Chapter 56: The Joy of Lin Ping

  Good news from Linping

  Yan Xue's heart was wrapped in sweetness, she didn't want to wake up from this dream. She was intoxicated by the joyful music and the cheerful sound of gongs and drums, enjoying the envy and resentment of Xiuzhu. But all of this disappeared too quickly, as a patrol team of devils approached. The yellow leather shoes of the little devils stepped on the stone-paved street, making a "tong tong" sound. This sound was like the devil's sharp claws, instantly tearing apart Yan Xue's dream. Yan Xue's teeth chattered with anger, her heart cursing: "Damn you little devils, you shattered my sweet fantasy, soon I'll make you pay back a hundredfold, a thousandfold."

  The wedding procession made way for the little ghost's patrol team. Wang Fu Ren said to Yun Xiang Tian, "Go to Wang Yuan Inn."

  Yun Xiang Tian didn't turn back, he just repeated softly: "To Wangyuan warehouse?"

  Mrs. Wang was busy arranging the wedding procession to move forward, and she whispered: "That's right, Wangyuan warehouse. The leader of the drum team, Old Wang, knows the place, I've already instructed him, just follow him and you'll be fine." She looked back and said: "Wangyuan warehouse is our Wang family's property, if there's no business, people from our Wang family village will all go hungry. Our Wang family has several other businesses in Linping, I'll introduce them to you over the next few days, I think it will be helpful for your future."

  The Wangyuan warehouse was exceptionally lively today. As soon as the wedding procession arrived, the firecrackers hung at the entrance were lit. The crackling sound of the firecrackers welcomed the bride and groom into the courtyard. Warehouse owner Mr. Wang beamed with joy, saying: "My youngest son, Yusheng, has been living in the provincial city with his sister's family since he was a child. Yesterday, someone suddenly came to report the good news that he would return home today to get married. Due to the short notice, please forgive us for not being able to prepare properly."

  Friends and relatives all started shouting, one said: "Boss Wang, you're too stingy, such a big good thing, you didn't even mention it in advance, let us also get some joy early." Another said: "Isn't that right? This is not enough to be friends. Usually calling each other brothers, good friends, but hiding such a handsome and strong son, are you afraid we'll snatch him away to be our son-in-law?"

  Mr. Wang said with a smile: "That's not it, that's not it. My little sister originally only had two daughters, and there were no children under her knees, so the incense couldn't be continued. So I adopted my youngest son to her. But in less than two years, she gave birth to a pair of twins, both big fat boys. At that time, I wanted to take back our family's Yu Sheng, but his aunt said no way, and I didn't even dream that she would give me such a big surprise."

  Wang Furen walked over and said: "Big brother, what's all the fuss about? Hurry up and arrange for them to get married!"

  The boss Wang slapped his forehead and said: "Look at you, you're so happy that you've forgotten everything."

  One of them said, "Look at how happy Wang boss is, he's probably forgotten his own surname!" The other one said, "Isn't that the truth? This kind of thing can happen to anyone, and in these times, it's rare to have something that makes people so happy."

  Yun Xiang Tian did not expect that Wang Furen would go through the entire set of rituals for a wedding. Hong Shan Gu and Xiu Zhu were even more surprised that Wang Furen would make it real, watching Yun Xiang Tian and Yan Xue perform the rituals, bowing to heaven and earth, then to their ancestors, and finally to each other as husband and wife before entering the bridal chamber. Hong Shan Gu didn't think much of it, she felt that as long as Yun Xiang Tian was happy, Yan Xue was a good girl. Xiu Zhu was different, she wished she could pull Yan Xue away and take her place in the rituals with Yun Xiang Tian. Although she knew this was all fake, to hide their identities, even if it were real, she couldn't reveal her true feelings. So she could only watch as Yun Xiang Tian led Yan Xue into the bridal chamber with a red silk ribbon, holding back tears that threatened to fall from her eyes.

  Huā Táng bái tiān dì, zhè shì Yán Xuě yě méi xiǎng dào de, dāng yǒu rén hǎn fū qī duì bài de shí hòu, tā de xīn lǐ hǎo xiàng bǎ zhe gè xiǎo lù, jī dòng de rè xuè fèi téng, tā huǎng huǎng zài mèng zhōng, shèn zhì jiǎ yī xià zì jǐ de dà tuǐ, cái què dìngle shìjiàn de zhēn xìng xìng. Tā dài zhe sān fēn xiū qiǎn, qī fēn xiàng wǎng, suí zhe Yún Xiáng Tiān de hóng jù zi zǒu jìn le dòng fáng. Tā méi yǒu gèng duō de shē wàng, zhè jiù zú gòu le, zhǐ yào bài le tiān dì, shì zhēn yě hǎo shì yǎn xì yě bù, wú lùn zěn me shuō, tā zhēn de gēn Yún Xiáng Tiān zhè ge zì jǐ cháo sī mù xiǎng de rén, tà rù le tóng yī gè fáng jiān, tā zhēn de zuì le.

  Madam Wang saw the sourness in Xiuzhu's face, and she sat alone in a corner of the flower hall, like an overturned vinegar jar, with a strong sour smell filling the entire hall. Madam Wang felt amused in her heart, "This girl is really pitiful today." She walked over while thinking, looked at Xiuzhu's pale face and smiled: "At that time, I let you pretend to be the bride, but you didn't want to. Now it's good, uncooked rice has become cooked rice, and I'm afraid your brother Yu'er will never come back to you again, alas, what a pity."

  Xiu Zhu could no longer hold back, she took off that layer of shy outerwear, tears streaming down her face saying: "I... how did I know it would be like this? Otherwise, I wouldn't have let Yan Xue pretend to be the bride, I... I..." She couldn't continue speaking for a moment, letting the tears soak through her collar.

  Madam Wang looked at Xiu Zhu's tear-stained face and whispered, "Hey, what's wrong? You're crying like a tearful person. Next time you dress up as the bride, will Yan Xue surpass you?"

  Xiu Zhu's eyes widened and she said hastily: "You're saying, you're saying that Yu'er Gege won't be with Xue Er today, with Xue Er..."

  She wanted to ask Yu'er brother and Xue'er sister if they wouldn't be in their bridal chamber today, but for the time being she was too shy to speak up.

  Hongshan girl appeared beside them, she looked at Xiuzhu who was in tears and said: "Have some self-respect! Your face is all tear-stained like a big flower cat. We are here to do something, if we don't make it look real, won't people see through us? There are so many people in the hall, you're crying here...

  Aren't you afraid of ruining our plans? If you cry again and don't show a happy smile, Yu'er and Xue'er will have their wedding tonight. You handle it yourself!

  Hongshan girl's words were like a good medicine, instantly changing Xiuzhu's expression. She wiped away her tears and smiled, saying: "I'm not crying, I... who said I was crying?" Her voice was strange, it was more accurate to say she was crying than laughing.

  Madam Wang looked at Xiu Zhu Li Hua Duan Yu, her charming and moving appearance, and teased: "Why don't you sleep with Yan Xue tonight? Let Feng Er Jia keep an eye on Yu Er, separate the two of them, lest they secretly get married."

  "Alright, alright, I'll sleep with Xue'er tonight and let Feng Er Ye and Yu Er Ge together...?" She suddenly became shy and secretly blamed herself for being too hasty, unknowingly falling into Wang's trap. Her face red, she lowered her head and said awkwardly: "Wang Fu Ren, you're so bad, I won't talk to you anymore."

  Hong Shangu and Wang Furen exchanged a smile, Hong Shangu affectionately stroked Xiuzhu's hair and said: "You little girl, you're really spoiled by me. I think it'll be hard for Yu'er to take a concubine in the future."

  Xiu Zhu's eyes widened and she said, "He dares? If he dares to take a concubine, I'll...I'll..." Her face suddenly turned even redder, and then she muttered, "I don't care anyway, as long as he's willing, taking however many is fine, after all, I'm the first wife."

  Madam Wang slapped Xiu Zhu's nose and said, "A young unmarried girl like you, not even married yet, already thinking of being the legitimate wife of someone else's family, and still dare to say such things, aren't you ashamed?" After saying that, she covered her mouth and laughed.

  On this side, Hong Shangu and Wang Furen were teasing Xiuzhu, laughing and chatting. On the other side, Yun Xiangtian was busy and flustered, sweating all over his face. He was being taken by Warehouse King Wang to pour wine for relatives and friends one by one, introducing himself under everyone's congratulations, his face stiff from smiling. He hoped to end this play early, he was too uncomfortable in this scene. He secretly looked at Wang Qiuhu Sancai, hoping to get help, but got back their schadenfreude with a few points of playful smile. So he could only follow King Wang's butt, accompanying the smiling face, dealing with those boring guests.

  When night fell, a person walked into the bridal chamber. Yan Xue, who was waiting for Yun Xiang Tian to lift her veil, had her beautiful dream brutally shattered by this person.