NABC Chapter 580 Winter Melon Gets Married
Chapter 580 Winter Melon Gets Married
The day before her wedding, Donggua did two main things.
The first thing to do is to go to Huining Palace.
Firstly, he solemnly kowtowed to Consort Chun to say goodbye, and secondly, he personally cooked a sumptuous lunch for Consort Chun and her sisters Mengzhu, Ruizhu, and Mingyue.
Putting aside the kindness shown to Donggua by Consort Chun, Mengzhu and the others also treated her with great affection on a daily basis. They had all prepared makeup for Donggua well in advance, and Donggua remembered it all.
There is another person we cannot forget, and that is Aunt Mei.
It's important to know that when Donggua entered the Prince of Jin's mansion, she was registered as "Fangdunzi" on the mansion's register, and was an adopted daughter under the name of Aunt Mei, who was a maidservant. Over the years, Aunt Mei had taken good care of her, both openly and secretly, and treated her with the same affection as her own junior.
Donggua specially prepared a nourishing goji berry and black chicken soup for Aunt Mei, ate with her, talked for a long time, and then knelt down and kowtowed three times before leaving.
“Aunt, Donggua won’t be in the palace anymore, so please take good care of yourself.” Donggua’s eyes were slightly red. “Once I’m settled, I’ll come back to the palace to visit you often.”
Aunt Mei held her hand and whispered with emotion, "Good child, Physician Jian was taken in by the Marquis and personally raised by the Zhen family physician. Consort Jin only agreed to this marriage because of his noble character. You and Physician Jian must live a good life together..."
After giving a long list of instructions, he smiled and said, "Next time we meet, Mengzhu and the others will have to call our Donggua 'Madam'."
The second thing, naturally, was to take care of Meng Shu.
In the afternoon, Donggua spent half a day in the small kitchen, carefully preparing a table of delicious dishes according to the tastes of everyone in Cuiyutang.
The Lingcui Palace was unusually lively that day. Meng Shu learned from Lvliu that several palace servants and eunuchs in the Imperial Kitchen were familiar with Donggua, especially Chef Xu, who had sent a special gift a few days ago. So she specially asked Lvliu to invite them all over.
As the sun began to set, a dozen palace servants and eunuchs from the Imperial Kitchen and the Imperial Bedchamber gathered in the small kitchen of Lingcui Palace. It was both a farewell to Donggua and a rare occasion where they set aside palace rules and ranks to sit together like ordinary family and friends. Chef Xu had even brought a jar of his privately collected osmanthus wine. They shared cups, their laughter and gentle reminders mingling with the aroma of food, warmly filling the entire room.
In the evening, Donggua, after being persuaded by everyone to drink a few cups, had a flushed face. He clung to Meng Shu's sleeve and wouldn't let go, mumbling that he still had a lot to say to Shushu.
Seeing her like this, Meng Shu simply had the palace servants prepare hot water and personally led her to the bathing room at the back.
In the steamy heat, Meng Shu and Lü Liu peeled the winter melon clean and helped her sit in the bathtub. Meng Shu then asked Lü Liu to leave first.
Winter Melon was immersed in the warm water, letting out a soft sigh of comfort as her body slid down. Meng Shu coughed lightly, reached out to straighten her head, and then sat down beside the tub, whispering intimate words of advice to her about marriage and household management, like an elder sister's admonition.
As Donggua listened, tears suddenly streamed down his face.
“Shushu, am I being too selfish...? I only care about leaving the palace to live my own life, unlike Lvliu, who will always stay in the palace to protect you and His Highness.”
Her voice was thick with nasal congestion, and tears mingled with the water droplets on her face, rolling one by one into the bathtub.
"But I...I really want a home, I want someone to care for me, someone who can..."
Meng Shu reached out and tucked her wet hair behind her ear. "Silly girl, I've always known. How could this be selfish? It's not easy for a woman to find a loving and caring partner in this world. I'm happier than anyone else that you've married a good man."
Winter Melon was sold to human traffickers by her family when she was young. She lived a life of fear and hardship. Her deepest desire was simply to have a real, warm, and stable home of her own.
Meng Shu paused for a moment, then began to speak of her dowry: "Wan'er and the others have given you a considerable dowry; you lack neither gold, silver, nor land. I... will give you a promise then."
"From now on, your children, regardless of gender, can be sent to Yu Nu'er's side as long as they wish, to study and learn etiquette together, and grow up to be adults. As long as Yu Nu'er is around, they will have a stable future."
Donggua froze, staring blankly at Meng Shu, even forgetting to cry.
Such a promise can undoubtedly guarantee Donggua's wealth, stability, and peace of mind for generations to come.
Finally, Meng Shu gently held her slightly rough hand, which was roughened by years of cooking, and whispered, "You came from Lingcui Palace and were once a member of the Marquis of Lin'an's household. People outside will give you some face because of that. You are excellent at dealing with people and getting along with others; I don't need to teach you. But there is one thing I need to tell you."
That concerns Jian Zhi. Outsiders may not know, but he has a very deep connection with the Marquis's family; he practically grew up under the Marquis's watchful eye, and he feels a deep affection and responsibility towards the family. Since you've married him, you're his closest person; you can treat him wholeheartedly and trust him, but you must also understand—
The most valuable things in a marriage are honesty and understanding.
His entanglements with the Marquis's mansion are deep, and he may not be able to explain everything to you. You must learn to discern when to side with him and when... to remain clear-headed for your own sake and for the sake of your family.
Donggua raised his head, the tears in his eyes gradually fading, leaving only a clear and focused expression.
"I remember, Shushu. I will live my life well, and I will... take good care of myself."
The water was getting cold, so Meng Shu called Green Willow in.
Green Willow, holding warm clothes in one hand and a bowl of hangover soup in the other, helped Winter Melon get dressed. By this time, Winter Melon was mostly sober, but Green Willow still insisted she drink the entire bowl of soup. "You're getting married tomorrow, be careful not to get a headache from being drunk all night..."
Green Willow finally seized the opportunity; this was the only time of day without any outsiders. She gave a long, rambling instruction, and the three of them, mistress and servant, walked hand in hand into the bedchamber.
That night, the three of them barely slept, talking for most of the night, but all three tacitly avoided mentioning the palace, talking only about trivial matters from their time in Lin'an. Towards the end, they laughed and cried, unable to distinguish between joy and sorrow.
The night outside the window was thick with darkness, while inside the hall, the candlelight shone brightly, making this last night together feel warm and long.
......
September 26th is an auspicious day, suitable for marriage.
As dawn broke, the palace servants of Lingcui Palace were already busy with their tasks in an orderly manner.
At 9:00 AM, Donggua, dressed in a bright red wedding gown, bid farewell to Meng Shu.
Meng Shu took out the red veil she had embroidered herself, first handing it to Lvliu, then gently helping the kneeling Donggua up, and giving him a few more detailed instructions.
Yu Nu'er was dressed very festively today. He was usually very attached to Dong Gua, and his eyes and heart were full of reluctance to part with her, his little mouth pursed tightly. But under his mother's 'gentle' gaze, he dared not say anything more. Following his wet nurse's instructions from yesterday, he stepped forward and gently hugged Dong Gua, said a few auspicious words, and then said in his childish voice, "Auntie, please come back to see Yu Nu'er often."
Winter Melon's eyes reddened again after being hugged by him. Meng Shu said cruelly, "Don't be late, Green Willow."
Upon hearing this, Green Willow quickly stepped forward to support Winter Melon. Dong Ming led the way, and the procession left the Lingcui Palace gates, heading towards the Huining Palace. Winter Melon respectfully knelt and bowed towards the location of Consort Chun's palace.
After the ceremony, amidst the tearful yet joyful farewells of Mengzhu and the others, he was personally supported by Lvliu, who was dressed in new clothes, and slowly made his way towards Fanglin Gate.
Outside the palace gates, Imperial Physician Jian, dressed in wedding attire, had been waiting on a white horse for some time.
He stood tall and straight, his brows revealing an undisguised joy, but also a rare hint of nervousness.
The crowd of onlookers was bustling and noisy, with laughter and chatter filling the air.
Among them, an elderly man with white hair and beard, dressed simply, stood in an inconspicuous corner, looking gently at Jian Zhi on horseback, his eyes full of satisfaction.
Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.
To celebrate Donggua's wedding, please give her a gift as a token of your love and leave a positive review! ∠(°ゝ°)
Tomorrow and the day after are the weekend, and I finally don't have to go out. I'll try to update as much as possible ∠(°ゝ°)!