After the favored concubine remarried, the aloof and powerful minister forcibly took her away.

Chapter 227 Today is an Auspicious Day for Marriage (The Finale)

What Xiang Ning didn't know was that Lu Jiang had actually seen Pei Yanzhi when he came out to sober up.

If it were before, Lu Jiang would have stepped forward long ago.

Now... there's nothing he can do. His younger sister is all grown up and will be getting married soon. What can he say?

All he could do was grit his teeth and threaten Pei Yanzhi with his eyes.

In the days that followed, Pei Yanzhi also became busy.

He wanted to finish his official duties as soon as possible so that he could spend more time with Xiang Ning after the wedding.

Xiang Ning's shops are now all managed by her subordinates.

Lu Weimin and Lu Jiang prepared a shop for Xiang Ning in the capital.

The dowry was outrageously extravagant.

No matter what, a woman's family home is always her source of strength.

The two naturally didn't want to wrong Xiang Ning. With money in their hands, they wouldn't be afraid of being wronged in the future.

A few days before the wedding, Xiang Ning received a letter from Wen Caifu.

She was pregnant, and the speed of her pregnancy surprised Xiang Ning.

However, it is true that Duan Zhuo and Wen Caifu have also gone through a lot.

It is said that after Duan Zhuo got married, he returned home at the appointed time every day, and everyone said that Lord Duan was very family-oriented.

Before they knew it, their wedding day arrived.

Xiang Ning arrived in the capital the day before, and her dowry was delivered to the Lu family's villa in the capital early on.

Pei Yanzhi also sent over Bitao. Early in the morning, Chunxi and Bitao pulled Xiangning out of bed.

"Today is my sister's big day, she can't sleep anymore."

Xiang Ning looked up at the sky outside; it was dim...

"It's not even dawn yet."

“Young lady, it will take you more than an hour to do your makeup. We also have to celebrate the auspicious occasion later. It won’t be enough time.”

Chunxi was busy talking on the side while the two maids efficiently washed and dressed Xiangning.

The sky was still tinged with the blue of crab shells. Xiang Ning sat in front of the bronze mirror, her neck drooping from exhaustion.

Bitao quickly used a handkerchief soaked in mint water to refresh her.

The mirror reflected the girl's misty eyes, so sleepy she seemed about to drift off to sleep again.

"Please bear with it, young lady. The gold powder must be applied with a shaky hand."

Lady Quanfu held a brush and drew floral patterns on her forehead, the brush tip causing a slight tickling sensation as it moved across her forehead.

Chunxi held up a gilded cloisonné jewelry box, inside which lay a complete set of jadeite headdresses, so lustrous that they could reflect one's image.

Bitao was laying her wedding dress on the incense burner, and the fragrance of mimosa filled the room with the scent of spring.

Suddenly, a tinkling sound arose outside, and Lu Weimin stepped in carrying a carved sandalwood box.

"You were only this small when we were preparing your dowry."

He gestured to indicate the height of the low table beside the couch, his fingertips tracing the dense pearls on the wedding dress.

“Your elder brother opened the warehouse overnight and insisted on attaching all the tribute pearls from the South China Sea, saying that our Lu family’s precious jewel deserves to be adorned with the best things in the world.”

The words were swallowed by a sob.

Xiang Ning saw the silver strands in her uncle's temples in the mirror, and her nose suddenly felt sore.

Although her mother was gone, she still had her uncle and elder brother to accompany her to the wedding, so she wasn't all alone.

Madam Quanfu quickly smoothed things over, saying, "The auspicious time has arrived; it's time to comb your hair."

A comb, coated with osmanthus oil, glided through her dark hair. Madam Quanfu recited, "First comb to the end, second comb..."

Before she could finish speaking, the comb teeth got stuck in her hair and broke in two.

"oops!"

Seeing this, Bitao was so anxious that she was about to cry.

This joyous day is actually unlucky.

Lady Quanfu smiled and brought out a new comb: "Well done! This second comb was originally supposed to be 'white hair reaching the eyebrows,' but now that the old comb is broken, it is a perfect way to say goodbye to the women's quarters."

The third comb was replaced with a gold-inlaid jade lotus comb. Lady Quanfu secretly hid dried mimosa petals in Xiang Ning's hair, and suddenly the first firecracker exploded outside.

As the glow of dawn spilled through the windowpane, Lu Jiang stepped in, his footsteps scattering red paper scraps across the floor.

He was dressed in a crimson brocade robe today, but a short sword was still hanging from his waist belt.

Before carrying his younger sister into the sedan chair, he suddenly grabbed a handful of walnuts and stuffed them into Pei Yanzhi's hand.

"Would you like to try some of the new goods from the Lu family's trading company, brother-in-law?"

With a hint of gritted teeth, before he could finish speaking, the hard walnut crumbled into powder in his palm.

Pei Yanzhi wore a red dress, embroidered with twin lotus flowers in gold thread and birds flying wing to wing in silver thread. The hem of her dress trailed more than three inches, just like the sunset after a rouge box had been spilled.

Seeing Lu Jiang's blatant threat, he said softly, "Thank you for your kindness, brother."

Lu Jiang snorted coldly and steadily carried Xiang Ning to his feet.

After helping the woman into the bridal sedan chair, Lu Jiang gave her a final word of advice.

However, it always came down to those same few words. Xiang Ning agreed to them one by one, watching her brother reluctantly lower the sedan curtain.

As the bridal sedan chair set off, Xiang Ning peeked through the gap under the veil and saw the brocade banners hanging on both sides of the long street, adorned with banners from the shops along the way.

The twenty-eight sandalwood chests that accompanied the dowry had their lids open, and the top chest was filled with neatly stacked house deeds and land deeds.

The second box of gold ingots melted into flowing honey in the sunlight.

Every single thing she received was a token of her uncle's and elder brother's affection for her.

Surrounded by a crowd, the bridal sedan chair moved slowly forward, drawing envious glances from passersby.

Pei Yanzhi rode a tall horse, his posture upright. Although he was dressed in festive red clothes, he could not hide his innate noble air. He would occasionally look back at the bridal sedan chair, his eyes full of tenderness and expectation.

As they approached the gate of the Marquis's mansion, the sound of firecrackers was deafening, and the matchmaker was already waiting on the side.

"The newlyweds step onto the saddle—" Amidst the eulogy, Xiang Ning felt her palm being gently grasped.

Pei Yanzhi's hands were rougher than those of ordinary scholars, with calluses on the base of his thumb from years of wielding swords.

An almost imperceptible tremor came from the other end of the red silk, like a spring breeze brushing against a taut bowstring.

After the ceremony, Xiang Ning was led to the bridal chamber.

Pei Yanzhi still had to deal with guests outside, but with Han Jun and Wei Ziqian there, they shielded him from a lot of drinking.

Inside the bridal chamber, Bitao and Xiangning helped Xiangning remove her phoenix crown and change into a light outfit.

Hot water was brought in, and Xiang Ning told the two of them to go down and rest first. She would take a bath and then wait for Pei Yanzhi.

Immersed in the misty spray, the scent of rose nectar lingered around Xiang Ning's flowing black hair.

The noise outside the window gradually subsided, and the candlelight flickered on the carved screen.

The twin lotus blossoms, outlined with gold and silver threads, appear hazy and indistinct.

As the water droplets slid down her collarbone, she heard the beaded curtain rustle softly.

Before she could react, a cool hand reached out and lifted a strand of her hair.

Zhang Furong's face was reflected in the bronze mirror, the rouge at the corners of her eyes smudged by the moisture, making her look as if she were truly blushing.

Pei Yanzhi carried the refreshing scent of Songxue wine, and his jade crown had been removed at some point.

Her dark blue hair cascaded down her crimson collar.

She looked in the bronze mirror, and he looked at her in the bronze mirror. His eyes were darker than usual, and the candlelight shattered into shimmering waves in that inky blackness.

"Why are you back so early?"

When Xiang Ning met his gaze, she felt as if the surging sea of ​​desire in his eyes was about to engulf her.

"I'm afraid you'll be anxious waiting."

That being said, both of them knew perfectly well who was truly anxious.

Pei Yanzhi lowered his head and kissed her shoulder, startling her fingertips.

His thumb brushed against the corner of her lips, tenderly rubbing them.

A sudden night breeze swept through the corridor outside the window, causing the candlelight to flicker.

Half a red silk ribbon slipped from his sleeve; it was the very ribbon the two of them held together during the wedding ceremony.

The other end of the red silk was tied with a gilded flower ball, which was now gently wrapped around Xiang Ning's wrist.

"Pei Yanzhi?"

Xiang Ning could smell the sweet aroma of wine in his breath.

The shimmering water surface rippled in concentric circles.

She didn't dare to come out, but the man got up on his own and took off his clothes.

The bathtub was small, and a lot of water overflowed.

"I've finally married you, A-Ning."

"You walked right into our trap."

He had only intended to talk to her, but when he entered the house, all he heard was the sound of water.

Once he realized what she was doing, he could no longer calm down.

"Wait a minute, we haven't drunk the nuptial wine yet."

"I brought it."

He was behind her, with one arm around her waist and the other hand taking the wine jug from the side.

As the wine dripped into the water, she heard him drinking, then the wine jug fell to the ground, and he grabbed her chin.

The rich and aromatic wine spreads in the mouth.

Xiang Ning's hands could only rest on the edge of the bathtub.

She called his name, and he said he was wrong; she could call him "husband" now.

"Ah Jing, you've forgotten?"

The man uttered these words in a hoarse voice, followed by a long, lingering kiss.

Her eyes were red at the corners, and through the misty fog, she couldn't find a place to settle down.

The reflection in the bronze mirror appeared as if the fog had been blown away, flickering in and out of sight.

She saw the teeth marks on her shoulder and heard his soft sigh as her tears fell into the water.

"A-Ning, let's be together forever, okay?"

"Don't cry, it hurts my heart."

"You're such a bastard."

She cursed at him.

He patiently coaxed her, word by word, over and over again, to spend their wedding night together.

To find one person in this life is to grow old together.

"A-Ning, I love you."

"Okay...can you please let me go?"

Upon hearing this, Xiang Ning didn't even bother to open her eyes to look at him, and then received two heartless words in response.

"No."

That scoundrel! She knew it!
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(Full text ends.)
This is a long, thick chapter! Let's see who says it's short! Don't go yet, there's an extra chapter too!