Bai Fanlu knew that ancient wedding ceremonies were quite complicated, but he hadn’t expected them to be this complicated.

Even though time was tight, none of the traditional steps were skipped, such as the formal betrothal process, which normally would take a month, but was completed in a single day. It took half a day just to carry in the bride price.

Although, in essence, all of this was just for show, the scale of the ceremony showed how much effort had been put into it.

As the person involved, Bai Fanlu didn’t need to make any public appearances. The affairs of the palace were handled by others, and all he had to do was sit around, acting as a bystander.

But even though he wasn’t busy, his ears certainly were. Liu Xin, ever the enthusiastic one, kept updating him on what was happening outside—the number of engagement gifts received, and even the items prepared as return gifts, which were delivered discreetly in the middle of the night.

“Master, this betrothal letter is so exquisite! Can you guess what’s written on it?”

The betrothal letter was probably the ancient equivalent of a marriage certificate. Bai Fanlu, with nothing else to do, humored her, “What does it say?”

“On the cover: ‘A Match Made in Heaven!'”

Bai Fanlu, busy scribbling on some paper, merely responded with an “Oh.” Considering that this marriage was fated due to the two jade pieces coming together, calling it heavenly predestined seemed quite fitting.

“And there’s more inside! Let me read it to you… ‘To the esteemed parents: My son, through the words of a matchmaker, has been arranged to marry your daughter. We have set the wedding for the sixth of May in the first year of Yu Gan.'”

“‘On the fourth of May, we humbly send a representative to your residence with the betrothal gifts, including: 6,666 gold coins, 999 jin of wine, 888 bolts of silk, 666 sets of formal wear, six pairs of livestock including chickens and pork…’”

“Okay, that’s enough.”

Bai Fanlu rubbed his forehead. Listening to Liu Xin read out the never-ending list of gifts, with all those numbers, was making his head spin.

But then Bai Fanlu thought of something mentioned in the betrothal letter. “Did the young prince come by yesterday?”

“Yes!” At this, Liu Xin couldn’t help but giggle. “The young prince stood outside your room for a long time. I asked him why he didn’t come in, and guess what he said?”

Guess again?

This little maid…

“Forget it, let’s pretend I didn’t ask.”

“Oh, how can you not be curious!” Liu Xin teased him. “I think you’re just embarrassed! You really want to know why the young prince didn’t come in to see you, don’t you?”

Bai Fanlu pretended to be angry and threw down his pen, pulling the robe off his shoulder. “I’m going to sleep. Didn’t you say tomorrow will be a busy day? I need to rest early.”

“Hehe!” Liu Xin laughed as she helped him to the bed. As she settled him in, she said, regardless of whether he wanted to hear it or not, “The young prince said that he couldn’t see the bride before the wedding, or it would be bad luck. Since your marriage is fated by the heavens, it has to be a perfect union, so not even a little bad luck can be allowed.”

So those auspicious numbers on the betrothal letter were clearly his doing.

That night, his mind was filled with thoughts of those lucky numbers, and he only managed to fall asleep in the middle of the night. When Liu Xin forcibly woke him the next morning, he was still in a daze, unsure of where he was.

“Master, there’s only one hour left until the auspicious time. Hurry and get ready!”

Bai Fanlu lazily rubbed his neck, sore from a bad night’s sleep. This mortal body of his really didn’t handle late nights well.

While he was still lost in thought, Liu Xin had already pulled him up and pushed him in front of the dressing table.

After he rinsed his mouth and washed his face, Liu Xin looked at his reflection in the mirror and frowned. “Master, were you too nervous to sleep last night? There are dark circles under your eyes. I’ll put on some powder for you.”

He had still been drowsy, but upon hearing this, Bai Fanlu instantly snapped awake. “No! I don’t need anything… besides, I’ll have a veil covering my face anyway.”

“That won’t do! The bride has to be well-dressed for the wedding. It’s for good luck.”

Good luck… That was the reason he couldn’t sleep last night.

“I’m not really the bride…” Bai Fanlu muttered under his breath.

“Master! What are you talking about? Today is your big day!”

“…Fine, do as you like.” Bai Fanlu gave up resisting. They’d come this far, and putting some makeup on wasn’t the worst thing. “Just a little under the eyes, don’t touch anything else.”

“That won’t do. You need blush, too, and a little lip color will make you look so much better. They say it even tastes… sweet and fragrant.”

Bai Fanlu, who had been resting his eyes while she applied the powder, suddenly felt his face heat up when he heard the last part.

“You… You’re just a young, unmarried girl…” he stammered, thinking her words were far too bold.

Liu Xin grinned mischievously. “That’s what the matchmaker told me! Besides, all these cosmetics are from ‘Xiangpin Pavilion,’ the highest quality, used only by princesses and noblewomen. The young prince personally bought them for you.”

Bai Fanlu, speechless.

It was just one day, he reassured himself. After today, he’d never use any of these things again. What was Mu Yunhe thinking? Even if he wanted to make a grand gesture, he didn’t need to go to such lengths.

“I don’t need them. Once today is over, you can have them.”

Liu Xin quickly waved her hands. “Oh no, I wouldn’t dare! These were specially bought for you by the young prince, and they’re part of the wedding gifts. Even if you don’t want to use them, they can’t be given away.”

“Because of good luck again?”

“Of course!”

This little maid certainly had her “principles.” Bai Fanlu could only sigh in defeat.

Liu Xin continued, “Actually, the young prince also gave me a generous amount of money for being your bridal maid. It’s more than enough for me to buy the finest cosmetics. The young prince really cares about you, and even I’m benefiting from it.”

This was a clear case of buying loyalty! It was over. He hadn’t even entered the marriage, and the only person on his side had already switched teams.

Bai Fanlu sighed inwardly. Who told him to play a character with neither money nor power?

After applying the blush, Liu Xin brought over a plate of pastries. “Master, eat something now. You won’t be able to eat anything until the evening.”

Bai Fanlu, hearing that he wouldn’t be able to eat for the rest of the day, tried to eat more, but he couldn’t manage much of the sweet pastries.

“They’re a bit too rich,” he said, setting the plate aside.

After rinsing his mouth, Liu Xin applied the lip color and then started working on his hair. “Are you going to braid my hair too?” Bai Fanlu asked.

He really didn’t want to be decked out with hairpins and flowers. Just the thought made him cringe.

“Just a simple braid. I won’t do anything too complicated. All that other stuff is too gaudy. I’ll just use a red ribbon for you, but you still need a simple phoenix hairpin, otherwise the veil won’t stay in place.”

Bai Fanlu imagined the scene and suddenly realized something. “With that veil on, won’t I look taller than the young prince?”

“Huh?” Liu Xin burst out laughing and accidentally pulled his hair. Bai Fanlu hissed in pain, and Liu Xin, still laughing, apologized as she tried to be more gentle. “Sorry, Master, I’ll be more careful…”

She still couldn’t stop laughing. What was so funny? Bai Fanlu was utterly confused. Was his concern really that unreasonable?

“Master, you’re worrying too much!”

As expected, Liu Xin giggled. “The young prince is much taller than you. Next to him, you’ll look just like a noble young lady—just one with a taller frame. No one will be able to tell you’re a man.”

Is the height difference really that noticeable?

Bai Fanlu’s pride took a serious hit.

He decided to stop asking such questions and patiently let Liu Xin finish fussing over him from head to toe.

When everything was finally done, Liu Xin couldn’t take her eyes off the beautiful bride in the mirror.

“Oh my, the young prince must have accumulated several lifetimes of blessings to be this lucky…”

Bai Fanlu had been curious to know what he looked like after all that, but upon hearing her comment, he decided to keep quiet.

This unavoidable “bride-in-disguise” plot, he thought bitterly.

“Master, are you ready? I’m going to put the wedding veil on you. Once it’s on, you can’t take it off again until the young prince lifts it.”

There was no need to emphasize that last part.

Bai Fanlu felt a little parched. “Wait a moment, I need some water.”

Liu Xin poured him a cup, and after drinking, he asked, “Can I eat something first?”

“No, it’ll ruin your lip color. Master… you’re not nervous, are you?”

Liu Xin was sharp and playful, quickly putting him in a spot where he had nothing to say.

Bai Fanlu remained silent as the veil was placed over his head.

Before long, the sound of gongs and drums could be heard from outside. The noise was full of excitement, and Bai Fanlu could easily imagine the scene—an impressive wedding procession with flower chests and gift boxes in the front, and the bridal sedan chair at the back.

Usually, the groom would be at the front, riding a grand horse, full of energy, waving to the onlookers.

If it were Yun Zhan, what would he look like in a bright red groom’s robe? If only he could see it with his own eyes…

Bai Fanlu snapped out of his thoughts, realizing he had let his mind wander a bit too much.

Normally, a bride had to go through several steps before leaving the house, but Liu Xin told him that the young prince had ordered anything too tiring to be skipped, and that all he had to do was get into the sedan chair.

However, she also emphasized that all the necessary steps had been carefully streamlined to make things easier for him, and that everything that remained had to be done without missing a single part—otherwise, even the heavens wouldn’t recognize the marriage.

Bai Fanlu kept this in mind. Even though the marriage was fake, it had to appear real to the heavens so he could successfully pass the heavenly tribulation.

Liu Xin helped him to the door, where firecrackers were still popping. As soon as he appeared, the crackling intensified.

Bai Fanlu was unsure where to step, but at that moment, a hand reached out to guide him.

He froze, feeling that the hand was somewhat familiar.

“Leave it to me.”

That voice…

Liu Xin stepped back from his elbow, and Bai Fanlu, holding the red silk flower in his hands, had one of them taken by the person beside him. Slowly, he followed as they moved forward, the firecrackers now behind them.

He overheard people talking.

“Isn’t the bride supposed to be escorted by her family? Why is the young prince personally doing it?”

“You don’t understand. Haven’t you seen all the betrothal gifts? The young prince clearly treasures this bride. Haven’t you heard? They’re destined by the heavens, and the jade is the matchmaker.”

“Really… I wonder what this bride looks like for the young prince to be so protective, even rushing to marry so soon.”

“…” Bai Fanlu felt the person beside him stop. The hand holding his didn’t let go, and another hand wrapped around his waist, steadying him. “Careful, we’re about to get into the sedan chair.”

The hand was strong, and before Bai Fanlu could even lift his foot, he was practically lifted into the sedan chair. Once he was seated, the hand finally let go.

Just as Bai Fanlu was about to breathe a sigh of relief, a low, deep voice whispered by his ear, “They’re not wrong. I want everyone to know how much I cherish you.”

The sedan curtain fell, and Bai Fanlu suddenly felt like he was alone in this small space.

“Raise—the—chair—!”

With the master of ceremonies’ call, the sedan chair lifted and swayed gently. After that, the ride was fairly smooth.

Sitting inside, Bai Fanlu’s heart was still pounding. How had he gone from feeling perfectly fine to suddenly feeling nervous?

It was all Mu Yunhe’s fault, talking like that!

Taking a few deep breaths, Bai Fanlu tried to calm himself, convincing himself that this was just an immersive experience in local customs—a role-playing exercise.

In the morning, the wedding procession circled all of Hengchang County, and Mu Yunhe, spending lavishly, received the blessings of the entire town.

People couldn’t help but comment that they hardly recognized the young prince anymore. This bride, they said, must be the one to finally make him settle down. It was exciting to think that the infamous troublemaker would no longer be causing chaos in the county.

“…” Bai Fanlu hadn’t even shown his face, yet he had already become a saintly goddess in the eyes of the Hengchang citizens—a living Buddha, they said, worthy of a seven-tier pagoda.

The sedan chair finally came to a stop. The curtain was lifted, and just as Bai Fanlu heard the jingle of bells, his hand was taken once again.

As he prepared to stand, the hand suddenly pulled him forward. Bai Fanlu fell against the person’s chest and was then lifted off his feet, carried in bridal style.

There were cheers and applause from the onlookers.

“Looks like the groom can’t wait to carry his bride to the wedding chamber!”

“Fine, fine! As the master of ceremonies, I permit you to head straight to the bridal chamber!”

“How can that be? Isn’t this the only wedding of his life? He can’t just skip the drinking and head straight to the fun. I won’t allow it!”

Mu Yunhe’s rowdy friends took advantage of the situation, each comment more outrageous than the last.

But Mu Yunhe didn’t mind at all. He laughed heartily and responded, “The one who suggested heading straight to the bridal chamber gets a grand reward! A jade dragon, golden ink, or the Yonghe Cauldron—your choice!”

“Ahhhhh!”

Cries of regret and envy rose from the crowd, followed by shouts of “To the bridal chamber! To the bridal chamber!”

Bai Fanlu felt his scalp tingle. The deep laughter from the chest he was pressed against only made his ears burn, and his heart race even more.

The house steward called out loudly to the guests, announcing that everyone who entered would receive a gift, and that the Mu residence would be hosting a three-day feast, open to anyone who came to sincerely congratulate the newlyweds, regardless of status.

Bai Fanlu couldn’t see what was happening around him, but he could sense that there were many people watching, which was probably why the veil was so useful.

Mu Yunhe carried Bai Fanlu all the way into the main hall. Even though the hold was steady, Bai Fanlu instinctively gripped his collar tightly when they crossed the threshold.

As he was set down, he heard a soft whisper near his ear, “Don’t worry, I’m here.”

“…” It’s because you’re here that I am worried.

What was supposed to be a simple role-play exercise had suddenly become all too real, thanks to his overly serious co-star.

Watching her son’s tender care for his new wife, the Princess Consort smiled knowingly from the head of the hall.

Though the hall was still buzzing with voices, she shook her head and sighed to herself, “Old Mu, I saw it all along. It wasn’t because of that jade. Your son was clearly smitten at first sight. He hasn’t even seen her face, and he’s already head over heels. Finally, I can have some peace.”

With the bride and groom at the entrance, the master of ceremonies called for the gathered guests to quiet down. “The auspicious hour has arrived. We now invite the bride and groom to enter!”

The loud, clear voice made Bai Fanlu’s heart tremble.

The red silk in his hands was gently tugged, prompting him to move forward, step by step. According to the instructions, he had to walk ten steps before stopping—a symbol of perfection.

“First, bow to the heavens and earth—”

Now they had to turn around and follow the silk. Bai Fanlu mentally rehearsed the process, determined to perform flawlessly, like an exam. Even the act of bowing had been taught to him by Liu Xin, showing him how to move gracefully like a noblewoman.

“Second, bow to the elders—”

They turned back again, and Bai Fanlu imagined the Princess Consort was in front of him. He respectfully bowed to her.

“Third, bow to each other—”

This time, they turned 45 degrees to face each other. Bai Fanlu sensed the other end of the silk lowering first and quickly followed suit.

The groom’s bow was naturally more formal than the bride’s, but Mu Yunhe bowed even deeper than usual. When he straightened up, Bai Fanlu could feel the veil on his head sway heavily.

Someone nearby whispered, “The young prince is taking this so seriously. I’ve never seen him act so proper.”

Bai Fanlu felt a bit conflicted.

Next, instead of being led directly to the bridal chamber as was commonly known, Bai Fanlu was taken to formally meet the Princess Consort and several other senior members of the Mu family. The master of ceremonies introduced each person, and Bai Fanlu politely bowed to each one.

After this, it was finally time to head to the bridal chamber.

Liu Xin came over to assist Bai Fanlu, while Mu Yunhe, as the groom, remained behind to entertain the guests.

Liu Xin whispered, “The young prince wanted to whisper something to you earlier, you know.”

Bai Fanlu, of course, knew that. But thankfully, a group of rowdy guests had interrupted before he had a chance to.

He would never admit that he was curious about what Mu Yunhe had wanted to say. It surely wasn’t anything proper.

The bridal chamber was set up in the room Bai Fanlu had stayed in at First Snow Garden, but it had been completely transformed.

The windows and bed were decorated with red, celebratory banners, and though it was still

 afternoon, the room was lit with red candles. The bedding was adorned with dragons, phoenixes, and pairs of mandarin ducks, and under the sheets, there was already a layer of peanuts and lotus seeds.

Bai Fanlu couldn’t see any of this—Liu Xin described it all to him.

But all Bai Fanlu wanted to know was, “Can I eat something now?”

Liu Xin brought over a box of snacks. “You can eat something that won’t ruin your makeup.”

“Can I take off the veil? It’s heavy.”

“Absolutely not.”

But after a poor night’s sleep and spending most of the day in the rocking sedan chair, with hardly any food, Bai Fanlu was exhausted.

He couldn’t lie down and sleep—that would definitely not be allowed. So, leaning against the bedpost, he said to Liu Xin, “I’m too tired. Let me rest for a bit, just for a little while.”

“Alright, rest for now, Master. I’ll stay with you.”

Bai Fanlu practically fell asleep the moment his head hit the bed.

When he woke up, he realized he was lying on his side, wrapped in soft bedding. Startled, he instinctively reached for his head.

The veil was still in place. He breathed a sigh of relief, only to hear a low, amused voice.

“Awake? You’ve had a long day.”