The Crown Prince spoke, and the matchmaker dared not dally any longer.
However, without her intervention, Li Jin and the others had already moved the brazier and other items aside.
As if the Consort would be the one to intimidate the Prince, and not the other way around. What a joke.
With all obstacles cleared, Feng Xiwu personally helped Lu Qingwan into the wedding hall.
The two had arrived in Zhongzhou and proceeded directly to the wedding ceremony. No one had interfered with the wedding preparations, but the ceremony itself had been meticulously planned, leaving no room for oversight.
"First bow to heaven and earth!"
A resonant, powerful voice boomed. Lu Qingwan paused for a moment.
The solemn ritual of the wedding was transformed by this man's voice into an imposing command of an army, truly extraordinary.
This brief hesitation caused her movements to falter. Lu Qingwan was supposed to bow in response.
But then someone seized the opportunity to taunt, "Why isn't the bride bowing?
Could it be she's having second thoughts?
Prince Qin, you're no good..."
The speaker, disregarding the number of people in the wedding hall, openly mocked Feng Xiwu.
Clad in opulent robes, the man stood to the side, appearing to be a dissolute young master.
Yet, the prominent dragon patterns on his attire clearly indicated his extraordinary status.
Lu Qingwan recognized him as one of the princes of Daqin and understood why he was so eager to provoke Feng Xiwu.
Therefore, before he could finish his words, Lu Qingwan bowed deeply.
Clad in a black phoenix robe and bearing a heavy phoenix coronet, she bowed straight down, a ninety-degree inclination that was even lower than Feng Xiwu's.
This ordinary gesture was like an invisible slap to the man's face.
The elder officiating the ceremony quickly reacted and called out, "Second bow to parents and elders!"
...
Lu Qingwan no longer lost her focus, and the ceremony proceeded smoothly.
However, after the elder announced their escort to the bridal chamber, Feng Xiwu helped Lu Qingwan back to their room.
Although the fan, unlike a veil, did not completely obscure one's vision, Lu Qingwan's view was limited to maintain decorum.
It wasn't until they entered the bridal chamber, the matchmaker followed, and Lu Qingwan removed her fan and drank the nuptial wine with Feng Xiwu that she finally got a full view of the room.
Then, she froze, "This room... are you sure we are in Daqin now, and not in the Regent's mansion of Daqian?"
The furnishings that met her eyes, from the tables and chairs to the screens, down to a book on a table or a vase, were identical to those in the Regent's mansion of Daqian.
If it weren't for the wedding ceremony that had just taken place, Lu Qingwan might have suspected that this marriage alliance was merely a dream.
Feng Xiwu chuckled, seeing her shocked expression, "Do you like it?"
"Of course!"
Lu Qingwan nodded without hesitation.
The rooms in Wutong Courtyard of the Regent's mansion were decorated by her and Feng Xiwu bit by bit. Now that this room was identical to the rooms in Wutong Courtyard, how could she not like it?
"Where did you find these things?"
The books and screens were one thing; they could be bought anywhere with money.
But the small trinkets displayed on the curio cabinet were things she had painstakingly collected from various places. Especially those peculiarly shaped cups, bowls, and inkstones, of which there were few duplicates in the world.
Furthermore, Shangjing and Zhongzhou were so far apart, how could it be easy to find identical items?
Feng Xiwu smiled and stepped forward to help Lu Qingwan remove her phoenix coronet.
"Shangjing is very far from Daqian. The Crown Princess Consort worried that you would not be accustomed to living here alone and specially wrote to me, asking me to bring over the people and objects you are accustomed to.
Now it seems the Crown Princess Consort's reminder was correct."
Lu Qingwan blinked, "Hearing you say that, I'm a little curious about what our Crown Princess Consort is like?"
"No hurry, I'll take you to meet the Crown Prince and Crown Princess Consort tomorrow."
After a year's absence, Feng Xiwu was now very familiar with women's headdresses and jewelry. He no longer had to struggle to remove a phoenix coronet and pull at hair.
Skillfully, he took off the phoenix coronet and placed it on the nearby rack. He smiled and said, "The customs here in Daqin differ greatly from Daqian. You don't have to sit here until nightfall. Would you like to go out for a stroll?"
Lu Qingwan blinked suspiciously, "Don't you need to attend to some guests?"
She would be delighted to go out, but the sounds of clinking glasses and conversation outside had not ceased.
Feng Xiwu, the groom, being so leisurely made her feel as if she had married a phantom.
Feng Xiwu glanced back, "They are all irrelevant people, there's nothing to attend to."
After a moment's thought, he added, "You seemed distracted during the ceremony earlier. Was it because the officiant's voice was peculiar?"
Lu Qingwan's eyes lit up, and then she nodded with a smile, "You think so too, don't you?
When I heard him shout 'First bow to heaven and earth,' he somehow managed to imbue it with the might of a thousand armies. Where did you find such an officiant? He's too amusing, haha..."
Lu Qingwan was laughing happily to herself. Feng Xiwu gently stroked her cheek with a smile, "It wasn't me who found him.
That is the Crown Princess Consort's father, Yan Liheng, the Censor of Daqin, who holds one of the Three Excellencies. He has a large family, and the Crown Prince personally invited him to officiate our wedding."
"So he's a Censor?"
Lu Qingwan blinked, "I thought he was a general!"
She had peeked at him during the ceremony. He was tall and strong, not at all like a civilian official.
Feng Xiwu was amused by her questioning expression, "Elder Yan despises military men most in his life. If he were to hear your words, he would fly into a rage."
"Is that so?"
Lu Qingwan blinked innocently, "Then I won't say it."
She craned her neck to look outside, "There are so many people outside, can we really sneak out?"
"Of course."
Feng Xiwu patted his chest and asked her, "Where do you want to go? I'll take you there immediately."
Lu Qingwan, however, shook her head, "I'm not familiar with Zhongzhou, so there's no particular place I want to go. I just want to wander around. I've been feeling cooped up in the carriage for days while rushing here."
Although the bridal chamber was spacious, it was decorated solemnly and grandly for the wedding, offering no relaxation.
Feng Xiwu understood, "Change your clothes, I'll take you out to play."
Lu Qingwan jumped up and headed for the wardrobe. It was in the same position, the same wardrobe, but filled with brand-new clothes.
The styles and colors were all made according to her preferences.
Lu Qingwan picked out a neat and capable tunic and skirt and looked in the mirror with her wedding hairstyle.
In the fine glass mirror, a woman in a goose-yellow tunic and skirt, with an elaborate bun, looked gentle and lovely, perfectly concealing Lu Qingwan's inherent assertiveness.
Lu Qingwan touched her bun with satisfaction, "It's alright, not too awkward. Let's go!"
Her eyes sparkled like a child about to sneak out to play behind her parents' backs.
Feng Xiwu also changed into a different outfit, still black, but less formal and cumbersome than his wedding attire.
Holding hands, Feng Xiwu led Lu Qingwan out of the courtyard.
As if by chance, they ran squarely into Si Lan, who was approaching them just as they stepped out of the courtyard gate.