Eight Treasures Trousseau

3

Chapter Three: Wedding

No matter how ugly the rumors on the outside were, Xian Junwang Fu put great importance on the wedding. They did not skimp on the ceremonial proceedings. A few days later, other than the betrothal gifts that had been arranged according to rank that came from the Department of Palace Affairs and were delivered to the marquis fu, there were also the objects that the wang fu had added. These items were not added in order to make the amount look pleasing but were actually fine objects.

After Hua He Sheng and Lu shi saw the betrothal gift list, their dissatisfaction decreased slightly. No matter what Xian Junwang thought, he had not decreased the number of items. When their daughter married over, the other would not do something as worrisome as favoring the concubine and neglecting the wife.

The one that delivered the betrothal gifts was Xu Wang Fei, who was of great reputation in Jing City and who was over sixty years old. In her words and tone, Xu Wang Fei implied that Xian Junwang was not unwilling at all about the marriage, and even guaranteed explicitly and implicitly that Xian Junwang would treat Hua Xi Wan well. It caused Lu shi's opinion of Xian Junwang to increase.

While Lu shi was of a straightforward personality, she was from a large family. She could hear Xu Wang Fei probing for information about her daughter. With a smile, she deflected. Seeing this, Xu Wang Fei did not persist. The marriage had been decreed. No matter if this Miss Hua was truly ugly or not, the matter was set in stone and there was no meaning in speaking more.

After Xu Wang Fei left, Hua Xi Wan came out from behind. Lu shi said to her, "The people of the Imperial Family will speak like this, all of them drawing flowers with their tongues. Every word is pleasing to hear, but you do not know where the trap is behind their words. I let you hide behind and listen, not for you to know how rich and noble Xian Junwang Fu is, but how the people of the Imperial Family truly are."

Hua Xi Wan looked at the long betrothal gift list and then said neutrally a beat later, "Xian Junwang... is as considerate as the rumors say." When news of this spread, everyone in Jing would praise Xian Junwang for being good. Such a number of betrothal gifts—even when Sheng Junwang had married the granddaughter of Imperial Teacher He, there hadn't been so many.

If their relationship was not harmonious in the future, others would only say that she was of rough appearance, a jealous woman, and that she was wasting such a good man.

Lu shi saw her expression was neither happy nor angry and assumed that she was unhappy at getting married. She urged, "In the future, if you receive bad treatment, you still have us and your two older brothers. Our marquis fu is not as noble as the junwang fu, but Xian Junwang will not dare to be outrageous."

"Mother, what are you thinking about?" Hua Xi Wan touched the buyao in her hair and gave a smile. "This daughter is not one to accept humiliation. Don't worry."

Lu shi nodded. As a mother, she knew her daughter's personality. So at the end, she only sighed and said, "In the following days, follow the teaching servant-ladies and learn about the matters of the Imperial House. There are no simple people in the Imperial House. It will be good for you to learn."

Hua Xi Wan nodded, and seeing Lu shi still had other matters, she bowed and left the yard. She went back to her own rooms to learn some of the etiquette of the court with the servant-ladies, and then after the noon meal, just like normal, she had her noon nap.

No matter how great the matter was, there was no use in worrying. When the boat reached the pier, it would straighten with the current.

Qilong Year Twenty Eight, the twenty-eighth day of the third month, good for marriage and for moving.