Li Man'er never dreamed that getting married in ancient times would be so painful. Before dawn, she was dug out of her quilts by Ziyan and Luyi, bathed and changed, and perfumed from head to toe.
Once she had a little more sense, without even drinking a sip of water, a matchmaker entered to comb her hair. While combing, she had to chant wedding songs, such as "First comb to the end, second comb white hair side by side..."
She was so sleepy from listening that she almost fell asleep again.
After her hair was finally done, she had to wear the phoenix crown.
Oh my heavens, how could that phoenix crown be so heavy? It was made of gold, jade, gemstones, and agate; it was practically blinding and would surely ruin her cervical spine.
Li Man'er let people arrange her like a puppet. The matchmaker even wanted to pluck the fine hairs on her face, but upon seeing Li Man'er's skin, which was like a peeled boiled egg, she was stunned for a moment and quickly made a symbolic gesture twice, just to go through the motions.
After much fuss, Li Man'er was almost ready. She lowered her veil and waited for the groom to arrive.
At this time, Qi Yihan also set off from the prince's mansion on a magnificent horse, dressed in a crimson wedding robe that further enhanced his handsome and elegant appearance. His naturally cold and stern features were now slightly softened, with a faint smile at the corners of his eyes and brows, making him look even more dashing.
Li Man'er was married from the Princess's Mansion; as for the Li family, she hadn't even thought about it. Before her wedding, Ning Liancheng, along with his son, grandsons, and granddaughters, had all rushed over.
Therefore, Li Man'er's wedding was not lonely. Not only did her younger male cousins and brothers help block the door, but she also had elders to pay respects to.
Ning Liancheng and a greatly recovered Madam Su sat in the high seats, accepting the kowtow from the young couple. Madam Su was both happy and sad. Although she knew she shouldn't cry at such an occasion, the thought of her deceased daughter made her eyes well up with tears.
The elders earnestly lectured, reminding Li Man'er to be loving, to fulfill her duties as a wife, and to propagate the royal lineage.
Li Man'er inwardly wailed; she was almost twenty. In ancient times, she was considered old, but having children so early was not something she had ever considered.
Well, she would take it one step at a time.
She and Qi Yihan bowed farewell to the elders, were carried out the door by Qi Qianjing, and sent off to the bridal sedan chair.
A burst of joyous music sounded, and the wedding procession majestically moved towards the prince's mansion.
Qi Nianjing's wife, Madam Qi, splashed a basin of water out, symbolizing a married daughter is like spilled water.
Li Man'er, in her sedan chair, swayed and ambled around the capital. She was about to fall asleep when the sedan chair finally stopped at the entrance of the prince's mansion.
"Lower the sedan. The auspicious time has arrived. The groom will kick the sedan door."
There were quite a few spectators. The Ninth Prince's wedding was a spectacle, especially since he was marrying the Anning Princess, who had a bad reputation before but had suddenly risen to prominence and was no less capable than any man. Such a powerful union was bound to attract attention.
Qi Yihan arrived before the sedan chair, exhibiting a rare hint of awkwardness. The crowd dared not laugh too overtly, for fear that the Ninth Prince would remember them.
Qi Yihan gently kicked the sedan door, which swung open in response.
"Please, bride, alight from the sedan!"
This act of kicking the sedan door was a delicate matter. It was essentially the groom giving the bride a slight show of dominance. If kicked too hard, the bride would lose face; if kicked too lightly, it would seem as though the groom lacked presence.
Qi Yihan's kick was, to say the least, incredibly gentle. The onlookers understood, realizing that the Prince clearly valued his Princess Consort, respecting and cherishing her.
Li Man'er was assisted out of the sedan by two maids, then stepped over the brazier. A piece of red silk was immediately placed in her hand, the other end held by Qi Yihan, who led her into the main hall by the silk.
There were many guests attending the ceremony. The couple had to bow to heaven and earth, then pay homage in the direction of the imperial palace, and finally, they bowed to each other as husband and wife.
After a day of toiling, Li Man'er's neck and lower back were sore, and she could barely stand up straight.
"The ceremony is complete! Escort them to the bridal chamber!"
Li Man'er felt as if she had heard the music of heaven. Of course, she just wanted to rest, not because she was excited about the bridal chamber.
The moment she sat on the wedding bed, Li Man'er felt a bump. She swept aside the peanuts, longans, and red dates on the bed and sat down firmly, finally letting out a sigh of relief.
So hungry, so tired!
How could getting married be so exhausting? It was more tiring than fighting a battle.
Soon, A'si brought food.
"The Prince was worried the Princess Consort would be hungry and specifically instructed the kitchen to prepare some food for her."
Li Man'er lifted her veil and saw that the spread was quite substantial. However, the dishes were all very mild in scent, likely to avoid any awkwardness during the bridal chamber rituals.
She was starving, so she didn't care anymore and quickly ate a couple of spoonfuls of chicken soup noodles, finally filling her stomach a bit.
The two maids then helped her rinse her mouth and quietly asked if she needed to relieve herself.
*Cough*, she hadn't eaten anything all day, so even if she wanted to, there was nothing to...
"Why don't you help me take off all this stuff on my head? It's too heavy."
"No, Princess... Princess Consort, that's not in accordance with the rules. We must wait for the Prince to lift your veil."
Li Man'er let out a long sigh, resigned herself to sitting properly, and re-covered her head with the veil. Fortunately, the two maids were thoughtful, massaging her shoulders and legs, which made her feel much more comfortable.
She had expected Qi Yihan to stay outside entertaining guests and toasting, thinking he would be back much later. But unexpectedly, he returned so quickly.
The matchmaker became even more convinced that this Princess Consort was no ordinary person; she had completely captured the Prince.
With the matchmaker's auspicious blessings, Qi Yihan lifted Li Man'er's veil. The couple drank the betrothal wine, ate half-cooked dumplings, and even cut off a small lock of their hair, tied them together, and carefully placed them in a small box.
Next was the bridal chamber. The matchmaker said a few auspicious words, received her reward, and left joyfully. The maids also quietly withdrew, waiting only for the masters to call for water.
A'si didn't feel anything special, but Ziyan and Luyi had mixed emotions. A few years ago, their young lady was detested by everyone. Even the young Duke, who had been betrothed to her since childhood, would have rather become a monk than marry her.
Now that their lady had achieved success, becoming a Princess Consort, and the Prince respected and loved her, it seemed their future days would only get better. They never would have imagined this.
Inside the inner chamber, Li Man'er had already removed the oppressive phoenix crown, hairpins, and other adornments that had weighed her down all day. Qi Yihan had cleared away the obstructive items on the bed. He sat on the quilt, a faint smile on his lips, gazing at Li Man'er.
"Why did you come back so soon? What about the guests outside?"
Qi Yihan merely said, "Who dares to force me to drink? You're changing the subject too abruptly. Are you scared? That doesn't sound like you."
"Who's scared?" Li Man'er raised her chin. "It's just the bridal chamber, isn't it?"
She wasn't an ancient person. Even without her mother's guidance, or having seen the essential pictorial guides for brides, she knew what was supposed to happen next.
"Don't forget, I'm a doctor."