Chapter 53: The Fake Princess and His God of War Prince (Part 10)
In Great Yue, nobility had their own rules and etiquette for marrying wives and taking concubines.
But Xiang Yinnian was from the Northern Border. Firstly, he held resentment over the old Wangye being sent to guard this bitter cold land, damaging his foundation on the battlefield and passing away early.
Secondly, born and raised in the Northern Border, he had no sense of belonging to Great Yue.
The wedding etiquette followed the local folk customs of the Northern Border: bowing to Heaven and Earth, and bowing to high officials (parents).
Xiao Ji’s parents were in the Imperial City; Xiang Yinnian’s parents were deceased.
Replacing the old Beichen Wang and his wife were two worn sets of gold-wire armor.
Xiao Ji was the eldest legitimate Princess. According to Great Yue etiquette, she was of the first rank and did not need to bow to a Prince of a different surname. Historically, when a consort married a Princess, there was no custom of bowing to the high hall (parents-in-law).
When a legitimate Princess entered the manor, she controlled the household. The mother-in-law could not put on airs and usually had to address her as “Princess.”
But as the legitimate son of the Xiang family, Xiang Yinnian had deep affection for his deceased parents. On such a joyous day, he definitely had to bow to his parents’ attire.
Before going to the Imperial City for the wedding, Xiang Yinnian had thought that as a legitimate Princess, she might not give face at this moment and refuse to bow to two sets of armor.
He also thought that if Xiao Ji really dared to humiliate him in public, he would make Xiao Ji sleep alone on the wedding night, the next day, and for countless days after, humiliating that legitimate Princess right back.
Later, becoming familiar with Xiao Ji and recalling this, he held a sliver of fantasy for Xiao Ji. He also thought about tipping Xiao Ji off in advance, telling him not to throw a tantrum at such a time, to fulfill his filial piety and save face between husband and wife.
But Xiao Ji’s sudden stunt earlier caught Xiang Yinnian off guard. Amidst his chaotic thoughts, he forgot this matter entirely.
Now, the ceremonial officer had already shouted “Second bow to the high hall.” Xiang Yinnian remembered it again, and his heart instantly rose to his throat.
He instinctively looked at Xiao Ji, covered by the veil beside him.
He saw Xiao Ji seem to pause, then obediently bent his waist, bowing to the two sets of gold-wire armor.
It seemed there was no dissatisfaction; the arc of his bow was even more devout than when bowing to Heaven and Earth earlier.
Xiang Yinnian’s brows suddenly curved into a smile, and he bowed down together with Xiao Ji.
When the ceremonial officer shouted for husband and wife to bow to each other, Xiang Yinnian, with his status as a Prince, lowered his head half a head lower than Xiao Ji. This not only preserved the dignity of Xiao Ji marrying from afar as a legitimate Princess but also demonstrated Xiang Yinnian’s care and importance for the new Wangfei to the public.
In the Northern Border, a new bride did not have to wait alone in the room while the husband entertained guests on the wedding day.
Xiao Ji’s veil was lifted by Xiang Yinnian in front of everyone after the three bows ended.
Amidst the noise of cheers and teasing, a child wearing a red padded jacket brought the nuptial wine.
Xiang Yinnian personally handed the nuptial wine to Xiao Ji. After drinking with Xiao Ji, he held Xiao Ji’s hand and asked him:
“Can you drink more?”
Xiao Ji saw Xiang Yinnian’s true face for the first time. He looked a few times more—jade quality and gold appearance, like pine breeze and moon on water. He truly lived up to his earlier boasting.
Xiang Yinnian saw him staring without speaking. Happy in his heart, he shamelessly whispered:
“Can Ben Wang’s appearance enter the Wangfei’s eyes?”
Xiao Ji brought up the pot that shouldn’t be opened: “It is indeed much more handsome than your fake face.”
Xiang Yinnian choked, his face stiffening. “Don’t mention that matter again. Be obedient.”
Xiao Ji fell silent, looking neither happy nor unhappy.
Although the wedding banquet followed folk customs, as a Prince, there was no logic in actively toasting subordinates.
Unlike the cumbersome palace rules where hierarchy was everything, Xiang Yinnian simply pulled Xiao Ji to sit in the flower hall, level with all the guests.
Endless congratulatory words filled the entire wedding banquet.
Whenever someone came to toast, Xiang Yinnian never refused; however much came, he drank.
At first, everyone looked smiling on the surface, but not a single person actively toasted Xiao Ji.
They were all secretly sizing up this Princess who had walked out of the Imperial Palace thousands of miles away.
Unlike most Northern Border women who generally had darker skin, thick eyebrows, big eyes, and were enthusiastic and uninhibited, loving to talk and laugh.
Xiao Ji was fair-skinned. One look and you knew he was a delicate flower nurtured in the deep palace. The smile in his brows and eyes wasn’t distinct; reserved and introverted, gentle as water, quiet.
Though he didn’t deliberately put on airs, nobility and distance seeped from his bones. He looked very hard to approach.
In the corner of the flower hall, Lin Heng leaned against a pillar, holding a bowl of wine, watching everyone who came and went to toast Xiang Yinnian.
Standing on his sides were a man and a woman. The man wore brocade robes, his appearance fifty percent similar to Xiang Yinnian, only his temperament wasn’t as imposing as Xiang Yinnian’s, possessing a bit more restraint.
The woman wore a dark red riding suit with a sword on her waist. Her features were exquisite and deep, possessing a unique flavor, but perhaps due to wind and sun on the battlefield, her skin wasn’t translucent, appearing more heroic.
From beginning to end, her gaze wandered back and forth between Xiang Yinnian and Xiao Ji.
Two large bowls of strong liquor went down before she asked:
“Good looking?”
Lin Heng and Xiang Siyou both knew Yu Qing’s feelings for Xiang Yinnian, and knew this “Good looking?” referred to Xiao Ji.
Lin Heng didn’t care about looks. He was a pragmatist with his own ideas:
“Never got off the carriage the whole way. Good to look at but useless. If this one goes to the battlefield, definitely a drag. But since the Wangye likes her, we have nothing to say.”
Xiang Siyou had preferred literature to martial arts since childhood.
The beauties he yearned for were all those with hands like soft shoots, skin like congealed fat, necks like the longicorn larva, teeth like gourd seeds, cicada-like foreheads, and moth-like eyebrows; smiling beautifully with lovely eyes.
Few women in the Northern Border caught his eye. Now seeing Xiao Ji, the peerless beauty in the books became tangible.
Hearing this, he couldn’t help but sigh, “A delicate flower reflected in water, weak willows swaying in the wind. No wonder my brother is so happy today.”
Hearing this, Yu Qing downed another bowl of wine. “Damn it, not a single word this old lady likes to hear.”
With that, unwilling to give up, she turned her head and whistled at the group of soldiers not far behind who were focused on drinking and eating:
“Can’t you see the Wangfei is sitting there bored? Go toast! You only know how to drink!”
Northern Border soldiers were honest. Going into battle to kill enemies? They were heroes, one and all. But no one took these twists and turns to heart, focusing mainly on obedience.
Seeing Vice General Yu speak, they stood up one after another, holding large bowls, and walked towards Xiao Ji and Xiang Yinnian.
Originally, no one spoke to Xiao Ji, and Xiao Ji was happy to be idle, just sitting there watching Xiang Yinnian’s bustling scene.
Who knew, just as he was spacing out, a group of people crowded over loudly. The leader bowed to Xiao Ji and said bluntly:
“Wishing Wangye and Wangfei a hundred years of good drinking! This subordinate drains it, Wangfei please do as you please!”
With that, he lifted the large bowl and glug glug glug drank it clean. Then he looked at Xiao Ji with a face full of expectation and gave him a look, glancing at the wine cup in front of him.
Xiao Ji was blank for a moment before realizing the meaning. He didn’t stand up; he directly pulled the wine bowl Xiang Yinnian had just put down towards himself, lifted the wine jar, and filled it to the brim.
Then, imitating the soldier, he lifted the wine bowl and glug glug glug drank it clean.
He didn’t cover his mouth or nose with his sleeve; it was completely a gesture of ‘when in Rome, do as the Romans do.’
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