514 Before the Ceremony
If it was not used up in the palace, it would go into the market.
The Shopkeepers whom Su Xiaolu bought fish from asked her if she wanted fish, but Su Xiaolu did not.
It was not that she did not want to eat it, but Zhou Zhi had told her that the current white fish was controlled and accumulated by the emperor. The price of this fish would not be high for long.
Knowing that the price of this fish would decrease, Su Xiaolu naturally did not want to buy it.
The price of the white fish dropped to 500 taels per fish, and the capital was in an uproar.
When Su Sanlang and Madam Zhao returned, they sighed. The white fish had been mashed with some sauerkraut to make fishballs. They were delicious and refreshing. Even if a dish cost dozens of taels, it was not enough.
At night, Madam Zhao came to Su Xiaoling and Su Xiaolu’s house. She asked Su Xiaolu gently, “Xiaolu, do you still want to eat fish? It’s cheaper now.”
With that, Madam Zhao took out the money and stuffed it into Su Xiaolu’s hands. Her intentions could not be clearer. She could buy as much as she liked.
Su Xiaolu hugged Madam Zhao and said sweetly, “Thank you for doting on me, Mother, but we don’t have to buy fish now. Before long, the price of the fish will decrease.”
According to Zhou Zhi’s analysis, if the vortex in the sea became smaller, more white fish would be caught. The white fish would reproduce rapidly in the sea. In the future, the price of each white fish would not exceed ten taels of silver.
The white fish had medicinal properties and was destined to be different from ordinary fish. However, it could not replace medicine, so the price of the white fish would not be so low that all the commoners could afford it. However, if the price was lowered, it would definitely become a delicacy commonly used by all rich people.
“Will it go down again?”
Madam Zhao was a little suspicious. Previously, a white fish cost a few thousand taels. Now, it only costs five hundred taels per fish. The price had already fallen too much. Madam Zhao did not know how much it could fall. She thought for a moment and pinched Su Xiaolu’s cheek. She said gently, “It doesn’t matter even if it doesn’t fall. Buy it if you want to eat it. Take these banknotes with you. It’s convenient when you use it.”
Madam Zhao still gave the banknotes to Su Xiaolu. No matter what price the white fish dropped to, her daughter could use it if she wanted to.
Su Xiaolu took the banknotes and felt warm in her heart.
After Madam Zhao left, Su Xiaoling and Su Xiaolu fell asleep.
It was already winter and early December. Su Xiaoling was getting married in a few days. Su Xiaolu was getting more and more reluctant to part with her. She did not practice swordsmanship during this period of time and accompanied Su Xiaoling every day.
If Su Xiaoling wanted to cook, she would help her start the fire, just like before.
When Su Xiaoling was embroidering, Su Xiaolu watched from the side and handed over the needles and thread. The two sisters were together every day.
Even when Su Xiaolu fell asleep, she hugged Su Xiaoling tightly.
On the second day of December, it snowed in the capital.
In the morning, Dou Fu and Hui Xiang were clearing the snow in the courtyard. After breakfast, Su Xiaolu said to Su Xiaoling, “Sister, let’s build a snowman.”
Su Xiaoling smiled and nodded. “Okay.”
“Xiaolu, what do you want to build?”
Su Xiaoling asked.
“Let’s build a dragon.”
Su Xiaolu thought of the snow dragon that they had built a few years ago and was filled with emotions.
The two sisters got busy. From morning to afternoon, they built a dragon, but it didn’t look like one.
At night, Su Sanlang, Madam Zhao, and the others returned. When they saw the snow dragon, their memories surged. The children had all grown up.
Su Chong and Su Hua also stood and looked at it for a while.
Starting from the fourth of December, Su Sanlang and Madam Zhao began to prepare for Su Xiaoling’s marriage at home. Actually, the Su family did not need to prepare much. Someone from the Ministry of Rites came to help prepare all kinds of preparations.
There was also a nanny from the palace who taught Su Xiaolu etiquette and helped her dress up.
Su Xiaolu only had time to talk to Su Xiaoling at night. Su Xiaoling did not have time during the day.
On the fifth night of December, Su Xiaolu couldn’t sleep.
Madam Zhao came into the room, her eyes gentle and teary.
She held Su Xiaoling’s hand as if she wanted to say something, but in the end, she didn’t say anything because the person Su Xiaoling was going to marry wasn’t an ordinary person. He was the empress’s eldest son. He had a noble status, and her wife would also be very noble. Ordinary farming things were useless to Su Xiaoling.
Moreover, after Su Xiaoling’s wedding, she would rarely see her family. Even if she was family, she could not meet them just because she wanted to.
Even if the couple fell out in the future, Su Xiaoling would not have the chance to return to her family. Her best home would be in the temple. Even if it really came to this, her family would not be able to see her as they pleased.
Madam Zhao’s heart ached.
Su Xiaoling leaned gently on Madam Zhao’s shoulder and said softly, “Don’t worry, Mother. I’ll definitely live well.”
On the eve of her marriage, Su Xiaoling was also heartbroken and reluctant, but this was her path. No matter how difficult it was, she had to walk it.
Madam Zhao sighed. “I hope you can live well.”
“Mother, I understand. Don’t worry, I’ll definitely be fine.”
Su Xiaoling smiled with tears in her eyes.
Su Xiaolu was already crying silently. She sniffed and hugged Su Xiaoling’s arm. She choked and said, “Sister, I can’t bear to leave you.”
Her sister was about to get married. Her sister who had taken care of her since she was young and treated her very well was about to get married. Her sister who would secretly call her Little Fairy at night was about to become someone else’s wife.
Su Xiaolu felt so sad to be separated. She could not control her tears.
Su Xiaoling was also crying. She reached out to hug Su Xiaolu and instructed, “Xiaolu, when I’m not at home in the future, you have to be filial to our parents for me.”
Su Xiaolu nodded while crying.
That night, they could not sleep at all.
They were not sleepy at all. Before dawn, the nanny from the palace had already started to freshen up Su Xiaoling.
Looking at Su Xiaoling’s swollen eyes from crying, they complained, “My goodness, why are you crying like this? Use some ice…”
Everyone quickly got busy. Madam Zhao could not interfere at all and sat quietly with Su Xiaolu.
At this moment, the women could still take a few more glances at her, but her father and brothers could no longer look at her.
Madam Chen, Chen Daniu, and Chen Erniu were also here, but they didn’t have a chance to help.
They could only quietly accompany Madam Zhao to witness this scene.
When it was time to coil her hair, Su Xiaoling stopped all the nannies. She said calmly, “Just let my mother and Auntie do it.”
“This, this is against the rules…”
The few grannies felt a little troubled. In the past few days, they had felt that Su Xiaoling was a very gentle person, but now, the coldness in her eyes was very unfamiliar to them. All of a sudden, they felt that the princess consort who had been easy to serve these few days was fake.
Su Xiaoling’s voice was cold and irrefutable. “There’s nothing against the rules. This is the custom. When a woman gets married, her mother will tie her hair. I’m from a farming family to begin with, and I’ve also done things according to the rules of the palace. The palace should follow my rules.”
She could follow the rules of the palace for other things, but she only wanted Madam Zhao to coil her hair herself. She refused to give in no matter what.