The most dissolute couple in the capital

On the day Cui Qingyi got married, the weather in Chang'an was unusually sunny.

A line of orange-red dawn spread across the horizon, like someone had spilled a box of fine rouge, and even the glazed tiles on the eaves shimmered with a warm glow.

The entire Cui household was so busy they barely had time to breathe.

The steward in the front yard had lost his voice from shouting, and the stove in the back kitchen had been burning non-stop since 3 a.m. The dowry list was copied into three copies and sent to the Imperial Clan Court, the Liang Prince's Mansion, and the Cui Family Ancestral Hall for filing. Just checking them took up most of the hour.

In the east wing of the inner courtyard, Cui Qinghui was having her hair combed by the nanny who was by Li's side.

The lockdown order was only lifted yesterday.

These days she has been confined to her small courtyard, almost completely isolated from the world except for three meals a day and the occasional visit from Li Shi.

The news of the previous farce was forcefully suppressed by the Li family, who only said to the outside world that Cui Qinghui had caught a cold and needed to rest.

Li arrived at her room early in the morning, dismissed everyone else, and left only the mother and daughter to talk.

"Hui'er." Madam Li sat opposite her, holding her hands in her own, her expression more serious than Cui Qinghui had ever seen before. "Your sister is getting married today, and you'll go with her. Once you're gone, behave yourself. Don't throw tantrums or act childishly. Do you understand?"

Cui Qinghui kept his head down and remained silent.

Madam Li sighed, reached out and took her hand, her voice weary: "You've been cooped up in the house all these days, and I know you're unhappy. But there are some things I need to make clear to you today."

Cui Qinghui's eyelashes trembled.

Madam Li tightened her grip: "Of your father's children, only your sister and you are legitimate. Although your brother calls me 'Mother,' he is still born out of wedlock, and his future is uncertain. Your sister is married and belongs to another family. In this family, only you truly belong to me."

Cui Qinghui's fingers twitched slightly.

"How could I not love you?" Madam Li's voice lowered. "You're the child I carried for ten months and gave birth to. If I don't love you, who will I love? But you also need to be ambitious. Look at what you've done. If word gets out, what will become of your reputation? Who will dare to marry you in the future?"

Cui Qinghui finally raised her head, her eyes red, her lips moving as if she wanted to say something, but in the end only she uttered a nasal sentence: "Then can I still be a princess?"

That's a bitter and sour remark.

Madam Li was taken aback, then reached out and touched her temples, her tone becoming more resolute: "I will choose a good marriage for you. You are the eldest daughter of the Cui family, with a respectable background and good looks, so you won't have to worry about not finding a good family to marry into. Just be good and don't do any more foolish things."

Cui Qinghui leaned on Madam Li's shoulder, choking back tears, and said, "Mother, I know I was wrong."

Li patted her back gently and didn't say anything more.

-

Cui Qingyi was sitting in front of the dressing table, letting Madam Quanfu perform facial hair removal and facial shaving.

The bronze mirror reflected a meticulously painted face, with a floral decoration on the forehead, lips as vibrant as spring cherry blossoms, and pearls and jade on the phoenix crown shimmering in the morning light.

Su Xin, standing to the side, had tears welling up in her eyes: "The girl is so beautiful."

"Young lady, it's time to put on the phoenix coronet." Madam Quanfu smiled and presented the phoenix coronet.

Cui Qingyi lowered her head slightly, feeling the heavy weight of the crown pressing down on her.

"Is it heavy?" Su Xin asked worriedly.

"It's alright," Cui Qingyi replied calmly.

While she was dressing her hair, she heard footsteps outside. The curtain was lifted, and Cui Lingyi walked in.

Today she wore a silver-red dress, with a white magnolia hairpin in her hair, making her look elegant and dignified.

"Cousin." Cui Qingyi saw her in the bronze mirror and smiled slightly.

Cui Lingyi quickly walked up, took her hand, and her eyes were even a little red: "Qingyi, you look so beautiful today."

"If I cry and ruin my makeup, Granny He will nag me," Cui Qingyi said softly.

Cui Lingyi couldn't help but laugh, then leaned close to her ear and whispered, "I have something to tell you."

Seeing the undisguised joy in her expression, Cui Qingyi already had some guesses in her mind.

Cui Lingyi couldn't suppress the smile on her face: "The Xiao family... it's settled. The two families are already going through the six rites."

Cui Qingyi was slightly taken aback, then smiled and curved her lips into a smile.

"That's good news," she said sincerely. "Although the Xiao family isn't a prominent clan, General Xiao is a trusted confidant personally promoted by His Majesty, and his future looks bright. More importantly..."

She paused, looking at Cui Lingyi's slightly flushed cheeks, her smile deepening: "More importantly, my cousin likes it."

Cui Lingyi's face flushed even more, and she gently pushed her away: "What nonsense are you talking about? I just... think this person has good character."

Cui Qingyi stopped teasing her.

She was genuinely happy.

What couldn't be changed in the past life, has been changed in this life. Even though she only casually mentioned "finding someone to check her private life," it helped her cousin avoid a wrong choice.

The butterfly flapped its wings, blowing away my cousin's tears from her past life.

Cui Qinghui also entered and respectfully bowed to Cui Lingyi.

Cui Lingyi nodded, saying nothing more, but her gaze lingered on Cui Qinghui's face for a moment.

Although the joke my cousin made last time was suppressed, the main branch of the Cui family heard some of it.

The room fell silent for a moment, each person lost in their own thoughts.

Suddenly, a deafening sound of gongs and drums rang out outside.

Su Xin rushed in, her face flushed with excitement: "Miss! The wedding procession is here!"