to be a bustling day. The Lin family was marrying off two daughters: the eldest to Wei Wuhou Xie Yuan, who was nearly forty with a son older than the bride; and the second daughter to the merchant's adopted son Fu Jiaze.

The weather was clear, and early in the morning, the sounds of festive music drew crowds to the Lin family's residence.

Logically, the capital city's attention should have been focused on the first wedding, but recent events shifted interest to the second wedding.

Fu Jiaze's uncle was the renowned Fu Bin, and although his mother Fu Heng was less known, her businesses were widely recognized. These enterprises, spanning the country, gained fame due to the lawsuit against her by Tian Youliang.

More importantly, Fu Jiaze's essay was submitted to the Imperial Academy. The intense pressure that day led to his best performance.

That piece of formal eight-part prose had a unique rhythm, considered his finest work. Any scholar versed in eight-part prose would acknowledge its excellence. Written in the imperial study, personally assigned by the Emperor and Empress, it was impossible to cheat under their watchful eyes.

Initially viewed as a poor scholar, Fu Jiaze rose to prominence, becoming a true prodigy.

He was wealthy and powerful, with great talent to his name. When the spring examinations came, he would surely be listed among the successful candidates.

Such an ideal son-in-law, who was considered a lucky star, had slipped through Lin Baozhen's fingers and now had fallen into the lap of the "legitimate" second miss.

Everyone couldn't help but envy Miss Lin the Second, and some even came specifically to watch the wedding procession, just to see Lin Yi's expression.

Two wedding processions, one starting from the south of the city and the other from the north, now converged at the entrance of the Lin residence.

As the processions approached, the crowd made way, inevitably comparing the two wedding processions.

Xie Yuan was originally in high spirits, but upon seeing Fu Jiaze, his face turned green.

The bride he was marrying was the eldest miss, and he could have arranged for the ceremonies to be staggered by an hour. However, at the time, Fu Jiaze's background had not yet been revealed, so Xie Yuan wanted people to think that the person Lin Baozhen was marrying was better. He deliberately said:

"The proposal is on one day, and the wedding date is also on one day. Both Baoer and her sister are legitimate daughters now. Since it's a double happiness, I think there's no need to have separate ceremonies; let's do them together."

Now, the comparison was nothing short of disastrous.

In fact, the Wei Wu Hou Mansion took this marriage very seriously. The entire mansion had been renovated, and the wedding procession had cost a fortune, showing their utmost sincerity. However, all of Wei Wu Hou's efforts paled in comparison to Fu Jiaze's grandeur.

Firstly, Fu Jiaze broke his usual low profile, wearing gold and jade. His attire was made of luxurious silk interwoven with gold threads, and he rode a completely white horse. Even the red silk draped over the horse was edged with gold.

Wei Wu Hou was not as young or handsome as Fu Jiaze. The only advantage he had was his steed, a prized blood-sweating horse.

However, while Wei Wu Hou's procession had horses of various colors and attendants dressed as servants, Fu Jiaze's procession featured a line of Jin Yi Wei guards, each leading identical white stallions, creating a more imposing presence.

The appearance of the Jin Yi Wei guards made the crowd hesitant to speak loudly. It wasn't until they saw Qin Yuanting, dressed as a thousand-household officer, distributing wedding gifts that they rushed forward.

This was a wedding gift personally handed out by a Jin Yi Wei thousand-household officer?! So the crowd gathered around Fu Jiaze, carefully tucking the gifts into their pockets before casually picking up the gifts from the Wei Wu Hou Mansion.

The stark contrast made Wei Wu Hou feel humiliated, and his expression turned sour.

Fu Jiaze dismounted, "Lord Marquis."

Xie Yuan composed himself and dismounted as well, bowing to Fu Jiaze: "Please."

Amidst the crowd, Xie Jingzhi looked haggard. Logically, he should have been entertaining guests at the Hou Mansion, but thinking that he might not even see Lin Yingxue get married if he stayed there, he sneaked out and stood at the entrance of the Lin residence.

/

Both grooms knocked on the door together, and at that moment, the maids helped both brides walk from the courtyard to the main gate.

When Lin Yi saw Lin Yingxue, he was momentarily stunned. Seeing her in such splendid attire reminded him of Wen Hui years ago.

Wen Hui's bridal attire was not as luxurious as Lin Yingxue's, but her smile was brighter than Lin Yingxue's current one.

Back then, he and Wen Hui were already engaged, only lacking the formal ceremony. But now, Lin Yingxue and Fu Jiaze were not yet engaged, and Lin Yingxue felt a mix of anticipation, shyness, and fear.

Wen Hui was fearless back then, eagerly looking forward to their marriage, though their ceremony was fake.

Lin Yi felt he might be getting old, or perhaps there were too many memories of Wen Hui in the Lin residence. He closed the door to reflect, always thinking about the woman who left without any sentiment.

Sometimes he remembered their first meeting, when she held peach blossoms, looking up at him with a smile, her golden veil fluttering in the breeze like a beautiful dream. Sometimes he recalled her kneeling before the Fourth Prince, saying those heart-wrenching words, causing him immense pain. And sometimes he saw her again in that golden veil, holding a release document, smiling as she left.

Seeing Lin Yi staring at Lin Yingxue, Wang Shi stepped forward and pinched her husband's arm, bringing him back to reality. She then moved to her daughter's side, blocking her view.

It was truly a sin. Wang Shi deeply regretted agreeing to let Lin Baozhen and Lin Yingxue marry on the same day!

Her husband had always favored Wen Hui, and today he was lost in thought watching Lin Yingxue. Her own daughter was even less composed, having promised not to look at Lin Yingxue but now contorting her face in jealousy, looking more like a demon from hell than a bride.

Lin Yi regained his composure and asked someone to hand him the veil, preparing to cover Lin Baozhen first.

Lin Baozhen immediately said, "Cover Lin Yingxue first!"

Wang Shi trembled with anger but could only endure it, telling Lin Yi, "My lord, please grant Baozhen's wish."

Lin Yi didn't mind the details, putting down the original veil and taking a more exquisite one, walking to Lin Yingxue.

Lin Yingxue half-knelt, and Lin Yi gently placed the veil over her phoenix crown, covering her breathtaking beauty.

Lin Yi composed himself and said to Lin Yingxue, "I will go to the Wei Wu Hou Mansion later. There's little I can advise you, but I hope you live well."

Lin Yingxue had nothing to say to Lin Yi. Even if her life was difficult, she wouldn't expect the Lin residence to intervene. She quietly replied, "Daughter understands."

Lin Yi then walked to Lin Baozhen and slowly said, "I'm not worried about Yingxue, but rather about you. You've always been headstrong. In the past, we indulged you, but now that you're marrying into the Hou Mansion, you must not be so capricious. It's not good to keep running back home after marriage."

Lin Baozhen pouted, unwillingly saying, "On such a joyous day, you still want to lecture me."

Wang Shi quickly tugged at Lin Baozhen's sleeve, nodding towards Lin Yingxue, "Enough, don't be stubborn. Your father is concerned about you. Look, he doesn't give your sister such advice, only telling her to take care of herself."

Wang Shi said this to hurt Lin Yingxue's feelings and to soothe Lin Baozhen.

Lin Baozhen immediately cheered up, "True, if I quarrel with Lord Marquis, I can come back. Too bad someone won't be able to return."

Lin Baozhen now regretted not covering herself first, as she missed seeing Lin Yingxue's reaction.

But Lin Baozhen didn't know that Lin Yingxue didn't care whether the Lin residence would stand up for her. She was holding a ruyi fruit, looking down at the blue bricks on the ground.

Lin Yi coughed, and Lin Baozhen lowered herself, "Daughter will remember Father's teachings."

Lin Yi then covered his eldest daughter's head with the veil.

They waited for the makeup poems to open the gates of the Lin residence.

/

The makeup poems were already prepared. After reciting nine poems, the vermilion gates of the Lin residence opened. Lin Yi stepped out first, followed by the two brides in their wedding attire crossing the threshold together.

A gentle breeze blew, stirring their garments.

Lin Yingxue's wedding attire shimmered with golden patterns, appearing almost otherworldly.

Lin Baozhen's wedding attire was also valuable, but compared to Lin Yingxue's, it seemed plain, causing Wei Wu Hou's face to darken once again.

Mrs. Quanfu handed two red ribbons to the two different grooms, and just at that moment, someone shouted, "Shouldn't the veil be lifted? What if there's a mistake?"

The crowd burst into laughter; there were always people who enjoyed stirring up excitement.

"Yeah, yeah, what if there's a mistake?"

"I once read a story called 'Marrying the Wrong Bride but the Right Groom.' Could it happen today? If she marries the wrong person, wouldn't that be hilarious?"

"Second Miss Lin is so beautiful. Whoever marries her would be blessed."

"That First Miss Lin is a troublemaker. Mr. Fu surely doesn't want to marry her. Better check the bride to make sure there's no mistake."

Standing in the crowd, Xie Jingzhi's heart raced. If the veil were lifted now, he could remember this moment forever. He was skilled in painting and might capture this scene on canvas.

Lin Baozhen was furious at these remarks. What did they mean? Shouldn't marrying her be better? And what about being a troublemaker?

However, Fu Jiaze had no intention of lifting the veil. Not only was he familiar with the bridal attire, but he had also seen a small mole on Lin Yingxue's index finger. From the shape of her hand, he knew he was holding the right person.

Ignoring the comments, Fu Jiaze led the way towards the sedan chair, holding the red ribbon.

Seeing this, Xie Yuan glanced at Lin Baozhen. With different bridal dresses, if the Lin family made a mistake, Lin Yi would have to commit suicide to atone for it. So, he also led Lin Baozhen towards his wedding procession.

The crowd, seeing no spectacle to watch, let out disappointed sighs.

Fu Jiaze's escort included the Embroidered Uniform Guard, who were not to be trifled with. They fanned out, one hand on their swords, slightly drawing them from their scabbards, revealing a cold glint that sent chills down everyone's spines.

The crowd realized that trying to play tricks on Fu Jiaze was impossible. His uncle was powerful, so they dared not speak further.

Only one person still hoped Fu Jiaze would lift the veil immediately: Xie Jingzhi. Today was also his father's wedding, and he had to return to the Weiwu Marquis Mansion. He couldn't attend Lin Yingxue's wedding.

He stepped forward and bowed to Fu Jiaze, "Mr. Fu, I think the veil should indeed be lifted now. What if there's a mistake?"

Fu Jiaze stopped, his gaze cold. He knew Xie Jingzhi's intentions—just wanting to see his wife. Why should he grant Xie Jingzhi's wish? The veil should be lifted on the eve of their wedding night, not like this.

"There won't be a mistake. I won't mistake my new wife. I am marrying the Second Miss of the Lin family, and the red ribbon I'm holding belongs to her."

Lin Yingxue had never had a good impression of Xie Jingzhi, and now even more so. Her voice was icy as she curtly bowed in his direction, "Second Miss Lin greets Lord Xie."

Xie Jingzhi, hearing Lin Yingxue's voice, took a step forward. Lin Yingxue felt her new husband block her, so she stepped back half a pace.

Xie Jingzhi's eyes lost focus, and he whispered, feeling his heart shatter. "Second Miss Lin."

Seeing his son rush towards Lin Yingxue, Xie Yuan's face darkened. He angrily shouted, "Jingzhi, come here!"

Reluctantly, Xie Jingzhi walked over to Wei Wuhou and received an unhesitating slap from Xie Yuan.

Xie Jingzhi touched his cheek, stunned. "Father."

"Still not ashamed enough?" Xie Yuan's face was livid. "Do you think I would marry the wrong wife? Have you had enough?"

This adopted son clearly wanted to see Lin Yingxue.

Lin Baozhen, already feeling bitter, couldn't hold back when she heard the slap.

Xie Jingzhi had been her heart's desire, and even now she couldn't fully let go of him. Marrying Xie Yuan was partly because being in the Weiwu Marquis Mansion brought her closer to him.

Lin Baozhen lifted her veil.

Her action caused a gasp from the crowd.

Lin Baozhen stared deeply at Xie Jingzhi, who was holding his face. Didn't Xie Jingzhi want to see Lin Yingxue? Since Fu Jiaze refused to lift the veil, she would do it!

Xie Yuan was shocked by Lin Baozhen's action, and even more surprised when she threw off the red ribbon and walked straight to Lin Yingxue. She quickly reached out and lifted Lin Yingxue's veil.

The golden leaves on the phoenix crown trembled slightly due to the sudden movement. Under the elaborate phoenix crown, the woman's beauty was striking, adorned with a golden flower on her forehead, exuding both elegance and charm.

Even without full makeup, Lin Yingxue was captivating. Under the meticulous care of the maidservants, she blossomed into the peak of youthful beauty.