Autumn of the 17th year of Chongzhen

Chapter 444
The defense of the Qing army in Zhangzhou was mainly based on Tong Yangjia and Li Chengdong. In cooperation with Wanwu Zheng's surrender, a total of more than 4 people, Wang Yan decided to mobilize Zhongwu Town and Superintendent Biao, as well as a part of Zhongzhenying, with a total of [-] people. In inviting Zheng Chenggong, attack from both sides.

These days, he was busy selecting soldiers and horses, deploying weapons and supplies, and preparing for battle. The Wang clan members in Duke Chu's mansion were not idle either, busy arranging Wang He's marriage.

Wang Yan is about to conquer Zhangzhou, and He Tengjiao will rush back to Wuchang. According to Wang Yan, everything should be done quickly and simply, but He Tengjiao is unwilling to wrong his daughter. The ceremony cannot be simple, it can only be done step by step.

According to ancient rituals, from marriage proposal to marriage, there must be six etiquette procedures, namely, six ceremonies, accepting lottery, the man's family sends gifts to the woman's family to ask for marriage; After the auspicious omen, go to the woman’s house to announce the good news and give gifts for engagement; Nazheng, after the engagement, the man’s house will send a gift; ask for a date, choose the wedding date; personally welcome, take the bride to the man’s house to get married.Every etiquette procedure has many details, which is very cumbersome.

It's just that China has experienced many wars, especially the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms, the end of the Yuan Dynasty, and the rituals collapsed. The people felt that the etiquette was too complicated and were unwilling to accept it. , the folks basically only have the simplified three rituals.

Wang Yan meant to follow the folk standard, but He Tengjiao disagreed, Wang Yan could only agree to follow his idea. He thought it would take a lot of time, but he didn't expect that in less than half a month, Wang He With everyone's efforts, the first five steps have been completed.

Although it looks rushed, in fact, it has been several months since He Tengjiao found Mrs. Wang last year and the two parties decided to get married. The first few rites have already passed.

On February [-]th of the third year of Longwu, at dawn, every household in the workshop where the Duke of Chu’s mansion is located received a special gift, nine red eggs in a basket tied with red silk. And one thousand Wen.

At the same time, the sound of firecrackers began to explode continuously, and everyone in the room knew that Duke Chu of Ming Dynasty was going to marry his wife today.

This is not only for the neighbors to send gifts and celebrate with each other, but also to remind every family not to do anything against taboos in order to be auspicious.

The Duke of Chu’s mansion was extremely lively. Apart from the 20 or so servants busying themselves, members of the Wang clan who had moved to the south also came to help. A hundred or so soldiers were also helping to tidy up the courtyard. The entire mansion had been cleaned. It was clean, and there were candles and lanterns in the courtyard of the lobby.

With the identities of Wang Yan and He Tengjiao, even if they want to keep a low profile, they can't do it. Although Wang Yan has repeatedly controlled them, there are probably more than three or four hundred guests who are eligible to enter the door to celebrate. The entire Duke's Mansion, except for the back house , The entire outer house and the atrium were filled with banquets.

In addition, the running water seats on the streets outside the mansion will also be turned over non-stop. The chefs of the major restaurants in Guangjing are basically invited to the mansion. Inside and outside the mansion, several Kunqu opera troupes will also sing last three days.

Wang Yan basically didn't participate in the first five ceremonies of the six ceremonies. He had to come by himself for the last ceremonies to greet the bride. The colorful white horse, with the wedding party, headed towards Duke E's mansion with Chuichuidada to welcome his wife from the He family.

Like Duke Chu’s mansion, E’s mansion was also decorated with lanterns and festoons. He Zhizhi got up at five o’clock, and under the service of the maidservant, he first changed his hair style. , Wearing thrushes, veneered flowers, and red auspicious clothes, with gold, silver, pearls and emeralds on his head, he is really good-looking, with picturesque eyebrows, and under the costumes, he looks even more beautiful.

In the room, He Zhizhi had already put on the phoenix crown. It took a whole day for her makeup to be finished. She felt joyful, shy and scared in her heart. Although she was very satisfied with Wang Yan and looked forward to this day, when she thought of the wedding night She still couldn't help showing bursts of embarrassment about what was about to happen.

At this time, there was a faint sound of drum music in the distance, and He Zhizhi was startled, and saw the little servant girl rushing towards her, shouting from downstairs: "Miss, hurry up and get ready to go downstairs, my uncle is here to greet you."

According to the rules, before the bride gets married, she has to offer incense to her ancestors, pay her respects, say goodbye, and ask her ancestors to bless the family for safety.

Hearing that Wang Yan was about to leave the mansion, He Zhizhi, surrounded by a group of aunts, came to the ancestral hall. He Tengjiao and his wife Liu Shi had also been waiting there.

He Tengjiao was full of joy, not only found a good home for his daughter, but also got a son-in-law like Wang Yan, who could wake up with a smile even in his dreams. Liu looked at He Zhizhi with a smile on his face, girl, Finally got married, don't you like it?However, unlike He Tengjiao, the mother's heart was soft after all, and her eyes became moist before she knew it.

He Zhizhi took a stick of incense and first worshiped the ancestors. The He family members around him sang some auspicious words, praying to the ancestors to bless the couple with no disasters and difficulties, and a happy marriage for a hundred years. After He Zhizhi finished worshiping, he went to kowtow to the elders in the hall , her tears flowed down suddenly, and she saluted, "Father, mother, my daughter is gone!"

Liu also shed tears, and helped her daughter up, feeling both joy and sadness in her heart.

At this time, only the sound of drums and music and the sound of firecrackers could be heard outside the gate of the mansion, but the wedding procession had already arrived in front of the mansion. Wang Yan was on a tall horse, behind him was a sedan chair to welcome the bride, and behind them were several soldiers with red belts around their waists. Carrying four large baskets filled with copper coins, they threw them to the crowd on both sides along the way, attracting groups of children laughing and fighting for it, and applause and congratulations were heard everywhere.

Not long after, Wang Yan was led into the mansion by the He family. According to the customs, he also had to chant poems, shoot arrows to open the door, set up barriers and ask for money, etc. However, these customs were just for fun and auspiciousness, not like now. Wu, it's all a matter of course, all the way through the border, attracting applause all the way,
Finally entered the ancestral hall, Wang Yan offered incense to the ancestors of the He family, and then served tea to the second hall. He Tengjiao accepted it calmly, with a happy face. He brought out the bride with a red hijab and handed it to Wang Yan.

Seeing the bride's tall body and delicate hands, Wang Yan felt relieved. He took He Zhizhi out of the mansion. The husband refused to get up the sedan chair, and the musicians stopped playing.

"Thousands of years of marriage, a thousand years of marriage, a hundred years of companionship, and a hundred years of sleep. Naturally gifted with a man and a beautiful woman, I only envy mandarin ducks and not immortals. I like money, I like money~"

He Tengjiao, who was delivered to the door, asked the housekeeper to fetch the rewards, and the money was generous. The matchmaker, master of ceremonies, and bearers, all played, played, and sang, and none of them was left behind. , Get up the sedan chair, and go to Chu Guogong's mansion in a whistling manner.

When the team left, a dozen He family women chased the sedan chair again and poured out the water from the copper basin in their hands.

Seeing her daughter going away and marrying someone else's wife, Liu Shi also felt an indescribable loss in her heart, so she couldn't help but sighed softly, but He Tengjiao was quite happy.

In ancient times, most weddings were held at dusk or at night. By the time the team returned to the Duke of Chu's mansion, it was already dark, and the roadside was already crowded with people who came to congratulate them.

"Red make-up and a knot of one heart, the unparalleled countrymen form a good relationship, two hearts meet each other and hold each other's hands, and they will be connected forever~" The senders sang congratulations according to the custom, begging for wedding money.

Wang Fuzhi and Wang Jiezhi, who greeted the guests at the door, quickly took out red envelopes and gave them to the He family who were sending them off, so that the bride got out of the sedan chair.

Amidst the continuous sound of firecrackers, He Zhizhi got off the sedan chair. According to the custom, the bride's feet cannot touch the land of the husband's family before the wedding ceremony. Therefore, wealthy families will use carpets, and poor families will exchange two felts for marching.

A long carpet was laid in Wang Yan's mansion, leading from the door to the green tent. In the middle of the carpet were braziers and plates filled with red dates, pears and other items.

Outside the mansion, guests also began to enter the mansion. Wang Fuzhi and Wang Jiezhi, who were in charge of welcoming the guests, bowed their hands and saluted, "Mr. Su Ge, welcome, please come inside..." "

After busying for an hour, the imperial decree of congratulations in the palace finally came, the Wang family set up the incense table, Wang Yan and He Zhizhi received the imperial decree, then Wang Chaopin whispered to Wang Chaoli, "It's not early, you can get married ! "

Wang Yan's father nodded to the master of ceremonies, and the master of ceremonies immediately shouted loudly: "The auspicious time has come, let's hold the wedding!"

At this time, Wang Yan and He Zhizhi pulled up the red mantle, each held one end, they approached slowly, knelt down on the futon, and in front of them was a large table covered with red silk, and red candles were lit. There is also a tablet in the middle with the word "Heaven and Earth" written on it, and on both sides of the big table are Wang Chaoli and Zhang Shi.

"Bai Tiandi~"

"Baigaotang~"

The two knelt down and kowtowed three times facing the memorial tablet, and then saluted the two elders. Wang Chaoli couldn't help but blushed, "I hope that you two will respect each other and give in to each other, and love each other as guests. I also wish you husband and wife will follow each other and have a precious son soon."

Mrs. Zhang was even more excited, and muddy tears flowed from her sunken eye sockets, and she murmured: "My son is getting married~"

"Couples greet each other~"

After the two finished their salutes, there was a round of applause outside the green house.

"Licheng, send it to the bridal chamber!"

Surrounded by the dowry maids and bridesmaids, the two walked into the bridal chamber, sat down in front of the bed, relatives and friends walked around the room, scattered flower petals, dates, and then retreated.

At this time, the dowry maid reminded, "Young master, after picking up the hijab and drinking the wine, the young master and the young lady are one body of husband and wife, sharing weal and woe together."

Wang Yan had experience before. He picked up the weighing pole handed over by the maid, and slowly picked up He Zhizhi's red hijab. He felt a little nervous. He walked all the way. The girl's figure was speechless, but her appearance was always a mystery. question.

The hijab was lifted, He Zhizhi lowered his head shyly, Wang Yan looked at the side face, and was overjoyed, she was a beauty, but then he was taken aback, surprised, "Why are you~"

He Zhizhi was ashamed and angry, lowered his head, rubbed his hands, and snorted softly, "You're not happy anymore~"

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(End of this chapter)