On the eight day of the first month, it was a rare auspicious day in the calendar that it was good for marriage, funeral and also to start on a journey. Just as the sun rose, Shen Miao was quickly awoken by Jing Zhe and Gu Yu to start dressing up.
Initilly Shen Miao had thought that no matter what happen, she would not be able to sleep the night before but who knew when the day arrived, she slept especially soundly. It was as if she had returned to her carefree childhood times.
Because of the good sleep, her face looked more translucent and bright. Bai Lu and Shuang Jiang brought some exquisite cakes and each one were make tiny. Bai Lu said, “Young Lady eat some to fill up the stomach fist. The wedding ceremony is cumbersome today, one cannot be hungry on the way.” She then picked a bowl of porridge, “This is the winter porridge that Furen personally made early in the morning. One will be lucky and everything will go according to one’s wishes upon drinking it!” Shen Miao picked the bowl up and slowly drank it.
One’s heart was somewhat emotional upon thinking of how one raised children.
In the previous lifetime she was married to Fu Xiu Yi because she made a fuss and threw tantrums with her family, forcing Shen Xin to agree as he had no other way. But there were more people who came for the excitement than to give blessings. Luo Xue Yan was so angry with her that she fell ill and could barely finish the marriage ceremony, so how would she have the mood or energy to make porridge? Unlike now, everyone in the residence was filled with joy and were all working hard for her. Shen Miao vaguely felt that this marriage seemed to be excellent.
After finish eating, Luo Xue Yan came in and a middle-aged woman followed behind. This female’s appearance was not outstanding but made other’s gaze be attracted to her. The clothes she wore were exquisite and it made one remember her at the bottom of one’s heart.
“This is Mei NiangZi (direct translation: Wife Mei).” Luo Xue Yan smiled, “She is here specially to be your auspicious NiangZi.”
Shen Miao was slightly surprised. Mei NiangZi was a very famous person in Ding capital. She was born in an official family but started a business despite the opposition at home. What more was that the business was selling of rouge, perfume, clothes and jewelry. There were numerous delicate females that were raised in Ding capital and those young ladies of official families were not short of money as long as their love of beauty was satisfied.
Mei NiangZi’s rouge, perfume, clothes and jewelry were precisely the best and unique. Even though Mei NiangZi was a merchant, no one dared to underestimate her.
However the most outstanding craftsmanship of Mei NiangZi was putting on makeup for other. There was once a Prince in Ming Qi who was marrying a Consort and that Consort had some friendship with Mei NiangZi, thus Mei NiangZi became her auspicious NiangZi and people said that Prince Consort’s appearance was most probably the most beautiful since the founding of Ming Qi. However, for Mei NiangZi to be another’s auspicious NiangZi, it was all because she had some friendship with the other party and others did not have such good luck. For so many years, Mei NiangZi had not been any one else’s auspicious NiangZi.
Shen Miao was surprised as she smiled, “I did not think that Mei NiangZi would be willing to do me the honour.”
Mei NiangZi smiled, “May WangFei not say such things. When this servant saw WangFei, one felt a fate and wanted to come over to seek some auspiciousness and thicken one’s face to come over. If WangFei does not despise this servant’s skills, this servant’s heart is satisfied.”
These merchants’ mouths were all powerful as they could speak to both humans and ghosts. Shen Miao naturally did not believe the words of fate. She was thinking that it could be that Shen Xin gave this Mei NiangZi a large sum of money but after thinking for a bit, this Mei NiangZi was not short on money that she even do business according to her feelings so why would she care about these worldly benefits? Just as she was thinking about it, Mei NiangZi had stepped forward and said with a smile, “WangFei, the hairstyle of a bride is very complicated. One request for the wedding dress to be worn before this servant can put up the makeup on you.”
Luo Xue Yang quickly urged Shen Miao over.
After changing the clothes, styling of the hair, putting on jewelry then layers of powder were placed. As Mei NiangZi put on the makeup for Shen Miao, she smiled as she said, “This servant have seen numerous young ladies over these years and many ladies of officials’ families have also bought jewelry and powder from this servant thus this servants had seen all the young ladies in Ding capital but no one could compare with WangFei’s bearing.” She smiled and said to Luo Xue Yan, “Furen mustn’t blame this servant from speaking too much. WangFei don’t look similar with Furen. Furen is straightforward and refreshing but Wang Fei looks poised and noble that even those Palace’s nobles are also inferior in comparison.”
Hearing others praising her daughter, naturally Luo Xue Yan would be happy but the topic touched on the Palace so Luo Xue Yan said modestly, “How could it be that good? It is only that Jiao Jiao is naturally unflustered and more similar to her father.”
“One cannot say that.” Mei NiangZi said as she drew Shen Miao’s eyebrows, “Even though some people’s status are noble, they do not have that kind of bearing in their bones and only put up an act. After removing their clothes and taking the jewelry off, there are no difference between them and ordinary folks. Some people are however different, even with coarse clothes and without anything else, just sitting there, they are still of higher position. I see that WangFei is the latter.” She smiled, “It is only the fate of the rich and noble. But Furen can be rest assured today, there would not be coarse clothes. With such a great wedding dress and all these great jewelries, if I, Mei NiangZi do not give WangFei a good makeup, one would be smashing my signboard. One has to let WangFei be the first in Ding capital!”
As Shen Miao let Mei NiangZi go on, she listened to Mei NiangZi’s words and felt that this Mei NiangZi seemed to be quite good at observing people. She felt interested and listened to their conversation carefully.
This bride’s makeup took an entire half a shichen (1 shichen = 2 hours) to put up.
Even though it looked like a thin layer of powder, one had to use a small brush made of sheep fur for application and rouge naturally had to be put up so that the brows would look like the new moon, lips like flower petals and the most beautiful thing that made one feel had to be the eyes. Shen Miao had a pair of naturally clear and distinctive eyes that looked like a newly born deer but today Mei NiangZi drew a slight hook at the end of the eyes that made her look more graceful with the same purity.
There was some feeling of being the Mother of everything under Heavens.
Luo Xue Yang was shocked at the sudden thought that jumped into her mind. Mei NiangZi smiled, “Currently there is nothing else to do now. After a while the people who are here to top up the dowry will arrive. Furen can company WangFei first while this servant search for some fragrant leaves to make some for WangFei to wear.” Luo Xue Yan complied.
Shen Miao sat in front of the table as Luo Xue Yan looked at her charming daughter. She was happy but reluctant and could only hold on firmly onto Shen Miao’s hands, “Jiao Jiao, today you will be marrying off. Mother has some words to tell you.”
Shen Miao said, “Mother do speak, I will listen.”
“When a daughter is married off, a mother would always have a few words to instruct. However at the beginning when Mother married to your Father, your WaiZuMu had passed away and Mother only have older brothers and no sisters. The few SaoSaos were young so no one said such things to Mother.” Luo Xue Yang was a bit embarrassed, “So these things are all what Mother came out myself and is not sure if it is right or wrong. However, one have to still tell you about it.” “The way of getting along between husband and wife is all in the honesty. For so many years with your Father, one do not have any secrets with each other. If upon discovering that the other party have secrets, don’t rush to question and wait and be patient as he will tell it to you.” Luo Xue Yan patted Shen Miao hands lovingly, “Mother know that your temper is stable and it is a good thing as you will not be affected by matters outside but emotions cannot be resolved by tolerating. If you like him, you will care about his every move and would involuntarily follow one’s heart to take action and one would not be stable.”
“Be more frank, be more straightforward, don’t be shy and don’t be scared. That is your husband, the person that you will spend a lifetime with.” Luo Xue Yan paused and said, “Jing Xing had promised me that after you, there will not be any concubines or TongFangs and honestly speaking, I do not trust him. As a member of the Imperial family, how could one’s inner courtyard only consist of one female? It is just that since matter is as such, one can only take a step at a time.” Shen Miao’s eyes hang down and she heard Luo Xue Yan continue speaking, “But our Shen family’s daughter will never compromise. If your husband has other female in the inner courtyard, you can be jealous, can quarrel with him. All those nonsense magnanimity, are all dog shit. That are all the unfair conditions that the world bound females with. If there is such a day, you do not need to view him as your husband in your heart, since you cannot manage another’s heart, one can manage one’s heart. With regards to others, if you want to separate, Father and Mother will help you.” Shen Miao first looked at Luo Xue Yan with surprise before she could not help but laugh in her heart. Yes. There were no concubine or TongFang in the Luo family and Luo Xue Yan’s living environment made her decided that one life would be spent as a couple. Luo Xue Yan’s words would be shocking to other’s ears but was especially warm in Shen Miao’s.
Luo Xue Yan would always consider about her feelings and would not let her feel grievances. As for other people, what did they have to do with her?
Thinking again about Fu Xiu Yi’s birth mother, Consort Dong Shu, who kept requesting her for this and that. Requesting her to be magnanimous and after not long of marriage, she had taken the initiative to arrange a secondary consort for Fu Liu Yi. The contrast could not be clearer.
Luo Xue Yan suddenly took out a booklet from her sleeves, “Jiao Jiao, this… Keep this well. After the entire wedding ceremony is completed then find some free time to read it.”
Shen Miao was somewhat curious and took it as she asked, “What is this?” Luo Xue Yan’s faced redden and she spoke vaguely, “Things that you need to understand.” Seeing that Shen Miao was about to open it, she quickly pressed Shen Miao’s hands down, “Don’t look now! Later… Later when you are alone, then look at it.”
Shen Miao nodded her head and was about to ask a few more things when she saw Luo Xue Yan’s unnatural face and suddenly understood. Her face also because hot.
Spring drawings (*cough* do I need to explain this?). She did not see this before as the Shen family was in an entire mess when she married in the past life that even this little booklet was forgotten. Afterwards on the day of marriage Fu Xiu Yi did not consummate marriage, much less mention about this.
Even when she and Fu Xiu Yi consummate marriage, it was done in a rush and Fu Xiu Yi was extremely perfunctory. Even though Shen Miao had never seen spring drawings, afterwards she had heard of others speaking about it and of couples studying together during their newly wedded life but these were things that she had not experience before.
One had not expect that upon marrying again, even the regrets of the past life would be fulfilled. Just as Luo Xue Yan and Shen Miao was somewhat embarrassed, there were footsteps from outside. Luo Tan pulled Feng An Ning in and seeing that Luo Xue Yan was present, she said, “GuMu, we are here to top up the dowry for Youngest Biao Sister!”
Luo Xue Yan was embarrassed and seeing both of them here to get her out of the situation, she sighed in relief and smiled, “Then you all should talk a while. I will go out for a while first.”
When Luo Xue Yan left, Luo Tan went one round of Shen Miao and exclaimed, “Youngest Biao Sister, you are just too beautiful today! It is almost comparable to fairies!”
“Correct.”Feng An Ning was always picky and had a temperament of picking bones in eggs but this time she also nodded her head, “It is the first in all of Ming Qi.” After being given the cold treatment by Shen Qiu, Feng An Ning had come her much lesser but this time because Shen Miao was marrying off, even though she feared Shen Qiu in her heart, she gathered her courage to come over.
“One heard that it was Mei NiangZi that auspicious NiangZi.” Feng An Ning said, “No wonder it is so pretty that even I cannot recognise you.”
“Youngest Biao Sister is already good looking from birth.” Luo Tan was in all smiles before she took out a small box from her back and said, “This is what I gift to you!” Shen Miao opened the box and saw a metal lump toy inside but did not know what it was. Shen Miao had not yet spoke when Feng An Ning took the lead to ask, “What is this? It is just ridiculous for you to give this thing to Shen Miao!”
