Twenty days passed in the blink of an eye. Despite Lu Qingwan's reluctance, her wedding day arrived as scheduled.
Thanks to the Empress Dowager's personal supervision, the Marquis of Zhaolie's mansion was filled with festive decorations. Not only were the Wan Residence adorned with "joy" characters and red silk, but Lu Siwan's Plum Blossom Courtyard was too.
Today was not only the wedding day of Lu Qingwan and Feng Xiwu.
It was also the day Lu Siwan would become a concubine in Prince Chen's manor.
Yue'er looked at Lu Qingwan, whose skin was as fair as hibiscus and jade, without a single blemish, her eyes sparkling as if stars were about to pop out.
"Miss, you are too beautiful!
When you reveal your true face at the wedding ceremony later, the Regent King will surely be captivated by your phoenix coronet and ceremonial robes!"
Everyone said her lady was an ugly monster, a good-for-nothing. Even if the Regent King was crippled, her lady was not worthy of him!
But in her eyes, her lady was a celestial fairy who had stumbled into the mortal realm. Marrying the Regent King was a bargain for him!
"Is it that exaggerated?"
Feng Xiwu, that scoundrel of a man, she didn't need him to be captivated by her phoenix coronet and ceremonial robes; she only needed to defeat him.
Lu Qingwan did not know that one day, she would indeed bring Feng Xiwu to his knees, though it would be a different kind of "defeat" altogether, the kind that involved seduction.
Madam Chi, invited to be the auspicious woman, symbolically combed Lu Qingwan's hair a few times, uttering auspicious blessings.
Upon hearing Yue'er's words, she smiled and said, "It's not an exaggeration, Yue'er. Your lady's beauty is so stunning that calling her the number one beauty in the capital would be an understatement.
While the Regent King has a fearsome reputation, I specifically asked my husband, and it's all due to the spread of rumors.
In reality, the Regent King is merely a bit cold-tempered. He respects His Majesty and the Empress Dowager, and he cares for the soldiers and common people. He is a rare and excellent husband.
Princess Consort, as long as you do your duty, your life will surely be content."
Upon marrying, Lu Qingwan transitioned from a beloved junior to the high and mighty Princess Consort of the Regent. Madam Chi now addressed her with respectful honorifics.
However, as Madam Chi owed her a life-saving grace, she carefully offered her advice.
Lu Qingwan smiled and nodded, "Thank you, Madam Chi, for your guidance. Qingwan has noted it all."
Madam Chi was a sentimental person, and her eyes had already turned red.
She quickly placed the bridal veil over Lu Qingwan's head and said, "Alright, the auspicious hour has arrived. It's time to go."
According to the customs of Great Qian, the bride was usually carried out by her father or brother. However, as Lu Qingwan had neither, she had to be escorted out by the wedding officiant.
Lu Qingwan recalled what Feng Xiwu had said to Prime Minister Wen that day and assumed he wouldn't come to personally escort her.
Since he hadn't taken the marriage seriously from the start, she felt no discomfort and walked out with Yue'er's support.
Outside the Marquis of Zhaolie's mansion at that time, the wedding procession had arrived, but it was a pink palanquin.
The curious onlookers, who had gathered to witness the spectacle, were in an uproar, "What's going on? Isn't the Regent King getting married? Why is it a pink palanquin?"
"Could Lu Qingwan, that foolish ugly woman, be demoted to a concubine?"
"That's not impossible. Didn't you see the Regent King didn't even come to escort her? What's strange about her being demoted to a concubine?"
"That's true. Although the Regent King is disabled, he is still the God of War of Great Qian. How could he be willing to marry such a foolish ugly woman like Lu Qingwan?"
Meanwhile, Lu Siwan, dressed in a silver-red wedding gown in the Plum Blossom Courtyard, was immensely pleased with herself.
What if she was a concubine? Prince Chen was still giving her a grand welcome and personally coming to marry her.
Lu Qingwan, that ugly monster, even if she got the title of Princess Consort of the Regent, she still had to eagerly marry a cripple.
Perhaps she'd have to marry a rooster or a wooden pillow, and her life would be that of a widow from the moment she married!
Lu Qingwan, you are still no match for me!
Lu Siwan preened, as if she could already see Lu Qingwan spending her nights alone in the Regent's manor, filled with dejection and dissatisfaction.
Just then, Aunt Xuguo blocked the doorway, "The palanquin for the concubine should enter through the side gate. Does Prince Chen's manor not understand this basic etiquette?"
A ripple of surprise went through the crowd, "Whose concubine is Prince Chen taking? Why is he taking a concubine on the Regent King's wedding day?
The scale of this wedding procession is almost comparable to that of marrying a principal wife!"
Feng Qingheng heard these murmurs and was inwardly smug. He had done it on purpose.
Feng Xiwu, that cripple, was only two years older than him, yet he always overshadowed him!
He was marrying a worn-out shoe that he didn't want, yet he acted as if he had found a treasure. For Lu Qingwan, that foolish ugly woman, he had even forced the Marquis of Zhaolie's entire dowry to be returned.
That was eighty bundles of dowry, plus six hundred thousand taels of silver, enough for him to maintain quite a few private soldiers!
Today, that cripple couldn't even ride a horse. He wanted to see how that cripple could compete with him!
Thinking of this, he ignored Aunt Xuguo's reprimand and, perched on his horse, said condescendingly, "Auntie, don't split hairs. The side gate is also on this side, isn't it?"
Aunt Xuguo was referring to another gate of the Marquis's mansion, but he was referring to the small gate next to the main entrance of the mansion. But if he insisted it was a side gate, Aunt Xuguo could do nothing.
She could only watch as Feng Qingheng accepted Lu Siwan and swaggered away.
Just as Feng Qingheng's wedding procession was leaving, an even more magnificent wedding procession arrived from the side.
Soldiers in red armor, holding red-tasseled spears, rode in neat formation.
Beautiful maids carried flower baskets, constantly scattering vibrant petals. Behind them were horse-drawn carriages, displaying various precious items, all wrapped in red silk.
Feng Xiwu, dressed in a crimson python robe and a purple-gold coronet, rode a magnificent snow-white horse to the gates of the Marquis of Zhaolie's mansion.
To everyone's astonishment, he leaped gracefully into the mansion.
"Regent King, what is he doing?"
Everyone was extremely surprised. "Has his injury healed?"
Those outside were filled with doubt, and the people in the Marquis of Zhaolie's mansion were also startled.
Lu Qingwan had just taken the wedding officiant's hand and her foot hadn't even crossed the threshold when her body suddenly became airborne.
Amidst the whistling wind, the feeling of weightlessness caused Lu Qingwan to tightly grip Feng Xiwu's neck and exclaim, "Feng Xiwu, what are you doing?"
She hadn't expected Feng Xiwu to not only come but to do so in such an unconventional manner.
Was he here to escort her or to show off his martial arts skills?
"This King's Princess Consort is naturally extraordinary."
As he spoke, Feng Xiwu had already placed Lu Qingwan onto the eight-bearer palanquin and remounted his magnificent horse.
"Your father defended the borders for Great Qian, and this King will stand in his stead to protect you."
He turned his horse and announced loudly, "Set off, and take the Princess Consort home!"
Hundreds of red-clad soldiers behind him echoed in unison, "Welcome the Princess Consort home!"
...
Three consecutive shouts of "Welcome the Princess Consort home" resounded like three cheers of "Long live," filling the air with their might!
Inside the eight-bearer palanquin, Lu Qingwan silently placed a hand over her heart. Home?
She had never taken the emperor's bestowed marriage seriously, yet Feng Xiwu had solemnly come to propose and personally escort her.
To prevent her from being ridiculed or belittled, he had even taken on the duties of her father and brother.
This scoundrel was too good at this. She felt a little moved!