...
"A lost horse may not be a misfortune."
Liu Tong's latter half of life almost seemed to be proving this saying.
He broke off his engagement with his fiancée because he liked Immortal Liu.
Then, because of Immortal Liu, he implicated his father, causing him to lose his official position.
Also because his father lost his official position, Immortal Liu was going to marry someone else, and he was heartbroken, so he didn't participate in the Seventh Prince's uprising, ultimately saving his life.
The New Emperor, with his stunning beauty, killed decisively without any hesitation.
He was patient, killing slowly.
Liu Tong's father and brother, because of Liu Tong's hindrance, were deemed too useless, only losing their official positions instead of their heads, managing to survive.
There was no house arrest or confiscation of property, but the family's wealth was not abundant.
His father was always eager to advance, so he spent all the money on currying favor with Minister Lu.
So, while they appeared prosperous, their actual assets were quite thin.
Of course, they were still much better off than commoners.
Reaching this point, the best option was to leave the capital, sell the houses in the capital, and obtain a large sum of money to live in a second or third-tier city, or return to their hometown.
Of course, it was usually considered a glorious return to one's hometown, but being dismissed from office and returning home also meant having to be discreet.
Once ignorant of the cost of daily necessities, Liu Tong now knew how expensive clothes were, and that it was impossible to have new clothes every month. He also recalled that when he first met Qing Qing, although she appeared destitute, her clothes were new and the style was quite fashionable.
After Qing Qing left, reflecting on the past, he would occasionally have these inappropriate thoughts, feeling both self-mocking and sorrowful.
His rebellion came too late, and his maturity came too late.
There was once such a good opportunity before him, which he pushed away with his own hands.
There was once such an obvious trap in front of him, which he jumped into himself.
Half-dreaming, half-awake, living in a state of confusion.
Today, he got drunk at a brothel, drinking until dawn.
He hadn't woken up by daybreak, but was roused by a series of banging sounds.
Outside seemed very lively.
The late-sleeping girls all got up to watch the commotion.
Listening to the chatter around him.
"Miss Dong is so fortunate, after being broken off an engagement, she became a princess."
"I heard her wedding dress has been altered three times."
"It's really thanks to her former fiancé for not marrying her, otherwise, how could she have such a great fortune."
"It's said that after being broken off the engagement, Miss Dong was heartbroken, jumped into a river, was saved, and then married her savior, unexpectedly, it led to a beautiful marriage."
"Which river is it? I want to go too."
"What's so good about being a prince? There are concubines and concubines in the harem, who knows how it will be after marriage." Liu Tong couldn't stand those people's words and couldn't help but interject.
Everyone looked at him, seeing a disheveled, hungover gentleman, and ignored him. Some recognized him, wasn't this Miss Dong's former fiancé, Liu Tong? Curious, they approached to ask.
Liu Tong, being noticed, was startled and stumbled away.
He ran to the roadside, where it was bustling, with many commoners picking up lucky money and sweets.
A wealthy family marrying off their daughter would scatter lucky money along the way. He was bumped by someone and fell to the ground, just in time to touch a lucky coin, but was pushed away by someone next to him, who snatched it away.
"I saw it first."
Several children fought over it, bumping him away.
He stumbled and sat in a corner, today's sunshine was very good.
Watching the bridal sedan chair pass by in front of him.
For some reason, he always felt this sedan chair should have been going to his house. He even vaguely saw himself lifting the bride's veil, revealing a round face with a smile, dimples on both sides, and a small pointed tooth next to the right front tooth, very charming.
...
Today, Dong E is getting married.
Minister Dong is entertaining guests at home.
Dong Chichi is carrying his sister into the bridal sedan chair.
The Confucian scholar from Lu, Minister Dong, at this moment, hugged his wife and wailed, unwilling to let his daughter go, unwilling to let his daughter get married. He never expected that he just wanted to find a practical man for his daughter, specifically choosing a family of a lower official, several levels below him, with no foundation, thinking that he wouldn't be controlled in the future.
As a minister, he could always intimidate the other party.
He was just worried that his daughter would be wronged after getting married.
His daughter was taught to be innocent and carefree, completely unaware of the intricacies of the inner chambers.
Mainly because his wife didn't understand either, so there was no way to teach her.
Minister Dong, because his mother passed away early and his father remarried, suffered enough in the inner chambers, so he was particularly averse to it.
Sitting in the room, Dong E feels the headdress is very heavy.
She shakes her head and leans it against the pillar by the bed.
Mianmian, who was assigned to accompany her sister-in-law, is dressed like a child from Guanyin's seat today, also very festive.
Mianmian sees her sister-in-law lift the veil halfway and smile at her.
She asks, "Sister-in-law, are you thirsty or hungry? Do you want to eat something?"
"A little hungry, but my mother didn't let me eat, worried I might need to relieve myself in the sedan chair."
The old nanny who accompanied the young lady on her wedding, with a twitching brow, doesn't say much.
"That's right, needing to relieve oneself halfway is indeed troublesome, but at home it's fine. The bathing facilities in this room are very convenient, you'll know tonight, hehe." Mianmian smiles a bit mischievously.
She brings several plates of snacks, sweet and salty, and some floral tea.
The bride and her sister-in-law start eating snacks in the bridal chamber, the veil lifted halfway. If not for the nanny watching, Dong E would have taken off the headdress already.
Fortunately, no one dares to play pranks in the palace, and the prince doesn't need to entertain guests.
Speaking of the Jiang Family, there aren't many relatives, quite solitary, mostly relatives from the Eldest Princess's side.
Many have died or been injured, drastically reducing the population.
However, this joyous event also washes away the sorrow from the palace funeral half a year ago.
After so many funerals, there is finally a joyous occasion.
Red couplets are posted.
The newlyweds are escorted into the bridal chamber.
Mianmian, like a little squirrel, is almost full from accompanying her sister-in-law in eating snacks when her brother returns.
Today, dressed in a bright red groom's outfit, her brother is exceptionally handsome.
To see if a man is truly handsome, try putting him in red.
Those who look super handsome in red are genuinely handsome.
Mianmian's role is done.
When Jiang Feng lifts the bride's veil, he sees a bride with a puffed-up face, still eating pine nuts.
Jiang Feng can't help but laugh.
He drank a little wine out of joy.
The wine doesn't make him drunk, but it makes him more lively.
He lifts the bride's veil, and Dong E struggles to finish chewing the nuts in her mouth, saying, "Feng Ge, help me take off the headdress, it's so heavy."
Her breath is fragrant with the aroma of roasted nuts.
Jiang Feng helps remove the headdress, but without experience, he also loosens her hair.
This moment is stunning.
In ancient times, hair was rarely seen loose, only seen by intimate ones.
The phrase "you dare to touch her hair" carries deep meaning; when can one touch the hair, usually when lying together...
Jiang Feng looks at the bride with her hair loose, accidentally pulling a few strands, holding some broken hair, feeling a bit guilty. If it were his sister, she would be crying by now, as she treasures her hair very much.
Dong E presses her head and shakes it heavily, "It's too heavy, no wonder they say 'to wear a crown, one must bear its weight,' it's so heavy, I feel like my brain is being crushed."
Jiang Feng watches her speak in a coquettish manner, as if her brain isn't much.
But he feels very at ease, wanting to laugh every time he hears her speak.
He reaches out to rub her head, and she leans her head over, very naturally.
"It's a bit itchy at the back too." Dong E obediently leans over.
"Are you hungry?"
"Not hungry, I've been eating snacks with Mianmian all afternoon, now I'm a bit full, but a bit thirsty, can I drink some wine? I heard wine is sweet, my mother didn't let me drink, I haven't tried it."
"You can have a little, but not too much, too much will make you less smart."
"Ah, then why do people still like to drink?"
Aliali: 6753e67cab2494648efd2ddc
"Because, it's rare to be muddled."
They drink the wedding cup of wine together.
Dong E indeed hasn't had wine before, drinking a whole cup, and then starts to giggle foolishly.
Happily hugging Feng Ge and giggling.
"Husband, you're so handsome, oooooh, my husband is so handsome." She gives his face a big kiss.
Jiang Feng: ......
Dong E is fragrant, with the aroma of nuts, flowers, a faint medicinal scent, the scent of sunlight, grass, snow, and dreams...
Jiang Feng is immersed in the fragrance.
From now on, his heart no longer needs to hide in the darkness, because he has a family, he has someone to share his life with, his wife is cheerful and lively, he loves the lively atmosphere.
...