Chapter 116: The Dainty Son-in-law
Chapter 116: Chapter 116: The Dainty Son-in-law
She didn’t have to look to know it was Song Tan.
Liang Wan still hadn’t figured out what to say, but he acted as if nothing had happened. He raised an eyebrow and smiled. "The groom is here. Shall we go watch?"
Just like that, her jumbled thoughts were pushed aside.
Liang Wan, on the other hand, felt a little embarrassed. ’My earlier exit had clearly been more of a hasty retreat born of humiliation...’
"So, are we going or not?" Song Tan jutted his chin toward the door, a look of someone eager for a good show on his face.
"We are!" Liang Wan nodded emphatically and began to smile as well.
"Then let’s hurry!"
Song Tan watched her with a gentle smile. ’Some things are useless no matter how much others talk about them. If she can’t figure it out on her own, it’s no good. It’ll just take time.’
As they spoke, they hurried to the door, afraid that if they dawdled any longer, the procession would arrive.
A man taking a bride was common, but a woman taking a groom was a rarity.
The bridal sedan hadn’t even arrived, but the gateway was already packed with people craning their necks, eager for the spectacle.
Liang Wan and Song Tan squeezed through the gaps in the crowd, overhearing the buzzing chatter and fervent discussions.
"He’s... he’s actually in a bridal sedan? Like some delicate young maiden?!"
"You don’t know? When a man marries into his wife’s family, he’s treated just like a Lady being carried through the gates!"
"To raise a perfectly fine young man just for him to marry into another family... TSK TSK TSK... Can he even hold his head high after this?"
"Heh, listen to yourself. Do you have any idea who arranged this marriage?"
"Who cares who arranged it? Even if the emperor himself decreed it, he’s still a live-in son-in-law, isn’t he? A man who can’t even pass on his own family name is nothing but a mooch living off a woman!"
"Exactly! To do this—he’s thrown all face away. Where is the dignity of a gentleman? What a waste of his classical education!"
"A disgrace! A utter disgrace!"
"SHHH, SHHH!"
...
A few young gentlemen were deep in their spirited discussion when one of them happened to see Liang Wan. He must have recognized her and Song Tan, as he started shooting frantic looks at his companions. But they remained oblivious, utterly contemptuous of the idea of a matrilocal marriage.
"What are you shushing for? A gentleman knows what he should and should not do. He does what is right and refrains from what is wrong. Isn’t this a clear case of doing what one knows is wrong? You all can watch. I’m leaving!"
The young man who had been desperately signaling his friends flushed beet red, his expression incredibly awkward as he looked at Liang Wan.
Liang Wan just smiled at him, unbothered. Her interest was piqued by the man who had stormed off, flicking his wide sleeves without a backward glance. He looked familiar, but no matter how hard she thought, she couldn’t recall where she had seen him before.
She never would have imagined that one day, when she held a high position, that very same man would point a finger in her face and chew her out mercilessly...
"Who are you looking at?" Song Tan nudged her from the side.
Liang Wan pulled her gaze back and asked him with a quiet, smiling voice, "You heard what they were saying, didn’t you?"
Song Tan then looked over carefully, studying the man for a moment before replying, "The sons of wealthy families are so detached from the real world. How could they understand the hardships of the poor? Many men who marry into their wives’ families do so out of desperation."
Liang Wan nodded. ’That makes sense.’
"However—"
"Cui Hao is an exception!"
They looked at each other and burst out laughing.
Over on the other side, Feng Qingyue was helped to the entrance to perform the rituals: kicking the sedan door, leading the groom out, stepping over the basin of fire...
Hearing that the newlyweds had arrived, Princess Lanling and her retinue also emerged from the main hall, standing in the courtyard to watch from a distance.
The new couple, surrounded by a crowd, made their way over. Princess Lanling was chatting and laughing with Prince Guangping and the others as she watched, but an idle glance revealed Lu Xiu, frowning and silent, his gaze fixed on a particular spot.
She stealthily followed his line of sight and saw... Song Tan and Liang Wan. The two of them had their heads together, muffling their constant laughter, practically walking arm-in-arm as they followed the crowd over. She knew they had known each other for years and were on good terms, but as for *him*...
Princess Lanling sighed heavily. ’Song Tan isn’t usually so oblivious. How could he be like this today...’
"Princess, why are you sighing on such a joyous day?" Prince Guangping asked, looking over in surprise.
She had been so preoccupied with her worries that she’d completely forgotten how inappropriate even a small sigh was at a time like this.
Princess Lanling quickly covered it up with a smile. "I was just feeling a bit sentimental. Time passes so quickly. I’m getting old, truly old."
Lu Xiu calmly averted his gaze, not exposing her flimsy excuse.
Such a thing was unheard of among the Noble and Royal Families. Everyone watched with curiosity, but that curiosity was mixed with contempt. The gazes that fell upon the couple felt like a scorching fire.
Feng Qingyue kept her head lowered, feeling none of the joy a bride should have on her wedding day. Standing here now, she felt like a mere performer on a stage, set up for the crowd to mock and ridicule.
Her gaze shifted slightly to the side, and she saw Liang Wan and Song Tan looking so joyful and carefree. Fury, hatred, and humiliation churned within her!
She looked at the silent man beside her, a man who could even accept this kind of marriage, then thought of Liang Wan, who was now with Lu Xiu... The contrast only fueled her resentment.
Her pace quickened unconsciously.
The crowd jostled its way into the main hall.
Liang Wan’s eyes swept across the hall. She deliberately separated from Song Tan and moved closer to where Lu Xiu was seated.
Lu Xiu silently lifted his eyes. Their gazes met unexpectedly, forcing Liang Wan to squeeze out a slightly placating smile.
He raised an eyebrow, glancing at the spot beside him. "Not sitting?"
’Is this appropriate?’ she thought. ’Lu Xiu and Gao Yi are sitting here because they are about to receive the ceremonial bows from the new couple.’
Without a hint of hesitation, Liang Wan promptly knelt and sat down, a faint smile on her face.
First, the bow to Heaven and Earth.
Then, the bow to the elders. When Cui Hao and Feng Qingyue saw Liang Wan, their faces became a kaleidoscope of emotions, expressions shifting from one to the next.
The bow to each other—
Just as the couple was about to bow, a piercing wail cut through the hall.
"A’Hao!"
Amid the stunned silence, a heavily pregnant woman entered, supporting a frail, white-haired old matron.
The crowd was utterly baffled.
"Who are you people? How dare you barge in here! The audacity!" Gao Yi roared, making the two women flinch.
Liang Wan lowered her gaze, feigning ignorance.
Cui Hao looked as if he had never imagined his mother would appear. He glanced at the intruders, then at the room full of guests, completely at a loss.
Princess Lanling glared at Feng Qingyue, her fury clearly caught in her throat. But on this auspicious day, in front of all her guests, she had nowhere to vent it. She could only bottle up her rage and hiss, "Will someone get them out of here!"
"Oh, dear heavens! The Cui Family has had but a single heir for three generations, and now the line is to be broken in my hands? This is a sin, a terrible sin! You’re forcing me to my death—"
The old woman’s wails were incessant. In the middle of her tirade, she violently shoved the pregnant woman aside, fixed her eyes on a red pillar in the hall, and threw herself at it.
The sudden turn of events left everyone present gaping in shock.
Someone with quick reflexes leaped up and snatched the back of the old woman’s robes, but she was determined to die. She must have used every last ounce of her strength because, with a sickening THUD, her head still smashed into the pillar. Blood immediately began to trickle down her forehead.
These inexplicable people and their inexplicable actions left the crowd stunned and speechless.
Cui Hao could no longer pretend they were strangers. He ignored Feng Qingyue’s attempts to stop him and lunged forward.
"Mother! A physician! Someone, help me find a physician, quickly!"
Liang Wan instinctively rose to her feet, but ultimately, she sat back down.