noffsinger Chapter 23 Jiang Zhi's Wedding
Chapter 23 Jiang Zhi's Wedding
Gu Liang scoffed, "Indeed, no need."
A cold wind blew by, bringing with it a light, chilly drizzle.
Sitting in the courtyard, Jiang Zhi felt a chill.
The wind rustles through the bamboo grove.
Rain splashed on the railing. Jiang Zhi stopped her performance, gathered her skirt, and went back inside.
"Why is it raining?" Qinghuai complained. "If it rains tomorrow, His Highness's journey to the wedding will be difficult."
The rain fell all night, and both the Liangwang Mansion and the Zhenyuanhou Mansion were worried all night.
Qinghuai was worried that His Highness might get soaked to the bone while riding a horse to greet the bride.
Lu Nianqiu was worried that the sedan chair carrying Zhizhi might slip and sink into the mud.
The two of them didn't sleep all night, and when they got up the next morning, the rain had stopped.
The sky began to lighten, dawn broke, the sun rose in the east, and a misty haze drifted in the wind, carrying the scent of earth. The sky then cleared.
Jiang Zhi was half asleep when he was woken up at noon.
She yawned and waved her hand to tell her not to panic.
According to custom, the wedding procession takes place in the late afternoon (5-7 PM), giving her a whole day to prepare.
Her father called her into his room.
"Zhi'er, play a game of chess with your father," Jiang Jing'an said.
Jiang Zhi was extremely talented in chess, able to play against him at the age of three, but since she went to Liangzhou, the father and daughter have never played chess together again.
Jiang Zhi's eyebrows curved slightly, and there seemed to be joy in her eyes.
"It's been a long time since I played." Jiang Jing'an set up the chessboard with great interest. "More than ten years. I refuse to believe that my chess skills haven't improved at all."
He picked up the black pieces and made the first move.
Jiang Zhi smiled and said, "If I win, may I ask Father for a reward?"
Jiang Jing'an didn't even look up, focusing intently on the chessboard. "Tell me what you want, and I'll give it to you."
Jiang Zhi smiled gently, "It's a deal."
The game of chess lasted from after breakfast until noon.
This scene had repeated itself countless times in Jiang Zhi's mind.
I walked back and forth outside several times at noon, kicking the stone slabs under my feet.
If we don't eat soon, the food in the dining room will get cold.
Finally, a white piece landed in an empty space, and the outcome was clear.
Jiang Jing'an remained silent for a long time before saying, "Father lost."
He raised his head and stroked his beard. "Tell me, what reward do you want?"
"My daughter hasn't decided yet."
Jiang Zhi blinked and picked up the destroyed black pieces one by one from the chess box. "Anyway, Dad has already agreed. I'll talk about it when I've thought it through."
"Alright, alright, whatever you say." Jiang Jing'an slowly stood up. "Let's go, let's go eat."
After the father and daughter had lunch together, Jiang Zhi looked at her father's increasingly frail back and finally managed to persuade him to go back to his room to rest.
As the sun sank and the afterglow of the sunset gently parted the clouds, the people of the Jiang family finally entered a state of frantic activity.
A crimson carpet stretched along the street, covered with the petals of Xitong. Bright red floral decorations adorned the plaque hanging high above the Jiang residence.
Jiang Zhi was doing her hair and makeup. Her black hair was all tied up, her eyebrows were lightly dyed, her lips were slightly rouged, and her cheeks were lightly brushed with rouge. A gold flower was pasted at the corner of her eye, adding a touch of coquettishness.
After getting ready, she changed into her wedding dress, a long skirt that reached the ground, with gold trim at the hem, a perfect match of gold and silver.
She sat upright in the room, her hands clasped on her knees, her face slightly tense.
At some unknown time, a deafening sound of drums and music suddenly erupted outside.
"I'm coming!"
The people in the room immediately panicked.
At noon, a fan covering Jiang Zhi's face was stuffed into his hand.
There was a commotion outside the courtyard, and soon after, someone began reciting a poem urging people to get ready for their wedding.
Because of their noble status, the wedding poems were always sung by others on their behalf during weddings. Jiang Zhi listened carefully and realized that it was Gu Liang's voice.
After several poems urging the bride to get ready were recited, the crowd began to cheer and urge her to leave her room.
Some of these spectators offered their sincere blessings, while others were merely going through the motions, but they all shared the same wish: not to miss the moment when the bride was to leave her home.
The door opened wide, and Jiang Zhi, holding a wedding fan, walked out gracefully, surrounded by maids.
As the chants of the congratulators sang, Jiang Zhi slowly descended the steps, each step a graceful and elegant movement.
Among the guests, a mischievous person shouted out: "Clouds remind me of her clothes, flowers of her face; the spring breeze caresses the balustrade, the dew is heavy!"
Before the words were even finished, it suddenly reminded everyone who the groom was, and they quickly covered their mouths.
Jiang Zhi had no time to pay attention to the sounds around her. The dress had a long train, and she had to watch her step so as not to trip and embarrass herself.
The fan in her hand covered her face, shielding her from the curious gazes of the crowd. They could only see the bride standing gracefully and dignifiedly, completely different from the vulgar and crazy woman in the rumors.
Jiang Zhi could see the shadowy figures in front of him through the thin fan.
Among the crowd, only one person could be seen, dressed in a red robe, with time flowing by.
Jiang Zhi couldn't see his face clearly, but she knew he was her groom, Gu Liang.
Gu Liang looked at the woman walking towards him step by step, the afterglow of the setting sun shining on her skirt.
He extended his hand to Jiang Zhi with an elegant and courteous gesture.
Jiang stopped in her tracks.
She lowered her head slightly, feigning modesty, and looked down from beneath the fan.
The hand in front of me is facing upwards, with long, slender, and fair knuckles.
After a moment of contemplation, Jiang Zhi held the fan in his left hand, shielding himself, while his right hand slipped from the fan handle and fell into the outstretched hand.
As her delicate white fingertips were grasped, Jiang Zhi instinctively stiffened for a moment before relaxing.
She thought she heard Gu Liang chuckle softly, with a hint of mockery.
"Shy?"
That was indeed very straightforward, and Jiang Zhi squeezed his fingers tightly.
Gu Liang curled the corners of her lips into a faint smile.
Jiang Jing'an's eyes were slightly red.
Jiang Zhi bowed gracefully to him and said softly, "Father, I have already thought of the reward I want."
She smiled and said softly, "I only wish my father a long and peaceful life, and good health."
After saying that, she squeezed Gu Liang's hand. Gu Liang glanced at her, then gently exerted force in her hand to help her up.
After this, it will likely be time to face the enemy.
The two turned and walked towards the door, their eyes sharp.
Gu Liang personally escorted Jiang Zhi to the bridal sedan chair.
Throughout the entire affair, he wore a beaming smile, leading many to wonder whether this marriage was a genuine union of lovers or a victim of royal infighting, prompting numerous whispers among themselves.
"Isn't the King of Liang at odds with the Jiang family?"
"But it doesn't seem like you're against it?"
"This is an imperial edict; you can't just cry if you don't laugh."
"But I heard that it was the Prince of Liang who requested the imperial decree himself, so at least he married the woman he loved."
"You know what, ever since the Prince of Liang was betrothed, his face has become much more peaceful."
"Sigh, no matter what, I still can't compare to the one above me."
"Shh, how can you say such things? Don't you have a brain?"
Amidst the whispers of the crowd, the joyous bridal sedan chair carried the bride to the Liang Prince's Mansion.
Meanwhile, Liang Wang's every move at Zhenyuan Hou's residence was recorded and relayed to Jing Wang's mansion.
Gu Yuan was having a meal when he received the message. After listening to the description from the guard beside him, he said nothing and waved for the guard to leave.
Gu Yuan picked up a piece of green bamboo shoot, but didn't put it in her mouth. She stared thoughtfully at the tip of her chopsticks.
Suddenly, he lowered his eyes, his face darkening.
"Gu Liang, oh Gu Liang."
"The game begins."