Chapter 524: Chapter 430: Oh, Sister, You’re Getting Married...

「The Zhou Imperial City」

Early in the morning, just as the sky began to brighten, the people of the Imperial City awoke.

Every face was filled with joy, as if it were the Spring Festival.

There was no other reason: today was His Majesty’s grand wedding ceremony.

For one, starting today and for the next three years, the entire Great Zhou would be in celebration, and taxes would be cut in half. That alone was cause for joy.

Besides, it’s only human nature to want to join in on the excitement.

If one didn’t see the Royal Family’s wedding procession, who knew how long it would be until the next one.

So the people rose early to secure good spots along the streets the wedding procession was set to pass through.

Street vendors also hurried to prepare their goods and set up shop.

At the same time, in a small village on the far outskirts of the Imperial City, things seemed even more lively than in the capital itself.

Yesterday evening, when the men of this small village had just returned from their spring plowing, they saw government soldiers guarding the village entrance.

At first, they thought someone in their village had committed some crime.

But as they approached, they each had two red envelopes stuffed into their hands.

Only then did they learn that a wealthy young lady was getting married.

This left them even more confused.

’Where would a wealthy young lady come from in a remote little village like ours?’

’Even if someone from the village struck it rich, wouldn’t they have all moved to the Imperial City?’

’Why would anyone come back?’

The men of the village were curious, and the women were naturally even more so.

But even the village’s biggest gossips, the ones who loved to pry the most, didn’t dare dig any deeper after making a few tentative inquiries.

The village chief was even more tight-lipped, saying only, "The one in our village is of extraordinary status."

And it was in a run-down little courtyard in this very village, named Lion Bridge Village.

Yan Ruxue had woken up early.

After Chunyan helped her lady wash up, Palace Maids from the Imperial Palace came forward. They quickly dressed Yan Ruxue in her wedding gown and adorned her with jewelry.

Once dressed, Yan Ruxue sat before her vanity. The Palace Maids then took up the rouge, carefully applying it to the future Noble Consort’s face.

Madam Yan and her maid, Chunyan, watched intently from the side.

Chunyan thought her lady was simply breathtaking.

’My lady was already as beautiful as a goddess,’

’and now, she’s even more beautiful than one!’

It was just as the saying went: "A woman looks most beautiful in red."

That saying was no exaggeration.

But there was one thing Chunyan didn’t understand: why did her lady want to marry from this village?

It wasn’t just Chunyan; even Yan Ruxue’s own mother, Madam Yan, didn’t understand why her daughter had chosen this village.

Madam Yan only knew that she and her daughter would often come to a lakeside outside this village for spring outings.

The village was close by, its people were simple and honest, and the scenery was lovely. It was also a good place to escape the summer heat.

So Madam Yan had simply bought a courtyard in the village.

The very courtyard they were in now.

An interesting thing had happened back when she bought it.

Madam Yan recalled strolling through the village with her daughter, looking for a suitable spot, when her daughter led her to this small, uninhabited courtyard.

The courtyard was on the edge of the village, right next to a mountain called "Snake Mountain."

Madam Yan took an instant liking to it and decided to buy the small courtyard.

But when the chief of Lion Bridge Village heard her request, he seemed very troubled.

He said things like, "Our ancestral teachings forbid the sale of this courtyard," and, "This little courtyard is the very foundation of our village."

By the end, the chief of Lion Bridge Village was on the verge of tears, pleading, "Please, my lady, don’t make things difficult for this old man. You can build a courtyard anywhere else you please, just not this one."

Madam Yan was not an arrogant and domineering person.

Seeing the old man, who was well past seventy, in such a tearful state, she had decided to drop the matter.

But the very next day, the village chief personally came into the city to visit the Yan Mansion, saying the courtyard could be sold after all.

When Madam Yan asked why, the village chief explained that he had dreamed of his ancestors the previous night. They had appeared in his dream to tell him it was alright to sell the courtyard.

Madam Yan didn’t know if the village chief was intentionally raising the price, but in the end, she still bought the courtyard.

’Could it be because Ruxue used to come here often as a child to escape the summer heat? She must have grown attached to this place. Maybe she feels that she won’t be able to visit again after entering the palace, so she wants to get married here and look back on her childhood memories one last time?’

Madam Yan wondered, gazing at her daughter’s reflection in the vanity mirror.

Of course, neither Madam Yan nor her husband, Yan Zhen, had refused their daughter’s request.

After all, in their hearts, they already felt they had wronged her greatly by sending her into the palace.

If their daughter wanted to marry from here, what did it matter?

And so, on the day before the wedding, she had come with her daughter to this village and decorated the small courtyard.

After the Palace Maids had finished Yan Ruxue’s makeup and placed her headdress, Madam Yan stepped forward. She took the comb and began to brush her daughter’s hair, stroking it from root to tip again and again.

"The first stroke, may you be husband and wife until your hair turns white."

"The second stroke, may you live without illness or worry."

"The third stroke, may you be blessed with many children and a long life."

After combing her daughter’s hair, Madam Yan gently helped her to her feet. She gazed at her daughter, who was about to be married, as faint tears welled in the corners of her eyes. "Beautiful. Truly beautiful."

"My daughter," Madam Yan urged earnestly, "from now on, you will be in the Imperial Palace. Once you are there, you must behave yourself. Take good care of your health, support your husband, and ease His Majesty’s burdens. Do you understand?"

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