Chapter 215: Chapter 215: That Princely Heir from the Xiao Family Is Here Again
Now, speaking of today, Pei Yuan as the groom had no choice but to be toasted with drinks. However, if the groom gets drunk, how will he consummate the marriage at night? Hence, some people helped to block the drinks for him.
His third brother Pei Lian helped block some drinks, and Heir Pei also had to help drink a few more cups.
Usually, someone who smiles outwardly without it reaching their eyes, today had to entertain the guests with utmost sincerity, and did not refuse anyone who proposed a toast.
Those who were usually afraid of him plucked up the courage to get close to him today.
On one hand, he had to help entertain, on the other, he had instructions from the old lady, plus the affairs of the Pei Mansion, so the stewards all came to report to him, making him busier than anyone else that day.
However, he was capable of handling it, and had it been someone else, it would have been utter chaos, but he remained unfazed, able to handle everything with ease.
He neither let the drinking affect him nor forgot to appease the old lady, nor did he forget to instruct someone to investigate matters.
As for Pei Lian, after just a few drinks, he almost forgot the directions.
Pei Yuan had already pretended to be drunk early on and slipped away, leaving the noisy hall and striding towards the bridal chamber.
Every joyous occasion lifts one’s spirits. Pei Yuan, who had never experienced this before, now truly felt it, because he knew the person inside was the one he had longed for.
Inside the bridal chamber, there were the wedding broker and some maids and servants. When the groom came, they served the crossed-cup wine, and then everyone left.
With a ’bang,’ the door closed, leaving only the two of them inside.
Ren Hua, dressed in wedding attire with a bridal veil, sat on the bed. Unlike Pei Yuan, who had prior experience, she was a maiden on a sedan for the first time, so she was anxiously at a loss the whole day, doing whatever people told her to do like a puppet.
After the tedious day, she finally sat down to rest for a moment. Because she was hungry, she discreetly ate something under the veil. The wedding broker watched closely, saying that the veil could only be removed by the groom, so she had to secretly eat under it due to hunger.
From the engagement to the wedding banquet, there was a span of over a month. Apart from her sick mother who couldn’t come, all her family attended.
Her brother and father, naturally delighted for her, couldn’t help it. Given the Ren Family’s status, they were indeed reaching too high. The discrepancy in status was enormous, so much so that Mr. Ren dared not put on any airs. Being a businessman, he understood human relations the best, knowing this was a blessing for his daughter that must be cherished, else any mishap could get them divorced in the blink of an eye.
Therefore, being disciplined and abide by the rules was key.
However, the Ren family daughter-in-law was feeling quite complex in the heart. She never dreamed that her sister-in-law would have such fortune. She once thought of introducing her sister-in-law as a concubine, and now wondered if that would be held against her.
Aside from this worry, the Ren family daughter-in-law also felt quite uncomfortable, for from now on her sister-in-law’s status would be quite different, and even she would have to act according to her moods.
No one cared about the Ren family daughter-in-law’s grievance, not even her natal family, who was spreading the word about it, saying that from now on their family could also be associated with the Pei Mansion, which was such an honor.
The commotion and buzz outside did not affect the festive atmosphere inside the bridal chamber.
Pei Yuan looked at the bride he longed for, who he had only imagined in dreams, now alive and before him, soon to truly belong to him.
Ren Hua didn’t dare to lift her eyes, her face blushing hot along with her ears.
The shyness of a maiden was bewitching, her delicate white neck exposed while her head was bowed, like a magnolia petal, drawing others to pluck it.
Ren Hua only felt a shadow over her and then was pressed onto the bridal bed...
On the other hand, the inebriated Heir Pei was helped to Lixiang Courtyard. As soon as the servants left, he stood firm, not at all like someone who had drunk.
He called for the servants within to help change shoes and clothes, and also casually inquired about the "coincidence" from earlier that day.
The servant replied, "Nothing suspicious was found. It seems to have truly been a coincidence."
Pei Ji had already focused on keeping the news contained; as for whether it was true coincidence or not, it mattered little to the Pei Mansion, so he didn’t pay much mind to it.
"If we can’t find out, then let it be, tell the old lady tomorrow that it was a coincidence."
The servant agreed and left.
Meanwhile, Qu Fulan was still under the lamp reviewing the accounts. Helping with entertainments during the day left no time for reviewing accounts, necessitating her to find time to catch up.
She had no concern about the things she had done being discovered.
Investigate what? Every item in her ready-to-use medical kit was recorded. Any increase or decrease was documented, and since nothing had been used, naturally, nothing could be found.
Not to mention that she used medicine from her space, which couldn’t be traced.
So Qu Fulan focused on her tasks with peace of mind.
Balancing accounts, reconciling, profits, losses, ensuring every aspect fell within her budget.
By saving up like this, in a year or so, her finances would be secure enough to afford whatever she wanted.
Currently, all her worries boiled down to insufficient funds; otherwise, she could do whatever she pleased, unrestrained.
Keep pushing, working people!
Night began to deepen, and over in the bridal chamber, the maids on night duty were quite busy.
Initially, the sounds from inside made them blush, and they didn’t know how long it took, but it finally quieted down, and then they called for water, keeping the maids busy preparing it.
During the night, water was called for five or six times, and the matrons carrying the water were exhausted.
As one maid went to the kitchen to request hot water again, she marveled at the young master’s prowess and complained softly about having to walk back and forth to the kitchen so many times, and was nearly out of strength.
The kitchen matron, chewing sunflower seeds tranquilly, couldn’t help but lecture the young maid, "Even the matrons carrying the water aren’t complaining, and you are? Furthermore, the ones more worn out are inside; what’s this to you?"
The young maid, though inexperienced, had heard bits of chamber secrets, and felt embarrassed by the remark, yet her curiosity couldn’t be suppressed, "Is it really that demanding, then why so long..."
The matron spit out a shell, lifted her eyelids to glance at the maid whose figure was as thin as beans, with a tone both disdainful and sympathetic, "What do you know? That’s a grand blessing that many girls dream of having, otherwise it would be the biggest fortune."
This matron had always been in charge of the kitchen’s hot water, and she had witnessed the first wedding of the young master before, which had never been as energetic as now.
It seemed that this new wife was quite adept.
Otherwise, how could a merchant’s daughter marry into the Pei Mansion as the main wife?
No matter her past identity, gaining the young master’s favor meant fortune, deserving respect from the subordinates.
While the Pei Mansion saw lovers eventually become spouses, elsewhere, some had deep feelings yet shallow fate.
This referred to Heir Xiao, Xiao Shiqing.
However, he wasn’t one to give up easily. Anyways, when the Pei Mansion servant came to report to Heir Pei, he said, "The Heir from the Xiao Family came again, visiting once every morning and evening."
Donning his court attire, preparing to attend court, Pei Ji’an ’tsk’ed, "Why is he so shameless?"