Bai Shanwei knew she was joking and that she had accepted him from the heart.
He tightened his grip on her as he carried her, walking step by step towards the main courtyard.
In the main courtyard, Prime Minister Bai and Old Madam Bai were seated on the left, while Bai Dalang and Madam Bai were on the right. The central position was occupied by Bai Silang and Princess Wenyi.
Bai Silang was exceptionally well-dressed today, exuding not only scholarly charm but also a sense of understated elegance.
Time had left little mark on the couple's faces; outsiders might not have guessed that their daughter was the one getting married today.
Xiao Muqian, also in red, stood spiritedly in the corridor, waiting for Bai Shanwei to bring the bride over.
His attire today was custom-made, with riding breeches tucked into boots covered by black satin with gold embellishments, giving him the air of a military man.
Today, he was not just the second grandson of the Prince of Kang's mansion, but also a general who had achieved great military exploits for the Great Jin Dynasty, far surpassing ordinary mortals.
Beside him stood Feng Jinlin, equally spirited. At a young age, he held a third-rank official position, responsible for the welfare of the people of Jinling City. Who wouldn't envy him?
But envy was useless; this man was the future grandson-in-law of Grand Secretary Xu.
Unless one wished to die or lose all face, no one would dare to have their daughter try to seduce him, for fear of Grand Secretary Xu's retaliation!
"They're here, they're here. The bride is here."
The voice of the matchmaker quickly reached them. Xiao Muqian was so eager he almost stretched his head out, only to be teased by Feng Jinlin.
"Look at your impatience. If Old Prince Kang saw this, he'd surely say you lack composure."
"You'll have your turn. When you marry Miss Xu, I'll see how I can tease you."
Truly, they were of the same family, speaking in the exact same way.
Feng Jinlin was not afraid. His disposition was that heaven was the eldest, and he was the second. Therefore, even if Xiao Muqian wanted to laugh at him, he wouldn't be able to!
The matchmaker held a red silk ribbon, one end attached to Bai Siruo and the other to Xiao Muqian. As the two walked from the corridor into the main hall, the matchmaker loudly announced:
"The General and the young lady will now pay their respects to the elders of the bride's family and receive their counsel."
As they had not yet left the Bai family's home, Bai Siruo was still referred to as "young lady."
The couple knelt respectfully on the red prayer mats and offered tea according to tradition.
Bai Silang repeatedly said "good," and Princess Wenyi could not hide her excitement.
After drinking the tea, the couple said with emotion:
"Now that you are married to Siruo, your families are even more closely related. Your father hopes you will live a harmonious life, filled with peace and joy."
"Thank you, Father-in-law and Mother-in-law, for your teachings. Your humble son will remember them."
They then offered tea to Prime Minister Bai and Old Madam Bai, also with respect and courtesy.
Old Madam Bai had someone bring a box and handed it to Bai Siruo, saying:
"This is the 'Tongxin Lock' (Concentric Lock) that my mother-in-law gave me when Prime Minister Bai and I got married. I hope you will be as inseparable as this jade lock and remain together until old age."
This gift was precious, not for its monetary value, but for its inherited significance.
Bai Siruo was the only child they had raised under their knees, so naturally, she received a little extra favoritism.
Bai Shanwei remained impassive, while Bai Sihan, standing beside him, showed a hint of envy and a deep, complex look in her eyes.
Similarly, they offered tea to Bai Dalang and Madam Bai.
More auspicious words were exchanged, and the ceremony was considered complete at the Bai family's residence.
The bride boarded the sedan chair, and the groom, Xiao Muqian, rode a tall horse at the front, leading the procession with music and fanfare, a lively affair.
It was not as grand as the Wei family's wedding, nor as magnificent as the Ninth Prince's marriage.
However, every detail exuded joy that outsiders could feel.
The Bai family hosted relatives and friends at home in the morning and would move to the Prince of Kang's mansion in the evening to continue the festivities.
Feng Jinyao and Xu Mingyue, as Bai Siruo's sisters, naturally had to accompany them. Thus, they boarded the carriage behind, while Bai Shanwei would also go to the Prince of Kang's mansion with them, leaving Bai Sihan and Feng Jinlin at the Bai family home to entertain guests.
The Prince of Kang's mansion and the Prime Minister's mansion were close by. The procession had even reached the gate of the Prince of Kang's mansion, while those carrying the dowry were still making their way from the Prime Minister's mansion.
Therefore, they chose to take a detour through several surrounding roads.
They went up bridges and down bridges.
The sedan chair was carried steadily, and Bai Siruo, sitting inside, barely felt any bumps. She clutched the Tongxin Lock that Old Madam Bai had just given her, her heart feeling warm.
In the carriage, Xu Mingyue and Feng Jinyao could finally relax for a moment.
"Getting married is truly tiring. This servant sees that Miss Biao hasn't eaten anything since this morning."
Yunxu took out pastries from a box to give them something to nibble on, and then spoke.
Xu Mingyue smiled, "It's a custom. Brides in the Great Jin Dynasty do not eat on their wedding day."
Yunxu had never experienced this before but immediately chuckled.
"When Miss Xu joins our Feng family, she'll have to go hungry for a day too. Eat more now! Amber made these early and asked me to bring them."
Everyone praised Amber's cooking skills. Xu Mingyue had eaten it twice and remembered it.
As she ate, she said to Feng Jinyao,
"You girl, you're quite sharp-tongued. When I become your second sister-in-law, I'll bring her over to discipline her for a couple of days. How about punishing her by copying some books?"
Xu Mingyue was also very familiar with Yunxu, not only from their previous meeting in Dongdu City.
When they were in Jinling City, they had also lived together. They saw each other every day, and coupled with Xu Mingyue's approachable nature, the maids all enjoyed chatting with her.
Hearing Xu Mingyue say this, Yunxu put on a distressed face.
"No, Miss Xu can punish me with anything, but please spare me the book copying. It would be better to give me ten lashes with a rattan cane."
Maids rarely had the opportunity to read and write. Although Yunxu was not illiterate, it didn't mean she enjoyed being surrounded by books.
Therefore, Xu Mingyue's method was more painful to her than any beating or scolding.
Hearing Yunxu say this, Xu Mingyue burst into laughter, "See if you dare to gossip about me again?"
"I dare not, I dare not."
Yunxu said so, but in her heart, she felt that the mansion would surely be lively in the future.
One second young master had already caused chaos; with a second young madam, they were truly a match made in heaven.
However, on second thought, after they got married, they would be heading to Jinling City. The liveliness might not be at the Feng mansion, which was a bit of a pity.
As the mistress and maid chatted and laughed, the procession stopped.
Bai Shanwei outside lifted the curtain and said, "We've arrived at the Prince of Kang's mansion."
Feng Jinyao and Xu Mingyue alighted from the carriage and saw Bai Siruo and Xiao Muqian being led by the matchmaker, preparing to enter the mansion.
Feng Jinyao had visited the Prince of Kang's mansion infrequently, and Xu Mingyue had too.