After saving the Empress, I became the top scholar in the imperial examination.

When I got home from Han Laoguai's place, the sun was already almost sinking behind the distant mountains, and the setting sun cast long shadows.

Tonight, the Ning family set up two tables. Er Lai, San Zhuang, and a few others were there, along with several aunts, children, and butchers who came to help. The maids, grooms, sedan chair carriers, and other people sent by Uncle were also present.

While Dahei was at the blacksmith's shop with his apprentice, his mother had Xingge take a food box and deliver food to Dahei's family. Dahei had a big appetite, so his mother added two extra bowls of stewed mutton.

Ning Nan ate a steaming hot mutton feast, and was covered in sweat.

On the left side of the Ning family's courtyard was a makeshift stable. After eating, Ning Nan picked up some hay and fed the big white horse that Uncle had brought over.

This horse was exceptionally handsome, with bright, piercing eyes, and seemed even larger than Qin Yuanyao's.

Ning Nan affectionately stroked the horse's mane. The horse spurred its hooves, and as the two looked at each other, the unease that had involuntarily arisen in the horse upon arriving in an unfamiliar place gradually subsided.

The next day.

The date was June 28th.

When Ning Nan was awakened by the sound of firecrackers, it hadn't been long since he had closed his eyes.

Early in the morning, his mother set off a string of firecrackers outside, "crackling and popping," followed by a chorus of laughter, "Congratulations to the host!" His mother was smiling and thanking everyone one by one... Ning Nan knew that all the people who had come to help had arrived... He covered his head with the blanket.

The old woman was dressed in a bright red dress, her hair neatly combed, and she cursed "Gah-sho" as she pulled back his blanket.

I didn't sleep well last night; I probably didn't close my eyes until around 3 AM, and I was feeling drowsy then.

The two maids sent by the uncle came in handy. After a leisurely wash, under the old mother's direction, the two maids changed him into wedding clothes and put on a crown.

As soon as I stepped outside, a cacophony of noise filled the air.

"Big brother, let's go pick up your wife!"

"Hurry up and ride the horse! Hurry up and ride the horse!"

"Big brother..."

"Big brother...I want some wedding candy..."

He was in a daze when he saw Erlai, Sanzhuang, Xingge'er, and the others all wearing bright red new clothes that their mother had made for them. They looked very energetic and were laughing and joking around. Behind them was a large group of people, including young adults and children, standing on tiptoe and making a lot of noise... Ning Nan forced a smile and took a basket handed to him by a maid. It was overflowing with red envelopes, each containing five copper coins.

He smiled unconsciously as he handed out the food to everyone one by one. Instantly, a series of "ooh ooh ooh" sounds erupted, like a large stone falling into water, creating ripples that spread outwards. The entire Li Family Village then became lively with the sound of firecrackers going off.

Li Baoxin, the village head, was also dressed in red today, stroking his beard, his eyes full of smiles, but he was still cursing and telling everyone to make way, shouting repeatedly, "Don't block the way! Don't block the way!" "Let Ningwa go to fetch the bride!" "The bride is waiting at Qiniang's house!"

On days like these, people weren't too afraid of the village head. They would laugh and sing cheerful songs like "The Candle-Lighting Song," one, two, two, one. Some even sang "The Bed-Making Song," singing in a very proper way, though their smiles looked a bit sly.

The drum troupe that his mother had hired had already started playing, boom boom boom, clang clang clang, cha cha cha... Ning Nan's face was already stiff from smiling. After being hit like that, his ears were about to explode. Surrounded by the crowd, he suddenly worried that the big white horse might be frightened.

But the groom was extremely experienced.

When the horse was brought over, cotton had already been stuffed into its ears.

Before mounting the horse, the old woman handed a big red flower to Li Baoxin. Li Baoxin personally wrapped the red flower around his neck, put it on him, tied it tightly, and secured it. "Be a good person," "Walk the right path," "Serve the court..." These words came out of the old woman's mouth one after another, but it was too noisy, and Ning Nan really couldn't hear them clearly. He just kept nodding his head...

Erlai laughed heartily, lifted his elder brother's leg, and Ning Nan mounted the horse. His eyes were somewhat dazed, and his back was slightly hunched.

San Zhuang replaced the groom and proudly took the reins of the big white horse.

Four sedan chair bearers carried the bright red sedan chair, shouting "Heave-ho!" in rhythm with the drum and gong corps.

Seventh Sister's house wasn't actually far away. The group arrived in less than a quarter of an hour, even though they deliberately kept their speed down.

Under the direction of the approaching Seventh Sister, Ning Nan dismounted from his horse in an orderly manner.

As soon as he arrived, the young women and wives of Lijia Village swarmed around him, all smiles, asking for wedding candy. Erlaizi, having been assigned by his mother, rushed up with two baskets of candy, shouting, "Everyone has some, call me brother!" Before he could finish his boast, he received a slap on the back of the head from Qi Niangzi...

The main room of Seventh Sister's house was also packed with people. Everyone rushed forward, shouting with smiles, "Ningwa, congratulations..."

Ning Nan laughed heartily and returned the greeting, then began to offer red envelopes again...

Upon entering the inner room, several young girls who hadn't seen anyone jumped up and shouted, "The groom is here!" with joyful expressions on their faces.

Ning Nan smiled and handed out several red envelopes. His eyes shifted and he saw the bride, dressed in a bright red wedding gown, sitting upright on a new bed with a red veil covering her face. The wedding gown was exquisite and embroidered with phoenixes.

Seventh Sister squeezed in, patting Ning Nan's back with a smile.

She guided him to turn his back and squat down. Then, Yang Qiniang took the bride's hand and walked over step by step, guiding her to lie on Ning Nan's back.

When the fragrant weight presses down on your back.

Ning Nan's groggy mind gradually cleared... She wrapped her arms around her neck, and he put his arms around her legs, then stood up... Hmm... Ning Nan's eyes suddenly flickered... Come to think of it, this seemed to be the third time he had carried her on his back...

The first time was when she was seriously injured, and he ran over to her and rescued her, taking her home.

The second time was when she fell asleep in the woods and couldn't be woken up, so in a fit of anger... he carried her home on his back.

This is the third time... Hmm... Hmm... Heavier than the first time, but lighter than the second... Ning Nan slowly exhaled... Hmm... She didn't run away from the wedding... She didn't change the bride... It's her...

The noise was chaotic and disorderly.

The gongs and drums rang out loudly.

The bridal sedan chair swayed off the ground amidst the porters' shouts of "Heave-ho!"

The white horse's hooves clattered triumphantly.

The village dogs followed behind, wagging their tails and barking.

Ning Nan took the bride home...

"one."

"two."

"three."

Step over the brazier.

With a plump matchmaker chanting, the two bowed to heaven and earth, then knelt down to serve tea to the old woman.

The old woman wiped away her tears, held Cui Cui's hand tightly, her lips trembling violently, and refused to let go for a long time.

Yang Qiniang wiped away her tears, patted her mother's shoulder, and called out a few times, "Sister Ning, Sister Ning..."

Then, amidst the chanting and greetings as they led her to the bridal chamber… Ningnan escorted Cuicui to the new room…

"I'm going out to greet the guests." Ning Nan took off the big red flower and said with a wry smile to Cui Cui, who was sitting on the bed with her head covered by a veil.

The real test for the groom has just begun.

"Hmm." Sitting on the bed, Cui Cui hummed in response and said coldly, "Drink less alcohol."

Ning Nan remained noncommittal, smiling as he stuffed a peeled orange into her hand: "Have something to tide you over." He added in his mind... It's still too early for the wedding night.

...

...

At this point, the tables in the Ning family's courtyard were already overflowing, and the banquet was not only set out outside the courtyard, but also extended to the bottom of the long slope.

Sanzhuang and Erlai were busy as they led their men to set up the tables and chairs they had borrowed from various households.

Xing Ge'er is busy serving dishes.

Dahei had studied some books with Ning Nan and knew what was important. He was responsible for entertaining important guests on behalf of the Ning family, such as a dozen or so Imperial Guards led by the female commander.

There were also several commanders and deputy commanders from the three commandery offices of Dingjiang, Yushui, and Jiulin, as well as several centurions who came over.

Among them were even the magistrate and the county magistrate of Dingjiang County... The tall, dark-skinned man was very polite and thanked the magistrate for his presence. He then arranged for people to sit down and serve tea. On the contrary, the village head, Li Baoxin, was startled. At this moment, the old man felt a little uneasy and was hesitant to come over to these tables.

at the same time.

At the head of the Ning family's main hall, on the left side of a table, Marquis Shangguan Xie, the Zhenguo Marquis, looked at the old man sitting beside him and frowned, asking, "Uncle? What exactly is going on?"

"I had another question for you..." Marquis Jingbei Ning Changling's expression was also somewhat strange and helpless... He glanced at the stern-faced Grand Tutor Gu Xichuan opposite him, then at the smiling Grand Eunuch Wang beside Gu Xichuan, and said with a wry smile, "I'm here to attend my grandson's wedding anyway..."