Phi-Fic Chapter 584 Xie Jue's Storyline: Consummation of the Marriage
Chapter 584 Xie Jue's Storyline: Consummation of the Marriage
Wangfu.
The window panes were half-open, and the bright night light shone into the room.
Upon hearing the loud bang, Qin Jiuwei walked to the window and slowly pushed it open.
The flames exploded in the air, as bright as day.
She watched the fireworks burst forth one after another, and thought, "Their marriage is over."
Light footsteps sounded behind her, and Xie Yanli walked over, gently hugged her from behind, and rested his chin on her shoulder.
"You worked hard too."
Qin Jiu chuckled softly, "I didn't do anything, so how could I say I've worked hard?"
Xie Yanli lowered his head and kissed her neck, his voice tinged with amusement, "It's hard work to have someone on your mind."
Qin Jiu smiled and turned to kiss him back.
At the Princess's residence, red leaves fluttered in the courtyard.
Inside the main hall, Gao Yunzhi sat at the head of the table, dressed in a dark blue palace gown with dark patterns. Beside her sat a woman with gentle features and a serene expression; it was Xu Liuer.
The two were chatting and laughing in hushed tones when a voice came from outside the door announcing their arrival.
"Young Master Xie and the Princess have arrived—"
Gao Yunzhi looked up and saw Xie Jue and Gao Wanzhi walking in side by side.
Xie Jue cupped his hands in a respectful bow, saying, "Greetings, Princess, and Madam Xu."
His voice was the same as usual, but there was a subtle tension in his tone.
Over the years, he had met the princess many times, but this was the first time he had met her as her son-in-law.
Gao Yunzhi saw his thoughts and comforted him with a smile, "Don't be so formal, we're all family now."
Gao Wanzhi, who was standing to the side, also smiled and quietly tugged at Xie Jue's sleeve.
Xie Jue turned to look at her, a smile appearing in his eyes.
He then knelt down with her and respectfully kowtowed to Gao Yunzhi.
After the marriage was arranged, the next step was to hold the wedding.
While preparing for the wedding, Xie Jue also set up soup kitchens outside the city.
Every day, three large iron pots are boiled, each filled with fragrant meat porridge. There are three porridge stalls set up outside the city gates every day, and long queues form early in the morning. Everyone, regardless of status or age, can get porridge.
Each person can also receive an embroidered bag printed with "Happy Events in the Xie Family", which contains red bean cakes and osmanthus sugar.
In addition, Xie Jue set up distribution points in the East Market, West Ward, and North Gate, delivering festive gifts in various ways every day, such as red thread ropes, mandarin duck cakes, "Fu" character candies, and tassel silk flowers. Even young ladies in their boudoirs rushed to receive them.
In no time, the whole capital knew that the Xie family's heir was about to marry the princess, and the ceremony would be grand and extremely glamorous.
A month before the wedding, Xie Jue set up a continuous banquet in front of Fuyu Tower, with five long tables set up every day for a whole month.
The meal was served with a constant flow of water and a wide variety of dishes, and everyone was welcome to take a seat.
The dishes at the banquet are exquisite. Although they are not delicacies, each dish is refined and prepared by the chefs of Fuyulou. The dishes are changed every day.
People come and go in front of Fuyu Tower, laughing and chatting.
The people, having received his favors, began to praise Xie Jue and Gao Wanzhi's marriage, calling them a perfect couple.
The wedding was already so lively before the ceremony, and the wedding itself was an even more spectacular event.
Before dawn, the Xie family had already decorated with lanterns and colorful banners, with red silk hanging high, stretching from the main gate of the Prince's Mansion all the way to the street corner, a length of a hundred feet. Incense tables were set up on both sides of the street, and hundreds of households burned incense to welcome the joy. Flowers bloomed everywhere, and gongs and drums resounded.
The entire outer wall of the Xie Mansion was covered with silk brocade, and even the tassels hanging from the eaves were wrapped with gold thread, shimmering brightly. In front of the gate, there was a ten-foot-long red carpet, with a pair of phoenixes singing in harmony embroidered in the center, symbolizing a long and happy marriage.
The wedding procession was grand and imposing, with twenty musicians leading the way and fifty horsemen following behind. Xie Jue himself rode a snow-white steed, dressed in a black brocade robe with dragon patterns. Wherever they passed through the streets, people stopped to watch.
At the end of the Si hour (9-11 AM), the wedding procession arrived at the gate of the Princess's residence. The master of ceremonies loudly announced the arrival of the bride and struck the gong three times.
As noon approached, the wedding ceremony officially began.
"The auspicious hour has arrived; welcome the princess back to the manor!"
Supported by the matchmaker, Gao Wanzhi stepped out of the hall, her wedding robe trailing on the ground, her phoenix crown adorning her head, her every step like a lotus blossom.
Xie Jue looked up at her, his eyes overflowing with tenderness.
The master of ceremonies announced, "First bow to Heaven and Earth!"
"Two thanks to the high hall!"
"The couple bows to each other! Send them to the bridal chamber!"
Inside the bridal chamber, the wedding curtains were hung high, and the red candles flickered.
A brocade quilt embroidered with mandarin ducks playing in the water was laid on the sandalwood bed, and Gao Wanzhi sat upright on one side of the bed.
Light footsteps sounded outside the door, and Xie Jue pushed the door open and entered.
The moment the red handkerchief slipped off, Gao Wanzhi looked up and met his burning gaze.
Her heart skipped a beat, and before she could speak, Xie Jue reached out and grabbed her wrist, pulling her into his arms.
"Wanzhi."
She tried to push him away, but his sudden kiss silenced her lips.
Their lips met, and she panicked, but gradually lost the strength to struggle.
Xie Jue's kiss deepened little by little, from the initial tenderness to a gradual lingering passion.
His fingertips landed on her hair bun, removing the exquisite gold hair ornament. Her hair cascaded down, covering her shoulders.
He moved gently, peeling back her wedding dress inch by inch, kissing her ear, her collarbone, and then down...
The wedding candles burned silently, their red light illuminating the intertwined figures of the two.
The curtains were drawn, leaving only soft breaths and moans on the bed, a night of intense spring.
Two years later.
Under the beech tree in the backyard of the Prince's Mansion.
Gao Wanzhi sat cross-legged, holding a pink little dumpling in her arms, wearing a light red bellyband, with a cinnabar mole on her forehead.
Xie Yunshu was already one year old and was just learning to speak. She called out "Mother" in a babyish voice, which melted Gao Wanzhi's heart.
Xie Yunshu reached out to grab the tree shadow, laughing loudly, her little feet kicking with surprising strength.
Gao Wanzhi gently placed her on the brocade carpet, letting her lie down and play by herself, while she rested her cheek on her hand and watched with a smile.
Before long, a familiar voice came from outside.
"Our little Yunshu is basking in the sun," Qin Jiuwei said with a smile as she led a three-year-old boy in.
Xie Mingchuan wore a moon-white robe with blue trim, his steps were steady, and at such a young age he already resembled Xie Jing.
As soon as he entered the room, he saw the bright red little ball on the ground and quickly ran over to it.
He crouched down and carefully patted Xie Yunshu's chubby little hand. "Ashu, I'm your older brother."
Xie Yunshu tilted her head and glanced at him, then grinned.
The two sat under the tree, one climbing over it while the other talked.
A short while later, Xie Yunshu collapsed and sat down, exhausted from climbing.
Seeing this, Xie Mingchuan immediately reached out to support her, his small hand bracing her back to protect her steadily.
Xie Jue returned in the evening, bringing with him some craftsmen.