39 - The Wedding

Chapter 39 – The Wedding

“Wuhuan!” Shangguan Yan exclaimed with joy.

“Wuhuan would like to congratulate Eldest Senior Sister. Eldest Senior Sister is finally going to be a bride.”

Even Gong Wuhuan, who always has a frosty expression, now showed a warm smile on her face when she saw her Senior Sister.

Shangguan Yan stood up to walk towards Second Junior Sister and pulled her over to look at her carefully. She noticed that Second Junior Sister’s face had become a little rounder, her complexion was in excellent condition and she was no longer as cold as before. Her whole person had become a little more charming. It could be seen that after her marriage, she had led a good life and her husband, Gong Changxiao loves her very much.

It was a rare opportunity for the four sisters to get together with their Master. They engaged in lively chatter and laughter like they used to do in the past and it was until after they had shared a meal at Ling Wang Mansion that Shangguan Yan reluctantly got into the carriage to return home.

When Shangguan Yan was getting off the carriage in front of the Shangguan Mansion, someone suddenly called out to her.

“Yan’er!”

Shangguan Yan was startled and looked in the direction of the voice. It was Pan Zeming. She looked at him and saw him staring at her with a smile but that smile revealed bitterness. It seemed he had been waiting by the door for a very long time.

Logically speaking, she should not meet Pan Zeming to avoid any suspicion. However, she felt she needed to speak to Pan Zeming in person. After all, he had once stood by her without giving up on her, so no matter how she should give him an explanation.

“Young Miss.” The maid pulled Shangguan Yan and shook her head at Shangguan Yan to remind her that she should not meet other men.

Shangguan Yan thought for a while and then called over the groom who was standing at the side. “Take Pan Gongzi to the door of the backyard to wait for me. I’ll come out after I have changed my clothes.”

After listening to his Young Miss’s order, the groom turned the carriage towards Pan Zeming and asked him to get into the carriage before driving towards the backyard.

Together, Shangguan Yan and the maid went back to her bedchamber where Shangguan Yan changed into a set of men’s clothing before she came to the backyard door.

“Brother Pan.”

When Pan Zeming turned around and saw her appearance, he smiled bitterly in his heart. She had come to meet him disguised as a man to avoid suspicion.

“Yan’er……” He said softly.

“Did Brother Pan come to me for something?”

“I…….came to congratulate you.”

“Thank you.” She smiled brightly.

Compared with Pan Zeming’s restraint, her attitude was natural and relaxed. She did not think that they should change just because both of them could not form a relationship.

It seemed that from the beginning to now, her attitude towards him had always been like this. Marrying him would be the same and not marrying would also be the same.

He knew that she did not love him but he hopes that even though she cannot marry him, she can also marry a man she likes.

He understood that the trouble was caused by him this time. From the very beginning, he had done wrong. First, it was when he asked for help from the Ninth Prince to break into the prison, and following that, he leaked her gender. At the same time, this matter would create trouble in the imperial court and place their two families in danger as well.

Now the Emperor had betrothed her to Lord Di.

It was destined she would not have any relationship with himself. He could only blame himself for not having this blessing and not being able to protect her.

“Do you…….like this marriage?” He asked with concern.

Shangguan Yan understood what he meant and nodded. “How can someone that is chosen by the Emperor be bad? Lord Di is an upright person. He promised me that he will only marry one person in his life and he will be good to me.”

She does not know how to say too many sentimental words nor does she know how to comfort him with sweet words. All she can do is to tell him clearly and let him feel rest assured.

Pan Zeming looked at her bright smile and there seemed to be an absence of grievance or unwillingness in her words. He felt disappointed but also felt comforted.

Anyway, the matter had come to a foregone conclusion. A gentleman is a complete person when he does good deeds. At least, he can generously give his blessings, and no matter what, they are still friends.

“If he treats you badly, just tell me and I’ll help you to scold him.”

How can you scold the Lord Governor?

But she still smiled and nodded.

“Alright.”

The two people looked at each other with a smile.

"

"

One is as gentle as jade while the other is beautiful and elegant. Together, they should be considered as a couple well-matched but it is a pity that they are not destined to marry.

Standing far away, Di Jing was watching this scene quietly. He came today just to take a look at her but did not expect to see Pan Zeming. Unfortunately, he stood too far away and could not hear what they were saying.

“My Lord, do you want this humble one to go over and call Miss Shangguan?” Qiu Dan asked.

Di Jing shook his head. “It’s alright. It’s also good to let them have a chat.”

After that, he turned and left. He still possessed this degree of magnanimity.

Time passed very quickly and it is three days before the Mid-Autumn Festival. It is the day that they are getting married and hold the wedding ceremony.

The wedding procession of the Lord Governor was beating gongs and drums all along the way to the Shangguan Mansion. The people stood on both sides of the street to watch the procession and saw the bridegroom sitting high on the magnificent horse. Everyone praised Lord Di, who was wearing the bridegroom’s robes, for his stalwart elegance.

The Lord Governor’s marriage was a major event.

Even the Four Great Constables were in the procession and it caused all the girls on both sides of the street to crane their necks to look. This was all thanks to the blessings of the Lord Governor’s marriage that they were given the satisfaction and the blessed sight of all the four constables at the same time. Although the sixty-four dan of dowry could only be considered as medium standard based on the dowry standards given by other high-ranking officials, but who else has the face to gather all the Four Great Constables together to receive the bride? This kind of honor happened for the first time. On top of it, it turned out that the Fifth Young Master of the Shangguan Family was actually a girl and the neighbors in the neighborhood were so surprised that they cluck their tongues in amazement. It became a good story that spread on the streets and alleys.

The wedding procession finally reached Shangguan Mansion’s main entrance. After the firecrackers were set off and the blasts had died down, the bridegroom stepped over the threshold of the main door and walked into the front courtyard to find three people standing in front of the mid-door of the courtyard.

They were namely Ling Wang, Si Liujing, Yeqing, and Gong Changxiao who had rushed up in time from Jiangnan.

With one glance at their stance, Di Jing understood in his heart but still put on a pretense of being puzzled.

“Your Highness, Ling Wang, this is……..”

Si Liujing smiled and said. “Today is Lord Di’s wedding and the three of us have been ordered by the wives in our families to come with the specific purpose of posing challenges to test the bridegroom.”

Di Jing understood and smiled. This must be the idea of Ling Wangfei. The Ling Wang doted on his Wangfe i, therefore, he could not bear to disobey her and the other two men were the same as well.

Di Jing held up a fist with a hand clasped over it and smiled. “Please enlighten me.”

Ling Wang put forth the first part of a poem and asked the bridegroom to complete the second part of it. Obviously, he was going easy on Di Jing and Di Jing straight away completed the poem without making any effort to think.

However, Gong Changxiao was a crude man and did not know anything about poetry, so he thought of a tactical formation and asked Di Jing to solve it.

Di Jing sent Lei Feng to accept the challenge and Lei Feng discussed it with Gong Changxiao on paper. It was also obviously making it easy for Di Jing and Constable Lei to solve the tactical formation with ease.

Then everyone looked at Yeqing and he said calmly. “If you can catch me, it will be considered as a pass.” After speaking, he suddenly disappeared, leaving everyone stupefied.

Di Jing looked at the Four Great Constables beside him. Qiu Dan and the other constables looked around and tried to detect his breathing. It seemed that this person was not like Ling Wang and Gong Changxiao who deliberately made their challenges easy.

This man is for real!

Ao Yuanjie’s mind began to turn and then shouted to the other three constables. “I know! He is hiding inside! Brothers…….charge!”

As he spoke, he took the lead to slam the door opened and barged in.

How can this be looking for someone?! This is doggedly breaking through! This is just charging into battle to strike at the enemy!

As Ao Yuanjie charged forward in front, Qiu Dan and Lei Feng protected Lord Di in the center while Yi Dingfeng was responsible for bringing up the rear.

With the Four Great Constables as escorts, how would the guards of the Shangguan Mansion dare to stop them? They immediately retreated to the sides and left the mid-door unguarded. As a result, the wedding team passed through smoothly.

The three Senior and Junior Sisters were guarding the bride in the bridal chamber. When they saw the door in the front courtyard was lost and the four constables together with Lord Di had entered so soon, Bai Yuxiao and Hua Qianqian could not help but laugh and swear at the same time.

With just a glance, they knew that the men outside had deliberately lost to Di Jing and Gong Wuhuan pursed her lips.