klisemfg Chapter 186 Drinking in Seclusion
Chapter 186 Drinking in Seclusion
The noisy crowd in front of the Xiao family's house immediately quieted down and all looked ahead.
Just then, the perfect couple arrived at the door, and the old lady of the Xiao family was helped out by her personal maid, Bixi.
The old lady smiled, but her eyes were moist, and her eyes shone with joy and excitement.
Today is the auspicious day of the young master's wedding. Consort Xiande has sent word several times to ask the old lady to take good care of the celebrations.
Consort Xiande even wanted to request permission to attend her own son's wedding, but was sternly stopped by Old Madam Xiao.
Although she knew that Consort Xiande longed for her son, she knew that if she were to be so ostentatious, it would inevitably arouse suspicion from others.
If the secrets that have been hidden for so many years are exposed, the entire Xiao family, numbering over several hundred people, will die.
Madam Xiao was a woman from a noble family and had managed the household for many years. She was experienced in many battles and knew how to handle every matter with tact.
Xiao Zhijie carried the bride across the brazier. Perhaps feeling the scorching flames, Qiao Qingshu couldn't help but hug Xiao Zhijie's neck tightly.
This action made everyone watching burst into laughter.
There was a face in the crowd that was as black as coal.
The woman beside him looked at him cautiously, her heart aching.
"Second Master, why are you unhappy?"
Xiao Chengyan barely slept all night!
The thought that Qiao Qingshu would become his sister-in-law after today made him so angry that he wanted to punch the wall and run away.
He smashed two vases in the house early this morning to vent his anger; he was just unhappy that Qiao Qingshu had married someone else!
Qiao Qingshu should have been his wife.
The woman beside him reached out and tugged at his sleeve, but Xiao Chengyan shoved her away. His brow furrowed, he yelled at the woman.
"Liu Wan'er, stop pulling and tugging!"
After saying that, he flicked his sleeves and went to the inner courtyard on his own.
Liu Wan'er was left standing there awkwardly, watching Xiao Chengyan disappear into the corridor with a sense of desolation.
She turned her head and looked at Qiao Qingshu with a resentful expression. Now that her cousin had married into the Xiao family, they would be seeing each other all the time.
Looking at the radiant Qiao Qingshu, dressed in a red wedding gown, surrounded by a crowd.
Liu Wan'er was so jealous that her heart was bleeding. Why was it that in this second life, Qiao Qingshu was still the legal wife?
Although she was better off than in her previous life and was no longer a mistress, she still lived a stifled and miserable life!
She clenched her fists tightly and whispered to herself,
"Qiao Qingshu, you just wait, life in the Xiao family won't be so easy!"
The newlyweds were ushered into the main hall to complete their wedding ceremony. Xiao Zhinuo, the patriarch of the second branch of the Xiao family, and Su Yunzhen sat in the main hall waiting for the newlyweds to come forward and pay their respects.
Some guests were already seated at the table, while others came forward to watch the excitement.
The crowd was buzzing with discussion, it was quite a lively scene.
"Oh dear, the second branch of the family is truly blessed to have married the legitimate daughter of a marquis, who is also the adopted daughter of a noble consort. Their future is sure to be bright!"
"Yes, look at the smiling face of the Xiao family matriarch. It seems that the second branch of the family is going to be favored and prosper in the future."
"Not necessarily. The second branch is an illegitimate son, and so is the young master Xiao. The old lady Xiao is a smart woman. What's the use of giving the second branch face now? When the time comes, you'll see which branch the old lady Xiao favors."
"That's right. The second master of the Xiao family is good in every way, except for one thing: he wasn't born from the womb of the old lady Xiao."
The guests' chatter did not affect the newlyweds' ceremony. After the ceremony, the bride was helped into the bridal chamber by her maid.
The groom was then led to the guests' table to offer toasts.
Qiao Qingqiao and Qiao Qingle, the two daughters of the Qiao family, came with the bride's procession.
Originally, Qingqiao did not intend to come to the Xiao family for the banquet, but Qiao Qingle insisted on going.
Qiao Qingqiao was afraid that Qingle would make a fool of herself again, so although she was unwilling, she still followed Qiao Qingle.
The two were sitting in the women's section. Qiao Qingle was very excited, sometimes straightening her clothes and sometimes applying lipstick.
Qiao Qingqiao sighed deeply beside her. She knew perfectly well who her third sister was doing this for.
The Crown Prince was currently seated in the host's seat, with two princesses beside him, accompanied by Old Madam Xiao.
Even Madam Xing, the matriarch of the Xiao family, didn't have a seat and could only stand behind Old Madam Xiao to serve tea and wine.
Even in this situation, her third sister was still dreaming, hoping to be able to speak with the Crown Prince.
She wanted to say something to persuade her silly younger sister, but just as she was about to speak, Qiao Qingle jumped up and pounced out.
Before Qiao Qingqiao could react, her third sister had already disappeared into the crowd.
She turned her head and immediately looked at the Crown Prince's table, only to find that the Crown Prince was nowhere to be seen.
Fearing that her third sister might make a fool of herself, Qiao Qingqiao immediately got up to look for her.
Crown Prince Yan Xiu had drunk a few more cups of wine and was now in a real hurry to urinate, so he followed the servant of the Xiao family to the outhouse.
Although he had drunk a few glasses of wine and was feeling quite dizzy, his mind was still very clear.
He had no interest in joining in the wedding of a son of a concubine from the Xiao family.
If it weren't for his mother ordering him to come, he wouldn't have come even if the Xiao family had invited him with eight sedan chairs.
His silly younger sister, Yongxian, was in love with Xiao Chengyan, the eldest son of the Xiao family. His mother, the Empress Dowager, always doted on this daughter, so she naturally approved the marriage.
But since he had never met Xiao Chengyan in person, he sent his older brother to meet him and see if Xiao Chengyan was a man worthy of trust.
I didn't see the eldest son of the Xiao family during the meal. I asked the old lady of the Xiao family and found out that he was feeling unwell and went back to his room to rest.
After he finished relieving himself, he planned to find Xiao Chengyan and chat with him for a while, so that he could go back and report to his mother.
After leaving the outhouse, he dismissed the servant boy from the Xiao family, saying that he was just wandering around and didn't need to follow him.
The servant naturally dared not disobey and turned to leave.
The garden in the backyard of the Xiao family was very large, and Yan Xiu was quite drunk, so he wasn't in a hurry to look for anyone. He just wandered around the garden as he pleased.
"Sir, please don't do this."
Yan Yan, a maid in Madam Xing's room, pushed the person in front of her, but the person grabbed her hand and said...
"Sister, what's wrong with letting me kiss you?"
After saying that, he leaned in again and gave her a kiss on the pretty face.
Yan Yan looked around in a panic.
"Yan-ge'er, stop fooling around. If Madam sees this, she'll skin me alive."
After saying that, he walked out from behind the artificial hill, and hurriedly tried to leave, but bumped into something.
She looked up and saw a man with an air of authority looking at her with disdain. Yan Yan was so frightened that she dropped the small medicine box in her hand to the ground.
She had come back to the courtyard to get some hangover medicine at Madam Xing's behest. Madam Xing had been entertaining guests in front and had already drunk a lot of wine, so she was already quite drunk.
He specifically instructed Yan Yan to come back and get the medicine. Yan Yan took the medicine and was about to go to the front hall when she bumped into Xiao Chengyan, who was drinking alone by the lake in the garden.
She meant well, telling Xiao Chengyan to go back inside and stop drinking cold wine.