Chapter 321 – I Am Trying to Steal Your Limelight
I Am Trying to Steal Your Limelight
The matriarch’s first reaction was that something was about to happen. Seeing that Feng Jin Yuan and Kang Yi had stopped moving to look over, she was no longer able to sit still. She started to get up, but she was pushed back down by granny Zhao: “Elder madam, you absolutely must not move. You must remain steady today.”
The matriarch sat back down helplessly, but her heart began to sway terribly. She snuck a look at the person officiating the wedding, Xuan Tian Qi, and saw that he acted as though he had not seen anything. He continued to stand there without looking away, and a festive smile remained on his face. Thus she consoled herself, repeatedly saying to herself: Learn from him a little more. Learn from him a little more.
At this time, the reaction from the people outside developed even further, as a young miss from who knew which family shouted: “Is that county princess Ji An? What is she wearing?”
Upon hearing that Feng Yu Heng had arrived, the matriarch could not help but feel her heart tighten. Feng Yu Heng had not arrived for the entire morning, so she always felt that something would happen, and now something had happened.
With the matriarch speculating and the people outside discussing, a young girl in pink entered the room from the door on the right side. Everyone stared at her clothes and felt as though the pink of the dress made it look as though it had been covered by flower petals in Summer. It was lifelike and dazzling, but it did not cause feelings of envy. There was not a single crease in the fabric. Not only were there no creases, even with the snow falling, it did not leave a single mark. This caused people to feel that it was like something that floated among the clouds, like fog or smoke, and that it had come from some mystical place.
This sort of dazzling sight had completely stolen away the bride’s glory. The people that had been concentrating on Kang Yi’s moon palace silk veil immediately focused their attention over.
Everyone was dazed. After a long time, someone said: “Those clothes… are made of refined cloud silk? Gu Mo’s refined cloud silk?”
Someone that was familiar with these things began to analyze: “Not just that. Look at the flowers sewn onto the fabric. They clearly do not look to have been sewn on, as they appear to have truly bloomed from the dress. In this heavy snowfall, it looks very delicate. To be able to achieve this effect, this is… moon palace silk was taken apart, and the threads were used to embroider them!”
Gasp!
Everyone inhaled sharply. Taking apart moon palace silk for is thread was perhaps something that even the imperial palace’s imperial concubines could not do.
“Have you seen the gauze at her waist? If I have not made a mistake, that should be Gu Shu’s national treasure, heavenly silk.”
“Using refined cloud silk to make the clothes, moon palace silk for the embroidery, and heavenly silk as a decoration, speaking from that angle, all that’s missing is commoner’s brocade?”
“Idiot, although commoner’s brocade comes in many shades of red, the most beautiful and most expensive is the bright red type that is used when making wedding clothes. Apparently, Gu Shu struggles to make even one bolt of this bright red commoner’s brocade every ten years. Once it is completed and made into a wedding dress, it will give off a feeling of a phoenix being reborn from fire. It is sufficient to cause everyone in the world to applaud.”
The people went back and forth with their discussion, as everyone’s attention was gathered on this set of clothes. They had completely forgotten that they had come to observe the wedding ceremony. Not to mention the surprise of the females, even the men could not help but steal a couple sideways glances at this wondrous thing.
Feng Jin Yuan glared at the owner of these clothes, his second daughter, Feng Yu Heng. His gaze contained a piercing cold and extreme hatred. He absolutely did not think that Feng Yu Heng would actually wear this sort of clothes. What sort of face would he have left?
After a little time had passed, the eldest prince, Xuan Tian Qi, raised his voice and shouted from inside the hall: “It is an auspicious time. Would the bride and bridegroom enter the hall!”
Only then did everyone recall the day’s main event, as they all retracted their gazes from Feng Yu Heng. They then continued to cheer for Feng Jin Yuan.
Feng Yu Heng also bowed to her father, as she watched the two hold hands and enter the hall.
Very quickly, the sounds of the marriage ceremony began to pick up. Feng Jin Yuan and Kang Yi performed their three obeisances, kowtowing nine times. Finally, they had formally become husband and wife, and the heavy snow then came to a sudden stop.
With the snow stopping, the banquet began. The Feng family’s children gathered together and stood in the yard. It truly was a charming scene.
The fifth prince’s gaze never left Fen Dai because he never recovered from the events that took place on the first day of the year. He was also unable to come to the Feng manor to visit Fen Dai. He wanted to go speak with Fen Dai, but he was helpless, as the other princes continued to speak to him. He was left to simply worry, as he could not leave.
Not long later, Feng Jin Yuan returned to the front yard to take care of guests. The people that came to the manor today were all important guests. Not only had five princes come, some people from the vassal states also came to send gifts; however, only the special envoy from Gu Mo had personally come to the manor.
As for the other countries, Qian Zhou’s Kang Yi was the female lead, so she naturally did not count. Zong Sui’s Li Kun and Feng Jin Yuan were not on friendly terms, so he simply left the capital before this wedding. As for the prince from Gu Shu, he was sent away a few days prior in order to avoid any problems because he had proposed a marriage with Kang Yi.
With the beginning of the banquet, many rules were done away with. Some madams and young misses felt that Feng Yu Heng’s clothes were truly beautiful, and they got a little closer to get a better look. Feng Yu Heng talked to them while saying to Xiang Rong: “Elder sister also gave you a set of refined cloud silk clothes? Why did you not wear them out?”
Xiang Rong twisted her handkerchief and said: “I was reluctant to. I wanted… I wanted to save it for a later time.”
Feng Yu Heng laughed at her foolishness: “You are in the middle of your growth period. In another few years, you will have grown too much to wear it. Would it not have gone to waste?”
Xiang Rong also thought that this was the case, thus she smiled and said: “Then younger sister will wear it more often in the future.”
Hearing that county princess Ji An was able to give away such an expensive thing, everyone began to think that the Feng family’s third young miss was being treated very well by her. Thus they began to get close to Xiang Rong. Seeing them fawn on her, Fen Dai’s gaze became like silver needles. The envy that she felt need not be mentioned.
On the contrary, Chen Yu was calmer. She had already staked everything that she had on Kang Yi. If it was said that an eldest princess that had helped her younger brother ascend the imperial throne could not defeat a young 13-year-old girl, Feng Chen Yu absolutely would not believe it.
Because Gu Mo was the only one of the four smaller countries to have a special envoy present, he naturally had to take the initiative to go speak with the princes of Da Shun. Feng Yu Heng had begun to pay attention to that person long ago. It was a man approaching 30 years of age. He was tall and healthy, and his skin was dark. While walking, his steps were forceful, so he should have been a military official.
She watched him begin by toasting the eldest prince, Xuan Tian Qi, before toasting each of the other princes; however, he was slightly stunned when toasting Xuan Tian Ye. From Feng Yu Heng’s position, she could see his face directly, and she saw him glance quickly at the area at Xuan Tian Ye’s side. Although it had happened very quickly, it had been seen by her. After that person toasted Xuan Tian Ye, he glanced in her direction then continued to speak with the other people.
Feng Yu Heng chatted for a little longer with the madams and young misses at her side before finding an excuse to leave the front yard, as she followed a small path. Not long later, she heard the sound of rushed footsteps. She stopped and turned around. Sure enough, she saw the special envoy from Gu Mo walking towards her.
“If you understood how to pace yourself, no matter how hurriedly you walk, your footsteps would not have such a heavy feeling.” She helplessly reminded.
The special envoy from Gu Mo was a little embarrassed, as he quickly saluted her: “This humble general greets county princess.”
Feng Yu Heng returned the salute: “General Zhou has been modest.” Xuan Tian Ming had sent Bai Ze over to speak with her earlier. The special envoy from Gu Mo was a general. During his time in the Northwest, he had saved one of Gu Mo’s princes while he was out there. Who knew that the prince would end up becoming the emperor half a year later. Having desperately fought to protect him from his enemies, a normal imperial officer named Luo Chou was promoted to general. Now that he had come to Da Shun to offer tribute, he naturally stood on Xuan Tian Ming’s side.
From the first time that Xuan Tian Ming told Zhou Chou about Feng Yu Heng, he understood. This county princess Ji An was definitely different from other people, otherwise, Xuan Tian Ming definitely would not have spoken up. He listened closely to what Xuan Tian Ming said. Regardless of what happened, looking for Feng Yu Heng was the same as looking for him.
He looked around and saw that there was nobody in the surrounding then quickly said: “This humble general will speak concisely. County princess, when I just toasted his Highness the third prince, I saw a very familiar attendant at his side. When I thought carefully, I remembered that it was someone that I had seen in the Northwest. At that time, his Highness the ninth prince was surrounded in the mountains. When this general went to rescue him, I once met with him face to face. At that time, I heard that he had a Da Shun accent, thus I assumed he was someone from the ninth prince’s side, so I did not think too much of it. But seeing him today, I saw him stand at his Highness the third prince’s side. Isn’t his Highness the third prince… on a different path from his Highness the ninth prince?”
Feng Yu Heng nodded, “They are on different paths.” She then asked: “Did that person recognize you?”
Zhou Chou shook his head: “He should not have recognized me. At that time, he was the only person from Da Shun, but there were almost ten thousand people from Gu Mo. It’s not hard for us to remember him. For him to remember us is not quite possible.”
Feng Yu Heng felt her heart cool. She had already suspected that the mess in the Northwest could not have been caused by the divine archery group from Qian Zhou alone. There had to be some other factors. Otherwise, based on Xuan Tian Ming’s martial abilities and knowledge of warfare, how could he become trapped in the mountains. Thinking about it now, there could only be one reason, traitors.
As a prince, it was understandable for Xuan Tian Ye to have some control of the Northwest battle. At that time, the old emperor of Gu Mo had not yet died, and there was endless unrest on the Northwest border. Even if the army won every time, it was unavoidable that there would be injuries and deaths, so the recruitment of soldiers was commonplace. If Xuan Tian Ye was interested, having a few people secretly enter the army would not be impossible.
The cold light in her eyes erupted but very quickly calmed back down. She only said to Zhou Chou: “I understand, and I will tell his Highness Prince Yu. General Zhou has worked hard. Enjoy the banquet today. Leave the other things to me.”
Zhou Chou quickly saluted then turned around and quickly returned to the banquet. While returning, he felt his back feel waves of cold hitting it. Previously, he had only heard of how extraordinary county princess Ji An was, and he only knew that someone favored by Xuan Tian Ming definitely would be interesting. However, he did not expect that Feng Yu Heng would be so knowledgeable at such a young age. She could be the Feng family’s delicate second young miss, and she could also be the county princess with such a harsh and cold gaze. The change in mood was something that people simply could not believe. There was even less need to mention that this young girl knew how to make something called steel that had broken Zong Sui’s iron essence.
Zhou Chou returned to the banquet in shock. Not long later, Feng Yu Heng also returned.
After the two sat back down, the new wife, Kang Yi, had removed her veil and walked out surrounded by servants.
In accordance with the rules of the country, if the princess of a foreign country marries an official of standard second rank or higher, it represented an improvement in the relations between the two countries. Her status was not just that of a new wife. She played a pivotal role in the diplomatic relations between the two countries. She had to come out and greet the guests.
Kang Yi was very skilled when it came to public relations. Although she was a newly-married wife, she did not appear to be shy in the slightest. She was generous and said some very kind things. The princes could not help but applaud and praise her.
After the new wife had greeted the guests, according to the rules, the Feng family’s children would need to kowtow and greet the new wife.
The children stood up. Facing Kang Yi’s grandiose and dignified smile, they walked towards the center of the scene. Nobody had noticed Feng Yu Heng gently raise a hand and place a gold hairpin in her hair.