Three days later.
As dawn broke, Leng Ruo Li was awakened by two young maids. Her maternal grandmother and two paternal aunts had arrived at General Leng’s mansion before daybreak to help Leng Ruo Li with her hair and makeup, as today was her wedding day with Jun Mo Han.
Leng Ruo Li got out of bed and opened the door for the people standing outside.
“Miss, where are the dark spots on your face?”
The two young maids were astonished to see Leng Ruo Li’s fair and smooth complexion.
Upon hearing this, Old Madam Xia and the two aunts from the Xia family, who were standing behind Xing’er and Ling’er, also turned their gazes to Leng Ruo Li’s face.
Then, the three women, mother-in-law and daughters-in-law, asked with great surprise, “Rui’er, the dark spots on your face are gone?”
Seeing their surprised expressions, Leng Ruo Li raised her hand to touch her face, a gentle smile curling the corners of her lips. She said, “The poisonous spots on my face were cured long ago.”
“This is truly wonderful! My Rui’er is no longer the ugly girl mocked by others,” Old Madam Xia said, tears of joy welling up.
“Mother, today is Rui’er’s wedding day, you shouldn’t cry,” Madam An reminded her.
“Yes, yes, I must not cry today.” Old Madam Xia quickly wiped away her tears.
Leng Ruo Li chuckled.
“Grandmother, two aunts, please come in,” Leng Ruo Li beckoned.
After they entered the room, Old Madam Xia hurried to cleanse Leng Ruo Li’s face. According to ancient custom, a bride needed to have her face cleansed before applying makeup. She picked up a cotton thread from the tray placed by the two maids and began threading.
“Ow, it hurts so much, Grandmother.”
As soon as Old Madam Xia threaded Leng Ruo Li’s face twice, Leng Ruo Li let out a soft cry of pain.
“Rui’er, it hurts, but you still need to have your face cleansed. This is an essential step for a bride,” Old Madam Xia said with a smile.
So, the old madam threaded Leng Ruo Li’s face twice more.
“Ah, Grandmother, it really hurts. Can you not thread my face?”
Leng Ruo Li’s eyes welled up with tears from the pain.
“Mother, Rui’er’s face is already clean and smooth. I think it’s fine not to thread her face,” Madam An persuaded.
“Mother, I also think eldest sister-in-law is right. Since Rui’er doesn’t want to have her face threaded, let’s not do it. Anyway, Rui’er’s skin is now so good that it’s enviable,” Madam Jiang seconded.
“Alright, since you all say not to thread her face, then forget it.” Old Madam Xia shook her head helplessly and called out to the young maids behind her, “Xing’er, first bring some warm water for your miss to wash up.”
Xing’er quickly brought the warm water for Leng Ruo Li to rinse her mouth and wash her face. After everything was done, Madam An and Madam Jiang held up Leng Ruo Li’s wedding dress. A set of fiery red bridal robes was instantly revealed before them.
This wedding dress was made of the most precious Cloud Brocade in the world. It was said that this Cloud Brocade was only available to the Empress Dowager in the Heavenly Martial Kingdom. Three years ago, after the defeat of the Southern Zhao Kingdom against the Heavenly Martial Kingdom, two bolts of this fabric were presented to the Emperor as reparations. The Emperor then gifted these two bolts to the Empress Dowager, not even sparing one for the Empress. The fact that the Empress Dowager was willing to give the Cloud Brocade to Leng Ruo Li for her wedding dress showed how extraordinary Leng Ruo Li’s standing was in the Empress Dowager’s heart.
Otherwise, the Empress Dowager would not have taken out such rare and precious fabric to make a wedding dress for another woman.
The wedding dress was a double-layered wide-sleeved robe. The front was embroidered with several peonies in gold thread, and the edges were adorned with patterns of mandarin ducks and pomegranates. Five rubies and sapphires were inlaid on the chest to form a heart shape, a suggestion from Leng Ruo Li. On top was a fiery red ceremonial cape embroidered with auspicious motifs of hundred children and hundred blessings in gold thread. The hem of the skirt was embroidered with a lifelike phoenix, and the skirt trailed three feet on the ground.
“Wow, Miss, your wedding dress is so beautiful!” Xing’er exclaimed excitedly.
“Yes! I, this old woman, have lived for decades and have never seen such a beautiful wedding dress,” Old Madam Xia expressed her envy.
“I heard that this wedding dress was personally ordered by the Empress Dowager for the most skilled embroiderers in the palace,” Madam An said with envy.
“Rui’er, could you let your aunt wear your wedding dress first?” Madam Jiang joked.
“Rui’er, your aunt is truly thick-skinned. Don’t pay attention to her,” Old Madam Xia chided.
“Mother, let’s quickly help Rui’er put on her wedding dress and get ready. If we delay any longer, the auspicious hour will be here,” Madam An reminded them.
“Alright.”
Old Madam Xia nodded.
Madam An and Madam Jiang quickly took the wedding dress behind the screen to help Leng Ruo Li put it on.
Then, they had Leng Ruo Li sit before the dressing table. Old Madam Xia immediately took a golden comb and began to comb Leng Ruo Li’s hair, muttering auspicious phrases.
“First comb, from head to end, wealth and honor shall attend. Second comb, from head to end, no illness and no worry. Third comb, from head to end, many children and long life.”
“Further comb, to the tail, a loving couple, by your side. Second comb, to the tail, flying as a pair. Third comb, to the tail, hearts forever entwined. With head and tail complete, in this life, prosperity you’ll meet.”
After Old Madam Xia finished her auspicious words, Madam An and Madam Jiang began to style Leng Ruo Li’s hair. It took them half an hour to create a beautiful adult hairstyle for Leng Ruo Li.
“Two aunts, let Rui’er do her own makeup from now on,” Leng Ruo Li requested.
“Alright.”
Madam An and Madam Jiang replied in unison, as they both knew that the cosmetics and skincare products Leng Ruo Li possessed were far superior to the rouge and powder they had brought.
Subsequently, Leng Ruo Li picked up the makeup she had prepared on the dressing table and applied a delicate makeup in just over ten minutes.
Her makeup skills were almost supernatural. As a top agent in her previous life, she had to be proficient in makeup.
“Wow, Rui’er, you’re so fast at applying makeup! Second aunt didn’t even understand what you were doing, and you were already finished. Most importantly, you painted it so beautifully,” Madam Jiang, who was more lively, exclaimed.
“Alas, my Rui’er is so capable. It truly makes your grandmother proud,” Old Madam Xia praised from the side.
This reminded her of her daughter, who had passed away many years ago, and her eyes instantly turned red again.
However, as it was her granddaughter’s wedding day, she forced herself to hold back her tears.
If her Wan’er were still alive, her grandmother, not her, should have been the one to comb Rui’er’s hair on this day.
Alas, her Rui’er was truly pitiful, having been deprived of her mother’s love since birth.
After a sigh, the old madam personally placed the phoenix coronet, specially made by Jun Mo Han for Leng Ruo Li, on her head. Then, the women helped Leng Ruo Li up from the stool and stood her in the center of the room, tidying her wedding dress and coronet.
Moments later, as they looked at the woman before them, who was as beautiful as the fall of a city and possessed an air of grace and nobility, they were stunned.
Leng Ruo Li had a pair of clear, bright almond eyes, eyebrows like delicate willow branches, and long eyelashes like butterfly wings, fluttering slightly. Her fair skin was like a freshly peeled egg, with a hint of pink. Her lips, as if carved by a knife, were tender and luscious. Her dark, ink-black hair was styled into an updo, and a beautiful floral hairpin was placed on her forehead, adding a touch of allure to Leng Ruo Li.
“My Rui’er looks so beautiful today!”
Look at how she has rendered us all speechless.