The early summer of the third year of Daqing Baoyuan found Yong'an Prefecture alive with the clamor of gongs and drums and the crackle of firecrackers.

The entire street where the Residence of Marquis Dingxi stood was draped in red and green finery, so packed with crowds that even the trees and walls were swarming with onlookers.

"Such a grand wedding procession—we haven't seen the likes of it in Yong'an Prefecture for ages."

The white-haired elders in the crowd squinted their fading eyes at the marriage procession before them.

There was a sixteen-member band of musicians, twenty men riding fine, tall horses, and thirty attendants forming a guard of honor, escorting a palanquin carried by six bearers. Along the route, attendants continuously scattered colored confetti and silk flowers, showering down like celestial blossoms, causing the young women, married ladies, and children to scramble for them.

The silk flowers from Marquis Dingxi’s Residence were of a quality and pattern no ordinary family could procure.

The wedding of the Marquis’s legitimate eldest son today was an event comparable to the birth of an heir. For the great house of the Marquis, it marked a crucial moment in the continuation of the family line. Given the Marquis’s standing in the Imperial Court, some speculated that these very flowers might even be fresh patterns sourced from the Imperial Palace.

As the procession moved past, waves of excitement surged through the crowd. Those jostled and thrown off balance cursed good-naturedly while searching for lost shoes or steadying tilted hats, yet none dared to look away for an instant, fearing they might miss out on future gossip.

Leading the procession, the groom stood tall and straight, clad entirely in red—a crimson coronet, a red robe, and a red veil obscuring his features. This was the legitimate eldest son of Marquis Dingxi, named Yun Cheng personally by the Emperor. At a young age, he had taken up the mantle of his ancestors and father, throwing himself into the military. He was reputed to possess none of the arrogance of noble sons, being capable of enduring hardship and fearing no death—a truly exceptional young man, the ideal husband in the eyes of every woman.

With this fine young man finally married, the object of most envy and jealousy was the bride seated within the covered palanquin.

The thickly adorned, festive sedan chair offered no glimpse of what lay inside.

"I wonder which family's daughter possesses such good fortune," many whispered in awe. "To marry into the Residence of Marquis Dingxi, she must surely come from an established, wealthy lineage."

"You are mistaken; this bride is a commoner, a civilian," a well-informed person announced loudly.

This declaration caused an immediate stir, drawing even more people closer.

"Tell us quickly, tell us the story!" everyone pressed.

"As for this bride, she possesses fortune earned over lifetimes. She was originally an orphan stranded from another region, surviving almost solely by begging. By a stroke of fate, she encountered the Old Madam of the Marquisate and cured the Old Madam's sudden illness. Seeing the orphan’s pitiful state and wanting to repay the life-saving kindness, the Old Madam adopted her into the Residence. As she grew, the Old Madam arranged for her eldest grandson to marry her..."

This was a rarity unheard of in daily life, a legend fit only for storybooks, and the crowd listened with palpable excitement.

"See, good deeds bring good rewards; Heaven watches over all. We should all strive to do more good deeds daily, perhaps securing a fortunate match for our own children someday..."

Many women murmured these thoughts to themselves, gazing at the receding wedding procession with expressions full of longing.

In stark contrast to the boisterous splendor outside, the atmosphere within the Marquis's Residence felt strangely somber. While everything was decorated for the joyous occasion and people moved about in festive attire, their faces held shadows of gloom, and guests exchanged hushed words, showing not a trace of happiness.

The full ceremony of bowing before the altar concluded as darkness fell. Lamps and lanterns illuminated the entire Residence, bathing it in a crimson glow that appeared both real and ethereal from a distance.

After the rites, the newly wedded couple was escorted to the bridal chamber. Once seated on the marriage bed, the bride found herself utterly alone in the room, sitting quietly in her wedding finery.

The autumn night breeze slipped through the window lattice, causing the large red candles to flicker, casting dancing shadows upon the walls.

Then came the sound of hurried footsteps approaching.

"Missus." The door was violently thrust open, but it was not the groom who entered.

Hearing the voice choked with tears, the bride stiffened instantly and abruptly lifted her heavy veil.

Even though the most momentous event of her life was at hand, the frantic maid who rushed in paused for a moment, stunned by the face that suddenly appeared.

At seventeen or eighteen, with features already exquisitely beautiful, her appearance was now enhanced by the bridal adornments, rendering her breathtakingly lovely. Illuminated by the red candlelight, beneath the dazzling phoenix crown and pearl hairpins, she looked like an immortal fairy.

"A'Ru, why are you here?" The bride stared at the maid, momentarily bewildered, and took a few anxious steps forward. "Is it... is the Old Madam..."

Her unfinished question jolted the maid back to reality.

"Missus." The maid dropped to her knees with a thud, tears welling up. "The Old Madam has passed away..."

In the blink of an eye, the overwhelming joy of the celebration transmuted into stark white mourning.

The bride, clad in brilliant red, ran through the courtyard, a jarring sight.

"Old Madam, Old Madam..." She finally tripped, hampered by the heavy ceremonial gown. Her makeup was already tear-streaked, and the flow of her weeping could not be stopped. "You said you wanted to drink Yue Niang’s tea... You said you wanted Yue Niang’s tea... You said when Yue Niang married, it would bring good luck to you..."

Her cry was sharp and unsteady as she struggled back to her feet.

"The young lady cannot enter..." The front steps of the main hall were already lined with maids and matrons dressed in plain white mourning clothes. Seeing her approach, they immediately reached out to restrain her.

The bride shrieked, attempting to charge inside.

"The Old Madam wants my tea!" she cried out repeatedly, "Bring the tea over! Bring the tea over!"

"You must not cry at a time like this! You will trouble the Old Madam’s spirit!" A low roar erupted from within the doorway. The curtain was swept aside, and a middle-aged man emerged, already clad in the coarse hemp garments and shoes of deep mourning.

"Take the young lady away!" Following closely behind him was a middle-aged woman, similarly dressed in heavy mourning attire, who spoke sternly to the servants.

"Marquis, Madam... No... Father, Mother... Let me see the Old Madam, let me see her..." The bride knelt, sobbing.

The word "Father" and "Mother" caused a flicker of undisguised disgust to cross the face of the middle-aged woman.

"My dear, today is your wedding day. You cannot be here; it is not good for you or for the Old Madam," she said, her expression softening slightly as she spoke, all while waving her hand.

The surrounding servants instantly surged forward, grabbing her arms, pressing down on her body, and muffling her mouth with practiced efficiency.

The bride, a splash of crimson amidst the sea of white, was dragged away. She struggled desperately, twisting her neck to stare back at the imposing main hall. Tears poured down her face like rain, soaking her gown and dripping onto the ground, where they spread into a faint, receding thread of water.

Is by]. div> BAIDU_CLB_LT_ID = "519311";

For more novels, visit storyread.net.