Chapter 462: Chapter 301: Grand Wedding · Bridal Makeup Poem_2
The onlookers imdiately felt drawn into the excitent and began to loudly goad, “Swear it, swear it!”
Xiao Song gave a faint smile and said amicably, “Since we can’t co to an agreent and I don’t necessarily have to marry the Lady today, then Xiao will have to force his way through.”
With that, he turned and said, “Brothers, let’s go.”
Behind him, the young n of the Xiao Family had long been eager to get going. Everyone knew that the Xiao Family produced many talented in both letters and arms. The Zheng family from Xingyang was the standard gentry among the seven notable families and had not produced a warrior for over a hundred years. Zheng Chengmin craned his neck and shouted, “They’re stealing the bride! The Xiao Family from Lanling is stealing the bride!”
Seeing that a skirmish was about to break out, everyone quickly pulled red cotton fabric from their sleeves to wrap around their clubs to avoid accidentally causing injury.
While they were busy wrapping their clubs, Xiao Song quickly moved forward. Zheng Chengmin waved his club and said, “Don’t co any closer! The club doesn’t discriminate.”
“Brother Chengmin, this really harms the harmony. Why don’t we discuss this?” Xiao Song, without raising a hand, began to negotiate with a smile.
Zheng Chengmin felt it was about ti too; blocking the door was necessary, but it should be done with asure to avoid actually missing the auspicious ti for the wedding ceremony. He said, “Talk is cheap, but I don’t accept trifling favors.”
“Hey, how can a handwritten letter from the surveillance commissioner be a trifling favor?” Xiao Song said in his enchanting voice.
Zheng Chengmin opened his mouth—goodness, such a tempting offer at the outset! No, he must hold on! Zheng Chengmin defiantly stood at the door and whispered most prudently, “I heard you also have poems by Wang Ji, lend them to for three months.”
“No problem!” Xiao Song agreed imdiately.
The crowd hadn’t expected his generosity. The word was out, with no taking it back. Zheng Chengmin loudly said, “Let’s go! Haha!” He gave Xiao Song a secret and triumphant smile.
Xiao Song felt a chill in his heart, knowing this guy had another move planned.
The Zheng family’s youth quickly dispersed, followed imdiately by a line of maids blocking the way, led by the old Lady’s maid, Ping You, “The Wife is still getting dressed, Assistant Minister Xiao, please wait a while!”
Since there was still ti, Xiao Song could only wait patiently. It wouldn’t be right to just push past these delicate maids.
“Isn’t she ready yet? Please, girl, go hurry them a little.” Xiao Song said as he handed out red envelopes, making sure everyone at the door got one.
Ping You, smiling, accepted the red envelopes but did not diligently go to hurry them. Instead, she said, “There’s still plenty of ti, Assistant Minister Xiao, just be patient.”
The bride naturally feels reluctant to leave her parental ho, using the excuse of not finishing dressing up to delay stepping out. In order to catch the auspicious timing, it was then customary to recite the bridal makeup poetry.
Facing these “small n” taking money without performing tasks, Xiao Song was indeed helpless. After pacing a few tis at the door, feeling he could no longer wait, he called a Servant to bring pen and ink and quickly wrote down a poem, handing it to Ping You.
All the maids gathered around to look. Ping You read aloud, allowing the onlookers to hear, “Legends say that under the candlelight beauty is touched up, in front of the mirror do not disguise spring. No need for full makeup, leave untouched brows for soone to draw.”
The poem ant, makeup need not be ticulously perfect. Instead, leave the brows undrawn, and I will help you with them!
As soon as the poem was recited, the crowd erupted in cheers, with so even exclaiming, “Didn’t expect Assistant Minister Xiao to be so tender and tough! Bride, co out quickly, your husband wants to help you draw your brows!”
As soon as these words were spoken, the crowd burst into laughter.
The gentlen of the Xiao Family quickly seized the mont to recite the bridal makeup poem together.
In the repeated chanting, dressed splendidly, Ran Yan ca gracefully, wearing jewelry and a satin dress. The innermost layer of her sleeves was deep red, covered by layers of robes changing gradually from red to yellow to green, and the outermost layer was a deep turquoise satin dress with a weave of precious patterns, embroidered with vibrant auspicious patterns around the collar and hem. Her skirt was a combination of satin and gauze, appearing dignified yet flowing. Inside her arms, she carried a light teal gauze silk scarf, trailing behind her, splendidly extravagant.
Such a gloriously beautiful bride made people very curious to glimpse her face, yet it was hidden by the fan she held in her hands.
Marriage in the Tang Dynasty was different; the bride did not wear a red veil over her head, but instead used a hand fan to cover her face, a gesture that was maintained until she reached the groom’s ho and just before the ceremony, when the groom was to recite the “Fan Poem” to win a smile from the beauty, and only then could the bride show her face.
Xiao Song joyously went over to et her. Although he knew Ran Yan couldn’t see him, he couldn’t help but smile at her.
Just as he was about to lead Ran Yan ho, Zheng Renji and Ran Wen burst out, pulling him aside to earnestly give him a long list of admonitions—essentially to take good care of Ran Yan, citing all manner of classical references. Once they finally finished, Ran Wen began instructing Ran Yan on how to serve her husband and respect her in-laws diligently and virtuously.
After they had finally finished speaking, Ran Yan, supported by Wan Lu and another temporarily assigned maid, got into the carriage.
Xiao Song breathed a sigh of relief, glanced at the red gauzy curtains of the bridal carriage fluttering in the wind, and after bidding farewell to the Zheng family, he mounted his horse and rode ahead.
From Anxing Square to Pingkang Square was not far, but Xiao Song had been delayed considerably this ti, so he slightly hastened his pace.
Ran Yan, sitting inside the carriage, could finally lower her fan for a while. The jewelry on her head weighed over ten pounds, and the multilayered ceremonial robes made the usual gesture of fanning her face exhaustingly tedious. It was fortunate Ran Yan was physically fit, otherwise it would have been unbearable.
“Wife, the bridal makeup poem that Assistant Minister Xiao wrote is really beautiful!” Wan Lu, grinning, gazed at Ran Yan’s exceptionally stunning made-up face and teased, “Had we known, we wouldn’t have let the makeup artist finish. It’s more romantic for the couple to draw eyebrows together!”
Ran Yan glared at her, “Such a chatterbox!” (
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