This wedding dress was the one her mother wore when she married Father.
The beautiful, grand vermilion wedding dress, every strand of gold and silver thread was painstakingly embroidered by the embroidery ladies who worked day and night.
Even though it was a wedding dress from over a decade ago, it didn't look old-fashioned at all on her today. On the contrary, it made her look even more radiant.
Gu Ying finally came to her senses, finally realizing that she was about to get married soon.
"Miss, you look so beautiful like this," the rouge artisan took in a deep breath. She had never seen the young miss of the household look so dazzling before, a stunning beauty that not even heavy makeup could conceal.
Gu Ying stood in front of the full-length bronze mirror, surrounded by servant girls waiting on her. Everyone stared at her unblinkingly, with astonishment in their eyes.
"Yes, the second young miss is looking more and more like our former Madam's bearing as the number one beauty in Bianjing," one said.
"It's a pity the Prince didn't get to see our young miss looking like this now," another added.
"Don't talk nonsense. The Prince will see it on their wedding night. How could the likes of you and I ever get to see such splendor in the bridal chamber?"
"You're right, our Prince is so fortunate!"
They all laughed and teased merrily as they spoke.
Gu Ying raised her eyes, gazing calmly into the bronze mirror.
The mirror reflected back a beauty who could bring down nations and cities. Her petite, exquisite face was no bigger than a palm. Her willow brows and cinnabar lips, bright eyes and pearly teeth, with thick rouge painted heavily on both cheeks, made her look adorably shy and pretty.
In her previous life, she had married Jiang Yin.
She had also worn a splendid red wedding dress, embroidered by her own hand stitch by stitch. But back then, no one had blessed her marriage to Jiang Yin. No one had stood by her side to help with her makeup as they did now.
She took a deep breath, a subtle sourness and regret welling up in her heart.
The past was too painful, yet the present was so earnest.
She would not walk the same path again in this life. She had even started imagining in her mind what Zhao Changdu would look like riding up high on a spirited steed in his grand red wedding robe to come marry her. He must cut a very dashing figure!
Both Jiang Yin and him would be wearing red wedding robes today, but how could Jiang Yin compare to even half the elegance of the Heir Apparent of the Duke's residence?
This strange sense of anticipation and joy was a novel feeling she had never experienced before.
Even though she had lived through two lifetimes already, she still couldn't help but feel her little heart quicken, thumping rapidly in her chest.
The wedding planner Xi Niang walked in smiling radiantly. Seeing the room crammed full of people, she cried out and quickly shooed them away, "Everyone go and busy yourselves with other tasks. Let our household's Madam keep the bride company for a chat! Go, go! All of you go get your lucky candies and red packets!"
Gu Shuang asked curiously, "Can I not stay either?"
Xi Niang laughed. "Fourth young miss, you're still so young! You have to go out too!"
"But..." She really didn't understand what mysterious talk she wasn't allowed to hear. After all, she was also one of the ladies of this household. "Mother is here too. I want to stay and listen too!"
Xi Niang joked, "No, you can listen when it's time for you to get married in the future. But not now."
The older ones laughed merrily amongst themselves and led Gu Shuang out.
Soon, all the maids had giggled and shuffled out.
Xi Niang closed the door. Qin came to Gu Ying's left while Zhao went to her right. They pressed her down onto the couch and exchanged meaningful smiles.
Although Gu Ying had been married before, she had never been through these marriage procedures.
Seeing the looks on Qin's and her aunt's faces now made her feel uneasy. "Auntie, Aunt Zhao, what is it you want to tell me?"
Zhao didn't beat around the bush. She directly took out a copy of Pillow Full of Spring that she had prepared earlier and handed it to Gu Ying.
"Keep this book well. Take a careful look through it after we leave."
Gu Ying accepted it. Then Qin took out a hidden copy of Secret Erotic Pictures of Spring Nights from her sleeve, chuckled twice with uptilted lips, and said, "Ying'er, have a look through your auntie's book later too. Your auntie went through special effort to find this for you. The contents inside are particularly extensive. I've already previewed it for you, it's good stuff."
Gu Ying only flipped briefly through a page before quickly closing the book again, her face instantly flushing red.
"Auntie, Aunt Zhao, you..."
So they were here to impart bedroom arts to her specially before her wedding, to teach her how to serve her husband...
She didn't need this kind of teaching!
"What are you blushing for, silly girl." Zhao's lips quirked up amusedly as she took out another box-shaped object that looked like rouge cream from her sleeve. "And here's another present from Auntie. You must remember to use it! I've already written the instructions for you and put them under the box. This is Auntie's secret precious trick. As long as you use this stuff, I guarantee the Prince will be unable to keep his hands off you and won't ever want to escape your clutches!"
Qin shot the object a disgusted look, able to guess what kind of bedroom titillating item it was. "Where did you get this kind of corrupt crooked stuff? Don't go leading our Ying'er astray. They're newlyweds. It's not like you old married folks."
"Madam Qin, how could you say that!" Zhao quickly placated. "This is something I always use myself. Whether new or old couples, it works for all. It's definitely good for us women! Otherwise, why would the Lord keep coming to my room, hm? We women have to use our own skills to keep men by our side. If we can make them stay, that's our own capability!"
"Sorcerous charm." Qin sneered dismissively, her face reddening. "Ying'er, you're a newly married young lady. Don't listen to her nonsense."
Zhao smirked. "Or else, shall I have someone secretly deliver a few boxes to Madam Qin later?"
"I don't need stuff like that." Qin swallowed and stopped talking to Zhao. She turned her head and continued imparting Gu Ying with some other marital knowledge.
Zhao was adept at reading people. A righteous man like Investigator Ye was likely rigid and stern even in the bedroom without much enjoyment.
Qin acted like she wasn't interested on the surface, but in actuality, she was definitely curious about these things.
This was a good opportunity for Zhao to curry favor with Qin. She promptly dropped the topic as well and laughed. "Ying'er, don't rush tonight. Just wait obediently in the chamber after worshipping the ancestors. Let the Prince do as he wants with you when he comes in. Just go along with him."
Gu Ying was speechless. "I..."
This wedding dress was the one her mother wore when she married Father.
The beautiful, grand vermilion wedding dress, every strand of gold and silver thread was painstakingly embroidered by the embroidery ladies who worked day and night.
Even though it was a wedding dress from over a decade ago, it didn't look old-fashioned at all on her today. On the contrary, it made her look even more radiant.
Gu Ying finally came to her senses, finally realizing that she was about to get married soon.
"Miss, you look so beautiful like this," the rouge artisan took in a deep breath. She had never seen the young miss of the household look so dazzling before, a stunning beauty that not even heavy makeup could conceal.
Gu Ying stood in front of the full-length bronze mirror, surrounded by servant girls waiting on her. Everyone stared at her unblinkingly, with astonishment in their eyes.
"Yes, the second young miss is looking more and more like our former Madam's bearing as the number one beauty in Bianjing," one said.
"It's a pity the Prince didn't get to see our young miss looking like this now," another added.
"Don't talk nonsense. The Prince will see it on their wedding night. How could the likes of you and I ever get to see such splendor in the bridal chamber?"
"You're right, our Prince is so fortunate!"
They all laughed and teased merrily as they spoke.
Gu Ying raised her eyes, gazing calmly into the bronze mirror.
The mirror reflected back a beauty who could bring down nations and cities. Her petite, exquisite face was no bigger than a palm. Her willow brows and cinnabar lips, bright eyes and pearly teeth, with thick rouge painted heavily on both cheeks, made her look adorably shy and pretty.
In her previous life, she had married Jiang Yin.
She had also worn a splendid red wedding dress, embroidered by her own hand stitch by stitch. But back then, no one had blessed her marriage to Jiang Yin. No one had stood by her side to help with her makeup as they did now.
She took a deep breath, a subtle sourness and regret welling up in her heart.
The past was too painful, yet the present was so earnest.
She would not walk the same path again in this life. She had even started imagining in her mind what Zhao Changdu would look like riding up high on a spirited steed in his grand red wedding robe to come marry her. He must cut a very dashing figure!
Both Jiang Yin and him would be wearing red wedding robes today, but how could Jiang Yin compare to even half the elegance of the Heir Apparent of the Duke's residence?
This strange sense of anticipation and joy was a novel feeling she had never experienced before.
Even though she had lived through two lifetimes already, she still couldn't help but feel her little heart quicken, thumping rapidly in her chest.
The wedding planner Xi Niang walked in smiling radiantly. Seeing the room crammed full of people, she cried out and quickly shooed them away, "Everyone go and busy yourselves with other tasks. Let our household's Madam keep the bride company for a chat! Go, go! All of you go get your lucky candies and red packets!"
Gu Shuang asked curiously, "Can I not stay either?"
Xi Niang laughed. "Fourth young miss, you're still so young! You have to go out too!"
"But..." She really didn't understand what mysterious talk she wasn't allowed to hear. After all, she was also one of the ladies of this household. "Mother is here too. I want to stay and listen too!"
Xi Niang joked, "No, you can listen when it's time for you to get married in the future. But not now."
The older ones laughed merrily amongst themselves and led Gu Shuang out.
Soon, all the maids had giggled and shuffled out.
Xi Niang closed the door. Qin came to Gu Ying's left while Zhao went to her right. They pressed her down onto the couch and exchanged meaningful smiles.
Although Gu Ying had been married before, she had never been through these marriage procedures.
Seeing the looks on Qin's and her aunt's faces now made her feel uneasy. "Auntie, Aunt Zhao, what is it you want to tell me?"
Zhao didn't beat around the bush. She directly took out a copy of Pillow Full of Spring that she had prepared earlier and handed it to Gu Ying.
"Keep this book well. Take a careful look through it after we leave."
Gu Ying accepted it. Then Qin took out a hidden copy of Secret Erotic Pictures of Spring Nights from her sleeve, chuckled twice with uptilted lips, and said, "Ying'er, have a look through your auntie's book later too. Your auntie went through special effort to find this for you. The contents inside are particularly extensive. I've already previewed it for you, it's good stuff."
Gu Ying only flipped briefly through a page before quickly closing the book again, her face instantly flushing red.
"Auntie, Aunt Zhao, you..."
So they were here to impart bedroom arts to her specially before her wedding, to teach her how to serve her husband...
She didn't need this kind of teaching!
"What are you blushing for, silly girl." Zhao's lips quirked up amusedly as she took out another box-shaped object that looked like rouge cream from her sleeve. "And here's another present from Auntie. You must remember to use it! I've already written the instructions for you and put them under the box. This is Auntie's secret precious trick. As long as you use this stuff, I guarantee the Prince will be unable to keep his hands off you and won't ever want to escape your clutches!"
Qin shot the object a disgusted look, able to guess what kind of bedroom titillating item it was. "Where did you get this kind of corrupt crooked stuff? Don't go leading our Ying'er astray. They're newlyweds. It's not like you old married folks."
"Madam Qin, how could you say that!" Zhao quickly placated. "This is something I always use myself. Whether new or old couples, it works for all. It's definitely good for us women! Otherwise, why would the Lord keep coming to my room, hm? We women have to use our own skills to keep men by our side. If we can make them stay, that's our own capability!"
"Sorcerous charm." Qin sneered dismissively, her face reddening. "Ying'er, you're a newly married young lady. Don't listen to her nonsense."
Zhao smirked. "Or else, shall I have someone secretly deliver a few boxes to Madam Qin later?"
"I don't need stuff like that." Qin swallowed and stopped talking to Zhao. She turned her head and continued imparting Gu Ying with some other marital knowledge.
Zhao was adept at reading people. A righteous man like Investigator Ye was likely rigid and stern even in the bedroom without much enjoyment.
Qin acted like she wasn't interested on the surface, but in actuality, she was definitely curious about these things.
This was a good opportunity for Zhao to curry favor with Qin. She promptly dropped the topic as well and laughed. "Ying'er, don't rush tonight. Just wait obediently in the chamber after worshipping the ancestors. Let the Prince do as he wants with you when he comes in. Just go along with him."
Gu Ying was speechless. "I..."
