That night, Chu Ruoyan barely slept.
Lying on her bed, she meticulously turned over every detail in her mind, ensuring there were no flaws, before finally closing her eyes.
Yet she had scarcely dozed off when sounds came from outside.
Yulu gently knocked on the door: "Miss, are you awake? Lady Jiang the Younger is here..."
She forced herself up, first swallowing two pills: "Come in."
Yulu pushed the door open, letting the maids bring in hot water, with Nanny Zhou following behind.
Chu Ruoyan glanced at her, and Nanny Zhou nodded—meaning the matter had been settled.
A weight lifted from her heart, and a faint smile touched her lips.
After a quick wash and change of clothes, Lady Jiang the Younger entered, trailed by Ruoyin and Ruolan, both beaming.
"Congratulations, Eldest Sister, on your blessed union with the Chief Minister. May you share a lifetime of harmony."
"Yes, yes! Eldest Sister and Brother-in-law will surely have a blissful marriage and many plump children... Ow!"
Before Chu Ruolan could finish, her mother flicked her forehead: "What nonsense about plump children from an unmarried girl!"
After scolding, Lady Jiang the Younger turned back, her expression softening as she looked at Chu Ruoyan. "Eldest Miss, I’ve wronged you in the past, but thanks to your generosity, words of gratitude are unnecessary. Your remarriage today is the Duke's Mansion’s greatest joy. I’ve sent word to the Jiang family in Yangzhou, but your grandfather is unwell, and your uncles are away on business, so they likely won’t make it..."
A shadow passed over Chu Ruoyan’s heart.
As a child, she had been closest to her grandfather.
He would carry her while practicing spearplay and loved tickling her face with his beard. But after a sudden illness, he became bedridden, confined to the warmth of Yangzhou. She hadn’t seen him in five or six years.
She had hoped this time... she might.
Lowering her eyes, she smiled. "Thank you for letting me know, Aunt. Grandfather’s health comes first—it’s fine if he can’t attend."
Perhaps it was for the best. If he came, he’d witness her wedding only to soon receive news of her death.
How could an old man bear such grief?
Lady Jiang the Younger patted her shoulder in comfort, then added, "There’s one more thing. I must pass on something from your mother..."
She signaled to Yuetao, who promptly handed two scrolls to Chu Ruoyan.
"What is...?" She began to unroll them, but Lady Jiang the Younger stopped her. "Wait until you’re at your husband’s home."
After a pause, she added, "Best to look before tonight."
Puzzled, Chu Ruoyan glanced at her sisters, who looked equally clueless.
Lady Jiang the Younger coughed lightly. "Well, there’s much to do outside. I’ll take my leave. Ruoyin, Ruolan, stay and keep your sister company."
The moment she left, Chu Ruolan bounded over. "Eldest Sister, quick, open it! Let’s see what treasure it is!"
Before Chu Ruoyan could respond, Ruoyin interjected, "That might not be proper..."
"Oh, nonsense! I saw Mother preparing this ages ago, even hiring a famous painter from the capital... Come on, Eldest Sister, open it! The Jiang family is wealthy—maybe it’s a treasure map?"
Chu Ruoyan chuckled and relented, unrolling the scrolls.
Inside were two illustrated booklets.
The first page showed two pale figures entwined.
The next depicted them in a tangled struggle...
Before she could make sense of it, Ruoyin gasped, her face flushing crimson as she snatched the scrolls away!
"Second Sister, don’t take them! I haven’t studied the martial arts moves yet!" Ruolan reached out, but Ruoyin swiftly rolled them up and shoved them back at Chu Ruoyan. "E-Eldest Sister, you’d better listen to Mother... Look at them before your wedding night..."
At the word "wedding night," realization struck, and Chu Ruoyan’s ears burned.
She tried to feign composure, but the glimpses of those improper images seared into her mind.
The thought of doing such things with him tonight sent a shiver down her spine, her chest flooding with an indescribable mix of joy, shyness, and nerves...
"Miss, the bath is ready. Shall we go?"
Yulu’s voice rescued her just in time. Chu Ruoyan hurried to the backyard bathhouse.
Dawn had yet to break, but the courtyard lanterns glowed brightly. Wrapped in a thick fox-fur cloak, she stepped into the steamy room, fragrant with osmanthus oil.
Shedding her clothes, she sank into the water—only for the scalding surface to emit faint wisps of cold.
"It’s gotten this bad...?"
Muttering, she leaned back until the water closed over her head.
No matter what, she would make this, her last wedding, a glorious one—for him.
An hour later, freshly bathed, she returned to her room to find not just her sisters but also Lady Liu with Chu Ruoxi and several distant relatives gathered there.
As she moved to greet them, a commotion erupted outside. Yuetao ushered in two elderly women.
"Miss, they insisted they were old friends here to see you, so I had no choice but..."
Before she finished, Lady Liu shot up, eyes alight. "Aunt Fang? Are you the famed Aunt Fang of Rouge Pavilion?"
The room buzzed. Ruoyin gasped. "The legendary ‘First Hands’ of the capital?"
The shorter, plumper woman stepped forward with a bow. "This old woman merely dabbles in cosmetics. The title is undeserved."
Chu Ruoyan blinked, memories resurfacing.
Aunt Fang of Rouge Pavilion was indeed extraordinary. Years ago, an official’s daughter, plain-faced, had been desperate to marry a top scholar. No one knew what magic Aunt Fang worked, but after her touch, the scholar fell head over heels and wed her immediately.
He later lamented that sorcery must have made his wife unrecognizable. Aunt Fang’s fame spread, and noble families vied to hire her for weddings. But age had slowed her; even the crown prince’s wedding last year failed to secure her services.
"This old woman was asked by your friend to prepare the County Princess’s bridal makeup." Aunt Fang gestured to her companion. "This is Mrs. Ge."
All eyes turned, expecting another luminary.
But Mrs. Ge smiled modestly. "I’ve no such renown. Merely the luck of living parents, harmonious siblings, a devoted husband, and thriving children. I was also summoned to dress the County Princess’s hair."
Gasps filled the room—a "Complete Blessings Matron"!
Such women weren’t rare in the capital, but one with three generations of intact family was near-mythical.
Ruolan couldn’t resist. "Eldest Sister, which friend of yours has such pull to bring Aunt Fang and Mrs. Ge here?"
