August tenth.
Distinguished guests from all walks of life in the inner city had arrived, making this coming-of-age ceremony as grand as a royal bestowal.
On August fifteenth, the Mid-Autumn Festival, Fan Zehao and Zhao Jiaqi gathered everyone together for a bonfire party, discarding any pretense of hierarchical distinctions.
Men in one circle, women in another, and children in a third, the entire prince's manor was filled with joyous laughter.
Enjoying roasted meat, listening to songs, and watching dances—such leisurely activities could only be realized within the confines of a prince's manor; nowhere else could one find such festivities.
The revelry continued until well past midnight. Had it not been for the young servants and maids preparing for the following day, these guests might never have dispersed.
As dawn broke, Yumeng was summoned. She underwent a thorough cleansing and hairstyling, a process that took over an hour. Finally, she donned the xiuhui dress designed by her mother. After her mother-in-law, beaming with joy, had recited her blessings, Zhao Jiaqi personally styled her hair and placed her own phoenix crown design upon Yumeng's head.
Yumeng gazed at her angelic reflection in the bronze mirror, scarcely believing that she, usually so unkempt, could appear so beautiful.
Mother and daughter whispered to each other, and soon, a stream of Yumeng's close girlfriends arrived, each bringing gifts to adorn her trousseau.
Seeing this, Zhao Jiaqi, with a heavy heart, left the room. Surveying the jubilant manor, a pang of sadness struck her.
In a blink, she spotted her two sons huddled in hushed conversation by a small tree. She pursed her lips, thinking that perhaps her feelings would be different once these two sons were married.
Indeed, marrying a daughter and marrying a son evoked entirely different emotions.
Xiaomi found her and rushed over, "Princess Consort, it's time to change clothes. His Highness is getting impatient."
Zhao Jiaqi glanced at her own attire, which, though not overly plain, seemed less suitable. 'What's the fuss about changing?' she thought, yet her feet carried her back obediently.
Fan Zehao, seeing his wife return, eagerly went to greet her, "Why did you take so long? You made me quite worried."
"I was just chatting with Yumeng for a bit. Seeing that girl married off today makes me feel rather old myself."
Fan Zehao gently stroked her smooth, long hair and chuckled, "Not old at all. Time hasn't left a single mark on your face; rather, it has made your disposition much more mature."
Zhao Jiaqi felt her own temperament growing more settled and her outlook more accepting. She hummed in agreement and went into the inner chambers to change into a festive, yet dignified, outfit.
She also donned a hairpin symbolizing her status as Princess Consort. She was the very picture of elegance and nobility.
Zhao Jiaqi steadied the delicate dangling ornaments in her elaborate hairstyle. Even a slight movement of her head sent the tassels swinging to and fro against her face, which she found quite bothersome.
"Who invented these dangling hair ornaments? They're clearly designed for noble ladies, not for village women."
Fan Zehao, noticing his wife's darkening expression and her elaborate hairpiece, chuckled heartily. He playfully teased her, "The purpose of these hair ornaments is to encourage women to walk steadily and slowly, to moderate their behavior. When wearing them, if the ornaments sway minimally during walking, tea drinking, or sitting, it indicates that the woman's deportment is highly appropriate. Of course, they weren't designed for village women."
Hearing her husband's lengthy explanation made Zhao Jiaqi's head spin. She said dismissively, "I'll design some stylish hairpins for village women later. They'll be lightweight and beautiful, much more practical and attractive than these."
Fan Zehao paid little heed to her words, assuming she was merely venting her frustration.
As they were talking indoors, people outside began calling for them. The couple had no choice but to abandon their conversation and attend to the guests.
The moment the auspicious hour arrived, the sound of firecrackers echoed from outside the manor. Before long, the entrance was swarmed with people, some posing riddles to vex the groom, others reciting poetry, and engaging in all manner of games imaginable.
While the front was abuzz with activity, Fan Zehao and Zhao Jiaqi could only listen to the occasional bursts of laughter and merriment emanating from the courtyard.
Fan Zehao looked at Zhao Jiaqi beside him and said with a hint of envy, "Our wedding wasn't this lively. Seeing our children's wedding unfold with such joy, I feel as though I've failed you in some way."
Zhao Jiaqi smiled and shook her head, "We were poor back then, it couldn't be helped. Still, on our wedding day, I got to eat a bowl of minced meat noodles, which was already quite good. I'm content."
Her words deeply moved Fan Zehao, and they shared a knowing smile.
It wasn't just Zhao Jiaqi who was content; Fan Zehao was equally grateful to have married her.
Seated on grand chairs, they watched as their daughter, her face veiled by a round fan, knelt before them.
Her husband offered a symbolic speech about her life after marriage. As the wedding rituals progressed step by step, Zhao Jiaqi watched her daughter being taken away by the groom, her face a mask of smiles that belied her inner struggle.
Fan Zehao helped her to rest, sensing her low spirits. He stayed by her side and asked, "Wife, what do you think this baby we're expecting is? A boy or a girl?"
Zhao Jiaqi glanced at him, who was clearly grasping for conversation, and then looked down at her burgeoning belly. "Going by my intuition, I think this one might be a girl. But until the baby is born, I can't be sure."
"Then, wife, after our child's full moon celebration, let's retire to the mountains. We'll take the child and live in the countryside. What do you think?"
Fan Zehao had already mapped out their future. The first half of their lives had been filled with responsibilities. Now that life was improving and the children were grown, it was time to hand over the affairs of the inner city to them and live a normal life with their little one.
Zhao Jiaqi, of course, found his plan appealing and very much desired it. However, she worried about the inner city. "What about things here?"
He chuckled and gestured towards the door. "Yumeng and Jinli will be in the inner city in the latter half of the year. Let Jinli manage the inner city with our son. By the time Jinli returns to Dingbei Liao, our sons should be capable of handling it."
Zhao Jiaqi almost burst into laughter at her husband's cunning plan. Jinli, dreaming of marrying Yumeng, had no idea he would also be tasked with managing affairs.
"Then what about our two sons? Who will inherit the throne? There's only one royal title."
Fan Zehao had already considered this question. He immediately replied, "Two sons, one throne. It would be unfair to give it to either. So, let fate decide."
"Let the children draw lots. Whoever gets it, gets it."
She gave her husband a thumbs-up. This method was excellent; no one would complain. Whether it was luck or misfortune, they were effectively washing their hands of the matter.
With this decision made, the couple decided to speak with their children the following day, allowing them to happily send their sister off for now.