Chapter 244 — Entering the Door
Purple Streets of Chang'an · Page 2 of 4
He instructed Li Xian, "When the bridal sedan arrives, come and call me." Then he went back to the Xixiang Courtyard.
Yet he had barely lain down when Song Yan's bridal sedan returned.
Grumbling to himself, he went to the main hall.
Crossing over the basin of coins and grain, and shooting the sedan curtain, the bride came down from the sedan chair, the jeweled vase clasped in her arms.
Only then did everyone discover that the bride was rather tall.
Meekness was the virtue of a woman; one who was tall was naturally not so readily thought gentle as one who was small and delicate.
Ma Youming and the others could not help opening their eyes wide.
Shen Qing went further and remarked in a low voice to Zhang Xuming, "When Young Master Song lifts the veil, do you think he'll get a great fright?"
Teasing the bridal chamber—that was a thing only humble families did.
They would have to wait until the bride's third-day return visit to her parents, and then, under the pretext of families on intimate terms, force their way into the Yingzhen Ducal Residence before they might have a chance to see what the bride looked like.
Zhang Xuming was in no hurry. His wife was one of the bridal attendants; in a little while he need only ask her.
Hearing these remarks, Song Cen smiled and said nothing.
After the bows to Heaven and Earth, the newlyweds, supported on either side by the wife of Wang Yu the bridal attendant and by Zhang Xuming's wife, entered the bridal chamber.
By now the bride's party from her own family had been shown to other places to rest. Only the bride's "lady of complete blessings" had come along; together with the groom's own, she followed the newlyweds into the bridal chamber.
The lapel weights were pressed down, the bed strewn with coins and grain, and the veil lifted. Only then did Song Yan and Dou Yan see each other again.
Song Ke let out a breath of relief.
When the bride's family sends the dowry, the groom's family must certainly offer thanks. But this rite of thanks sometimes took place on the day the trousseau was delivered, when the groom would go with those who came to urge on the trousseau to the bride's house, and there bow his head to his father- and mother-in-law, signifying "thanks for the sending of the trousseau to welcome the bride." Sometimes it was arranged for the wedding day itself: once the bridal sedan had entered the gate, the groom, accompanied by the matchmaker, would go straight to the main hall and bow his head to his father- and mother-in-law. If thanks had been given on the day the trousseau was urged, then on the wedding day no thanks were given—the two rites could not be performed together. And since in the former case the groom went to the bride's house with those who urged on the trousseau, he could bring a great quantity of gifts, and on the wedding day could simply lift the bridal sedan and go, which looked both dignified and clean; thus most families in the capital, when taking a daughter-in-law, chose the former. He had deliberately chosen to give thanks on the wedding day precisely so that he might with his own eyes see Dou Yan enter the sedan... He had no wish to be wise in his own conceit and repeat the mistake Wei Fan had made!
Dou Yan—at last she had smoothly bowed to Heaven and Earth with him and become his wife!
Yet before his heart could settle, Mrs. Zhao suddenly cried out at the top of her voice, "Promoted! Promoted!"
Song Chu was stunned.
He knew that his father-in-law's most trusted steward was named Gao Sheng—but what had his own marriage to do with Gao Sheng?
Song Ji watched as Mrs. Zhao, quick as a flash, snatched the red bridal veil from his hand.
He could not help glancing toward Dou Yan.
Dou Yan was struggling to hold back a smile and turned her face away.
Mrs. Zhao was telling Song Yan not to sit down...
Song Yan looked utterly bewildered.
Mrs. Zhao and Mrs. Lu the Elder saw this and burst out laughing as well.