Chapter 64: The Scourge of Leaping Fire
Festive music has been played, filling Duanyue's ears. She stared at Yan Xinghui in a daze www.biquge.info and there was a feeling of hallucination for a moment. Yan Xinghui looked sideways and saw that Mrs. Yan and her brother had already taken their seats, so he hurriedly pushed Duanyue to pull her thoughts back.
"I'll go first." Without paying a second thought, he immediately turned around and ran away, and the corners of his flowing clothes were blown up and down by the wind, like the wings of a butterfly. Duanyue pursed her lips, and with a slightly lonely feeling, she turned around and slowly walked back to her position.
Cuiguo stood behind Duanyue, and she leaned over Duanyue's ear and whispered. "County Lord, just now Mrs. Yu came to look for you and didn't find it, so let me pass on the message to you, Miss Yu is sick today and can't come." Duanyue nodded to indicate that she knew, she pinched the teacup on the table and didn't drink it, just felt the warmth through the porcelain cup.
Murong Chui and Xu Lin were both important ministers of the imperial court, so they were both invited to the wedding banquet, and sat in another place, and they didn't see Xu Xiachu's figure, as if they were deliberately avoiding anyone. This seat is arranged according to the size of the official position, and Lu Qingyi and Princess Sheng An belong to the same level as Duanyue, so they are seated on the side.
Duanyue politely smiled at Lu Qingyi and nodded, but when she turned her head, she immediately put away her smile.
The palace ladies came out from both sides, holding exquisite dishes in their hands, and put them on every table. Duanyue held the white jade chopsticks and pulled a plate of jade cakes in front of her, and she had no appetite. Seeing that everyone is so happy, he seems very out of place.
The emperor, the queen mother, and the queen sat on the top seat, and the lower row was a number of women of different ages, compared to other more famous concubines in the harem. Hearing that the two princes were married, the palace Nacai sent a lot of treasures to the Qin and Wei families, and Qin Zhidong was even promoted to two grades in a row to be named Shangshu left and right, although Wei Liang was not as glorious as Qin Zhidong, but he was also knighted. Such a big posture is unprecedented.
However, discerning people know that such an honor is given to Meng Yin, the king of Qinghe, and Meng Tao is just rubbing a little light. However, Concubine Shu didn't care about the gossip of others, but sat on her seat with a red face, and her joy seemed to be her own.
"It's auspicious! ——" Manager Gao shouted loudly, and the entire arrow pavilion reverberated in the earthquake. Duanyue also put down the chopsticks in her hand with interest and sat facing the emperor.
After the words fell, Meng Yin and Meng Tao were dressed in dark red python suits, walked to the emperor's seat, saluted the emperor, the queen mother and the queen, and then turned to face the mantis and waited patiently. At this time, there was a lively sound of firecrackers from outside the gate of the mantis, and everyone couldn't help but turn their heads to look at each other curiously.
Two chariots decorated with red satin curtains, on both sides of the caiyu stood fifteen or sixteen-year-old palace maids, each carried by four little eunuchs, slowly erected forward. With the music of the silk bamboo orchestra and the noisy sound of firecrackers, Caiyu stopped at a place about five or six zhang away from Meng Yin Mengxi, and the little eunuchs were well-trained and tacitly put down Caiyu, and the palace maids on both sides stepped forward quickly. One lifted the sedan curtain, and the other led the princess who was wearing a red embroidered phoenix with a big red embroidered phoenix on her head and a hundred flowers and a veil of flowers.
"Leap into flame! ——" When the words fell, the two little eunuchs immediately ran up and put the hot gold charcoal basin in their hands in front of the two princesses, which was described as stepping away from bad luck and family harmony.
This set of etiquette had already been taught to Qin Yang and Wei Que by the old palace maids in the palace before marriage, and they naturally mentioned their obstructive long skirts and stepped over. But somehow, the skirt behind Qin Yang suddenly burst into flames, startling her to scream.
The queen's face wrinkled, and a dark cloud appeared on her face in an instant. She immediately stood up and commanded the panicked palace people on the side. "Don't hurry up and put out the fire for Princess Qinghe!"
Immediately, a palace person came with a basin of water, and splashed it on Qin Yang's skirt with a "bang", so he was not down. But fortunately, Qin Yang is the eldest lady from a famous family, but such a farce can calm down immediately. But such a fuss couldn't help but make the ministers at the banquet whisper. This leaping fire has never been so bad for generations, but it happened to Qin Yang, doesn't this indicate bad luck?
The Queen Mother was a superstitious person, and she also felt unhappy, so she frowned and interrupted.
"What's going on, but don't make a mess with someone with bad intentions!" After that, the Queen Mother's eyes swept at Concubine Shu who was sitting below without anger, which made Concubine Shu break out in a cold sweat.
As soon as the queen mother said this, the palace maid who was supporting Qin Yang knelt down on the red velvet carpet with a "poof", kowtowed hard to the upper seat, and was so frightened that she trembled, and shouted forgiveness loudly in her mouth.
"The Emperor and the Queen Mother forgive your sins! It was the slave who was negligent for a moment and did not lift the skirt of Princess Qinghe, so ...... So it fell into the brazier...... Please forgive the emperor! The palace maid said that it was another vigorous kowtow, and Duanyue looked at it and thought that she was going to dig a hole in this place.
The queen felt that the atmosphere suddenly became embarrassed, and she coughed lightly and said sharply to the palace maid. "How can you be allowed to make a mistake at such an important juncture! However, I can't see blood for the sake of the wedding of the two princes, so I will spare your life and put you in the cold palace! Although the little palace maid had picked up a life, she was still pale. The guard on the side saw that she was stiff and unmoved, so he simply stepped forward and dragged her down.
What is the difference between going to the cold palace and dying, except that dying is faster, and the cold palace is an even more terrible hell.
After the palace maid was dragged down, a new palace maid immediately came over to support Qin Yang. She carefully lifted the hem of Qin Yang's skirt, and this time she stepped over the brazier unharmed, making everyone breathe a sigh of relief.
Qin Yang and Wei Que slowly walked towards Meng Yin and Meng Tao, and the palace maid handed their hands to their husbands, and the wedding was the last step.
Duanyue kept staring at Meng Tao's expression, his expression was blank and his eyes were lifeless, like a marionette at his mercy. He took Wei Que's hand without resistance, and his movements were so smooth that Duanyue, who was watching, couldn't help but snort coldly.
In the end, the newlyweds bowed to the emperor, the queen mother and the queen, the prince knelt three times and bowed nine times, and the princess knelt three times and bowed three times. After all the salutes were over, Mr. Gao said in a loud voice, "Bow together!" - "The two couples were led to their respective chambers, and the women who were waiting there were to take care of the rest of the rituals.
At this moment, it is the time of wine and meat.