Chapter 1025: Perplexed and Smitten (85)
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
After a while, Yu Jiao scurried into the room and reported, “Miss, Miss, I’ve asked around and found out that His Highness has gone to the Imperial Palace to welcome the people from Chi Dan. He’ll only be returning at night.”
“Okay,” An Xiaoning assented sluggishly. She got out of bed, opened the closet, and scrutinized the clothes inside. “Are there any clothes in the closet that I haven’t worn before?” she asked.
“Yes, there’s a dress that you haven’t worn before. Have you forgotten about it? It’s this one,” said Yu Jiao, handing her a light-blue collared dress that was embroidered with silver thread, which she took out from the closet.
An Xiaoning took the dress from her and scanned the dress from head to toe. She touched the fabric of the dress with her fingers and found that it was extremely smooth and silky. She could tell right away that it was of superior fabric.
“Miss, you’re so strange sometimes. You were the one who told me to keep this dress beneath the trunk, yet you still asked me if there are any clothes in the closet that you haven’t worn before.”
“Well, my memory is really poor sometimes. I often forget about things,” said An Xiaoning, who had no choice but to come up with such a lousy excuse.
“Miss, are you planning to wear this dress?”
“Yes, I shall wear it tomorrow.”
Greatly taken aback, Yu Jiao said, “Huh… but didn’t you say that you wanted to wear this only after you’re married? You said that it’s the only piece of garment you have from your mother.”
An Xiaoning was shocked to hear that revelation. She took another look at the dress to see that it was still very new. After scrutinizing it, she discovered that it was different.
“Since it’s the only piece of my mother’s clothing that I have, I shouldn’t just leave it around in the closet. What’s the use of cherishing it by keeping it? It’s more meaningful to wear it.”
Besides, An Xiaoning knew that she had not gotten married at all in this lifetime and did not get the chance to wear the dress.
“Miss, you have a point…”
After watching the servants being busy for the entire day, An Xiaoning felt like the mood was extremely lively and boisterous.
She would be fine with watching him marry another woman since he was just as helpless and didn’t have a choice. However, there was no way she could let him consummate his marriage with another woman.
She was waiting for his return.
Yet, he still did not show up even after a long time. Feeling helpless and at a loss for what to do, she instructed Yu Jiao to ask around.
Yu Jiao returned and informed her, “I heard that His Highness would be staying behind for dinner in the palace. He’ll only be coming back to the residence at a much later time.”
“Forget it, I’ll just wait for him, then.”
However, there was no source of entertainment for her at all in the room. Feeling rather bored while sitting alone on the bed, she decided to lie down, only to feel sleepy a few moments later.
However, she repeatedly told herself that she could not fall asleep, for she had to witness his big day tomorrow with her very own eyes.
Yet, she could not curb her urge to fall asleep and soon dozed off.
An Xiaoning thought that she would definitely wake up from her dream once she wakes up again. To her surprise, she realized that she was still in the dream after waking up.
It was not too surprising, considering that she had once stayed in the same dream for several days.
The sky had turned bright outside. “Yu Jiao?” An Xiaoning called softly.
“Yes?” Upon hearing her command, Yu Jiao immediately got up and scurried toward her. “Miss, are you thirsty?”
“No, what time is it now?”
“It’s the Mao duration.”
The Mao duration was the two-hour period between five and seven o’clock in the morning. Staring at the sky and deducing that it must be about five or six o’clock, An Xiaoning asked, “Did you find out when His Highness came back yesterday?”
“I didn’t have to ask around. His Highness returned a short while after you went to bed. He decided not to disturb you since you had already fallen asleep. He even asked me if you were upset with him.”
“How did you answer him?”
“I told His Highness everything that you said to me when we were sitting below the tree. His Highness then left after taking a look at you for a while.”
“Well done. Bring me some water to wash my face with. I’m getting up now.”
“Miss, aren’t you going to sleep in for a little longer?”
“It’s his big day, how am I supposed to fall asleep? Hurry and go.”
“Alright.”
An Xiaoning put on the light-blue dress that belonged to her mother.
While getting her hair combed after washing her face, Yu Jiao asked, “What kind of a hairdo would you like for today?”
“I just want to look pretty.”
Without further questions, Yu Jiao began combing her hair and dolling her up quietly.
….
The sky had turned bright completely less than two hours later.
Firecrackers began crackling incessantly, and there was an endless stream of guests who were invited to the wedding.
All the servants in the Prince’s residence thought that An Xiaoning would coop herself up in the room for the entire day. To their surprise, she actually turned up for the wedding and was even dressed to the nines.
Although they were all wondering if she would cause a scene at the wedding, they nonetheless greeted her with utmost respect.
Meanwhile, Jin Qingyan was dressed in a red wedding robe and was already waiting by the door when she arrived with Yu Jiao.
An Xiaoning walked toward him slowly. Upon the sight of her, he remained calm and composed on the surface despite feeling rather nervous. Yet, he could not talk to her much in front of everyone else.
She could read his mind with just one glance at his facial expression.
It was the same regardless of whether he was Xihou Ling or Jin Qingyan.
“Congratulations, Your Highness,” she said gently with a smile.
He stared her in slight confusion about her congratulatory words. Recalling what Yu Jiao had said to him the night before, he smiled at An Xiaoning affectionately.
That was all she needed, for there was a strong, tacit understanding between them.
Princess Consort Tian could not help but feel a little dejected upon seeing their affectionate exchange.
There were loud sounds of people entering coming from outside. The butler reported, “Your Highness, they’re here.”
“Alright.”
The loud sounds only came to a halt when the group of people arrived at the entrance. The sedan-bearer, who was dressed in satin, carried the sedan through the gate and lowered it in front of Jin Qingyan.
The moment the curtain of the sedan was lifted, the tan-skinned bride stuck her hand out of the curtain while he held onto it. With a red veil over her head, she was led out of the bridal sedan.
He carried her on his back and stepped over a pot of fire before proceeding to the ceremonial venue.
Due to the fact that she was the most beloved princess of Chi Dan who would be becoming Jin Qingyan’s lawful wife, they had to adhere to all the traditional wedding customs.
Although An Xiaoning felt slightly different from the way she did during Ji Yu’s wedding, which she had just attended, she did not have much emotions in general.
All eyes were on her as she was standing there, watching the ceremony.
However, she remained standing with her back straight and with a smile on her face. No one knew just what she was planning to do by being dressed in such an alluring outfit.
“His Majesty is here!”
Everyone got on their knees immediately. The Emperor strode in, dressed in bright yellow. He said in a crisp voice, “Forget the formalities, please get up quickly, everyone. Today is the day of my third brother’s wedding. I’ve prepared lots of gifts for you and Sister-in-law.”
Jin Qingyan expressed his gratitude with a smile.
An Xiaoning kept her eyes fixed on the Emperor from the moment he entered.
Although he was not exactly identical to the portrait Jin Qingyan had drawn previously, the difference was not significant.