Blood of Deception [ON HOLD]

Chapter Twenty Nine

The betrothal ceremony between the Anhui's youngest princess and its Grand Duke's heir took place in the sovereign's personal quarters at noon.

Upon the arrival of the family, each member was escorted to a gilded structure with jade arched roofs and giant lanterns hanging, towering over to the silver sky. The King and his consort stood by the entrance that had been embellished with luck banners, pasted onto any wall that allowed space.

Representatives of the groom and bride piled into the parlor, carrying stacks of gifts and blessings. They were either distant kins of the families or intimate companions of the court. Those who deemed incompatible had not been invited to witness the procedure. The matchmaker draped the ceremonial table in red satin cloth, thus commenced the ceremony.

Betrothal gifts were presented to the royal guardians, comprising of candles, incense, sweetmeats, refined liquors, fruits, tea leaves, cultural pastries, all packaged in pairs, as well as a magnificent amount of silver and gold for the bride price bound in dozens of red envelopes. Following that was the exchange of gifts back to the groom's family. Everything bestowed by the King took grand to a brand new level.

When the matchmaker had finished her role, within the holy presence of Grandmaster Zheshuang, the Abbot, another auspicious day was consulted between the union. Meticulous calculation joined with diverse considerations gave birth to the final selection of the royal wedding day. Blessings richly overflew from lip to lip. Imminent happiness hovered in the air long after the ritual ended.

The sun hid behind the many roofs of the Forbidden District residences, gradually completing its descent down the misty firmament. Meiyue sat in her chamber, getting ready for the reception in the eventide.

If there was one thing she felt grateful toward the customs, it was that they saved her from having to attend the tedious gift-exchanging ceremony that morning. The bride was permitted to meet the groom only after the ritual was finished, thus signifying their status as officially engaged. In their tradition, connubial processes tended to need more parental involvement.

"I'm hungry," Meiyue said. She was sitting before the vanity table. A reflection of a powdered face with crimson lips stared back when she glanced at the mirror. The dangling bride tiara on her hair was undoubtedly excessive, even for a princess.

"The party is starting soon. We need to save your appetite, princess," Xiaonu inserted, kneeling by her knee and removing the cloths wrapped around her fingers.

"But I'm starving," she protested. Her stomach had been literally stuffed with only marigold tea for that entire day that she was starting to wonder if the carnation flowers on the counter were edible.

Her nail came out stained in rose red after Xiaonu removed the first cloth. Everything was burning red. Her eyes felt assaulted when she looked at her own dress. The overcoat was embroidered with yellow lilies of the valley upon smooth, scarlet silk, the train spilling over her feet. An intricate bixi hung from the sash down her thighs, nearly at ankle-length. Each movement seemed as if the seams were alive and shimmering.

Her eyes rummaged the room, that was decorated with double-happiness stickers, until they landed on her nightstand.

"Are those peanuts?" she asked, indicating her chin to the woven basket stuffed with packages of brittles.

Xiaonu spared it a glance before she was absorbed back to her work. "Yes. But you can't eat them. They represent your luck."

"No one will know one package is missing," she remarked.

"It's a bad omen."

The princess slumped back down, murmuring under her breath. Xiaonu unfastened the last cloth around her pinky. She then took her hands for inspection.